The year 2002 in video games saw the release of many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Madden NFL 2003, NBA Live 2003, NBA 2K3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth, Final Fantasy XI, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Jet Set Radio Future, Metroid Prime, Onimusha 2, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Pro Evolution Soccer 2, Resident Evil and Zero, Super Mario Sunshine, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, along with new titles and franchises such as Battlefield, Dungeon Siege, Kingdom Hearts, Mafia, Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper, SOCOM, and Splinter Cell. The year's best-selling video game was Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2, while the year's most critically acclaimed titles were Metroid Prime and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the GameCube.
Legend
Hardware releases This is a list of all game hardware released in 2002.
The GameCube and Xbox continued to release in European & Australian countries (and Japan for the latter console), and the PlayStation 2 released in Russia and some East Asian countries.
Date Console January 24 PlayStation 2 "PS2台灣專用機上市記者會 (PS2 Taiwan special aircraft launch press conference)". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站 (Bahamut Video Game Information Station).February 22 PlayStation 2 Bramwell, Tom (25 January 2002). "PS2 to launch on February 22nd". Eurogamer. Bath: Future plc. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025. Xbox March 14 Xbox May 3 GameCube "GameCube Price Dropped". BBC News. April 22, 2002. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2025. May 17 GameCube Cameron, Nadia (May 20, 2002). "GameCube Launch Rounds Out Console Troika". PC World. Archived from the original on April 10, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2020. November 7 PlayStation 2
Trends The market research company NPD estimated that video game hardware, software, and accessories sold about US$10.3 billion in 2002. This was a 10% increase over the 2001 figure.
Video game consoles The dominant video game consoles in 2002 were: Nintendo's GameCube Microsoft's Xbox Sony's PlayStation Sony's PlayStation 2 Nintendo's Game Boy Advance
Handheld game systems The dominant handheld systems in 2002 were Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and Nintendo's Game Boy Color.
Critically acclaimed titles
Famitsu The following video game releases in 2002 entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" and received Famitsu scores of at least 36 out of 40.
Title PlatformDeveloper Publisher Genre Score (out of 40)The Legend of Zelda: Kaze no Takuto (The Wind Waker)GCNNintendo EADNintendoAction-adventure40Biohazard (Resident Evil)GCNCapcomCapcomSurvival horror39Final Fantasy XI OnlinePS2SquaresoftSquaresoftMMORPG38Biohazard 0 (Resident Evil Zero)GCNCapcomCapcomSurvival horror38Virtua Fighter 4PS2Sega AM2SegaFighting37Dead or Alive 3XBTeam NinjaTecmoFighting37Super Mario SunshineGCNNintendo EADNintendoPlatformer37Onimusha 2 (Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny)PS2CapcomCapcomHack and slash36Sakura Taisen 4: Koiseyo Otome (Sakura Wars 4)DCRed CompanySegaSRPG36Kingdom HeartsPS2SquaresoftSquaresoftAction RPG36Tekken 4PS2NamcoNamcoFighting36Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi (The Binding Blade)GBAIntelligent SystemsNintendoSRPG36Winning Eleven 6 (Pro Evolution Soccer 2)PS2Konami TokyoKonamiSports36Kamaitachi no Yoru 2PS2ChunsoftChunsoftVisual novel36IkarugaDCTreasureESPShoot 'em up36Winning Eleven 6: Final EvolutionPS2Konami TokyoKonamiSports36
Metacritic and GameRankings Metacritic (MC) and GameRankings (GR) are aggregators of video game journalism reviews.
