Everyone from the classic Mario Bros. era to the current wave of video games will feel right at home with Super Mario Maker, and I would encourage everyone to don the yellow hard hat and get cracking.

Thomas Was Alone is freakin’ fantastic. It has an engaging story, vibrant and memorable graphics, and well thought out gameplay that will make it hard to stop playing. It’s a great purchase for gamers of all shapes and sizes.

Nier: Automata's story is a rich tale, both tragic and whimsical, told expertly through the medium of video games by melding thrilling combat with a profoundly imaginative world well worth exploring. Director Yoko Taro is a madman with a box, and he's been kind enough to open that box to let us play with it.

Sorcery! 2 certainly isn’t for everyone, but, as a text adventure for the digital age, it’s an experience that’s second-to-none.

Like its predecessor, Mikey Hooks is a solid title that’s full of lots of fun platforming action. For the price, it’s certainly worth adding to your library if you are looking for some fast-paced fun. And most importantly, it does right by the grappling hook.

In the end, XCOM 2 has come into the world aiming to do what an XCOM is supposed to do best, which is supply a fun, extensive, and challenging hybrid of resource and time management and turn-based strategy combat.

Dishonored 2 doesn't veer from the path established by the first game too severely, but given how strong the world and gameplay were it doesn't really have to either. The new locales and villains make for some strong additions to the series, as do the new powers unleashed by Emily Kaldwin. Even with a passable story and ineffective acting, the foundation and gameplay are strong enough to make Dishonored 2 one of the year's best.

Adventure buffs and those with a flair for the nostalgic need to make Ori and the Blind Forest part of their collections immediately, for it will take players back to the glory days of adventure games in the best ways.

After beating the game, the was one puzzle I couldn’t solve — why the The Room Two was such a disappointment.

If you’re looking for an action adventure that’s a bit left of center, Hero of Many should deliver the goods. Armed with dynamite graphics and a compelling story, it’s the perfect app to download for your iPad.

I really loved Castle Doombad’s deft mixture of intricate and addictive game play. It’s a slam-bang journey that does so much good that sometimes breaking bad is the only way to go. Especially if a beautiful princess is your unwilling companion.

With an amazing campaign, phenomenal multiplayer, numerous gameplay options, satisfying story, nigh-infinite unlockables, and tons of nooks and crannies to explore, Legacy of the Void stands as one of the proudest entries in the Starcraft legacy.

Rules! provides the unique experience of further developing hand-eye coordination and memory skills in each person who plays it, while giving the added bonus of plain-old having fun.

A peerless addition to Blizzard's biggest beast, showing that the beast is not only still alive, but its heart is pumping more strongly than ever.

An amazing platform experience from top to bottom. From the gameplay to the art to its style of wit and storytelling, Owlboy takes notes from the long history of its genre and combines them into a stellar journey.

The true gratification behind finishing this dense and absorbing experience is to come to the final stages, when you are directly faced with every single consequence of your deeds.

This new Doom is what I’ve been waiting for, a perfect mixture of old concepts and new technology brought together for the current generation. The fast-paced action of yesteryear is coupled with giant stages, customizable and shareable maps, and a robust if slightly generic multiplayer offering, the final result being a super fun way to blast through a few hours. There’s no Doom and gloom here; this new game is a hell of a good time.

This is the best Battlefield has been in a while, and Battlefield 1 has set a new bar for what we should expect from not just this series, but contemporaries as well.

Crypt of the Necrodancer nails everything that it sets out to do. Every moment of Necrodancer is fun and engaging, the music is some of the best original music in any rhythm game, and the entire experience feels very original.

These new games take things previously thought to be untouchable elements of the Pokemon experience and turns them on their heads, delivering a completely unique experience from its predecessors.

It isn’t perfect, but for anyone who likes action-RPGs or a worthy challenge, Wayward Souls is a solid choice.

Arkham Knight is a massive technical achievement on consoles, and as a final note on the character and franchise, it delivers in almost every way.

These new games take things previously thought to be untouchable elements of the Pokemon experience and turns them on their heads, delivering a completely unique experience from its predecessors.

A spectacular machine that makes perfect use of all its components. It incorporates familiar elements with those that may have seemed superfluous, but only serve to solidify this franchise as a frontrunner in the genre. Packed with content, modes and customizability, Forza Motorsport 6 is a grand evolution of a decade's worth of racing under the Microsoft banner.

Giving us two different prices is also a rather blatant form of game gouging, especially when there are a healthy amount of in-game purchases to be had. Even with these complaints, Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage is still worth a look, especially if you have three bucks to blow.

Titanfall 2 is one of the most joyful gaming experiences of the year. There are lots of games with heart and excitement, but Titanfall 2 manages to combine almost everything that was a strength for the first entry and build on it with loads more personality.

If you’re looking for a fun hack n’ slash action-JRPG with a deep customizable system to tailor to your playstyle, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is some of the most enjoyable times to be had, going far beyond the nostalgia of a simple remake.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate finally hooked me into the entire Monster Hunter series. I now understand why this franchise has so many die-hard fans, and I get why hundreds of hours are spent roaming the hills and deserts looking for new prey.