Packed with hotly anticipated titles and surprise new ones, 2018 has been an incredible year to be a video game fan. From playing as characters we already stan, to new games that took over the world, to revamps of the most old-school iconic games; from 4k console gaming, to go-everywhere mobile, here are our absolute fave games of 2018…

Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee (Nintendo Switch)

The latest Pokemon game gave us two all-new additions to the franchise, and fuses old-school Pokemon games with the fast-paced pick-up-and-play fun of Pokemon Go. And we haven'tstopped picking it up since.

Spider-Man (PS4)

It may well be one of the best superhero games ever made: Marvel’s Spider-Man had us swinging around New York City, taking down bad guys and snapping selfies in this super-satisfying open world action adventure.

Reigns: Game Of Thrones (iOS, Android)

The totally addictive decision-making story-based game for your phone released a Game Of Thrones edition this year and got even MORE non-put-down-able, thanks to the game’s intuitive Tinder-style left and right swiping controls and, weirdly, even MORE death and destruction than the actual award-winning show.

Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4, Xbox One)

Open worlds don’t come better than this. One of the most anticipated games of the decade finally rode into town this year, and it didn’t disappoint: the Red Dead sequel gave us a RIDICULOUSLY detailed, ginormous world to explore, rich missions to complete, and the chance to live out all our cowboy fantasies for hours on end: all in one truly boundary-pushing video game.

Tetris Effect (PS4)

How do you improve on perfection? Somehow, it happened this year, with Tetris Effect. Built on the classic block-dropping puzzler, it takes the typical game of Tetris and teams it with trippy AF visuals and a visceral soundtrack. The full-on audio visual experience amounts to about as close as you get to meditating while playing a video game. Like the Tetris you know and love. But also like you’ve never played it before.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy (PS4)

Spyro is lit. And not just because of all that fire-breathing. We got ALL THE NOSTALGIA when the iconic purple dragon returned for the Spyro Reignited Trilogy this year. With a gorgeous remastered collection of the games, and a reminder why this is one of the best platformers evs, 2018’s Reignited Trilogy was a real treat.

Mario Party (Nintendo Switch)

The Nintendo Switch was built for multiplayer party games and this yar’s Mario Party gave us the perfect game for it – and one which will have you shouting at your mum like never before. In a good way. But still. GET YER HANDS OFF MY STARS, MUM.

Fortnite (Literally every platform)

Fortnite captured the world’s imagination this year like no other game. And the free-to-play battle royale changed shooters as we know them at the same time (like Call of Duty’s latest game, which featured only a Fortnite-style multiplayer game and, for the first time, not a single player campaign). Addictive and with constant updates, this had us coming back for more all year long.

God Of War (PS4)

With a dramatic father and son plot, God Of War gave us the most incredible story of 2018 as well as biceps full of glorious combat and one Insta-worthy world: this is one game that’ll make you feel the feels. We’re not crying, you’re crying.

Soul Calibur VI

If you like your fighting games with less magic mushrooms and more MASSIVE F*CK OFF SWORDS, this is your fighting game 2K18. A wonderfully satisfying, smashy fighter. Oh and it had Geralt from The Witcher in it. Swordception!

Lego DC Super Villains (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)

The Lego games are always a family-fun winner, and 2018’s Lego DC Super Villains was no exception. This time around, the action was twisted to put us inthe blocky shoes of The Joker, Harley Quinn and the Injustice league as we got to cause chaos as our favourite comic book villains and strapped in for a whole load of Lego lols along the way.