By combining the slick 3D polish of modern-era console Mario with the pure and simple challenge of the classic platform era, Nintendo have created a true gem. The frustration one encounters falling off a slick edge for the 14th time is outweighed by the addictiveness of achievement. It's linear, to the point and perfectly tuned for a portable experience.

XCOM can be a cruel, vindictive mistress, but she is one that can be tamed. With an investment of time and patience, players can gain access to a true tactical masterpiece, unlike anything we've seen in the past decade.

Guild Wars 2 is the first new MMO in a long time to offer a compelling and enjoyable gameplay experience, that doesn't leave the player alone and trying hard to make friends. As with any MMO, it's a complete waste of time. A joyful, well crafted, and highly entertaining waste of a whole lot of time, and one that is highly recommended.

For gamers who loved the first game, there is much to enjoy and rediscover here. Those new to the series you will find it nothing short of a revelation.

Hearts of Stone is everything great about The Witcher 3, delivered in a neat little package.

It doesn't need a hokey in-game marketplace where players can trade credits for uniforms in order to be better; such insecurity only cheapens the whole thing. FIFA 13 is a triumph when viewed on its core merits; its ability to excite and drive the player to new levels of skill and enjoyment through the age-old medium of football.

With Into the Breach Subset Games rewrites the tactical gameplay rulebook by removing most of its pages. In doing so, it has created a superlative strategy game.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is one of my favourite games of this generation. From it's absolutely perfect combat to the rich world brimming with secrets, I can see myself coming back time and time again. From fans are in for one hell of an amazing ride.

The multiplayer alone makes it a must-buy.

Shogun 2 is a tour de force, plunging even the most detached and practical of real-time strategy fans into the heady waters of the Shengoku Jidai.

Empire: Total War is breathtaking in its scope, enthralling in its detail, and staggering in its execution. Despite one or two minor flaws, it should be considered one of the very best strategy titles available on any platform.

Astro Bot Rescue Mission feels like a greatest hits of platformers from a bygone era. The stunning implementation of PSVR truly elevates the game to a magical place. I really can't overstate just how much you need to play it for yourself.

It's a game for gamers, and a stark reminder that often the best games aren't those that set out to redefine the medium, or seek dour creative legitimacy, but those that set out to entertain, to make us laugh, to surprise us, and make such an impression that we'll return to them for years to come.

Majora’s Mask for 3DS represents the best execution of the game, boasting impressive graphics and extraordinary gameplay depth.

Dark Souls III nails much of what made the first two in the series so special, but its world and enemies are unusually drab.

For a game with only four levels, there is a surprising amount of gameplay.

This game will steal your soul, and comes highly recommended.

Pillars of Eternity demonstrates that a great RPG is as much in our own heads and hearts as it is a developer's vision relayed through a monitor. A must-play for fans of the genre, old and new.

An exceptionally solid action role-playing game, with an immense, immersive world. The new features, including the dog as a helper, and the breadcrumb trail as a guide, have worked excellently. This time, Peter Molyneux has made a game that lives up to its hype. One of the real must-have titles on the Xbox 360.

Valve's much anticipated Zombie game is a co-op experience not to be missed. Although a few more levels would have been nice, the AI is smart enough to provide a unique game each time around. This one is highly recommended!

Left 4 Dead 2 is a perfect example of what happens when a competent developer takes an existing game and adds just enough to make it better, without subtracting from its initial appeal.

F1 2017 is without a doubt the finest F1 game ever made, and a superb motorsport game as a whole. The cumulative lessons that Codies has learned over the years are really paying off, as it continues to push ever forward in both realism and accessibility. How it’ll manage to surpass this come next year has me scratching my head, but its recent track record instils hope it can pull another rabbit out of the hat yet.

Hot Pursuit has overdosed on the adrenaline, providing gamers with some of the fastest action this year.

The almost perfect marriage of elegant game design, evocative audio, and stunning visuals delivers a gaming experience far richer and affecting than I could have possibly imagined. It’s not without a few flaws, but they are easily forgotten almost as soon as they have passed.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses had me completely hooked from when I first picked it up, right up until the end. The ability to train your units in extremely flexible ways in addition to throwing away the old weapon triangle has made combat so much more interesting to engage with. The teaching and monthly schedule provided a welcome respite from the battles, making each one feel so much more engaging. Despite the series continuing to suffer from two-dimensional writing for their characters, I still had a lot of fun taking my favourites to tea and pairing them off together. This is a fantastic installment for returning fans or newcomers playing for the first time.

