Welcome back to part 3 of EGM and the Launch Games, our exclusive look at two decades' worth of console launches shown through the eyes of Electronic Gaming Monthly. When we last checked in, we were finishing off the Genesis add-ons and working our way through the 32- and 64-bit era. Between 1989 and 1998, we've seen consoles come and go, major companies fumble the ball and new players steal the spotlight, all while the Game Boy quietly sticks around for a full decade.

With the rise of gaming out of the way, it's finally time to start talking about the industry going mainstream. This was the exact moment when everybody started to realize that gaming wasn't some niche hobby, but rather a multi-billion-dollar business that rivaled movies, music and television. And with the internet powering online gaming, nobody knew how big this thing could get. As a result, you started to see companies like Sony, Microsoft and even Nintendo take each launch a lot more seriously. Gone are the days of four or five launch games, because the Dreamcast, Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube all launched with between 15 and 30 games each. We've definitely entered a new level for gaming.


This is the third part of a 4-part series covering a wide assortment of launch games. We encourage you to continue the journey with Part 1: 1989-1991, Part 2: 1992-1996 and the series finale, Part 4: 2004-2006. You can also find the full EGM & the Launch Games playlist on YouTube. And now, let's continue our journey with a look at the consoles that defined the first part of the 21st century ...


By 1999, Electronic Gaming Monthly had gone from being a modestly-sized periodical to being "the world's #1 video games magazine" with issues topping 300 pages. We saw similar growth in the video games industry, which had managed to transition from being a niche hobby to a mainstream juggernaut in just a few years. This cultural awareness was on full display on September 9, 1999, the day Sega released the Dreamcast. This was a disc-based system that not only offered internet access out of the box, but launched with 19 massive games from a wide variety of third-party developers. In other words, it was the anti-Nintendo 64. I think it's fair to say that the Dreamcast ushered in the modern era of console launches.

For their part, EGM managed to review every single game that debuted with the Dreamcast. All 19 of them. The days of only reviewing a few launch games was over, because Electronic Gaming Monthly finally had the pages and resources to give each system special attention. To put it in perspective, if you bought a console on day one between 1989 and 1998, you would expect to see, on average, 5.4 launch games. That average balloons up to 16.8 launch games after 1998, including 29 debuting with the PlayStation 2. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, because we have a lot to talk about when it comes to the Dreamcast.

More than anything else, this was Sega showing the world that they had learned from the mistakes of the Saturn. The best way to do this was by launching the system with a next-gen Sonic the Hedgehog game, something that was sorely lacking in the last generation. Sonic Adventure was a return to greatness for the Sega mascot, and the EGM editors were thrilled. Chris gushed that "Sonic Adventure is a masterpiece of a game, every inch finely detailed." John loved how it "managed to capture the spirit of the old 2D games in a gorgeous 3D environment." Some of the editors complained about the camera and voice acting, but Sonic Adventure was a hit with the critics, averaging a stellar 9.1 out of 10.

The biggest surprise of the Dreamcast's launch wasn't that Sega delivered a new game starring the blue hedgehog, but rather that the Sonic sequel was completely overshadowed by the behemoth that was SoulCalibur. This SoulEdge sequel was only the third game in EGM's history (and first launch game) to score nothing but perfect 10s. John called it "the perfect showcase game, the perfect 3D fighter." He loved the graphics, characters, strategy and extras. Che concluded that "after playing SoulCalibur, there is no turning back ... no other 3D fighter even comes close." With 10s across the board, this is one of the greatest launch games of all time.

As you would expect, the success and popularity of SoulCalibur also overshadowed the other Dreamcast fighting games. One example of this was Power Stone, the creative new game from fighting game MVP Capcom. John started his review saying that "it's tough to ignore how much better than everything else SoulCalibur is, but in the absence of Namco's uber-game, Power Stone is actually pretty cool." Most of the critics liked it, while Che complained that it wasn't very fun. His score knocked the game down to an average of 7.5 out of 10.

Mortal Kombat Gold didn't fare as well, with EGM giving it a 4.5 out of 10. "You know what's cool about this game?" Chris asked. "Nothing." I mean, he's not wrong. On the other hand, the review crew was a lot more positive about Ready 2 Rumble, Midway's arcade-style boxing game. Giving it 8s and 9s, the critics argued that while it's not an especially deep fighter, you'll be won over by its goofy charm. The problem is that the game is too easy, becoming repetitive and boring after a while. Thankfully, the two-player action brings the score up to an impressive 8.75 out of 10.

