I think the Wii U was the best of the three consoles. Bayonetta 2, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8 were the games that kept me most entertained in 2014. Even though Smash Bros. wasn't released until November it was probably my most played game all year on hours clocked. I don't own an Xbox One yet, so I can't speak for that, but I do own a PS4 and the only purpose it has served so far is that of a dust collector. For multi-plats the PC takes the crown. But if we're factoring portable systems in to the mix also it was the 3DS that kept me most entertained all year round, much like it did in 2012 and 2013. Overall I'd say the 3DS was the winner, because it had a ton of great first and third-party games that couldn't be found anywhere else.

Star Control II is a great game, but the combat was a disappointment for me personally. It was the one aspect of the game that stopped it becoming 'awesome'. I wasn't that good at it, and maybe that dampened the experience, but I really couldn't get in to it. The rest of the game, exploring the galaxy, finding elements and supplies, trading and forming allegiances with alien races, was fantastic.

I could list 10 games from only 5 franchises if I wanted, so for the sake of fairness I'll choose only 1 game per franchise. In chronological order of release:

• Super Mario Bros, 3
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Final Fantasy VI
• EarthBound
• Chrono Trigger
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
• Pokemon Gold Version
• Halo: Combat Evolved
• Metroid Prime
• Half-Life 2

There are other's I'd add if I allowed myself multiple choices from a single franchise. Super Mario World, Super Metroid, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Final Fantasy VII etc. And there are other games like System Shock 2, Grim Fandango and Thief: The Dark Project that I absolutely adore. In reality I need a top 20.

All of these have unknown release dates (to my knowledge anyway), but my top 5 at the moment are:

X
Persona 5
Zelda Wii U
Destiny
Batman: Arkham Knight

2D games aren't just for nostalgic sake. Granted, the New Super Mario Bros. games certainly were, and nostalgia could certainly play a part in the enjoyment of A Link Between Worlds. But then ANY game, whether 2D or 3D, can be used to fuel nostalgia. But suggesting 2D games serve only that purpose is simply incorrect. Some franchises were simply better 2D. Franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Castlevania have never made hugely successful jumps to 3D, as even the best 3D games in these series are seen as vastly inferior to their 2D counterparts. And nostalgia has nothing to do with it. 2D Castlevania games are just more enjoyable than the 3D games. I think the majority of Castlevania fans would agree with me when I say this. They feel much tighter and more fluid to play. The same goes for Sonic too. Nothing Sega has done with Sonic in 3D has ever come close to the Mega Drive games and Sonic CD.

Yeah, I don't care whether A Link Between Worlds is 'technically' 2.5D. It plays like every classic 2D Zelda, therefore it's 2D as fas as I'm concerned. And I'd think most people would agree with me here. As for portable Zelda games, who even suggested any other portable Zelda game had been a 3D game other than Ocarina of Time 3D? I didn't, I know that for sure. Although, if you want to get technical, I could point out that both Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks were rendered in 3D.

Both are great games, especially Arkham Asylum. I thought Arkham City was a little overrated, but it was still a great game.

That would be awesome.

@fatee: Seeing both a 2D and 3D one would be nice, but I was more specifically referring to which you'd prefer to see first, or which one you'd like to see the most if there is only one game for the system. Metroid Prime is my favourite in the series, but I generally prefer 2D Metroid a LOT more. It's the same thing for me with Zelda. Ocarina of Time is my favourite, but I prefer 2D Zelda as a whole.

It's a shame you aren't very good at 2D Zelda games, because A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening kick so much ass.

Good review. On a personal level though, in terms of challenge, I didn't really have a problem against enemies or bosses in A Link Between Worlds, it was mainly just the puzzles (which, I think, were the best the series has offered in years). It was my Game of the Year for 2013.