Delivered just about everything I wanted out of it, and then some. I've grown attached to a number of newcomers, I've played more online matches than I ever did with Brawl, and I'll be tackling all of the single-player content for weeks on end. I'm all in again thanks to Smash 3DS.

As far as videogame remasters go, Final Fantasy X and X-2 are at the top of the list as far as quality is concerned. It's clear that Square Enix put a lot of time into both of these beloved titles, and as a series fan I really appreciate that. They've made both of these great games even better with this remastering, and any fan of either should definitely check them out.

Hearthstone: League of Explorers is probably my favorite expansion yet for the game. I feel like Blizzard iterates for every release, and I hope this isn't the end of the adventures to come, as I vastly prefer them to card-only expansions. Maybe next time we'll see even crazier mechanics, like the co-op fight that was only used once in a Tavern Brawl.

It's a simple game, but it does exactly what it sets out to do and it has a cute, clean aesthetic that serves it well.

Although I came in rusty, DJMax Respect beckoned me to keep my fingers dancing and to further one-up myself. The more I did that the more fun it became, and I'm looking forward to enjoying all of the DLC to come, and potentially, the full-on resurrection of DJMax in the west.

Satisfying, surprising, hilarious and fun. It's the best Sam and Max episode ever, and it climactically delivers on what the episodic format always promised.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA has its share of flaws but its very satisfying combat more than makes up for it while the fun exploration and good story kept me going through all of it. Ys fans will love this one, and those new to the series are sure to get some enjoyment with the solid fast paced action that might turn them into fans as well. This is definitely a game I would like to have with me to play if I ever get shipwrecked on a deserted island.

Some hiccups notwithstanding, Machinarium is just plain one of the best adventure games ever made.

If there's one point I want to get across above all others, it's this: Nioh 2 isn't as revelatory as the first game, but that shouldn't be held as a mark against it.

Frozen Synapse manages to turn the intricate nature of turn-based tactical combat into something that is deviously complex yet accessible for all, and it does so in style. You might break it a couple of times, but you'll always come back for more.

Nioh 3 refines the soulslike concept in almost every way, morphing all frustrations into pure fun. It's an innovation the genre desperately needs, learning from other games and turning that into the most universal soulslike experience to date.

The Witcher III is unquestionably one of the best games to come out within the last five years, and it's still impressive four years after its release. Yes, the Switch version sacrifices some of its beauty for the ability to take it on the go, but it's still a reasonably pretty game, well worth exploring for the deep gameplay, mature storytelling, and unique world. If you haven't yet experienced The Wild Hunt, then the Complete Edition on Switch is a great opportunity to check it out. [Impressions]

An improved experience this year, without a doubt the best of Activision's full-band games to date. There's enough here to satisfy fans of plastic instruments, and if you've got four drum sets, this is the only place you'll get to use them all at the same time. Despite its marked improvements, those who have have pledged their allegiance to other music titles likely won't be swayed, but that doesn't mean Guitar Hero 5 isn't worth your time.

The Wolf Among Us is an overall a good start to Telltale's next episodic series...Whether you're into the lore or not though, one thing is for sure -- the few moments where I got to be more detective than brawler were an absolute joy and I sincerely hope this is given more of a spotlight in the rest of the season.

Part Time UFO is a HAL Laboratory classic through and through. It’s cute, charming, and challenging. It may not set the mobile world on fire, but honestly, it’s the exact type of game I’d love to see more of from the old-school titans of the industry.

Robo Recall's few flaws just feed into the notion that I want more of it. I'm sure it cost a pretty penny for Epic to develop, and with the install base right now of VR, it may not even fully pay off. But if more deep-pocket developers are able to take risks like this and make more of these pushes, we might see VR hitting the mainstream yet.

Dungeons of Dreadrock 2: The Dead King’s Secret is a must-play for puzzle gamers. Challenges never feel the same, and they’ll have you thinking outside the box to try to solve them. The victorious feeling after completing puzzles can get addicting, and you may have a hard time putting it down, just as I did.

But for those gamers who love the idea of a rigorous workout of the ol' noggin, Layton delivers an exemplary experience wrapped in one of the most stunning aesthetics yet seen on the DS, or any system.

The brief respites from the unrelenting horror of the situation -- being Batman to Duck's Robin, telling stories of better times to Clementine as she falls asleep on your lap -- merely exist to make the sequences which follow all the more painful.

It features all of the best aspects of the series with very little of the negatives, making for a game that I’ll probably still be digging through by the time Kiwami releases over here.

Annoyances aside, MLB The Show 17 continues to iterate without the technical baggage a few games back. Beyond the attempts to monetize players through microtransactions (which mainly work as boosts), I didn't really have any major issues with any given aspect of the game. We're only a few more days out until the 2017 season, and I'm counting on using The Show as my companion for it.

An exercise in design excellence, Death’s Door recognizes and capitalizes on its strengths to deliver a smart, creative, and thoroughly engaging adventure, painted with wonderful visual strokes and peppered with witty, thoughtful commentary on life, death, and how we spend the hours in-between. Sporting polish beyond its budget and ambition beyond its scale, Death’s Door is one of the year’s best releases, and a must-play for adventure fans everywhere. Don’t fear the Reaper.

Destiny 2 commits a lot of the same sins as its father, but it succeeded in doing something the original never did -- make roaming around the open world fun and rewarding.

This is another wonderful FPS from New Blood that pays homage to and improves upon the past in all the ways you could hope for. Do you really need me to say anything else?

As derivative as a game can get, and while we pour scorn on so many other games for rehashing themselves, something tells me this will get a free pass from many critics and gamers. That strikes me as ironic since Mario Kart 7 is the one game I'd hold up as the least deserving of any kind of leniency. It being an unadventurous and predictable retread, however, is only half of Mario Kart 7's problem. The other half is the fact that it's a lethargic and mundane game, easily outpaced by games that could be considered knock-offs of the formula Nintendo itself perfected.

This is the new gold standard for remakes. Well done, 343 Industries.

Episode Five: Same Stitch is a worthy finale. It also has genuine replay value, given its two distinct acts and multiple climaxes. With the focus fixed squarely on its brilliant leads, the final episode makes for a taut, satisfying conclusion, even if I did arch an eyebrow at how my alleged "choices" for the past ten hours ultimately played out.

Skate Story is a visual masterpiece that blends great storytelling with intense skating action. The different layers of the Underworld serve as your hunting grounds where you aim to swallow the moon and make your grand escape.