In case you missed it, we're already in July, and that means it's time to reflect on the first half of the year and talk about the best games of 2023 so far.
Now, dear readers, you might be thinking "but wait, isn't it Zelda?" and to that we say "we're not restricted to just one game". While the latest Legend of Zelda will certainly come up, 2023 has been a banner year for all sorts of titles on the Switch.
Three of our finest editors sat down to shoot the breeze about their personal favourites — both of the Zelda and non-Zelda variety — and while this chat also exposes our backlogs a fair bit, it's given us some very exciting games to look forward to. If we can fit them in during a packed second half of the year, that is...
Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor: We’re halfway through 2023, and GOTY conversation is already dominating a lot of talk online - the first half of the year has been ridiculously good, after all. So we might as well wade in ourselves. Let's start with the Divine Beast in the room – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. We’ve all played this littlun, right?
Jim Norman, Staff Writer: Ya-ha-ha!
Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer: Oh, you Korok, you… But yes, I think we’ve all dabbled in a bit of TOTK. However… It’s not in the running for GOTY for me, I’m afraid to say.
Jim: Okay, Ollie has clearly been on the Lon Lon Milk… For me, nothing is going to knock this little game from the top spot (sorry, Everybody 1-2-Switch!). I sped through the story mode in the first few weeks and then took a couple of days to get all the emotion out of my system before diving back in for some exploring. I’m over 100 hours at this point and I still only feel like I have done, like, 2% of the whole game
For me, nothing is going to knock this little game from the top spot
Alana: I shouldn’t have been astonished at how much I loved it, but I was. It’s a remarkable sequel. I think its place in history and its impact will be debated for years to come, especially when we’ve all had distance from the game - it certainly improves on almost every aspect of Breath of the Wild. But there’s a relative peace and atmosphere to BOTW that TOTK is missing. It’s a splitting hair situation. Both are incredible games, and it’ll be personal preference whether you prefer one or the other. Right now, TOTK is better, to me, in every way.
Ollie: Nice, I’m so glad you both love it so much! Shall I tell you why I’ve bounced off it? Shall I? Okay, I will… It’s the Fire Temple. That damned Fire Temple. I can’t stand it. It’s not even particularly difficult, but I genuinely think it ranks among the worst Zelda dungeons. It’s horrible. I stopped playing when I reached it a few weeks back and haven’t returned since. I feel bad about that, but there we go.
Jim: Yes! The Fire Temple sure has proved to be a divisive one (I have seen some people say that it’s the best in the game —pfft), but I have to agree with you, Ollie. I didn’t get on with it all that well and ended up cheesing it a little more than I should, but there is still so much to enjoy in the game! Don’t let this little bump put you off it forever, please…
Alana: Life is short and sometimes stuff like that happens! I happen to really like the Fire Temple, but I absolutely understand why people don’t enjoy it. It’s not my favourite, don’t worry. Anyway, I think we’ve sung the praises of TOTK all across the site, so let’s go for something a little different…
Jim: Hey, speaking of fire (wow, what a segue), I would like to throw Nintendo’s first release of 2023 into the mix with a little bit of Fire Emblem Engage. This was not the follow-up to Three Houses that I or anyone else was expecting, but by moving away from relationships and going back to some good ol’ combat-first tactics, I honestly think that the Big-N has made a series-best here.
Alana: Wow, that’s a big statement. I haven’t played a Fire Emblem game in years, honestly. What really makes it click for you, Jim?
Jim: Honestly, it’s the action. Story has never been a strong point in the Fire Emblem series — heck, it is really rather shonky in this latest entry too — but I can overlook all of that by just how well this one plays. The battles are intense, the combat system goes back to its roots with the weapon triangle, the character designs and battlefields are gorgeous, and those attack animations get me every time. Sure, there’s no plot, but what can I say? Show me some fancy swords and I’m happy.
Ollie: Weapon triangle… Is that like a musical triangle you whack people with?
Jim: Yes. Yes, it is.
Ollie: I’m sold. Nice work! I should really try the Fire Emblem franchise at some point… I will say, Engage certainly looks nice from a visual perspective, but other than that… *shrugs*
Alana: Maybe one day we’ll get you to play one, Ollie!
I mean, come on, it’s borderline perfection.
Ollie: We’ll see! So my first pick, then, is a bit of a cheat, but oh well. It’s Metroid Prime Remastered. I mean, come on, it’s borderline perfection. Nintendo has taken a game that was already sublime on the GameCube and made it even better. The visuals have been drastically improved, the controls have been modernised, yet everything that made the original so special has been perfectly retained. Just wonderful stuff. I assume you’ve both played it, yes? Say yes.
Alana: Yes I have. This was my first time playing it, and my god you didn’t undersell how good this game was either. Atmosphere, story, controls, visuals – the original looked great, and the Remaster is somehow one of the best-looking games on the Switch now. There’s not a thing I dislike about Metroid Prime Remastered. A phenomenal remaster.
Jim: … In my defence, this one came out in February after that incredible Direct, so my ensuing weeks were filled with The Minish Cap and replaying the entire Layton series. I absolutely will be playing this one before the year is out, I promise, Ollie.
Ollie: Your sin will be forgiven, then. I guess…
Alana: It’s really been the year of GameCube ports, remasters, and remakes, hasn’t it? We’ve had Metroid Prime, Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2, and Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life... And they’re all really good. Always happy to see the purple block get some love.
Jim: Pikmin 1+2 are definitely in contention for me at the moment. The second game is the fan-favourite and I can completely see why, but the simplicity of the first is unmatched for me. It had been so many years since I had last played it and while it hasn’t had the visual upgrade of Metroid Prime Remastered, it still really holds up. And you can play it on the bus now, so that’s something.
