When you think of great years for gaming, 2010 probably comes to mind. This is the year that Microsoft released their new slim Xbox 360 alongside the Kinect. It was also a year packed with sequels which ended up being some of the best games of the year. We’ve managed to put together our top 10 games from 2010 that you should definitely give a try.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
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Super Mario Galaxy is widely regarded as one of the best 3D Mario platformers ever made, and one of the most popular games from 2010. But this sequel title goes largely unnoticed for some reason. However, it stands up just as well as the original and furthers Mario’s story. Although Super Mario Galaxy 2 stays pretty close to the formula of its predecessor, it also stands on its own with unique level designs that could otherwise feel very repetitive.
The world of Super Mario Galaxy is enormous, and there is tons of exploration and puzzle-solving to do. The graphics are very similar to the original, but it manages to use some bolder colors that really make the game pop. Best of all, you don’t have to play the first game to get started with Galaxy 2. The gameplay also offers a lot of new abilities, with each stage having its own quirks to master.
- Collect new Comet Metals which unlock harder levels with even more challenges
- Mario collects stars as he travels from galaxy to galaxy, sometimes upside-down, sometimes floating from place to place
- Mario can find an egg, smash it, and hop onto the back of Yoshi in some stages
- New power-ups include a drill that Mario uses to tunnel through the planet's surface all the way to the other side of a planet
- Every level is new, but the game retains the same charm, sense of wonder, and beauty you love
Red Dead Redemption
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Red Dead Redemption is easily the best Western game ever made, with the possible exception of its successor. Rockstar took its open-world concept from Grand Theft Auto and applied it to the old west. The world is really well done, with lots of detail and a massive map to explore. Of course, you don’t have a car to drive, so you have to take a horse.
There is so much to do outside of the game’s missions, but the story is excellent as you get to play as an outlaw turned informant. He then proceeds to do their dirty work by taking out his former outlaw gang members. However, this ends with a stunning conclusion that is unlike anything else. Even if you aren’t a fan of Westerns, Red Dead Redemption is absolutely worth playing.
- The Dead Eye targeting mechanic, allowing the player to slow down time for shot accuracy
- Expansive open-world gameplay set in the final years of the American Wild West.
- Massive play area filled with NPCs, made up 3 unique regions composed of towns and outposts
- Morality system based on honor and fame generated by the players actions throughout the game.
- Western themed mini-games including showdowns, gambling, hunting bounties, cattle herding and five finger fillet
Mass Effect 2
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Mass Effect 2 is a solid follow-up to the first game and sees you play Commander Shepard, who must work to save the galaxy. One of the coolest features of Mass Effect 2 is that it can actually use your decisions from the first game if you play it on the same console. This provides some sections of dialogue that are based on your previous gameplay.
But the sequel is a massive leap forward with beautiful scenes that really stand out. The game is best described as playing through a movie with cinematic cutscenes. The gameplay is also really good, with lots of action and some interesting combat mechanics. There is also an emphasis on exploration, with plenty of things to find as you make your way through the galaxy.
God of War III
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The God of War franchise was going strong long before the new reboots, and God of War III is the final game in this original series. It still looks absolutely incredible with the enormous settings. Nearly everywhere you are in the game is on a grand scale that is loaded with detail. The one downside here is that you really need to have played the first and second games to understand their backstory.
Once you’ve caught up, though, the story is excellent and will see you playing as Kratos and battling Greek gods. While you may be thinking that the game is non-stop action (and you’d be right), it is also filled with a lot of puzzle-solving. Overall, God of War III still looks great, and its combat mechanics don’t feel clunky or cumbersome.
- True to the series roots, the four pillars of game play - brutal combat, intricate puzzles, exploration of awe-inspiring worlds
- God of War III is the epic conclusion to the Greek mythological trilogy, which will complete Kratos' story
- New deadly weapons like the Cestus, powerful metal gauntlets with devastating strength, and other brutal instruments of war
- The menacing creatures of Greek mythology can now be manipulated against their will, to cross chasms, inflict blind rage against enemies
- God of War III picks up exactly where God of War II left off ? Kratos must take his quest for vengeance to the very stronghold of the Zeus.
Halo Reach
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Halo Reach is a thrilling game that capped off the Bungie-made Halo series. However, the developers took this opportunity to provide a sort of origin story for Master Chief and the Spartans. In this prequel game, you take control of Noble Six, who is investigating the Covenant. Throughout the game, you get to learn more about this alien race and what is happening.
Halo Reach is a great-looking game and is one of the best in the series. However, it uses many of the weapons and has similar gameplay to the first game, Halo: Combat Evolved. This is a nice throwback since it is a prequel. With that said, it doesn’t feel dated in any way, and its story is probably the most heartfelt of all the games.
