Two Wii U Hits Are Included in TIME's Top 10 Games of 2015

Now I'm wondering what eight other games they could have possibly ranked above Splatoon.

@Dr_Corndog Probably better games.

@VanillaLake read the list if you want to know. And in my opinion, Mario maker and splatoon should be higher up then lots of the games they did put in this list.

@Dr_Corndog Here's the rest for ya:
9. Undertale
8. Arkham Knight
7. Ryan North's "To Be Or Not to Be"
5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
4. Her Story
3. MGS V
2. Rise of the Tomb Raider
1. Prune (I honestly had no idea what that even was before reading this list.)
Also, isn't it a bit early to do this? Shouldn't we wait until the year actually ends?

@Dr_Corndog @VanillaLake This seemed fitting :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEPx6cnsArw&t=0m16s

@Dr_Corndog Well said.

#1 is some random iOS game, but other than that the list looks pretty spot on.

I think that's the weirdest top ten list I've ever seen.

Nintendo. Lessons are: feed your retro-core-gamers. Feed your creative gamers. Let your younger developers go mad with new game designs fueled by their own histories of gaming.

Also, challenge: turn award winning games into sales somehow.

An iPhone game is their GOTY? There goes all the credibility.

@VanillaLake Exactly my point: what better games?

Now, having looked at the list, I won't outright disagree with any of them making the top ten. I wonder about two or three, but I won't make a definitive statement. At least there's no BlOps III.

I'm surprised at the lack of Fallout 4 on that list.

They forgot Yoshi's Woolly World and Xenoblade Chronicles X.

I'm going to say that Xenoblade X wasn't even in contention. Which is stupid.

Ugh. Well, there were three games (one by Nintendo) on that list that looked worth trying at least. The rest... ugh.

I don't see why these groups don't wait until after the end of the year to make lists like this. This is completely ignoring any potential December releases.

@NintendoFan64 Yes they should have waited until the real game of the year comes out. Xenoblade X. If you haven't imported the Japanese version and played it then you need to buy it next week and experience the majesty

@Donutman It's normal that people say that Splatoon is better than every other game in the list, it's normal because this is Nintendo Life. Thanks for the list.

@WireWare ...

@Dr_Corndog Naturally, I haven't played all the games on that list, but at first glance I can tell Metal Gear Solid Phantom Pain is much better than Splatoon, overall. I loved Tomb Raider 2013 but I haven't played Rise of. Anyway, all these top games lists are just as important as any other list we could make on our own. I like them when they are more extensive because you can learn about some games that you might have missed. It's a good idea to visit metacritic.com and sort a list for each platform so you can see what's supposedly the best on each console, not according to one person or one website but according to lots of them.

Prune was #1?! You have to be kidding me! Lol, I made then give me a refund hahahahaha

This was definitely an interesting year in that Nintendo released a bunch of forgettable titles, but also at least two of the defining Wii U games in Splatoon and Mario Maker. Personally, I'd rather get a more solid lineup all around, even if it means not getting stuff quite as brilliant as those two.

I'm suprised Undertale made it in the top ten list.

These big publications usually list some pretentious mobile game as their GOTY pick, for whatever reason.

The lack of consideration for handheld releases is annoying, as usual.

Not trusting TIME. They put Anita Sarkessian as one of their most influental people, despite everyone on their website voting her no.

@Ralizah Phone counts as handheld, right? Kappa

It's a relatively 'politically correct' list isn't it? No exclusives for either XB1 or PS4 (At least next year Tomb Raider will be multiplat when nobody cares), 4 3rd party productions- one British, one Polish, one Japanese, and one US/Canadian. Two iPhone games (I think?), Two PC games, and Two Nintendo. No mention of either Halo 5 or Bloodbourne so as not to look bias.

I don't think you can say 'this is the best games this year in exact order'- I think you can say 'this is a list of games that caters for all tastes and will make sure all platform owners not feel particularly enraged'.

I feel like the list is too early. Xenoblade hasn't come out and if smaller games are on here, then we can't call this list done until after Christmas IMO.

The most interesting thing to me about this list was Her Story, which I hadn't even ever heard about. It's definitely earned my curiosity, that one.

Congrats to Mario Maker and Splatoon, by the way.

All those iOS games on the same list with the console games gives me a headache.

Unless Prune becomes the next Minecraft it can't be #1. And I don't get Fallout 4 not being on the list but Batman and MGSV are when ev ery thing I've read said F4 was better than MGS and as good as Batman.

And XCX is still coming in out, but I can't tell if the list reviewers even Co side red it or not.

And Splatoon > SMM

Both are AWESOME TITLES , Yoshi should be on the list it is another awesome title .

Undertale I first heard of by Jim F. Sterling Son's recommendation (though its image to anyone who's yet to look into it — myself keeping willful ignorance until I finally buying it — may be tarnished by what looks to be another Tumblr-tier fanbase), "To Be or Not to Be" I remember from Touch Arcade's coverage, where I also added Prune to my watch list, though can't say as I remember what it's about. To round out this "this which I ought play what soon like", Her Story I've peeped into on Steam. Only one of these I've first-handed, though, is Splatoon.

