5 Games You’d Be Shocked to Learn Turn 20 Years Old in 2026

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2006 was a landmark year for video games. The Xbox 360 had been out for a year, and the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii were brand new. The launch of these consoles, and the exciting new technology they offered, really shaped the year. Several popular games showcased this new high-definition experience, and their influence is still noticeable even today.

In 2026, five noteworthy games will celebrate their 20th anniversaries, and some might be unexpected choices.

5) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

When it first came out, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess felt like Nintendo was responding to some fans who disliked the unique, cartoonish look of Wind Waker. However, it quickly became clear that Twilight Princess was much more than just a course correction – it was a major launch title for the Nintendo Wii.

With Twilight Princess, the Zelda series began to move away from its classic style. Skyward Sword (2011) experimented with the traditional formula, but the biggest change came with Breath of the Wild (2017), which launched alongside the Nintendo Switch. This makes Twilight Princess stand out as a bit different from later games. Interestingly, Breath of the Wild ended up mirroring a launch strategy used by Twilight Princess – both games were released with a new console and also made available on the previous one, creating an unexpected connection between them.

The Wii U received a remastered version of Twilight Princess in high definition, which improved some of the game’s flaws and allowed players to see it with fresh eyes. The remaster trimmed down repetitive tasks and lengthy cutscenes. While these weren’t major overhauls, they highlighted the game’s strengths and made it feel less dated. Considering the original release’s context is still valuable when looking at how the Zelda series has evolved.

4) Gears of War

Gears of War is a landmark game that truly reshaped the gaming landscape. Released shortly after the Xbox 360 debuted, it quickly showcased the console’s capabilities, especially when compared to the PlayStation 3 at the time.

The game’s cooperative story mode and competitive multiplayer kept players engaged for a long time, and were crucial in attracting people to Xbox Live. Beyond those features, the game’s compelling world and characters truly made it memorable. Despite its generally muted color scheme, the game boasted a surprising amount of personality thanks to characters like the charming Cole Train and the tough, no-nonsense protagonist, Marcus Fenix.

Although several games have built upon its ideas, Gears of War’s unique cover-based shooting system was groundbreaking and significantly influenced the future of third-person shooters. The game inspired a wave of similar titles, especially during the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 era. While Kill Switch (2003) featured a cover system, Gears of War truly popularized the mechanic, establishing it as a core element of the genre.

The original Gears of War has been re-released on several occasions. It first came to PC in 2007, and has since been remastered twice – in 2015 and again in 2025. Despite these updates, it’s important to remember how old the game is and to appreciate it within the context of when it was first created.

3) Resistance: Fall of Man

Before Insomniac Games became known for its Marvel collaborations and VR experiences, it explored first-person shooters with its original PlayStation game, Disruptor. A decade later, they returned to the genre with the Resistance series. Resistance: Fall of Man was a standout title at the launch of the PlayStation 3, though that recognition also highlighted how few other strong games were available at the time.

Early in the PlayStation 3’s lifespan, Resistance: Fall of Man really showcased the console’s power, especially with its impressive graphics and ability to support 40 players in multiplayer. While later games in the series, like Resistance 2 and Resistance 3, took cues from games like Call of Duty and Half-Life 2, the original Resistance felt most similar to Halo, particularly in its vehicle combat and overall shooting mechanics. It captured the spirit of the gaming landscape at the time. Despite the influence of Halo, Insomniac Games brought its own creative flair to the game, offering a unique selection of weapons – and thankfully, players could carry them all! For instance, the Auger allowed players to shoot through walls, which was essential on harder difficulties, and the Bullseye fired homing bullets.

It’s been a while since Insomniac Games worked on the Resistance series; the main story ended with Resistance 3 in 2011. A spin-off game for the PlayStation Vita followed in 2012, effectively concluding the series. Because it hasn’t been updated or re-released, it’s hard to revisit and celebrate now, twenty years later. Still, the series is significant because it showed how versatile Insomniac was as a developer.

2) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

As a huge RPG fan, I have to say that Skyrim is just legendary – it’s become so popular it almost makes people forget how amazing Oblivion was! And honestly, Oblivion is still one of my favorite games and a really important part of gaming history, even with Skyrim getting all the attention.

Oblivion builds upon the foundation of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, updating the gameplay and making it more user-friendly. It retains the best aspects of Morrowind’s world and systems while removing some of the more frustrating elements that were common in the first 3D game in the series, and adds even more detail. The game’s characters felt realistic with their daily lives, and many of the side quests were interesting and immersive, which made the world of Cyrodiil feel vibrant and alive.

The impact of Oblivion goes beyond its gameplay. Released early in the Xbox 360’s lifespan, it showcased the console’s capabilities with its impressive graphics and open world, helping to drive adoption of the new generation. Oblivion also significantly influenced the development of downloadable content (DLC), for both good and bad. The Shivering Isles expansion was a major success, greatly enhancing the game. However, it also introduced the controversial Horse Armor DLC, which charged players a small fee for cosmetic horse armor. While widely criticized at the time, it surprisingly sold well and, according to Bethesda developers, set a precedent for the now-common practice of selling cosmetic items, like the expensive skins found in games like Call of Duty.

In 2025, Virtuos remastered the game, bringing a classic RPG to a new generation of players. The remaster received positive reviews, averaging a score of 82. Hopefully, this updated version will help the game maintain its popularity and finally step out from under the shadow of Skyrim.

1) Guitar Hero 2

Man, I remember when music games were HUGE, and Guitar Hero 2 really proved it. That game had an amazing 47 songs! What I loved about it was that it wasn’t just for pros; even if you were just starting out, it was still super fun to pick up and play. That’s honestly why it became so popular, it appealed to everyone.

While Guitar Hero 2 didn’t drastically change the formula of the first game—though the practice mode was a major improvement—its importance is clearer now looking back. It was a huge success, selling more than the original, and came before Activision over-saturated the market with Guitar Hero games. In just four years, Activision released twelve Guitar Hero titles, plus the spin-off Band Hero. This, combined with Electronic Arts’ competing Rock Band games, quickly flooded the market, ultimately leading to the decline of the music game genre.

Guitar Hero 2 arrived before the series became overly focused on profit, making it a uniquely genuine experience. Though later games had more songs and were more refined, they never quite captured the same cultural impact as this 2006 release.

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2026-03-17 18:17