Dead Space was definitely a risk for EA and it's great to see they were willing to run with it, because it is a fantastic game. It looks and sounds great, is a lot of fun to play and oozes atmosphere.

The campaign may be pants, and the co-op may struggle to find a niche, but DICE knows multiplayer – that much is evident. In this regard, Battlefield 3 exceeds expectations.

Dreams has opened up the artform of games to the experimentation and creativity of anyone and everyone in a way never before achieved. As a result, it is an experience that is wonderous, fulfilling and exciting - regardless of whether you are learning to develop, developing something, or playing something made by others.

Simply put, it's the best Rock Band experience to date.

Rockstar has excelled in producing a truly innovative title that sets the high-tide mark for inquisitive gamers looking for a real challenge. It's not to be missed.

Peggle is a colourful, highly addictive puzzle style game that the whole family will absolutely love. The online multiplayer modes make it that much better, and it's a worthy investment for anyone who wants something a bit simpler to wind down with.

Battlefield 1's campaign is thin as ever, but most will be on board for the multiplayer, which – while simplified compared with recent entries – remains practically peerless when it comes to delivering intense, large-scale battles.

Throw all of these things together and you have an excellent game that falls just a little short of perfect.

Guerrilla Games' punt on a new IP has paid off handsomely, as despite its silly title, Horizon Zero Dawn is a magnificent open world action-adventure that lives up to its hype.

Get into the Dark Souls mindset and be prepared for repeated failure in one of the most engrossing gaming experiences available.

Poignant and powerful, What Remains of Edith Finch has set a new standard in storytelling. Don’t be put off by its brevity – these are two of the most enjoyable hours I have ever spent in front of my PC monitor.

The phenomenal feeling of speed and the freedom to pretty much do what you like has once again taken the Burnout series to another level.

War for the Chosen adds a huge amount of content and a number of new mechanics to an already brimming game. It's a generous package that ought to please and frustrate (in a good way!) XCOM devotees.

Put that aside and enjoy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for what it is: a brutal and rewarding game that knows what players expect, and delivers it with well-earned confidence.

Dead Space was definitely a risk for EA and it's great to see they were willing to run with it, because it is a fantastic game. It looks and sounds great, is a lot of fun to play and oozes atmosphere.

2K have one again proved that Rapture, through all it's wild, twisted and crazy moments, is an unforgettable place to be. You may think you've seen it all before, but that's no reason to deprive yourself of what is most certainly one of the best titles of the year.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is a great addition to the Street Fighter franchise and will keep dedicated fans entertained for a long time to come. Unfortunately though, new players to the title will most likely be deterred by the fairly steep difficulty curve in Arcade Mode, and the fact that the controls are never really explained.

Left Behind shares many of the traits that make The Last of Us so good, but as a prequel, it is unable to surprise the player with its parent game's trump card – its plot. Even so, it's an enjoyable companion piece to the best game of last year.

Doom Eternal has taken what were already some pretty innovative new approaches to gameplay, and either refined, expanded, or built upon them in a way that elevates this visceral, kinetic and exhilarating approach to combat up several hundred notches.

An excellent remake that does total justice to the original. A joy to play with the fantastic humour and characters lovingly recreated as we can only imagine they were originally intended.

Easily the best FPS I’ve played in a long time. Dialogue that makes me want to watch a feature film starring these guys. A virtually flawless single and multiplayer experience.

XCOM 2 manages to raise the stakes and challenge of its predecessor without ever becoming too frustrating. Defeat will be frequent and death even more so, but victory is all the more sweet for it. In short, it's bigger, better, broader, and even more brutal!

Frustration and reward go hand-in-hand in Cuphead. Your fingers will feel the pain of extended play sessions, but your face will be fixed in a fierce (albeit slightly pained) grin.

The sixth Pokémon generation’s leap into three dimensions is a godsend, maintaining a recognisable experience while giving the aesthetic experience much-needed depth and dynamism. Even with this new presentation, though, the seventeen-year-old core remains the same – a trusty old heart that doesn’t really need to change.

Ori and the Blind Forest is breathtaking in more ways than one: it's dazzlingly beautiful, cleverly designed, and its demanding platforming will test your patience.

Much like its protagonist, Assassins of Kings stands in defiant contrast to the crowd, but in doing so CD Projekt RED has come away with a product that appeals on many different levels – a strong draught of dialogue, action, and coordinated gameplay that ought to slake the hunger, thirst, and yearning loins of any lonesome traveller of the road.

