Game of the Year for each year

[grayfox313]

Starting from 2009, I decided to do indie and AAA.
This is also my personal list/opinion.

2018 - Pokémon: Let's Go / The Messenger

2017 - Breath of the Wild / Cuphead

2016 - DOOM / Stardew Valley

2015 - The Phantom Pain / Axiom Verge

2014 - Ground Zeroes / Shovel Knight

2013 - AC IV - Black Flag / Stanley Parable

2012 - Diablo III / FTL

2011 - Skyrim / Darkest Hour

2010 - Peace Walker / Super Meat Boy

2009 - Batman: Arkham Asylum / Minecraft

2008 - Left 4 Dead

2007 - Portal

2006 - Battle for Middle Earth II

2005 - Mercenaries

2004 - Fable

2003 - Fire Emblem

2002 - Wind Waker

2001 - Golden Sun

2000 - Diablo II

1999 - Age of Empires II

1998 - Metal Gear Solid

1997 - Gran Turismo

1996 - Diablo

1995 - WarCraft II

1994 - DOOM II

1993 - DOOM

1992 - Wolfenstein 3D

1991 - Final Fantasy IV

1990 - Super Mario World

1989 - Minesweeper

1988 - Super Mario Bros. 3

1987 - Final Fantasy

1986 - The Legend of Zelda

1985 - Super Mario Bros.

[alba Phenom]

1991 - Street Fighter II

In my opinion, it was a massive release it spawned a thousand clones and set the 1v1 beat-em-up genre as one of the most dominant of that era.

Edit: You could even say 1992 when it was ported to console.

Other than that, good list...

[grayfox313]

Very true! While I love 2D fighters, Final Fantasy IV is too dear to me to replace. And this is a personal list lol so I know people will disagree. Also, I went by original release date, not necessarily US. Hence why some are earlier than some people expect

[Dub-Z]

Good thread idea. Hopefully I'm not forgetting anything from some years and I'll try to keep my NA vs JP dates sorted.

2018 - Below

2017 - Nex Machina

2016 - Dark Souls III

2015 - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

2014 - Strider

2013 - Grand Theft Auto V

2012 - Mark of the Ninja

2011 - Dark Souls

2010 - God of War III

2009 - Demon's Souls

2008 - Fallout 3

2007 - God of War II

2006 - Final Fantasy XII

2005 - Shadow of the Colossus

2004 - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

2003 - Disgaea: Hour of Darkness

2002 - Contra: Shattered Soldier

2001 - Ico

2000 - Diablo II

1999 - Quake III: Arena

1998 - Heart of Darkness

1997 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

1996 - The Legend of Oasis [Story of Thor 2]

1995 - Chrono Trigger

1994 - Final Fantasy VI

1993 - Secret of Mana

1992 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

1991 - Final Fantasy IV

1990 - Crystalis

1989 - Ninja Gaiden NES

1988 - Bionic Commando NES

1987 - The Legend of Zelda

1986 - ???

1985 - Super Mario Bros.

Some years are really hard to pick just one. Shout out to a ton of others.

[Matcam89]

This is a good list

[grayfox313]

Yeah, I've actually been working on this list for months. 98 was a particularly difficult year for me

[Dub-Z]

Yeah, 1998 was packed with amazing games. Still arguably the best year. As I was checking release dates, some of the later years offered more than I remembered.

[haafie]

2018 - Yakuza 0
2017 - 3030 Deathwar Redux - A Space Odyssey
2016 - Stardew Valley
2015 - Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition
2014 - Elite: Dangerous
2013 - Sword of the Stars: The Pit
2012 - Crusader Kings 2
2011 - Terraria
2010 - Mount & Blade: Warband
2009 - Torchlight
2008 - Fallout 3
2007 - Mass Effect
2006 - Medieval 2: Total War
2005 - X3: Reunion
2004 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 - The Sith Lords
2003 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
2002 - The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
2001 - Europa Universalis 2
2000 - Shogun: Total War
1999 - Heroes of Might and Magic 3
1998 - Baldur's Gate
1997 - Fallout
1996 - Master of Orion 2: Battle at Antares
1995 - Frontier: First Encounters
1994 - X-COM: UFO Defense
1993 - Betrayal at Krondor
1992 - Dune 2: The Building of a Dynasty
1991 - Sid Meier's Civilization
1990 - The Secret of Monkey Island
1989 - SimCity
1988 - Wasteland
1987 - Sid Meier's Pirates!
1986 - Defender of the Crown
1985 - Paradroid

[MadMummy76]

2018 - Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
2017 - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands
2016 - XCOM2
2015 - Mad Max
2014 - Alien Isolation
2013 - The Last of Us
2012 - Mass Effect 3
2011 - L.A. Noire
2010 - Mass Effect 2
2009 - Dragon Age: Origins
2008 - Mass Effect
2007 - Crysis
2006 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
2005 - Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
2004 - Gran Turismo 4
2003 - Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
2002 - Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
2001 - Microsoft Train Simulator
2000 - Deus Ex
1999 - X-Wing Alliance
1998 - Half Life
1997 - Carmageddon
1996 - Red Alert
1995 - Transport Tycoon
1994 - The need for Speed
1993 - Doom
1992 - Dune II
1991 - Lemmings
1990 - Stunts
1989 - Street Rod
1988 - Fernandez Must Die
1987 - Kikstart II
1986 - Painterboy
1985 - Choplifter!
1984 - Pitstop II
1983 - Wizard of Wor
1982 - Le Mans

[Zalachai]

I don't have the time to write up a huge post, so for this year, I'm going to say Dragon quest XI. But the runner up was Persona 5. Since FFXII the zodiac age was a remaster, it doesn't make the list.

[grayfox313]

Some really good lists. I wanted to split up portable/console for the earlier years, but it was becoming a mess