10. Sonic Forces (PC, PS4, XBO, NS)
I can already see some people rolling their eyes, flabbergasted by the inclusion of this one. Yes, critics and fans made their disdain for Sonic Forces known far and wide but as for me, well, I don't think Sonic Forces is the dumpster fire it has been made out to be.
You've got three different characters to play as in the form of Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic and the Avatar, your own custom character. Classic Sonic plays similar to the way he did in Sonic Generations only a bit worse but his stages are still perfectly playable. Modern Sonic uses boost gameplay and while his levels are littered with sections that you can just blow through, there are still plenty of paltforming sections where going fast will not be in your favor. The Avatar's stages outfit you with Wispons, a weaponized version of the Wisps, great for taking out the hordes of enemies in your way or cutting seconds off your stage time. With the Avatar you can choose from seven species and outfit him or her with a plethora of clothing items. Wanna dress your character robot hands? Knuckles shoes? A Metal Sonic shirt? Go nuts. Sonic Forces practically drowns you in new stuff for you to have your OC wear.
The levels in Sonic Forces are on the short side and that has drawn a ton of criticism. The game also has what very well may be the most automation from any Sonic game. In spite of this, I still found the levels quite enjoyable to romp through. The short length of the stages lend themselves greatly to replaying for better times and the Red Rings scattered throughout the stages give you a reason to explore and show that the levels aren't quite as linear as so many have stated.
Despite the grim scenario of Eggman taking over 99% of the world, Sonic and company are still their usual selves. Infinite isn't gonna win any villain of the year awards but he is still pretty entertaining. Some have called the Avatar character a case of pandering to the fans that create OCs. While there may be some truth to that, it is still one of Sonic Fores' greatest strengths. There's another Sonic game on this list that is guilty of pandering and while it is on a different level, it is still pandering all the same.
09. Battle Garegga Rev. 2016 (PS4, XBO)
For the longest time, gamers only had two options for playing this 1996 arcade shooter: MAME or the incredibly expensive Saturn import. M2, the masters of spot-on emulations of many a SEGA classic, are responsible for giving Battle Garegga a release outside of Japan.
Battle Garegga Rev. 2016 was released a year go to commorate the 20th anniversary of the co-op shooter. Being the definitive version of the game, Rev. 2016 gives you a slew of options. Do you love Manabu Namiki's original arcade music? You can play with that as your background music. Would you prefer the arranged Saturn soundtrack? Well, its here for your listening pleasure. Or perhaps you'd like the more remastered Rev. 2016 soundtrack that sounds a touch clearer than than 1996 jams. It doesn't just stop with the music options. You can use free play to make it through to the ending credits (once you play enough to unlock it, that is) as well as turn on the M2 Gadgets to displays all sorts of helpful information like the song name and your current rank, that last bit, being extremely important.
Battle Garegga uses what can be called dynamic difficulty. Your actions are the deciding factor of what your rank is. Raising your rank sky high is as easy as shooting non stop, grabbing every single power up you come across and having little to no deaths. If your rank is very high, the difficulty can get so bad that completing later stages can be impossible unless you're really, really, reaaaaaaallly good at this game and know it inside and out. If things are getting dicey and you want to turn the heat off, you can always die a few times to lower your rank. Battle Garegga's difficulty is controversial to be sure, but that doesn't prevent it from being an outstanding shooter. You can always play on super easy, which turns off the game's ranking mode entirely. There's still some challenge in playing on this mode because if you use a continue, you are disqualified from entering your intitials on the game's high score screen just as you would be the standard difficulty setting.
With four ships to choose from, several soudntracks and a plethora of other options, Battle Garegga Rev. 2016 is well worth checking out. $34.99 may make taking the plunge for this game a bit tough, but there's plenty of replay value here.
08. Mighty Gunvolt Burst (NS, 3DS)
You mighty be inclined to steer clear of any game involving Beck from Mighty No. 9. And if you did that, you'd be missing out on one of 2017's best 2D retro inspired action platforming games. Besides, not only is Beck in this Mega Man-like game, so is Gunvolt of Azure Striker Gunvolt fame.
Mighty Gunvolt Burst is Mega Man-ish but the game still does it's own thing. Level selection is non-liner, once you reach the end of the level, you face off with the boss, but rather than obtain the bosses weapon, you'll customize various weapon setups. From bullet size to wave and curved shots, how you take down the opposition is entirely up to you. The more parts you find, the great the scope of customization. Walls that look perfectly normal can sometimes be destroyed, hiding a custom part for you to tinker with. You can even get parts that allow you to do some wicked air dashing.
The bosses are pretty fun to take down and once you whittle down their health, they unleash more devastating attacks a la Mighty No. 9. You can go through the game in a could of hours and the last boss is a laugh meme riot, but there's still plenty of replay value for completing the game with both Beck and Gunvolt. And if you've already gone through the game with those two, Ray, Copen and Kurona are DLC characters to give you a new spin on what is already a fantastic game.
07. Blaster Master Zero (NS, 3DS)
As I was making this list, I realized that quite a few remakes are taking up space on it. If it is of amy consolation, the most time I've spent with an original of the remakes here is entry number four. But I digress.
