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 2015 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) Crypt of the Necrodancer – PC/PS4/Vita/Xbox One/Switch – April 23rd 2015
An RPG you can play with a dance pad. I remember my friends loving this game when it first came out but it took me until 2019 to finally give it a go and I was not disappointed. I am not big on rouge-lite games but the added effect of rhythm game mechanics made the game both a joy to play and a difficult time. It always felt like a challenge but it also felt doable which is a great thing for a game to elicit in its players. A unique indie title that I highly recommend.
4) Splatoon – Wii U – May 29th 2015
Despite popular believe, Nintendo does in fact release new IP quite frequently however I will admit that not all of them have quite the same impact as Splatoon. Becoming an instant success, Splatoon took a unique look at the team-shooter genre by turning attention away from killing opponents to controlling the battlefield. It was crazy fun and while it definitely still needed polish in some areas I applaud the team for making a new concept big in the mainstream. Great multiplayer, great singleplayer and while the sequel does improve on some of this I still find the original to be a better game.
3) Until Dawn – PS4 – August 25th 2015
In an era where ‘AAA’ games are trying to be more like movies, Supermassive Games said ‘f*ck it’ and just made a movie before adding in a few gameplay sections here and there. And you know what? It works. While it is mostly an illusion as the story will always go in the same direction to ensure players experience it, the game still manages to make players feel like their choices matter. How would they survive in this scenario? Every mistake weighs on the player’s mind and the actors involved do a fantastic job of relaying a sense of realism to the title that makes everything all the more impactful. It’s great to play through with friends and despite knowing the story I feel like I could easily play this again just to watch newcomers try and survive until dawn.
2) Yoshi’s Woolly World – Wii U – June 25th 2015
The only one on this list that wasn’t some kind of new experience or new take on a genre, it was just a good game. I am a big Yoshi fan and it has not been easy. Nothing has quite hit the same level as the original Yoshi’s Island and after the tragedy that was Yoshi’s New Island on Nintendo 3DS I was all about ready to give up on expecting a new high-quality, entry to the series. So I am so happy this game exists and quelled my fears. Yoshi’s Woolly World doesn’t quite dethrone the original but it sure comes close with some great level-design, adorable visuals and fantastic music. It only really suffers from some obtuse collectable and puzzle design which relies too heavily on invisible objects. But for platformers and Yoshi fans this is a must-play and a return-to-form for the series.
Honorable Mention) Nintendo Badge Arcade – Nintendo 3DS – November 10th 2015
Honorable mention’s may as well just be personal picks at this point (not that every pick is technically a personal one) but I can’t not put the Nintendo Badge Arcade here since, once again, I played it pretty much daily. Using the free summons to try and get badges from a variety of titles, I loved decorating my 3DS’ menus with cute badges from my favorite games. I would be all over a Switch sequel, especially if it had the same great writing the original had. It’s clear a lot of love went into this simple crane game but sometimes that’s all you need to make something memorable.
1) Undertale – PC/PS4/Vita/Switch – September 15th 2015
Undertale was a surprise hit for me. I had never heard of the game until about a month after it had come out but my friends were raving about it so I did something rare and actually bought a game on Steam. And I do not regret it in the slightest. Undertale is a treasure and an inspiration. A unique RPG that while has a bit of a slow start ends up never being boring thanks to a great cast of characters and a story that makes me really feel for the world. Undertale promotes friendship and love for your fellow man in a way few games do: by actually being successful at it.
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
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i spent alot of money on badge arcade
Undertale is my game of the decade.
Undertale was my indie/RPG game of 2015, and it shall remain to be one of the greatest treasures ever made in this current decade. 😉