2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
One of the many criticisms leveled against Nintendo in recent years is that they rely too heavily on nostalgia as a gameplay mechanic rather than coming up with new ideas. So the company did themselves no favors when it was announced that the new Zelda game would be a sequel to A Link to the Past, and even take place in the same world as the classic SNES title. Incorrectly labeled as a remake by many, and disregarded as mere homage by plenty others, A Link Between Worlds didnt have the best pre-release hype behind it. Thats why it was all the more surprising that it ended up being the best Zelda game in a decade. For a game that wears its influences on its green sleeve, ALBW takes more risks than other latter day Zelda titles. It may not reinvent the hookshot, but like a fairy in a bottle, it gives new life to a series that started feeling stale. Gone are the lengthy tutorials and handholding that slowed the pace of otherwise great games like Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword. From almost the very beginning, nearly every bit of Hyrule is laid out before us, and exploring this legendary kingdom has never been easier or more enjoyable. The new weapon rental system is what shakes up the formula the most, giving players the freedom to play the games dungeons in an order of their liking (with a couple minor exceptions). And while Zelda games have incorporated fast travel before, here its available almost immediately and its much more streamlined, ensuring that there are very few long, boring treks between points of interest. Not that there is any wasted space in this game; the game map isnt huge, but Hyrule has more secrets packed in per square mile than Los Santos. And like all the Big Ns best games, ALBW is just a pleasure to play. The shortest of play sessions can result in discovering new abilities, new upgrades, new places. Its a game that panders to no one, but appeals to almost everyone who plays it. And no matter how many times those annoying bird statues tell you to take a break, the game itself never gives you a reason to stop playing.