Top 10 BEST Nintendo Games of 2017

2017 was full of amazing games from Nintendo. Not only was it a fun year for 3DS owners, it was the greatest opening for Nintendo's new console, The Nintendo Switch. While there were some hardships and issues in 2017, there were plenty of great things that happened this year. So today, were going to look at some of the highlights from Nintendo that helped bring a smile to some faces.

Lets have some fun, These are...

The TOP 10 BEST Nintendo Games of 2017

10) Hey! Pikmin - While not the biggest highlight for 3DS, I do consider it a good game that came out this year. While it is a bit slower than most of the Pikmin series and it does just take the basic parts of Pikmin and turn it into a side-scroller, this simple spin-off game I found really enjoyable and I really enjoy playing this game when I just want to chill out on my 3DS. In addition, I think that this game helped open the door for Pikmin to appear on 3DS more often, when they update the game-play style a bit more. While not the big Pikmin game many were hoping would come out this year, I think that this simple game was enjoyable, fun, and I think that most Pikmin fans would find some joy in this game.

9) SnipperClips - Its the simple games that have the most adorable aesthetics. SnipperClips is a fun game that's great to play with a friend because no two game-plays are the same. The puzzles are fun to solve, the characters you play are full of... well character, and even solo I found it very achieving. In addition, the DLC pack that was released for the game was actually pretty good. Although there is one issue, while you can play alone you will NEED to have a friend to play with to get the full enjoyment from this game, although its not a deal breaker at all. This game is pretty much one of the first download only games you should get for your Switch. (After Zelda or Mario, of course...)

8) FAST RMX - This is the closest thing you'll get to F-Zero on Switch, unless Nintendo hasn't told us something... FAST RMX is, again, a game you need to download on your Switch. Not only is the game visually remarkable and has a great atmosphere, it has tight game controls, and a great sense of speed. While a smaller title, this is definitely one of the better games for Nintendo in 2017.

7) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe/Pokken Tournament DX - A tiny bit of cheating seeing as these are ports, but I felt they were worth a spot especially because these games had a lot of new things included within them and being on Nintendo Switch helped give them a stronger/different identity compared to their Wii U Counterparts. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe does this by including all of the DLC, giving us new characters, and implementing a brand new battle mode. Pokken Tournament DX does this by making it easier to play with friends, adding in new pokemon to play as, and a new game mode. Even though these games are ports, on Nintendo Switch they are the definitive versions and definite highlights of 2017.

6) Metroid: Samus Returns - Take everything I just said about #7, except change it to Metroid and put it on 3DS. This enhanced remake of the Gameboy classic not only is fun to play and visually great for 3DS, it helps build up the Metroid name along with giving the series a stronger identity. In addition, this remake can help pave the way for similar games like it down the line on 3DS or even on Switch. (after Metroid Prime 4 of course...)

5) Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - Well... This is an interesting mashup. While it might be a wacky mix-up, its most definitely a welcome one. Who would've thought that an X-COM style strategy game would mix well with Mario and the Rabbids of all game characters. The charm and personality of all the characters shine through so well and the game-play itself is fun and has some depth to it. Clearly a lot of love and passion went into this game and I'm very happy that the game did well. While not the crossover we expected, it definitely became one of the best ones this year.

4) Sonic Mania - In my opinion, this is the better Sonic game between the two we got. Not that Forces was bad, just not quite the punch that I got from Mania. Speaking of, after seeing the trailer for Sonic Mania I was instantly hooked, the game-play looked good, the graphics had this nice retro/high definition mix to them, and I thought it was really cool how the series was returning to formula while still incorporating new things. I enjoyed speeding through classic stages and the new ones as well. I also like that feeling of accomplishment when I figured out how to defeat the bosses and make it pass certain stages. Sometimes the difficulty curve was a bit high, but nothing unfair. This game not only gave Sonic a win this year, but was a great game overall this year as well.

3) ARMS - I think that Nintendo did a great job with this game. This, to me, is Nintendo's OverWatch. Colorful & memorable characters each with their own abilities and skills going head-to-head in a fighting tournament. The control options for fighting are numerous and each one has positives and downsides that help balance the game. The online multiplayer almost rivals Splatoon. I enjoyed both the simple 1 on 1 fights along with the frantically fun group fights. The different arms you can equip to your go-to character give the game a lot of variety and I found myself smiling every time I won a battle. A shame that the big game updates are finished, but with how ARMS is now I can safely say that this game was definitely one of the best for Nintendo this year.

2) Splatoon 2 - ARMS might not have anymore updates, but Splatoon 2 is definitely going strong. I think that this improves so much on the original game. I feel like the improvements made here were because the developers listened to the fans. While not everything was fixed entirely to the most sound solution, a lot of these fixes were very welcome. The game itself keeps the fun Turf-War and the Ranked Battles and includes new fun ideas like the horde mode, Salmon Run, and the new Ranked Battle Clam Blitz. I enjoyed having the use of the SplatNet 2 app to track my progress and even chat with teammates on occasion, although that part needs to be ironed out a bit. That still doesn't take away that Splatoon 2 is a great multiplayer game on Switch that improves what we loved about the original and adds in new features that are just as fun. Definitely one of the best Nintendo games of the year.

Honorable Mentions
Pokemon Ultra Sun & Moon - They're Pokemon games so they are fun, but honestly I thought these games were just "expansions" for the original Sun & Moon. While not bad in anyway, if you're like me and already have Sun or Moon you don't need to rush to pick up this game.
Mario Party: Top 100 - I give credit where its due. While I don't like how the game packaged some of the mini-games and I didn't think that a Mario Party only focused mini-games would work out very well, the game and most of the mini-games are actually pretty good. The concept just needs to be ironed out better.
Rocket League/DOOM - I was going to put these games on the list, but they are just ports that came to Nintendo Switch. Great ports for Switch, but the original games came out before 2017 and, unlike MK8/Pokken, they weren't made by Nintendo originally.
NBA PlayGrounds - While I'm not the biggest sports game person, I enjoyed this game. I think what makes this game an honorable mention is that the updates for Switch took so long. So much so that I'm getting a free copy of Shaq-FU 2 when it comes out. Look forward to that review.

Star Fox 2 - This is only available on a $79.99 plug & play system that's really hard to find. Good, but a tad of a hassle to get to said goodness.

1) The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Super Mario Odyssey - I couldn't do it... I could not find it in my heart to put one of these games over the other. So I just had to give the #1 spot to both of them. Both are fun open world games that break conventions of their respective series, but each takes new directions that adds amazing layers off depth and new forms of enjoyment. With Zelda, I found the environment breathtaking, the battles against the enemies exhilarating at times, and the world I was playing in fun to explore and finding new things around every corner. With Mario, I thought the platforming was top-notch, the challenges were fair and fun to solve, the sandbox worlds full of fun and new challenges, and with every moon and new costume I collected, I felt a new sense of accomplishment. I think the one thing to stress with both of these games is how the combination of the expansive, visually stunning worlds and the amazing game-play from each of these games comes together so well to bring really great games and amazing entries for the Mario and Zelda Series. Each of these games are worthy to add to anyone's Switch Library and each are wonderful games that continue to bring a smile to my face, and I'm positive they will do the same for you.

This is all just my humble opinion and I want to hear from you guys, what were your favorite games from the big N this year? What were you favorite games period? Leave a comment below and start the conversation.

Thank you guys for sticking with me and this little blog. I had a lot fun this year, and I hope next year brings even more fun. I hope your 2017 was good and I hope that this new year brings happiness to you and everyone you love. Happy 2018 and there will be plenty more where this came from.