Features

My 10 best games of the past 10 years - David McCarthy

|
iOS + Android + 3DS ...
My 10 best games of the past 10 years - David McCarthy

A decade of gaming highlights from a man who was here from the start

Left Arrow
0/10
Right Arrow

As part of the Pocket Gamer 10th anniversary fun we've blackmailed former PG members into giving us a quick rundown of their favourite ten games of the past ten years. (We've also asked them to relive their PG moments, David included.)

They've not been asked to rank these so don't take the order below as set in stone. Rather, think of these games as a collection of digital experiences that will enrich your life.

Or perhaps look through the list and mock their choices.

Create your own list

If you do disagree, here's the magic bit: you can give us your list.

See the 'Create your own Top List' button at the bottom of the article? It's not a trick. 

You'll need to be registered with PG (and logged in) if you aren't yet.

Click on that button and the rest should prove relatively straightforward.

(You can also create lists from within your Pocket Gamer user profile, at the bottom of the 'Logged in as [x]' dropdown menu.)

You can list your all-time favourite portable games, your favourite endless runners, shooters, candy-covered-pony-featuring titles, or even your favourite game making studios.

We all love lists. Share your thoughts and you can soon see your selection on the PG site.


What's all this, then?

The Pocket Gamer 10th anniversary is a month-long celebration of the last decade of mobile games running March 10th - April 10th and featuring a stream of retrospective articles and fun stuff, supported by our friends at Gram Games, Gamevil, JoyCity, Rovio, Nordeus, and Ninja Kiwi. Head over to the PG 10th anniversary homepage for more information.
Click Here To View The List »

1
Final Fantasy Tactics A2

Publisher: Square Enix
Available on: DS
Genre: Adventure, RPG
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift

Frequently criticised for being easier than the PlayStation original; I love it because it is infinitely more complex, and rewarding.

2
Bangai-O Spirits

Available on: DS
Genre: Hardcore, Shooter
Find out more about Bangai-O Spirits
Bangai-O Spirits

Quite simply the game that has everything.

3
Meitantei Conan Mystery Town

Developed by the company I currently work for, not, unfortunately, a massive commercial success, but a really neat combination of card battling and city-building tied to one of my favourite manga franchises.

4
New Star Soccer

Developer: New Star Games
Publisher: New Star Games
Available on: iOS + Android + PS Vita
Genre: Sports
Find out more about New Star Soccer
New Star Soccer

Shame they messed up the transition to free-to-play a little bit, but surely the best ever soccer game in its heyday when the game was still so exquisitely balanced.

5
Crossy Road

Developer: Hipster Whale
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Arcade, Platform
Find out more about Crossy Road
Crossy Road

For putting one of the biggest smiles on my daughter's face.

6
Hearthstone

Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card battler, RPG, Strategy
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

Compared to my memories of old-school CCGs I thought this felt very simple initially, till I worked out the nuances and had to uninstall it before it did too much damage.

7
Pokopan (LINE)

A neat take on colour matching from the early days of LINE.

8
Off The Leash

Publisher: Big Pixel Studios
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Casual, Endless running
Find out more about Off The Leash
Off The Leash

Again, sadly not a massive commercial success but a really cute take on the endless runner with a ton of interesting quirks.

9
Galaxy Dungeon

A free-to-play card battle meets roguelike with slightly sexy space marines.

10
Ticket to Ride

Publisher: Asmodee Digital
Available on: iOS + Android + Steam
Genre: Card/board game, Strategy
Find out more about Ticket to Ride (2011)
Ticket to Ride (2011)

Ticket to Ride!

Left Arrow
0/10
Right Arrow
Joao Diniz Sanches
Joao Diniz Sanches
With three boys under the age of 10, former Edge editor Joao has given up his dream of making it to F1 and instead spends his time being shot at with Nerf darts. When in work mode, he looks after editorial projects associated with the Pocket Gamer and Steel Media brands.