Looking back, 2006 was a great year for gaming and players were spoilt rotten. There were multiple bangers released that year, and while this list cannot feature every gem, you're still in for a treat.
Mortal Kombat had always been quite literally a bloody mess, with it's iconic fatalities and gimmicky fighters being absolutely brutalized. Though Armageddon turned up the heat with more gruesome visuals and an enormous roster of cannon fodder.
9. Wii Sports
Everybody and their mother was playing Wii Sports, an easily accessible sports game positively riding the coattails of physical exercise.
With an array of game modes to choose from (notably tennis and boxing), Nintendo's sporty title prided itself on getting players into moderate shape, while they swung their Wii remote controller at the tv screen to mimic the actions of say, a racket or bat.
Sora, alongside Donald and Goofy, travel to various Disney worlds in a bid to save the day from literal darkness, which engulfs realms and steals the hearts of the weak and feeble minded. Although a hack and slacker at heart, it's imaginative world keeps it fresh.
3. Final Fantasy XII
The twelfth instalment of Final Fantasy is a huge role-playing game which takes place in the war torn kingdom of Ivalice and follows the downtrodden yet rebellious teen and aspiring sky pirate, Vaan, who becomes predestined to save his occupied homeland.
Final Fantasy 12 is quite innovative, simply because it was the first game in the series to introduce an open world, a coherent battle system, a movable camera, and the gambit system, which allowed to players to assign specific actions to party members.
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
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Grand Theft Auto and "underrated" probably aren't two words you'd associate together, however this is the case of Vice City Stories, a gritty action adventure game and the spin-off to 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, circa 1984.
Set roughly two years before the events of Vice City, instead of Tommy Vercetti, the game sees you following Victor Vance, a former soldier who falls into the deep end and is roped into a life of crime in order to take care of his dependent family.
Like your typical GTA, the game sees you rise through the criminal underworld by completing missions, taking out mob bosses and becoming an entrepreneur. What's unique though, is how you can actually swim and build an empire with acquired assets.
1 Bully / Canis Canem Edit
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One of the best games Rockstar Games ever created involved troubled schoolkids getting up to no good in a private boarding school full of delinquents. Bully (renamed as Canis Canem Edit in Europe), is essentially Grand Theft Auto with kids.
As the mischievous yet often misunderstood schoolboy, Jimmy Hopkins, who is transferred to Bullsworth Academy, shenanigans is at every turn.
In the game, you'll stand up to bullies, pull hilarious pranks, get picked on by teachers, win or lose the heart of your high school crush and of course, take over recess.
With that said, here are 10 memorable video games released in 2006 (in the west), which invoke nostalgic memories and stand the test of time.
Note, this isn't about the most popular or best selling videogames, it's just an appreciation of several classics which were a blast to play and still hold up today.
Note, this isn't about the most popular or best selling videogames, it's just an appreciation of several classics which were a blast to play and still hold up today.
10. Mortal Kombat Armageddon
Midway's gory 3D fighter delivered over-the-top violence and brutal anarchy to young teens who had no business playing it.
Mortal Kombat had always been quite literally a bloody mess, with it's iconic fatalities and gimmicky fighters being absolutely brutalized. Though Armageddon turned up the heat with more gruesome visuals and an enormous roster of cannon fodder.
9. Wii Sports
Everybody and their mother was playing Wii Sports, an easily accessible sports game positively riding the coattails of physical exercise.
With an array of game modes to choose from (notably tennis and boxing), Nintendo's sporty title prided itself on getting players into moderate shape, while they swung their Wii remote controller at the tv screen to mimic the actions of say, a racket or bat.
8. New Mario Bros
Nintendo once again perfected the Mario Bros formula with their faithful entry on the Nintendo DS, which stayed loyal to it's roots, while at the same reinventing itself for a younger generation of gamers.
Many will agree that New Mario Bros was easy to pick up, yet a hard game to master. Though the colourful art style, nostalgic melodies and jumpy mayhem left players with much to be desired.
Saints Row 1 is a nonsensical action adventure game inspired by Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Only difference is, it doesn't take it's self as seriously, often resulting in ridiculous and silly mayhem as you pop rival gangs and take over the city of Stilwater.
While you could easy write off Saints Row as nothing more than a glorified GTA clone, in many ways it offered much more, including a deep character creation mode, a variety of enjoyable side hustles, freedom of choice during missions, and character progression.
6. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Like majority of Bethesda RPGs, Oblivion throws players into an massive open world as you complete quests, level up abilities and progress through the forsaken realm of Cyordill, armed with your wits to thwart the efforts of a devil worshipping cult.