Ollie: That’s definitely something! I think I vaguely remember playing the first Pikmin at some point, but this is a series that’s definitely flown under my radar. I need to play it properly. Geez, this isn’t a good look, is it? I’ve not finished TOTK, I haven’t played Fire Emblem, I’ve not played Pikmin… What a hack.
Alana: It’s almost like you moved house and were living it up in LA for a few days!
Ollie: It’s no excuse! I’ve failed our community! I will go into exile.
Jim: Now hang on a second, I know that you have played some games other than Metroid this year!
Ollie: I have, this is true.
Alana: There are always too many to get through… I want to move away from the first-party titles a moment and shout out some indie games. It’s been a great year for indies so far – Dordogne is beautiful, Cassette Beasts is giving us the Pokémon game we’ve all wanted, The Last Worker feels particularly important today. My favourite so far is a game that was released in January – A Space for the Unbound. This one was on my radar because of its amazing pixel art visuals, and I think it’s one of the best portrayals of depression in a video game I’ve seen. Plus, there are lots of cats (and dogs. But mainly cats).
Jim: This one has been on my eShop wishlist ever since it came out. I remember hearing loads of really positive things about it and you’re right, it’s stunning to look at. The added cats are just a bonus at this point…
The added cats are just a bonus at this point…
Ollie: I’ll definitely pick this one up at some point. Genuinely. It’s on my list; I have a list. And this is on it. But speaking of indies, I need to give a massive shout-out to JoyMasher’s Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider. Holy moly. What a great retro game! It genuinely feels like it was made in the early ‘90s, it feels so incredibly authentic. It’s one of those games that will only take an hour or so to beat, but it’s one I’ve found myself going back to time and time again thanks to the points system and rewarding gameplay. I love it.
Alana: Another stunning-looking game. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of a Mega Drive game. I absolutely want to pick this up at some point.
Jim: I completely agree. I have been keeping an eye on this one since it came out, and I remember you singing its praises right from release, Ollie. Definitely one I want to pick up before the year is out. On the topic of the retro aesthetic and short playtime, were either of you able to pick up Lunark a few months back? It is a cinematic platformer which usually means “bad controls”, to me. But this recently got an update to tighten things up in that department and I had a great (and short) time with it.
Alana: I hate to repeat myself, but one; this game looks really cool (particularly for the aesthetic it’s going for), and two; nope, I haven’t played it, and it’s also on my list!
Ollie: Yeah, I’d like to check this one out at some point, too. I’m not overly fond of the visuals, personally, but it’s definitely giving me heavy Flashback vibes, which is cool.
Jim: “Cool” is a pretty good way to describe the entire game, if I’m honest. Who would have thought that Nintendo dropping a game into which you can easily sink 100+ hours would mean that we have played so little outside of it??
Ollie: Naughty Nintendo! Taking up all of our time; the nerve.
Alana: How dare they. Though I have to blame Square Enix for releasing an 80-hour RPG in the form of Octopath Traveler II back in February (and Theatrhythm too, which I also have about 60 hours in). Octopath Traveler II is also one of the best turn-based RPGs ever, and another sequel that just improves on every single aspect of the first game.
Jim: Gosh, Octopath and Theatrhythm really were this year, huh? That feels like forever ago! Both have cracking demos for anyone that is curious about picking up either title, by the way.
Alana: Demos that carry over progress to the full game, too. I’ve seen so many who bounced off of the first Octopath Traveler absolutely fall head over heels for the sequel, so if you’re worried, give that demo a shot.
Ollie: I hate to sound like a broken record here, but I will definitely give Octopath Traveler II a shot at some point. I really just need to find the time… Whilst we’re on the subject of Square Enix, I’d best mention my third and final pick for GOTY contender. This is definitely cheating, so feel free to veto it, if you wish. It’s the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection. I mean, wow! It’s taken up so much of my time since it was released, and I’ve loved every second with it. People can complain about the price if they like, but with games like FFIV and FFVI proving to be amongst the best ever made, it’s more than worth it, in my opinion.
Jim: Buying them individually can be a pricey endeavour, I will admit, but I think it’s fair to say that you are still getting your money’s worth all of these years on. I was never that deep on FF prior to this, but I have loved the chance to really get to grips with the series and pick and choose however I would like. You’re not wrong, Ollie, IV and VI are beauties.
Alana: You know I won’t veto Final Fantasy, particularly when IV (and V) and VI are in the conversation. I haven’t grabbed them all yet simply because I played or replayed most of these fairly recently, but I will. I have lived off of the soundtracks since their PC releases, though. Final Fantasy is having a great year. Makes sense given it’s the 35th anniversary year.
Ollie: I’ll definitely agree that buying them individually is a bit pricey. I guess once you start to ponder buying one or two, you might as well consider just going for the whole lot. Which I guess is probably Square Enix’s intention.
Jim: You mean to tell me that it’s all a money-making scheme! Surely not!
Ollie: These businesses and their desire to make money, eh..? Absurd.
Jim: I will admit that it has been a cracking year for remakes and remasters on that front, though. It is a late entry, true, but we can’t have this discussion without at least dropping a mention for Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. I have only played the demo of this so far, but I have the full game downloaded and ready to go as soon as I have the time. Kate’s review was absolutely glowing for this one, so it might just be a shoo-in for the GOTY lists when they roll around in December.
It has been a cracking year for remakes and remasters
Alana: Yep, I’m hopping on that one next I think — one for my partner and I to play together. Alright, it sounds like we’re starting to wrap up, so last chance to shout out anything we think might be worthy. I’ll give a little nod to Paranormasight, which snuck up on us out of nowhere in March. I really enjoyed it and II want a series, now.
