Our first glimpse of gameplay at the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was saved for the final trailer during Nintendo's E3 2021 video presentation. This isn't just Hyrule--it's high above Hyrule as well, taking players into the skies above! While we didn't receive a name for the game nor a finalized release date, we do have a launch year: 2022.
Showing posts with label the legend of zelda: breath of the wild. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the legend of zelda: breath of the wild. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
The Tuesday 10s - Launch Titles
With the Xbox Series of consoles releasing today and the PlayStation 5 launching on Thursday, it's a big week for gaming. To commemorate the occasion, SuperPhillip Central takes a look at arguably the best launch titles to ever release with gaming systems. From the NES and Wii, to the Dreamcast and Xbox, this list has some truly fantastic titles. After you've checked out the picks--listed purely in alphabetical order--let the community know which titles from past console launches are your favorites.
Halo: Combat Evolved (XBX)
The game that solidified Microsoft as a contender in the console race, Halo: Combat Evolved is the FPS that had it not been a part of the original Xbox launch lineup, the Xbox brand most likely wouldn't have anywhere near the success as it does. Further, it might not even be around to this day. The original Halo introduced the world to Master Chief and his battle against the Covenant. With a single player campaign that's worth the price of admission all to itself, and a robust multiplayer component that would be built upon for future sequels (including much needed online play), Halo: Combat Evolved delivered in every meaning of the word.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NSW)
After many delays and much hype, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild finally released alongside the Nintendo Switch (also launching on the Wii U the same day). The game eschewed the traditions of The Legend of Zelda format, bringing with it one of the most creative and well executed open worlds in gaming--one that developers today are greatly inspired by. The amount of freedom presented to players in Breath of the Wild was immense, allowing them to attempt to take on the final boss whenever they desired, but through completing the game's four main dungeons, the task would be much easier to accomplish. The freedom available in Breath of the Wild wasn't just limited to the open world, which would be impressive all to itself, but also in how a player could solve puzzles. Many had more than one solution to them, allowing for some amazing amounts of creativity. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild created a bold new direction for the franchise, and it worked, quite abundantly.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
We're not quite finished with Nintendo's iconic Legend of Zelda franchise yet. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess released initially as a Nintendo Wii launch title, with the Nintendo GameCube version being delayed to make the Wii version more appealing. The Wii version featured motion controls, having players swing the Wii Remote around to initiate sword strikes among other pronounced gestures. While this could be seen as a negative, it says a lot about Twilight Princess that the game remained enjoyable despite this motion-controlled caveat. Twilight Princess features some of the best dungeons in series history, offers an interesting story, and possesses one of Link's greatest companions in the impish Midna. All of this adds up to one unforgettable adventure that may be superior on other platforms like the GameCube and Wii U (especially the latter due to the quality of life changes made), but is still remarkable on Wii.
SoulCalibur (DC)
Based off of the arcade game Soul Edge, SoulCalibur isn't just the Sega Dreamcast's greatest launch title, but it's one of the greatest launch titles ever. It inspired an entire generation of fighting games with its many innovations and brilliant execution. SoulCalibur separated itself from the rest of the fighting game pack with its eight-direction movement, as well as focus on weaponry like sword and spears. The fighting itself in SoulCalibur was fast and fluid, offering an insanely satisfying game to play. The series has only grown since its origins in arcades and on the Dreamcast, currently on its sixth mainline installment as of this past generation.
Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II (GCN)
Rogue leader, standing by. One of the most technically impressive games on this list by virtue of looking drop-dead gorgeous even to this day, Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II was one of the big launch titles for the Nintendo GameCube. Without a Mario game to headline the launch lineup--something that was unheard of at the time for a Nintendo system--it was left to a handful of other interesting games to pick up the slack, including Luigi's Mansion, Wave Race: Blue Storm, Super Monkey Ball, and yes, Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II. The game featured an abundance of missions picked directly from the original trilogy, as well as several missions that weren't in the films at all. From the raid on the cloud city of Bespin to the almost overwhelming battle of Endor with all of those TIE Fighters flying in your face that you must weave through, Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II brought GameCube owners one of the best Star Wars video game experiences to date.
Super Mario 64 (N64)
Get ready for a triple dose of Mario! It's no surprise that Mario would be a mainstay on a list like this of the greatest launch titles of all time, and one of his most revolutionary games is the incredible Super Mario 64. This 3D platformer showed the gaming world how it was done with enjoyable, expansive sandbox-style environments, open-ended design, and a multitude of tricks in Mario's platforming repertoire. Mario entered a brave new world with Super Mario 64, and he mostly nailed it. It truly says a lot about how well this launch title from 1996 for the Nintendo 64 manages to remain relevant after more than two decades, as evident by my recent play-through in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection on the Switch. Super Mario 64 is one of the most important video games of all time in conveying how to properly bring a gaming superstar into the third dimension and do it well.
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
I mentioned that Super Mario 64 was one of the most revolutionary games of all time, but even with Mario's leap into 3D, it still takes a back seat to Mario's major 2D outing on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Super Mario Bros. is the pinnacle of creativity and a superb game to this day. The controls remain rock solid and tight, the challenge is enjoyable and seldom unfair. Super Mario Bros. is consistently called one of the most important video games ever created, and judging by the game's impact in the industry and what followed, its legacy is rightfully earned.
Super Mario World (SNES)
While Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario 64 brought Mario into the 2D side-scrolling platformer and 3D respectively to fantastic results, Super Mario World was more of an evolution than a revolution for the portly plumber. Mario's first foray into the 16-bit era of gaming saw him exploring Dinosaur Land, partnering up with Yoshi, entering secret-filled, creatively designed levels on a non-linear world map, battling Bowser in one of the most impressive and exciting 2D battles in Mario series history, and donning power-ups like the brand-new Cape to soar through the air with glee. Super Mario Bros. was a revolutionary title, no doubt, but it's Super Mario World that took the foundations laid by the NES classic and made for a much better, much more impressive, greater evolution of a game in the series, making it one of my favorite launch titles of all time.
Tetris (GB)
Like Halo: Combat Evolved, it would probably be a different story for Nintendo's Game Boy portable system had the import from Russia, Alexey Pajitnov's Tetris, not been available at launch--or at all--for the little handheld that could. Now a mainstay in gaming and the top puzzle game of all time, launching on dozens upon dozens of video game systems in numerous forms, Tetris saw players moving falling Tetromino blocks of various shapes to the board below. The goal was simple, to make straight horizontal lines full of blocks to remove them from the board and rack up a high score in the process. Once the board fills up with Tetrominoes, the game ends. While several releases of Tetris have been made available, in particular the Game Boy version is one of the best selling games ever. It's not hard to see why when portables are generally the perfect and most comfortable place to play puzzle games, at least in this writer's opinion.
