Introduction

Game On! 2019

December 2019

Another year nearly in the books and video games are as healthy as ever. The Nintendo Switch is outselling both the PS4 and the Xbox One these days. This is no surprise as both Sony and Microsoft will be releasing BRAND NEW consoles Holiday 2020. That and the fact that Nintendo released the Switch Lite handheld thusly replacing the 2DS and 3DS handhelds. While the Switch seems to be just getting started the PS5 and Project Scarlett (Xbox’s codename) will be out and people know this, hence the drop in sales. There wasn’t a shortage of games though and as always every category is represented and ALL games were released in 2019!

Happy gaming!

Recommended Games

Rated E for Everyone

FIFA 20
ISBN: 0014633738650
EA Sports FIFA 20 delivers a champion-caliber experience on and off the pitch. Introducing the prestigious UEFA Champions League, offering authentic in-match atmospheres, featuring gameplay updates including elevated on-pitch personality and a striking overhaul, and providing new and unrivaled ways to play. Champions Rise in FIFA 20.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn
ISBN: 0045496745028
Unravel an epic adventure with Kirby. In a world of yarn and cloth, help Kirby stitch things up. Join Prince Fluff in a quest to save Patch Land from tearing at the seams! Includes Ravel abilities, Devilish mode, new minigames, amiibo support.
(Available on 3DS)
Luigi’s Mansion 3
ISBN: 0045496596408
Luigi must explore the haunted Last Resort hotel with his all new Poltergust G-OO to save his friends. Control Luigi and Gooigi in single player, or play together with a friend. In the ScareScraper, players can team up to defeat ghosts and solve puzzles. In the ScreamPark, it's Team Luigi vs. Team Gooigi in a minigame battle to determine the ultimate ghost-hunting team.
(Available on Switch)
Madden NFL 20
ISBN: 0014633738391
Madden is back! Every year they add just a bit more to get your interest up. Some people don’t like this tactic (myself included) as it causes the consumer to buy a game every year when in reality, a simple update would suffice. Well this year is no different. Although I enjoy this series, getting it from your local library is the smartest move you can make.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
MLB The Show 19
ISBN: 0711719519058
Another year and Sony is making the ONLY worthy baseball game. It makes the list again even though my rant for other sports games still stands. You’ll enjoy it so just get it.
(Available on PS4)
NBA 2K20
ISBN: 0710425555275
Another sports game another slight update. Is it a great game? Yeah. Are the graphics, physics, sound and realism there? Yeah. So what’s my problem? I dunno, maybe I’m tired of buying pretty much the same game every year. So why is it on my list…again? Well, it’s because you should get it from your local library that’s why! If you love it then buy it.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
New Super Lucky’s Tale
ISBN: 0045496596989
Join Lucky on his thrilling journey through the Book of Ages, a magical artifact that opens doors to amazing worlds. Meet new friends, explore exciting lands, and recover the missing pages from the evil sorcerer Jinx and his villainous family, the dreaded Kitty Litter.
(Available on Switch)
New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe
ISBN: 0045496592691
Go head to head or co-op in this super fun game for your Nintendo Switch. You can use the joy con controllers but I can’t, because I’m an adult, and don’t have child-like hands. Using a Joy Con for me is like that famous picture of Andre the Giant holding a beer can. I bought a pro controller and have never looked back. I can go on and on about features and levels but let’s be honest, you want this game no matter what. So much fun.
(Available on Switch)
Super Mario Maker 2
ISBN: 0045496596484
You can play, create, and share the side-scrolling Super Mario courses of your dreams in the Super Mario Maker 2. Dive into the single-player Story Mode and play built-in courses to rebuild Princess Peach's castle. Make your own courses, alone or together. A new side-scrolling Mario adventure that unleashes the creative potential of Super Mario Maker 2 awaits in Story Mode, which contains over 100 built-in courses. And in Course Maker, a wide range of parts, tools, and more are available so you can construct your own courses. Want coin-shooting cannons? Bowser riding on a giant Goomba? Cat Mario sliding down slopes to take out an army of baddies? Go for it! You call the shots.
(Available on Switch)
Team Sonic Racing
ISBN: 0010086770070
All your favorite characters from the Sonic Universe are here, 15 to be exact. Up to 4 player team racing as well. It also has a handheld mode if you own a Switch. If you love Sonic, SEGA or racing games this is a must!
(Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
Yoshi’s Crafted World
ISBN: 0045496593919
Jump into a new Yoshi adventure in a world made of everyday objects--like boxes and paper cups! As Yoshi, you'll leap up high, gulp down enemies, and set out on a treasure hunt to find all the different collectibles. On the flip side, stages can be played backwards, providing new perspectives to explore and new ways to locate some of the more craftily hidden items! It all started when Kamek and Baby Bowser set out to steal a gem-set stone. Legend has it that this fabled artifact can grant the bearer their wildest dreams! But when the artifact's gems are sent flying, it falls upon Yoshi and friends to find them. Luckily, saving the day can be cooperative and challenging. Pass a Joy-Con controller to a friend to team up as fellow Yoshis. Also, Mellow mode gives Yoshi wings for a breezier experience, which may come in handy. Finding all the flowers, coins, and Poochy Pups is no small feat. For extra protection, suit up in one of the handicraft costumes you can unlock in-game.
(Available on Switch)

