Gallery: The Most Jaw-Dropping Game Graphics of the Last 20 Years
011993-MYST
There's more to videogames than just graphics, of course. But there's no denying the power of a well-turned polygon. Often before we ever play a videogame, our first experience with it is purely visual: through screenshots or, more often these days, a trailer. Over the last 20 years, game graphics have made astonishing leaps in fidelity, and the range of visual expression adopted by designers has broadened considerably. There's not a year that's gone by without us being impressed, startled, or shocked by a game that even at first glance looks like nothing we've ever seen before. Here are our picks of the games that made the biggest impact with advancements in graphics over the last 20 years. For each year, we've picked out a game that made jaws drop. For some, it was largely because the game pulled off amazing technical wizardry. For others, it was because of a novel artistic approach. We've also weighed in on whether the game still looks good today. __Above:__ 1993: Myst ---------- Rand and Robyn Miller's [early CD-ROM hit](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wired/archive/2.08/myst_pr.html) dragged videogames kicking and screaming into the multimedia era, whether they were ready for it or not. The brothers rendered the world of Myst on powerful Macs with early 3-D design software, rendered the scenes out as static bitmaps from a variety of camera angles, then put it all together in Hypercard. Your home computer wasn't powerful enough yet to let you explore a 3-D world, but if you had a CD-ROM drive it was powerful enough to fake it. And that was more than good enough. *--Chris Kohler* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Heavens, no. What looked impossibly futuristic in 1993 looks like bad clip art in 2013. __Honorable Mentions For 1993:__ Day of the Tentacle, Secret of Mana, Doom *Image courtesy Cyan Worlds*
021994-DKC
1994: Donkey Kong Country ------------------------- Before Nintendo ever came to British software developer Rare and asked it to develop a game using its Donkey Kong character, Rare had been experimenting with rudimentary 3-D modeling technology. It rendered high-res models on a high-powered workstation, then captured 2-D images of those 3-D models to be used on the lower-powered Super Nintendo. Temples, mineshafts, pirate coves and, of course, lush jungle areas were all rendered in a visual style that, at the time, blew everything else on the Super Nintendo away. According to lead designer Gregg Mayles, the game’s crisp pre-rendered backgrounds took up so much memory that Rare was forced to re-use lots of assets to keep the Super Nintendo from crashing. *--Ryan Rigney* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Not so much. The game’s visual style still looks extremely unique, but that’s only because nobody with access to today’s technology would make a game using such a kludgy process. __Honorable Mentions For 1994:__ Final Fantasy VI, Super Metroid, Breath of Fire II *Image courtesy [VGMuseum](http://www.vgmuseum.com)*
031995-YOSHI
1995: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island ----------------------------------------- Donkey Kong Country, as the story goes, had a big impact on the visual direction of the sequel to Super Mario World. Shigeru Miyamoto -- who at that time was not yet the supreme leader of Nintendo's game development studios -- originally designed a game with standard pixel art, but the powers that be told him they wanted it to use pre-rendered graphics like Rare's game. Maybe a little insulted, Miyamoto did redo the game's graphics, but in the other direction -- he had the artists make everything look like a child's crayon drawing, resulting in [one of the most unique and appealing designs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_World_2:_Yoshi%27s_Island) of the 16-bit era. *--Chris Kohler* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Largely. Although today's games can render this hand-drawn aesthetic in finer detail, how much resolution does crayon really need? __Honorable Mentions For 1995:__ Chrono Trigger, Twisted Metal, Earthbound *Image courtesy [VGMuseum](http://www.vgmuseum.com)*
041996-QUAKE
1996: Quake ----------- Myst and Donkey Kong Country faked their 3-D worlds, but [Quake made it real](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wired/archive/4.08/id_pr.html). 1996 was the year the triangle conquered the pixel, and for many players it was the successor to Wolfenstein and Doom that gave them a proper introduction to the possibilities of polygonal play spaces. Not only were Quake's levels more intricate and convoluted, but the grotesque enemies were 3-D objects too, dripping obscenely with blood and fangs that were much more likely to scare the crap out of you. *--Chris Kohler* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Not really. The graphics may have represented a technological quantum leap, but that means they look blocky and blurry today. __Honorable Mentions For 1996:__ Super Mario 64, NiGHTS into Dreams, Tomb Raider *Image: id Software*
051997-FFVII