Wii Sports (Wii)
The game that was a worldwide phenomenon inside and outside of the typical gaming sphere, Wii Sports singlehandedly sent Wii consoles flying off store shelves, having gamers and non-gamers alike up and enjoying the five sports featured in the game. From golf, to the ultra-popular tennis and bowling, to baseball and boxing, Wii Sports defined the Wii's lifespan, for better or worse. The game's popularity meant that third parties went to chase after the same audience despite other more gamer-oriented launch titles also saw great success like the aforementioned Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Despite this, Wii Sports remains one of the greatest launch titles that paved the way for the early domination of the Wii in the console market.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Best Levels in Gaming History - Volume Twenty
Best Levels in Gaming History, like SuperPhillip Central, took a bit of a hiatus, but now it's back for a historic volume number twenty! This time around this long-running segment of SuperPhillip Central returns with some blockbuster games like God of War, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and more.
Take a look at all 19 past entries of Best Levels in Gaming History with these helpful links:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven
Volume Eight
Volume Nine
Volume Ten
Volume Eleven
Volume Twelve
Volume Thirteen
Volume Fourteen
Volume Fifteen
Volume Sixteen
Volume Seventeen
Volume Eighteen
Volume Nineteen
Lake of Nine - God of War (PS4)
SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2018, God of War features some truly impressive level design (well, technically, area design), but nothing most fascinated and impressed me than the area positioned right smack dab in the middle of the game's map, the Lake of Nine.
Other than the tremendous scope of the Lake of Nine--which to itself is a monumental and mind-blowing feat--the aspect of this aquatic area that I love the most is how it evolves over the course of Kratos and Atreus's adventure. This is seen as the water level drops more and more throughout the game, revealing not only new locations to explore on the lake, but also new entrances to previously accessed areas.
The Lake of Nine itself is littered with appealing points of interest, places to scour for treasure, areas to uncover and complete side quests, and so much more. Just how astonishingly expansive the Lake of Nine grows from its already amazing size and scope when Kratos and Atreus first arrive at the location to the end of the game makes for superb execution of smart, well planned out level design. That makes the Lake of Nine a tremendous location in one of the best games of this generation of gaming platforms.
Hyrule Castle - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NSW, Wii U)
Going from SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2018 to SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2017, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has too much greatness in it to mention just one section of the game, but if I had to choose my personal favorite, it would have to be infiltrating Hyrule Castle in order to defeat Calamity Ganon.
Hyrule Castle can famously be visited at any point in Link's adventure--even after getting off the tutorial area of Breath of the Wild, the Great Plateau. Of course, reaching the throne room where Calamity Ganon resides is considerably no easy task, much more even surviving the several boss battles foolhardy players would encounter if they went directly to Hyrule Castle. Nonetheless, it is very much possible (though incredibly difficult) to beat the game as soon as Link exits the Great Plateau.
And that's what makes The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild so great--the freedom of the game. Much like the overall structure of Breath of the Wild, Hyrule Castle is completely open to explore, and you can reach the throne room a myriad of ways--whether it's meandering around the perimeter, around the outside and indoors of the castle, to simply calling upon Revali's Gale a couple of times to reach the castle's top and do battle with Calamity Ganon immediately. The tense music only further drives home how absolutely dire the situation at the castle is and how much is at stake.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Hyrule Castle is a complex and sensational final destination for players, and the many ways one can go about taking it on is in the sensational spirit of freedom within the overall game.
New Donk City Festival - Super Mario Odyssey (NSW)
After all of the hubbub from Bowser's unwelcome arrival and subsequent assault on Super Mario Odyssey's New Donk City, Mayor Pauline asks of Mario to round up the members of her band for a special performance. This performance is a cherry on top of one of the best levels within Super Mario Odyssey, and creates a magical Super Mario experience all in one. It's the New Donk City Festival.
Here, fireworks explode in the bright, festive nighttime background of New Donk City as Mario takes a nostalgic trip back in time to his Donkey Kong-defeating days, as the citizens he saved in the city cheer him on. This is all the while the super-catchy "Jump Up, Super Star!" plays, the main theme of Super Mario Odyssey.
In a delightful display, Mario enters a warp pipe and finds him from his three-dimensional self into his old 2D form. The goal of this level is to make it through each 2D room--some of which wrap around the sides of New Donk City's skyscrapers--and reach Pauline at the very top to be rewarded with a Grand Moon for all of Mario's efforts. It's a perfect presentation and display of just how special Super Mario Odyssey can be. Even after multiple play-throughs of this specific section of Super Mario Odyssey, I find myself smiling from ear to ear while platforming through the New Donk City Festival.
Tomb Wader - Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC)
We go to a game series that was once a bitter rival to Mario, and that's Crash Bandicoot. It's just absolutely wild that the original PlayStation trilogy's remakes were brought to the Switch for Nintendo fans to play. I absolutely could not imagine that growing up during the "Listen up, plumber boy" days of Nintendo vs. PlayStation.
Regardless, coming from Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped within the Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy is the Tomb Wader level, a clever pun on Lara Croft's series. Speaking of things that are clever, Tomb Wader as a level itself presents Crash with a temple trial with rising and lowering water at specific intervals at specific parts of the level, requiring Crash to stay safely above the water or else drown. There are also doors to be opened by performing a spin maneuver into wooden wheels, enemies with shields that must be defeated with a slide or else they're otherwise impenetrable, and even possesses a Death Path for those who survive until the halfway point of the level.
Tomb Wader is an exceptionally fun and creative level within Crash Bandicoot 3 that brings a clever mechanic that doesn't overstay its welcome. While a punishing level for those who wish to rush through it, Tomb Wader makes for a wild and wet ride from beginning to end.
Fly Me to the Moon - LEGO City Undercover (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC, Wii U)
The final mission of LEGO City Undercover, the game I easily place on my list of best LEGO games, Fly Me to the Moon is an interstellar missions that takes place in outer space--more specifically, the moon and a space base.
