The year 2020 will definitely be remembered as the one where nothing exciting happened and everything was normal and not at all scary or life-changing. Probably.
At least we had some really great video games for the Nintendo Switch. Here are a few of my favorites.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars
For the first time, Nintendo packaged together three classic 3D Mario games on one cartridge. Sure, there are a number of different versions of Super Mario 64 out there, but Super Mario Galaxy isn't as easy to get and Super Mario Sunshine hasn't been available since the Gamecube days.
Besides the obvious nostalgia, these games serve as a reminder of the beauty and brilliance of Nintendo's flagship franchise. The depth of gameplay, the graphics, the smooth, butter-like controls (not you Sunshine) all make up a really fun playing experience.
And while Sunshine can be frustrating, it still contains innovative ideas that made it into future games, especially in terms of level scope and platforming. The best games are forests you can spend a day in and get lost. These three provide rewards for players of all and are just plain entertaining.
Favorite moment:
There's a level in Super Mario Sunshine called Pinna Park, where Mario has to stop an out of control ferris wheel. He has to climb behind the ride, up chain link fences with switches that are crawling with enemies. The camera is hard to control and can be pretty frustrating. Grabbing this shine feels extremely rewarding.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
When Nintendo announced a prequel to Breath of the Wild, collective eyebrows raised everywhere. Why not just continue the story? Do we really need to play through a narrative that ends so terribly?
Once I sat down with the game, though, I realized there was so much story to revel in, and so many characters to see in a new light. Robbie and Purah, for example, who are very old and weirdly young in Breath of the Wild, are almost brand new characters when they're in their prime.
All of the champions get more backstory, and you even get Zelda as a playable character. The game itself is quick and quite the departure from your regular Zelda fare, but that's what makes it special.
It's also strategic and dripping with insights into the hundred-year war if you're into Zelda canon. All in all, a great precursor to hold you over until the BOTW sequel comes out.
Favorite Moment:
Watching King Rhoam address a cavalry of Hyrule soldiers (including Link) while hordes of bokoblins and other enemies descend on them.
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Nintendo takes a lot of chances with fan-favorite franchises, some better received than others. Paper Mario is about, well, Mario if he were in paper form. It features some of the best characters from the franchise in a new story revolving around an evil origami antagonist.
It's cute on the surface but also poignant, fun, innovative, and interesting. While it has a battle system that leaves a lot to be desired, it makes up for it in humor and depth of gameplay (at least in boss fights). It takes you to surprising places and has that reliable Nintendo polish that makes it stand out as more than just a spinoff.
Origami King is a great mix of puzzle and action that rewards due diligence. Definitely an underrated title.
Favorite Moment:
Not to be too spoiler-y, but there's a part where a main character "dies," and how the other characters respond really adds emotional weight to the game.
Bioshock: The Collection
There's always a lighthouse! Okay, I know this is the second "collection" I'm picking but this dystopian sci-fi thriller first-person shooter is a classic.
Well, the second in the series loses some steam but the first introduced Big Daddies and Rapture and Little Sisters. It is a sprawling world straight out of a dystopian novel: Scary and full of action. Bioshock Infinite also changed the way we look at first-person shooters. Honestly, that's the Bioshock legacy – it redefined what is possible in the genre. The games are great whether you're playing them for the first time, or revisiting them after years away. All three hold up.
Favorite Moment
This is a tough one, but it would have to be barely escaping with Elizabeth from Songbird in Infinite. That mechanical screeching and his blood-red eye are terrifying.
At this point, you might be thinking I didn't play any new games at all, and only played reissues of old games that came out this year. Well, you're kind of right.
Pikmin 3 came out on the Wii U in 2013, but the remake for the Switch came out this year. Pikmin is an anomaly. There aren't a lot of games like it and it doesn't fit neatly into any category. You control aliens and different colored Pikmin with unique abilities. Some fly, while others swim or even conduct electricity.
It's a strategy game built around timing and organizational skills. There's a bit of a learning curve and can be fairly frustrating if you don't know what you're doing. But it's not punishing. The game guides you along and teaches you every mechanic one by one, all while increasing the difficulty in a way that feels fair and satisfying.
One of the best parts is the ability to get lost and play your own way.
Favorite Moment
Growing your fruit reserves slowly and steadily is a great feeling, and so is completing a puzzle and getting back to the ship without sacrificing any Pikmin.
