One of the best action puzzlers for several years, made all the better by some surprisingly distinctive storytelling and visuals.

Far more interested in fixing the flaws of the original than most sequels, this is probably the best, or at least most accurate, use of Kinect so far.

A very narrow selection of games, from a format that does not work well on modern TVs, but Aria Of Sorrow in particular stands out as one of the best Castlevania games ever made.

An inspired mix of real science, sandbox gameplay, and space simulation – that is both a lot more entertaining and a lot more accessible than you’d expect.

Another meaty chunk of downloadable content for Borderlands 2, with a great mix of play styles and some wonderfully OTT quests and characters.

One of the best video games to ever be based around cycling, with the stylised visuals and pitch perfect controls creating an impressively immersive experience.

An excellent send-off for Geralt and The Witcher 3, and although the jokes don’t always hit home the stunning visuals and breadth of content do.

It’s been a long wait for a World Of Goo sequel and the only real complaint with this amusingly inventive follow-up is that there’s not more of it.

It’s a surprisingly expansive mobile interpretation of its older sibling, your clone pilot gradually earning and learning new skills, and with that the ability to fly better spacecraft. Ship-to-ship combat takes place at huge range in the empty blackness of space, but it’s nevertheless satisfying blowing away space pirates with your slowly improving arsenal.

It may well end up being Nintendo's last game on the Wii, but it's an impressively subversive swansong that is neither as crude - nor as easy - as it looks.

A highly imaginative puzzle game made all the more entertaining by its argument-inducing co-op options.

2K had little choice but to listen to its community following the damage done last year but they’ve rebounded with possibly their best-ever title.

Something close to a minimal effort, but with FIFA 10 powering the action it's still hard to resist.

An inspired new take on the 2D Metroidvania concept, whose challenging combat and rewarding exploration is accompanied by some stunning audio and visual design.

Not only one of the 3DS's best launch games but also one of the most accessible and entertaining turn-based strategies of recent years.

A solidly made and entertaining racing game with loads to unlock, whose minor graphical shortcomings and sim-lite handling do nothing to interfere with long term appeal.

A welcome return to form for the series, and while the co-op puzzle-solving no longer seems quite as original as it once did it’s never been as enjoyable or varied as this.

An incredible work of imagination and one of the best-looking games of the generation. The gameplay can’t quite match the magic of the presentation, but it’s not far behind.

As unique a vision as video gaming has ever seen and one able to use even its many incompetencies to entertain and surprise.

Although all the combos, stances and weapons make it to the small screen, the touch controls are no match for a proper controller, instantly putting mobile players at a disadvantage in the game’s all-platform cross-play matches. Still, for a totally free game with only cosmetic microtransactions, you’d have to be an inveterate choosing beggar to complain too loudly.

Deciding when to make a run for base camp with your loot is an exercise in brinkmanship, in this highly addictive and touchscreen-friendly game.

An impressively ambitious attempt to make a VR-only action game that is both a visual spectacle and a highly enjoyable role-player, full of imaginative ideas.

An ingenious, colourful, and gloriously framed platform puzzle game that effortlessly blends 2D puzzles with the 3D world that surrounds them.

A superior example of the visual novel, with some of the most compelling storytelling of the generation, even if it’s not very interactive.

Considerably more depth and variety than the original, and with even more stunning visuals - this is as good as smartphone and tablet gaming gets.

Not one of the standout entries for the series, with just a few useful additions that never go quite far enough. Not that it tempers the game's addictive powers.

Its sedate pace, delightful art style, and distinct personality translate well to touchscreen, the page turning and clue sorting lending itself nicely to the tactile environment.

The flawed storytelling squanders its full potential but even with a few missteps this is still one of the most enjoyable action games of the year.