What can you say about a level that has you platforming and solving puzzles in low gravity, doing battle in Aliens-style mech suits against Rex Fury, facing off against said boss on top of a gigantic piece of falling space debris that slowly rips asunder as it approaches the earth, and ending in an epic free-fall towards Earth with haunting choir music playing? Is this a LEGO game or Mass Effect here!? Anyhoo--I know what you can say about a level that has all of this awesomeness in it--it's absolutely astounding.
Fly Me to the Moon is a memorable mission that hyped me from beginning to end, and it was a exciting exclamation point to a solid open world game in LEGO City Undercover. If you're looking for a great, original LEGO game, LEGO City Undercover is such a game--and is at the top of its heap.
Take a look at all 19 past entries of Best Levels in Gaming History with these helpful links:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven
Volume Eight
Volume Nine
Volume Ten
Volume Eleven
Volume Twelve
Volume Thirteen
Volume Fourteen
Volume Fifteen
Volume Sixteen
Volume Seventeen
Volume Eighteen
Volume Nineteen
Lake of Nine - God of War (PS4)
SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2018, God of War features some truly impressive level design (well, technically, area design), but nothing most fascinated and impressed me than the area positioned right smack dab in the middle of the game's map, the Lake of Nine.
Other than the tremendous scope of the Lake of Nine--which to itself is a monumental and mind-blowing feat--the aspect of this aquatic area that I love the most is how it evolves over the course of Kratos and Atreus's adventure. This is seen as the water level drops more and more throughout the game, revealing not only new locations to explore on the lake, but also new entrances to previously accessed areas.
The Lake of Nine itself is littered with appealing points of interest, places to scour for treasure, areas to uncover and complete side quests, and so much more. Just how astonishingly expansive the Lake of Nine grows from its already amazing size and scope when Kratos and Atreus first arrive at the location to the end of the game makes for superb execution of smart, well planned out level design. That makes the Lake of Nine a tremendous location in one of the best games of this generation of gaming platforms.
Hyrule Castle - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NSW, Wii U)
Going from SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2018 to SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2017, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has too much greatness in it to mention just one section of the game, but if I had to choose my personal favorite, it would have to be infiltrating Hyrule Castle in order to defeat Calamity Ganon.
Hyrule Castle can famously be visited at any point in Link's adventure--even after getting off the tutorial area of Breath of the Wild, the Great Plateau. Of course, reaching the throne room where Calamity Ganon resides is considerably no easy task, much more even surviving the several boss battles foolhardy players would encounter if they went directly to Hyrule Castle. Nonetheless, it is very much possible (though incredibly difficult) to beat the game as soon as Link exits the Great Plateau.
And that's what makes The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild so great--the freedom of the game. Much like the overall structure of Breath of the Wild, Hyrule Castle is completely open to explore, and you can reach the throne room a myriad of ways--whether it's meandering around the perimeter, around the outside and indoors of the castle, to simply calling upon Revali's Gale a couple of times to reach the castle's top and do battle with Calamity Ganon immediately. The tense music only further drives home how absolutely dire the situation at the castle is and how much is at stake.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Hyrule Castle is a complex and sensational final destination for players, and the many ways one can go about taking it on is in the sensational spirit of freedom within the overall game.
New Donk City Festival - Super Mario Odyssey (NSW)
After all of the hubbub from Bowser's unwelcome arrival and subsequent assault on Super Mario Odyssey's New Donk City, Mayor Pauline asks of Mario to round up the members of her band for a special performance. This performance is a cherry on top of one of the best levels within Super Mario Odyssey, and creates a magical Super Mario experience all in one. It's the New Donk City Festival.
Here, fireworks explode in the bright, festive nighttime background of New Donk City as Mario takes a nostalgic trip back in time to his Donkey Kong-defeating days, as the citizens he saved in the city cheer him on. This is all the while the super-catchy "Jump Up, Super Star!" plays, the main theme of Super Mario Odyssey.
In a delightful display, Mario enters a warp pipe and finds him from his three-dimensional self into his old 2D form. The goal of this level is to make it through each 2D room--some of which wrap around the sides of New Donk City's skyscrapers--and reach Pauline at the very top to be rewarded with a Grand Moon for all of Mario's efforts. It's a perfect presentation and display of just how special Super Mario Odyssey can be. Even after multiple play-throughs of this specific section of Super Mario Odyssey, I find myself smiling from ear to ear while platforming through the New Donk City Festival.
Tomb Wader - Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC)
We go to a game series that was once a bitter rival to Mario, and that's Crash Bandicoot. It's just absolutely wild that the original PlayStation trilogy's remakes were brought to the Switch for Nintendo fans to play. I absolutely could not imagine that growing up during the "Listen up, plumber boy" days of Nintendo vs. PlayStation.
Regardless, coming from Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped within the Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy is the Tomb Wader level, a clever pun on Lara Croft's series. Speaking of things that are clever, Tomb Wader as a level itself presents Crash with a temple trial with rising and lowering water at specific intervals at specific parts of the level, requiring Crash to stay safely above the water or else drown. There are also doors to be opened by performing a spin maneuver into wooden wheels, enemies with shields that must be defeated with a slide or else they're otherwise impenetrable, and even possesses a Death Path for those who survive until the halfway point of the level.
Tomb Wader is an exceptionally fun and creative level within Crash Bandicoot 3 that brings a clever mechanic that doesn't overstay its welcome. While a punishing level for those who wish to rush through it, Tomb Wader makes for a wild and wet ride from beginning to end.
Fly Me to the Moon - LEGO City Undercover (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC, Wii U)
The final mission of LEGO City Undercover, the game I easily place on my list of best LEGO games, Fly Me to the Moon is an interstellar missions that takes place in outer space--more specifically, the moon and a space base.
What can you say about a level that has you platforming and solving puzzles in low gravity, doing battle in Aliens-style mech suits against Rex Fury, facing off against said boss on top of a gigantic piece of falling space debris that slowly rips asunder as it approaches the earth, and ending in an epic free-fall towards Earth with haunting choir music playing? Is this a LEGO game or Mass Effect here!? Anyhoo--I know what you can say about a level that has all of this awesomeness in it--it's absolutely astounding.
Fly Me to the Moon is a memorable mission that hyped me from beginning to end, and it was a exciting exclamation point to a solid open world game in LEGO City Undercover. If you're looking for a great, original LEGO game, LEGO City Undercover is such a game--and is at the top of its heap.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Top Ten GOTYs of SuperPhillip Central's Past Ten Years
Today is a very special day for SuperPhillip Central. After a decade of posts and content, SuperPhillip Central celebrates its ten-year anniversary. We're going to celebrate in style with a special top ten for everyone to sink their collective teeth into!
