I want to start off with a few things I forgot to mention in my last blog. First of all, this list is based off of the USA release dates, not the Japanese ones. That means a lot of games that were released in 1999 in Japan but 2000 in the US will have to wait till tomorrow. Also, I would have to say that overall, this blog is about 50/50 my opinion and reception. I'm taking everything into account, critic reviews and user reviews that I could find. Also, since these posts are really long, just scroll down to find part 2.So with those general rules out of the way, let's get going!

1999 was a big year for video games. The Playstation and Nintendo 64 were still going strong while the Dreamcast was finally released late in the year. 3D games had finally worked out their kinks and were really advancing significantly. Throughout all this advancement for consoles, PC's were really living out their glory days with plenty of amazing games being released for the good old computer.

Even though I was only nine years old during this year, I still remember when most of these games were released and a few I still have today. Since I was only nine at the time though, this one will probably be based more off of reception than my own opinions, since I only played a few of the games. However, don't fret, overall, I spent about 6 hours preparing for this blog, literally looking through and examining over 600 games released throughout the year. So without further ado, here is my top 10 list for 1999!

10. Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings (September 30, 1999) - PC

I highly doubt there is a single person on here who has not, at some point in their lives, played the Age of Empires games. For me, the first game in the series was the first RTS that I really got a chance to play. When the second game in the series, Age of Kings was released, it was historic for gamers. If you missed the chance to play this game when it first came out, you are in luck. Age of Kings was just recently remade for the Nintendo DS and I've heard it's a pretty good port too. The simple fact that this game can be re-released almost 10 years after it was originally released and still be a great game is an indisputable testament to its deserving of a place on this list.

9. Donkey Kong 64 (October 31, 1999) - N64

Many people, me included, mourn the loss of the Donkey Kong platformer. Now we get a whole bunch of bizarre drum beating games and jungle vine jumping games that it's like Nintendo's using Donkey Kong's famous punch to beat us down over and over again. In '99 though, we all got to enjoy the last good Donkey Kong game and his first jump into 3D. While it was very different from his previous adventures, Donkey Kong 64 received pretty great reviews and was tons of fun to play. How we all wish for a return to those days :(.

8. Heroes of Might and Magic 3 (February 28, 1999) - PC

Nowadays, people hear the name Heroes of Might and Magic and literally cringe. While there is nothing particularly wrong with the series, it's one of those series that has just been rehashed too many times for it to even be considered as more than an afternoon of fun. On the other hand, a series that has been around as long as Heroes of Might and Magic had to have been great at some point. HoMaM3 was that point. It marked the climax of the Heroes series and was generally accepted as the best game in the series.

7. Quake 3 Arena (December 2, 1999) - PC

Quake is a staple among gamers who feel an extreme need to frag as many people as humanly possible. Quake 3 Arena, like Heroes of Might and Magic 3, marked the best in the Quake legacy. Ironically enough, Quake really gained its glory when it dropped its single player game completely. Quake 3 Arena was made completely as a multiplayer game. The single player that is there is essentially training for multiplayer. Once you jump online, it's a crazy frag fest with some of the best graphics for '99. Overall, a great multiplayer game and definitely one of the best FPS's of the year.

6. Homeworld (August 31, 1999) - PC

Homeworld was to RTS's what Chrono Cross was to RPG's. Both were absolutely spectacular and utilized tons of new systems and features that, for whatever reason, were never used again. The first new thing about Homeworld is that the whole world is in 3D, since you fight in space, so it adds a whole new dimension, literally, to the genre. Also, instead of simply starting each single player mission with a new team of people, your one army must survive all 16 missions, with resources, damaged units, research all transferring on with you throughout the campaign. Homeworld is truly a unique game in the genre and a great game overall.