8 PC Games from Our Childhood that Brings Us Nostalgia

Were you born and raised in the era of flip phones, CDs, Gameboys, Britney Spears’ music, and thick computer monitors? Well, if yes, then there is no doubt that you are definitely a 2000’s kid! And apart from hearing Dora asking us non-stop about the whereabouts of places that are obviously just behind her, there’s nothing more familiar to us 2000’s kids than the classic computer games we play on our PCs.

From crazy action-adventure games to rolling rodents racing to beat time, classic computer games from the ’00s are the wildest. But, of course, they remain to be one of the best parts of our childhood. With that, allow me to bring you back to memory lane to share my few personal favorites from our childhood.

Below are 8 PC Games from the 2000s that will Make Us Reminisce About Our Childhood:

Insaniquarium (2001)

Insaniquarium is a 2001 fish tank simulator action-adventure game developed by Flying Bear Entertainment and Published by PopCap Games. It follows simple mechanics by requiring players to keep their pet fish alive until the end of each level. However, might I tell you that this game is bonkers?

Gameplay: The game begins with two free baby guppies and a starting budget of $200. The players then must feed the guppies by dropping food, with each pellet costing $5. With this, players must continue to feed the guppies until they grow for them to give you money. A medium-sized guppy drops off $15 coins, while a big-sized guppy drops $30. Given the goal of collecting money, the players’ end objective is to earn enough coins to buy egg pieces and unlock a new pet.

But, if you think that’s all, hold on a second, because maintaining your fish tank doesn’t stop at feeding fish and collecting coins. The craziest part comes when you have to fend off alien fish tank invaders whose primary goal is to kill off all your fish. Because once you’re all out of pet fish the game is instantly over.

Lemonade Tycoon (2002)

Originally called Lemonade Inc., Lemonade Tycoon is a business stand simulation game first released in 2002. This game allows players to experience the many complexities of managing a small-scale lemonade enterprise. From finding the perfect lemonade recipe to investing in upgrades, players get to immerse themselves in the world of business gambits and earning profits.

Gameplay: The game begins with a small and simple lemonade stand where players get to start up their lemonade business. From there, players get to do trial and error with vital factors that could either make or break their business. They can choose their stand’s location, invest in upgrades and marketing, hire staff, experiment with their lemonade recipe, and purchase enough supplies.

Ultimately, as the players play throughout each day, they discover the pros and cons of each business gamble they made that they can correct the following day.

Diner Dash (2004)

Released in 2004, Diner Dash is a casual strategic time management restaurant game we all love and grew up with. The game was initially developed by Gamelab and published by PlayFirst and became among the top-selling games of all time. As a result of this, it spawned multiple sequels and other time management games we continue to love to this day.

Gameplay: The game opens with a short backstory of the game’s main character, Flo, who quits her job and starts her own restaurant business. She starts up her biz with an old run-down restaurant, a few tables and chairs, and a cook. Meanwhile, Flo has to take care of the rest of all the restaurant work like taking up orders, serving and cleaning tables, etc. Your job as a player is to help Flo run the restaurant and satisfy customers with good food and quick service.

Feeding Frenzy (2004)

Eat or get eaten! Feeding Frenzy is a single-player action underwater video game released in 2004 and published by PopCap Games. The game embarks players in an underwater adventure of high-quality graphics and cartoonish music, immersing players in a fun aquatic experience.

Gameplay: The game spawns you as a fish in troubled waters seeking to eat its way to the top of the food chain. As a player, you must help your fish munch on smaller prey while avoiding bigger predators preying on you as well. In summary, the players must score points, reach their fullest size and be the ocean’s top predator. Ultimately, to be the apex predator of the waters, you must beat the Shark King by dethroning him.

Hamsterball (2004)

Hamsterball is a single-player or multi-player game released in 2004 that resembles the arcade game Marble Madness. It is a puzzle race developed by Raptisoft Games that play around with a hamster inside its hamster ball. Through this character, players get to play through track races, and race with or rumble with other players via their party games. Altogether, it involves fast races and unique track courses that challenge its players all the way.

Gameplay: In general, Hamsterball follows simple mechanics for its players. Finish the obstacle course before time runs out and you’re done! However, finishing the race tracks isn’t easy as each track increases in the level of difficulty while you progress. In essence, you have to go through trial and error to figure out the physics of how each obstacle goes.

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Varmintz Deluxe (2004)

Another one released in 2004, Varmintz Deluxe is a great game that nods to the classic Pacman Game we loved. The game follows a hop-and-dodge arcade game format that allows players to play cute characters on interesting maps. Overall, to complete the game, the players must pass through obstacles and lead characters to their dens. In turn, this allows players to unlock new worlds to play in.

Gameplay: To play the game, players must help the varmints navigate through complex obstacles. Their main objective is to lead the varmints into their dens at the end of each level. Along the way, players can collect golden eggs, hop on platforms, and avoid obstacles which add fun and extra challenge to the experience.

Pizza Frenzy (2005)

Released in 2005, Pizza Frenzy is an action-puzzle pizza delivery game published by PopCap Games. It is an arcade-style game that requires players to be swift and attentive to juggle orders in due time. Furthermore, players are put in charge of reviving a pizza delivery business.

Gameplay: The main objective of the game, is for you to quickly deliver the right pizza to the appropriate customer at the right time. And for you to accomplish this objective, you must click on the icons that will appear on your screen. Match each icon to the right pizza place that produces the same ingredient and collect the money you earned. Additionally, each level increases the difficulty level therefore, players must be quick.

Tennis Titans (2005)

Last on the list is the 2005 arcade and tennis simulator, Tennis Titans. Developed by Skunk Studios, an independent developer known for its many casual games, Tennis Titans reintroduces several familiar characters to its players. Among these familiar faces are Shady and Rubin who originally appeared in Varmintz Deluxe, another game developed by the same studio.

Gameplay: Tennis Titans immerses its players into a more realistic game of virtual tennis. You just play the game in standard tennis guidelines and win each match and you’re good to go. However, if you’re not familiar with the sport, don’t worry as the game opens with a tutorial.

In general, if you were in for another game featuring these beloved characters, plus a game with realistic ball physics, then, Tennis Titans might have been your cup of tea.