2013 is coming to a close. The year went by far too quickly, but that's good in some ways. For instance, it seemed like we didn't have to wait as long to get the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to release. With that in mind, we should look to the future. 2014 has a ton of games to look forward to, and if we use 2013 as an example, these games will be on us before we know it.
Be it new titles for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, or games to help the Wii U break out of its funk, here's 15 games that will make 2014 awesome…
#15 Mario Kart 8
Despite some really strong titles coming out recently for the Wii U, Nintendo's new-ish console continues to struggle. Sales figures for the holiday season haven't been released yet, so we don't know how the Wii U has fared. If units didn't fly off the shelves, things won't be looking so hot.
Luckily, the well-known kart-racer Mario Kart 8 is headed to the Wii U in Spring 2014. Mario Kart is one of Nintendo's best franchises to resonate with kids, who will ultimately be the ones begging their family members to buy them a Wii U. For those that already own a Wii U, Mario Kart 8 will be amazing, no doubt. Anti-gravity comes to the franchise, as does the return of bikes, gliders and underwater driving.
#14 Driveclub
In October, Sony announced that Driveclub would be delayed until early 2014. While it sucks that Driveclub wasn't available for PlayStation 4 owners at launch, at least I get to include it on this list. Silver linings, right? Why will Driveclub be awesome? In addition to looking gorgeous, Driveclub seems to capture car culture by creating a socially connected racing game where players can race with and against each other, either solo or as part of a racing Club. You and your friends can all be part of a racing team. Oh, and for PlayStation Plus subscribers, there's a free version of Driveclub. How cool is that?
#13 MLB 14: The Show
Every March, I'm able to get my baseball fix. If you own a PlayStation 3, that means that you've played the better yearly baseball game with The Show. In March, MLB 14: The Show will make the leap to Sony's next-gen console, the PlayStation 4. I already saw the first iterations that Madden and NBA 2K brought to next-gen consoles, so I can't wait to see what SCEA has in store for us. All the features that The Show fans love will be there, day one, but now the graphics will be that much better.
#12 Bayonetta 2
Bayonetta 2 wasn't going to happen. Luckily, Nintendo partnered with Platinum Games to make the game, giving the Wii U exclusivity to the game. There's been little gameplay shown, and the most we have seen has been from a trailer at E3 2013. While people might not be thrilled with the new hairstyle, the combat looks crazy. Also, there's multiplayer. We await more details and a firm release date, but Bayonetta 2 could be a good dark horse game in 2014.
#11 Mad Max
I could use a good car combat game in my life. When I saw Mad Max at E3, I immediately thought that it could be the game. Coming to PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC sometime in 2014, Mad Max is a vehicular combat game in a post-apocalyptic open-world environment. Developed by Avalanche Studios, Mad Max looks to have captured the spirit of the movies. As Mad Max, you have melee and shotgun attacks, but the core of the game revolves around building and upgrading Max's vehicle, the Magnum Opus. It could be one of the best vehicular combat games to-date, with a deep crafting system and the awesome environment in which you play.
You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at [email protected]
