What are Your Favorite Games of the 8th Console Generation?

[Issun]

With the PS5 around the corner and the last PS4 and XBone exclusives having been released, the generation is winding down. Only the Switch continues, but Nintendo hardware is almost its own thing. So let's look back at the games we loved most from this generation.

The 8th console generation is generally considered to consist of the PS4, XBox One, Wii U, Switch, 3DS, and PC games released between 2014 and 2020.

My Top 20 in order of release:

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Mario Kart 8
Shovel Knight
Bloodborne
Life is Strange
Undertale
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Doom
Inside
NieR: Automata
What Remains of Edith Finch
RiME
Doki Doki Literature Club
Red Dead Redemption 2
Gris
Eastshade
My Friend Pedro
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Animal Crossing: New Horizons

 

[Sarcasmorator]

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Shovel Knight
Hollow Knight
Axiom Verge
Hyper Light Drifter
Undertale
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (the first FE in forever that didn't send me into paroxysms of analysis paralysis; thanks casual mode!)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Control
Jedi: Fallen Order
Owlboy
FFXII: The Zodiac Age
FFXIV

Honorable mention to several others already mentioned, including Gris and Sayonara Wild Hearts. Great games, just not mega favorites.

There are a few things I would like to catch up on or haven't gotten to yet, like NieR: Automata. Stuff I'm sure I'd love, if I played it more. NEver enough time!

There's a lot of other stuff probably also, I'll add on as I remember it.

 

[WildcatJF]

Let's see...

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Splatoon 2
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Gris
Shovel Knight
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Untitled Goose Game
Steamworld Heist
Super Mario Odyssey
Celeste
The Alliance Alive
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Ittle Dew 2
Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds
River City Girls
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Steamworld Dig 2
Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Best remakes/remasters: Dragon Quest VIII (3DS), Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition (Switch), Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors (Switch), Trials of Mana (Switch)

 

[Adrenaline]

Bayonetta 2
Bloodborne
Breath of the Wild
Control
Doom
God of War
Half-Life: Alyx
A Link Between Worlds
Metal Gear Solid V
Prey
Resident Evil 2
Sekiro
Spider-Man
Uncharted 4
Undertale
The Witcher 3

 

[Regulus]

It's been a good generation, particularly outside of the 'AAA' gaming space. Lots of amazing indies.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
Dark Souls III
Fae Tactics: The Girl Who Destroyed the World
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Half-Life: Alyx
Her Story
Hyper Light Drifter
Into the Breach
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Shovel Knight (Shovel of Hope et al.)
Sonic Mania
Undertale
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Wild Guns: Reloaded
The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
ZeroRanger

 

[MCBanjoMike]

In roughly chronological order:

Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Overwatch (even though Blizzard sucks)
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
Hollow Knight
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Dead Cells
PUBG
Celeste
Subnautica
Slay the Spire
Return of the Obra Dinn
Control
Ring Fit Adventure
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Man, look at that absolute heap of incredible games from 2017-2018. XCOM 2: WotC and Hollow Knight are in my top 10 of all-time, while Celeste and Subnautica probably crack the Top 25 or so. Also, special shout out to Super Metroid/Link to the Past Crossover Randomizer, which is an incredibly weird and cool thing that I was totally obsessed with in 2019/2020. It's a little early for me to induct any of this year's games into the canon, but Paper Mario: The Origami King, GTFO and Crosscode are all in the running for sure.

 

[Kazin]

Very few! I am increasingly becoming the type of person who only wants to play old stuff, particularly pre-2010ish or so, and indies generally don't do much for me (and I've never enjoyed FPSs). Honestly I'm jealous of those who get more out of games these days, as you have a lot more to play than I do. Anyway:

- FFXIVs expansions (particularly Heavensward and Shadowbringers)
- Sonic Mania
- Super Smash Bros Ultimate
- Pokemon Ultra Sun/Moon
- Dragon Quest XI
- Trails of Cold Steel 1-3 (and probably 4 in October)
- Tetris Effect
- Super Mario Maker
- Stardew Valley

There are a decent number of games I haven't gotten around to yet, but generally speaking new stuff isn't grabbing me these days. I guess I'm just getting old.

 

[4-So]

Favs:

Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Dark Souls 3
Gris
God of War
Axiom Verge
Tetris Effect
Super Mario Odyssey
Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers
World of Warcraft: Legion
Overwatch
Prey

Almost but not quite:

Mortal Kombat 11
Ghost of Tsushima
Trials of Mana
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Battlefield 4
Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Also giving an honorable to Mega Man Legacy Collection. While not 8th gen really, I've spent quite a bit of time with it since release.

 

[Juno]

Final Fantasy XIV and expansions
NieR: Automata
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Yakuza Zero
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Tetris Effect
Smash Bros Ultimate
Control
Spider-Man
Resident Evil 2
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Trails of Cold Steel 1-3

 

[lincolnic]

I don't play a ton of games these days, so my list's rather short. But in no particular order:

Super Mario Odyssey
Bloodborne
Spider-Man
Hollow Knight
Shovel Knight
Untitled Goose Game
Kentucky Route Zero
Dead Cells

Close, but not quite:

Dark Souls 3
God of War
Celeste
Doom

Still haven't played, but expect to enjoy:
Control
Jedi: Fallen Order
Outer Wilds

 

[Issun]

I was ready to put Control on the back burner, but so many people have had it on their lists that I'm bumping it up the queue.

 

[Beta Metroid]

This is probably the least involved with a gaming generation that I've been since I was old enough to play games (and even then, I've experienced a ton of quality NES games and a fair amount of quality Atari 2600 games), but I still found quite a few new favorites:

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Hollow Knight
Link Between Worlds
Shovel Knight and friends
Undertale
Doom
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
Overcooked 2
Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime

EDIT: I forgot Star Fox 2! It got its first official release in Gen 8!

 

[Phantoon]

Super Mario 3D World
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Guacamelee
Axiom Verge
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of The Wild
Danganronpa
Pokemon Y
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Yoshi's Woolly World
Shovel Knight
Street Fighter V
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order

off the top of my head. I don't get much time for games at the moment, sadly.

 

[MCBanjoMike]

I'm really looking forward to the inevitable Switch port of Mario 3D World so I can properly spend some time with that game. I played about an hour or so with some friends a few years back, but I've never had a chance to really dig into it.

I was ready to put Control on the back burner, but so many people have had it on their lists that I'm bumping it up the queue.

You totally should! It's really great, and the expansions just came out, so you could pick up the ultimate edition and get the whole shebang. Just note that it's a little rough on launch PS4/Xbox One. If you have a PC or a pro/X then it should play a lot better.

 

[Phantoon]

I'm really looking forward to the inevitable Switch port of Mario 3D World so I can properly spend some time with that game. I played about an hour or so with some friends a few years back, but I've never had a chance to really dig into it.

I envy you a bit, I think it's my favourite Mario game.