1997: Final Fantasy VII ----------------------- Final Fantasy VII blew our minds back in 1997. These days it’s a bit more [controversial](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2008/03/retronauts-figh/), but back then Squaresoft’s CG cutscenes were positively awe-inspiring. The environments of this expansive world captured many a teen’s imagination with their blend of cyberpunk, steampunk, and a style all its own from rising Square star Tetsuya Nomura. The unparalleled quality of the game’s cutscenes provided for some of the most awesomely cool moments of 1990's gaming -- everyone who played FFVII remembers Cloud charging down the stairs on a motorcycle -- and some of the most heart-wrenching as well. Its graphics were groundbreaking for the time, and kicked off America's love affair with Japanese role-playing games. *-- Andrew Groen* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Absolutely not. FFVII came near the beginning of the 3-D gaming revolution, and the years have been less than kind. Some of the CG cutscenes look OK, but the in-game characters are now famous for looking like Popeyes made of sausage links. __Honorable Mentions For 1997:__ Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Parappa the Rapper, Gran Turismo *Image: VGMuseum*
061998-GRIM
1998: Grim Fandango ------------------- This [cult classic adventure game](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2008/11/double-fine-rel/) from legend Tim Schafer wasn’t the most technologically impressive game of its age, but is memorable for its utterly unique and compelling style. Every moment of this tremendous game oozed with style as it fused Aztec mythology with neo-noir. The characters are lost souls represented as Mexican calaca figures stuck in a sort of Casablanca-esque purgatory themed after the Dia de los Muertos. *-- Andrew Groen* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Sort of. Its unique aesthetic is no less striking today than it was 15 years ago. __Honorable Mentions For 1998:__ Metal Gear Solid, Banjo-Kazooie, Panzer Dragoon Saga *Image: LucasArts*
071999-SC
1999: Soulcalibur ----------------- Sega introduced its Dreamcast console well before any of its competitors were ready to launch their next-generation platforms. This didn't turn out well in the end, but for the couple years that Dreamcast was on the market it was the height of technological achievement. It pushed out smooth 3-D models that made PlayStation look like Lego blocks, and the lighting made everything shiny and slick. The [fighting game Soulcalibur](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wired/archive/7.12/streetcred.html), with its realistic character models, was the pinnacle of the launch games. *--Chris Kohler* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ A lot better than you'd think, actually. While it's certainly not as nice as modern-day fighting games, it looks a lot closer to today's games than it does to Mortal Kombat. __Honorable Mentions For 1999:__ Final Fantasy VIII, Silent Hill, Age of Empires 2 *Image used courtesy [The Fighters Generation](http://fightersgeneration.com/)*
082000-SHENMUE
2000: Shenmue ------------- Many early Dreamcast games looked pretty, but [Shenmue](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenmue) had more going for it than mere technological prowess. The designers spent years and untold millions of dollars creating an intricately detailed version of a small Japanese town, filled with unique, animated inhabitants, tiny capsule toys you could buy out of vending machines and gorgeous ultra-realistic streets and buildings. I played Shenmue a few months before I moved to Japan, and it was like I'd already been there. *--Chris Kohler* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Somewhat. This level of detail is commonplace in big-budget games today, but none of them are about slowly meandering down the side streets of a Japanese town. It's worth playing today to rediscover the lost art of stopping to smell the roses. __Honorable Mentions For 2000:__ Jet Grind Radio, Deus Ex, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask *Image used courtesy [The Shenmue Dojo](http://www.shenmuedojo.net/)*
092001-PIKMIN
2001: Pikmin ------------ With its adorable namesakes and wacky bulb-nosed protagonist, Pikmin was host to some of the most memorable and inventive character designs in any Nintendo game released in the aughts. The zoomed-in, Honey I Shrunk the Kids flower garden world of Pikmin was rendered with unusual realism, as far as Nintendo games went. The fact that the game could handle up to 100 of the flowery critters on screen at once was also very impressive at the time. A [a contemporaneous Wired story](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wired/archive/10.03/aigames_pr.html” target=) about evolving artificial intelligence in games praised the way the Pikmin move fluidly as a group across the game’s "trippy garden-floor landscape." *--Ryan Rigney* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Many of the textures in Pikmin show their age now, but the game is still visually charming. It holds up better than nearly all of its GameCube brethren. __Honorable Mentions For 2001:__ Paper Mario, Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty *Image courtesy Nintendo*
102002-REMAKE
2002: Resident Evil (GameCube) ------------------------------ The original Resident Evil broke new ground in console gaming in 1996 with visuals that were considered great for their time, but the remake of this game in 2002 is still the most beautiful horror game ever made. The re-envisioned mansion where the game takes place is as ornate as it is vaguely unsettling, but the game’s truly visionary contribution to video gaming is in its camera work. Every time the player moves to a new room, the camera switches to a preset angle and location -- as opposed to giving the player control of the camera like most 3-D games. This allowed the developers to create scenes that were like living paintings, drawing your attention to different parts of the environment and ratcheting up the tension by forcing you to walk blindly around corners. *-- Andrew Groen* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Surprisingly, yes. This camera work and art style are still very compelling. __Honorable Mentions For 2002:__ Super Mario Sunshine, Splinter Cell, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind *Image courtesy Capcom*
