Christmas 2019 is now over and only a few more days are left in this decade so if I was ever going to do a ‘games of the decade’ article now is the time! But picking a top 100, or even a top 10 across the entire 10 years is tough and personally I was more interested in how many games I actually played that came out this decade. So that’s what I have done.
Using a mix of Steam, what I have in my own cupboards and a Wikipedia list of games that released in each decade I compiled a list of every game I have played and picked out my top five for each year. Just to explain my methodology a little first, only games that first released in this decade. No ports so the likes of Final Fantasy VII releasing on Switch in 2019 would not count. Now remasters like Wind Waker HD and collections like the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection I am counting in my total new games played list (with collections being counted as simply one game) however neither are eligible for my top five of each year. Those have to be new.
I am also going by the western release date unless it doesn’t have one of course, and I am also judging on the year they came out, not the year I played them. For example, I played Hollow Knight in 2019 however the game came out in 2017 so if it does end up on this list it will be under 2017.
So with that out of the way let’s cover my top five games of 2011 with every game I played listed at the bottom. It goes without saying that if I didn’t play a game then it won’t be on this list. Simple.
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
5) Pokémon Black & White – Nintendo DS – March 4th 2011
The beginning of the decade was truly a high-point for the Pokémon franchise. It was always going to be incredibly difficult to follow-up from HeartGold and SoulSilver but Game Freak managed to do a fantastic job of it with Pokémon Black & White. A bigger emphasis was a put on the narrative and it really helped to expand the world of Pokémon in a way not done before. The presentation was even better than before, showing how far the series had come on Nintendo DS. While this last point is far more subjective, I really enjoyed how the game limited you only to the generation five Pokémon during the main campaign. It’s become a personal rule of mine since then to only focus on new Pokémon each generation and it really allows me to appreciate each new monster a little bit more.
4) To The Moon – PC/Mobile – November 1st 2011
To The Moon is a short and simple RPG maker game and it made me cry. The story of an old man having his lifelong wish implanted into his mind before his death sounds already like a set-up for something emotional but as more information comes to light the story really begins to tug at the heart’s strings. I won’t spoil anything but the game’s soundtrack is really the star of the show as it the right beats play at the right moments to elevate a pretty scene into something mesmerising. And as the plot all comes together I was left with one of the best short stories of the decade, and one everyone should play.
3) Ace Attorney Investigations 2 – Nintendo DS – February 3rd 2011
One of the best games we never got over here in the west. I loved the first Investigations from 2010 but apparently not enough people did as Capcom held back the sequel to just Japan. And this is a true travesty Ace Attorney Investigations 2 is easily one of the best games in the series. Bringing Edgeworth’s own arc to a close and giving us a chance to look at his past, Investigations 2 has one of the most well-written stories in the series with great character moments and newcomers alike. The pursuit theme is also one of the best I have heard in the series, it really is a high-point for Capcoms premier visual novel and a real shame that it never saw an official launch in the west.
2) Cave Story+ – PC/3DS/Switch – November 22nd 2011
I wasn’t really sure if I could include Cave Story+ on this list. The original came out in 2004 after all. However this updated version of the game by Nicalis is the original one I played and fell in love with, and I feel it adds enough new for me to justify mentioning it here. Cave Story+ is one of my favorite games of all time and a pinnacle for the platforming genre, as well as the indie scene. While this applies more so to the original than its remaster, PIXL is an inspiration for indie developers, creating something outstanding with very little knowledge of how to do so and mostly by himself. It’s aspiring to see such hard work and so if I can make any point with this post its to go and support Kero Blaster and the other games PIXL releases. Afterall one of them may very well end up as the next Cave Story.
Honorable Mention) Streetpass Mii Plaza games – Nintendo 3DS – March 25th 2011
This one is also a bit of a cheat as the Streetpass Mii Plaza games came out slowly over the entire decade but I wanted to talk about my general experience with the system, and that launched with the 3DS in 2011 so here we are. Originally I did not use this feature much and that was due to be one of the few people in my area who even owned a 3DS. It definitely seemed like a feature built with Japan in mind and it probably was. But as it turns out I was simply in the wrong area as when I moved to a more central city for university this became a daily routine. I met and bonded with some of my best friends through this service and as Nintendo continued to update it with new puzzles, a racing game, a haunted house and more I continued to invest and play. It became such a big part of my routine that it had to be on my list somewhere and I am happy to see the spirit of this game inherited in future titles like Pokémon Go.
1) Xenoblade Chronicles – Nintendo Wii – August 19th 2011
While Cave Story is one of my favorite games of all time, I kept it off the top spot because Cave Story+ is simply an enhanced version. It’s not something entirely new, like Xenoblade Chronicles was. I never played the original Xenosaga or Xenogears, and still haven’t, so Xenoblade Chronicles was a completely new experience for me. I got it as soon as it launched in Europe and I played it through-out summer. It captivated me for not only its sprawling and impressive landscapes for a Wii title (although the less said on those character models the better) but also its surprising story. I thought I could see all the tropes coming up and was pleasantly surprised when the rug was pulled up from under my feet. And the game continued to do so all the way up to and including the final act. It was full of surprises and I loved every minute of it, as well as every character. Europe was very RPG deprived and the Paper Mario series and Chrono Trigger DS were the pinnacles of the genre for me, and they do deserve to be there but for me, Xenoblade Chronicles overshadows and has become my favorite RPG of all time. I cannot wait for 2020’s remaster to experience it all again.
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
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agree with Pokemon Black and White and i also agree on Xenoblade Chronicles, i kinda got into the series through XCX and XBC2 though i really appreciate the first for what it did.
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