Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is a wonderful spin-off that combines block-falling puzzle and roguelite mechanics in remarkably clever ways, resulting in yet another excellent entry in the Shovel Knight series.
Mario Party Superstars is an amalgamation of some of the best boards, minigames, mechanics, and quality of life improvements from the whole series, resulting in the best Mario Party has been in a very long time.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is definitely more than just Nickelodeon Smash Bros., but you'll need to be willing to overlook some pretty substantial flaws to find the surprisingly nuanced fighter underneath the surface.
With its elegantly simple combat and beautiful world, Kena: Bridge of Spirits harkens back to the days of the N64/GameCube-era Zeldas, Okami, and Star Fox Adventures, while also adding modern sensibilities and a distinct personal touch.
The new content introduced in Sonic Colors: Ultimate is unremarkable, but the base game still remains one of the best examples of how a modern Sonic game should be, even nearly 11 years later.
Iki Island doesn't do much beyond just offering more Ghost of Tsushima, but the new content is extremely worthwhile, thanks to a story that dives deeper into Jin's past, a few new combat wrinkles, and plenty of secrets to discover.
Scarlet Nexus' combat is thrilling and its story surprisingly deep, and while it's let down by limited enemy and stage variety, the strength of its characters is enough to lift it high above your average anime inspired action RPG.
A tantalizing tease of Yuffie's inevitable meeting with Final Fantasy 7's core cast, and an excellent reason to return to Midgar to experience her new exhilarating style of combat and entertaining side activities.
Guilty Gear Strive sets a new standard for anime-like fighting games with its visuals, stellar netcode, and flexible fighting system that encourages and rewards creativity.
Returnal's runs are too long for their own good, but the moment-to-moment action is phenomenal in this surprisingly lengthy and deep third-person shooter roguelike
NieR Replicant is an action RPG with obvious flaws involving outdated quest design and repetitive combat, but those flaws are easily forgiven in light of its incredible characters, along with its unconventional and emotionally resonant story.
Curse of the Dead Gods is an excellent roguelite that bolsters its fantastic combat with an added level of strategy thanks to the unique curse/corruption mechanic that tempts you to make dangerous deals for powerful loot.
Olija leaves a strong impression with its unique look and fantastic combat, but its over all too quick and gives little reason to return.
A great modernized take on the NES Ninja Gaiden formula that starts simple and adds just the right amount of complexity to find its own unique identity in a crowded genre