PixlBit

Am I still on time, or is 2013 already as outdated as the Macarena and my lame reference to the Macarena?

Anyway, 2013 was a fantastic year of gaming for me. Seems like it was for lots of people, with different lists for everyone. This is what it looks like when the game industry is hitting it on all cylinders. Something for every taste. I could have done a top 20, but screw that. I'm a lazy blogger nowadays. :) The PS3 had a great lineup, and I got a 3DS this year, so that's opened up a whole new world of goodies to me.

Anyway, without further ado....

10. Project X-Zone (3DS) This game is pure fanservice, but it's fanservice from three of my favorite companies - Namco, Capcom, and Sega - and what's more, it digs deeper than all the usual Sonic the Hedgehog/Pac-Man tropes with games like God Eater, Valkyria Chronicles, Sakura Wars, and more represented. Plus, it's a strategy RPG, and I tend to like those.

9. Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS) That Fire Emblem is #9 should tell you how awesome my 2013 gaming is. Fire Emblem would be a GOTY contender even in a good year. It's the best of the series so far. For people scared away from the hardcore permadeath nature of Fire Emblem, you can turn the permadeath off. Or so I've heard, I don't turn off permadeath. :) Hopefully it's a sign that Nintendo is going to be less stingy with the Japanese releases.

8. The Last of Us (PS3) Nice artistic endeavor from Sony. Stealth gameplay isn't my bag, but otherwise this game is a real nail-biter, and pretty to boot.

7. Bioshock Infinite (PS3) Although it didn't quite live up to everything Irrational Games promised in the trailers (but what does these days?), I loved the bright American steampunk atmosphere of Bioshock Infinite. Its politics are as over-the-top as ever, but they're sadly not too much of an exaggeration of the modern political schism they're meant to parody. And what's funny is that I didn't like the first two Bioshock games that much!

6. Pokemon X/Y (3DS) Glad to see Pokemon taking baby steps into the world of 3-D graphics and animations. Probably the best Pokemon games since the original Red/Blue/Yellow games on Game Boy.

5. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PS3) Time does make a difference:The original FFXIV was an absolute clusterf*** of a MMORPG. Square Enix could have shut it down and swept it under the rug, but they actually managed to salvage it nicely. And unlike FFXI, it actually gave me a sense ot being in an online multiplayer Final Fantasy world. The only problem is that MMOs are such huge time sinks. I'd love to have the Magitek Armor mount.

4. Dragon's Crown (PS3) An old-school multiplayer brawler from Vanillaware, makers of Odin Sphere and Muramasa. I loved Dragon's Crown's artistic sensibilities - yes, including the infamous Sorceress. My wife and I played this on local co-op for a long time. I spent more time with Dragon's Crown than with any other game released this year except Ni no Kuni. I think Dragon's Crown may be the best side-scrolling beat-em-up I've ever played. It stands head and shoulders over every other beat-em-up I've played, even Konami's Simpsons arcade game. Factoid: George Kamitami worked on Capcom's D&D arcade games before he founded Vanillaware.

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS) It was awesome to revisit a re-creation of Hyrule as it appeared in A Link to the Past, While A Link to the Past is still the best 2-D Zelda ever and is unlikely to be truly exceeded, A Link Between Worlds has quickly become my favorite handheld Zelda ever.

2. Tales of Xillia (PS3) The best Tales game to date, and I think Milla is my favorite Tales heroine ever. Looks and plays fantastic, and the writing even manages to be geuinely funny at times.

1. Ni no Kuni (PS3) Not only was this the best game of 2013, but I rank it as my second-favorite 7th generation game, after Sega's Valkyria Chronicles. A collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, it has all the hallmarks of a classic Ghibli tale, not to mention the looks and a great Joe Hisaishi soundtrack. It's the closest you're likely to ever see to a true console Pokemon. Don't miss it if you love RPGs. I easily spent more time with Ni no Kuni than with any other game this year.

Honorable Mentions: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Wii U) e only reason this isn't on the top 10 list is because I wanted to honor new games in 2013 on that list. Otherwise, Wind Waker is even more of an amazing game on Wii U than it was on Gamecube.

Earthbound (Wii U) I never played this game until Nintendo finally re-released it for the Wii U Virtual Console after years of speculation and disappointment. It is indeed a great RPG classic from the 16-bit era. Hopefully Mother 3 will show up on the 3DS (or Wii U) Virtual Console in the future. Yes, I'm perfectly aware of the fan-translated ROM, but playing games on PC emulators doesn't feel the same, somehow.

Favorite Developers/Publishers of 2013: Namco, for Ni no Kuni and all the other great RPGs, and for continuing with the Tales love into 2014. Nintendo, for kicking it oldschool and making the 3DS the best portable system ever made.

Anyway, that's my top 10 of 2013. 2014 doesn't have quite as many goodies, but there are still some great games on the horizon, hopefully with more to come as the PS4 and Xbox One pick up steam. Surprisingly, however, the PS3 is pretty loaded with great games and could have a year to rival 2013.  Happy Belated New Year to the Pixlbit Community!