2015,for now,is now past-year.2016 has arrived upon our calendars more quickly than we would have thought of,and hopefully it will be a great year for many.For me,I would like to reflect on some gaming experiences I personally had in that year.I did a list of what I thought were the best games I played in 2014,so I guess this had become sort of a tradition for me now. 
Some few rules should be stated,and first of those,is that I will not include freemium 3DS games I played like Nintendo Badge Arcade or Pokemon Shuffle,as I want to focus on the games I got that weren't free-to-play,but full-on experiences(Not that they were bad,I actually think they're very fun to play from time to time).Second,since I played only 11 games this year,I thought I might as well give a description of each one of them for the list,with the 11th choice(which will be shown at the end of this list) being the Honorable Mention.Oh,and as always,these are based on my personal taste,so sorry if certain game of yours here(if it is present here)didn't make it higher on the list.Now with those rules aside,shall we begin with the list?
10)Kirby's Dream Land 3(Wii U Virtual Console)
It's Kirby.And he's sort of more adorable and stronger than before in this one.Once again,Dreamland is in peril by a new shadowy threat,and Kirby must defeat that force with some colorful allies to help him on his journey.The playstyle,for those familiarized with Kirby Super Star(like me),is very different from that game,although still as fun and charming.Kirby relies on seven optionally coloful companions now to progress in levels and achieve the tasks in each one of them to successfully complete the adventure.I admittedly didn't get too far into the game yet as I want to complete every level task before arriving at the final boss(which some are very hard to guess as to what to do),but otherwise,again,it's another Kirby game,and those are always charming and fun to play through.
9)Guacamelee!Super Turo Championship Edition(Wii U)
Thanks to an auction of indie games from a member here known as '@yourapurpose'(sorry if I got the name wrong),I could play Guacamelee for the first time,and the payoff was well worth it.Taking an interesting concept of a mix between the Metroid-vania,style,platforming,beat-em-up and Mexican tradition;the game focuses on Juan,a typical farmer man,encountering one day with a woman who has been a long childhood friend of his.Suddenly though,she gets kidnapped by a undead figure who apparently once lived in his glory days as a bull fighter,and our protagonist is literally defeated by him in the first minutes of the story.Luckily for him,thanks to a luchador mask of ancient times he finds in an undead version of the location of the event,he's ready to take on the challenge in both the live and dead realities.It is a simple and at the same time absurd set-up,but works for the game's ridiculous and hilarious humor,with some clever references to other existing games and media here and there.The gameplay though is what really shines in this indie-title,with a mashup of the mixed styles already mentioned blending in into a fun and agile moveset for Juan to make it throughout his quest with some extreme added in.This could be one of the best games to take place in a Mexican-like setting as far as I'm aware,but it certainly is one of the best indie titles available on the a Wii U eShop right now for sure.
8)Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze(Wii U)
It is said to be DK's birthday,although some animal crowd from far away that look like vikings known as the Snowmads don't see that as a good excuse to not freeze the tie-gorilla's island and take command of it afterwards.The duo of Donkey and Diddy,alongside Dixie and Cranky now,are setting back home to take on the surrounding enemies.The sensationally addicting and challenging gameplay of Country Returns is once again implemented with lots of new goodies,with the debut of his old-time allies in the modern DK Country games,incredible fun through the levels and bosses,and once again,a nice challenging difficulty for those who want to complete the game entirely.It ain't easy,just warning.It seems though that the ape is still living his ages of platforming goodness once more proven by this great Wii U entry.
7)Last Window: Secret of Cape West(DS)
Made by a company named CiNG who has unfortunely shut down business 5 years ago with this game as their last product(note that this wasn't even released in America,making this one a rare game to purchase),I'm glad they tried to make it as better as they could have at the time.One year after Hotel Dusk,Kyle Hyde is up for some more investigating of past events,this time regarding to his home-hotel and long-dead father,all because of an anonymous request send directly to him instead for the company he works for,Red Crown.This game does borrow a lot from that game,but if ain't broke don't fix it.As this is a mystery-novel,the focus is more on the story's development and progress rather than the gameplay.That said,the presentation is amazing.Speaking of which,it does work well for its own sakes,with you holding the DS like a book,and the character animations are stunning as well.I'd say the effort to actually finding this game in nice condition is worth it if you're a mystery fan of any sort.The company made it again,and this was a great send-off.
