The best and most balanced Mario Strikers title yet, undercut by limited modes and a lacklustre sense of progression.

A mostly successful update of the scrolling beat ‘em-up concept, with excellent combat and an impressive range of moves, weapons, and enjoyably dangerous enemies.

On the PC there are too few new features to satisfy existing fans, but on the PlayStation 4 the joys of being an island dictator still feel enjoyably fresh.

An even more bare bones collection than on home consoles - even if it does include the best portable version of Snake Eater so far.

There are some issues with game difficultly and length, but this is one of the most successful Kickstarters so far – and an excellent retro style role-player in its own right.

One of the best narrative-based games of the year, that tackles a number of contemporary issues in an original and entertaining manner and whose main fault is merely a lack of budget.

A polished and well-engineered attempt at turning Quidditch into a real sport, which is only slightly marred by having to play as a less exciting seeker or keeper for portions of each round.

Classic co-op party-gaming fare that’s unpretentious and very quick to pick up. It may be just a little too similar to Overcooked. but given how rare local co-op games are this is a welcome riff on a familiar theme.

A welcome return for the Mario & Luigi franchise, that proves to be a more involved role-player than expected, even if it lacks the consistent humour and weird gameplay flourishes of previous games.

A noble attempt to offer an alternative to Smash Bros., and although there are some mechanical issues the multiplayer is still plenty of fun regardless.

Possibly the most impressive use of 3D amongst all the launch games, and despite some obvious gripes a good solid football sim to boot.

The best WWE game for years, which may seem like faint praise but WWE 2K16 works as both a sports sim and a quality fighter in its own right.

This slightly spooky sequel continues its tale of real people in strange situations, picking up the story and characters of Oxenfree and retaining its style and puzzle-adjacent gameplay.

A clever and well-structured interpretation of the classic TV series as a co-op brawler, that would be a fun diversion even without the licence.

An excellent remaster of an imperfect but hugely endearing action adventure, that completely justifies the ongoing plans for a sequel.

A fun, funny, and wonderfully gory 2D shooter, but it’s not quite as tightly designed as OlliOlli and certainly lacks the same longevity.

As polished a product as Rockstar has ever produced but the action and storytelling are rigidly one note, and neither is sustained for long enough.

Still one of the best strategy role-playing games ever made and a great place for newcomers to the franchise to start – assuming they’ve got the dedication necessary.

A worthy follow-up to Deadly Premonition, although whether it earns the same classic status will depend largely on the subsequent episodes.

Unoriginal and blandly presented, but an effective vindication of Move - with at least half of the games being the best ever adaptations of their sports.

Far Cry Primal is a perfectly entertaining game, but it’s a hard one to get too excited about, especially when it seems as if only a few twists would’ve turned it into something considerably more interesting. As it is though it suffers from needlessly basic storytelling and a general lack of vision. Although it’s no disaster it does feel like a backwards step for Far Cry, and gives no real hint as to what its evolutionary future could or should be.

A surprisingly competent attempt at making a lost sequel to the movies, with some excellent action and ambitious but flawed storytelling.

An impressively visual approach to building your own games, with a fully formed tutorial that demystifies complicated ideas with typical Nintendo charm and aplomb.

The gameplay, and some of the dialogue, could do with some refinement but this dystopian drinks-making game has some of the most interesting storytelling of the last few years.

If you’re going to make a console compilation and leave out what is arguably the best entry then it’s hard not to see that as a missed opportunity.

A nostalgia trip with a distinctly British flavour, that blends various brands of platform gaming with references to 1980s games, films, and TV shows – and despite some frustrations keeps it accessible for every age of gamer.

The real-time battles are better than ever but rather than being a highlight the main story campaign is a peculiarly dull experience, that exposes the lack of genuinely new ideas.

One of the most beautiful video games ever made and if the gameplay isn't quite as angelic it's perfectly righteous in its own way.