Well, better late than never I suppose! This list took me a long time to put together because I had to to actually play through all the games I wanted to that came out last year in order to make this list. And I also wanted to take my time with each one of these games so I can properly enjoy them without the need to rush through them in order to get the list out at a certain time. I currently don’t work for any big new sites that requires me to have a end-of-the-year list out by the end of the year so why not just take my time and make my list when I’m good and ready! In this case, I am ready now to share my picks of my top 10 favorite games of 2023.
There has been much controversial surrounding the gaming industry as of late, particularly with the amount of layoffs that are happening, developers and designers being overworked and crunched to death, and a good majority of video game making staff could be replaced with A.I.. All of those are MAJOR problems that I have brought up in the past and will continue to do so as long as it remains a problem. However, in this case, I would like to take a break from all of that and celebrate the best of what gaming had to offer in 2023.
2023 was an AWESOME year for games, the most exciting year for new games in quite some time. It was a year that had just about of everything for every kind of gamer out there. I did my best to play as many games as I could and particularly played through the games that actually peaked my interest. After all, if I’m gonna be spending 70 dollars on a game, it better be something that I know I’m going to play the HELL out of and enjoy. Thankfully, there were at least ten games that did just that for me!
A full disclaimer, there are certain highly acclaimed games that I did NOT get around to either because I didn’t have the budget for at the time they came out or they just didn’t interest me in general. These include games like Alan Wake 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, and Hogwarts Legacy. I didn’t play those games because I couldn’t make time for them and they didn’t interest me enough for me to buy them. I might get around to those in the future whenever they come out at a good discount but they will not be on my list.
And before we get to the main top 10, I do have a couple of honorable mentions:
- Mortal Kombat X
Even though I’m FAR from the best at fighting games, I always enjoy playing them. As far as this game is concerned, it gave me all that I crave for a fighting game. The combat and fighting is fun, the new mechanics work well, and there’s plenty of variety in terms of maps and the incredible roster of characters. The only downsides are the needless microtransactions and costing a few extra pennies in order to play as certain characters such as Peacemaker. It doesn’t revolutionized the Mortal Kombat series or fighting games in any way but if you find a reasonable price, you will have a good time with this one.
- Spongebob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake
After reviving the best SpongeBob game to date with Battle for Bikini Bottom, THQ Nordic followed that up with a highly original game of their own with The Cosmic Shake. This put an interesting multiverse spin of the underwater world of SpongeBob SquarePants, fighting your way through each wish world as SpongeBob, along with Patrick as a balloon, in order to save their friends and bikini bottom. It’s heartfelt and colorful, the combat and platforming is incredibly enjoyable, there’s plenty of well-earned fan service throughout, and this might be the most I’ve laughed at a children’s game in a long time. Perhaps if you got to play as the other characters aside from just SpongeBob, this would have made it on the list. Even so, in an era where Nickelodeon has been making plenty of questionable decisions with our favorite yellow sponge, it’s nice to see THQ Nordic show true respect to the character, perhaps the best that the sponge has been treated since the passing of Stephen Hillenberg. I hope he is still resting in peace.
- MLB The Show 23
This was actually the game I put the most hours in throughout 2023. That is because whenever I feel lazy and want to play a game without thinking to much, I either play through my team on season mode or find someone online to play an exhibition match with. It’s just something I like to past time with until I get bored. There’s not much to say here other than it’s basically what the MLB The Show games have been since forever. If you love baseball and/or sports games, you likely loved this one too. If not, then I don’t know why you even bothered.
But yeah, those were the honorable mentions. Now onto to the main top 10!
10.) Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
Are my nostalgic googles completely on for this one? Yes, and I have no shame in it whatsoever. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is able to fully live up to its name and proudly does justice to the numerous franchises from our childhood that is being celebrated here. It’s able to improved upon the shortcomings of it’s predecessor along with providing enough new and unique elements of it’s own to make this a genuinely great platforming fighter. The single-player experience is fun with a good amount of challenges, the fighting system is giving much more depth than before, the new slime mechanic evaluates the combat to a whole new level, the roster of characters could not be more impressive, and even the campaign, while very minimum, makes for an enjoyable nostalgic trip down memory lane. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is able to deliver exactly what it says on the package and it could not be any better for it.