At the end of every year, SuperPhillip Central hosts a five-night award show called "The SuperPhillip Central Best Of..." Awards. (After the "Of..." comes the current year.) For ten years now since 2008, I have selected my favorite game of the given year. There have now been ten of these, so it only makes sense to celebrate SuperPhillip Central's historic moment and special anniversary by counting down every Game of the Year as voted on by yours truly from LittleBigPlanet in 2008 all the way to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in 2017. I'm going to be posting what I said about each game back when I originally awarded them with Game of the Year, and then I will say my thoughts about the games in question now. Some games give me more positive feelings. Others? Not so much.
Let's start this trip down memory lane with #10 on this special top ten list!
10) 2011 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
What I said then:
"The Wii may have went more with quality than quantity in 2011, but it possesses the exclusive that beats out the rest with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Following a touching and charming story of finding Link's lost friend Zelda, this entry to this beloved franchise showcases five years of Nintendo's efforts in motion control. What most of us thought the Wii would be at its launch has finally been realized with Skyward Sword. From the intuitive swordplay to the tightrope walking, the bomb rolling and throwing to the wall climbing, and the fluid swimming to the weapon aiming, Skyward Sword shows an unprecedented amount of love and polish in its controls and gameplay making it my choice for Game of the Year 2011."
What I say now:
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a game I remain enthusiastic about, but it's one of the lesser 3D Zelda games around. The overabundance of helper character Fi's interruptions, the constant backtracking, and some tedious portions of the game blemish an otherwise spectacular entry in The Legend of Zelda franchise. While a fair number of critics aim for the motion controls as a point of contention for them, I continue to find them to work pretty much as intended. By no means as badly as that one E3 stage presentation with poor Shigeru Miyamoto and the cellular interference, but by no means perfectly either. The presentation remains one of my favorites in the franchise with a gorgeous watercolor approach to the visuals, as well as a stirring orchestral soundtrack that features some of my favorite themes, both classic and brand-new, in the franchise altogether. All in all, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword retains its status as a great game in my book. Perhaps not Game of the Year material, but at the time of the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2011 Awards, the capabilities in combat and puzzle solving provided by the motion controls blew my mind. In many ways, they still do.
9) 2012 - Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
What I said then:
"In a genre that is hard for me to stick with most games, Xenoblade Chronicles hooked me in for the long haul, throughout its 100+ hours of gameplay. With most RPGs, I find myself losing interest a good way through because the game can't keep my engaged. With Xenoblade Chronicles, that wasn't a problem. There was always one hard enemy I wanted to take down, one path through an expansive dungeon or area that I wanted to explore, or one quest that I wanted to complete. Everything about Xenoblade Chronicles is near perfection: the awesome soundtrack (which did win runner-up for Best Original Soundtrack this year, after all), the well done voice acting, the jaw-dropping locales that are rich and ripe for venturing through, and the appealing combat system that demands your attention and great teamwork. Xenoblade Chronicles is without any question my favorite game of 2012. It was a fond farewell to the under-appreciated Wii."
What I say now:
Though the game has since appeared on the New Nintendo 3DS, the original Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii remains the recommended way to play through this stellar RPG. Journeying across the two gigantic creatures locked in combat, exploring ancient ruins, verdant, wide open fields, and coming to a curious treasure chest only to "nope" the hell out of there as soon as a enormous spider climbs over the edge into plain view, make for insanely satisfying adventures. While exploring the world of Xenoblade Chronicles is indeed quite the pleasant experience--and with the added bonus of fast travel, it's even better--the padding in the form of fetch quests as the main form of side content quickly grates on me. That said, even without the side content, Xenoblade Chronicles is a feature-rich, content-drenched RPG that I'm positively pleased made its way to North America after a lot of pushing from fans.
8) 2009 - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
What I said then:
"...with over seventy-five levels, nine worlds (one hidden), multiple cool power-ups like the awesome propeller cap that lets your hover and float in the air for a limited time, catchy music, and a bounty of hilarious multi-player experiences, there's no doubt in my mind that New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the game of the year."
What I say now:
Though New Super Mario Bros. U might look better and be a better iteration, it was New Super Mario Bros. Wii that introduced many of the concepts and mechanics to the Super Mario Bros. series that NSMBU took. I'm not just referring to the multiplayer--which is still an absolute riot with friends and loved ones--but also various level elements, such as giant bubbles that float in the air that can be swam through, poisonous ponds with spinning logs on them, turning platforms, and much more. New Super Mario Bros. Wii felt much more of an original game than NSMBU ever did, and that's one of the main reasons I prefer it so much. Back in 2009, the New Super Mario Bros. series was still novel. Wii was but the second game in the series and the first on a home console. The game remains a master class in introducing level concepts and reiterating on them throughout the level, making them more challenging as the level progresses. The design is pitch perfect to this day, and it's why New Super Mario Bros. Wii continues to stay near the top as my favorite 2D Mario, weak presentation aside.
7) 2008 - LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
What I said then:
"With 40 cleverly concocted levels already in the game from Media Molecule to explore and collect costumes, stickers, and level pieces in, one of the deepest level creators ever seen on a console, and a multitude of users designing mind-bogglingly awesome levels both based off games and totally unique, LittleBigPlanet is my personal Game of the Year."
What I say now:
It's a darn shame that Sony squandered the LittleBigPlanet series so much with so many sequels, spin-offs, and lesser quality titles. Every PlayStation platform since the PS3, and even mobile devices, saw a game in the LittleBigPlanet series. Still, that doesn't negate the high quality of the first two LittleBigPlanet games, particularly the immensely innovative and original LittleBigPlanet as it launched on the PlayStation 3. The robust level and object creator continues to amaze with all of its options, and while these have only since been reiterated and improved upon in sequels, the foundation provided by the original LBP paved the way for the success of the series. Back in 2008, LittleBigPlanet was such a breath of fresh air in a gaming world dominated by bald, muscular protagonists and grey and brown shooters. While LittleBigPlanet 2 is my personal favorite in the franchise, the first LBP still possesses a simplicity in its design that approachable for all and a mighty creative game on its own.