Speaking of sports games, the Dreamcast launched with two very different football games. On one side of the field was NFL 2K, Sega's more-than-capable answer to Electronic Arts' Madden series. Shoe loved the animation and Shawn dug the accessible gameplay. It might not have been the Madden killer Sega hoped for, but NFL 2K still averaged an 8 out of 10. Now, on the other side of the field was NFL Blitz 2000, a mostly competent port of the fast-paced arcade game. While John liked having a perfect 4-player version of Blitz, Shoe couldn't get beyond the bugs. This rushed port averaged a score of 8.6 out of 10. And while it's not a traditional sports game, we might as well talk about TrickStyle, an extreme skating game inspired by the success of Tony Hawk. The editors found the tricks too difficult to pull off and hated the erratic AI opponents. TrickStyle averaged a 6.6 out of 10, and was never heard from again.

On that note, we also need to talk about the many racing games that launched with the Dreamcast. Believe it or not, there were six different racers competing for first place on day one. The best-reviewed one was Monaco Grand Prix, which is not to be confused with the similarly titled game that launched with the Game Gear. They said "the feel of this game is so dead-on, you'd swear Sega created the Dreamcast controller specifically for it" and gave the game an 8 out of 10. Next up is Hydro Thunder, the brilliant boat racing game from Midway. While the review crew loved the arcade game, they found this port to be a bit rocky. Complaining about the shoddy presentation and annoying slowdowns, EGM gave Hydro Thunder an average of 7.5 out of 10. Tokyo Extreme Racer also has a solid showing, averaging a 7 out of 10. They called it a "different type of racer that's not for everyone."

Speaking of racing games that aren't for everyone, that perfectly sums up Pen Pen Tricelon, "the weirdest, wackiest racing game you'll ever see." At least, according to the review. They eventually shrugged and said that it's very Japanese, followed by a score of 5.5 out of 10. That's better than TNN Motorsports Hardcore Heat, which is not just the worst-reviewed racing game, but also the bottom of the entire launch. They gave it a 4, concluding that the tracks may be dull and the gameplay frustrating, but the gay driver is funny. And finally, EGM gave CART: Flag to Flag a 6 out of 10 and called it "racing for dummies."

One of the oddities of the Dreamcast launch was Sega's port of The House of the Dead 2, a light gun game that harkened back to the early 8-bit consoles. What was once a staple of console gaming felt a little out of place in 1999. But Electronic Gaming Monthly didn't mind, as they were largely impressed by this arcade-perfect port. That said, Shoe had problems getting the gun to calibrate properly and Dean found the game to be a bit shallow. Even with a short run time and a few technical problems, The House of the Dead 2 still managed to score an average of 7.6 out of 10.

And finally, it's worth mentioning that the Dreamcast launch was not great for new franchises, especially when it came to action games. EGM called AeroWings "one of the most authentic and complex console flight sims ever," but gave it a 6 out of 10 for being too frustrating pulling off advanced maneuvers. That's a little better than AirForce Delta, which left John asking: "What's it trying to do?" By not being realistic enough to be a full-on simulator and not rewarding or fun enough to be a combat arcade game, the game only averaged a 5.6 out of 10.

Even worse was their take on Blue Stinger, which originally started out as a showpiece game for the Dreamcast. The review crew liked the survival horror elements, but felt the game was unpolished and too hard to play. They gave it a 4.25 and recommended horror fans wait for Resident Evil: Code Veronica. On the other hand, Expendable was an original IP that actually managed to impress the critics. Giving it a 7.5 out of 10, they compared it to Contra and cheered on the "non-stop shooting." They ultimately concluded that it's a bit shallow and repetitive, so you might want to rent it before buying.

Now that is what you call a console launch. This Dreamcast debut had it all, from one of the greatest fighting game of all time to racing games you would never want to play. But even with high scores for games like SoulCalibur, Sonic Adventure and Ready 2 Rumble, the Dreamcast's launch average was brought down due to all the middling titles. These 19 games ultimately land with an average of 6.9 out of 10, not far off from the 6.7 average when we look all of the Dreamcast games. That's a solid start to a great (albeit short-lived) Sega system.


