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[Storm Kyleis]

- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
- Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

 

[jett]

Prince of Persia is easily my favorite game of this year, one I still remember fondly.

I don't think I care much about 2003 overall to be honest. Gaming-wise I remember this year mostly for selling my Gamecube (after being deeply disappointed with Mario Sunshine and Wind Waker) and buying a PS2 with the money (finally pushed over the edge by MGS3's E3 trailer).

 

[Menitta]

Super Mario Bros Advanced 4 SMB3. Simply because it was the very first game I ever owned. Came bundled with a GBA SP on Christmas Day.

I think Mario 3 might be the game I own the most copies of. 3 Advanced, NES cart, All Stars, and VC twice.

 

[purseowner]

Mario Kart: Double Dash by a mile, even in a year that good.

 

[nowarning]

Max Payne 2. I couldn't believe the graphics at the time, game blew me away.
Call of Duty. Great campaign, multiplayer was awesome.
Jedi Knight : Jedi Academy. I really enjoyed it at the time but JK2 is way better.

GOTY: Star Wars Galaxies. I absolutely loved it through all it's faults and shortcomings, I quit playing once NGE hit though. Only MMO I've ever bothered with.

 

[Lanf]

The pinnacle of GTA:

and the pinnacle of SSX, what, of snowboarding games:

Honorable mentions to WC3 Frozen Throne and KoTor, didn't play them until later.

 

[Boy Wander]

Based on how much I enjoyed it at the time, probably Wind Waker.

Special Mentions to:
Beyond Good & Evil and PoP: Sands of Time

A couple of outsiders not in the OP:

Billy Hatcher & the Giant Egg
Gregory Horror Show

 

[BriGuy]

I like these threads for the stroll down memory lane, but absence makes the heart grow fonder. At this rate, you'll have the entire history of video gaming covered by March.

 

[Rizific]

wow, going through that list i had no idea of what a year that was. for me its between FFT:Advance, Advance wars 2, NFS underground, and WC3. based solely on time played i know its between FFT: Advance and WC3. i think the obvious answer would be WC3, but i spent so much time with FFT. i took it with me everyday to high school and even when i went out with friends. but i WC3 i played for years and years after that.

 

[BlindJesus]

Rainbow Six 3
KOTOR
PGR2

 

[tebunker]

How are some of you even able to pick just one? This list may be one of the best years for games ever.

I probably played/owned near 50 plus games on that list and I would be hard pressed to rank them.

Wind Waker
Double Dash
Prince of Persia
Burnout 2
Beyond Good and Evil


Really stand out but I need to go back through the list again. I don't think I could pick just one though. Such a great year for games.

 

[The Artisan]

soulcalibur 2!!!!!!!!

 

[BajiBoxer]

Mario Kart Double Dash would be my game of the year for that year, though I don't think I actually bought a Gamecube and played it until '04. I just recall picking up a used Gamecube along with used MK Double Dash, used Zelda, and new Tales of Symphonia.

 

[Nasbin]

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is still one of the all-time greats and my GOTY 2003.

Honorable mentions:
SSX 3
Max Payne 2
Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga

 

[oneida]

No contest.

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution

 

[DrD]

Hard to choose between Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne and Knights of the Old Republic.

 

[jtb]

KOTOR - nothing even comes close.

 

[JustSomeone]

Morrowind, followed by gothic 2.

 

[Screaming Meat]

Tough call. Max Payne 2 and MGS2 are two of my favourite games of all time.

Mona Sax is my favourite character, so I guess Max wins?

 

[h0tp0ck3t]

Xenosaga caused me to fail a class I was so addicted to it. so I'm rolling with that one lmao

 

[Psychoward]

Tony Hawk's Underground is the best 3d skateboarding game ever made.

Maybe not my overall favorite on the list but it's so clearly my favorite in the genre so I'm gonna pick that.

 

[Jafku]

SOCOM II

 

[kionedrik]

It's a tie between Max Payne 2, Freedom Fighters, PoP: Sands of Time and BG&E.

I've replayed these multiple times throughout the years but if I had to pick just one I guess Max Payne 2 was the one I replayed the most (despite the rage inducing save Vinnie level).

 

[Effigenius]

Great year. Really tough choice. I think wind waker slightly edges kotor and sc2 .

 

[Dog Problems]

My favorite release from that year is actually an expansion pack; The Shadowlands for Anarchy Online. If that doesn't count then I'll go with Runaway: A Road Adventure. The beginning of a series of adventure games that I've enjoyed.

 

[PanicFreak]

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Runners up:
Skies of Arcadia
Halo

 

[FuriousOne]

Gotta be PGR2. Although I really played a ton of C&C Generals with friends online. Holy S at the list though...