There have been several games in the Blaster Master series but many would agree that the NES version is the easily the best of the bunch. With that in mind, it isn't too surprising that the NES Blaster Master is the one that Inti Creates would choose for a remake. And what a remake it is.
There have been many takes in the video game medium, all of them pale in comparison to the all mighty SOPHIA. For one, SOPHIA can jump, which already puts her above every single vehicle with treads ever. As killer as SOPHIA is, she can't do all the work. On many occasions, Jason Frudnick will have to leave his pride and joy to take out the mutants running a muck in the subterranean world. Unlike SOPHIA's 2D sections, Jason goes through mostly top down areas to defeat bosses, kill anything that moves and snatch chips to upgrade SOPHIA so she can do sick tricks like cling to the walls and ceilings.
Blaster Master Zero places more emphasis on the story than the NES version and for better or for worse, it isn't nearly has hard as the original, bearing one or two bosses. Most of the music is also brand new. If you're a fan of the original game and can get past these things or you've never played the original, jump into SOPHIA and do some mutant slaying. This game is so good that Gunvolt, Shantae and Shovel Knight joined the party as DLC.
06. Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (PS4, NS, XBO, PC)
Originally released in 1989 for the Sega Master System and widely regarded as one of the system's best games, this oldie received a stunningly beautiful hand drawn visual remake. The game was also given an outstanding arranged soundtracks with real instruments.
Your quest beings at the ironically titled Last Dungeon. A confrontation with Mecha Dragon ends with you being cursed with the form of the Lizard Man. Your search for a cure leads you in conflict with other dragons that, wouldn't you know it, also have curses to bestow upon you. These curses, however, aren't without their benefits. As Lizard Man, you can duck and being able to breath fire gives you long ranged attacks. Mouse Man can cling to certain walls. Bird Man can fly, Fish Man can swim and so forth.
As you make your way through this strange land, you'll collect money to outfit yourself with better weapons and armor because even cursed critters need the best protection. Sunken ships, ancient Japanese Castles and dark forests are but a few of the memorable locals you'll trek through to regain your humanity. Being an old game, you'll probably get your butt handed to you on more than several occasions but The Dragon's Trap is certainly no controller breaker.
I have no nostalgic feelings towards the original game as I never played it until early 2017. Even so, I was highly engrossed in this adventure from start to finish. The hand drawn visuals and soundtrack are nothing short of superb but if those aren't your cup of tea you can switch to the old Sega Master System visuals and soundtrack with the press of a button or combine one with the other. Take notes, developers. This is how you do a remake to please both old and new players. You can even play as Wonder Girl!
05. Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)
Would a brand spanking new Metroid game have been nice instead of a remake? Oh, most certainly. But when the game that is getting remade, or as Nintendo puts it, re-imagined, is the long overdue for the treatment, Metroid II: Return of Samus, which is, story wise, arguably one of the most important games in the series, you can bet your sweet booty that I have zero qualms with it.
Samus Returns wasn't developed by Nintendo or one of their second parties, but was handled by Mercury Steam of the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games fame. As Nintendo always does with anyone that handles one of their IPs, they kept a watchful eye on development and Yoshio Sakamoto also served as producer for the game. To say Samus Returns turned out good would be a huge understatement. The game perfectly captures the look, feel and sound of a Metroid game to a T. SR388, is dark, hostile and the locals are nasty, especially the Metroids. You're on the Metroid's home turf so don't expect those cute, squishy looking things that are generally used to represent the Metroid species. Metroids on SR388 are big, mean and they can take a hit. They also come in several different types, the omega variety hit like a freight trains. Don't feel bad if you get some game overs.
The new melee counter is great for knocking enemies for a loop (Sakurai, make this a part of Samus' move set in the next Smash, please and thank you) but you still need to be able to dodge and competent enough to hold your own in a fight. Samus' crazy back hand skills aren't the only new abilities she's packing. Along with the Gravity Suit, Screw Attack and Morph Ball, Samus can find and use Aeion abilities like Scan to show you where destructible blocks are, or Lightning armor to reduce damage. Samus is also packing the ability to hang from ledges and full 360 aiming. It takes some time getting used to controlling with the thumb pad, but combat is all the better for it. I am all for Mercury Steam developing another Metroid game in the future.
04: Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (PS4)
I have not played the original Crash Bandicoot trilogy since I finished those games in the early 2000s. Despite enjoying all three of those games, I don't think I hold the same fondness for them as many others do. Having said that, I was really looking forward to these remade games and they did not disappoint. The cover of the box may bill the N. Sane Trilogy as remasters, but all three of these games were remade from the ground up.
If you're new to the world of Crash and are craving some non liner platforming, you may be disappointed. However, if you don't mind tightly focused, liner precision platforming with some incredibly well design levels, then you've come to the right place. It matters not if you're running to the camera, away from the camera with a terrifying polar bear on your butt, doing some 2.5D platforming, all three of these games deliver the goods. Coco is even made playable. The difference is merely cosmetic, her optional involvement is appreciated, nonetheless.