Ollie: Oh yes, I’ll definitely agree with you on that one. I fear it’ll get a bit lost as we approach the end of the year, but it’s absolutely one to keep in mind.
Jim: It’s a very good shout. I have got all of my personal favourites off my chest, but did anyone play Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe earlier in the year? It’s strange that Nintendo released that one and then wiped everyone’s minds of its existence…
Alana: I didn’t, mostly because Kirby isn’t one of my favourite franchises. Same for Bayonetta Origins, too – two relatively small Nintendo titles that squeezed into the spring months.
Ollie: You won’t catch me playing a Kirby game, I’m afraid. Just not my cup of tea. Anyway, this whole thing will be rendered rather moot when we've spent more time with Everybody 1-2-Switch!, right?
Alana: Exactly. And with that, it’s time to play another round of Hip Bump…
We've no doubt missed out on some games that you found really special in 2023. Do you like some of our picks? Or do you think we've skipped over a gem?
Let us know by voting in our poll below, and chat about your favourite games of 2023 so far in the comments.
Comments 146
So far it is Tears of the Kingdom
Zelda, of course. A 2D Mario and Pikmin 4 can't throw this off.
Tears of the Kingdom all day.
Gollum
...
I mean, Tears.
It’s here that I kinda remember how small the staff feels now. Dunno if it was Covid layoffs or something but it used to feel like a load of people all chiming in. On topic, given I haven’t played TOTK, probably Metroid Prime Remastered.
Tears of the Kingdom for me of course. It has become my new favorite game of all time, and that likely won’t change for a long time.
It's way too early to decide for GOTY discussions right now, especially since the later half of 2023 also looks stacked.
To answer anyway though, I guess it would have to go to XC3 Future Redeemed since thats technically the only game I bought.
Tears of the Kingdom followed by Octopath Traveller II.
For me it's Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is very overhyped and overrated.
Tears of the Kingdom. It's not perfect, and I do dislike certain temples, but the experience as a whole is still pretty awesome.
Only game that could possibly challenge it is Starfield.
For now, it is (Project) Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse... Blazing Strike, sadly, missed it's Q2 2023 window release... And, there's no news about the game nor game's delay...
Pizza Tower. Not on Switch, but still.
Been a very strong year but Zelda is the clear winner so far and i feel only Starfield has a chance of beating it for me.
Obviously TOTK is the only Nintendo GOTY candidate this year and most probably winning it. No PS exclusive so far this year is close, and don't expect Spidey winning. Maybe it will be a close battle with Starfield. Is one of those 3, one exclusive candidate per console. Nice
Right now it's MDA: Rain Code but I'm expecting either Detective Pikachu Returns, the Super Mario RPG remake, or Mina the Hollower to take that spot when I play them later this year.
MY GOTY 2023 candidate.
EVERYBODY 1-2-Switch
I'm POSITIVE SERIOUS with my choice.
Zelda TotK I guess? I'm so jaded by gaming at the moment.
Edit: The comment and energy of @Anti-Matter above me, contrasted to my comment. LOL. Good for you bud. Have fun!
Hi-Fi Rush is easily my not-Switch GOTY, and given its look (extremely well stylized, yes, but it doesn't seem that demanding) and Microsoft getting more accustomed to taking Switch owners' money, I'm still hoping it'll get a Switch release eventually.
This year my highlights have been RE Village on PSVR2 and Tears of the Kingdom. I could play both of these games literally endlessly.
I haven't been playing all that many games this year just in general and many I ended up going for ended up being stinkers anyway, and my unquestionable top picks Advance Wars Reboot and Etrian Odyssey Trilogy are just that, remasters of games I've played before so I don't really feel confortable picking it for this year and Theatrhythm similarly is so much of the same as the 3DS one that it barely counts.
With all that in mind looking at my limited list my vote so far goes to Pizza Tower, I'm not a platformer guy but this one was superb and so full of charm, amazing soundtrack too.
Though my backlog is massive with plenty of games like Vagrant Story, Suikoden Tactics and Vestaria Saga 2 all of which I'm sure would immediatedly shoot up to my top spot if I just sat down to play them.
Eh I'm gonna be boring and say TOTK funny enough I didn't like the game at first, but some members on this site helped me look at it differently and I've loved it ever since, its my constant inbetween game-game so I will never finish it, and that's fine by me!
Problem is I play that much that it's just so hard to remember what I've actually played until I see the end of year review unless something has really blown me away. Funny enough I have played(and more shamefully, backlogged) More Nintendo games than I usually do this year, My Switch is normally a third party/indie machine.
I think I've played and enjoyed more than Oliie at least xD
Hey don't go with the grain, cool kids club unite!
But with my backlog the way it is, I might have a GOTY in that pile and not get to it till like 5 years time at this rate so I don't know.
Alana really has me thinking about Octopath 2 now. I didn't like the first one, and funny enough I can't remember why and I've had FOMO about 2 ever since, and I've resisted every single urge not to buy the sequel like an idiot, and now you might have encouraged me to do just that with your oh so specific wording, so thanks!
It's TotK by default, but my gosh, hands down the most disappointing Zelda I have ever played.
The only saving grace for TotK as far as I am concerned is the fact its a second Zelda game on the console and it didn't require an extra piece of hardware or some gimmicky controller (like Skyward Sword and Majora's Mask).
But as far as Zelda games go... this is way too much like BotW. It's crazy to think they spent this many years on the game... nonsense if you ask me.
Tears for sure. While I have enjoyed various other releases this year, Tears once again found a way to make me excited to explore an in-game world again. While I have made it to the credits, I'm still dipping back in to fill in the depths map and find more outfit pieces, and I'm enjoying every second of it.