6)Epic Mickey(Wii)
Disney,in association with Junction Point,made this game to revive their current mascot since the 30s in big style,and also remind us that they did in fact replace their original mascot with a new character of theirs,being that Mickey Mouse with Oswald.Either way,the round-eared mouse of old has putted himself in a situation where he became the very own causer of the peril and future destruction of a world called Wasteland,filled with forgotten Disney characters and places that were once almost as popular as the mouse itself.Now,Mickey is left upon fixing the chaos he done,depending on mostly paint or thinner to solve the problem in different personal manners.This game is a definition of the phrase 'a blast to the past'.Taking the camera aside(which is less of an issue once you learn how to use it),the gameplay is extremely solid and highly imaginative,and the way Warren Specor's team implemented a darker theme into certain known Disney locations as if they were forgotten for so long is amazing.Some may have not liked this game,but I personally think Mickey has gotten a great new facelift with this one.
5)Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance(3DS)
As my first Kingdom Hearts game,I was generally happy to play the franchise that I almost always wanted to play as a child when I saw it back on the PS2(I remember the one I saw had a world based on 'The Lion King',although I don't know for sure which it is).Other than including a complicated in-depth store of the surroundings between Sora and Riku's tasks to become Keyblade Masters and the realities within,as the game's explains nicely,the gameplay and presentation are fantastic.Starting from the intro,I was already willing to progress further in the game,and it got better the more I did.You know,after this,I just want to see what else happens before and after within this compelling universe of Kingdom Hearts.
4)Super Mario World(Wii U Virtual Console)
Here's one I've played on my now-lost-GBA as a child,and never got to beat it as a child.Now with this original classic on my Wii U,I can fulfill that objective with joy.In what was initially a vacation trip for Mario and friends,one of Mario's greatest adventures beholds in Super Mario World.The game play as solidly and entertaining as Mario games before it have,and that applies to the level design as well(not so much of Lost Levels though until the end),with new memorable item inclusions to the protagonist's wardrobe of power-ups,with the sensational Cape Feather and,if one would count,the main introduction of Yoshi to the franchise.Pretty much everything about this game is great and memorable,and because of that,this game left it's mark in history as one of the best Mario games in history.Actually,not just that,but one of the best platformers ever made in gaming as well.
3)Hotel Dusk Room 215(DS)
Welp,seems like I'm just too much of a mystery fan,as this game is what originally came before Last Window.Most of what I said of that game applies here,like the functional gameplay and engagingly complex story with deep characters,although I think I put this higher because I have more fun memories of Hotel Dusk than Last Window,because while I got the first at the start of 2015(I think this was actually the first game I got in 2015),I started to play Last Window on Christmas time.The story,to give a preview,is centered,like Last Window,around Kyle Hyde as an ex-detective now working as a salesman for a company named Red Crown.He is called to go to Hotel Dusk and find certain items there,but there,Kyle thinks that the location and his long-lost cop brother Bradley have some sort of connection leading to his sudden disappearance.It gets more complicated than that,but no spoilers for surprise sakes.Again,with Last Window,most of what was stated there is well made here,like the gameplay,soundtrack,questioning,characters and others.This one is likely to be CiNG's most notable and acclaimed title,and I can say that if there's mystery to that,there really isn't a lot,as this is a great game notherless.
2)Super Smash Bros. 4(3DS/Wii U)
Here's the game where in its first hours,hours pass like minutes,and gameplay is timeless.It's Nintendo's ultimate mashup of ages,Smash,of course!Like many,this was my most anticipated game of 2014,and it did succeed them like a champion.Gameplay is fast-paced and fun as ever,the roster is humongous with recognizably beloved Nintendo characters(and others that were in involved in their history in one way or another),stages familiar with music and setting full of gaming memories of their source product,and the results is a generally amazing game that many can enjoy,either just for fun or for competitive sakes.All Smash games in the past proved to last long until the next one arrives for various reasons,and this one is also guaranteed to do that same role,plus more.