 

[Retromelon]

Definitely wind waker, close second tie between double dash and megaman battle network 3. Look how many megaman games got released back then, compared to now!

Fuck me, throw soul calibur 2 in there. What a great year to own a gamecube

 

[flatearthpandas]

Golden Sun 2 and Tales of Symphonia (was looking at JP release I guess)

 

[Gigarator]

FFXI
FFTA
PGR2
Wind waker

Good year.

 

[Sterling's_Gold]

1. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
-Aside from the repetitive combat, one of my favorite games of all time

2. Star Wars: KOTOR
-Finally got me into WRPGS and encouraged me to go back and play its predecessors in the genre. Not as good as KOTOR II, but still was nice to have an awesome Star Wars experience during the era of terrible prequel films.

3. Golden Sun: The Lost Age
-Amazing graphics and music on the GBA. Fun puzzles/dungeons. Really love the first two GS games; too bad the series is dead now with the third game being pretty meh.

4. Soul Calibur II
-Had hours upon hours of fun with this game with friends between Halo sessions.

5. LotR: Return of the King
-What a surprisingly fantastic movie tie-in game this turned out to be.

 

[ReubyJuice]

So many great games, brings back memories reading that list. I'd probably have to go with Wind Waker, though special mention to NBA Street Vol. 2, that game was hella fun.

 

[Schlorgan]

Knights of the Old Republic and Sands of Time.

 

[Theslammer]

I like these threads for the stroll down memory lane, but absence makes the heart grow fonder. At this rate, you'll have the entire history of video gaming covered by March.

I've actually been considering slowing it down! I do them quickly because I enjoy them, but spacing them out is something I've thought about, and I'm considering it even more now that you also mentioned it. =)

 

[Anung]

Truly an incredible year. I reckon my game of the Year for 2003 was Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. I remember getting it for Christmas and falling in love with almost immediately. I'll need to rebuy it soon.

I'm actually playing Return of the King and the game still oozes quality. From the models to the to the score everything just feels right. Plus hacking and slashing through waves of orcs during memorable set pieces is just as good now as it was back then.

 

[Fularu]

Nothing that year could touch Warcraft 3

People rave about 2001 but 2003 was legit amazing

 

[MrS]

Max Payne 2

HM: The Getaway

 

[Nielm]

1. Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
3. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
4. Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
5. PlanetSide

 

[perfectchaos007]

Best game was Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, but my favorite game was probably Mario Golf Toadstool Tour. I logged so many hours on that game, and the replay value was added even more when I linked up my character from the GBA game later.

 

[pirateluigi]

What an amazing year. Easily a couple dozen games I could pick, but I think I have to go with Mario Kart: Double Dash, followed closely by Soul Calibur 2.

 

[SalvaPot]

A tie between Wind Waker and Super Star Saga. Great year.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Fucking incredible year. But it has to be PGR2. Best racing game ever made.

Though I feel bad about not picking Max Payne 2, Wind Waker, Vice City, Zone of the Enders 2 or KOTOR.

 

[oneida]

Beyond Good & Evil (PS2, Xbox, GC, PC)
Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (GBA)
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (PS2, Xbox, PC)
Mega Man Zero 2 (GBA)
Panzer Dragoon Orta (Xbox)
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (Xbox)
SoulCalibur II (PS2, Xbox, GC)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox, PC)
The Simpsons: Hit & Run (PS2, Xbox, GC, PC)
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GC)
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (PS2)

The list of games I loved then & now

Narrowing it down...

1. Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution

(large gap)

2. SoulCalibur II
3. Phantasy Star Online Ep 1 & 2
4. Star Wars KOTOR
5. Harvest Moon Friends of Mineral Town

 

[Already Torn]

Some good competition on the Nintendo side but I gotta say Wind Waker.

 

[Markitron]

Haven't even looked at the list,

It's Kotor by a very large distance.

 

[rhoq]

Beyond Good & Evil

 

[Theslammer]

This was my jam back in the day:

It's honestly one of my favorite games on the PS2. While I liked the remake Harmonix made, one thing in which I was disappointed was the lack of a remix mode. The remix mode in Amplitude (and FreQuency, by extension) added so many hours of playtime and experimentation.

 

[IC5]

Daaaang what a jam packed year!

It's Jak II, for me. That game is a perfect combo of 3D platforming and shooting. It is regularly sublime in how it naturally forces you to ascend and combine skills.
Scenario direction is top notch. Most of the missions are compelling. Due to great art direction, set design, enemy placement, and graphics engine which just doesn't quit. It's kinda funny when you are jumping and blasting through some hard situation, but you still notice the awesome draw distance of the city below, etc.
For the majority of its lengthy play time, it is difficult for the right reasons. The game stretches you out. Not enough games do that.