Since the early 2020s, the popularity of the Y2K style has received a resurgence of popularity, with this aesthetic seeping back into popular culture. While the style is hard to encapsulate succinctly, it is easiest to describe with the era it represents. Y2K style represents the aesthetics and visuals of the late ’90s and early ’00s, and this can be recognized in a lot of popular media from the era.
Related:The Best 2000s Games That Aged Well
Video games are no different. Plenty of games from this era have a strong Y2K style, and due to the popularity of the style resurfacing, it is now popping up in newer games again too. So, if you have a nostalgic desire to revisit this era, what games fit the bill?
10Sonic Riders
The 2000s was a mixed era for the blue hedgehog with some of the best and worstSonicgames releasing. While some of the mainline entries in the series strongly align with the Y2K aesthetic, the closest pick would have to be the Sonic Riders spin-off series.
The Sonic Free Riders, the final game in the trilogy, has a much more 2010s look, but the first Sonic Riders, and the sequel, Sonic Riders Zero Gravity, are much more reminiscent of the Y2K era. The only logical step to make Sonic any cooler in the 2000s, was, of course, to put him on a hoverboard.
9Pokemon Battle Revolution
The mainlinePokemongames, including those released in the late ’90s and ’00s, have a more timeless nostalgia as opposed to a distinct Y2K style, mainly due to the pixel art style. However, spin-off titles are a lot less immune to this.
While Pokemon Battle Revolution was criticized for removing a lot of the features that made the Pokemon Stadium series so popular, it is hard to deny the distinct 2000s tone and style the game has. Some Pokemon fans still argue that the glossy style of these battles is thebest Pokemon battleshave ever looked in-game.
8Space Channel 5
Sega clearly knows what it’s doing when it comes to the Y2K style, even when it comes to some of its more obscure gems. While some gamers might only know Ulala as a character in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, she is actually the main character of the Space Channel 5 series.
Looking at any footage from this rhythm shooter hybrid will immediately let you know what era this game was released in. With Y2K being as popular as it is now, it would be the perfect time for Sega to revive this dormant series, and they’re on their way there with a VR spin-off already out!
7Final Fantasy 10
It’s hard to narrow down whichFinal Fantasygame fits the Y2K style label the best with so many strong contenders like 7 and 13, but 10 just pushes it over the edge.
Related:Best Final Fantasy Games For Beginners
Thelook of the cinematic cutscenes, the styling of characters like Tidus and Yuna, the scenery looking like the perfect 2001 desktop wallpaper, it all comes together to be the perfect nostalgic package.
6Psychonauts
Cartoons and animation started getting edgier and more stylistic in the ’90s and ’00s, so a common element in some subsections of the Y2K aesthetic include a more grungy but still whimsical and fun look. This is perfectly represented inPsychonauts, an inventive and subversive 3D platformer from 2005.
The platformer, while always having been a cult classic, was overlooked and didn’t get an immediate follow-up for not reaching sales goals. However, after fans didn’t give up on the prospect of a sequel, it finally got the sequel it always deserved in 2021 with Psychonauts 2.
5Persona 4
WhilePersona4launched quite late in the 2000s, the styling and setting of the game feels more distinctly in the Y2K era.
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The character designs, the art style, and the unique interface, all combined with a distinct soundtrack, give Persona 4 the perfect chill small town Y2K style. The story of Persona 4 is easy to get stuck into, and while playing it is easy to understand why this game is such a landmark for JRPGs of the era.
4Splatoon
WhileSplatoonand its sequels launched long after the peak of the Y2K era, the style of the game series, while more modern, definitely has stylistic sensibilities that feel reminiscent of the late ’90s and early ’00s.
The focus on character customization through fashion, while also adhering to a distinct and colourful aesthetic, is part of what makes the Splatoon series so distinct. Compared to other shooters releasing in the mid 2010s, it is easy to understand how Splatoon was a breath of fresh air, and a big part of that is its style.
3The World Ends With You
The World Ends With Youis one of the more obscure Square Enix titles, with its original launch being a subversive action RPG usingboth of the screens on the DS. While the gameplay and the story caught attention, so did the strong style of the game, with clear inspiration being taken from the fashion of early 2000s Shibuya where the game is set.
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While it felt for years like this one-off game had been forgotten by Square Enix, it eventually got ported to the Switch in 2018, and then a sequel, NEO: The World Ends With You, launched in 2021.
2Kingdom Hearts
The entirety of theKingdom Heartsseries, no matter when the titles were launched, feel so strongly tied to the style and tone of the Y2K era. The entries in the series where this is the most obvious is with the first Kingdom Hearts and its sequel, Kingdom Hearts 2, but 2 just feels a little closer.
The new outfits of the main cast of characters have in 2, the updated presentation, and worlds like Twilight Town, and The World That Never Was, feel so reminiscent of the Y2K era. Honourable mentions go to the opening movies for both 1 and 2, featuring Simple and Clean and Sanctuary, but also to Hikaru Utada for further cementing the Y2K tone of Kingdom Hearts.
1Jet Set Radio
When it comes to games with a distinct Y2K style, a game that fits every aspect almost perfectly is Jet Set Radio (or Jet Grind Radio, depending on localisation). This colourful and aggressively stylised skating and spray-painting adventure is fondly remembered by its fans.
The game was popular upon launch, but unfortunately did not spawn a long-lasting series. However, the desire for a new game in this style is clear, with Bomb Rush Cyberfunk being a clear spiritual successor to this classic.