Rated E 10+ for Everyone Ages 10 and Up

Just Dance 2020
ISBN: 0887256090920
Dance like no one’s watching. Or better yet, dance like everyone’s watching. You can choose from 40 songs, play co-op or head to head, and there's a kids mode with kid friendly songs.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
The Lego Movie 2
ISBN: 0883929668113
There is just something so addicting about Lego video games. My kids can play it for hours and so can I. Sometimes the puzzle to end a level is just as challenging as most other games geared towards adults. It’s just not fluff. Are you a master builder?
(Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
NHL 20
ISBN: 0014633738506
I know what you're saying. Is he going to give NHL 20 a pass after talking smack about the other sports games on the list? Kind of. Here’s why. Last year’s game was so broken that just about anything they did this year was bound to be an improvement. They did just that and this year’s game is actually quite good. Don’t believe me? Try before you buy! Get it today.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)

Rated T for Teen

Anthem
ISBN: 0014633369960
When Anthem was announced at the 2018 E3 there was a TON of hype surrounding it. While hype can be a good thing, it wasn’t for this game. Issues with the game right out of the gates. Updates and patches to fix a ton of stuff and the game was panned quite badly. So why is it on the list? It’s really not as bad as it’s made out to be and to be honest it’s worth a try. While it’s not anywhere near my favorite game this year, it’s not my most hated either.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Shenmue & Shenmue II
ISBN: 0010086632378
See below.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Shenmue III
ISBN: 0816819016442
Shenmue III is a game 18 years in the making. When Shenmue II came out no one knew it would take this long for one of the most anticipated sequels in video game history! In a complete vast open world you play Ryu Hazuki, a teenage martial artist who vows to find his father’s murderer and exact his revenge. If you’ve never played the first two Shenmue games you really should. It’s worth it. See above.
(Available on PS4)
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
ISBN: 0014633373103
With the final film in the trilogy (Episode XI) due to hit this month, it’s no surprise there is a video game that has just about nothing to do with the film coming out. It takes place after Episode III and you’re a Jedi in training. While mastering your skills you have to be one step ahead of the Empire as at every turn they try to destroy the Jedi Order. Can you do it? Can you use the force for the greater good?
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
WWE 2K20
ISBN: 0710425595387
Although WWE wrestling is fake and not a real sport, these guys and gals really take their bodies to the limit. This is no different even in a video game. All your favorite WWE superstars, legends, hall of famers and NXT’s best are present. You’re guaranteed to have nothing but fun playing this game.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)