- Fight alongside iconic Spartan soldiers, each with deadly talents, customized gear, and unique individual personalities
- All-new engine technology designed to take full advantage of next-generation graphics, audio, special effects, AI and animation
- A new standard for competitive gameplay, customization, variety and community integration
- Expands on the industry-leading suite of features found in Halo 3, including four-player cooperative
Mafia II
Mafia II is the perfect game for fans of 1940s mobsters. It takes place several years after the first game and takes place in Empire Bay rather than the City of Lost Heaven. You play as a WWII veteran who returns home in need of a job. Of course, he isn’t satisfied with taking on a job as a dock worker and quickly ends up in a life of crime.
The game takes place over two decades, with a prison sentence splitting up the timeframes. Playing through this long span of time is also nice as you get to see how the world changes. While Mafia II is a great open-world game, it has very little to do outside of the main story. The real standout is the game’s story which does have a few twists as you progress.
- Players will be immersed in the Golden Era of America as Mafia II features tracks from some of the era's most influential artists
- Through strong, authentic characterization and compelling narrative, the mature storyline will make you understand the pull and impossible escape of life in the Mob
- Take part in car-to-car gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and gunplay, forming an intense and exciting experience
- 2K Czech's next-generation engine, allows gamers to travel from outdoor environments to intricately designed interiors without the need for loading times
- 2K Czech's next-generation engine, allows gamers to travel from outdoor environments to intricately designed interiors without the need for loading times
Call of Duty: Black Ops
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Coming off the heels of Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Black Ops is a really good choice for those who want to play a war game. The story is pretty good here and actually makes you want to play through the game. This story consists of the main character having flashbacks across several years and different locations.
You essentially play through these flashbacks to fill in his story. Overall, the gameplay is very similar to Modern Warfare games, so there isn’t much intelligence among the NPCs. However, the game is still a lot of fun and definitely worth picking up for its story mode alone. But Black Ops is widely recognized for its multiplayer, which is equally good.
- The seventh game in the Call of Duty series
- Based on conflicts from the Cold War
- Play in a variety of settings from urban and jungle combat in southeast Asia to snow combat in Soviet regions
- Features a blend of traditional COD gameplay with new first-person experiences
- Includes an arsenal of weapons and vehicles from the Cold War era
Bioshock 2
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Bioshock 2 is still a great game that is loads of fun to play, even if you didn’t play the original. However, it does build upon the original, taking place about a decade later. The graphics and art style are different from any other game at the time, and there are portions that are downright creepy. Bioshock takes place in a city below sea level whose inhabitants went crazy after civil war, which started in part by citizens splicing genes.
If this disturbs you, don’t worry; the game gets even weirder with the combination of communist and strange religious themes. The bulk of the gameplay revolves around exploration and battling enemies to progress through the story. However, there are some difficult decisions you have to make, which add an emotional element.
- First-person shooter set in the underwater city of Rapture
- Online and offline multiplayer modes
- New characters and a storyline based on your decisions
- New game mechanics to fight powerful new enemies
- Features new environments to explore
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
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Battlefield games today are known for their more realistic depictions of war rather than the overly fictional stories found in other games from 2010. But this sentiment really got its start in Battlefield: Bad Company 2. The game’s graphics were really good for the time and still look pretty good today.
The gameplay is excellent, with a lot of different types of combat. Some levels are designed as rail shooters, while others are stealth based. Nearly every section feels different and well-thought-out, leading you through a story. Keep in mind that it does have some limitations, mainly that the levels are very linear and don’t offer a lot of variety to complete.
- 8 huge multiplayer maps and 15 land, sea, and air vehicles, including the ATV and the UH-60 transport helicopter
- All-new squad gameplay where players team up with 3 others and fight together to unlock special awards and achievements in 2 squad-specific game modes
- Destruction 2.0. lets you take down entire buildings, create firepoints, or blow it up entirely
- In Battlefield Bad Company 2, there is no place to hide.
Donkey Kong Country Returns
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Donkey Kong Country Returns is the Wii version of the classic platformer, and one of the popular games from 2010. It uses the typical format of a 2.5D sidescrolling platformer. However, it is a major departure from other Nintendo platformers, such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii, as it is much more difficult. Fortunately, it isn’t overly difficult to the point that it is annoying; rather, it offers a good challenge.
Donkey Kong Country Returns really is a dramatic return to the series’ roots, as the Gamecube title required the bongos. This, on the other hand, relies on the Wiimote, which works well enough. The levels offer a wide variety of gameplay mechanics that do a good job of shaking things up. The levels are also very well designed, with some backgrounds coming into the foreground.
- Dual control schemes including the Wi Remote/Nunchuk, as well as a sideways oriented Wii Remote
- The game offers the traditional side-scrolling experience everyone loved, but also levels created in fully rendered 3D environments
- New silhouetted level s add additional challenges as players work to time movements and attacks
- For the first time ever, the franchise features the ability for two people to play together at the same time - one as Donkey Kong, one as Diddy Kong
- Hidden items, puzzle pieces and other surprises are found all through the jungle; spell out K-O-N-G by the end of each level to earn an extra bonus
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