6) 2016 - Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
What I said then:
"A franchise that was getting a little long in the tooth due to multiple near-yearly releases, Ratchet & Clank got the reboot button blasted down hard, just in time, and the end result is my favorite game from 2016. This hybrid of tight platforming and run and gun shooting with engaging and often exotic weaponry offered intense gameplay with a dash of slower paced sections as a nice palette cleanser from time to time. Although the number of planets was less than past games in the series, each one was stocked to the brim with personality, character, beauty, content, and secrets. The game also retained the series' trademark humor and off-the-wall characters. All of these things added up to me having a difficult time putting the game down, especially when playing through the game multiple time was so rewarding, especially upgrading weapons and adding to my bolt count. If anything, Ratchet & Clank proves that you can teach an old lombax new tricks, and it makes me eager to see where developer Insomniac Games takes the series next, because this first taste of Ratchet and his robot buddy Clank on the PS4 has left me seriously aching for more."
What I say now:
Without question, Ratchet & Clank is my favorite PlayStation franchise, so when I heard that the series would be returning to its roots, away from the interesting but less than spectacular experiments performed on the franchise, such as the four player co-op of All 4 One and the tower defense gameplay of Full Frontal Assault, I was quite excited. My excitement wasn't unfounded, thankfully, as the return of Ratchet & Clank to their glory years with the re-imagining of the very first entry in the franchise from the PS2 generation was astounding. The visuals were top-notch and sublime, the action was more intense and frenetic than ever before, and the worlds and characters were never more packed with personality. As I stated back in 2016, the PS4 reboot might contain less planets and overall levels than the original PS2 classic, but in this case it's a tale of quality over quantity. Ratchet & Clank only falters from the occasional overindulgence of Trespasser puzzles, but even then, that's a small blight against an otherwise shining example of a terrific action-platformer.
5) 2014 - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Wii U)
What I said then:
"After the relative disappointment that fans experienced with Super Smash Bros' showing on the Wii with Brawl, many felt that they were owed a better game from the ever-hardworking Masahiro Sakurai and his team. Well, while I wasn't one of these people, I definitely am of the opinion that Sakurai and friends achieved practical perfection with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, a game which not only plays well for both casual and competitive players (and everyone in between), but it is an absolute love letter to any fan of Nintendo history. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is jam-packed with content-- so much so that even after nearly a hundred hours of playing the game I have yet to see all that there is to see. Most importantly, though, this new console version of Smash Bros. is just an amazing pleasure to play. It feels responsive, it plays great, and it looks extraordinary, making it my favorite game of 2014."
What I say now:
The lack of a traditional adventure mode, whether like Melee's or like Brawl's Subspace Emissary, may have lowered my overall opinion on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, but otherwise, the game is near perfect, from its exhaustive roster, the immense amount of entertaining stages, and the fantastic fighting mechanics that are accessible for all. The Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. is currently my favorite in the series, and with a new Nintendo Switch sequel on the way, I've been itching to return to the arena and smash some bros out of them to up my K.O. count. Even though seemingly every Wii U game under the sun seems to be making its way to the Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is still as good of a reason as any to keep my Wii U plugged in, charged, and ready to rumble!
4) 2015 - Super Mario Maker (Wii U)
What I said then:
"Probably the game I spent the most time with in 2015 was also the one that I enjoyed playing the most. It's Super Mario Maker, and I can't help but keep coming back to this delightful game. It's more than a game, though. It's a level creator to make Mario levels in. While that concept is by no means new, Nintendo somehow managed to make the arduous process of creating games and make it fun, accessible, and easy for anyone to do. Whether you're wanting to create articulated masterpieces of levels or just want to mess about with the level creator, fun is a few seconds away as soon as you pop in that Super Mario Maker disc into your Wii U. Even after several months of playing the game, I still see myself coming back to Super Mario Maker, playing others' levels, getting ideas for my own works, and creating some courses of my own. These reasons and more are why Super Mario Maker is SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year 2015."
What I say now:
Many Nintendo fans out there yearn for a port of the Wii U's Super Mario Maker to the Nintendo Switch. For me, I'd rather have a whole new sequel with improved level creation tools and a revamped online system to more easily discover levels. The latter was especially a problem with Super Mario Maker on the Wii U. Still, I found myself feverishly creating levels, enjoying myself in the process, and trying to create designs that would make the level designers of Super Mario World envious. While I obviously didn't come close to this, I still enjoyed myself, and I find myself returning to Super Mario Maker every now and then to scope out new levels and design new creations as well. Nintendo has a brilliant base with Super Mario Maker--it just needs to be better improved and iterated on with a sequel. Perhaps for the Nintendo Switch? Hint, hint!
3) 2013 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)
What I said then:
"The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was a welcome change to the typical formula of the Zelda series. It offered an amount of freedom that made modern Zelda games before it look like they had the amount of freedom of wearing a straitjacket. Being able to rent and then buy items for Link's arsenal meant the world was open for Link to explore, and in Lorule the order of dungeons could be determined by the player. The excessive hand-holding of past games was gone, as was the severe linearity so many Zelda games prior had suffered from. The incredibly quick pacing also was like a breath of fresh Hyrulean air. Combine this with some brilliant dungeon design, familiar locales, an awesome new wall merge gameplay mechanic, and creative boss battles, and you have what we considered to be a genuinely easy choice for our Game of the Year..."
What I say now:
Sure, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds won't have players pulling out their hair in rage at the difficulty of the game, as there isn't much here to speak of. Dungeons are as simple as having one clear item required to solve all of their puzzles, including the boss inside, but the freedom of choice presented by A Link Between Worlds in which order you decide to take on the latter half of the game paved the way for the multitude of choices and freedom provided by the next game on this list--a certain Nintendo Switch launch title. A Link Between Worlds' wall merging mechanic brought a fresh take to a familiar world, and the game playing upon my Link to the Past nostalgia certainly didn't hurt either. Every component of A Link Between Worlds is meticulously crafted, and it makes for a Zelda game that's close to being the king of the mountain when it comes to the portable entries of the Legend of Zelda series.
2) 2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NSW, Wii U)
What I said then:
"With The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo gave players a sandbox world to explore and literally play around in due to the masterful physics system provided. It seemed every hour from launch that new ways to interact with the environment and take out enemies were being shared by players. This constant state of amazement that Breath of the Wild brought to the gaming world was truly extraordinary. There are still new things being learned and shared to this day, almost a year from the game's initial launch.