Rated M for Mature

Borderlands 3
ISBN: 0710425594946
The highly anticipated and long awaited sequel is finally here! At the hard edge of the galaxy lies a group of planets ruthlessly exploited by militarized corporations. Brimming with loot and violence, this is your home, the Borderlands. Now, a crazed cult known as The Children of the Vault has emerged and is spreading like an interstellar plague. Play solo or co-op as one of four unique Vault Hunters, score loads of loot, and save the galaxy from this fanatical threat.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Crackdown 3
ISBN: 0889842223903
While this game hasn’t been in the making as long as Shenmue III has, it’s been a LONG time coming for this game. It’s been delayed more times than I can count and even boasted that the in-game carnage would even be cloud based. Although none of that happened it’s still a great game and it has Terry Crews. Play local or online with up to 10 different players and stop the bad guys. Enough said.
(Available on Xbox One)
Dead or Alive 6
ISBN: 0040198003063
Dead or Alive 6 is a fast-paced 3D fighting game, produced by Koei Tecmo Games, featuring graphics and multi-tiered stages that create a truly entertaining competitive experience. The story follows the events of Dead or Alive 5, focusing on 2 separate main narratives, namely, the battle between "Ninja and DOATEC" versus "M.I.S.T. lead by Donovan", and the events that occur during the 6th Dead or Alive Tournament.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Death Stranding
ISBN: 0711719506027
Besieged by death's tide at every turn Sam Bridges must brave a world utterly transformed by the Death Stranding. Carrying the stranded remnants of the future in his hands, Sam embarks on a journey to reunite the shattered world one step at a time. What is the mystery of the Death Stranding? What will Sam discover on the road ahead? A genre-defining gameplay experience holds these answers and more.
(Available on PS4)
Devil May Cry 5
ISBN: 0013388550418
The Devil you know returns in this brand new entry in the over-the-top action series. Prepare to get downright demonic with this signature blend of high-octane stylized action and otherworldly & original characters the series is known for. Director Hideaki Itsuno and the core team have returned to create the most insane, technically advanced and utterly unmissable action experience of this generation!
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
The Division 2
ISBN: 0887256036362
Set in Washington D.C., the game takes place 7 months after a deadly virus was released in New York City and the nation has become a shell of its former self. While the virus has been contained, its effects are most evident in the devastated streets of the nation's capital where survivors cling to hope and struggle to rebuild. Enter The Division, a unit of civilian sleeper agents who now must work to stop enemy factions from completely taking over the city -- and ultimately, the nation. As a universally-regarded seat of power, if D.C. falls, the nation falls. With civilians helpless and fearing for their lives, players will be the last line of defense in preventing the total collapse of society.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Far Cry New Dawn
ISBN: 0887256039011
Dive into a transformed, vibrant, post-apocalyptic Hope County, Montana, 17 years after a global nuclear catastrophe. Lead the fight against the Highwaymen as they seek to take over the last remaining resources in the latest installment of Far Cry.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Gears 5
ISBN: 0889842519099
In this new rendition things get a little intense out there. All new renderings make this the most beautiful Gears game ever. That and the fact that if you have a 4K TV with HDR, you’re REALLY going to be treated to graphics that are simply stunning. All the usual fare is here too. There’s 2-3 co-op, 2-10 multiplayer, 2-5 online co-op and of course story mode!
(Available on Xbox One)
Metro Exodus
ISBN: 0816819014509
Metro Exodus is a story-driven first-person shooter that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever. Explore the Russian wilderness across vast, non-linear levels and follow a thrilling story line that spans an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Mortal Kombat 11
ISBN: 0883929668977
Mortal Kombat is back and better than ever in the next evolution of the iconic franchise. The all new Custom Character Variations give you unprecedented control to customize the fighters and make them your own. The new graphics engine showcasing every skull-shattering, eye-popping moment, brings you so close to the fight you can feel it. And featuring a roster of new and returning Classic Fighters, Mortal Kombat's best in class cinematic story mode continues the epic saga over 25 years in the making.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
The Outer Worlds
ISBN: 0710425595165
Lost in transit while on a colonist ship bound for the furthest edge of the galaxy, you awake decades later only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the Halcyon colony. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Rage 2
ISBN: 0093155174078
THE WASTELAND AWAITS - Seamlessly traverse a vast and varied landscape, from lush jungles and treacherous swamps to sun-scorched deserts in your pursuit of The Authority. Play to survive in a dystopian world filled with violence and mayhem.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)
Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
ISBN: 0047875882928
In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice you are the 'one-armed wolf', a disgraced and disfigured warrior rescued from the brink of death. Bound to protect a young lord who is the descendant of an ancient bloodline, you become the target of many vicious enemies, including the dangerous Ashina clan. When the young lord is captured, nothing will stop you on a perilous quest to regain your honor, not even death itself. Explore late 1500s Sengoku Japan, a brutal period of constant life and death conflict, as you come face to face with larger than life foes in a dark and twisted world. Unleash an arsenal of deadly prosthetic tools and powerful ninja abilities while you blend stealth, vertical traversal, and visceral head to head combat in a bloody confrontation. Take revenge. Restore your honor. Kill ingeniously.
(Available on PS4, Xbox One)