Following on from our reader-voted Top 50 Games of the Decade, Nintendo Life staff members will be picking their personal favourite Nintendo games between the years 2010-2019. To round off our run of features, former Nintendo Life editor Thomas Whitehead returns to let us know his pick of the past ten years...
The end of a decade is either a momentous occasion or ‘just another year’, depending on your point of view. As a landmark it does give us a chance to think about how much things have changed – or haven’t, in some cases – over the course of ten years; that definitely applies to video games.
Picking a ‘game of the decade’ is tricky, though, or at least it should be. Games have not only evolved a great deal, but the genres and styles have changed. Yet, predictably to anyone who knows me, I’m picking a ‘current-gen’ game as my favourite of the decade; it’s in the running to be my favourite game ever but, well, maybe another time for that debate.
The quotation marks around ‘current-gen’ make sense, as of course, I’m talking about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It was supposed to be the Wii U’s tentpole Zelda release, but a combination of development delays and the poor old Wii U’s woes meant that Breath of the Wild came to be better known as a Nintendo Switch game. On the one hand, it’s sad that the Wii U never had a mainline Zelda game to call its own, but in actual fact, the very nature of the Switch hybrid concept helped the game solidify its place as my favourite of the decade. Not only is it a stunning game, but it changed my whole perspective on this hobby of ours.
Gaming has always been in my family, mainly through myself and my older brother, and I have fond memories of family multiplayer nights on the SEGA Mega Drive where my parents would join in. As we all got older those family nights happened less (aside from a revival in the early Wii years), but my purchase of a DSi (and the start of my near-7 year love-affair with this very website in 2011) also brought my mum into the gaming fold. My dad plays some games too, but it still raises eyebrows when I talk about my retired mum beating Dragon Quest games, for example. The hybrid form of the Switch, meanwhile, made it irresistible when it was announced, and though I had one early and beat Breath of the Wild in 6 days to write a review (I'm still waiting for my medal), my brother and mother had pre-orders ready.
When I cleared the game for review I did it properly, in that I cleared all four ‘main’ dungeons and achieved the true ending. But I did have to rush a little because the game is ludicrously big, and despite unlocking all the towers there were areas and smaller quests I simply did not see; there was simply no time. Then I got to see my family experiencing it, right from my mum’s hesitant early steps in the Plateau where she made notes on controls (give us manuals back, darn it!) and then seeing my brother working through as slowly as possible because he loved it so much.
It became a family obsession, although at times my dad might have felt like we were all going mad. Every time we met for a family dinner we talked about Breath of the Wild in a rather (ahem) breathless way. And then my mum and brother would mention a village or quest and I’d be confused – “where is that?”. Cue a scenario where two 30-something men get Switches out of bags while a woman in her 60s fires up the TV for her system. “Over there, you have to climb up that mountain”. It was constant discovery, and for weeks all we talked about was Zelda – cool areas, tips for tough sections and why it was the most amazing game we’d ever played.
It was joyfully collaborative, and I realised my 10/10 review didn’t even cut it; this game meant more than a 'perfect' score to me. I discovered and learnt about the world with my family, and it felt like we could only truly experience all of Hyrule if we worked together.
That is what makes Breath of the Wild unique, special, and unlike any other game I have personally experienced in the last decade. Three players, three copies, and endless adventure. I have played through the campaign to completion 4 times – in a dash for review, slower in the aforementioned collab with family, in Master Mode, and most recently a 100% run including all of the DLC in order (but not all Korok Seeds, don’t be daft!). Those playthroughs have helped me through long travel times, tough personal moments, and just general snippets around the madness and tedium of real-life; I’m happy sitting on the couch playing it on my TV, or grabbing 15 minutes on the portable when waiting for a train. It is the only game of the past decade that I have beaten more than twice apart from Resident Evil 4 (my Halloween tradition), and across hundreds of hours. Games rarely stick with me that way; heck, writing this makes me want to start it all over again.
For some, it lacked ‘classic Zelda’ elements, and they’re not wrong. But what it did have was the ability to trigger my imagination – and those of my family members – in a way that has never been matched by any other media, of any kind. It’s not just my game of the decade, it’s my entertainment experience of the decade. Bravo, Nintendo.
Comments 63
Probably my favourite game of all time
Thomas Whitehead please come back, you are missed here.
It’s a remarkable game, to be fair.
Yes, this is the game of the decade!
