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In recent times, most major video games have been released on several platforms, but there are still a few exclusive titles that are only available on specific consoles. These games are usually the ones that become synonymous with a console brand and tend to be most eagerly anticipated by fans. As The Nerd Stash prepares to announce its Game of the Year award for 2023, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the past year and highlight the top console-exclusive games of the year, as chosen by our editorial team and contributors.
Honorable Mention: Super Mario Wonder
Reviews Editor David Rodriguez: After spending most of the year as a box-office billionaire, Nintendo reminded everybody where the most famous plumber in the world comes from. Super Mario Wonder is the latest attempt at a 2D platforming adventure for Mario and the gang.
They end up in a new kingdom, the Flower Kingdom and the following adventures have just as much heart and fun as the movie he starred in. Flowers will talk to you. Flowers can make Mario go on an acid trip as the levels morph, move, and dance around him. It’s a level of creativity and spark that hasn’t been seen in a Mario platformer since the SNES days.
Super Mario Wonder is a knockout for the Nintendo Switch. It looks great, runs great, and is fun for the family while providing some late-game challenges that the most seasoned players might throw a controller over.
Final Fantasy 16
Reviews Editor David Rodriguez: Epic battles, cussing, blood, sex, and family betrayals. No, I’m not describing the latest season of Game of Thrones, but the latest chapter in Square Enix’s perennial franchise, Final Fantasy 16.
Square’s latest entry in their acclaimed RPG series brought several firsts for the franchise. It features the first M rating and doesn’t shy away from it. Long gone are the days of cute heroes and save-the-world antics. Instead, it has been replaced with bloody battles, political intrigue, and brutality not often seen in the genre. FF16 also shies away from most of the RPG mechanics, opting for a more upfront and in-your-face character action, not unlike Devil May Cry or Bayonetta.
This focus on intense action and mature storytelling comes to life with stunning visuals and some of the best and biggest boss fights in years. It takes advantage of the PlayStation 5 and one of the best console exclusives that dropped this year.
Starfield
Managing Editor Alex Gibson: Bethesda’s Starfield presents a universe that’s as flawed as it is fascinating. Its sprawling space odyssey distinguishes itself from the developer’s previous fantasy-centric titles, inviting players into a sci-fi realm of interstellar exploration and complex narratives.
Set in a future where humanity has colonized the galaxy but has not yet encountered sentient alien life, Starfield unfolds a story rich in political intrigue and cosmic mysteries. The story starts modestly, placing players in the role of a miner who discovers an ancient artifact, leading to an induction into the enigmatic explorer’s guild, Constellation. There’s no question it’s a slow burn, but when it does eventually open up there’s quality questing bound together with genuinely great writing.
Ironically, Starfield’s expansive universe is both its greatest strength and its Achilles heel. On one hand, players can align with various factions, from peacekeeping forces to tech-savvy outlaws, shaping their story through these interactions. On the other hand, the ambitious breadth of the game sometimes leads to uneven pacing and a sense of disconnection. Its nested menus and star maps can be cumbersome to navigate, and the segmented nature of space travel, broken up by loading screens, can disrupt the immersion.
Combat in Starfield is serviceable but lacks the refinement seen in other contemporary titles. While there’s enjoyment in ship-to-ship battles and planetary skirmishes, these elements don’t always deliver the punch that one might expect from a AAA title. Similarly, the crafting and resource management systems, though extensive, can feel overwhelming and under-explained, detracting from the game’s core experience of exploration and discovery.
Despite these drawbacks, Starfield is a game of ambitious scope and imagination. Its beautifully rendered universe, echoing 1970s space aesthetics, and the freedom to craft a unique journey through the cosmos make it a standout title in 2023’s lineup of console exclusives.
Runner-Up: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Reviews Editor David Rodriguez: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is Insomniac’s third outing featuring the webbed crusaders in action. Peter Parker and Miles Morales patrol the streets of NYC and work together to keep everything safe. Well, it’s as safe as a city in the Marvel universe can be. Spider-Man 2 steps everything up significantly, and it’s easily one of the best superhero games ever created.
A big part of this evolution is the power of the PlayStation 5 itself. Free from the shackles of previous console generations, Insomniac made sure to put the new power to great use. The city is massive, and more important than square miles is how alive it feels. The streets are packed with traffic, scores of pedestrians occupy the streets, and every puddle and building window sports slick ray tracing. It’s stunning and a true testament to design and technology coming together. This fusion of power and game design cements Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 as PlayStation’s best exclusive this year.
Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Managing Editor Alex Gibson: Just as we’d hoped, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a monumental sequel to its predecessor, Breath of the Wild. Although it inhabits the same rendition of Hyrule, it elevates the experience with its inventive sky islands soaring above the familiar landscape. These celestial isles introduce new shrines, and dungeons, enhancing the depth and breadth of the sandbox.
There’s no question that Nintendo has skillfully reimagined familiar locales from Breath of the Wild in Tears of the Kingdom. The Great Plateau evolves from a tutorial zone to a perilous landscape, Hateno Village becomes a vibrant fashion hub, and Hyrule Castle astonishingly floats in the sky.
But Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t just expand the geographical horizons; it enriches the narrative and gameplay too. The Depths and sky islands, along with an array of formidable new enemies and the ability to construct massive war machines, add layers of complexity and wonder. The result is an experience not merely a remix of the original Hyrule but an evolution of it.
Narratively, the two games share a natural synergy. Time spent in the world of Breath of the Wild enriches the experience of Tears of the Kingdom, lending a sense of continuity and growth. Familiar characters like Purah and Sidon return, bringing a sense of nostalgia and progression. The emotional journey of Zelda, captured through Link’s memories in Breath of the Wild, forms a complete arc, while Tears of the Kingdom tells its own story, focusing on Hyrule’s distant past.
Sure, Tears of the Kingdom builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, but it doesn’t render it obsolete. I still feel the simplicity of Breath of the Wild has its own unique charm, while the added complexity of Tears of the Kingdom, with its new tools and systems, brings a different kind of depth. The sequel, respects and builds upon the legacy of its predecessor, creating a gaming experience that is both familiar and refreshingly new.
The journey from Breath of the Wild to Tears of the Kingdom feels like a natural progression, much like moving between distinct eras in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. There’s no game we’d sooner have voted the best console exclusive of 2023.
