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 2013 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) Pikmin 3 – Wii U – July 26th 2013
After nearly a decade we got the long-awaited sequel to Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3, and it was a beautiful showcase for what the Wii U could do. It was almost difficult not using the perfect Wii remote for play but having the map on the Wii U screen and using it to tactfully move your characters around with ease and efficiency was too much of a boon to ignore. The only issue I can find with this title is that it is a little too short but with a neat little multiplayer mode that offers both competitive and co-op, I found myself returning again and again.
4) The Stanley Parable – PC – October 17th 2013
The Stanley Parable is an experience. At the dawn of the ‘walking-sim,’ The Stanley Parable used expertly directed dialogue from the awesome Kevan Brighting to deliver a comedic experience like no other. It was just really impressive to see someone in-game react and speak to the player based entirely on the actions they take. From ignoring directions to standing in one spot for nearly ten minutes, it seems the devs thought of anything the player could and would do, and accounted for it.
3) Legend of Zelda A Link Between Worlds – Nintendo 3DS – November 22nd 2013
A Link Between Worlds was a surprise follow-up to A Link to the Past and a proto-Breath of the Wild with its approach to non-linear progression in the second half. After the likes of Skyward Sword and the two DS games, A Link Between Worlds felt like a return to form and easily became one of my favourite Zelda games at the time. Each of its new unique mechanics are expertly weaved into the gameplay and story and it provides a fun and classic Zelda experience that I can easily replay.
2) Super Mario 3D World – Wii U – November 22nd 2013
Nintendo went wild when they released both this and A Link Between Worlds on the same day. Thankfully I had time for both because Super Mario 3D World is one of those rare games that I began playing and never stopped until it was done. A lot of people aren’t fond of the direction 3D Mario took in this period but I loved it. More so than New Super Mario Bros. U, Super Mario 3D World gave players the best Mario multiplayer the series has ever seen, making the game both chaotic and fun as my friends and I aimed to get every green star while also competing for the flag pole. We played over eight hours straight and made our way all the way to Rosalina before we stopped. It was a rare occurrence for me with video games but it’s one I will always remember fondly, just like this game.
Honorable Mention) Antichamber – PC – January 31st 2013
2013 was a slow year for me and gaming, and that meant I wasn’t quite sure what to put for my honorable mention. There was the likes of Bioshock Infinite, the Tomb Raider reboot, Animal Crossing New Leaf, Layton Brothers and The Wolf Among Us. And while all good in their own right my opinion of each one has fluctuated over the years. But I can’t say the same for Antichamber. A first-person Metroidvania done right, this game had a memorable art style and memorable puzzles. I played it on faith and that faith paid off.
1) Fire Emblem Awakening – Nintendo 3DS – February 4th 2013
Kid Icarus was only my favourite game on Nintendo 3DS for a year before Fire Emblem Awakening came in and stole that spot. I loved the series already but Shadow Dragon was definitely a low-point in the series and so a lot was riding on this title to be good and my Naga it was. The game just had so many options. While I was disappointed at the roster size and how easy it was to get every unit, especially coming off of Shadow Dragon and Radiant Dawn, I now realise that this is in part because of all the expanded customisation options allowing every player to make an army unique to their playstyle. Then with the addition of Spotpass, Streetpass and DLC the game just felt endless and offered me hundreds of hours of gameplay as min-maxed all my favourite units and gave everyone I could Galeforce. It also reinvigorated the Fire Emblem series which over time has done the impossible and become one of Nintendo’s biggest franchises, something I am all for.
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
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i absouletly agree that Fire Emblem Awakening is the most important game of 2013 because it was the first Fire Emblem that got me into the series(Fates, Echoes, Three Houses, Heroes), it expanded the skill level players by allowing players to choice Classic or Casual and it had so much content.
i also think that Mario, Zelda and Pikmin are all good choices
Really happy seeing The Stanley Parable on the list, one of the greatest games ever made, period.
Still hoping for that Switch port of SM3D World…