Yet another 2015 Top Ten or award thing for the "whole year" ignoring the December games...Poor Xenoblade has no chance for awards and accolades solely because of timing. Will they do this next year when Zelda Wii U releases in November/December(The most likely release time, I think)? These kinds of things should really wait until January.

@NintendoFan64 That list is terrible.

Arkham knight is on the list? What populist tripe xD

@MrRight well, it...it's certainly something...

How did Splatoon and Mario Maker make into their top 10 list?
I keeping hearing and reading about how every Nintendo game that has released and is still set to release are nothing but Cash Grabs and Shovelware for all of 2015.

I prefer my list.

@C-Olimar inversely your comment reeks of elitism? see it goes both ways

@NintendoFan64 but's thats 11

Any game that releases completely broken should not be on a top 10 list. Arkham Knight doesn't deserve to be placed that high. Then again, Skyrim won game of the year despite it's many MANY issues.

Well done Nintendo, well sort of........ Nothing is the top three?

That would take a single player killer Super Mario or Zelda game. Yes the Splatoon's and Mario Maker's will sell because Wii U owners have to play something.

Never would've guessed Prune would be their best game of the year. Also, I feel like this list is missing a few significant games; at the moment I'm recalling Bloodborne and Fallout 4 but I'm sure I'm missing a few.

There was a time when it probably would have been the other way around, and 8 of the games on such as list would have been Nintendo games, or at least on Nintendo platforms.

I'm talking like back in the NES and SNES eras.

That's how dominant, and indeed truly all-round great, Nintendo used to be.

Happy to see a couple of Nintendo games still up there though, and I think Super Mario Maker really does deserve it.

Where is Mario Kart 8, Smash n Bayonetta on this list.

@VanillaLake Oh, believe me, I keep up with more than NintendoLife. And as a huge MGS fan, MGSV was on my mind before even clicking on the link. I was speaking to the quality of Splatoon, and to the media's tendency to overrate certain serialized franchises.

@Dr_Corndog That is something that can be said about Nintendo franchises, too. I have bought games because they got 9/10 on Nintendo Life only to find out how mediocre and disappointing those games were (I'm not talking about Splatoon, but one example is New Super Mario Bros. 2). Not all but some Nintendo Life reviewers are extremely generous with Nintendo games, while others Nintendo reviewers are extremely forgiving with indie games that are too limited, repetitive and dull to get a 9 or 10. Yes, I don't trust reviews any more, I usually read a lot of them if I'm not sure about getting a game (Xenoblade Chronicles X will be a good example of this), but no more 9s can make me buy a game and no more 6s or 7s can make me not buy a game (Maiden of Black Water). Splatoon is a good game overall, but is lacking enough to not be considered the game of the year. However, I believe the lack of online games on Wii U and on Nintendo consoles in general makes the game much more appealing.

@fungusar What do you mean that's 11? If you throw in Splatoon and Mario Maker onto that list, it's 10.

That list looks pretty good overall. Rise of the Tomb Raider I can already say is my GOTY. And I'm glad that they didn't put fall out 4 on that list, that game is broken but gets a free pass for what ever reason and that's not cool at all. With Xenoblade I don't think that game is for everyone, it doesn't have that mass appeal or name recognition. Batman I loved this year, MGSV I was let down with because it's not a real Metal Gear game, story wise anyway. Witcher 3 just has to much thrown at you that feels overwhelming, enough to just make you stop playing. And prune looks more like an experience than a game, kind of like journey was a few years ago.

@aaronsullivan Give this man a Mars bar.

I'm fairly certain a game about growing trees by cutting branches off isn't the best thing on offer in the world of gaming this year.

Spot on observations guys. Time purposefully makes this list early, usually the beginning of December, to push sales. Its an American marketing technique that drives consumers to be better informed when purchasing.
Like it or not, Xenoblade wasn't on there because of 1) negative press over censorship and 2) because it isn't really that unique of a game.
Its a pretty good game (having played the superior Japanese version) but it's become familiar now. Splatoon is very unique and MM is a definitive Wii U experience. They shy away from exclusives (save mobile titles) so that more people can experience these titles.
Buying a new console is a big investment for many consumers and they need to know what is and what isn't worth their investment. Hence multiplats and no handheld games.

I don't think it's fair to put out these lists before the end of the year. How is "Xenoblade Chronicles X" supposed to get any acclaim at this rate?

how is SMM higher than splatoon? the heck?

lol iOS game on top/

@Baker1000 True, there must be something cooler than watching a screen and occasionally swiping a branch off a tree, then watching some more...

Though the spiteful and knee-jerk disdain for anything mobile being shown here is pretty childish, a case of sour grapes maybe?

Finally: "Arkham knight"? REALLY? They yanked the PC-version for being unplayably buggy, they recently re-released it and i read it's still a mess, nonsense like that should at least keep a game out of top 10 lists...

@johnodaz I hope you're joking.

@chewytapeworm The more Nintendo games on the list the better I say.

@Pahvi For the same reason movies and tv shows have different lists. And books and newspapers. Mobile and home console games are 2 different things. Maybe in the future they won't be, but for now they still are.

Agreed, and great games for sure, but I believe all three were released last year!