5. Thank Goodness You’re Here
Described as an “absurd comedy slapformer,” Thank Goodness You’re Here is probably unlike anything you’ve played this year. Fans of British humor, puzzles, and quirky characters will have a great time with the game’s setting and mechanics, and the visual style is just as fun. Review.
4. EA Sports College Football Returning
Starting as Bill Walsh College Football in 1994 before morphing into NCAA Football a few years later, this college-focused cousin to Madden disappeared in 2014. Happily, EA brought the game back this year as EA Sports College Football 25. It wasn’t perfect, but it was welcomed by a lot of folks who missed the old series. Review
3. Nintendo World Championships Getting a Revival
Though review scores were a little mid, fans of the actual Nintendo World Championships esports event got a nod. In 2024, Nintendo World Championships: NES edition came to the Switch, bringing a handful of single-player and multiplayer gameplay modes and over a dozen classic NES games to compete in.
2. Animal Well
Animal Well is a retro pixel art Metroidvania, which makes it sound like a million other games, and nothing at all. In reality, Animal Well is astonishing. Its art and music are unique and its mechanics sort of revitalize a stale genre. It’s a little hard to describe, but one of the year’s happiest surprises. Review
1. Metaphor: ReFantazio
What do you get when you blend classic fantasy, the Persona franchise, and the medieval art of Hieronymus Bosch? Something like Metaphor: ReFantazio, which took a lot of people by surprise. This action RPG feels a bit like the Persona games, and has an engrossing narrative, characters, and stellar combat. Not just the best surprise of the year, one of the best games of the year.