[Question] The Gamingforce Game of the Year 2014: All aboard the hype train - voting edition

Bravely Default - 25 points



It may overstay its welcome, but man was this a refreshing return to old RPGs with updated mechanics. The online move sharing as well as rebuilding Norende were some of the best social features in a 3DS game so far. I still need to finish it up, since I got a bit burned out from playing it non-stop for around 60 hours.

Mario Kart 8 - 15 points

YouTube Video

I don't think any of us could have predicted how much staying power this has had, nor how many times we'd play Music Park. So much MAD. The lack of a real battle mode is a major bummer since that's usually my favorite part of Mario Kart.

Hyrule Warriors - 10 points



I'm still surprised by how well this was done. It goes beyond being a good Dynasty Warriors game and manages to just be a great game overall. There's so much attention to detail in the stages and characters, and the Adventure Mode maps are massive. The DLC has added a lot to the game for a reasonable price too. The only real downside is that Link predictably gets tons of weapons while most characters are stuck with only one weapon type each.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - 10 points



I'm torn on which version to give this to, but I'll go with the console version since I've enjoyed the actual fighting more there. The 3DS has some fantastic stages though, and the Smash Run mode is endlessly better than Mario Party Smash.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call - 10 points



Amazing, and the recent DLC with songs from other Square series cements its permanent place in my library. The Quest system is SO much less annoying for earning crystal shards, though it would be nice if it didn't stay perpetually at high level since I prefer Expert over Ultimate. Here's hoping we keep getting more of these after the Dragon Quest game.

Titanfall - 10 points



This was the reason I opted to get an XBOne before PS4, and I don't regret it. It's COD, but with fluid movement and all the kill streaks are mechs which you get on a timer even if you suck. It's a shame the lobbies have emptied a bit since the new COD came out, but it would be really hard to go back to such a bland shooter without wallrunning and dropping robots on people.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare - 10 points



It's surprising how much fun this has turned out to be. Some modes may be weighted in favor of one side and the party matchmaking is very broken, but it's well worth the hassle.

Shovel Knight - 5 points



This one really lived up to the hype, which was a pretty daunting task. The gameplay is solid, the soundtrack is amazing, and there may be more puns than any other game has ever dared to contain. Also butts.

Fantasy Life - 5 points



Easy, but highly addicting. Between crafting, gathering, and killing it keeps you constantly working on a couple dozen goals at once. With a bit more difficulty, a bit less talking, and not hiding endgame content behind a paywall this could have easily been my top game of the year.


Honorable Mentions
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - TIME FOR ADVENTURE!
- Atelier Escha & Logy - Finally, a main Atelier game I love.
- Child of Light - Incredible art, and I have to like a game that rhymes the whole way through.
- Transistor - I haven't played as much as I'd like, but that soundtrack.
- NES Remix 2 - Big improvement over the original in games and challenges.
- Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth - Etrian and Persona just mesh so well.

Jam it back in, in the dark.