9.) The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog had quite a handful of games that came out in 2023. However, between Sonic Superstars, Sonic Dream Team, and the New Horizon DLC for Sonic Frontiers, I found The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog to be the most satisfying. This game came out on April 1st last year on the PC, strictly as a April Fools Day prank. Little would I know that this would be one of my favorite games of 2023 and one of my favorite Sonic games in a while. To put it simply, it’s Sonic and his friends in a murder mystery party. I would tell you more but that would spoil all the fun to be had with this game. Just know that this is a very well done visual novel and point-and-click adventure made with a lot of love from the SEGA Social team, who clearly loves Sonic as much as the fans do. If that sounds like your jam, then please go download this game right now on your PC if you haven’t already. It’s 100% free!
8.) Super Mario RPG
The remake of the original Super Mario RPG does exactly what a video game remake is suppose to do. It’s able to take everything that worked about the original game, expand upon it’s concepts and gameplay, and updated in a way that it feels like a fresh and unique experience, almost as if you are playing it for the very first time. Thanks to keeping the great gameplay, fun story, breezy pace, and charming characters that the original had, it is able to show it’s age incredibly well, translating near perfectly to the Nintendo Switch. Some might argue it could have used a bit more new content along with it, but for newcomers, Super Mario RPG should be able to delight them the way it was able to delight fans of the original back in 1996.
7.) Final Fantasy XVI
It’s incredible how after over 16 mainline installments and a slew of remakes and spinoffs, the Final Fantasy franchise is still able to feel as fresh and different as it is. Final Fantasy 16 is able to take this long-running series to the next step, a step forward in terms of the franchise’s overall narrative and technical achievements. The combat is simplistic but it’s still fun to slash and dice your way through enemies, the graphics are at a whole new level of impressive, the RPG elements is still top-tier for it’s genre, the soundtrack is one of the best of 2023, and the story delivers some of the best emotional moments and characterization in this entire franchise. Even if the side quests left a bit to be desired, the overall main campaign could not be any stronger. Final Fantasy 16 is proof that this franchise still has yet to lose any steam and still continue to find ways of delivering quality games.
6.) Pikmin 4
I have never played a Pikmin game before this one. As a matter of fact, the only reason I bought this game at all was so I had a new game to play while I went on vacation last year. That turned out to be a very smart decision because Pikmin 4 was an absolute blast of a game that makes me want to check out the other ones. It’s just hard to NOT get sucked into this colorful world of charming creatures that will always follow your command to get the objective done. I like using my army of animal minions to counter any enemy that gets in my way, discovering any hidden treasure, and finding my way to cross certain paths. I loved all these Pikmin so much that it was hard for me to choose which one was my absolute favorite. Even if I’ve not played the other games, I can only imagine that is the charm and formula that fans have come to love about the series. Some might consider the game too easy but for a newcomer like me, Pikmin 4 was able to win me over big time, providing yet another great entry to a stack of quality games for the Switch in 2023.
5.) Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
After delivering the 2019 galactic surprise hit that was Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, Respawn was able to make lightning strike twice with their latest follow-up, Jedi Survivor. This was able to build upon it’s already impressive predecessor in just about every way it possibly could. It furthered the characters, it expanded upon the gameplay and the Star Wars universe, it moved at a faster frame rate, it took a step forward in terms of graphics and technical achievements, and it contained some of the best set pieces in any Star Wars video game to date! While it wasn’t as tight narratively as the first one and the worlds were a bit too big for some, Jedi Survivor was able to deliver more in terms of it’s gameplay, graphics, and presentation, perhaps more so than any Star Wars game up to this point. This was one of the first games I got for my PlayStation 5 and I was not disappointed in the slightest. If the third game is able to deliver just as well as the first two Jedi games from Respawn, then this series will stand strongly as one of the best Star Wars media out there, along with one of the best Star Wars crew out there with Cal, Merrin, Greez, Cere, and the LOVABLE BD-1.