112003-WIND
2003: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ----------------------------------------- When Nintendo revealed the GameCube, it held a press event where it showed several demonstrations of what the new console could do. One of these demonstrations featured a higher-quality version of the adult Link model from the Nintendo 64 Zelda games. Fans expected that they’d get a game with that sort of visual style. Instead, three years later they were given the impossibly beautiful but undeniably weird Wind Waker, with a [cel-shaded](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cel-shaded_animation) art style that made it look like a living, three-dimensional Saturday morning cartoon. The reinvented look was controversial, and Nintendo dumped it for the next console entries in the series but kept it for the portable DS spin-offs. *--Ryan Rigney* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Absolutely. Few 10-year-old games possess the staying power of Wind Waker’s inventive look. That’s why nearly everyone was surprised when Nintendo recently announced [an HD remake of the game for Wii U](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2013/01/wii-u-analysis-2/). __Honorable Mentions For 2003:__ Viewtiful Joe, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Jak II *Image courtesy Nintendo*
122004-WOW
2004: World of Warcraft ----------------------- For as well-known as the game is, World of Warcraft's visual beauty is quite underrated. There’s no overstating the sense of awe that still grips players as they soar over the treetops of Goldshire on their first gryphon rides. Even after exploring this world for thousands of hours for [almost ten years](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/news/2004/12/65882), it’s still enough to make one feel a touch emotional thinking about all of the adventures they’ve had in the far flung locales of Azeroth. From Ironforge, the dwarf castle built directly into a mountainside, to Gadgetzan, the clockwork oasis in the deserts of Kalimdor, to Thunder Bluff the Tauren city built atop a plateau, the realm of Azeroth has inspired millions of players with its beauty. *-- Andrew Groen* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Absolutely. There’s a reason why 9 million players ([but falling](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2012/09/mists-of-pandaria/)) are still entranced. Even the oldest areas still look breathtaking from the back of a gryphon. __Honorable Mentions For 2004:__ Katamari Damacy, Far Cry, Doom 3 *Image: Blizzard*
132005-COLOSSUS
2005: Shadow of the Colossus ---------------------------- [Shadow of the Colossus was not a game that people were prepared for](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/news/2005/10/69334). In fact, it wasn’t much like any videogame before. There were no swarming little enemies and no collectible coins. It was just you, a realistically-animated horse and 16 living skyscrapers. Whether you were stampeding through the ruined landscape with your sword of light held high in the air or tearing through space while clinging to the back-fur of some winged monstrosity, Colossus was breathtaking. *--Ryan Rigney* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Surprisingly, not so much. Thematically and stylistically, Shadow of the Colossus remains in a league of its own, but its washed-out color palette doesn’t hold up particularly well. Newer games have achieved and surpassed the game’s cinematic flair, so even [the recent HD remake](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/geekdad/2011/09/two-classic-games-get-facelifts-and-a-playstation-3-release/) for Playstation will leave your retinas unsatisfied. __Honorable Mentions For 2005:__ Resident Evil 4, God of War, Condemned: Criminal Origins *Image: Sony*
142006-OKAMI
2006: Okami ----------- Okami has a quirky and wonderful premise: You’re the canine manifestation of a Japanese god who can use a paintbrush to magically create real objects. Perhaps, then, it’s not so surprising that the game’s art style is also quirky and wonderful. The game’s thick-lined, cel-shaded characters so resembled a painting that one Wired contributor called it "mind-blowing" and wondered even if it wasn’t actually a game, but rather "an [art simulator that feels like a game](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/culture/design/commentary/games/2006/10/71986)." *--Ryan Rigney* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Yes: Like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Okami’s cel-shaded style manages to impress even though it was originally rendered on low-power hardware. __Honorable Mentions For 2006:__ Gears of War, Viva Piñata, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion *Image: Capcom*
152007-BIOSHOCK
