Best games
Best Adventure games of 2001
The 25 best Adventure games released in 2001, ranked from 8,228 critic and player ratings.
The best Adventure game of 2001 is The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, with a critic score of 95/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2001.
- 25 games are listed on this page, carrying 8,228 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 25
01
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is one of two Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Seasons. The game retain many gameplay elements from Link's Awakening such as the graphics, audio and top-view perspective. It also features eight dungeons and a large overworld to explore like in the previous games. Oracle of Ages is said to be more puzzle-oriented than its counterpart being more action-oriented. After completing one of the two games, both can be linked to form a single linear plot with an alternate ending. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons were often credited as being two of the top games for the Game Boy Color.
95
/100
02
S
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X is the tenth main installment in the FF series and the first title released on sixth-generation consoles. It was also the first game to feature fully three-dimensional areas rather than including pre-rendered backdrops, and the first to include voice acting. Final Fantasy X tells the story of a star blitzball player, Tidus, who journeys with a young and beautiful summoner named Yuna on her quest to save the world of Spira from an endless cycle of destruction wrought by the colossal menace Sin.
95
/100
03
S
Grand Theft Auto III
Featuring a fully 3-D living city, a combination of narrative driven and non-linear gameplay and a completely open environment, Grand Theft Auto III represents a huge leap forward in interactive entertainment. For the first time, players are put at the heart of their very own gangster movie, and let loose in a fully-realised 3 dimensional city, in which anything can happen and probably will. With a cast of hundreds, 50 plus vehicles, ranging from sports cars to ice cream trucks and from boats to buses, 3 hours of music, including opera, reggae, house, drum and bass, pop and disco, a huge array of street ready weapons and some of the seediest characters in video game history, Grand Theft Auto 3 is a sprawling epic which will show you that sometimes, crime can pay and sometimes it can pay you back. Available now for PlayStation2, Xbox, PC and Macintosh.
93
/100
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is one of two Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Seasons. The game retain many gameplay elements from Link's Awakening such as the graphics, audio and top-view perspective. It also features eight dungeons and a large overworld to explore like in the previous games. Oracle of Ages is said to be more puzzle-oriented than its counterpart being more action-oriented. After completing one of the two games, both can be linked to form a single linear plot with an alternate ending. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons were often credited as being two of the top games for the Game Boy Color.
95
/100
02
S
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X is the tenth main installment in the FF series and the first title released on sixth-generation consoles. It was also the first game to feature fully three-dimensional areas rather than including pre-rendered backdrops, and the first to include voice acting. Final Fantasy X tells the story of a star blitzball player, Tidus, who journeys with a young and beautiful summoner named Yuna on her quest to save the world of Spira from an endless cycle of destruction wrought by the colossal menace Sin.
95
/100
03
S
Grand Theft Auto III
Featuring a fully 3-D living city, a combination of narrative driven and non-linear gameplay and a completely open environment, Grand Theft Auto III represents a huge leap forward in interactive entertainment. For the first time, players are put at the heart of their very own gangster movie, and let loose in a fully-realised 3 dimensional city, in which anything can happen and probably will. With a cast of hundreds, 50 plus vehicles, ranging from sports cars to ice cream trucks and from boats to buses, 3 hours of music, including opera, reggae, house, drum and bass, pop and disco, a huge array of street ready weapons and some of the seediest characters in video game history, Grand Theft Auto 3 is a sprawling epic which will show you that sometimes, crime can pay and sometimes it can pay you back. Available now for PlayStation2, Xbox, PC and Macintosh.
93
/100
04
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons is one of two Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Ages. The game retain many gameplay elements from Link's Awakening such as the graphics, audio and top-view perspective. It also features eight dungeons and a large overworld to explore like in the previous games. Oracle of Seasons is said to be more action-oriented than its counterpart being more puzzle-oriented. After completing one of the two games, both can be linked to form a single linear plot with an alternate ending. Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were often credited as being two of the top games for the Game Boy Color.
93
/100
05
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World is a remake of Super Mario World for the Game Boy Advance starring Mario's dinosaur friend Yoshi for the first time. Super Mario Advance is a four-part series for the GBA with Super Mario games of the NES and SNES era. The remakes came with adjusted graphics, sound and additional content. Each game of the series includes additionally the arcade-classic "Mario Bros" which can be played in multiplayer via link cable.
92
/100
06
Golden Sun
Evil is slowly covering the world. Forces of darkness are pursuing the lost art of Alchemy, and the fate of mankind hangs in the balance. You and your companions, armed with weapons, Psynergy magic, and a host of elemental creatures, must return peace to the world. Golden Sun is an epic role-playing game with an engrossing story, set in a massive world. Gather the elemental Djinn – fire, water, wind and earth – and combine them in unique ways to produce awesome magical effects.
91
/100
07
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is the sequel to the espionage action game Metal Gear Solid. Much of the gameplay remains the same, as the game's protagonist has to sneak past guards, outsmart them using various gadgets and defeat the tricky boss enemies. The game expanded its predecessor's cover mechanic, with Solid Snake or Raiden able to take cover behind walls or objects and pop out to shoot at enemies, while the improved enemy AI allowed enemies to also take cover from the player. Metal Gear Solid 2 is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time, as well as a leading example of artistic expression in video games.
90
/100
08
ICO
An action-adventure game in which a boy is abandoned and taken to a massive castle by his people. After exploring it for a while, he meets a girl who speaks a different language than him, then decides to get both of them out of the castle grounds by leading her along, in order to escape the shadow-like creatures that frequently try to kidnap the girl.
