Summary
- Older open-world games like The Simpsons: Hit & Run still hold up today, offering fun gameplay and nostalgic experiences.
- Classic titles like Spider-Man 2 (2004) paved the way for modern open-world superhero games, offering great web-swinging and gameplay.
- Bully and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind are examples of old-school open-world games that are still unique, immersive, and worth playing today.
Over the years, the open-world genre has been constantly changing and evolving. Nowadays, there’s a multitude of open-world video games that players can enjoy on almost every modern-day platform. However, there are also a lot of old-school classics that are still worth checking out on their own.
This beloved genre wouldn’t be what it is today if not for these revolutionary and innovative titles. Though these games were released for the sixth generation of consoles (PS2/GameCube/Xbox) or earlier, they still feel great to play after all these years. The following older open-world video games will always be worth playing.
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8 The Simpsons: Hit & Run
The Best Way To Explore Springfield
The Simpsons: Hit & Run
- Released
- September 16, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- 3+
- Developer(s)
- Radical Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Sandbox
Grand Theft Auto 3's rise in popularity during the early 2000s inspired many studios to take a shot at the open-world sandbox genre, with varying levels of success. One of the most noteworthy examples was Vivendi Universal and Radical Entertainment’s The Simpsons: Hit & Run, which is still beloved and played by many Simpsons fans around the world.
It's easy to see why this game appeals to so many gamers. It took the GTA formula and put it in a surprisingly detailed digital recreation of Springfield, full of classic locations and characters from the original show. The driving feels great, the missions are fun, the different vehicles are a joy to collect, and both the humor and the voice acting are on point. It’s no surprise that fans have been asking for a remaster for so many years.
7 Spider-Man 2
The Best Open-World Spider-Man Game For Over 14 Years
Spider-Man 2
- Released
- June 28, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
There’s no denying that Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man titles are among some of the best video games Spidey has starred in, and some of the most fun superhero experiences in the open-world genre. However, it’s important to pay respects to the old-school classic that inspired these new games: Spider-Man 2 from 2004, based on the Sam Raimi movie of the same name.
This was the first true open-world sandbox game in the Spider-Man franchise. It let players explore a huge version of New York City, which was quite ambitious for its time. The story, characters, action and missions were all extremely well-made but, of course, the biggest highlight was the web-swinging, which felt wonderfully fluid. Spider-Man 2 is one of those games in which going from point A to point B without any real motive feels amazing, and it paved the way for the excellent web-swinging in Insomniac’s modern-day entries.
6 Bully
One Of Rockstar’s Smallest, Most Fascinating Projects
Bully
- Released
- October 17, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Vancouver
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox
Back in the early 2000s, Rockstar Games was making huge strides in the industry with Grand Theft Auto. In 2006, the company tried something a bit less ambitious, but way more unique and experimental. That game was Bully, which would become a huge cult classic and now has a huge fan base that keeps begging Rockstar to make a modern-day sequel.
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Bully takes place entirely in Bullworth Academy and its surroundings. While the map is obviously a lot smaller than Rockstar fans might have expected, it’s also a lot more concise, and it’s filled to the brim with characters, mini-games, missions, and collectibles. But this is a high school adventure, meaning that players will have to go to class, befriend other students, face different cliques, and more. Bully is a unique game with an identity of its own, and it feels like nothing else in the industry even today.
5 The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
Defined The Modern Western RPG
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Released
- May 1, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Everybody knows and loves most of the modern Bethesda open-world RPGs, like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Fallout 3, Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. However, the studio’s current design philosophy got its start somewhere, and it was in none other than its 2002 masterpiece, The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind.
There’s a reason The Elder Scrolls fans barely talk about the first two games in the series. Morrowind had such a huge impact on the open-world RPG genre that it took the franchise into an ambitious new direction. This is a massive open-world map that players can explore while controlling their own customized character, and it’s so immersive that seasoned fans tend to replay it over and over. While Oblivion and Skyrim may surpass it in some areas, Morrowind has aged masterfully for a game from 2002.
4 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Cemented Rockstar (And GTA) As Legends Of The Genre
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Released
- October 29, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
In 2001, Rockstar Games released Grand Theft Auto 3, which revolutionized the open-world genre and established what a true sandbox experience should be. Though that game is still enjoyable to play today, it quickly shows its age, especially when compared to its successors. One of them is Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, released just one year later.
Vice City took the brand-new (at the time) open-world formula that Rockstar created for GTA 3 and improved it. The graphics are more colorful, the controls feel better, the story is more engaging, and the characters are more memorable. The map is not only bigger, it also has a lot more to do. With its vibrant Miami setting, raunchy sense of humor, and catchy soundtrack, no other game in the GTA series has looked and sounded like Vice City at all. The upcoming GTA 6 will finally let players go back to the titular Vice City after twenty-four years.
3 The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
An Apocalyptic Adventure With Independent NPCs
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
- Released
- October 26, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
Two years after The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time came out, Nintendo released its spiritual successor, Majora’s Mask, and it definitely lived up to the hype. This game reutilizes the semi-open-world action-adventure formula established by its predecessor (which was incredibly ambitious and impressive for its time). However, it takes place in an alternate world called Termina, which has its own cast of characters, locations, races, etc.
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The thing that makes Majora’s Mask such a unique experience is its legendary three-day system. The moon will fall on Termina in three days, meaning that Link will have to use time travel to restart this period over and over in order to stop it. This not only gives the game a bleak apocalyptic atmosphere, but it also lets players experience an excellent open-world adventure with distinct time-traveling elements. The most impressive part of Majora’s Mask’s gameplay is that the clock actually affects the behavior of NPCs, even when Link isn’t around. Some side quests and events depend on what NPCs are doing at a specific time.
2 The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
A Masterpiece That Has Aged Surprisingly Well
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Released
- November 21, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
In 2017, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild revolutionized the entire open-world genre with its brilliant open-ended design that lets players do whatever they want, however they want. But this wasn't the first time the Zelda franchise made a big impact on both the genre and the industry. Nintendo had already done something similar in 1998, when it released Ocarina Of Time for Nintendo 64.
Compared to more modern adventures like Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, Ocarina of Time may seem small or unambitious, but for the late 90s, this was an incredible open-world experience. It offered a fascinating interconnected map, immersive atmosphere, likable NPCs, roaming enemies and bosses, expertly designed dungeons, and fun side quests. Many modern action-adventure games owe their existence to Ocarina of Time. Despite a few minor issues, this game still feels amazing to play.
1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Feels Like A Modern-Day GTA Game
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Released
- October 26, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
GTA 3 redefined the open-world genre and Vice City cemented the franchise as one of its biggest mainstays, but Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is, without a doubt, the best entry released during the entire sixth generation. Not to mention, it gave fans an ambitious taste of what the franchise would become in subsequent years.
At the time, San Andreas was the perfect open-world sandbox experience. It had everything fans were asking for: a gripping storyline, interesting characters, many new gameplay mechanics, a gigantic map, a multitude of things to do, and even a secret multiplayer mode. This is one of the most entertaining and addictive games in the series. Even fans that have only experienced GTA 4 and 5 can easily jump into San Andreas right now and enjoy it for hours on end.
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