Super Mario Maker 2 is a joyous experience jam-packed with seemingly never-ending content thanks to its rich suite of editing tools and a thoroughly talented community of level designers. No matter your skill level, you'll find something to love here, from it's wonderfully tight gameplay to the outstanding level-creator.

Devil May Cry 5 keeps what made the franchise so popular while refining its systems to near-perfection. With some of the most impressive animation and combat out there right now and the addition of Bloody Palace arriving in a free update this April, Devil May Cry 5 is the definitive DMC experience and should be played by everyone looking for incredibly satisfying & stylish combat!

For gamers looking for something intellectual about their medium, in their medium, The Stanley Parable is the only choice available – and thankfully, it’s a good one.

Legacy of the Void is a grandiose Space Opera of the highest order, a stunning conclusion to not only StarCraft II but the entire StarCraft epic that began a decade and a half ago. That’s only part of the story though: Blizzard has also managed to embrace new players with a more forgiving entry point, while also providing more depth and increased skill ceiling for the long time devotee. That might be the real legacy of this game.

Diablo 3 on the Switch may be a graphical step-down and far from the best place to play multiplayer, but if you’re looking for the perfect platform on which to sink into the end-game grind by yourself – there is no place better to play it.

Somehow, the game is once again a significant improvement over last year's iteration and if you're a football fan FIFA 11 is a must: EA have shown they can draw blood from a stone and they've done it with style.

It's the closest the Vita has to an 'essential release', a game that encourages its audience to build and create as if there was nothing to stop them while providing the perfect example of what that kind of mentality can produce.

Legion is excellent, a thoroughly enjoyable expansion made all the more impressive by the base game's age. It might have taken a demon invasion, but WoW's players are back together at last.

The Talos Principle on PS4 lives up to the hype of its PC cousin. It's a genre masterpiece that anyone with the slightest interest in puzzles or philosophy should pick up as a matter of priority.

Nioh is a triumph. It stands head and shoulders above every other title in the genre, even eclipsing its obvious inspiration. Team Ninja is not only back, but it has thrown down the gauntlet, and only time will tell who's up for the challenge.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf encourages the player to approach it as a calm in the storm of everyday life: a portal to a new, conflict-free world that you can escape to for a little while each day. It's a peaceful, guileless, and totally enchanting title.

All these things combine to what is arguably the best role-playing game of the year – or at least until Skyrim.

In spite of a lack of competition, Visual Concepts hasn't eased off the brakes. Every year the developer continues to deliver. NBA 2K13 isn't just the best basketball game of the year, it's the best sports game of the year.

Rocksmith 2014 many improvements on its predecessor see the franchise elevated from a decent diversion to a great tool for budding strummers and shredders. There’s a ton of quality content to get through, but best of all it’s presented in an appealing and addicting manner that takes much of the pain from practice

The complete racing package, Race Driver GRID is perfectly tuned to produce a fine balance between fun and realism. A large range of classes means the comparatively small number of cars does nothing to detract from the sense of scale.

Levels are broader and more varied, small alterations have been made to force the player to put more thought into how they craft their experiences, and there's some genuine emotional content being experimented with. The whole enterprise does end up feeling a bit too earnest, a bit too forced, a bit too cornball. Despite that, though, there's a maturity of vision to Halo 4, one that manifests itself, in small ways, in the narrative and in the ways you interact with that narrative.

Injustice 2 is the goods: a great fighting game with an absorbing narrative, plenty of content, and a legendary cast.

The Witness is an expansive and wickedly smart follow-up to Braid, with puzzles to test even the brightest minds. Its mental gymnastics are well worth the occasional frustration, and you'll come out feeling like a genius.

Perhaps the greatest triumph for Civilization VI on PlayStation is that it is the full, uncut, and immersive Civilization experience PC players have been enjoying for decades perfectly translated to console. A challenging, but welcoming strategy title that is either the perfect entry point for new players, or the single best reason for long-time fans who have transitioned to a more couch-based gaming lifestyle to jump back in.

Final Fantasy VII REMAKE is a spectacular game that soars and falls in equal measure. There is a lot to love here, but frustrations and disappointments mar the experience. A solid central story is undermined by needless padding. Exceptional combat loses its edge at times due to unfortunate design choices, and gorgeous visuals are muddied with some appalling technical shortcomings.

If you're looking for a nourishing gaming experience sprinkled with the addictive sea-salt of Pokémania, then these games are for you.

The sixth Pokémon generation’s leap into three dimensions is a godsend, maintaining a recognisable experience while giving the aesthetic experience much-needed depth and dynamism. Even with this new presentation, though, the seventeen-year-old core remains the same – a trusty old heart that doesn’t really need to change.