Just when it seemed like a system launch couldn't get any bigger than the Dreamcast, Sony said "hold me beer" and released the PlayStation 2 with, get this, 29 games. That's right, twenty-eight. That's more launch games than the Genesis, TurboGrafx, Super NES, Saturn, Jaguar and Nintendo 64 put together. And yet, even with so many games to choose from, the general consensus at the time was that the PlayStation 2's launch line-up was lacking a killer app. Both fans and critics were disappointed that Sony's next-gen system didn't have their own SoulCalibur or Super Mario 64.

That may have been the feeling at the time, but was it accurate? Did the PlayStation 2 have a crummy launch line-up?

Looking over the reviews in Electronic Gaming Monthly, I would say the answer is a combination of yes and no. It's certainly true that the system didn't have a SoulCalibur-sized killer app, but you might be surprised by EGM's scores. For example, I bet you wouldn't have guessed that NHL 2001 would turn out to be the PlayStation 2's best-reviewed launch game. In fact, Joe liked it so much that he gave it a perfect 10 out of 10. "Hockey returns to the top of the video game sporting heap with NHL 2001. Not since the days of the Genesis could I say that about a hockey sim, but EA once again raises the bar for console sports." While Kraig and Dan aren't quite ready to call the game perfect, both give the game high scores, which is why NHL 2001 averaged a 9.5 out of 10 and became the tenth best-reviewed game of 2000.

While NHL 2001 may have won over the critics, it was another Electronic Arts game that stole the spotlight. I'm talking about SSX, a fast-paced snowboarding game with a mix of racing and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater-style stunts. Chris admits early in his review that snowboarding games don't normally hold his attention, but SSX is the exception. "The courses are long and varied enough that it doesn't feel like you're whizzing past the same scenery over and over. The sense of speed is intense. This is one PS2 game that plays as good as it looks." Dean, on the other hand, docked the game points because "all the graphical bells and whistles drag the speed slightly." But even with that minor nitpick, SSX managed to average an impressive 9 out of 10.

If there's one franchise you expect to launch with a PlayStation console, it's Ridge Racer. Namco did not disappoint with the PS2, giving us a sequel that actually scored better than the original. Ridge Racer V received high marks from the three critics, with Greg raving about the "awesome graphics, smooth framerate, intense speed and a collection of cars that caters to every driving style imaginable." Mark also liked the game, but was confused by the physics. He concluded by calling the game "polished, but predictable." Ridge Racer V ultimately drifted to an impressive 9 out of 10, a bit higher than the original's 8.75.

Speaking of racing games, the EGM editors also liked Midnight Club Street Racing, which brought an early taste of open-world gameplay to the PlayStation 2. This non-linear approach earned eights and nines from Greg and Jonathan, but Joe wasn't sold: "Though Midnight Club delivers some high-speed exhilaration, I still felt like a rat trying to find his way out of a high-res maze." He appreciated the fresh angle, but concluded that "it doesn't have the necessary stuff to define a new genre." With his lower score, Midnight Club averaged an 8.2 out of 10.

The EGM critics were a lot less kind to Rockstar Games' other big racing game -- Smuggler's Run. They liked the theme and even argued that it demonstrates how "a smidge of the PS2's power can immediately change gaming," but ultimately found it more frustrating than fun and gave it an average of 7.7 out of 10. That's slightly higher than Wild Wild Racing's 6.5 average, which saw Dean complaining that the bad frame rate and slow speeds hurt an otherwise promising racing game. This was the lowest scoring racer at the PS2's launch.

The truth is, most of the games released with the PlayStation 2 got middling scores. Sure, there are 29 of them, but half of them scored below a 7 out of 10, with many averaging between a 4 and a 6. Let's go ahead and clear a few of these off the list, starting with Armored Core 2, a big mech game that looked good, but just wasn't much fun to play. It averaged a 5.8 out of 10. The same can be said about the PS2's other big mech game, GunGriffon Blaze, which averaged a slightly better 6.8 out of 10. They said it looked good and had intense gameplay, but there weren't enough missions to hold your interest.

The worst-reviewed game at launch was Surfing H3O, which failed to ride the extreme sports wave and fell off the board with a score of 4.5 out of 10. This is only slightly lower than the 4.8 average given to Summoner, where EGM complained that the developer tried to pack too much into their first RPG. This seemed to be the theme of the PS2 launch, because they leveled similar complaints against Orphen: Scion of Sorcery, which they said was "bordering on awful." It scored an average of 5.3 out of 10, which is not far off from the 5.5 average given to Eternal Ring. Greg really sunk the score with his 3.5 review, complaining that it's a flimsy adventure game rushed out to coincide with the PS2's launch. Unfortunately, that also describes Evergrace, which was published and developed by the same companies that made Eternal Ring. They liked it slightly more than Eternal Ring, giving it a middling 6.5 out of 10.

