As the current generation of consoles draws to a close, it should come as no surprise that some of the best games ever on these consoles are released right at the end of their tenure. And while there are no games from the PS4 or Xbox One on this list, as none of the launch titles were exactly game-of-the-year material, you can expect 2014's Best Of... list to feature almost exclusively titles from those two consoles. For now though, let's look back at the last twelve months and the best ten games they gave us.

10.INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US

Formats: Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, PS Vita, Wii U, PC, Mac
The Joker tricked Superman into killing Lois Lane and their baby, so now Superman has gone crazy and evil with grief, and it's up to (some of) the rest of the DC Roster to stop him from putting the world into lock-down. A side-view beat ‘em up like Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, except you're playing as Batman or Green Arrow or whomever, with all of their special moves and gorgeously rendered settings. One of the best games to play when you've a group of friends over.

9. RAYMAN LEGENDS

Formats: Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, PS Vita
Another 2D side-view game, like Sonic or Mario of old, but once again, it's too much fun NOT to play for hours. The gorgeous graphics and kooky, funny soundtrack as well as the constantly updated gameplay mechanics and lengthy mission time make this a must-buy for anyone looking for something that's not trying to impress you with its technical wizardry, but more with just pure entertainment.

8. STEALTH INC.: A CLONE IN THE DARK

Formats: Playstation 3, PS Vita, PC, Mac
An addictive puzzle platformer that is as fiendishly clever as it is darkly humorous. Playing one of a potentially limitless number of clones trying to make your way through a series of traps and nasty machinery, with the background computer constantly trying to egg us on, or tell us how badly we're doing, depending on its mood. This is Portal on a budget, and a great hidden gem.


7. ASSASSIN'S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG

Formats: Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, Wii U
After the no-fun misstep of Part III, Assassin's Creed took the best part of it (the ship stuff), and based almost an entire game around it. Reinjecting a sense of fun to proceedings, this is the most reinvigorating entry in the franchise, but there is a sense that things should be switched up completely for Part Five. Still though, running around Jamaica as a would-be pirate is a pretty awesome.

6. SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD

Formats: Wii U
The gazillionth entry into the Mario series, and it's just as fun and addictive and well made as it's ever been. This time Bowser has kidnapped a fairy, and Mario and friends head off to the magical Sprixie Kingdom to save her. For anyone who has ever played a Mario game, there a few new surprises in here to mix things up a little, and noobs to the series will find a brilliantly entertaining platformer.

5. LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES

Formats: Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS Vita, Nintendo DS, Wii U, PC
Lego bring their unique visual style and brilliant sense of humour to the Marvel Universe, and the partnership is fantastic. A load of bad guys (Doctor Doom, Loki, Doctor Octopus, and about 50 more) are looking for powerful space rocks, and a load of good guys (Spiderman, Iron Man, Mr Fantastic, and about 50 more) have to stop them. Part beat ‘em up, part simplistic platform puzzler, this is a perfect game for the whole family to play.

4. TOMB RAIDER

Formats: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC
The series had kind of run its course in its previous incarnation, but Lara Croft is too good a character to just let go to waste, so it was time for a reboot. We get the origin(ish) story, with Lara washed up on a mysterious island, and she and the other survivors of the shipwreck must try to find a way off while not being killed by its inhabitants. A gritty, violent story, with some great platforming, puzzle solving and shoot outs.

3. BIOSHOCK INFINITE

Formats: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac
Having spent the last two Bioshock games at the bottom of the ocean, Infinite takes us above the clouds to the floating city of Columbus, which has been taken over by a nasty leader with special powers and a penchant for old school racism. A first person shooter, chock full of startling imagery, inventive ideas (the rails!), and a storyline that most TV shows and movies would KILL for.

2. GRAND THEFT AUTO V

Formats: Playstation 3, Xbox 360
We know it says Five, but this is actually the FIFTEENTH game in the GTA series, and it's definitely a franchise highlight. Playing as three separate characters in the fictional Los Santos, this sprawling crime epic is one of those games that will effectively consume your entire life. Violent and controversial, or sarcastically knowing of its ridiculousness, this is not a game to be taken seriously, despite being seriously fun and addictive. You'll be telling yourself "Just one more mission, just one more mission" at four in the morning. And it's NEVER just one more mission.

1. THE LAST OF US

Formats: Playstation 3
If you haven't played The Last Of Us yet, stop reading this right now, go out and buy it and lose yourself to one of the best entertainment experiences of the year. Playing as a survivor of a plague that has wiped out most of humanity, and turned some of the rest into sorta-but-not-really-zombies, this is a landmark in gaming. Not just because of the fantastic visuals and sound design, and not just because the gaming mechanics are so perfectly spot on, but because this is the first game that most people will admit made them cry. Yes, that's right, this game will make you cry. It's THAT good.