90
/100
09
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is a 2001 platform video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the Sony PlayStation 2 on December 4, 2001, as the first game of the Jak and Daxter series. The game follows the protagonist, a young teenager named Jak, as he tries to help his friend Daxter after he is transformed into an "ottsel", a fictional hybrid of an otter and a weasel. The game offers a large range of missions, collectables and objectives, often in the form of minigames, which provide a variety of gameplay experiences, as well as puzzles and platforming stages, which are completed by the player to proceed with the story.
90
/100
10
Black & White
Play the role of a deity in a land where the surroundings are yours to shape and its people are yours to lord over. Be an evil, malevolent god and the natives will worship you with fear in their eyes. Play as a kind, benevolent god and they will worship you with love in their hearts. Your actions decide whether you create a heaven or hell for your worshipers. Then select a creature from the land to act as your representative in the world. Raise it to gigantic proportions and teach it to do your bidding--whether the animal grows into an evil colossus of mass destruction or a kind and gentle giant is up to you. Progress through the game's rich storyline performing powerful miracles to battle other deities and become the world's supreme god.
90
/100
11
Commandos 2: Men of Courage
87
/100
12
Onimusha: Warlords
86
/100
13
Devil May Cry
85
/100
14
Clive Barker's Undying
85
/100
15
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
80
/100
16
Sonic Adventure 2
79
/100
17
RuneScape
78
/100
18
A
Gothic
78
/100
19
Luigi's Mansion
78
/100
20
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
77
/100
21
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
75
/100
22
Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro
74
/100
23
Runaway, A Road Adventure
74
/100
24
Red Faction
70
/100
25
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
60
/100
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons is one of two Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Ages. The game retain many gameplay elements from Link's Awakening such as the graphics, audio and top-view perspective. It also features eight dungeons and a large overworld to explore like in the previous games. Oracle of Seasons is said to be more action-oriented than its counterpart being more puzzle-oriented. After completing one of the two games, both can be linked to form a single linear plot with an alternate ending. Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were often credited as being two of the top games for the Game Boy Color.
93
/100
05
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World is a remake of Super Mario World for the Game Boy Advance starring Mario's dinosaur friend Yoshi for the first time. Super Mario Advance is a four-part series for the GBA with Super Mario games of the NES and SNES era. The remakes came with adjusted graphics, sound and additional content. Each game of the series includes additionally the arcade-classic "Mario Bros" which can be played in multiplayer via link cable.
92
/100
06
Golden Sun
Evil is slowly covering the world. Forces of darkness are pursuing the lost art of Alchemy, and the fate of mankind hangs in the balance. You and your companions, armed with weapons, Psynergy magic, and a host of elemental creatures, must return peace to the world. Golden Sun is an epic role-playing game with an engrossing story, set in a massive world. Gather the elemental Djinn – fire, water, wind and earth – and combine them in unique ways to produce awesome magical effects.
91
/100
07
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is the sequel to the espionage action game Metal Gear Solid. Much of the gameplay remains the same, as the game's protagonist has to sneak past guards, outsmart them using various gadgets and defeat the tricky boss enemies. The game expanded its predecessor's cover mechanic, with Solid Snake or Raiden able to take cover behind walls or objects and pop out to shoot at enemies, while the improved enemy AI allowed enemies to also take cover from the player. Metal Gear Solid 2 is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time, as well as a leading example of artistic expression in video games.
90
/100
08
ICO
An action-adventure game in which a boy is abandoned and taken to a massive castle by his people. After exploring it for a while, he meets a girl who speaks a different language than him, then decides to get both of them out of the castle grounds by leading her along, in order to escape the shadow-like creatures that frequently try to kidnap the girl.
90
/100
09
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is a 2001 platform video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the Sony PlayStation 2 on December 4, 2001, as the first game of the Jak and Daxter series. The game follows the protagonist, a young teenager named Jak, as he tries to help his friend Daxter after he is transformed into an "ottsel", a fictional hybrid of an otter and a weasel. The game offers a large range of missions, collectables and objectives, often in the form of minigames, which provide a variety of gameplay experiences, as well as puzzles and platforming stages, which are completed by the player to proceed with the story.
90
/100
10
Black & White
Play the role of a deity in a land where the surroundings are yours to shape and its people are yours to lord over. Be an evil, malevolent god and the natives will worship you with fear in their eyes. Play as a kind, benevolent god and they will worship you with love in their hearts. Your actions decide whether you create a heaven or hell for your worshipers. Then select a creature from the land to act as your representative in the world. Raise it to gigantic proportions and teach it to do your bidding--whether the animal grows into an evil colossus of mass destruction or a kind and gentle giant is up to you. Progress through the game's rich storyline performing powerful miracles to battle other deities and become the world's supreme god.
90
/100
11
Commandos 2: Men of Courage
87
/100
12
Onimusha: Warlords
86
/100
13
Devil May Cry
85
/100
14
Clive Barker's Undying
85
/100
15
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
80
/100
16
Sonic Adventure 2
79
/100
17
RuneScape
78
/100
18
A
Gothic
78
/100
19
Luigi's Mansion
78
/100
20
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
77
/100
21
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
75
/100
22
Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro
74
/100
23
Runaway, A Road Adventure
74
/100
24
Red Faction
70
/100
25
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
60
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Adventure game of 2001?
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages currently tops the ranking with a score of 95/100 across 99 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.