Having someone to share Mario Maker with is like having a pen pal. You make something for them, send it to them, and then you wait to hear what they think about it. Maybe they make something for you, or maybe you build something new based on their feedback to challenge them even more next time.

Much to my surprise, I like Monster Hunter Rise for Switch even more than World.

Diablo III on the Switch is my new favorite way to play the game.

The light swipes of the controls can take a gentle touch, and you’ll definitely want to just buy the unlimited credits rather than put up with the freemium annoyances. It won’t entertain you for day-long stints. But if you like Pac-Man, this version is a must for your phone.

Being able to use my fingers to manage items onscreen in both story and creation environments is a significant upgrade in the playability of the title.

FIFA 13 is irritating and painful yet wonderful and nuanced, just like the sport it so painstakingly emulates.

Legion is the best work ever done on WoW, and I say that as someone who remembers the original development process from alpha to the launch of the original “vanilla” box. I’m not known for giving high review scores. Legion earns one.

It’s at its best when you’re in these conversations, making choices like you’re in a Choose Your Own Adventure novel, drinking in the results and reckoning with each decision you make.Even when you’re mocking the gods.

New Leaf is a delightful way to spend a lazy afternoon. It does have stagnation issues — this is basically the same thing we played on GameCube, Nintendo DS, and Wii — but the magic is still real.

As much as I can gripe about its flaws, it’s hard not to grin when you’re shoving a running motorcycle wheel into a demon’s face. But this won’t become another action game classic.

It's unfortunate that 343 didn't stretch past the standard Halo playbook instead of falling back to so many recognizable gameplay beats (and I do wonder if that was a conscious decision meant to counter the "Will it be Halo?" doubters), but the gameplay itself offsets those issues. The level design is a precision instrument. Above and beyond that, Halo 4 expertly folds an intimate story into an epic scope, taking risks with iconic characters and sticking the landing every time.

Hitman is a world made up entirely of Chekhov's guns, and it's a blast finding out how to get Agent 47 into position to pull the trigger.

Games don’t have to be fun. They can have more value than that. And I’m not saying The Witness can’t be fun, but it’s just as often frustrating.

Overall, I thought the whole game was very well done, balancing history, fun, and personalized stories set within epic battles. The game challenged my own preconceptions about World War I and taught me a few new things. I developed an appreciation for the diversity of the battles and the technological change from the beginning of the war to its end. Overall, I thought it did a wonderful job delivering something fresh. And that’s very hard to do in the shooter genre.

Pokémon X and Y might mark a big visual jump for the series, but the structure remains steadfast in its dedication to tradition.

Crypt of the NecroDancer has reminded me how creative, original, and fun video games can be. I’ve switched it off at 2 a.m. more than once this week, forcing myself to break from a dangerously addictive “one more go” loop as I tried in vain to beat the damn thing.

More than how it looks or plays, I appreciate Gran Turismo 7's vibe. It's just pleasant.

This game does the job of creating a mainstream action-adventure game that balances hardcore gameplay like fighting Nazis and solving difficult puzzles. But it’s also accessible with a good sense of humor and a sense of mystery and awe.

When I go to give Link's Awakening to someone else, would I recommend this version? Is this the game I want my kids to play? And yes. It is. Absolutely.

Insomniac's take on Spider-Man now reigns as the web-head's best game.

You’re going to get a lot of play out of TowerFall: Ascension, which is likely going to be the best version of this deep, clever, and wildly fun game. I loved what I got, and I wanted more. If you thought local multiplayer was dead, you might want to give Ascension a try.

I left Tearaway feeling happy and content. What more could you ask for?

It’s a fun, efficient, and rewarding way to play baseball, and it’s the closest most of us will come to achieving our big league dreams.

If you ever enjoyed the original, or just like the idea of a psychic-themed 3D platformer, I'm sure that you'll like Psychonauts 2 and find plenty of laughs along the way.

I enjoyed the ending, but it was so long. I had to wipe the sweat off my forehead. But it felt so good to be done.

It might not be the most fully featured game or the most polished. And the list of things to fix for 2017 is pretty obvious. But, PES 2016 feels right. And for me, fun beats features every single time.

Machine also brought the most amazing characters, quality storytelling, and well-paced gameplay to The New Colossus. You’ll want to spend time with these people and discover their fate — sometimes that will warm your heart and sometimes it will break it.

I really do hate Spelunky. It is frustrating in a way that few console games ever are. It's audio-visual trappings don't really help the matter for me, but the sense of discovery has me intrigued to find out what happens next. That doesn't make Spelunky a good game, but I can't wait to get back to playing it.