As the 21st century passed from its teens into its twenties, we looked back over the previous ten years in the video game industry. It was quite the rollercoaster journey for Nintendo in particular, riding the highs of the Wii and DS period through the trials of the Wii U and 3DS era right up to the success of Nintendo Switch. As developers continue to push the boundaries of the medium things, and so much variety available across all consoles, it's a truly exciting time to be playing and sharing video games.

We asked Nintendo Life readers to rate their favourite games of the previous decade on Nintendo consoles and their ratings created the following ranked selection of the very best games between January 2010 and December 2019. Remember, even after publication this list remains malleable and will change to reflect the User Ratings of Nintendo Life readers, so don't worry if you didn't rate your favourites. Simply head to the corresponding game page, hover over the Game Rating star and click to score your chosen title.

Enough talk, let's take a walk through your Nintendo console Games of the Decade 2010-2019...

50. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana Switch

With fun, fast-paced combat, likeable characters, and an enjoyable story that takes full advantage of its beautiful shipwrecked setting, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a top-shelf action RPG.

Exploring the Isle of Seiren is as rewarding as mastering the character-swapping and hack-and-slash battle system, and both fit into an addictive feedback loop of adventuring that keeps everything moving at a quick clip.

The inconsistent image quality in handheld mode is a small blemish on an otherwise polished production, but this is a fantastic way to play Ys VIII, one of the very best action RPGs on the Switch and a true gem.

49. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove Switch eShop

Shovel Knight was excellent in vanilla form, but Treasure Trove includes absolutely everything that developer Yacht Club has created for the game since its Kickstarter success back in 2013.

That includes the extra campaigns Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, and King of Cards, plus multiplayer brawler Showdown, which further increases the attractiveness of an already incredibly compelling package.

These games are fantastic odes to the glory days of 8-bit(+) platforming, and having the complete Shovel Knight experience in one spot makes this a must-have for Switch owners - especially those who have so far failed to dig into this game and its add-ons. Strike the earth!

48. Pikmin 3 Wii U

Beautifully crafted and filled to the brim with exciting gameplay features, Pikmin 3 is a worthy instalment in Nintendo's quirky strategy series.

The core gameplay mechanics remain true to the GameCube originals, but were further enhanced by the unique features of the Wii U GamePad, although you could still use your Wii Remote and Nunchuk (honestly, the 'Deluxe' Switch port offers further proof that the GamePad really was a peripheral option here).

A few minor issues here and there arguably prevented it from reaching the heights of its predecessors, but the Wii U's HD sheen made the fruit hauled by your little plant-based helpers look more delicious than ever.

47. Ori And The Blind Forest: Definitive Edition Switch eShop

What we have here is a flawless port of a game which absolutely deserves all of the praise it has received. From start to finish, Ori and the Blind Forest is a real joy to play. Challenging yet never feeling unfair or discouraging, and almost relaxing to control. The mesmerising art style and musical score are the icing on the cake that makes the player actually care about the protagonist and want to keep playing to the game’s conclusion. It was a bit of a surprise to see this game make its way to the Nintendo Switch, but we’re glad that it did. An unmissable experience.

46. Bayonetta 2 Wii U

Bayonetta 2 is a must-buy for action gaming fans. It's fast, intense and ridiculous, all with an entertaining story and a protagonist who is forever subverting and playing with her audience. It's pure Platinum Games, and one of the Wii U's best games — a rare arrival on that system that was unashamedly violent, gory and mature, while still mischievously winking at the player.

Of course, the Switch port is the easier way to play it these days, but regardless of platform, Bayonetta 2 is brilliant, brash, and impossible to ignore.

45. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King 3DS

Originally released on PS2, this 3DS remake is yet another brilliant instalment in the legendary series. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King showcases its trademark style with great music, a memorable roster of characters and all the quality-of-life improvements you’d expect with a more modern remake of an RPG classic. Incredibly, this was the first game in the mainline series to launch in PAL regions, and it was also the first to ditch the 'Warrior' from the North American version.

The 3DS version adds new characters, too, so many consider this the definitive version of an all-time favourite. And, unlike some other games in the franchise, its sprightly pace makes it an excellent choice for new players, too. 200-hour grinds are all well and good, but how are you going to fit in all the other 3DS gems?

44. Bayonetta 2 Switch

Despite coming from the previous generation, Bayonetta 2 shines brightest on Switch. It runs without a hitch at 60fps, looks incredible in both TV and tabletop modes, and offers an addictive free-flowing combat formula that sprinkles in platforming, light exploration and a ridiculous story to create something that you simply need to experience.

If you’ve never played it before, you’re in for a treat. If you’ve already played it, it’s even more bewitching as a handheld gem.

42. Stardew Valley Switch eShop

Stardew Valley offers a chance to live a second life – one where you can forget the troubles of the real world and get excited over finding a particularly rare carrot.

This is the sort of game that ideally requires a significant amount of time to be invested; the enjoyment doesn’t necessarily come from the day-to-day actions, but rather from the general growth of pride, satisfaction, and sense of security as the days go by.

It is a truly magical experience; games can often be enjoyable but they don’t all manage to be as captivating as this. Fans of Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing will be right at home here and, for those who aren’t, Stardew might just surprise you.

41. Donkey Kong Country Returns Wii

This revival of Rare's treasured Donkey Kong Country series came after developer Retro Studios had successfully reinvented Nintendo's Metroid as an exploratory first-person shooter, so we shouldn't have been surprised that the team was able to recapture the spirit of that 16-bit platformer series three console generations later with Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, just how good the 2010 game turned out still came as a big shock.

The 3DS port was equally impressive, although having played the excellent Tropical Freeze, it's tougher to return (ahem) to Returns these days, even Forever Entertainment's Switch port which combines the two versions into an HD dish with the tiniest dusting of tweaks.

Still, when it comes to resurrections, Retro was Nintendo's go-to studio for a long minute there and DKC swung back in fabulous form on Wii.