This year’s E3 had dozens of great games to look forward to both in the coming months and perhaps the coming years, but these are the top ten games we are most excited about. [Note: the list includes any game that had a presentation at E3 (so no ‘Red Dead 2’), and exclusives are in parenthesis]
10. Super Mario Party (Nintendo)
Everyone will have a different list depending on what games they like or don’t like, but those with a Nintendo Switch will be hard-pressed to pass on Super Mario Party later this year. People who play with friends in particular will be able to spend an entire night competing in Mario Party, and it should stay fresh with hundreds of mini-games and maps.
9. The Last of Us Part II (PlayStation)
Ellie and Joel’s story continues in The Last of Us Part II—set five years after the original game—and E3 provided more information about the game, with perhaps the best addition being more intelligent CPU enemies for a more realistic experience in the post-apocalyptic world. Expect some more universal praise for the Naughty Dog franchise when The Last of Us Part II releases.
8. Mario Tennis Aces (Nintendo)
Mario Tennis Aces earning a spot on the list ahead of bigger sports games like Madden 19 and FIFA 19 says a lot about the new Nintendo sports title, which releases this Friday. Aces will feature a creative story mode with all your favorite characters. And of course, you could just play some intense quick matches against your friends or the CPU.
7. Dying Light 2
There are other open-world games to get excited about that didn’t make the top ten (such as Metro Exodus), but Dying Light 2 is taking things to a new level. Their presentation at Microsoft’s conference showed all the things that you have to deal with—including loyalties to different factions—which impacts how the city will develop, and it was just a very impressive demo without even showing what happens when night falls and zombies emerge.
6. Battlefield V
Overall, EA was basically a flop at E3 (which really shouldn’t be that big of a surprise nowadays), but Battlefield V was definitely a prominent game at the event, and rightfully so. Grand Operations mode looks fantastic, and the same can be said about snow maps/gameplay—including the ability to create a miniature avalanche by shooting a building to knock snow off the roof.
5. Gears 5 (Xbox)
Revealing the Gears of War logo at the Microsoft conference (causing the crowd to go nuts) only for it to be a Gears POP! mobile game trailer was an all-time troll job, but shortly after, a Gears 5 trailer was actually played, and the franchise looks to be as good as ever. Fans will have to wait until at least 2019, but it should be worth it for Xbox owners.
4. Fallout 76
Anyone who was intrigued by the awesome trailer for Fallout 76 at E3 should be able to buy the game this November without having played its predecessors, as the newest Fallout is a prequel and the earliest point in the franchise’s timeline. Many believe Bethesda Studios was the winner of this year’s E3 based on Fallout 76 alone.
3. Spider-Man (PlayStation)
Sony didn’t have a great conference by any means last week, as basically all their big titles were already revealed at last year’s E3, but that doesn’t take away from their new Spider-Man game, which releases in September and looks amazing. Anyone who played and enjoyed the Batman Arkham games could be getting a similar experience with Spider-Man, even though they weren’t made by the same studio.
2. Halo Infinite (Xbox)
All we got was an announcement trailer, but the next Halo didn’t really need anything more than that:
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo)
There is definitely a case to be made for Halo Infinite at the top spot, but people of all ages and all walks of life will come together with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Set to be released in December on the Switch, Ultimate will have every character that ever appeared in Nintendo’s classic fighter. Controllers will be broken and friendships will be tested this winter.
Smash Bros bouta be lit
Oh yea!
No Madden or FIFA. They’re struggling.