My 8-year-old son and I played this completely together, with my wife and daughter watching most of it. 120 hours bonding over a game is something quite special and watching him be too scared to fight anything and only doing the shrines whilst I did everything else and seeing him progress to defeat Ganon by himself was a great way to watch him grow.
This will probably be at the top of my favourite game list forever. Or at least very close to it.
And glad to see more than than just my family was able to experience this game together.
Great to see Thomas back (if only for a moment) and dropping knowledge: "give us manuals back, darn it!" Amen my bearded brother!
FINALLY someone gets it right!
Yeah, not only game of the decade, but my personal Game of all-time. Such a n outstanding game that blew me away the first time I played it and still felt fresh on my 2nd.
@KryptoniteKrunch @Pirlo_ze_sniper Yup! I spent the first 30 years of my life saying no game would ever be better than Ocarina of Time (well, 20; OoT wasn't around that first, dark decade). I'll spend the rest of my life saying BotW won't be topped (or at least until BotW 2).
As a Nintendo game, I would agree it pushed boundaries. I just don't think it is the game of the decade. It lacked things that combine together to create the one thing a $60 investment needs: replayability.
Just like Super Mario Maker 1 paved the way to the superior Super Mario Maker 2, I feel Nintendo will know just the right refinements to ensure that botw 2 will be a masterpiece.
The game was good its first playthrough. I loved the Easter eggs and the timeline placement theories. I wont forget my time in that game. However, game of the decade? Not in my opinion.
By far my favorite game of all time.
Still just can’t really get into it. I could maybe see myself having fun with it but I really need to give it another go.
You all know I was disappointed by BotW which is the 3D Zelda game I like the least. It always surprises me how much praise it gets whether as a Zelda game or as an open-world game.
Many people said this game doesn't deserve 10/10, and I fully agree. It deserves 13/10, many 14/10.
It was an incredible step forward and a masterpiece of modern gaming. Also I can't wait to see the sequel, wether it will be similar, one par or even better, or more like what Twilight Princess was to Ocarina of Time (which would still be awesome).
@rdm22 i cant even imagine what a 2030 Zelda game would be like. The possibilities are endless....
Thankfully! I was wondering when someone would pick botw.. and I'm glad it was Thomas. It's my game of the decade as well 😊
I've played better this decade.
Put this way since March 2017 it is still a chart top seller even if not at #1 going on 4 years now. That should tell anyone the success of the game for itself and the Switch family.
Oh, so all of this teasing just for a single article? 🥺
Still, glad to have you back even if just for a day, @ThomasBW84! You've been sorely missed!
Still, wish you all the best in your new endeavors 😄
It’s a great game but not a great zelda
Is this the best game of the decade? Is the Pope a Catholic?
Same here, loved every minute of it
@Kwehst I disagree very much with your statement. Your profile picture is that of a Chocobo - and I must say, it's ironic that you find replayability being the major factor bringing the game up to the $60 mark when the entire Final Fantasy franchise is weak in that regard.
Look, I love having a share of FF games from time to time, hell, I have all of the games on my PC and I regularly decide to play through one from time to time. Those games are in no sense replayable, however they offer 100+ hours worth of gameplay which makes the price of the games worth it. I don't see how BOTW is any different. The game is built in a very open "go anywhere you want" fashion where you can accomplish tasks in any way you want. Most people don't think BOTW is replayable because of how many hours they already invest into the game before they are finished.
The experience is most magical on the first playthrough, but isn't that true to every game out there? BOTW gifted video games with a new ground base for the future of open world and I think that alone is a great enough milestone to call it a game of the decade.
That said, this IS just all opinions so...
@Seananigans
I can completely see and even to an extent agree with your opinion on replayability. The ingredients are there. Everything you listed does entice one to give another go. Yet after completing every shrine and defeating every boss, I still have no care to play again. I haven't had this problem with any other Zelda game (well, except Skyward Sword ). For me, the second round seems like work maybe? Maybe some will think I'm not really a gamer? Maybe I'm becoming casual as I get older? Rose colored glasses? Perhaps. I still have more desire to play any Zelda game in the past 2 decades than I do botw. I can't change that feeling.
I definitely do not bash anyone who finds that this game is perfect. I have never enjoyed Metroid games but I love the lore and cheer on new games that get added to the series. My thoughts are that botw just lacked something. That feeling for me is why I'd never name it game of the decade. Game of the year, sure, but I just think other games deserve that specific title better. I WILL buy botw 2 and I have every bit of faith that Nintendo will deliver a far superior entry.
100% agree. This is literally my favourite game of all time. Everything about it is perfection.
