Ranking Every Game Of The Year Winner Since 2010
5. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (2017)
One of many open world RPGs to have taken home the crown, The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild is arguably the most unique of the bunch. By updating one of their most famous franchises, Nintendo heralded a new dawn for their systems.
After the Wii U bombed, people weren’t quite sure if the Switch was going to cut it. Flash forward to Zelda, Super Mario Odyssey and Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee, and it’s safe to say the console allayed those fears. Zelda winning meant more than just one particular game getting the nod; it signified that the Switch could compete with Xbox and PlayStation.
In typical Nintendo style, the graphics don’t have the grittiness of those other consoles. There’s no dreary lighting like Halo or blood splatter like Uncharted. Instead, Breath Of The Wild uses CGI that feels ethereal and warm, washed through with a beautiful golden tone.
Gameplay itself is on the level with any other game around. The story has depth and development, exploration is endlessly enjoyable and the combat is perfect for the Switch’s joycons. A worthy winner through and through.