4.) Super Mario Bros Wonder
Just when you think that the Mario series has run it’s course after so many different Mario games release over the past several decades, Nintendo proves yet again with Super Mario Bros. Wonder that they in fact have plenty of more tricks up there sleeves. This is yet another superb and quality Mario game, making for perhaps the plumber’s finest 2D outing since Super Mario World. It’s able to expand on it’s level design, worlds, and power ups further than any prior 2D Mario game while acting as one that can stand perfectly on it’s own two feet. The levels are fast paced and fun, all characters are a delight to play as, the music is amazing, the graphics are beautiful, the new voice cast does a find job, and the Wonder Flower power-up stands out as one of the best and most unique power-ups in any Mario game. I don’t know why it took Nintendo this long to put out a new and fresh 2D Mario game or just a new Mario game in general but it was absolutely worth the wait. Even I can’t live to see the Super Mario Odyssey 2 that I so desperately want, I can at least say I had Super Mario Bros. Wonder which will make me die not only happy but trippy!
3.) Resident Evil 4
Yes, this is another remake. No, I do not care whatsoever because it still manages to be excellent. Resident Evil 4 is able to provide an upgrade that is more than worthy of the original’s reputation, which is quite an accomplishment considering the original RE4 is considered by many to be the best out of the franchise. Capcom is able to delivery another quality RE remake and makes RE4 the best one out of the bunch so far. It’s more action-driven gameplay is able to translate very well to next gen consoles, the updated combat that allows Leon to move and fire his weapon at the same time as well as block is a genius move, Ashley is giving a lot more to do this time around and doesn’t just feel like a distraction, and it’s able to provide all the improvements and additions needed to make this remake feel like a brand new experience. Like most Resident Evil games, you do have to “get” the level design and structure in order to enjoy the full experience. If you are able to do that, then Resident Evil 4 will satisfy you in ways you wouldn’t even expect. There’s been plenty of video game remakes out there and Resident Evil 4 is easily up there as one of the very best.
2.) The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Just when you thought that Nintendo couldn’t do any better this year than with Super Mario RPG, Super Mario Bros Wonder, and Pikmin 4, they were able to reach that new level of peak with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Following up with the masterpiece that was The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, this will able to match those incredibly high expectations and in many respects, surpassed it. It’s never been more satisfying to control as Link in this incredibly massive open world, exploring more caverns and sky islands than ever before. The fluidity of both Link’s movement and combat, along with new powerups, makes playing through all these islands an absolutely worthwhile experience. Even in the parts where you may get lost and the pace slows down, there is always something to do in both the side stories and the main campaign, with it’s incredibly strong narrative being able to stick with you the whole way through. It’s debatable as to whether or not it surpasses Breath of the Wild entirely but Tears of the Kingdom is still an excellent follow-up, showcasing the power and quality of games that the Nintendo Switch has provided over the past several years.
1.) Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
I was looking for every reason to NOT put this at #1. However, when it comes to the game that I played through the most, thought about the most, and had the most fun and excitement with, I can’t think of any other game from 2023 that fit those criterias for me than Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. This is as good as as a Spider-Man game to get and just how good a superhero game can get in general. This is Insomniac Games reaching a new level of peak, being able to achieve the kind of greatness they always tend to reach but also find new and satisfying ways to do so. The story is incredibly engaging and worth following the whole way through, the gameplay is as polished, perfect, and RIDICIOUSLY fun as ever, the combat and web swinging has never been more satisfying to use, the graphics have never been more of a treat to the eyes, the soundtrack is a new definition of peak, and the voice work is some of the best performed in any video game. Whether it’s the very best superhero game of all time is still up for debate (I still have Batman: Arkham City as my #1) but no doubt, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was able to hit all the right buttons for me and gave me everything that I crave for as a massive Spider-Man fan. It’s games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 that remind me why Spider-Man has always been my favorite superhero and one of my favorite fictional characters in general. I can’t wait for the next game, Marvel’s Wolverine, and whatever else that Insomniac has cooking for the future.
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