Revolutionary, Epic. -for me anyway.
My favorite game of all time... and I don't intend to ever finish it. I know that sounds strange, but so what?
As far as strictly Nintendo goes? I mean... maaaaaaaybe I'd agree? Tbh I feel like something like Galaxy 2 or Odyssey deserve that title way more. Speaking only of Nintendo, of course.
@Varkster
Well, I love chocobos so that is why it's my pic. I love irony though, so I will take it as a compliment
Botw does offer replayability. I've seen people pull out of this game well more than the $60 price tag. And to them I say bravo, this is your game of the decade. I love reading the comments of people who have had a true connection to this game, or any game for that matter. In the comments though, I like to place my opinion down for others who may agree with me to find enjoyment that there are others that think like them, and for people to reply that have differing opinions to try to show me a different viewpoint.
As for the Final Fantasy franchise, eh. I think they are too catered for certain audiences as a whole. I will agree botw bridges that gap better. Can I ask what your favorite ff is? Mine personally is IX. I hope you have a great rest of your day.
This was my game of the decade as well. I own every Nintendo console and play a decent number of games, but BoTW was the first in a long time that became an obsession. Seriously, I thought about the game all the time when I wasn't playing it. Trying to figure out some of the clues to make a shrine appear without resorting to a guide (proud that I didn't have to). I savored every moment of it. I was able to get lost in that world for hours at a time, or even a few minutes if that's all I had. Playing BoTW reminded me of being a kid again and rekindled those feelings of wonder.
Wow getting Thomas back to write one of these is very appreciated.
I’m probably be crucified for saying this, but I think that even Skyward sword deserves a honorable mention. Sure, Botw is THE game everyone will talk about fir ages to come, and it deserves every ounce of glory, but I also loved SS. the latter is the most underrated Zelda game ever. I enjoyed the motion controls, they hyped and never bothered me.
The story, with its cinematic phases, was awesome, Link really played the part of the first hero, and I loved his interactions with Zelda and Impa. There is where the legend began, and the boss rush at Lanayru’s place was nuts. Sure, it did stick to the old formula, but I spent the first years if the decade going back at it and I have fond memories. I even miss the opportunity to swing my sword at enemies based on their guard.
It's one of the greatest games ever made. It's my favorite Zelda game.
@ThomasBW84 is like one of those literary ghosts who returns one day a year to live life among us mortals.
What a pleasant surprise @ThomasBW84 - great read!
250+ hours for me - more than 10 entire days and nights in Hyrule! First playthrough was absolutely stunning - the combination of a fresh feeling game on a marvel of a console was intoxicating.
Managed to stay on the wagon and play a bit of Golf Story and Garou before the expansion pass was fully released, then replayed the entire thing in master mode. With my knowledge from the first playthrough, plus the trials and the champions ballad, I was in gaming nirvana all over again. I think I played this game for 6 months in total. And I mean exclusively. I'm surprised the cart hadn't fused with the Switch itself, it had been in there that long. I probably wouldn't have been bothered if it had.
The sheer excellence of craft is evident, and influential. Thank goodness AC Odyssey had an "exploration" mode for quests - made the game far more enjoyable for me. That was another 140 or so hours.
I wanted to recapture the eye opening magic of OoT on the N64, and I wasn't disappointed. Expectations were exceeded. The game is pure child-like joy, innocent escapism, and Thomas is right - as an entertainment experience this is unrivalled. It was an event.
I can't wait for the sequel. It'll be lovely to get lost in Hyrule for months on end again, then emerge back into the world, blinking at the light, to see what I've missed and then pick it up on sale.
Incredible game. Two changes would have made it perfect for me. The weapons break way too quickly. The main dungeons were all disappointing and did not meet the legacy of the series. But running through the mountains and discovering new things was one of my top game experiences.
Great read, I also felt this was the game I was always waiting for. The polish and the nuances of this game are just unlike any other game I’ve played and definitely my fav game of all time. Incidentally I too also live res evil 4 and have completed it several times lol
I honestly cannot understand anyone who does not like this game, to me it’s a game that really opens your imagination. I’m looking forward to BOTW 2 but I’m very doubtful they will able to create something as exciting or even more exciting then the first BOTW
Then again I would not put it past Nintendo
Breath of the Wild is the first, and only, game I've ever played that truly felt like it had a living, breathing world. The NPCs, animals and monsters all interact with one another in meaningful ways. The landscape is very natural, with strange ruins that feel ancient and forgotten. It's more than your run of the mill open videogame world. BotW's world doesn't seem like it needs you around for things to be happening. It's a game that truly sparks the imagination and gets me excited to explore. It's easily my game of the decade and, even after three years, a good enough reason to get a Switch on its own.