Master Detective Archives, but only because it's the only game from this year I've played even a bit of. I'm sure I'll get round to playing some of these this year though, so that won't be the case later, I hope.
Of course it’s the new Zelda for now. However, I’m actually expecting Super Mario Bros. Wonder to be my GOTY. We’ll finally have a fresh, brand-new 2D Mario after years of the same ol’ not-so-new NSMB series, the art style is bright and gorgeous for a modern Mario game and Princess Daisy is finally appearing in a mainline Mario game and isn’t some minor spin-off character anymore and she’s playable at that. Besides, I’m way more of a Mario player than a Zelda one.
Sorry but how on earth is it even close?
Before release I was sure it would be TotK and while I really enjoyed it I have to say that I enjoyed Octopath Traveler 2 more
TotK was just way to similar to BotW imo which after 6 years of wait was a bit dissapointing
I finally got around to finishing Mario 3D World and Bowser's Fury on the Switch so I would say that was my Switch GOTY so far. That might change when I dive into the Pikmin series since all of the numbered entries are now on Switch.
My GOTY in general is Final Fantasy XVI. The eikon battles are something special.
Zelda TotK is a no brainer for me on switch or any console. Before that re4 remake was it. Moving forward I can’t see anything that will take Zelda from the top spot but I will greatly enjoy pikmin 4 I’m sure and am wanting to try starfield.
I don’t play many newly released games. But, only new game I’ve played the last few years is TOTK. It gets my vote.
There's certainly been some good games, and looks like more good ones to come before the calendar flips. For me. ToTK all the way. It will be the GOTY, not just mine (and at last count 78% of people here).
Tears of the kingdom all the way it s going to sweep all game of the year awards this year like the first game did.
Advance Wars Re-boot 1+2. In a sea of “remasters” Nintendo finally did right by this beloved franchise with a proper Remake. Not a fan of the MP but eh.
Obviously my favorite of the year is Zelda. But I want to give a shout-out to advance wars. Definitely a fun little strategy game remake. Also, Kirby and prime remastered were both quite good.
Persona 4 Golden for me, but partly because I’m not buying anything else till I eat up more of my backlog, which has too many darn long RPGs in it. Hence no Octopath II, Tears of the Kingdom, Metroid Prime or even Case of the Golden Idol - which I suspect will all be in with a shout eventually. I also can’t believe P4G on Switch was actually this year!
Ironically, there were two games I was trying to decide between and the article mentioned them both merely as an aside at the very end of the article. I chose Kirby Dreamland as my favorite this year so far, but it was a very close race with Bayonetta Origins. That said, Mario Wonder will almost certainly end up as number 1 by the end of the year
GAME OF THE YEAR = Street Fighter 6 (by far...)
@Scooby-Doo how is it overall? The way you wrote your comment suggests that you enjoyed it but it’s only your current goty by default so I’m curious what you actually think of it. I have the limited edition on preorder which was delayed so I’m still waiting to get it but I’m also kind of on the fence as to whether to keep the preorder or not.
TotK is the obvious Switch GotY and a main contender for the GotY, alongside Hogwarts Legacy, FFXVI, Resident Evil 4 remake, possibly Spider-Man 2 and Starfield. Mario Wonder could be a surprise big hitter too.
I’d like to see TotK win overall, but Hogwarts Legacy would be my second pick, if only for spiteful reasons.
Just beat a Gleeok King this morning. It's not even a question at this point for me what's the best game I've played this year... or decade.
@nocdaes glad to see I'm not the only one. I feel like if you say anything negative about a Zelda game, people come out and start growling and hissing as if we're not allowed an opinion. Also annoyed that every game is compared to Zelda like it was the first of its kind to do anything. If it's an open world game with a bow and arrow. And some climbing, they say "it's obviously got it's influence from Zelda". Happy for the people that enjoy it but their fan base are like evil trolls 😂 people saying it's "not just the best game this year but the best game ever" mustn't have played many other games.
For me, I knew it was going to be Tears if the Kingdom, but I didn't grasp exactly HOW enthralled I'd become. Way more than I was with BotW, which I wasn't expecting.
I have already passed the 300 hour mark on TotK, and still haven't beat Ganondorf. That being said, aside from Korok seeds, my remaining side quests are few, and Im starting to run out of distractions to keep me from hopping down that big scary hole.
(Also, the subheader "Tears of the Switch-dom" sounds pretty kinky)
Here's what I got so far.
1. Tears of the Kingdom (haven't finished it yet but I've been obsessed with it. Likely to be my new favorite for the year when I finish it)
1. Resident Evil 4 Remake (I have finished it and is my current no.1)
2. Dead Space Remake
3. Fire Emblem Engage
4. Octopath Traveler II
5. The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
6. Atomic Heart (this is the only game I straight up didn't like... so far)
Tears of the Kingdom has absolutely no competition for this title, at least not on Nintendo's side.
Bad North. Can’t stop coming back to it!
Mine cycles between Metroid Prime Remastered, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp of which currently it's Theatrhythm.
As much as I love Metroid, my favorite franchise, Prime Remastered is my #2 so far. While it's a perfect remaster, it's "still" a remaster. Zelda TotK is my GOTY so far
Not shocked TotK took the lead by such a large margin. Silksong tho? Really? It probably won't even be this year, or next year or the year after that, ect...
Currently Zelda, but I'm curious to see what happens with Silksong, Black Skylands, Rift Of The Necrodander, and Sea Of Stars.
Predictably for me its Sonic Origins Plus. I noticed some people voting for games that aren't out yet - its possible that Sonic Superstars, Mario Wonder, Mario RPG Remake or even Pikmin 4 will be my game of the year by the end of the year. Eiuther way, it will have been the best year in games that suit my taste for a very long time.
