# 5 Game of the Year Games That Aged Like Milk

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/5-game-of-the-year-games-that-aged-like-milk/
- Published: 2026-10-26T21:53:12+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T23:39:53+00:00
- Original publisher: Collider
- Original article: https://collider.com/game-of-the-year-games-aged-like-milk/
- Topics: Americas, Entertainment, Gaming, World

## Key points

- Five Game of the Year choices are revisited as poorly aged.
- Grand Theft Auto III’s dated design is contrasted with its influence.
- Madden NFL 2004 beat several celebrated games in 2003.

## Summary

The article looks back at five Game of the Year winners from the Golden Joystick Awards, the Spike Video Game Awards and The Game Awards that have, in its view, aged poorly. It argues that advances in game design have made some once-praised titles frustrating today, while other winners appear questionable beside the games they beat.

Grand Theft Auto III is cited for dated controls and mission design, despite its role in popularising open-world games; the article suggests Halo: Combat Evolved and other contemporaries were stronger choices. Madden NFL 2004, the first Spike award winner, is described as still well regarded by some players but unbalanced, with Michael Vick overpowering the game. Its rivals included Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The supplied article text cuts off before detailing the other three games.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.