Hints for the next three games at the end.
#26
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Previous Year: #24
I'm a huge fan of both Studio Ghibli and Level-5, so when I first heard the two companies were collaborating on a JRPG I was instantly excited for the possibilities, and the game did not disappoint. Ni No Kuni is an absolute joy to play from beginning to end, with the only real negatives being that some of the gameplay mechanics are revealed oddly late into the game. The visual style, soundtrack, story and characters are all excellent. I'm also very glad they are making a sequel to the game.
#25
Journey
Previous Year: #23
One of the best games to play whenever you want to just relax and enjoy a great experience. Journey is in many ways a very simple game, but that is also one of its main strengths. It knows exactly what it is and what it wants to do. The whole game is relatively short, but every moment in it is outstanding, from the slide down the reflecting sand to the final ascent to the top of the mountain at the end.
#24
Super Mario Bros. 3
Previous Year: #22
Even after all these years and countless platformers I've played since its release, Super Mario Bros. 3 is still in my opinion the best 2D platformer ever made. Many later games may have added new tricks and gameplay elements to the proceedings, but SMB3 is where the series is in its purest form. The level design is excellent, the gameplay practically perfect, and the little moments of pure fun found all throughout the game are just Nintendo at their best.
Hints for the next three games:
#23: The second game in this crossover franchise. After countless spin-offs and sidestories we're finally about the get the actual third game in this series sometime soon.
#22: The game that popularized the real-time strategy genre. Unlike most later games in the series, this one takes itself quite seriously. Features the debut of one of the best villains in video game history.
#21: High school and demon hunting inside a television.
