The
In a single year, we saw both Princess Zelda and Princess Peach take the reins of their own adventures. We saw the return of classics, in Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. We even saw some brilliant third-party games popping up on
While we’re all more than ready for the Nintendo Switch 2, there’s no doubting the “OG”
Table of Contents
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank
To kick off this list, let’s take it away with some kind words for Turnip Boy Robs a Bank, delivered by GamesHub Managing Editor, Steph Panecasio:
“Who could have predicted that one of my absolute favourite games of the year would involve the escapades of a thieving vegetable? Turnip Boy Robs A Bank is a truly delightful romp that had me grinning stupidly at my Switch for hours.”
Read: Turnip Boy Robs A Bank review – Full of beans (and assorted vegetables)
“From the art style to the dialogue and everything in between, this is a sequel that brings higher stakes, loftier goals, and one heck of a heist. I love this game so much – it’s so funny and sharp that it makes you feel like robbing a bank is the most reasonable thing in the world for a turnip to do.”
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
There were plenty of questions about Mario & Luigi: Brothership ahead of its launch. The Mario & Luigi series remains beloved, but without the guidance of AlphaDream, could Brothership live up to expectations? Delightfully, the answer to this was emphatically yes. This sequel is an absolute delight, and charts a new course for the franchise with delight and glee.
Read: Mario & Luigi: Brothership review – A stunning RPG infused with charm
It really is a cohesive adventure, buoyed by a commitment to a bright and colourful aesthetic, and a story that speaks of friendship and connection through rough waters. It’s all tied together with a brilliant turn-based combat system, and a sense of humour that buzzes with sharp wit. Don’t miss this game.
The Plucky Squire
The Plucky Squire, the debut title from All Possible Futures, is a real marvel. It’s brimming with cool, novel ideas and endearing characters, and made even sweeter by its innovative puzzles and creativity. There’s so many layers to this adventure. You’re roaming across story book pages. You’re leaping out of those pages, into the real world. You’re jumping into wordplay, taking part in rocket mini-games, playing a version of Magic: The Gathering. There’s so many elements here, and they’re all fantastic.
Read: The Plucky Squire review – A real page-turner
Across multiple chapters, protagonist Jot and his friends take on all manner of challenges, with each being more different and ambitious than the last. It makes The Plucky Squire a smorgasbord of cool ideas, all tied with a neat art style, a snappy story about persevering, and a wonderful message of embracing your inner joy.
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Princess Peach: Showtime! is an incredibly cutesy game, much like its starring protagonist, Princess Peach. It’s bright and colourful, and oh so feminine, with each level featuring a new costume to dress up in, and new mechanics to explore. In one level, Princess Peach is a figure skater, defeating enemies with whirls of power. In another, she’s a cowgirl riding through a Western town. No matter which costume she’s wearing, her journey is one of beauty and power.
Read: Princess Peach: Showtime! review – A well-earned spotlight
It’s a sight to behold – and most importantly, it just feels right. Princess Peach: Showtime! doesn’t attempt to make a “Mario” of Princess Peach. She doesn’t have to change herself to become an action hero. Rather, the game embraces her femininity, grace, and style, for an adventure that allows her true self to shine, in levels that are wonderful to experience.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown successfully reinvented the Prince of Persia formula, for an action-adventure “Metroidvania” that brims with edgy style, and is buoyed by a cool plot and incredibly snappy, satisfying mechanics that feel great on
Read: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown review – Sharp as a knife
Whether you’re a fan of the genre or not, there’s no doubt The Lost Crown is an impactful, well-designed Metroidvania that delivers plenty of reasons to keep forging ahead, and striving to see its final stanzas. Add in very cool boss fights, and fantastic post-game content, and you’ve got a real winner here.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door returned in remastered form this year, and this release for
Read: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Review
The Paper Mario series remains beloved, based largely on the strength of The Thousand-Year Door – and it’s easy to see why. It’s a game filled with memorable, wonderful characters, starring in a bizarre plot that charts deep and occasionally dark themes about the nature of living, and love. It really is an all-time classic, and it was great to see it returning to a
Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed
As with the previous entry, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a port of a classic
Read: Epic Mickey: Rebrushed review – All you need is a lick of paint
This game felt right at home on
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom attempted something fresh and new for the Legend of Zelda franchise, not only as Zelda is the protagonist, but also in its approach to exploration. As with Princess Peach: Showtime!, this game didn’t want to make Zelda into a “Link,” but instead aimed to elevate her strengths of creativity and kindness. To that end, Echoes of Wisdom relies on a novel building system that allows for a great degree of experimentation.
Read: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – Review
Presented with roadblocks, Zelda is able to literally build a bridge to get over them. Rather than fight solely in sword combat, Zelda can switch between a super-powered form and summoning creatures to fight on her behalf. It means you’ve got options – and with a clever eye, Echoes of Wisdom invites you to play within its sandbox, finding new and novel solutions to its many challenges.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is the third returning classic to appear on this list. In a year of great, novel adventures, we also had quite a few remasters and ports – and really, that speaks to the quality of
Read: Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD review – Dark Moon rising
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a greatly improved version of its predecessor, with a fresh lick of paint and a slight redesign to exploration allowing this game to shine brightly on
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Who knew Super Mario Party Jamboree would come out swinging in the final years of the
Read: Super Mario Party Jamboree review – Everyone is invited
Rather than simply releasing a standard compilation of new and returning mini-games,
There’s a whole bunch of new modes in this release, including standalone mini-games that could very well be their own games, and an entire campaign mode where players can “set up” their own Mario Party boards. Even when you play through a standard round of Mario Party, you can see the innovation and cleverness in this title, represented by brand new mini-games and boards, all put together with deft and passionate hands. This game really surprised me, and after years of being a game critic, that’s the best thing a game can do.