With the advent of this generation of consoles players expect more from their games where graphics are concerned and all three consoles have managed to deliver in this respect. This week's Game Collector is dedicated to games from this generation of consoles and those since passed that include graphics that surpass their contemporaries. You won't find a game on this list that didn't cause people's jaws to drop at one point or another. For the graphic tarts out there, this Game Collector is for you.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - PlayStation 2 (2001)
Street Price: $34.95
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Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was easily the most anticipated game of last year. It also turned out to be the most surprising. Regardless of how you feel about Raiden--Snake's stand-in, throughout most of MGS2--his role in the game was a bit of a shocker. But the game carried on nonetheless, and what Kojima and his team have managed to deliver is one of the most engaging, visually astounding games in the history of game development.
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec - PlayStation 2 (2001)
Street Price: $39.99
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GT3 doesn't have nearly as many car models as its PlayStation predecessor, but that is because it has prudently kept the key manufacturers and ditched most of the derivative cars types. However, several tracks are new, and the returning ones have been completely overhauled to more closely match their real-life counterparts. The graphics in Gran Turismo 3 have yet to be eclipsed by another driving game but the graphics are just part of what makes GT3 such a realistic and exhilarating experience.
Super Mario 64 - Nintendo 64 (1996)
Street Price: $16.95
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There's not much to say that hasn't already been said about legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto's first foray into 3D games. It set the precedence that all other developers of 3D games have followed and established the genre that would be known as the 3D platformer. After almost five years, the game's elegant simplicity and top-notch level design has yet to be topped. And who can forget the first time they laid eyes on its enticing visuals?
Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II - GameCube (2001)
Street Price: $43.00
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When screenshots of Rogue Leader began circulating on the Internet it became apparent that Nintendo's tiny new console had some punch. Star Wars fans were happy to finally see the series' worlds completely fleshed out and tech-heads marveled at the number of polygons being pushed on screen and all the special effects firing at the same time. Rogue Leader is a visual tour de force but its gameplay also stands the test of time thanks to its extensive reward system.
Halo - Xbox (2001)
Street Price: $39.95
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After lukewarm receptions at a number of game shows, the gaming world was surprised at the quality of the final version of Halo. Its graphics are superb, with excellent textures, huge draw distances, and dozens of enemies on screen at once. The rest of the game doesn't disappoint, either. Its film score-like soundtrack is a tour de force, with sound effects that put you on the battlefield and enemies and allies that have much to say about the war being waged around them, for better or worse.
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil - Nintendo 64 (1999)
Street Price: $4.98
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Nestled within the confines of its 32MB cartridge (the largest N64 cart ever, along with Zelda) is one of the hugest games you'll ever have the pleasure of playing. Spread out over five virtual miles of gaming real estate, each of Turok 2's levels is absolutely gargantuan. Being one of the first console games to effectively run in high resolution guarantees that Turok 2: Seeds of Evil certainly and inarguably brings the flash. But more importantly, it also brings the thunder.
Final Fantasy VII - PlayStation (1997)
Street Price: $46.38
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Square changed the face of RPG gaming forever when it released Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation. Featuring what was then a new technique for video game graphics called full-motion video, the stirring cinematics in Final Fantasy VII established a new standard that all future RPGs would have to live up to. It's hard to replicate the feeling players had while performing a summons for the first time and Final Fantasy VII was the first game to truly blur the line between movies and video games.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Nintendo 64 (1998)
Street Price: $31.46
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Few games in the history of consoles have delivered on their hype the way the first Zelda game for the Nintendo 64 did. While the gameplay managed to be as good as expected, the graphics were even better. The horizon stretched on for miles and even the smallest aspects of the game such as horse riding were pulled off flawlessly thanks in part to stellar animation. Ocarina of Time was the graphical benchmark when it was released and is still impressive to this day.
Dead or Alive 3 - Xbox (2001)
Street Price: $44.26
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Dead or Alive 3 won GameSpot's Best Technical Graphics Award for 2001 for good reason. Between the expansive stages, pixel-shaded clothing, and small environmental details, Namco's latest fighting game is worthy of the crown. While its gameplay fell a bit short due to its simplistic nature, the game's graphics are good enough to make it worth picking up. The next time your friends stop by, pop Dead or Alive 3 into your Xbox and get ready to hear your friends extol its virtues.
Luigi's Mansion - GameCube (2001)
Street Price: $44.26
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Described by many as a technical demonstration of the GameCube's graphical muscle, Luigi's Mansion is a short, but fun affair that really shows what Nintendo's new console can do. Much like Dead or Alive 3 for the Xbox, you won't get a lot of long-term enjoyment out of this game, but when friends stop over to check out your new hardware it's an excellent choice. The physics and lighting in this game are hard to beat-not to mention the transparencies used for the ghosts.
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