Our Top Picks for 2015 Pt. 1

A new year means new games. As we started compiling a list of games we’re looking forward to this year we realized that there are tons of games we are excited to play. So here is part one of our top picks for 2015.

Note* Some of these games we have mentioned in a previous post when we did our response to the November Nintendo Direct.

Yoshi’s Wooly World

This game looks almost too adorable to play. The world looks like someone had far too much fun crocheting, but the results are extremely cute. If you’ve played Yoshi’s Island, then the concept will be similar. Instead of shooting eggs and carrying baby Mario around, you shoot yarn balls and carry no one. What I’m most excited for is the co-op function of the game. The Red Yoshi can be crucial to parts of the levels and encourages a lot of thinking and teamwork from the players. Yoshi’s Wooly World will also be Amiibo compatible and will be released on the Wii U within the first quarter (January through March).

Splatoon

I first saw this on Nintendo Direct. Splatoon looks like a game that would be a blast to play with friends as you can have up to four people on a team. It’s heavily based on strategy and teamwork, as all other first and third person shooters are. You can play in story mode or challenge friends to splatter each other with paint and claim the turf. I would even let my future children play this one. It looks like you can spend hours on it and never tire of the fun! The Gamer’s not so sure about this one since teams are more for online play which we hardly, if ever, do. Splatoon is to be released on the Wii U in the first half of 2015.

Batman: Arkham Knight

That’s enough with the cute and cuddly. Let’s get a little darker with the Arkham series. We’ve played a little bit of Arkham Asylum before and let me tell you being Batman is awesome! It’s one of the most successful super hero video games as it ties in the story and gameplay beautifully. However, according to Gamespot, there is a major spoiler for those who’ve pre-ordered a bundle that includes a statue. The statue is said to have a small plaque containing the ending of the game. Oops! We’re still pumped to put on the Batsuit and beat up some bad guys again. Batman: Arkham Knight will be released for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on June 2.

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Today, I read that the game development is nearing completion. Some of you may only know Shulk (who originally is from Xenoblade Chronicles) from Smash Bros., but if you like JPRGs then this game is right up your alley. I watched The Gamer play the first Xenoblade Chronicles, and I was engrossed in the story. The battle system is pretty fun too. The next installment tells the story of Earth’s destruction and the people evacuating and crash landing on the planet Mira. They have to develop a new way of life while a few brave souls try to save humanity. The game’s emphasis is on exploration and the characters can travel by foot or by these cool robot vehicles. Xenoblade Chronicles X will be released on the Wii U this spring.

Zelda Wii U

Fans went nuts for the gameplay trailer shown at the Video Game Awards last year. The Legend of Zelda series is one of our most favorite so any news is worth a good squeal of excitement. The world is supposed to be gigantic. Not much on the story has been released yet, but Miyamoto has said side quests will be just as engaging as the main story. I like how Link goes all slow-motion when he shoots his bow and arrow in the gameplay trailer posted above. The developers of this game have been keeping a lot of the content out of the media so there’s not a lot to report on it yet. Zelda Wii U will be released this year, I’m thinking around the holiday season.

Kingdom Hearts III…?

There’s a lot of speculation about the release date for this one. Fans, including myself, are craving more Kingdom Hearts. No, I haven’t played all of them yet, but I love Disney, and I love KH characters. Earlier this week, voice actor Bill Farmer for Goofy and several other characters tweeted that the game would come out this year, giving fans renewed hope. Square Enix later tweeted that the release date will remain unannounced for the time being. As you can see from the trailer, Square Enix is not releasing much yet. I guess there’s a lot left to do. That’s fine with me. I’d rather wait for them to release a high quality game than have them rush the game development and be disappointed. I guess we’ll just have to play our 2.5 Remix for the time being.

What games are you ready to play this year? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to check our part two of our top pick for 2015 next week!