I'll say this about the PlayStation 2 launch -- it was certainly diverse. We can argue about the quality of these games, but there's no debate that it covered more genres than any launch we've talked about up to this point. I mean, what other console launch had a game all about fireworks? FantaVision may have only averaged a 5 out of 10, but it stood out simply for what it was. The system also launched with Silent Scope, an arcade sniping game that averaged a 7 out of 10. There was also Q-Ball Billiard Master, a pool game that scored a 6.5. And don't forget about the two ESPN sports games. ESPN International Track & Field came in close to last with a 5 out of 10, while ESPN Winter X Games Snowboarding fared better with a 7.3. Of course, who is going to play ESPN Winter X Games Snowboarding when SSX exists?

With so many games launching with the PS2, you saw a lot of these types of genre match-ups. A great example of this comes in the form of fighting games, with four different franchises vying for the top prize. The best reviewed was Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore, an updated version of the popular Dreamcast sequel that earned an average of 8.5 out of 10. Ryan loved the graphics, but complained that the gameplay is a little sluggish when compared to the other port. This was not the case with Tekken Tag Tournament, which averaged a 7.7. Jonathan complained that it has "the same choppy, restricting gameplay that has plagued Tekken from the start." The three editors agreed that it was more of a Tekken 3 remix than a proper sequel.

If you didn't buy Dead or Alive or Tekken, then chances are you went with Street Fighter EX3. In case you lost count of the various Street Fighter sequels and spin-offs, EX3 is not considered one of the good ones. EGM gave it an average of 6.5 out of 10 and complained that Street Fighter belongs in 2D. Judging by Street Fighter 4 and 5, it seems as Capcom agreed. The final fighting game is Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2, which scored an average of 7.3, despite the editors calling it "frustrating" and the type of game that "doesn't aim to hold your attention span for more than 10 minutes." It seems to exist between worlds. It's not deep enough to compete with real fighting games and not sporty enough to be loved by boxing fans. Maybe that's why the franchise died with this game.

The other big genre battle at the PS2's launch was the fight for first-person supremacy. On one side you had Unreal Tournament, a PC gaming favorite that didn't translate especially well to the PlayStation 2. It picked up mostly sevens from the editors, with Mark complaining that he "expected better from the PlayStation 2." Giving it an average of 7.2, all three editors agreed that fans of the genre should stick with a quirky upstart called TimeSplitters. That's right, TimeSplitters launched with the PS2, making it one of the console's earliest surprises. Crispin gave it an 8.5 and said that "this is the fastest, smoothest fragfest on the consoles, and you get all the modes and options you'd expect from the guys who worked on GoldenEye." It's not perfect, though. Kraig wanted to like it more, but felt like something was missing. "It's just too bad that the story and atmosphere are unimpressive, as is the low interactivity with the environments." All in all, TimeSplitters averaged an 8.5, not only making it the best-reviewed first-person shooter on the PS2, but also one of the highest scoring games at launch.

With 29 games to choose from, it's hard to be disappointed by the PlayStation 2 launch, yet it all seems so underwhelming. Sure, there were a few standout games and pretty much every genre was covered, but most of the line-up was forgettable. There were simply too many games to choose from, with only a handful worth buying. If the Nintendo 64 launch was like going to a fancy restaurant and getting the finest dish, the PlayStation 2 launch was like going to a buffet and getting full on poorly-prepared crap. The PS2 was the very definition of quantity over quality, and you saw that over and over again at launch. There were a few standouts, but the PlayStation 2's massive launch managed to average a 7 out of 10. That's almost a full point lower than the original PlayStation. I would criticize Sony for going in the wrong direction, but considering the PlayStation 2 sold 155 million units, I doubt they are too concerned about the launch average.


It's hard to believe, but it took Nintendo twelve years to release a proper next-generation Game Boy. In that time, they had not only released the Super NES, but also the Virtual Boy, Nintendo 64 and two different iterations of the 8-bit Game Boy. To put it in perspective, the little portable debuted during the reign of the Nintendo Entertainment System, and now the next-generation model is coming out the same year as the GameCube. EGM may have spent a decade hating on the Game Boy, but you have to admit that it definitely had staying power.