The developers basically outlined the usual gameplay and elements of the Zelda franchise on a chalkboard, took that board, and erased everything on it, eschewing old conventions to make a wholly original game that still retained that feeling, spirit, and magic of the Zelda franchise. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild bestowed on to players the most freedom seen in any series game in the past. After the initial tutorial area was completed, you were allowed to go anywhere you wanted. See that mountain? You can climb it. See that river? You can swim it. If you were prepared, you could make Breath of the Wild as hard, balanced, or as easy as you wanted in your run. Take to the fiery mountains where the Goron tribe call their home to get more challenge at the start of the game, or take it easy and head to Zora Domain after your departure from Kakariko Village.
The world was your oyster, the sandbox was yours to explore, and the various lands, areas, people, and puzzles making up the land of Hyrule all felt unique from one another. There is something to be said about a game that has flaws that don't tarnish the overall experience for me. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is no perfect game, but what it is - is a gameplay experience, memorable journey, exciting adventure, and lovely game world that has now rivaled some of my favorite games ever made."
What I say now:
While A Link Between Worlds was like getting the freedom to explore a lake, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would be more akin to obtaining the freedom to explore the entire damn ocean! The level of openness in not just where you can go but also what you can do and how you can go about doing it in Breath of the Wild is extraordinary. Yes, you can climb whatever you see before you. Yes, you can go to that location that touches the horizon. Yes, you can roll that boulder down a hill and take out an explosive barrel to destroy all enemies nearby. The possibilities and tools given to players in the latest Legend of Zelda is just incredible. My only real beefs with the game is how easily some weapons break, and also how little room you have in your inventory for the most part to act like I normally do in these types of games and hoard goodies. The latter is merely done for gameplay reasons anyway. Despite my small issues with the game, in no uncertain terms here, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as a game and as an experience is simply put, breathtaking.
1) 2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
What I said then:
"With more diversity than any other game released this year, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the ultimate video game. It's what video games are foremost all about. Not story, not heavy-handed cinematics, or intense violence, but FUN! And Super Mario Galaxy 2 delivers fun in spades. Nintendo EAD once again shows while they are the kings of video game design with this incredibly enjoyable, colorful 3D platformer. There is no better game this year, and there was some tough competition."
What I say now:
Back then, my heavy-handed response to story-heavy, cinematic-loaded, violent games was due to the massive amount of them taking over the gaming scene, making plenty of gamers and critics alike hold them as a bastion of superiority over other types of games. Now, I just say that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is one of my favorite games of all time. Being a huge fan of well put-together platformers certainly helps, but all of the gameplay elements, beyond bonkers and creative level designs, satisfying visuals, stunning music, and linear gameplay that has more focused design than what is seen in Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and even the recently released Super Mario Odyssey (though that, too, is also one of my favorite games of all time, earning runner-up last year to Breath of the Wild). This means most levels are more like obstacle courses than playgrounds to explore. Both platforming design philosophies definitely have their time and place, though, so don't get me wrong.
Each galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is like opening up a Christmas present, not knowing what you'd find inside. Except unlike Christmas, none of the presents are stinkers like plaid socks or a Dragon Ball Z Hawaiian shirt (sorry, not sorry to those with bad taste). Instead, each new galaxy presents players with a hodgepodge of fascinating, fantastic, fun-filled ideas and concepts that when I originally played the game, I remember just wanting to keep playing to see what awaited next. My opinion really hasn't changed since 2010: Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the king of platformers, one of the best games ever crafted, and it shows why Mario is considered the king of gaming.
At the end of every year, SuperPhillip Central hosts a five-night award show called "The SuperPhillip Central Best Of..." Awards. (After the "Of..." comes the current year.) For ten years now since 2008, I have selected my favorite game of the given year. There have now been ten of these, so it only makes sense to celebrate SuperPhillip Central's historic moment and special anniversary by counting down every Game of the Year as voted on by yours truly from LittleBigPlanet in 2008 all the way to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in 2017. I'm going to be posting what I said about each game back when I originally awarded them with Game of the Year, and then I will say my thoughts about the games in question now. Some games give me more positive feelings. Others? Not so much.
Let's start this trip down memory lane with #10 on this special top ten list!
10) 2011 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
What I said then:
"The Wii may have went more with quality than quantity in 2011, but it possesses the exclusive that beats out the rest with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Following a touching and charming story of finding Link's lost friend Zelda, this entry to this beloved franchise showcases five years of Nintendo's efforts in motion control. What most of us thought the Wii would be at its launch has finally been realized with Skyward Sword. From the intuitive swordplay to the tightrope walking, the bomb rolling and throwing to the wall climbing, and the fluid swimming to the weapon aiming, Skyward Sword shows an unprecedented amount of love and polish in its controls and gameplay making it my choice for Game of the Year 2011."
What I say now:
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a game I remain enthusiastic about, but it's one of the lesser 3D Zelda games around. The overabundance of helper character Fi's interruptions, the constant backtracking, and some tedious portions of the game blemish an otherwise spectacular entry in The Legend of Zelda franchise. While a fair number of critics aim for the motion controls as a point of contention for them, I continue to find them to work pretty much as intended. By no means as badly as that one E3 stage presentation with poor Shigeru Miyamoto and the cellular interference, but by no means perfectly either. The presentation remains one of my favorites in the franchise with a gorgeous watercolor approach to the visuals, as well as a stirring orchestral soundtrack that features some of my favorite themes, both classic and brand-new, in the franchise altogether. All in all, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword retains its status as a great game in my book. Perhaps not Game of the Year material, but at the time of the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2011 Awards, the capabilities in combat and puzzle solving provided by the motion controls blew my mind. In many ways, they still do.
9) 2012 - Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
What I said then:
"In a genre that is hard for me to stick with most games, Xenoblade Chronicles hooked me in for the long haul, throughout its 100+ hours of gameplay. With most RPGs, I find myself losing interest a good way through because the game can't keep my engaged. With Xenoblade Chronicles, that wasn't a problem. There was always one hard enemy I wanted to take down, one path through an expansive dungeon or area that I wanted to explore, or one quest that I wanted to complete. Everything about Xenoblade Chronicles is near perfection: the awesome soundtrack (which did win runner-up for Best Original Soundtrack this year, after all), the well done voice acting, the jaw-dropping locales that are rich and ripe for venturing through, and the appealing combat system that demands your attention and great teamwork. Xenoblade Chronicles is without any question my favorite game of 2012. It was a fond farewell to the under-appreciated Wii."