2007: BioShock -------------- It's a bit of a worn-out cliche these days to say "the city was the star of BioShock," but it's true: The [post-apocalyptic underwater Art Deco glory](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/news/2007/08/bioshock_review) of Rapture was magnificent to behold all the way through this first-person shooter, and like Shenmue it was the smallest details that made it come to life. *--Chris Kohler* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Sure. It ain't that old, for one thing. Not to mention the fact that shooters with worlds this rich in meaningful graphic detail are few and far between (although BioShock Infinite comes close). __Honorable Mentions For 2007:__ Crysis, Portal, Mass Effect *Image: 2K Games*
162008-MIRRORS
2008: Mirror’s Edge ------------------- Despite [Electronic Arts' promises](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2008/10/mirrors-edge-tr/), parkour-heavy action-runner Mirror’s Edge never became a trilogy. But when the original game looks and plays this good, do we really need sequels? By forcing players to view its near-monochromatic world directly through the eyes of its swift-footed protagonist, the game was at times so intense and immersive that it made one Wired writer [nearly vomit](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/commentary/games/2008/11/gamesfrontiers_1117). The game had style, but it also had great visual tech (especially for shadows) running under the hood. Oh, and liberal use of motion blur helped, of course. *--Ryan Rigney* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Sure does! Go for the PC version and crank Mirror’s Edge's graphic settings up to maximum. Those shadowy rooftops still look excellent. __Honorable Mentions For 2008:__ LittleBigPlanet, Grand Theft Auto IV, Valkyria Chronicles *Image: EA*
172009-FLOWER
2009: Flower ------------ The world of Flower was confusing for some gamers, at first. While Kohler [struggled to describe it without using the words "wind simulation,"](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2009/01/flower-hits-psn/) Flower’s makers proclaimed it to be the "video game version of a poem; an exploration into the tension between urban bustle and natural serenity." Regardless of whether it was either of those things, none could deny that it was an incredible-looking game. From the first floating moments in a grassy field to the final euphoric lap through a self-generating city, Flower was and remains a visual feast. *--Ryan Rigney* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Of course! In fact, Flower still has the prettiest, waviest grass ever to appear in a videogame. It’s like you’re inside a Windows wallpaper, man. __Honorable Mentions For 2009:__ Rock Band: The Beatles, Super Street Fighter IV, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves *Image: Sony*
182010-LIMBO
2010: Limbo ----------- As the saying goes, sometimes less is more, and it’s rarely been more true than in the case Limbo. Its art style is completely devoid of color, and its characters and enemies are represented only by silent silhouettes. The sparse, barren graphics worked to create a stunningly [lonely game](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/geekdad/2010/12/limbo-offers-food-for-thought/) that was equal parts [terrifying and beautiful](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/geekdad/2010/08/limbo-is-a-hauntingly-ethereal-puzzle-game-worthy-of-your-attention/). Any beauty is quickly squashed though as the main character, a small boy, dies horribly over and over again after you make mistakes. Sometimes in a pit of spikes, and other times in the clutches of a massive spider. *-- Andrew Groen* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ This game may never age. Minimalism weathers the ages better than flashy graphics. __Honorable Mentions For 2010:__ Mass Effect 2, Heavy Rain, Final Fantasy XIII, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West *Image courtesy Microsoft*
192011-NOIRE
2011: L.A. Noire ---------------- Except for one detail, L.A. Noire doesn't look that much different from other latter-day PS3 and Xbox 360 software. The thing is, that one detail is the characters' faces. The remarkable facial capture system meant that the cops and robbers in this detective mystery were all recognizable: Hey, it's Ken Cosgrove from Mad Men! It's that one guy from Heroes! It didn't matter how janky the gameplay was; it was just [fascinating to watch these living faces from beginning to end](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2011/05/la-noire-review/). *--Chris Kohler* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Yes, especially because no other game has done it yet. Maybe after this practice becomes commonplace, L.A. Noire will become hard to look at. But not yet. __Honorable Mentions For 2011:__ Minecraft, Skyrim, Rayman Origins *Image: Rockstar Games*
202012-JOURNEY
2012: Journey ------------- Like the developer's previous game Flower, Journey was a playable art piece, a linear adventure with carefully-designed sights and sounds meant to tingle the senses. We called it a [story woven without words](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2012/03/journey-playstation-3-review/), and declared that when most humans are first confronted with the swirling sand and flowing capes of Journey’s world, [their awe-sensors will reboot](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2010/06/journey/). Its soundtrack may have been [nominated for a Grammy](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2012/12/video-games-grammys-journey/), but if there were an awards ceremony that exclusively honored gorgeous imagined worlds, Journey would have taken home every prize. *--Ryan Rigney* __Does It Hold Up Today?__ Come on. 2012 wasn’t *that* long ago. __Honorable Mentions For 2012:__ The Walking Dead, Dishonored, Borderlands 2 *Image courtesy Sony*
