Gamers want an essential, badass combat experience no matter which characters square off. Even this early, it's settled: Smash Ultimate nails this expectation. Thus, it is the best fighting-game package to ever land on a Nintendo console.
Anybody who's tired of the games' ancient Kanto region may struggle to feel the same jolt I did, and that's fair. But PLG's brilliant tweaks on the age-old formula are so good that I hope they find their way to the next "true" generation release—and I might be sweet enough on Pokémon by then to play that game, too.
Sexy arcade racing in serious need of a tune-up
The best Sonic game in years is even better, if only just. Buy.
Want a Marvel Studios twist on open-world superhero action? Then Spider-Man is a must-buy. Otherwise, try it.
If you play PC video games at all whatsoever, buy Into the Breach.
Buy. Celeste is the first must-own single-player game of 2018.
If you have a room-scale VR system, try. Otherwise, avoid.
Buy two copies; donate the second one to a school computer lab.
Enjoy this with a willing friend (or three) if you like the idea of RTS games but suck at them. Jump right into online matchmaking if you're a pro. Test it out if you're RTS-shy.
A must-buy for couch battlers. Online players should try.
Even if EA fulfills promises, this game may still be too far gone to the Dark Side.
Fans of the predecessor should snap this up ASAP. More casual shooter fans should tread cautiously.
Sonic fans should buy. Curious onlookers should try.
Pyre is a brilliant reinvention of the term "fantasy sports," with story, visuals, and gameplay to die for. Go buy it.
Splatoon 2's basic gameplay has clearly benefited from a full two years of patching and examination of the original title's uneven launch. This is all we've wanted from Nintendo for years: to come up with wild new ideas, then actually adjust and respond to player demands for a better experience.
A high-water mark in the "interactive narrative" genre. If that sounds good to you, buy it.
Online co-op fans should buy. First-person combat fans have to try.
Does super-smooth Tekken on PC sound good to you? If so, buy. If not, try.
A must-buy for horror gaming fans, HDR TV owners, and PSVR owners.