However if the main story isn't to your acquired taste, you can instead take part in the plentiful of side quests, wander through lust fields, explore a lively town or test your might on a ferocious black bear. Simply put, the world of Oblivion is your oyster.
Nintendo once again perfected the Mario Bros formula with their faithful entry on the Nintendo DS, which stayed loyal to it's roots, while at the same reinventing itself for a younger generation of gamers.
Many will agree that New Mario Bros was easy to pick up, yet a hard game to master. Though the colourful art style, nostalgic melodies and jumpy mayhem left players with much to be desired.
7. Saints Row
Saints Row 1 is a nonsensical action adventure game inspired by Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Only difference is, it doesn't take it's self as seriously, often resulting in ridiculous and silly mayhem as you pop rival gangs and take over the city of Stilwater.
While you could easy write off Saints Row as nothing more than a glorified GTA clone, in many ways it offered much more, including a deep character creation mode, a variety of enjoyable side hustles, freedom of choice during missions, and character progression.
6. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Like majority of Bethesda RPGs, Oblivion throws players into an massive open world as you complete quests, level up abilities and progress through the forsaken realm of Cyordill, armed with your wits to thwart the efforts of a devil worshipping cult.
However if the main story isn't to your acquired taste, you can instead take part in the plentiful of side quests, wander through lust fields, explore a lively town or test your might on a ferocious black bear. Simply put, the world of Oblivion is your oyster.
5. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
As a charming role-playing game which is built on old school values, Dragon Quest VIII is all about a cast of bravado misfits, who put their differences aside in order save the day from a malicious jester, hell-bent on destroying the world.
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| © Square Enix |
As a charming role-playing game which is built on old school values, Dragon Quest VIII is all about a cast of bravado misfits, who put their differences aside in order save the day from a malicious jester, hell-bent on destroying the world.
DQ VIII caters to both RPG fanatics and casual players alike as players travel through cosy towns, explore treasure filled dungeons, take on an ample of baddies and immerse themselves in a melodramatic tale with colorful characters.
4. Kingdom Hearts 2
Disney and Square Enix's ambitious collaboration came to be in 2001, which in time led to Kingdom Hearts 2. Like the first game, KH2 is an action roleplaying game which places you in the hands of a young hero destined to wield a magical keyblade and cut a path through darkness.
4. Kingdom Hearts 2
Disney and Square Enix's ambitious collaboration came to be in 2001, which in time led to Kingdom Hearts 2. Like the first game, KH2 is an action roleplaying game which places you in the hands of a young hero destined to wield a magical keyblade and cut a path through darkness.
Sora, alongside Donald and Goofy, travel to various Disney worlds in a bid to save the day from literal darkness, which engulfs realms and steals the hearts of the weak and feeble minded. Although a hack and slacker at heart, it's imaginative world keeps it fresh.
3. Final Fantasy XII
 |
| © Square Enix |
The twelfth instalment of Final Fantasy is a huge role-playing game which takes place in the war torn kingdom of Ivalice and follows the downtrodden yet rebellious teen and aspiring sky pirate, Vaan, who becomes predestined to save his occupied homeland.
Final Fantasy 12 is quite innovative, simply because it was the first game in the series to introduce an open world, a coherent battle system, a movable camera, and the gambit system, which allowed to players to assign specific actions to party members.
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
.webp)
Grand Theft Auto and "underrated" probably aren't two words you'd associate together, however this is the case of Vice City Stories, a gritty action adventure game and the spin-off to 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, circa 1984.
Set roughly two years before the events of Vice City, instead of Tommy Vercetti, the game sees you following Victor Vance, a former soldier who falls into the deep end and is roped into a life of crime in order to take care of his dependent family.
Like your typical GTA, the game sees you rise through the criminal underworld by completing missions, taking out mob bosses and becoming an entrepreneur. What's unique though, is how you can actually swim and build an empire with acquired assets.
1 Bully / Canis Canem Edit
.webp)
One of the best games Rockstar Games ever created involved troubled schoolkids getting up to no good in a private boarding school full of delinquents. Bully (renamed as Canis Canem Edit in Europe), is essentially Grand Theft Auto with kids.
As the mischievous yet often misunderstood schoolboy, Jimmy Hopkins, who is transferred to Bullsworth Academy, shenanigans is at every turn.
In the game, you'll stand up to bullies, pull hilarious pranks, get picked on by teachers, win or lose the heart of your high school crush and of course, take over recess.