1)Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure(3DS)
Here's a minor description of mine to this game:Ever thought of a game seems to be a mix of The Adventures of Tintin,Professor Layton and Elite Beat Agents all in one?You essentially get this game.Sounds ridiculous?That's because it is,but for the better of this supposedly underrated 3DS gem.Included with a compelling story with the main character,Phantom R,being involved in a conflict that has been going on for centuries once he steals a particular item,for those interested with relatable and likable key characters,the gameplay,divided into half as a rhythm game and half as a point-and-click type,is amazing,more on so within the first mentioned.It's pretty fast-paced from the start until the end,but even with that,the game does feature it's engaging moments where things don't go as well as planned.About that soundtrack though.Considering this came from the same company who mostly made music for their notable blue hedgehog a blast to listen,this game also is just as high up there,with a score that reaches high levels of awesomeness.There's also a lot of things to do in the game,and post-game too,adding to the replay and completion value.Granted,it is not a perfect game,but with all the things I enjoyed throughout my first going to the game,I'm happy that I've been able to finally play this,and as such,it is my favorite game of 2015.
And now for the honourable mention!
Honourable Mention)Mario Tennis Ultra Smash(Wii U)
Being the only game I played released in the year that I'm reflecting upon,Ultra Smash wasn't granted as the most fun I had in the year.I did play this game a lot on the first days I got it,but got a bit on the side afterwards.Do I think this is a necessarily bad game?No,I think it's just an alright one.Since I played Power Tennis,I did try to lower my expectations a bit for this one,and they were met just right.On the good side,the gameplay is fast and energetic;the courts,although set in the same stadium every time,do change the strategies quite dramatically;what modes are in there do their part well for the most part,and the character selection is also quite decently varied do.Definitely,it is not Mario's best outgoing to a sport entry,but it's not like the plumber had destroyed it's tennis reputation with this entry.
And that's all folks!I'm sorry if this list was terribly long for you,but if you managed to read through all this text I've done,congratulations,and thank you for hearing what I have to say.2015 was a decent year in my personal thoughts,and here's hope for 2016 to be a great year as well.Happy New Year of 2016 to all!
Some few rules should be stated,and first of those,is that I will not include freemium 3DS games I played like Nintendo Badge Arcade or Pokemon Shuffle,as I want to focus on the games I got that weren't free-to-play,but full-on experiences(Not that they were bad,I actually think they're very fun to play from time to time).Second,since I played only 11 games this year,I thought I might as well give a description of each one of them for the list,with the 11th choice(which will be shown at the end of this list) being the Honorable Mention.Oh,and as always,these are based on my personal taste,so sorry if certain game of yours here(if it is present here)didn't make it higher on the list.Now with those rules aside,shall we begin with the list?
10)Kirby's Dream Land 3(Wii U Virtual Console)
It's Kirby.And he's sort of more adorable and stronger than before in this one.Once again,Dreamland is in peril by a new shadowy threat,and Kirby must defeat that force with some colorful allies to help him on his journey.The playstyle,for those familiarized with Kirby Super Star(like me),is very different from that game,although still as fun and charming.Kirby relies on seven optionally coloful companions now to progress in levels and achieve the tasks in each one of them to successfully complete the adventure.I admittedly didn't get too far into the game yet as I want to complete every level task before arriving at the final boss(which some are very hard to guess as to what to do),but otherwise,again,it's another Kirby game,and those are always charming and fun to play through.
9)Guacamelee!Super Turo Championship Edition(Wii U)
Thanks to an auction of indie games from a member here known as '@yourapurpose'(sorry if I got the name wrong),I could play Guacamelee for the first time,and the payoff was well worth it.Taking an interesting concept of a mix between the Metroid-vania,style,platforming,beat-em-up and Mexican tradition;the game focuses on Juan,a typical farmer man,encountering one day with a woman who has been a long childhood friend of his.Suddenly though,she gets kidnapped by a undead figure who apparently once lived in his glory days as a bull fighter,and our protagonist is literally defeated by him in the first minutes of the story.Luckily for him,thanks to a luchador mask of ancient times he finds in an undead version of the location of the event,he's ready to take on the challenge in both the live and dead realities.It is a simple and at the same time absurd set-up,but works for the game's ridiculous and hilarious humor,with some clever references to other existing games and media here and there.The gameplay though is what really shines in this indie-title,with a mashup of the mixed styles already mentioned blending in into a fun and agile moveset for Juan to make it throughout his quest with some extreme added in.This could be one of the best games to take place in a Mexican-like setting as far as I'm aware,but it certainly is one of the best indie titles available on the a Wii U eShop right now for sure.
