2015 has come to an end and what better way to celebrate than to look back at all the great games we played? This is a bit more than just a “Game of the Year” list, as it includes any and all games that I’ve played in 2015, regardless of release date. Additionally, we reviewed some of the games I’ll be listing, so just click on the underlined games to check those reviews out! Now, before I get into the list proper, I’d like to give a shout out to a few “Honorable Mentions” that I think deserve to be on my top 10 list, but didn’t include for one reason or another.

Honorable Mentions:

Codename: S.T.E.A.M. (3DS)

A great strategy game that would probably be on my top 10 list had I ever finished it (I have a bad tendency to not finish games). Love the comic-inspired art style, Lovecraftian monster designs and turn-based strategy gameplay. Definitely a game I’d like to finish one day.

Borderlands: The Handsome Collection (PS4)

I’ve been playing Borderlands 2 every year since it came out in 2012 and 2015 was no exception. It’s one of my favorites games and even though I got the Handsome Collection (which includes an HD version of BL2) in 2015, I didn’t think it’d be fair to put it on my list considering how many times I’ve played it before.

Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt (PS4)

This is an absolutely fantastic game, but I only just got it for Christmas so while I did first play it in 2015, I’m not nearly far enough into the game for it to appear on my 2015 list. (However, don’t be surprised if it show’s up on next year’s list)

10 - Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition (Wii U)

Over the summer, Humble Bundle had a “Nindie (contraction of “Nintendo-Indie” for those who don’t know) Bundle.” Seeing this as a great opportunity to get to play some new games on my Wii U, I decided to donate a few bucks for the full bundle and while not all the included games were winners, Guacamelee was the one that totally blew me away. A Metroidvania-style platformer with an absolutely GORGEOUS art style, I had a total blast playing Guacamelee, whether it was exploring the giant world, learning crazy attack moves and combos, or fighting giant undead boss fights.

9 - Far Cry 4 (PS4)

When I first got my PS4 in late 2015, I was excited to finally get to go back and play all the games I’d missed out of since the system launched. I managed to get Far Cry 4 for a great price, so it became the first of those games that I got to play. What I really loved the most about Far Cry 4 was the exploration, as I had a great time getting to explore the vast and beautiful fictional country of Kyrat. It was always such a treat everytime I discovered a new temple or animal, or when I climbed to the top of a mountain and was rewarded with a gorgeous view. The exploration, coupled with tight FPS action and a decent story, made Far Cry 4 one of the best games I’ve played this year.

8 - Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (Wii U)

Late 2014 was the first time I’d ever heard of Shantae. I was browsing Kickstarter, as I do occasionally, and I saw the Kickstarter for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. I really liked the art style, so I thought “What the heck, I’ll throw ‘em a few bucks.” A few months later, I finally decided to buy the previous entry in the series, Pirate’s Curse, and I’m totally glad I did. This game was so much fun, full of funny dialogue, loveable characters and great action-platformer gameplay. Anyone looking for a great Metroidvania-style game (I’m a bit of a sucker for these kind of games, if you can’t tell) or really just a great game in general, definitely give Shantae a chance.

7 - Undertale (PC)

One of the most popular games of the year, Toby Fox’s Undertale has no doubt shown up on countless “Top 2015 Games” lists and with good reason. Undertale is an RPG where every choice you make matters, with the game ending in any one of three major endings depending on how you played. Undertale’s main draws are its focus on player choice, loveable characters, interesting story and its fantastic soundtrack. However, the reason Undertale is so low on my list is its gameplay, or general lack thereof. The majority of this game is simply walking from one story event to another, with a few random encounters with weak enemies in between. This brings me to my next point, being that, barring a couple of boss fights, this game can be laughably easy and generally boring. Don’t get me wrong, I genuinely enjoyed a number of the boss fights, only problem is that they’re typically not much of a challenge and there isn’t anything in between them to break up the game’s monotony.

6 - Super Mario Bros 3 (Wii U Virtual Console)

I’ve been a fan of the Mario series since I was a little kid (Super Mario World was, and still is, my favorite), but I’d actually never played SMB3 until 2015. Let me just say, I now understand why this game is revered as one of the greatest platformers of all-time. Filled to the brim with fun, challenging levels, great music and that classic Mario charm, SMB3 stands out as classic game that absolutely managed to live up to the hype.

5 - Splatoon (Wii U)

Easily Nintendo’s biggest release of the year, Splatoon proved to be a major success for the company, selling over a million copies worldwide soon after release. As soon as I got the game (it came out right around my birthday), I spent a ton of hours in the single player and amiibo challenge mode and, man, did I have a blast. It was awesome seeing Nintendo try something entirely new and they totally nailed it on the single player mode, which was a ton of fun. The final boss was especially fantastic and it was easily one of the best final bosses I’ve had the pleasure of fighting in a loooong time. Also, I should really mention how much I absolutely adore this game’s style. The character designs, music, dialogue, stages, clothes, etc. I love all of it. While it may not be my number one, Splatoon easily the most charming game I’ve played this year. Only thing keeping Splatoon from being higher up on my list is that, unfortunately, I’m not the biggest fan of multiplayer and since the single player was relatively short, I didn’t get to spend as much time in the world of Splatoon as I would’ve liked to.

4- Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (3DS)

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been playing (and absolutely loving) Legend of Zelda games, but there’s also been the one title in the series that I’d never had the chance to play: Majora’s Mask. This N64 classic is beloved by Zelda fans around the world for its unique dark atmosphere, time-based gameplay, transformations, and slew of entertaining side-quests; all of which set it apart from every other entry in the series. After having finally gotten to experience this game on the 3DS, I can easily say that it ranks among the best games I’ve played this year and that it’s easily one of my favorite games in the series.

3 - Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)

Coming in at number three is Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate for the 3DS. Gotta admit, I was super unsure going into this game, as I’d heard that it could be slow, grind-heavy, complicated, etc., and was worried that it wasn’t going to be a game I could get into; however, I don’t think I could’ve possibly been more wrong. MH4U is easily one of the best games I’ve played this year: I’ve had a ton of fun playing with its deep combat and customization systems and the slow, deliberate gameplay never seems to get boring, even when I have to grind for materials to make new armor/weapons.

2 - Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4)

I have a long history with the Batman: Arkham series, as Arkham Asylum was the reason I got a PS3 and Arkham City is one of my favorite games of all time. So, as you can imagine, when Arkham Knight was announced, my hype meter was turned all the way up to 11. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get it when it first came out, as I had no PS4 and no money to buy one, but you can bet that as soon as I got one, Arkham Knight was one of the first games I bought (and played to near completion). While I understand that some people weren’t happy with Arkham Knight, for totally understandable, I absolutely loved it. Returning to the world of Batman: Arkham felt like revisiting an old friend. Sure, he may have been a little bit obsessed with his new car, but it was just so great to be back. A fantastic finale to one of my favorite game series of all time.

1  - Shovel Knight (Wii U)

I really love Shovel Knight. No wait, I really, really love Shovel Knight. More so than any other game in recent memory, Shovel Knight managed to perfectly capture the NES era style of platformers and blend it with its own unique style. I’m a big fan of the Platformer genre, but rarely do I find myself feeling the need to replay them. This wasn’t the case with Shovel Knight, which I’ve played through several times, as well as playing through the DLC Plague of Shadows campaign. It’s the perfect combination of fun, engaging gameplay, a wonderfully retro soundtrack (which I liked enough to buy and listen to regularly), beautiful pixel art and a genuinely fun world brimming with adventure.