Obviously for most people it still going to be TOTK. Before I can give an opinion, I need to spend more time with it. I bought the game, played about 3 hours. I enjoyed the first hour, then it slowly lost me and I haven't felt like going back. However, I'm not writing it off yet, I will definitely go back hoping it will "click" at some point, but I think I'll need to have a good amount of free time to give it a proper shot.
For now, I'm more about immediate enjoyment from arcade-like experiences in short bursts.
Tears of the Kingdom is one of the finest video games I've ever played.
It's so close to perfection, I just wish it had Zelda dungeons.
Tears of the kingdom
Street fighter 6
Pikmin 4 could take top spot
TOTK for now, a big improvement to me on Breath of the Wild, but I don’t know if it’ll make it through the rest of the year unscathed, as I much prefer 2D platformers to open-world games, and Mario Wonder looks quite magnificent, and the Pikmin 4 demo has convinced me to pick that game up too. FE: Engage was alright enough for my first ever Fire Emblem game in the series, it’s not a masterpiece in the genre, but it’s a solid time-waster. I also really liked the Metroid Prime remaster, even though I haven’t gotten too far into it.
Surely, it is obvious that TotK is the top candidate for GotY and, as of right now, without contest. I mean, I loved REmake 4, but a remake of a 10/10, even if it remains a 10/10 cannot compete against a sequel that develops on what is a candidate for the greatest game of all time in BotW. It’s not even close.
Now, granted, I just started Final Fantasy 16 and will admit I am biased toward the style of that game, but even in my bias, I do not expect it to surpass TotK. Literally only FF16 and Starfield are the only games that MAY have a shot at coming close to the peerless grace of TotK, but I feel about 75% sure it’s ok to call it GotY already, just as Elden Ring carried the title last year without rival, despite other worthy titles releasing. I have no doubt Pikmin 4 or Mario Wonder could be 10s, of course, but the likelihood that they will surpass what TotK did is unlikely. Truly, the Switch era is a wonderful time to be a Nintendo fan. The release slate has been nothing short of remarkable since 2017…
Tears of the Kingdom. For me it's the safe pick but how can I not pick it? It's such a good game and in my opinion one of the best games in the Zelda franchise. Definitely the highlight for me this year.
Fire Emblem Engage would be number two, the story was cheesy in a good way and I loved the new abilities they included. Also as a longtime fan I loved the call backs to the older games, it was pure fanservice which was great.
Prime remastered is also great, they improved on a classic title and made it even better.
Lots of great titles so far this year on Switch and the 2nd half of the year we still got Pikmin 4, Mario RPG Remake and Mario Bros Wonder. It's a very strong year for the Switch.
TotK and Future Redeemed
I have yet to jump down to Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom, so right now it would be Metroid Prime Remastered.
A million times TOTK.
Worst of yhe year, or at least the big disappointment, goes to Zelda TotK. Easily the worst 3D Zelda I've played and it makes Skyward Sword feels like a timeless masterpiece.
Best surprise is probably Metroid Prime Remastered. I bet my GOTY on Armored Core VI, it's shaping up to be the definitive mecha game, a much better alternative than the Daemon X Machina embarrassment a few years back.
Super Mario RPG might become an incredible remake and that's the most anticipated game of 2023 for me. Doesn't really sound like GOTY material though.
Despite it being mostly more Breath of the wild, I find myself enjoying it more than I did BOTW. Tears almost feels like the "complete" vision that BOTW started with.
Zelda Tears of the Kingdom.
There were other games released this year?
You know, the only 2023 release I've played is Future Redeemed for XC3 😅 I haven't played anything else from this year.
Tears would be my Switch game of the year, but I think overall it's still Hogwarts Legacy. I've had so much fun slowly playing through that since February. I get so immersed in that game.
I've really enjoyed Warhammer 40k boltgun, though I voted for metroid prime remastered due to the fact I got so much more than just the GC/Wii version in HD. It really impressed with me with what they did with that game. ToTK is out of this world, but metroid takes top spot for me.
TOTK. It's not hip, but its not even close.
Top 5 so far:
1. Trails to Azure
2. Zelda
3. Theatrhythm
4. Final Fantasy 16
5. Xenoblade 3 Future Redeemed
It's easily Tears of the Kingdom.
Not only my GotY, but my favorite game ever, beating out BotW.
I haven't played that many 2023 games, but I've been really impressed with PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. I love the complexity of the narrative and the way it isn't afraid to go really dark when it's called for.
The first part of the game might have you wondering what all the fuss is about. But get through that and watch as the game opens up into something far more interesting.
Why is TotK an option? Does $70 DLC really count as a game?
Anyway, my goty so far is TotK
Street Fighter 6, WWE 2K23, and Fire Emblem Engage. Those are the 3 main games I played that game out this year so I’ll go with those.
Tears of the Kingdom. I'm boring, but I also like being right.
Voting for the second best game is probably more interesting. Number one is a no-brainer when you're in a year where a solid contender for best game of all time is released.
Prime Remastered was really good and so much fun, but Totk is in its own league. The game is phenomenal and I'm only half way done. There are still some upcoming games that will be great or damn good (Pikmin4, Starfield, SMBW), but I don't think they top TotK for me.
i will give my answer at the end of the year...
As far as switch releases go remnant from the ashes. Surprisingly good.
Would have been a more interesting poll if Tears was removed as a choice.
I'm aware that it only came out quite literally yesterday, but I genuinely don't think I could give any other answer but Ghost Trick Phantom Detective. Easily my most anticipated game of the year and it's easily been living up to that hype with it's characters, animation, music, world-building; it's all just so, SO good and I couldn't be happier that I'm experiencing it all for the very first time.