What I say now:
Though the game has since appeared on the New Nintendo 3DS, the original Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii remains the recommended way to play through this stellar RPG. Journeying across the two gigantic creatures locked in combat, exploring ancient ruins, verdant, wide open fields, and coming to a curious treasure chest only to "nope" the hell out of there as soon as a enormous spider climbs over the edge into plain view, make for insanely satisfying adventures. While exploring the world of Xenoblade Chronicles is indeed quite the pleasant experience--and with the added bonus of fast travel, it's even better--the padding in the form of fetch quests as the main form of side content quickly grates on me. That said, even without the side content, Xenoblade Chronicles is a feature-rich, content-drenched RPG that I'm positively pleased made its way to North America after a lot of pushing from fans.
8) 2009 - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
What I said then:
"...with over seventy-five levels, nine worlds (one hidden), multiple cool power-ups like the awesome propeller cap that lets your hover and float in the air for a limited time, catchy music, and a bounty of hilarious multi-player experiences, there's no doubt in my mind that New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the game of the year."
What I say now:
Though New Super Mario Bros. U might look better and be a better iteration, it was New Super Mario Bros. Wii that introduced many of the concepts and mechanics to the Super Mario Bros. series that NSMBU took. I'm not just referring to the multiplayer--which is still an absolute riot with friends and loved ones--but also various level elements, such as giant bubbles that float in the air that can be swam through, poisonous ponds with spinning logs on them, turning platforms, and much more. New Super Mario Bros. Wii felt much more of an original game than NSMBU ever did, and that's one of the main reasons I prefer it so much. Back in 2009, the New Super Mario Bros. series was still novel. Wii was but the second game in the series and the first on a home console. The game remains a master class in introducing level concepts and reiterating on them throughout the level, making them more challenging as the level progresses. The design is pitch perfect to this day, and it's why New Super Mario Bros. Wii continues to stay near the top as my favorite 2D Mario, weak presentation aside.
7) 2008 - LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
What I said then:
"With 40 cleverly concocted levels already in the game from Media Molecule to explore and collect costumes, stickers, and level pieces in, one of the deepest level creators ever seen on a console, and a multitude of users designing mind-bogglingly awesome levels both based off games and totally unique, LittleBigPlanet is my personal Game of the Year."
What I say now:
It's a darn shame that Sony squandered the LittleBigPlanet series so much with so many sequels, spin-offs, and lesser quality titles. Every PlayStation platform since the PS3, and even mobile devices, saw a game in the LittleBigPlanet series. Still, that doesn't negate the high quality of the first two LittleBigPlanet games, particularly the immensely innovative and original LittleBigPlanet as it launched on the PlayStation 3. The robust level and object creator continues to amaze with all of its options, and while these have only since been reiterated and improved upon in sequels, the foundation provided by the original LBP paved the way for the success of the series. Back in 2008, LittleBigPlanet was such a breath of fresh air in a gaming world dominated by bald, muscular protagonists and grey and brown shooters. While LittleBigPlanet 2 is my personal favorite in the franchise, the first LBP still possesses a simplicity in its design that approachable for all and a mighty creative game on its own.
6) 2016 - Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
What I said then:
"A franchise that was getting a little long in the tooth due to multiple near-yearly releases, Ratchet & Clank got the reboot button blasted down hard, just in time, and the end result is my favorite game from 2016. This hybrid of tight platforming and run and gun shooting with engaging and often exotic weaponry offered intense gameplay with a dash of slower paced sections as a nice palette cleanser from time to time. Although the number of planets was less than past games in the series, each one was stocked to the brim with personality, character, beauty, content, and secrets. The game also retained the series' trademark humor and off-the-wall characters. All of these things added up to me having a difficult time putting the game down, especially when playing through the game multiple time was so rewarding, especially upgrading weapons and adding to my bolt count. If anything, Ratchet & Clank proves that you can teach an old lombax new tricks, and it makes me eager to see where developer Insomniac Games takes the series next, because this first taste of Ratchet and his robot buddy Clank on the PS4 has left me seriously aching for more."
What I say now:
Without question, Ratchet & Clank is my favorite PlayStation franchise, so when I heard that the series would be returning to its roots, away from the interesting but less than spectacular experiments performed on the franchise, such as the four player co-op of All 4 One and the tower defense gameplay of Full Frontal Assault, I was quite excited. My excitement wasn't unfounded, thankfully, as the return of Ratchet & Clank to their glory years with the re-imagining of the very first entry in the franchise from the PS2 generation was astounding. The visuals were top-notch and sublime, the action was more intense and frenetic than ever before, and the worlds and characters were never more packed with personality. As I stated back in 2016, the PS4 reboot might contain less planets and overall levels than the original PS2 classic, but in this case it's a tale of quality over quantity. Ratchet & Clank only falters from the occasional overindulgence of Trespasser puzzles, but even then, that's a small blight against an otherwise shining example of a terrific action-platformer.
5) 2014 - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Wii U)
What I said then:
"After the relative disappointment that fans experienced with Super Smash Bros' showing on the Wii with Brawl, many felt that they were owed a better game from the ever-hardworking Masahiro Sakurai and his team. Well, while I wasn't one of these people, I definitely am of the opinion that Sakurai and friends achieved practical perfection with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, a game which not only plays well for both casual and competitive players (and everyone in between), but it is an absolute love letter to any fan of Nintendo history. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is jam-packed with content-- so much so that even after nearly a hundred hours of playing the game I have yet to see all that there is to see. Most importantly, though, this new console version of Smash Bros. is just an amazing pleasure to play. It feels responsive, it plays great, and it looks extraordinary, making it my favorite game of 2014."
What I say now:
The lack of a traditional adventure mode, whether like Melee's or like Brawl's Subspace Emissary, may have lowered my overall opinion on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, but otherwise, the game is near perfect, from its exhaustive roster, the immense amount of entertaining stages, and the fantastic fighting mechanics that are accessible for all. The Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. is currently my favorite in the series, and with a new Nintendo Switch sequel on the way, I've been itching to return to the arena and smash some bros out of them to up my K.O. count. Even though seemingly every Wii U game under the sun seems to be making its way to the Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is still as good of a reason as any to keep my Wii U plugged in, charged, and ready to rumble!