+ 2002 games and expansions scoring at least 88/100 (MC) or 88% (GR) Game Publisher Release Date Platform(s) MC score GR score Metroid Prime Nintendo November 17, 2002 GCN 97/100 96.33% The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Nintendo December 13, 2002 GCN 96/100 94.43% Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Rockstar Games October 29, 2002 PS2 95/100 94.43% The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords Nintendo December 2, 2002 GBA 95/100 91.74% Madden NFL 2003 EA Sports August 12, 2002 PS2 95/100 91.2% Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 Activision October 23, 2002 PS2 94/100 92.53% Virtua Fighter 4 Sega January 31, 2002 PS2 94/100 91.33% Grand Theft Auto III Rockstar Games May 21, 2002 WIN 93/100 93.54% Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Blizzard Entertainment July 3, 2002 WIN 92/100 93.02% Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Ubisoft November 17, 2002 XB 93/100 92.49% Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 Activision March 4, 2002 XB 93/100 90.69% Pro Evolution Soccer 2 Konami April 25, 2002 PS2 93/100 90.54% NFL 2K3 Sega August 21, 2002 PS2 93/100 88.1% Super Mario Sunshine Nintendo August 26, 2002 GCN 92/100 91.5% Metroid Fusion Nintendo November 18, 2002 GBA 92/100 91.21% Eternal Darkness Nintendo June 23, 2002 GCN 92/100 90.58% Madden NFL 2003 EA Sports August 12, 2002 GCN 92/100 90.47% Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 EA Sports October 31, 2002 WIN 92/100 89.83% Madden NFL 2003 EA Sports August 12, 2002 XB 92/100 89.57% NFL 2K3 Sega August 21, 2002 GCN 92/100 89.45% TimeSplitters 2 Eidos Interactive October 8, 2002 PS2 90/100 91.67% NCAA Football 2003 EA Sports July 20, 2002 PS2 91/100 91.36% Medal of Honor: Allied Assault Electronic Arts January 22, 2002 WIN 91/100 91.05% No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way Sierra Entertainment September 30, 2002 WIN 91/100 91.03% NCAA Football 2003 EA Sports July 20, 2002 GCN 91/100 90.57% The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time / Master Quest Nintendo December 13, 2002 GCN 91/100 89.77% Resident Evil Capcom March 22, 2002 GCN 91/100 89.75% Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 Nintendo September 24, 2002 GBA 91/100 89.55% Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 Activision October 23, 2002 GCN 91/100 89.39% Neverwinter Nights Infogrames June 18, 2002 WIN 91/100 88.98% Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 EA Sports October 27, 2002 GCN 90/100 90.55% NBA 2K2 Sega March 20, 2002 GCN 90/100 90.53% Panzer Dragoon Orta Sega December 19, 2002 XB 90/100 90.36% Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 Activision March 28, 2002 WIN 90/100 90.29% Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 Activision October 23, 2002 XB 90/100 88.79% NCAA Football 2003 EA Sports July 20, 2002 XB 90/100 88.79% Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 Activision March 4, 2002 GBA 90/100 88.33% Freedom Force Electronic Arts March 26, 2002 WIN 90/100 87.88% NBA 2K2 Sega February 27, 2002 XB 90/100 86.91% NFL 2K3 Sega August 21, 2002 XB N/A 89.79% Ratchet & Clank Sony Computer Entertainment November 4, 2002 PS2 88/100 89.74% Mafia Gathering of Developers August 27, 2002 WIN 88/100 89.51% TimeSplitters 2 Eidos Interactive October 16, 2002 GCN 88/100 89.31% The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Bethesda Softworks May 1, 2002 WIN 89/100 89.01% NBA 2K2 Sega January 12, 2002 PS2 89/100 88.89% Battlefield 1942 Electronic Arts September 10, 2002 WIN 89/100 88.67% Age of Mythology Microsoft Game Studios October 30, 2002 WIN 89/100 88.67% Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 Electronic Arts October 2, 2002 PS2 89/100 88.01% Madden NFL 2003 EA Sports August 12, 2002 WIN 89/100 87.64% Combat Mission II: Barbarossa to Berlin Battlefront.com September 20, 2002 WIN 89/100 87.18% NHL 2K3 Sega November 19, 2002 XB 89/100 86.86% Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast Activision March 26, 2002 WIN 89/100 86.8% NASCAR Racing 2002 Season Sierra Entertainment February 14, 2002 WIN 89/100 86.7% NHL 2K3 Sega December 11, 2002 GCN 89/100 86.12% NBA 2K3 Sega October 8, 2002 PS2 89/100 85.81% NHL 2K3 Sega November 10, 2002 PS2 89/100 85.81% Medieval: Total War Activision August 19, 2002 WIN 88/100 88.49% Dark Chronicle Sony Computer Entertainment November 28, 2002 PS2 87/100 88.46% Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 