8)Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze(Wii U)
It is said to be DK's birthday,although some animal crowd from far away that look like vikings known as the Snowmads don't see that as a good excuse to not freeze the tie-gorilla's island and take command of it afterwards.The duo of Donkey and Diddy,alongside Dixie and Cranky now,are setting back home to take on the surrounding enemies.The sensationally addicting and challenging gameplay of Country Returns is once again implemented with lots of new goodies,with the debut of his old-time allies in the modern DK Country games,incredible fun through the levels and bosses,and once again,a nice challenging difficulty for those who want to complete the game entirely.It ain't easy,just warning.It seems though that the ape is still living his ages of platforming goodness once more proven by this great Wii U entry.
7)Last Window: Secret of Cape West(DS)
Made by a company named CiNG who has unfortunely shut down business 5 years ago with this game as their last product(note that this wasn't even released in America,making this one a rare game to purchase),I'm glad they tried to make it as better as they could have at the time.One year after Hotel Dusk,Kyle Hyde is up for some more investigating of past events,this time regarding to his home-hotel and long-dead father,all because of an anonymous request send directly to him instead for the company he works for,Red Crown.This game does borrow a lot from that game,but if ain't broke don't fix it.As this is a mystery-novel,the focus is more on the story's development and progress rather than the gameplay.That said,the presentation is amazing.Speaking of which,it does work well for its own sakes,with you holding the DS like a book,and the character animations are stunning as well.I'd say the effort to actually finding this game in nice condition is worth it if you're a mystery fan of any sort.The company made it again,and this was a great send-off.
6)Epic Mickey(Wii)
Disney,in association with Junction Point,made this game to revive their current mascot since the 30s in big style,and also remind us that they did in fact replace their original mascot with a new character of theirs,being that Mickey Mouse with Oswald.Either way,the round-eared mouse of old has putted himself in a situation where he became the very own causer of the peril and future destruction of a world called Wasteland,filled with forgotten Disney characters and places that were once almost as popular as the mouse itself.Now,Mickey is left upon fixing the chaos he done,depending on mostly paint or thinner to solve the problem in different personal manners.This game is a definition of the phrase 'a blast to the past'.Taking the camera aside(which is less of an issue once you learn how to use it),the gameplay is extremely solid and highly imaginative,and the way Warren Specor's team implemented a darker theme into certain known Disney locations as if they were forgotten for so long is amazing.Some may have not liked this game,but I personally think Mickey has gotten a great new facelift with this one.
5)Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance(3DS)
As my first Kingdom Hearts game,I was generally happy to play the franchise that I almost always wanted to play as a child when I saw it back on the PS2(I remember the one I saw had a world based on 'The Lion King',although I don't know for sure which it is).Other than including a complicated in-depth store of the surroundings between Sora and Riku's tasks to become Keyblade Masters and the realities within,as the game's explains nicely,the gameplay and presentation are fantastic.Starting from the intro,I was already willing to progress further in the game,and it got better the more I did.You know,after this,I just want to see what else happens before and after within this compelling universe of Kingdom Hearts.
4)Super Mario World(Wii U Virtual Console)
Here's one I've played on my now-lost-GBA as a child,and never got to beat it as a child.Now with this original classic on my Wii U,I can fulfill that objective with joy.In what was initially a vacation trip for Mario and friends,one of Mario's greatest adventures beholds in Super Mario World.The game play as solidly and entertaining as Mario games before it have,and that applies to the level design as well(not so much of Lost Levels though until the end),with new memorable item inclusions to the protagonist's wardrobe of power-ups,with the sensational Cape Feather and,if one would count,the main introduction of Yoshi to the franchise.Pretty much everything about this game is great and memorable,and because of that,this game left it's mark in history as one of the best Mario games in history.Actually,not just that,but one of the best platformers ever made in gaming as well.
