Game of the Year for Every Year*
*since I was born
I have an ongoing project of designating my favorite video game that was released in each calendar year since I was born. In between a lifelong interest in games, and a particular interest in older games, I have plenty to choose from. So, I've decided to write about each of my choices here.
Before I get into each of the games, however, I want to spend some time talking about my decision criteria.
First, I'm only choosing games for years starting at 1993. I'm aware that this is connecting some personalized information to this website, the fact remains that about four million people were born then (according to literally 8 seconds of research) and the conceit of this project doesn't really work without disclosing it. Oh well.
Second, games can only be chosen as a favorite if I have beaten the game, as long as "beating the game" makes sense for the game in question. Some games are open-ended with no defined end-state, and those are free to include if I feel like it.
Third, my criteria for whether a game was released in a particular year mostly comes down to if was included in wikipedia's list of "games released in XXXX" page. I'm going by original release dates, which excludes rereleases, expansions, localizations, etc. I'll include a remake if the remade game feels like a meaningfully different experience than the original (spoiler, this happens at least once in the list).
Fourth, what makes something a "video game" for the purpose of this list does not actually fully match my own personal use of the term "video game". There is one (1) game on this list that I would not call a "video game" in normal conversation, but it is Funny to include here so I'm gonna do it anyway.
Fifth, I'm selecting based on my opinions at the time of writing, not at the time of playing or at the time of release. I did not play any video games in 1993, and even if I had, I doubt that my tastes as a newborn would match my tastes as an adult. If at any point I feel like I've made a new favorite for a particular year, I may revisit the essay and replace it (leaving the old one up for preservation's sake).
Most years on my list have at least one honorable mention, most often selected either because a) a game that I really loved went up against a game that holds an uncompromising position on a personal pedestal of mine, or b) I haven't technically beaten it.
I'm not going to spoil anything else. You can read the first essay by clicking Here!