A truly spectacular soccer title with exceptional player animations, ball handling and gameplay to boot. The AI will provide a significant challenge, but the implementation of one of the most advanced and complete online modes will mean that this game will truly last you a long time.

It’s almost everything we want in a PC shooter. DICE’s latest installment in the Battlefield series sets the bar – we just wish there were more developers trying to surpass it.

A truly spectacular soccer title with exceptional player animations, ball handling and gameplay to boot. The AI will provide a significant challenge, but the implementation of one of the most advanced and complete online modes will mean that this game will truly last you a long time.

Guacamelee is a solid, well-paced Metroidvania-brawler hybrid with style to burn and a fun spin on a doddery old narrative. It also tries desperately hard to be funny, though, and it falls well short of the mark.

Astral Chain is one of the most exciting new IPs I've played in years. From its stunning combat design to its gorgeous visuals, it packs a punch in almost every area. Combat feels incredible and the Legions add a huge amount of options to how you tackle any given battle. Some may fault the game for its more quiet moments and investigations, but the contrast they offer to the frantic action, feels near-perfect in its execution.

The complete racing package, Race Driver GRID is perfectly tuned to produce a fine balance between fun and realism. A large range of classes means the comparatively small number of cars does nothing to detract from the sense of scale.

It is extremely challenging and if you don’t get too frustrated it will also be tons of fun; either on your own or with a friend. It is classic side-scrolling gaming at its best.

I would happily watch Heavy Rain “the movie” in theatres, but the fact that I get to watch and control it on my PS3 instead is very cool.

It's an excellent chance to relive the heady days of the point-and-click adventure, where games were written with intelligence, humour and precision rather than large explosions and endless DLC.

DiRT 3 is an extremely flexible and polished racer that – despite some bland circuit design – delivers an extremely satisfying and assured driving experience. Coupled with amusing online modes it's a no-brainer for racing fans, and the racer those who detest such games should investigate at the very least.

An accessible yet thoroughly entertaining competitive fighter, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a game for low-levels and super-elites alike.

The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening is an extremely well done remake and stays true to the original in all of the best ways. The wonderful new art style and score make this hands-down my new favourite way to experience this classic. The lack of hand-holding may make things challenging for first-time younger players, but a solution is thankfully never too far away. Whether you've played the original a hundred times or have never experienced it at all, the Switch version is far and away the best way to play it today.

Rockstar have created one of the most imaginative and cleverly designed DLC packs this year.

They've done it folks, Insomniac has made one of the best superhero games I've ever played. Marvel's Spider-Man is yet another exclusive jewel in both Insomniac Games and Sony's crown. They're going to need a scepter to go with that thing soon.

Suitable for all ages, it's a winning combination of that ‘old school’ charm and the Wii’s versatility. An absolute must for the Mario fan, and a recommended addition to the casual gamer's Christmas wish list.

Donkey Kong Country Returns could just be the best side-scrolling platformer of this generation.

Black Ops is a competent shooter that comes packed with compelling multiplayer modes and additional content.

Media Molecule's shift to the third-person has resulted in a mixed bag - the eye-popping visual style and the story's characteristic earnestness are tempered by clumsy platforming and thematic overcomplication. Tearaway is a very good platformer, but greatness is just out of reach.

If you are the type of person that enjoys a game that challenges your thinking capacity instead, then Zack and Wiki should be on your wish list.

While it’s not really anything new, it provides a chunky stop-gap in lieu of a real new Pokemon title. Playing it, you’ll get the sense that Gamefreak are rehashing the classics to get their crosshairs tuned for the next generation of Pokemon.

This expansion is Diablo III as it should be - should always have been. A welcome return to form.

Little King’s Story is a little beauty; fans of Nintendo’s classic ‘cutesy’ titles such as Animal Crossing and Pikmin will truly love it. We may be finished with the reviewing side of things but are still playing Little King’s Story... which is probably the best endorsement we can give any game.

Titanfall 2 is a gigantic stompy robot that for whatever reason is slipping by gamers unnoticed. This is a travesty, as it's an incredible title – easily one of the best of the year.

Ultimately however, the strength of Origins lies in the whimsical subject matter tied into a surprisingly strong platform foundation that manages to both enthral and entertain. There's real intelligence behind the unfolding action, and the sense that the title has been slaved over by developers who understand not only the franchise, but the very concept of what it takes to make a compelling 2D platformer.

If you're looking for a nourishing gaming experience sprinkled with the addictive sea-salt of Pokémania, then these games are for you.