3)Hotel Dusk Room 215(DS)
Welp,seems like I'm just too much of a mystery fan,as this game is what originally came before Last Window.Most of what I said of that game applies here,like the functional gameplay and engagingly complex story with deep characters,although I think I put this higher because I have more fun memories of Hotel Dusk than Last Window,because while I got the first at the start of 2015(I think this was actually the first game I got in 2015),I started to play Last Window on Christmas time.The story,to give a preview,is centered,like Last Window,around Kyle Hyde as an ex-detective now working as a salesman for a company named Red Crown.He is called to go to Hotel Dusk and find certain items there,but there,Kyle thinks that the location and his long-lost cop brother Bradley have some sort of connection leading to his sudden disappearance.It gets more complicated than that,but no spoilers for surprise sakes.Again,with Last Window,most of what was stated there is well made here,like the gameplay,soundtrack,questioning,characters and others.This one is likely to be CiNG's most notable and acclaimed title,and I can say that if there's mystery to that,there really isn't a lot,as this is a great game notherless.
2)Super Smash Bros. 4(3DS/Wii U)
Here's the game where in its first hours,hours pass like minutes,and gameplay is timeless.It's Nintendo's ultimate mashup of ages,Smash,of course!Like many,this was my most anticipated game of 2014,and it did succeed them like a champion.Gameplay is fast-paced and fun as ever,the roster is humongous with recognizably beloved Nintendo characters(and others that were in involved in their history in one way or another),stages familiar with music and setting full of gaming memories of their source product,and the results is a generally amazing game that many can enjoy,either just for fun or for competitive sakes.All Smash games in the past proved to last long until the next one arrives for various reasons,and this one is also guaranteed to do that same role,plus more.
1)Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure(3DS)
Here's a minor description of mine to this game:Ever thought of a game seems to be a mix of The Adventures of Tintin,Professor Layton and Elite Beat Agents all in one?You essentially get this game.Sounds ridiculous?That's because it is,but for the better of this supposedly underrated 3DS gem.Included with a compelling story with the main character,Phantom R,being involved in a conflict that has been going on for centuries once he steals a particular item,for those interested with relatable and likable key characters,the gameplay,divided into half as a rhythm game and half as a point-and-click type,is amazing,more on so within the first mentioned.It's pretty fast-paced from the start until the end,but even with that,the game does feature it's engaging moments where things don't go as well as planned.About that soundtrack though.Considering this came from the same company who mostly made music for their notable blue hedgehog a blast to listen,this game also is just as high up there,with a score that reaches high levels of awesomeness.There's also a lot of things to do in the game,and post-game too,adding to the replay and completion value.Granted,it is not a perfect game,but with all the things I enjoyed throughout my first going to the game,I'm happy that I've been able to finally play this,and as such,it is my favorite game of 2015.
And now for the honourable mention!
Honourable Mention)Mario Tennis Ultra Smash(Wii U)
Being the only game I played released in the year that I'm reflecting upon,Ultra Smash wasn't granted as the most fun I had in the year.I did play this game a lot on the first days I got it,but got a bit on the side afterwards.Do I think this is a necessarily bad game?No,I think it's just an alright one.Since I played Power Tennis,I did try to lower my expectations a bit for this one,and they were met just right.On the good side,the gameplay is fast and energetic;the courts,although set in the same stadium every time,do change the strategies quite dramatically;what modes are in there do their part well for the most part,and the character selection is also quite decently varied do.Definitely,it is not Mario's best outgoing to a sport entry,but it's not like the plumber had destroyed it's tennis reputation with this entry.
And that's all folks!I'm sorry if this list was terribly long for you,but if you managed to read through all this text I've done,congratulations,and thank you for hearing what I have to say.2015 was a decent year in my personal thoughts,and here's hope for 2016 to be a great year as well.Happy New Year of 2016 to all!