4) 2015 - Super Mario Maker (Wii U)
What I said then:
"Probably the game I spent the most time with in 2015 was also the one that I enjoyed playing the most. It's Super Mario Maker, and I can't help but keep coming back to this delightful game. It's more than a game, though. It's a level creator to make Mario levels in. While that concept is by no means new, Nintendo somehow managed to make the arduous process of creating games and make it fun, accessible, and easy for anyone to do. Whether you're wanting to create articulated masterpieces of levels or just want to mess about with the level creator, fun is a few seconds away as soon as you pop in that Super Mario Maker disc into your Wii U. Even after several months of playing the game, I still see myself coming back to Super Mario Maker, playing others' levels, getting ideas for my own works, and creating some courses of my own. These reasons and more are why Super Mario Maker is SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year 2015."
Many Nintendo fans out there yearn for a port of the Wii U's Super Mario Maker to the Nintendo Switch. For me, I'd rather have a whole new sequel with improved level creation tools and a revamped online system to more easily discover levels. The latter was especially a problem with Super Mario Maker on the Wii U. Still, I found myself feverishly creating levels, enjoying myself in the process, and trying to create designs that would make the level designers of Super Mario World envious. While I obviously didn't come close to this, I still enjoyed myself, and I find myself returning to Super Mario Maker every now and then to scope out new levels and design new creations as well. Nintendo has a brilliant base with Super Mario Maker--it just needs to be better improved and iterated on with a sequel. Perhaps for the Nintendo Switch? Hint, hint!
3) 2013 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)
What I said then:
"The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was a welcome change to the typical formula of the Zelda series. It offered an amount of freedom that made modern Zelda games before it look like they had the amount of freedom of wearing a straitjacket. Being able to rent and then buy items for Link's arsenal meant the world was open for Link to explore, and in Lorule the order of dungeons could be determined by the player. The excessive hand-holding of past games was gone, as was the severe linearity so many Zelda games prior had suffered from. The incredibly quick pacing also was like a breath of fresh Hyrulean air. Combine this with some brilliant dungeon design, familiar locales, an awesome new wall merge gameplay mechanic, and creative boss battles, and you have what we considered to be a genuinely easy choice for our Game of the Year..."
What I say now:
Sure, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds won't have players pulling out their hair in rage at the difficulty of the game, as there isn't much here to speak of. Dungeons are as simple as having one clear item required to solve all of their puzzles, including the boss inside, but the freedom of choice presented by A Link Between Worlds in which order you decide to take on the latter half of the game paved the way for the multitude of choices and freedom provided by the next game on this list--a certain Nintendo Switch launch title. A Link Between Worlds' wall merging mechanic brought a fresh take to a familiar world, and the game playing upon my Link to the Past nostalgia certainly didn't hurt either. Every component of A Link Between Worlds is meticulously crafted, and it makes for a Zelda game that's close to being the king of the mountain when it comes to the portable entries of the Legend of Zelda series.
2) 2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NSW, Wii U)
What I said then:
"With The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo gave players a sandbox world to explore and literally play around in due to the masterful physics system provided. It seemed every hour from launch that new ways to interact with the environment and take out enemies were being shared by players. This constant state of amazement that Breath of the Wild brought to the gaming world was truly extraordinary. There are still new things being learned and shared to this day, almost a year from the game's initial launch.
The developers basically outlined the usual gameplay and elements of the Zelda franchise on a chalkboard, took that board, and erased everything on it, eschewing old conventions to make a wholly original game that still retained that feeling, spirit, and magic of the Zelda franchise. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild bestowed on to players the most freedom seen in any series game in the past. After the initial tutorial area was completed, you were allowed to go anywhere you wanted. See that mountain? You can climb it. See that river? You can swim it. If you were prepared, you could make Breath of the Wild as hard, balanced, or as easy as you wanted in your run. Take to the fiery mountains where the Goron tribe call their home to get more challenge at the start of the game, or take it easy and head to Zora Domain after your departure from Kakariko Village.
The world was your oyster, the sandbox was yours to explore, and the various lands, areas, people, and puzzles making up the land of Hyrule all felt unique from one another. There is something to be said about a game that has flaws that don't tarnish the overall experience for me. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is no perfect game, but what it is - is a gameplay experience, memorable journey, exciting adventure, and lovely game world that has now rivaled some of my favorite games ever made."
What I say now:
While A Link Between Worlds was like getting the freedom to explore a lake, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would be more akin to obtaining the freedom to explore the entire damn ocean! The level of openness in not just where you can go but also what you can do and how you can go about doing it in Breath of the Wild is extraordinary. Yes, you can climb whatever you see before you. Yes, you can go to that location that touches the horizon. Yes, you can roll that boulder down a hill and take out an explosive barrel to destroy all enemies nearby. The possibilities and tools given to players in the latest Legend of Zelda is just incredible. My only real beefs with the game is how easily some weapons break, and also how little room you have in your inventory for the most part to act like I normally do in these types of games and hoard goodies. The latter is merely done for gameplay reasons anyway. Despite my small issues with the game, in no uncertain terms here, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as a game and as an experience is simply put, breathtaking.
1) 2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
What I said then:
"With more diversity than any other game released this year, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the ultimate video game. It's what video games are foremost all about. Not story, not heavy-handed cinematics, or intense violence, but FUN! And Super Mario Galaxy 2 delivers fun in spades. Nintendo EAD once again shows while they are the kings of video game design with this incredibly enjoyable, colorful 3D platformer. There is no better game this year, and there was some tough competition."
What I say now:
Back then, my heavy-handed response to story-heavy, cinematic-loaded, violent games was due to the massive amount of them taking over the gaming scene, making plenty of gamers and critics alike hold them as a bastion of superiority over other types of games. Now, I just say that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is one of my favorite games of all time. Being a huge fan of well put-together platformers certainly helps, but all of the gameplay elements, beyond bonkers and creative level designs, satisfying visuals, stunning music, and linear gameplay that has more focused design than what is seen in Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and even the recently released Super Mario Odyssey (though that, too, is also one of my favorite games of all time, earning runner-up last year to Breath of the Wild). This means most levels are more like obstacle courses than playgrounds to explore. Both platforming design philosophies definitely have their time and place, though, so don't get me wrong.
Each galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is like opening up a Christmas present, not knowing what you'd find inside. Except unlike Christmas, none of the presents are stinkers like plaid socks or a Dragon Ball Z Hawaiian shirt (sorry, not sorry to those with bad taste). Instead, each new galaxy presents players with a hodgepodge of fascinating, fantastic, fun-filled ideas and concepts that when I originally played the game, I remember just wanting to keep playing to see what awaited next. My opinion really hasn't changed since 2010: Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the king of platformers, one of the best games ever crafted, and it shows why Mario is considered the king of gaming.
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