Compared to the PlayStation 2 launch, the Game Boy Advance felt like a blast from the past. Instead of textured polygons and impressive 3D graphics, the GBA came with games filled with gorgeous pixel graphics. It also came with a bunch of 16-bit ports and sequels that could have been Super NES games. That is, after all, part of the charm of the Game Boy Advance. It was a respite from the first-person shooters and increasingly complicated games coming out on those other next-generation consoles.

In a lot of ways, the GBA launch was the definition of safe. With few exceptions, Nintendo and their third-parties didn't try to reinvent the wheel and opted instead for familiar games and franchises. That was definitely true when it came to Nintendo's big new mascot game, Super Mario Advance. Where the Game Boy, Super NES, N64 and even Virtual Boy launched with new Mario games, the GBA had an upgraded port of Super Mario Bros. 2. The EGM critics were a little disappointed that it wasn't a brand-new game, but they all agreed that Super Mario Advance was "grade-A quality." Shoe was impressed with the four-player mode and liked the game overall, though noted that Mario 2 is most people's least favorite game in the franchise. He also found the new voices annoying. Even though the editors had played it all before, Super Mario Advance still managed to average an 8.3 out of 10.

The Review Crew was a lot more mixed when it came to the system's other ports. For example, they liked Rayman Advance enough to give it a 7.8 average, but complained that the camera was zoomed in too much. On the other hand, they gave Earthworm Jim a 5.3 out of 10, noting that the gameplay is broken and it's frustrating beyond words. They were much kinder to Namco Museum, which averaged a 7 for emulating such arcade classics as Ms. Pac-Man, Pole Position, Dig Dug, Galaga and Galaxian. The games are good, but the lone critic reviewing the compilation wanted more of them. Unsurprisingly, the worst-reviewed GBA game at launch was a port of Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, which got knocked for having ugly graphics, bad gameplay, tedious bosses and confusing level designs. EGM hated the game, giving it an atrocious 2 out of 10.

F-Zero: Maximum Velocity isn't a port, but you'll be forgiven if you mistook it as retread of the Super NES game. As somebody who prefers the 16-bit F-Zero over the Nintendo 64 update, I am happy to say that I love Maximum Velocity. The EGM critics, on the other hand, were a little disappointed. Dean said that it "skates the border of fun and frustrating so closely that [he] often felt like launching the GBA against the wall." Greg disagreed, giving it a 9 and arguing that it should be at "the top of your list come launch day." He loved the sense of speed and little tweaks made to the gameplay. With the three critics torn, F-Zero averaged a solid 7.8 out of 10.

On top of Maximum Velocity, we saw a lot of other GBA racing games vying for our attention. Believe it or not, EGM actually preferred Konami Krazy Racers to F-Zero, giving it an 8.7 and calling it a "total blast." Jonathan loved the wide selection of Konami characters and raved about the "intelligent level design, well-balanced items and heart-pounding multiplayer matches." The Review Crew complained that it was a bit short and most definitely a Mario Kart rip-off, but begged their readers to buy it anyway.

You might be surprised to hear that the best-reviewed racing game neither F-Zero or Konami Krazy Racers, but rather GT Advance Championship Racing. Greg called it the "killer-app for racing fans on the Game Boy Advance" and concluded that "the result is a game that's instantly enjoyable by everyone from your dad to your little brother, but with enough play options and licensed vehicles to keep hardcore car geeks happy for hours on end." With an average of 8.8 out of 10, GT Advance Championship Racing was not just a great racer, but was also the second-best reviewed game at the GBA's launch.

Beyond the racing games, you started to see companies trying their hardest to fit their high-profile console games on the smaller handheld unit. In the case of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, it worked. The EGM critics said that the new camera perspective took some getting used to, but once you got that down, it was one of the deepest and most fun games on the platform. Tony Hawk picked up an 8.5 out of 10. Unfortunately, the GBA port of Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 was less successful. We saw from the PlayStation 2 reviews that critics were already starting to tire of this franchise, and this handheld port only sped up its demise. Dean called it "cheap and shallow" before giving it a 6 out of 10. It's also worth mentioning that Sega released a scaled back version of their Dreamcast hit ChuChu Rocket! The critics were impressed that it looked and played almost exactly like the home version and gave it an average of 8 out of 10.

