It may have the framework of an ordinary city builder but there’s an insightful, and frequently disturbing, philosophical message at the heart of this cross-genre classic.

A sizeable improvement on last year’s already excellent game, with major changes and minor tweaks that will delight veteran players and encourage newcomers.

A remake more than a reinvention, but one that retains all the simple gameplay and outrageous gore that made the original games fun.

If you have PlayStation VR then this is a must-have title, but even if you don’t it’s still one of the best arcade games we’ve ever played. It may seem off-puttingly weird to some but ignore all the florescent cows and 8-bit sound effects and you have one of the purest action experiences of the modern age. Or don’t ignore them, and revel in one of the most gloriously strange, constantly inventive, shooters available on any platform.

The gameplay and graphics are as enjoyable as ever, but this spin-off feels more like a rerun of Uncharted 4 than a genuinely new experience.

The best Advance Wars game never made, whose post-launch update smooths out the rough edges and creates a strategy game that’s more accessible and fun than ever.

An excellent compilation of seven games from the heyday of Bomberman, but it’s a shame it doesn’t have more online options, to make joining in the multiplayer fun easier.

The best SoulCalibur VI of recent generations, with an accessible but tactically deep combat system. But while the single-player options are much improved they’re still far from perfect.

Beautiful presentation and an intriguing open world environment, but the misjudged difficultly level is just too punishing.

A justifiably indulgent celebration of some of indie gaming's greatest triumphs, and one that deserves to be experienced by every Wii owner - and beyond.

The best arcade racer for years and a magnificent spectacle that makes racing exciting again.

Each region’s effectively its own puzzle, and even in the training level it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to complete all the goals, recycle your buildings, and take off in your airship on your first attempt. It’s got a meditative pace, but with so many possibilities to consider at each stage you’ll be glad of that.

An engrossing stealth action game, featuring incredible scenery and facial animation that shames many triple-A games, never mind other indie titles.

A good value expansion for what is both one of the most imaginative puzzle games of the year and one of the best co-op experiences.

Beneath the saccharine sweet exterior beats the heart of a monster, one that wants to devour your every waking moment with its wonderfully addictive platform action.

A truly wizard RPG, whose historical setting frees it from the limitations of the books and films, with an open world experience that entertains no matter how much you care about the source material.

Forget the original home console title, this charming 8-bit throwback is by far the superior game.

A wonderfully unfashionable mixture of old school aesthetics that doesn’t so much demand your time as steal it away without your permission.

A competent but uninspired sequel that’s unwise to create so many obvious comparisons to Resident Evil 4, although it still manages to find some memorable moments of its own.

It has a lot wider appeal than you'd think, but it'll take a sequel for this to become truly heroic.

One of the best remakes ever, not because of its loving recreation of the original Half-Life but because it dares to change and improve it.

It's not going to change the world, but at least it manages to change first person shooters back into something more irreverent and fun.

A loving tribute to Gradius and its spin-off series, with some of M2’s best archaeological work and an excellent retro sequel in Salamander 3.

The best Kinect-only game ever, and if nothing else that proves that an inspired developer can make a great game with even the most unpromising of hardware.

Minimalist gaming at its finest, with graphics and presentation out of the Stone Age but evocative sci-fi action that's tense, tactical and instantly addictive.

There's a lot to admire in this role-playing classic, but still just as much to infuriate and bore.

The best Japanese role-player of the generation and arguably the best open world environment of the year, despite a disappointing story and some arcane systems.

The best Defender clone for years and arguably the best next gen launch title on any console, although that says far more about its rivals than it does Resogun itself.