Wccftech’s Best Platform Games of 2023 – Runners, Wonders, and (Pizza) Towers

The games industry spans every genre and interest so that all needs are catered for. Be it an indie game on Steam or a Triple A title, there’s nowhere games can’t go, especially equestrianism, making it essential to know things like the best horse games to play.

The Nintendo Switch has had a lot of success in the nearly six years since its release. The console-handheld hybrid has been on the market since 2017, and a slew of fantastic games from first- and third-party developers have launched over the course of the system’s life cycle. Recently, heavy hitters such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pokémon Scarletand Violet, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder have boosted the system’s appeal, while a healthy list of upcoming Switch games continues to drum up excitement.

Few video game consoles stirred up as much buzz as the Nintendo Wii. Before motion-tracking software was considered standard fare and shovelware began popping up left and right to take advantage, Nintendo looked to revolutionize the gaming landscape with the Wii.

There’s no shortage of quality mobile games in 2024, and it can be hard to sift through the sheer number of games downloadable on your phone. That’s where we come in: Over the years, we’ve filled up our phones with mobile games to find the best games across genres. Looking for a hidden object game? A unique tower defense title? A turn-based RPG or classic side-scrolling runner?

Incredible gaming was not limited to the screen this year. A wealth of fantastic board, card, and miniature games found their way to tables, bringing friends and families together for evenings of strategy, imagination, and fun. From simple party games to sprawling quest-driven adventures, these are some of the year’s best new projects for your gaming group.

VVVVVV was part of the initial wave of indie platformers, which means it was released in 2010 and is now a certified classic. To celebrate its 14th birthday, developer Terry Cavanagh has dropped an update which makes it Steam Deck verified and professionally translates it into 21 new languages.

If you’re like me, you probably have at least one treasured memory of being allowed to play an edutainment game at school under the guise of learning. What a blast, getting to play video games at school! For me, it was a floppy disk with a bizarre Pac-Man clone where you had to answer maths questions every time you ran into an enemy or obstacle. I’m sure for others it might be unforgiving classic Oregon Trail or globetrotting trivia quiz Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Not too long ago, many publishers went all-in on multiplayer games (also called live service games in most cases), believing it would be the future of gaming.

Going into 2023, it seemed like the year was poised to be a landmark one for the horror genre, and it mostly delivered the goods. Some games expected for 2023, like the Silent Hill revival, didn’t materialize, but we still got rock-solid remakes of games like Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 and some terrifying new nightmares like Alan Wake 2. So, summon up your courage for Wccftech’s Best Horror Games of 2023…

Pure adventure games are a peculiar genre. Some of the most popular games nowadays belong to the action/adventure genre, but for the purposes of our year-end lists, we prefer to split this category into action and adventure.

Valve has unveiled its annual ‘Best of 2023' list on Steam, revealing which titles dominated sales on PC. The titles haven't been numerically ranked, but have been grouped into tiers — Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze — based on data collected from January 1 through December 15, 2023. The Top 12 category is populated by both free-to-play multiplayer games and the biggest launches, with the award-winning Baldur's Gate 3, Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077, and Hogwarts Legacy emerging as the best-selling titles. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which was disliked by both fans and critics alike, also made it to higher echelons, thanks to a dedicated fanbase wanting to experience its multiplayer segment.

With AAA titles becoming safer and safer, it is indie games that bring the innovation the video game industry as a whole needs. Much like the past few years, 2023 has seen the release of some excellent titles that twist defined genres into something unique, blending their excellent mechanics with visuals that may not be cutting-edge but are still pleasant enough to the eye.