Oh and since I haven't really played many games from 2023 outside of GT, shoutout to Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Katamari Damacy Reroll as well; played those for the first time this year and they're also 10/10 experiences
Tears of the Kingdom. Although I did really enjoy the Pikmin 4 demo so once I play through the full game, it’ll probably become my number 2.
Behind those two are Metroid Prime Remastered and Fire Emblem Engage. And we still have that 2D Mario to look forward to… 2023 is a fantastic year for Nintendo imo.
Resident Evil 4 and it isn't especially close.
I don't think I really have a game of the year most years. Admittedly, a lot of things get disqualified just because I don't buy them at launch, but I think it's mostly that the more games I've played, the harder it is for anything new to leave an impression on me. If not one of a year's worth of games can even crack my top 100, do any of them really deserve to be called a favorite?
Currently the only game I've played from 2023 is Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe, so that's my pick.
I guess I'm gonna say Metroid Prime Remastered for now, because I still haven't gotten around to putting in a lot of time into Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom yet, because of my rather bloated "games to play" list...
Everybody 1-2 Switch
@BetaRabbit64 your not the only one that has backlog of games to play still.
I haven't played a new Switch game all year. I've been playing Sparks of Hope recently, so that would be my game of choice on Switch currently - I know it came out in 2022.
My GOTY so far is Street Fighter 6, and I don't expect that to change. Alan Wake 2, Sea of Stars, The Plucky Squire and Baldur's Gate III are the only serious contenders I see.
It's going to be Baten Kaitos remaster when it comes out for me. (But if I would choose a brand new game title that haven't been released before 2023, then I don't know which one to choose.)
As of now it’s Tears for me.
Now with that said… Based on what I’ve seen of Mario Wonder there is a slim possibility it could dethrone it.
Fire Emblem Engage was really good but it also had some minor issues where Zelda TOTK is basically a flawless game. Those are my picks so far but we have some more good games coming so let’s see what’ll be in the end.
GOTY for me is LoZ: Tears of the Kingdom.
And I don't expect any game to beat it this year.
Hi Fi Rush remains the undisputed champ for me. It’s everything I love about a game and it’s all killer no filler. Really deserves more recognition than it got.
Very good year so far, especially with what’s coming in fall and winter.
Tears of the Kingdom and its not close, lol.
@Darthmoogle Right, well, so far the music is top-tier, the visuals are often nice to look at, but it deserves mention that there is a fair amount of pop-in at various moments and the character models can look a bit blurry, the story so far is actually kind of interesting, I've only noticed one slight bit of framerate dropping, and I don't think it was that much anyway. The gameplay is, I don't know if you've played Danganronpa, but many of the aspects are taken from that, with varying amounts of variation, I could probably elaborate later, a fair few qtes though. First chapter isn't so difficult to figure out, so I'm not really sure about difficulty. The game has some weird stuff sometimes. I'm not very far in, so this might not be very helpful in the long run or at all, and for that, I apologise.
Well it has to be Zelda TOTK so far, Hogwarts Legacy was a close contender. I'm not that far into Final Fantasy 16 yet to decide if its better than Zelda but so far its been pretty good and the Eikon fights are pretty epic. Looking at the rest of the year I can't see much changing, Starfield and Spiderman 2 just don't interest me as much as the games I just mentioned and I don't doubt Mario Rpg and Detective Pikachu will be great but they won't be challenging Zelda.
I don't really understand not playing/liking Tears of the Kingdom, but in a value-neutral way, like how people might enjoy different foods. If you don't enjoy TotK the way I don't enjoy eggplant, okay fine. Different tastes, perhaps.
But for people to say the game is underwhelming, disappointing, "just more of the same," or even bad... well, I'm just shocked numb over how differently we must experience things.
Tears is quite clearly Game of the Year, and likely will top people's Best Games of All Time lists for years and years to come.
@AnVold oh. How so?
Pizza tower if we're including games not on Switch. Pikmin 4 will probably be my goty overall if the demo is any indication of the overall game.
Tears of the Kingdom will probably be in my top 5, but like with botw, I feel it is a bit over hyped
I mean, Tears. It's been an adventure and a vacation..
Anonymous;Code when it comes out in September 😆 .. Loop8 was also epic. I haven't played a Zelda game in 32 years, btw.
Tears of the Kingdom so far, however, I expect it to be beaten by Pikmin 4 or most likely Starfield if it's as good as it looks.
Before Tears this'd be a tougher consideration, but it's TotK for sure.
As I've not played TotK yet I can not choose it. I'll have to go with Octopath Traveler 2.
That said, I found Fire Emblem: Engage very mediocre, I do not understand why it would come up in the conversation unless there's something in the DLC that salvages it (I put 40+ hours in the base game but didn't get the DLC).
It is difficult not to choose Tears of the Kingdom because it is no longer up against Nintendo's pre-December 2022 lineup.
Sparks of Hope didn't garner as much attention as I expected. The magic of a very spontaneous crossover has pretty much died down, for obvious reasons. It's just a sequel with a much less traditional gameplay style of tactical RPGs, but it's still just a sequel.
Engage is an example of trying to cater to everyone, and ultimately catering only to the veteran Fire Emblem fans.
Bayonetta Origins. People already had impressions on this game. I'm not sure how effective making a niche prequel spin-off helps for an already somewhat-niche franchise.
Tears of the Kingdom didn't even meet my expectations, but if we're looking at Game of the Year, the game is massively successful. However, only time will tell when people will begin to look at the game more critically. We're still in the early stages, pre-DLC too.
To me, the Switch is just an early concept of what hybrid gaming could be, but it's still got a long way to go in terms of running AAA, third-party games which Steam Deck is beating them by a wide mile in that area; but if I had to pick a goty for Switch it would probably be Metroid Prime Remastered.
