#20 - Streets of Rage 4 (NS)
Probably the best of the recent retro revivals, Streets of Rage 4 adds surprising depth to the franchise's brawling mechanics, and surrounds it with sumptuous art and a killer soundtrack.
#19 - Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (PS4)
Ys VIII is a remarkable action-RPG with a soaring story, lots of engaging content, and a perfectly-interlocking set of role-playing systems that inform and texture each other.
#18 - Gears of War 4 (XOne)
Sure it's a bit derivative, but Gears of War 4 delivers a thrilling campaign, superior multiplayer options, and visceral third-person shooting throughout.
#17 - Freedom Planet (Wii U)
The best Sonic game that's not really a Sonic game, Freedom Planet remains a lovely surprise all these years later. With excellent level design, a thrilling sense of speed, and tons of replay value, it belongs in the conversation for best indie games of the past two generations.
#16 - Wargroove (NS)
Speaking of indie gems that sometimes surpass the games that inspired them, Wargroove takes the Advance Wars template and builds upon it, delivering a huge & varied campaign, and mountains of single-player and multiplayer content.
#15 - Super Mario 3D World: Bowser's Fury (NS)
Bowser's Fury feels like the beginning of something special. Featuring the tight controls of Super Mario 3D World in a seamless open world, and filled with endlessly-creative platforming trials, it's hopefully the new template for 3D Super Mario moving forward.
#14 - Sea of Stars (NS)
The second Sabotage game on this list, Sea of Stars is a modern classic, a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics with stories, heroes, and battle mechanics all its own. Perhaps its best features are its spellbinding graphics and the relationship among its three main characters, which forms the emotional bedrock of the game.
#13 - CrossCode (NS)
CrossCode starts to flag in its final act, but for the most part it is a stellar action-RPG with sympathetic characters, thrilling combat, challenging puzzles, and loads of quests & challenges.
#12 - Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course (NS)
The Delicious Last Course carries over the precision mechanics and death-defying platforming of the base game and infuses it with new tough-as-nails bosses, a new playable character, and art that is somehow even more jaw-dropping than the original.
#11 - Super Mario Bros. Wonder (NS)
A game that truly earns the name "wonder", this latest entry in the Super Mario series does amazing things with the property, introducing new enemies, level layouts, badges, and platforming ideas. Its most brilliant addition: Wonder Flowers, which reinvent each level and disrupt the typical rules and physics of reality.