EA Sports October 27, 2002 XB 88/100 88.28% Burnout 2: Point of Impact Acclaim Entertainment September 30, 2002 PS2 86/100 88.22% TimeSplitters 2 Eidos Interactive October 16, 2002 XB 88/100 88.12% Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 EA Sports October 27, 2002 PS2 88/100 87.9% F1 2002 EA Sports June 13, 2002 WIN 88/100 86.93% Medal of Honor: Frontline Electronic Arts May 29, 2002 PS2 88/100 86.67% Aggressive Inline Acclaim Entertainment July 31, 2002 GCN 88/100 86.47% FIFA Football 2003 Electronic Arts November 1, 2002 XB 88/100 86.33% Jet Set Radio Future Sega February 22, 2002 XB 88/100 85.97% NBA Street EA Sports February 5, 2002 GCN 88/100 84.96% FIFA Football 2003 Electronic Arts October 25, 2002 PS2 88/100 82.9%
Best-selling video games + Best-selling video games worldwide in 2002 Rank Title Platform(s) Publisher Sales Japan USA Europe Worldwide1Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityPS2Rockstar 4,446,6761,350,000+5,796,677+22002 FIFA World CupEA Sports331,6263,500,000+3Pokémon Ruby / SapphireGBANintendo3,197,762 3,197,7624Madden NFL 2003PS2, XB, GCN, PS1EA Sports3,193,5453,194,065+5Kingdom HeartsPS2Squaresoft838,3231,190,1521,161,677+3,190,152+6FIFA Football 2003EA Sports 261,2382,500,000+2,761,238+7Grand Theft Auto IIIPS2, WINRockstar 2,412,997+300,000+2,712,997+8Pro Evolution Soccer 2 (Winning Eleven 6)PS2, PS1Konami1,693,5191,000,000+2,693,519+9Spider-Man: The MoviePS2, XB, GCNActivision 1,987,038300,000+2,287,038+10Super Mario SunshineGCNNintendo677,440175,000+2,172,821+
Japan + Best-selling video games in Japan Rank Title Platform(s)Developer(s) Publisher Genre Sales1Pokémon Ruby / SapphireGBAGame FreakNintendoRPG3,197,7622Winning Eleven 6 (Pro Evolution Soccer 2)PS2, PS1Konami TokyoKonamiSports1,693,5193Onimusha 2 (Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny)PS2CapcomCapcomHack and slash1,002,9684Kingdom HeartsPS2SquaresoftSquaresoftAction RPG838,3235Shin Sangokumusou 2 (Dynasty Warriors 3)PS2Omega ForceKoeiHack and slash688,6556Mario Party 4GCNHudson SoftNintendoParty677,8907Super Mario SunshineGCNNintendo EADNintendoPlatformer677,4408Tales of Destiny 2PS2Wolf Team, TelenetNamcoAction RPG662,6999Super Robot Taisen Impact (Super Robot Wars Impact)PS2TOSEBanprestoSRPG632,53610From TV Animation - One Piece: Grand Battle! 2PS1GanbarionBandaiFighting545,506
United States + Best-selling video games in the United States (NPD Group) Rank Title Platform(s) Publisher Genre Sales Revenue Inflation1Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityPS2RockstarAction-adventure4,446,676$2Madden NFL 2003PS2, XB, GCN, PS1EA SportsSports$3Grand Theft Auto IIIPS2RockstarAction-adventure2,412,997++$+4Spider-Man: The MoviePS2, XB, GCNActivisionAction-adventure$5Medal of Honor: FrontlinePS2, XB, GCNEA GamesFPS$6Super Mario SunshineGCNNintendoPlatformer$7Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario WorldGBANintendoPlatformer1,480,275++$+8Gran Turismo 3: A-SpecPS2SonyRacing sim1,480,274++$+9Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4PS2, XB, GCN, PS1ActivisionSports$10NCAA Football 2003PS2, XB, GCNEA SportsSports$
Europe + Best-selling video games in Europe Title Platform(s) Publisher Sales UK Germany EuropeFIFA Football 2003EA Sports300,000+2,500,000+Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyPS2Konami300,000+100,000+1,570,000+Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityPS2Rockstar Games1,250,000+100,000+1,350,000+Kingdom HeartsPS2Sony1,161,677+Pro Evolution Soccer 2PS2Konami1,000,000+Medal of Honor: FrontlineEA Games300,000+100,000+400,000+Grand Theft Auto IIIPS2, WINRockstar Games300,000+300,000+Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsEA Games300,000+300,000+The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersEA Games300,000+300,000+Gran Turismo 3: A-SpecPS2Sony300,000+300,000+ + Best-selling video games in the United Kingdom Rank Title Platform(s) Publisher Sales1Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityPS2Rockstar Games1,250,000+2FIFA Football 2003EA Sports300,000+3Grand Theft Auto IIIPS2, WINRockstar Games300,000+4Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsEA Games300,000+5Medal of Honor: FrontlineEA Games300,000+6The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersEA Games300,000+7Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyPS2Konami300,000+8Gran Turismo 3: A-SpecPS2Sony300,000+9Spider-Man: The MovieActivision300,000+10Monsters, Inc.GBA, GBCTHQ300,000+