I don't think I played anything the came out this year other than TOTK.
FFVI PR counts, I guess.
Octopath Traveler 2 easily my fave so far , I’ve sunk 105 hours in and very nearly ready to move on to something new
I'm glad some people liked Engage, because I couldn't wait for it to end. Loved Metroid Prime Remastered, and I think it's still higher in my favorite games of all time, but TotK is game of the year for me (so far)
I haven't really got a got, but I am playing some games I like, resi 4, uno
Not on switch but pizza tower
For my money Tears of the Kingdom is the best game of all time. The answer is obvious .
Would've liked to see this Poll without the obvious TOTK pick.
Mine is either The Legend of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom on Nintendo Switch or Humanity on PlayStation 5. I am looking for unique experiences, and so far, those have provided my standout moments of 2023.
Fire Emblem Engage
That game totally revamped my love of my favorite video game series. After breaking totally free of my gacha addiction, of which Fire Emblem Heroes was my favorite of the 3 I played, and FE Three Houses focusing too much on life simulation for my personal tastes, I had started to become wary of the series I held so dear to my heart. Played Engage and it reminded me why I love this epic series so much. The combat and gameplay loop just astounded me, it's my favorite combat system and gameplay loop of any game. It remained traditional in bringing back the weapon triangle and pristine tactical SRPG combat, but was innovative with the emblem ring/bracelet implementation, as that added so much more depth and complexity to the battlefield be that for your side or the enemies side. The graphics are pretty and the best of FE thus far, the battle animations were as tight as the GBA era, and the story didn't do a multiple path thing to make things overly convoluted, which was great in its simplicity. Loved Yunaka and Veyle as absolute character stand outs. Sommie cute AF!~ Anywho, I feel FE Engage is the absolute pinnacle of SRPGs for me. I genuinely can't wait for the next FE game.
did Kirby forgotten land come out this year? If so that's it. If not, it's Return to dreamland deluxe. Or Lego Builder's Journey on PC. Or Grim Guardians.
What a great year we've had already, only one game is head and shoulders above the rest
1 Zelda TOTK
2 Fire Emblem Engage
3 Metroid Prime Remastered
4 Advance Wars Reboot Camp
Honestly, for me it’s got to be Auralux. I fell in love with the demo and bought the full game. I’m going to finish the demo and then move over to the full game. It gives me a feeling I want from a game and that I feel I have been missing. This is a title which I know I’ll be playing for years.
@Ironcore It's hard to argue with an opinion, but I think I can safely say, no the GOTY 2023 is not a mobile game which came out on steam 7 years ago. What are you, the publisher?
@NinjaNicky It's a really strange one. I don't understand how anyone that spent circa 100 hours exploring BotW for Korok seeds can be anything but underwhelmed and bored by TotK's map.
TotK is a better game than BotW in that I would recommend playing TotK over BotW.
The problem is that if you have already played BotW, then I absolutely cannot recommend TotK!
My answer is a boring one: Tears of the Kingdom 😅
But I have played other games too! Sort of.
I hadn't played resi4 before (an embarrassing black spot in my gaming life) so playing through the remake was a treat. It was so good I'll probably have another run with it at a later date.
Street Fighter VI is great though I haven't had time to play any of its single player content, just been playing it online whenever my brother is around. Very good, haven't played a 2D fighter in a few years so I was looking forward to it.
I've also bought Engage and Prime remaster. The former I STILL haven't gotten around to but I have every intention off and unfortunately I couldn't get into the latter despite loving the 2-d entries. I do think I'll give it another shot one day though.
Still got to get the Xeno 3 DLC, Raincode and FFXVI but I think Zelda is a lock in for my GOTY.
@nocdaes I had BotW for about 3 weeks and sold it. I like open world games but the map was almost completely empty and fighting the same enemies over and over again got boring really quick. I'll admit it was the first Zelda game I've ever played so I didn't understand any of it but it reminded me of those free online mobile games. I was told by a mate to try Link's Awakening remaster when that was released and I enjoyed that one much more. It's more compact and you're not just running around collecting seeds like you say lol
Everyone is of course saying tears, but that one definitely didn’t reach the heights it should to be game of the year, no matter what anyone says (in my opinion, of course). Then metroid prime remastered apparently never really clicked for me because that’s another 10/10 game that was a 7/10 at best having finally played it. I’ve played a lot of enjoyable games so far but no real game of the year contenders yet. Sure, I could default to tears because it’s the biggest release but it’d just feel wrong. A good game with moments of greatness, but I’m sure I’ll play something I enjoy more this year. (Or magically remember a game that I forgot about, I play a lot of stuff so I lose track sometimes-)
I’d like to say Future Connected or Engage, but it has to be TotK for me
Metroid Prime Remastered honestly. Only 10/10 game from this year I played, including ToTK.
Landstalker is my favourite game of the year so far
@Poodlestargenerica I just dont play AAA games. Here's my collection. For further context. My most played game this year is crimsonland.
dekudeals.com/collection/gqfhbr89g9
Surprised at the negative comments towards totk.
Resident Evil 4 remake for me!
What game is the female character with cat ears from in the NL image at the top of the article?
Is it xeno3 dlc?
Great replies too folks. Lots of good suggestions
I realize this is a Nintendo site, but I would also be interested in everyone's favourite NONtendo game of the year (i.e. other than Nintendo games).
Especially because Tears is such a runaway answer. And seeing as this is the halfway point of the year, it would be interesting to know what Tears' biggest competitor is.
Resident Evil 4 Remake? Street Fighter 6? Diablo IV? Dave the Diver? Dead Space Remake? Hi-Fi Rush? Pizza Tower? Final Fantasy XVI?