Of course, the real MVP of the Game Boy Advance launch was none other than Castlevania: Circle of the Moon. It's easy to see why EGM was so excited; this was, after all, a return to the 2D Symphony of the Night, which had become something of a cult classic after hitting the PlayStation in 1997. Che gave the game a perfect 10 and said that "Circle of the Moon comes surprisingly close to the quality found in Symphony of the Night." Mark agreed, raving that Castlevania is the "best reason to own a GBA so far." He loved the tough boss fights, the complex level designs and the incredible tunes. Even though the editors agreed that the graphics are a little too dark for the GBA's unlit screen, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon still managed to wow the Review Crew and earn an average of 9.5 out of 10.

With a total of 17 games, the Game Boy Advance launched with more games than the Game Boy, Virtual Boy, Super NES and Nintendo 64 combined. For EGM's part, they did a really good job covering almost everything. In fact, the only launch game they didn't review was Army Men Advance. Remember that franchise? They even reviewed a few games we didn't have time to talk about here, such as giving Iridion 3D a 4.5, Pinobee a 6.5 and Fire Pro Wrestling a 7.5. If we average all the scores together, we find that the Game Boy Advance launch line-up averaged a solid 7.1 out of 10. That's right on par with the PlayStation 2 and only two tenths of a point higher than the Dreamcast. All in all, the Game Boy Advance had a solid launch. I mean, it probably wasn't worth the 12-year wait, but I think we can all agree that Circle of the Moon is pretty awesome.


After spending most of the 1990s flirting with games, Microsoft finally jumped in the console market on November 15, 2001, with the release of the Xbox. With a massive controller, a hard drive and an ethernet port, this was a system made for the future, and it needed a launch line-up that not only showed off the technological advancements, but also compete against the likes of Sony and Nintendo.

To do this, Microsoft largely took a page from the PlayStation 2's playbook. The approach was to launch with as many games and genres as possible, in some ways mirroring what the competition debuted with. If the PS2 was going to launch with surfing and snowboarding games, then so should the Xbox. Want Dead or Alive and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games? The Xbox has you covered. Just about the only thing missing was a game based entirely around fireworks, but it would still be a few years before Xbox Live Arcade debuted.

Of course, it wasn't the similar release strategy that people remember about the Xbox. What ended up stealing the spotlight was a certain first-person shooter game that went by the name Halo: Combat Evolved. Maybe you've heard of it? This was not only the system's first killer-app, but also the game that put the Xbox on the map. EGM's critics were impressed, with all three of them giving the game a perfect 10 out of 10. Reading the reviews, it's easy to see why they were so enthusiastic. Kraig started his review by saying that "This game's plot rivals the best sci-fi movie" and then later compares it to The Crying Game. Jeanne was equally impressed, exclaiming that "Halo explains what next generation actually means." There's no question that this was the game of the launch. In fact, it was such a high-water mark that it overshadowed everything else, including a lot of other great games.

One of those great games was Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, which was the second-best reviewed game of the Xbox launch with a score of 9 out of 10. Shoe loved the transition into 3D, calling it "so wholesomely original, so finely polished, so expertly crafted, that you can't help but fall in love with it." It's worth mentioning that Madden NFL 2002 also scored a 9 out of 10, with Kraig raving about the team customization options and visual polish. That said, Munch had three times the reviews, so Madden will have to settle for being the third-best Xbox game at launch.

Looking over the line-up, the biggest winner seemed to be the racing genre. By my count, seven of the system's 19 launch games could comfortably be described as racing games (eight, if you want to include Cel Damage). In case you're wondering, there was a clear winner in this race -- Project Gotham Racing. Scoring an 8.5 out of 10, the Review Crew concluded that Bizarre Creations has taken all the best stuff from Metropolis Street Racer and ditched the elements that didn't work.

When I say that there was a clear winner, it's because the other racing games barely registered. The second-best reviewed racing game was NASCAR Heat 2002, which averaged a much lower score of 6.7 out of 10. They complained that it felt tired when compared to the other racing games on the market. But hey, at least they reviewed the game, unlike the other officially licensed NASCAR game -- NASCAR Thunder 2002. On that topic, they also missed reviewing Arctic Thunder and Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open, two other high-profile racers launching with the Xbox.

