Looking back at the sixth console generation reveals a lineup of classic video games that defined the era and permanently shifted their respective genres. Among the titles that changed their genres forever are enduring favorites released across platforms like the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Game Boy Advance during the halcyon days of 2001.

Quick Facts

  • Halo: Combat Evolved released on November 15, 2001, for the Xbox as a first-person shooter developed by Microsoft.
  • Mario Kart: Super Circuit launched on July 21, 2001, for the Game Boy Advance as Nintendo's first handheld racing entry in the series.
  • SSX Tricky debuted on November 6, 2001, across PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and Game Boy Advance as a snowboarding game developed by EA Canada.

Handheld Racing and First-Person Shooters

Nintendo brought its flagship racing series to portable screens with Mario Kart: Super Circuit on the Game Boy Advance. Featuring 40 total tracks and eight characters, it established that intense kart racing could transition seamlessly to a handheld format. Meanwhile, Microsoft launched a defining franchise with Halo: Combat Evolved on the Xbox. Introducing players to Master Chief and Cortana, the action shooter set a high standard for console first-person shooters and shaped the direction of subsequent entries in the series.

Snowboarding and Action Titles

Winter sports also saw a major milestone with EA Canada's SSX Tricky. Released in November 2001 for multiple platforms including the PS2, Xbox, GameCube, and GBA, the snowboarding title challenged players to land complex tricks across snowy courses while listening to a memorable soundtrack.

Other notable 2001 releases shaking up the industry included Nintendo's turn-based RPG Paper Mario, Konami's stealth-heavy Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Neversoft's skateboarding hit Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, Capcom's hack-and-slash action title Devil May Cry, Konami's rhythm dancing sensation Dance Dance Revolution, HAL Laboratory's fighting game staple Super Smash Bros. Melee, and DMA Design's fully 3D open-world shift in Grand Theft Auto 3.