[Feature] Nintendo Everything’s 2013 Game of the Year Picks

To make an argument against the thesis that 2013 was one of the all-time best years in gaming would be a foolhardy activity. The year saw the release of instant-classics like The Last of Us and Super Mario 3D World, as well as world-stoppers like Grand Theft Auto V and Pokémon X and Y— Zelda made a big comeback on 3DS alongside Fire Emblem, and after years of no news we finally saw the release of Pikmin 3 on Wii U. An intro paragraph like this– no matter how densely packed– could never do justice the year we’ve had, so let’s let the staff of NintendoEverything do it instead.

After the break, you’ll hear from Brian (site admin and boss man), Austin (podcast man and writer guy), Jack (podcast man and writer guy), Spencer (writer guy), Patrick (writer guy) and Scott (video guy) about what they all found to be their absolute favorite games of 2013. Consider this list primarily subjective.

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

My favorite game on a Nintendo platform this year is undoubtedly The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds for the Nintendo 3DS. As a long-time Zelda fan, especially of the classic-style top-down titles, A Link Between Worlds is the Zelda game I’ve been waiting for since Oracle of Ages and Seasons.

A Link Between Worlds is a return to form while also feeling very new. Even though players are returning to the Hyrule of A Link to the Past, it feels like a completely new world. Plus, there is also the parallel universe of Lorule to explore. Nintendo has brought a fresh face to the classic top-down 2D games not only by recreating Hyrule with 3D graphics, but also making excellent use of the 3DS’ 3D functionality to really bring the little world to life in the palm of your hand.

Although A Link Between Worlds’ overworld of Hyrule might be very familiar, it has a lot to offer in new gameplay. Items and gear both new and old, as well as the “wall-fusing” ability (which, I admit I was initially skeptical about, but all skepticism vanished once I played the game) help you navigate through the world and dungeons’ many puzzles and obstacles. Traveling between the parallel worlds of Hyrule and Lorule opens up another map to explore with several additional dungeons.

One of the most shining aspects of this title is the music. With fully-orchestrated songs, the production value of A Link Between Worlds’ soundtrack is incredible, easily the best of any handheld title, and it even rivals the home console Zelda games. The mixing is superb as well, and in fact, this is a title that I recommend be played with headphones, so that you can truly experience the quality of the score and immerse yourself in the world.

Completing the game unlocks Hero Mode, a harder difficulty mode for the game. There are several mini-games to play, additional items and gear to find, heart containers to collect, and little baby Maiamais to hunt down and return to their mama in exchange for power-ups for your equipment. All of this, in addition to the StreetPass battle mode, in which you can fight “Shadow Link” versions of other players you pass by, offer lots of replay value to the game.

I enjoyed this game so much, I’ve completed it 100% on my first playthrough, soon to tackle Hero Mode! Hands-down my favorite game of the year.

2. Animal Crossing: New Leaf

I’ll preface this by saying I put 300 hours into this game within the first two months from launch day. Nintendo took everything that made the three previous Animal Crossing games great, and added more new content and features than any other title. With more to collect and unlock than ever before, the ability to run your town and make it your own, more customization, improved multiplayer and online features, and StreetPass/SpotPass functionality, New Leaf is easily the best Animal Crossing entry by far, and I can’t wait to see where Nintendo takes the series next.

3. Pokemon X and Y

Almost 15 years since Pokemon Red and Blue were released in the US, and Nintendo is still able to make players excited to embark on a new adventure. With a vast new world, a plethora of new features, customization, incredibly improved online functionality, new gameplay and battle mechanics, and finally, the long-awaited leap from 2D to 3D graphics, Pokemon X/Y is by far the most dynamic improvement between core Pokemon titles.