It's interesting that people negatively criticise BotW for lack of story - something I don't agree with but can understand the viewpoint after playing Skyrim and Witcher 3.
To me, Hyrule was the star. Other games may have a more populated world but none have the atmosphere of BotW. Many was the time I'd get in from work and fire up the game with an objective in mind, but instead find myself simply exploring Hyrule, just because. Hours spent just climbing or heading towards something interesting in the distance - the 'three points of interest' design was utterly brilliant and not matched by any other game I've played.
Sounds daft but it was a little mental holiday, a little escape exploring the world and occasionally meeting a quirky character. It feels very Japanese in many ways, the joy of space and a holiday in freedom.
Welcome home Thomas!
Game of the Decade? Nah imo. Nintendo Game of the Decade? Very very close.
Great game - absolutely no question. But it lacks the narrative to go with the gameplay and is hindered by the silent protagonist trope.
I love it, but it's still "only" a 9/10 for me.
I appreciate BotW, and completely understand the love this game gets, but I didn’t particularly like it. A combination of fiddly controls and breaking weapons ruined it for me - but I like watching people who know what they’re doing play it!
@Anti-Matter if you don’t mind sharing. What is your game of the decade. If BOTW didn’t get your hype. Which game did
If not then Witcher 3..............
Possibly the best game of all times, written by the best writer NintendoLife ever had.
This is the one.
This game is full of invention and novelty, it’s incredibly shallow though, and once it becomes a known quantity it loses its value, unlike its predecessors that remain classics despite play through after Playthrough.
Beyond BOTW being a good game its importance to the Switch being a runaway success can't be understated. For a good half a year BOTW was one of the only truly great games available for Switch. I remember people calling the Switch a "Zelda Machine" before Odyssey or other 1st party games came out. Without Breath of the Wild the Switch could've had a very much smaller impact than it did... at least in 2017
It saved Nintendo's reputation after the WiiU debacle and rumors of Nintendo just being a game developer. For that we owe the game all the praise humanly possible.
Game of the decade. Best game ever made, IMO. And that comes from a die-hard retro gamer here (I probably spend 75% of my gaming time with 8- and 16-bit era games)
Possibly my favourite game of all time. I knew it was one of the favourites but I’m on my second full playthrough now and if anything it’s better second time around.
Less of a surprise of course but with more time to appreciate the systems, the design, and the atmosphere it’s an incomparable experience.
Great seeing you pop up here, Mr. Thomas Whitehead!
Umm...why the F have I seen “staff picks” favorite decade game all time like 5 times now? What am I missing here? Should it not be 1 game and that’s it?
Great to see you back here, Thomas. Wish you could stay!
@CTmatic Each staff member is giving their own personal game of the decade.
Good read and nice to see you here, rather than in my emails (though I enjoy that too) @ThomasBW84
Come back more often!!! You're part of what drew me away from my usual haunt.
The main thing about this article is the return of @ThomasBW84! The site had a "golden age" when you were editor, Tom. I was sad to see that you never came to "visit" us after you left. Would be great to see you popping up in the comments from time to time! And I do hope that you are doing great out there.
I can't wait for the open world trend to fade. At least put a fast forward button in for those of us with lives.
No contest. I'm one of those who generally avoids hundred-hour rpgs due to the lack of free time to sit and play for an hour or two at a time, but this drew me in from start to finish. No other game comes close in my opinion.
The best writer with the best pick!
While I admire the risk taking and the new ideas, for me this game just felt lifeless and empty. The world was barren and fairly unatractive, the score was truly terrible, it didn't run all that well, and worst of all it was just boring.
So much running around a mostly empty world fighting the same goblin things over and over with just the occasional random piano twinkle in the background. It was dull.
For me Mario Odyssey is the best Switch game, and perhaps the best Nintendo game in a long time. It's a joyful experience, which Breath of the Wild very rarely is.
I like Breath of the Wild but it is NOT a 10/10 more like a 8.5/10 game
@La-weejee don't mind @Anti-Matter he can write & talk trash all the time. I guess he's game of the decade is disney tsum-tsum.
@Rpg-lover I was guessing that his game of the decade would be Race with Ryan.
@Dakka-Dakka i know😁.. it could still be, or even more.
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