Shovel Knight was released back in 2014 but it just wasn’t enough. Luckily, Yacht Club Games came out with a whole new storyline and adventure centered around Plague Knight with Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows. In it we’re playing as one of the bad guys as we go off to do bad guy things, but is Plague Knight really all that bad? He’s definitely one of the most interesting characters in the game and ditching the shovel in favor of potions and explosives is a great change of pace. Altering the story to fit Plague Knight is a great addition to the classic NES-style platformer. Playing through all the same levels we’re used to but as a different character bring a new perspective to the world. We can only hope every knight will get their chance in the spotlight.

Code Name S.T.E.A.M. is a remarkable game for a couple of reasons. It’s a turn-based strategy game set in a steam punk past, the action is simple to understand and the storyline is unique. As a special agent, taking orders from the President of the United States is part of the job; especially if those orders are to eradicate swarms of alien armies. Combining characters from literary classics makes it an even more fantastical journey. It’s the kind of game you’d usually see on PC, which makes it being on the 3DS refreshing for fans of strategy games.

Again, Pokémon is my favorite series and without any title in 2015, I found Yo-Kai Watch to be an excellent substitute. Comparing the two is definitely easy but after playing Yo-Kai Watch and watching the cartoon, it’s worth noting Yo-Kai Watch can stand on its own. The mix of kooky characters is great and each one having its own personality makes the game a unique experience. Yo-Kai Watch is a wonderful RPG for those in search of something that’s just plain fun. I would consider this game as my best 3DS title of the year.

RISK: Starcraft Collector's Edition Board Game is a uniquely Blizzard take on the classic strategy game. Just like in the video game, players must choose between the Terrans, Protoss or Zerg and then head into battle in an attempt to gain control of the Koprulu Sector. While base-building in Starcraft the video game can get complicated at times, this board game follows traditional RISK rules, meaning anyone ages 10 and up can jump right in. The Starcraft theme touches every part of this game, including the highly-detailed custom playing pie

The CW's Crisis on Earth-X crossover event – featuring Arrow ** , Supergirl ** , The Flash ** and Legends of Tomorrow ** – was a better team-up than Warner Bros. and DC Films' **Justice League ** . Ever since The CW expanded its comic book TV universe to include The Flash , a spinoff from the network's flagship DC series Arrow , they've aired annual crossover events. While the first year only featured a team-up between the Green Arrow and the Flash, these events have grown exponentially to include heroes from Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow . This year's crossover event, Crisis on Earth-X, was the biggest yet to air on The CW with the heroes facing off against Nazi versions of themselves from an alternate unive

On an Earth with fewer and fewer old school role-playing games, Citizens of Earth brought back the genre, at least for me. Comparing many of these games to Earthbound is pretty standard and Citizens of Earth compares pretty well. The storyline, cast of characters and writing are all hilarious. Every situation you find yourself in is not only fun but the companions you encounter add to the game’s whacky antics. Attacks and art style also come with a cheesy nature. It’s an all-around fun game to play and enjoyable just to watch.

As someone who plays Dota 2, I thought "'worth'? What do you mean 'worth'?" It hit me pretty quickly that they meant worth money. The concept of paying real money for a hero eludes me, as a Dota 2 player, with a game that has more than 100 heroes available to everyone, free of charge. While League of Legends is technically free to play, players can get a better experience by buying access to better champions - champions that have "worth." Dota 2, not so. There's not a single item in the MOBA Game tips that can be purchased in any way to give players an advantage. This got me thinking how Dota 2 really is the only game that does Free to Play right, that is, in a way that benefits the player as much or more than the company.

Dota 2 is free to play with no exceptions. The only items you can purchase are purely cosmetic. This makes it so everyone can have an equal experience with the entire game without paying one dime. If you want, however, you can purchase things such as outfits, environmental effects, announcer packs, HUD skins, loadings screens and couriers (an animal in Dota 2 that will bring you your items after purchasing them). You can purchase a battlepoint booster, which will increase the rate at which you level up for a certain amount of time. However, your level has no effect on the game. Dota 2 isn't stingy with these either, as it gives you a random cosmetic item every time you level up.