My, not Nintendo Exclusive, top three are
1) Zelda TOTK
2) Resident Evil 4 Remake
3) Metroid Prime
I expect Diablo 4 would have been on the list if it hadn’t shipped so close to Zelda. As it did, I’ve so far only played the beta, but thoroughly enjoyed that. It’s sitting there ready to be the next game I hit up.
Having been playing Zelda exclusively for a nearly 2 months straight at this point with no end in sight, I forget how stacked the first few months of the year really were
after that i have no idea what has come out because I havent left Hyrule since XD
but this year has been awesome so far and tbh the second half looks better yet, Pikmin, Starfield, Detective Pikachu, Mario Wonder, Spider-man 2, Mario RPG, Avatar
2023 is gonna be an awesome year for games
Although Tears still takes the cake
1. TotK. A lot of content and it's just really good. I think it does deserve GOTY.
2. After playing the Pikmin 4 demo, I was surprised at how much fun it was. I'm not sure if it deserves a 2nd spot but it would be a contender for me.
3. Having not played Metroid Prime Remaster I can only assume people's opinions of it are fair and that it deserves a contender spot. It looks good. So I'll place it here anyway. I will give the game a try at some point.
Kirby as a series is really good imo. Not sure about Return to Dream Land Deluxe being GOTY but the series are good and it's a good Kirby game. Forgotten Land can easily be a GOTY contender for last year.
For me it's The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom but Fire Emblem Engage is right up there with it.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3FR, then Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. Zelda might be the better game, but personally for me XC3FR hit all the right notes and was a fantastic game. Plus Xenoblade is my favorite series of all time, so hard bias here. I'm also not finished with Zelda but I'm pretty darn close.
I get that exactly half of the year has just passed but still, why not wait for at least Pikmin 4 to come out before making this article?
Anyway, Tears of the Kingdom is definitely my GotY for now (have played it way less than others and haven't tackled the apparently divisive Fire Temple yet, but so far everything about it has been incredible), followed by Advance Wars Re-Boot Camp (better than ever, can't wait to finally finish these games this time), Engage (don't mind the simpler story - which to be fair I'm still enjoying in its own right-, especially when everything else is so good) and Return to Dream Land Deluxe (having to do Extra mode to 100% the game is kind of annoying, but other than that I love the game)!
Haven't played any of the other games mentioned yet or replayed Pikmin 1 and 2 (and this time finished them, but I'm also waiting for the physical edition) and Ghost Trick, but I definitely want to do so at some point!
Oh, and I'm really looking forward to all the games announced for the rest of the year like the above-mentioned Pikmin 4, Wonder, Super Mario RPG, WarioWare Move It, Detective Pikachu etc. and while I doubt any of those will take the place of Tears of the Kingdom as my GotY simply because of how big that game is in every sense, I expect the games following it to wildly change after playing those!
There are so many games midway through the year, but similarly to everyone else, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is my current GOTY. It’s quite possibly my favorite game of all time, which is crazy considering I didn’t like BoTW at all.
Runners up:
Octopath Traveler II
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Dead Space Remake
Hi-Fi Rush
Metroid Prime Remastered
Final Fantasy 16
Diablo IV
Possible contenders in the future:
Starfield
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario RPG
Spider-Man 2
Sea of Stars
Interesting that all of the possible contenders start with the letter S.
@Axecon i love xenoblade series as much as anyone here but honestly i found xenoblade 3FR had the same issues that 3 had too many plotholes and some of it didnt make any sense.
Had to go Bayonetta Origins on this one I’m working through it but I just absolutely love it from its visuals to its gameplay to its story it’s all just honestly so good that I can’t wait to play more all the time.
Do you HAVE to ask...? (hint: totk)
totk will have some stiff competition. for game of the year..i guess many here do no have a ps5..re4 is a fantastic remake..
later on you have spiderman 2 then starfield.. this is no slam dunk for totk..
There's no competition now that a new Zelda is out. Tears of the Kingdom is the best game I've played in a very, very long time.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It's the easy choice but the game is awesome. I couldn't get into BotW, for whatever reason, and with TotK being more of the same, I'm shocked I like it as much as I have but it just feels like a better product overall.
I don't believe in counting remasters/remakes of games in GOTY discussion, but if I did, then as much as I like Tears of the Kingdom, my vote would have to go to Metroid Prime Remastered. Over two decades later and that game still holds up phenomenally well and it's even better, imo, with the modern control option selected. Would love to see 2 and 3 get the same care, but I want MP 4 first.
For the Switch it is Bayonetta Origins. I didn't and won't play TotK unless it hits $30 or $40 one day in the far flung future so I can't judge it.
For other systems Hi Fi Rush and Street Fighter 6 are the best I've played this 1st half of the year.
People putting up remakes they like as goty material is as ridiculous as it is embarrassing.
Tears, easily.
Metroid Prime Remastered is so good, though. So that's in second place.
But Tears edges it out. I liked the Fire Temple myself, but navigating it can be a pain. Still, it's certainly more interesting than the four-shrines-stitched-together mid-ness of the Water Temple, I must say.
Wind and Lightning Temple are awesome, though. As long as you're not expecting them to be traditional Zelda dungeons and accept their relatively short length, they're a lot of fun and very immersive.
Plus the lead-up to all the dungeons is always incredible.
Tears of the Kingdom is probably the best game of all time and almost certainly the best game of 2023. I can't say it definitely is since I have not, in fact, played every game released so far this year, but let's be honest, it's 2023's GOTY easily.
its going to be the new Zelda, but im going to be that dude and say IMO new Zelda is BotW 1.2 with more filler. I wasn't impressed by it, Xenoblade still a better series of RPGs.
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