Unfortunately, it's only downhill from here. Mad Dash Racing took a more arcadey approach that saw a bunch of cartoon characters try to come in first. It's a solid premise, but the execution was all wrong. All three editors gave it a 5 out of 10, with Kraig concluding that "the cheating in this game is so obvious, it might as well hit you over the head with a sledgehammer." They were even less kind to 4X4 Evolution 2, which averaged a pitiful 4.3 out of 10. The editors complained that it didn't know if it wanted to be an arcade racing game or a sim, and by trying to have it both ways, the action ended up not being that exciting. They much preferred Cel Damage, a Looney Tunes-inspired vehicular combat game. Sure, it could have used a few more modes and maps, but the Review Crew was charmed by the cool visuals and amazing interactive levels. While it's not really a racing game, Cel Damage was a hit with the critics, averaging a solid 7.7 out of 10.

While there were almost too many racers at launch, the same cannot be said for fighting games. The Xbox debuted with only one fighter -- the very busty Dead or Alive 3. Going into launch, this was easily one of the system's most hyped games, right up there with Halo. Looking back on it now it's clear that the editors did not buy into the hype. Che argued that this is "at best, like what DOA2: Hardcore should've been, and at worst, a rip-off of Virtua Fighter 2." Shoe agreed, saying that it should have been named "DOA2: Slightly More Hardcore This Time." It may have been pretty, but the only Xbox fighting game at launch failed to generate much excitement and averaged a score of 8 out of 10.

In case you're wondering, Shrek was the worst-reviewed game to debut with the Xbox. This should not come as a big surprise, given the low quality of games based on movies. Mark mocked the hero for moving around "like he's in a 1920s baseball film." "Even kids will likely get frustrated or bored with the tedious errands you're forced to perform, unless they are so young that just seeing Shrek run around is enough. And at that age, they probably can't lift the Xbox controller." Shrek is off in his own fantasy land with a score of 3.3 out of 10, which is easily the lowest score at the Xbox launch. It's worth mentioning that this dubious honor would be quickly beat when Kabuki Warriors scored a 2.5 out of 10, but that game came out four days after the Xbox, and thus cannot be considered a launch title.

One of the few franchises to launch on all three major next-generation consoles was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, which at this point had become an annual franchise. You would think that the Xbox exclusive Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X would be a hit with the critics, but they were underwhelmed. What game could have possibly overshadowed the king of extreme sports games? You guessed it, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. With the third installment out on the PlayStation 2 and soon to launch with the GameCube, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X felt like a relic from the past. They liked the boost in graphics and extra levels, but it was hard to go back to part 2 when Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 was waiting to be played. Because of this, the out-of-place Tony Hawk 2X only averaged a 7.5 out of 10.

Speaking of games that had a hard time competing with their PlayStation 2 counterparts, Dark Summit was no match for SSX. The critics liked the new twist on the genre and even said that it's a good alternative to SSX Tricky, but it was ultimately a short-lived experience and only averaged a 7 out of 10. The Review Crew was also unimpressed with TransWorld Surf, which they called Tony Hawk on a tidal wave. Unfortunately, they hated the annoying mission objectives and had a hard time with the gameplay. It averaged a 6.5 out of 10. They also reviewed Air Force Delta Storm, which was a sequel to a Dreamcast launch game that only managed to score a 5.6 out of 10. The sequel somehow did even worse, scoring a 5.5 from the one critic that bothered to review it. And now that we've talked about both of these games, you'll never hear from the Air Force Delta series again.

The truth is, the Xbox launch was so thoroughly dominated by Halo, that there's a good chance that most people don't even remember the rest of the line-up. That's a shame, because there are a lot of solid games to play through and only a couple clunkers. Not bad for a system with 19 titles at launch. Microsoft knew that they needed to make a statement with the Xbox debut, and Halo was everything they could have hoped for and more. Thanks to high-scoring games like Munch's Oddysee, Madden 2002, Project Gotham Racing, Dead or Alive 3 and, of course, Halo, the Xbox averages out to a 7.1 out of 10. It's close, but Microsoft manages to just barely edge out Sony's next-generation console. That's one down, now what about Nintendo?


If there's one thing we've seen in the last three episodes, it's that Nintendo almost always delivers at launch. Sure, you can point to the underwhelming Virtual Boy line-up, but let's not forget that Super Mario World and F-Zero launched with the Super NES, Tetris launched with the Game Boy and Super Mario 64 gave people a reason to buy a Nintendo 64. Hell, even the Game Boy Advance launch we just talked about averaged a 7 out of 10. There may have been a few duds here and there, but Nintendo clearly knows how to launch a system.

