There is no other iOS game that I have found released this year that is better than Run Roo Run. Charming graphics, simplistic yet intuitive controls, satisfying gameplay and a plethora of levels that test both your mind and reflexes, Run Roo Run is the complete package for only one or two dollars depending whether you get it for the iPhone or iPad respectively. 5th Cell's first game for iOS is a game that no iDevice owner should miss.
Journey is easily one of the most unique experiences I had playing a game this year. There are no tutorials, no real instructions. You are just dropped into a seemingly baren desert with this profile of a mountain in the distance. The controls are simple yet incredibly intuitive, the graphics and art are just jaw dropping, the music is beautiful and the puzzles, while simple, are very charming and engaging. Journey is a soothing and relaxing experience that can easily be finished in one sitting, which makes the game easy to sit down and play again. I cannot stress enough how great of an experience Journey is. If there is one game on this list that I highly recommend every gamer go out of their way to play, it is Journey.
Nintendo may have took 20 years to release a new Kid Icarus game, but Uprising makes the time fans waited well worth it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is a labour of love from Masahiro Sakurai and Project Sora that brings Pit to the 21st century in style. While the controls can get in the way from time to time, the fast-paced action, witty fourth wall breaking banter, exciting story and fun multi-player experience sure make up for it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is easily the best 3DS game of 2012 and one 3DS owners should not miss.
One of the last great games for the Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles is a grand RPG adventure from Nintendo and Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles has an incredibly gripping story, fun real-time combat and an enormous world to explore with a huge amount of side quests to keep you occupied. I have played over 30 hours of Xenoblade and I barely scratched the surface of all the content in this Wii RPG. For a system that has been starving for RPGs, Xenoblade Chronicles stands tall as the pinnacle of RPGs on the Wii and for Japanese RPGs in this console generation.
The Last Story was the Wii's last story, pun intended. From the mind of the most recognizable name in Japanese RPGs, Hironobu Sakaguichi, The Last Story looks to take the Japanese RPG in new and innovative directions. The Last Story's biggest strength is its innovative real-time battle system that has you controlling the protagonist Zael while commanding the rest of your party to set up big combos of magic and physical attacks. Along with Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story is another great RPG for a system that sure has needs it.
Originally coming out for the Xbox 360 and PS3 in August, I did not get to try this excellent amalgamation of genres until I bought my Wii U in November. The combat of great action games like God of War and Devil May Cry, the loot system from classic dungeon crawlers like Diablo, the massive over world of an action adventure game like The Legend of Zelda, the parkour-like platforming of a Prince of Persia and the classic leveling and skill system of a classic RPG can all be found in Darksiders II, but Vigil Games takes all these elements and makes it their own. Vigil's effort has created a game that you can easily get lost in for hours at a time. While a few glitches may pop up from time-to-time, Darksiders II is an incredible game that no gamer should pass on.
Not many licensed games are worth playing; fewer are praised both by critics and fans. High Moon Studios' Transformers: Fall of Cybertron falls under those select few, no pun intended. Taking the great framework set by War for Cybertron, Fall of Cybertron takes players through an incredibly focused and diverse campaign that explores the Transformers' final days on their dying homeworld. Fall of Cybertron does justice to the Transformers like no other piece of media (TV show, comic or movie) has done for the franchise in the last number of years. Also it has one of the finest final levels I personally played all year.
Another year, another side-scrolling Mario. Many gamers, myself included, can remember a time when it was rare to see Gaming's Number One Plumber star in a brand new side-scrolling game. While Mario platformers are some of the finest games around, it is a little hard to get excited when it seems like one comes out every year. Seriously, we got two Mario platformers in 2012 alone. While I was not really excited for New Super Mario Bros. U, I still picked it up for my Wii U at launch. After putting the game in my brand new system, I learned once again to never doubt Nintendo. New Super Mario Bros. U is easily the best game in the New Super Mario Bros. subseries and can stand among Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3 as one of the best Mario platformers of all-time. The levels are expertly designed, the difficulty ramps up at the perfect pace (making use of all those lives you accumulate in earlier levels), there are a great number of secrets to find and plenty of modes like Challenges and multi-player that will keep you coming back for more Mario. The one game that all Wii U owners should pick up when they buy their brand new console and one of my personal favourite games of 2012.
