


He also noted that games could stop being cross-platform, launching on just current-gen consoles instead of simultaneously on last-gen ones. As Tomas Franzese wrote earlier this month, 2023 could be the year where we finally see what games define this generation’s consoles, at least in terms of exclusives. You'd think it's been more than long enough to understand what it's all about, but for many, there's still confusion. It’s been over two years since the start of the current console generation, which launched with a rocky start at the end of 2020. Metroid Prime Remastered makes one of the best games of all time even betterĮven HBO’s The Last of Us can’t fully master the video game adaptation The perfect date night game just launched in time for Valentine’s Day The 2D Metroid saga quietly tells the best story in video game history Move over, Wordle: The New York Times has a new puzzle game Honorable mentions: Borderlands 2, Candy Crush Saga, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Destiny 2, Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, Final Fantasy XIV, Galaga, Gauntlet, God of War (2018), Inside, Kingdom Hearts 2, Myst, Persona 5 Royal, Red Dead Redemption 2, SimCity 2000, Streets of Rage 2, Super Mario Odyssey, System Shock 2, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? No matter how developers have rotated over four decades - from a trippy VR version to an ingenious battle royale format - the addictive formula perseveres, embodying a universal form of entertainment unrestrained by language or age barriers. It strikes a remarkable balance between being a tetromino zen organization game with a relaxing flow state and a tense test of skill that can take a lifetime to truly master.

The iconic puzzler is the definition of elegance, with an unimpeachable core hook that made it feel like a timeless classic the moment it was released. There were a lot of debates about what should be on this list and where, but one decision was unanimous from the start: placing Tetris in the top spot.