Perhaps that's why many people were initially disappointed with the GameCube's debut. It's important to remember that this boxy console came out only three days after Microsoft's boxy console. This meant that the GameCube was going head-to-head with one of the best launch games of all time. That was the week Halo came out, and it's the only thing gamers were talking about. Instead of dropping a game as revolutionary as Mario 64, Nintendo released the system with Luigi's Mansion. Don't get me wrong, Luigi's Mansion is fun and all, but it's easy to see why it (and the rest of the GameCube line-up) was overshadowed by the flashier Xbox.

As it turns out, Luigi's Mansion was a surprisingly polarizing game. Nintendo fans assumed that this would be the system's first killer-app, but the editors were all over the board with this one. Chris loved the game and gave it a 9. "Any disappointment I felt over the GameCube launching without a Mario game was gone after playing Luigi's Mansion. Uncovering little details like discovering things you didn't see before in mirrors, etc. make you realize how finely crafted this game really is." Shoe, on the other hand, strongly disagreed and gave it a 5.5: "I really don't get what these other guys dig about this title. Yes, it's cute. Adorable, in fact. But cute and adorable don't make a game." With the editors split, Luigi's Mansion only managed to average a score of 7.5 out of 10, one of the lowest-scoring Mario-verse launch games. What's even more surprising is that two GameCube launch games had lower scores.

Unfortunately, one of them was another high-profile Nintendo game -- Wave Race: Blue Storm. This is another example of Chris loving a game while the rest of the critics questioned his opinion. Although Chris gave it an 8, it was the 6 from Jonathan that was more in line with the general consensus. "I quickly lost interest in several of the GameCube's 2001 titles once the novelty wore off. And although Blue Storm's water effects and animation are impressive, it takes the number-one spot on my list of most forgettable GameCube games." Greg gave an even lower score, but echoed a lot of the same complaints. The editors were once again mixed, which means that this Wave Race sequel only managed a 6.5 out of 10, making it the second-worst reviewed launch game.

So, if Nintendo is flailing around, then who brought the goods? Believe it or not, it's the third-parties that saved the GameCube launch. A great example of this is Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader, which was not just a great space shoot 'em up, but was also the highest scoring GameCube game at launch. Greg couldn't remember the last game that got his heart pumping like this one: "My hands were even shaking after some missions!" Shoe noted that "the best Star Wars game I've ever played is one that simply follows the movies as closely as possible. This is THE reason to own a GameCube, not Luigi's Mansion." Man, Shoe really had it out for Luigi that year. With an average of 9 out of 10, I think it's fair to say that everybody loved Rogue Leader.

Another big GameCube exclusive was Super Monkey Ball, which came as something of a surprise to the EGM editors. This is also another example of Sega working with Nintendo, something that would have seemed impossible just a few years earlier. Christian raves that "Sega delivers a GameCube launch title, and it's one of the highlights of the system's debut to boot." Che wasn't as impressed, but still gave the game a 7, mostly for the great bonus features and mini-games. It may not have been especially deep, but this is the kind of quirky game you love to see at launch. Super Monkey Ball averaged an 8.2 out of 10.

The third-party support also translated into a couple high-profile ports, which is something brand-new for a Nintendo launch. Activision brought out Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, which scored an 8.8 from the EGM critics. That's almost the exact same score as the other big extreme sports game at launch, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2, which averaged an 8.5. And just when you thought you couldn't fit any more big-name personalities on the GameCube, here comes a port of Madden NFL 2002, which scored an 8.8 out of 10. Sure, these great games were also on other platforms, but there's no question that they helped the GameCube launch shine.

Looking back on the system's debut all these years later, it's clear that the GameCube had a solid launch. In fact, the numbers show that with an average score of 8 out of 10, it actually had a better launch than both the Xbox and PlayStation 2. Of course, this average benefits from EGM skipping over a lot of the lesser games. For example, they skipped right over Batman Vengeance, which scored a 5.8 when it was reviewed on the PlayStation 2. Similarly, there's no review of Disney's Tarzan Untamed, Crazy Taxi and NHL Hitz 20-02. Adding these games would have likely lowered the overall score, but not enough to matter. Maybe the GameCube had a good launch after all.

PART 1: 1989-1991

PART 2: 1992-1996

PART 4: 2004-2006