It isn't all sunshine and roses, though. The original PS Crash 1 was a ball buster and that holds true for the remake. Crash 2 had spotty collision detection and every now and then, that rears it's ugly head hear. Oh and the jetpack controls are still awful. The good, far and away outclasses the bad. Considering Activtion was the publisher of N. sane Trilogy, they could have easily found a way to muck up Vicarious Visions efforts but instead, this game is one of the best things they've published. Box breaking, Wumpa Fruit collecting and all around bandacooting has never been better.
03. Sonic Mania (PC, PS4, XBO, NS)
There are some that firmly believe that Sonic's heyday was during the Genesis era and that everything that has followed since has been a steaming pile of poo. While that mentality is very eye rolling to say the least, it is still a very welcome treat to have Christian Whitehead, Head Canon and Pagoda West come together with SEGA to develop a love letter to the earlier Sonic titles in the form of Sonic Mania.
Playing as either Sonic, Tails or Knuckles, you're off to foil Eggman's shenanigans. Blast through mostly old zones like Green Hill, Chemical Plant, Stardust Speedway and the like. There are a few new attractions like the ultra lively Studiopolis, the beautiful but deadly Press Garden and the trudge of a zone that is Titanic Monarch. The eight old zones compared to the four new is a downer, and there are a few rare instances of flat out bad game design, but Sonic Mania gets far more right that it does wrong. The game's momentum based gameplay is just as good, arguably better than the Genesis games that inspired it and repeat levels aside, most of these zones are a joy to run through. There is no shortage of high speed thrills and callbacks and the soundtrack to this game just might be the best of 2017.
02. Super Mario Odyssey (NS)
Princess Peach has been kidnapped. Again. Bowser is forcing Peach to marry him. Again. Gameplay is sandbox Super Mario. Again. Nintendo is often criticized for their repeat performances with their games, but very few developers are as masterful at the craft when it comes to fine tuning a formula. Super Mario Odyssey may tread old ground but it does so in such a polished manner that it's really hard to knock the game too much.
The new addition to the sand box Super Mario is the overall-wearing Italian's latest ally, Cappy. Replacing Mario's ruined cap, Cappy can be hurled at enemies as well as acting as an extra platform for Mario to use. This combined with Mario's already impressive jumping adeptness allows skilled players to take some crazy shortcuts. Cappy can also capture enemies giving Mario powers and abilities he'd otherwise never have access to. After being tormented by Hammer Bros. for years, it's so nice to take over the body of one, chuck hammers at the enemies and then toss the Hammer Bro. off a cliff once he's outlived his usefulness. And we all never knew how much we wanted to take control of a T-rex until Nintendo showed us we could. Still one of my favorite things to capture.
For the first time in forever, coins serve a purpose not connected to lives. The plehtora of outfits you can have Mario parade around in will have you seeking out the gold every chance you get. A chef, a scientist, an explorer, a samurai, a freaking clown. Playing dress up has never been this much fun. Finish the game and you'll get to wear a Super Mario 64 costume! You gotta fork over a 1000 coins for the honor of having Mario expose his nipples and run around in boxer shorts. Worth it? You bet!
When you're not giving bad guys Mario's blue eyes and mustache, you'll marvel at the game's various kingdoms to explore. Cascade Kingdom is a beautiful, yet primitive land, the Ruined Kingdom is very Dark Souls-esque, and the hustle and bustle of New Donk City is one cityscape you won't soon forget. Kingdoms comes loaded with Power Moons for you to hunt down. Many of these are easy to collect but there are plenty you'll have to put in serious work for, especially if you plan on getting all 999 Power Moons. If I can rag on Odyssey for one thing, it would be that it doesn't handle 100% completion in the best manner. Trying to collect very Power Moon can be a real drag.
01. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U, NS)
There aren't much in the way of dungeons in Breath of the Wild, but if I'm honest, I didn't really miss them at all. Sure, solving puzzles is a core part of Zelda's design but so is exploration and I'm glad that took priority over a ton of dungeons. I think a month or so passed before I set foot in one of them because
Combat is also a bit different from most Zelda games. Early on, you are gonna be looking at that Game Over screen quite frequently and rushing in to attack large groups of enemies, especially more powerful groups, is only going to get you killed. Not only are there a variety of weapons for you to find and use, there are many ways for you to fight. You can use the Magnesis to pick up metal objects and drop them on your opposition. Free foes with Stasis, whack them a few times to build up momentum to send them flying. If enemies are in water, you can use a Shock Arrow to stun them and then go to town. In the middle of a thunder storm? Toss them a metal weapon and let nature finish the job for you. You're only limited by your imagination. It can suck that your weapons break but I got to the point where
As predictable a choice as this is for my 2017 game of the year, Breath of the Wild has more than earned it's place at the top. There are times when I would have six to ten hour play sessions of this game on my days. Even during the times when I wasn't feeling well, I would lay in my bed and play on the GamePad. I've poured well over 200 hours into the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild and I'm itching to pick up the Switch version and explore Hyrule all over again.
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