Super Mario Run. Photo by Leah Jewer / Girls on Games
Super Mario Run on iOS. Photo by Girls on Games / Leah Jewer

GoG 2016 in Review: Surprises of the Year

Every year there’s a news story that blows the socks off gamers. Here are the announcements and events that surprised the GoG team in 2016!

Catherine

The Nintendo Switch. It just really came out of left field. It was not what I expected at all. It’s a bold move from Nintendo, that’s for sure. What surprised me too is the reveal trailer clearly showed a departure from family oriented games as it only featured young adults. The Switch will definitely be the most talked about release of 2017.

Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch

Leah

Nintendo finally bringing the biggest video game character to mobile phones through Super Mario Run has to be the most surprising moment (and about damn time) of 2016. The reveal was the pinical of that surprise, Apple bringing Miyamoto on stage during their conference on September 7th was the biggest wow of the year.

 

Alicia

Blizzard’s Chris Metzen announcing his retirement in September caught me totally by surprise. While he retired for all the right reasons and his contributions will never disappear from Blizzard’s worlds, his big personality and presence will be missed.

Simon

Overwatch League. That Blizzard would release the equivalent of the NHL/NFL but for esports is simply astounding. They are investing millions into this and it’s very exciting to see where they will bring it in 2017!

Overwatch League
Overwatch League

Sarah

Northern Arena. I was incredibly (but more than pleasantly surprised by the event. The whole feel, the quality of the production, the layout, the place, everything. Just a big thumbs up to everyone involved and please keep it up, it was really nice!

Northern Arena Montreal LAN Finals 2016
Northern Arena Montreal LAN Finals 2016

Kathless

My surprise of the year is Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome Amiibo, it’s only a free update but it’s awesome. It gives a use for amiibos and amiibos cards. New Leaf is an incredible game and deserve some attention.

Animal Crossing New Leaf
Animal Crossing New Leaf

Devin

DOOM. It always had to be DOOM.

I was so skeptical of this game following the mess that was Duke Nukem Forever. Shooters have changed, and I had no idea how this new remake would fit into the world today. Add to that a lackluster multiplayer BETA that thrilled exactly no one and top it off with the horrendous marketing decision to send out review copies a single day before launch and I was expecting disaster.

Then DOOM showed me that the classic Run-and-Gun style I loved in my youth has a place in this world, that a silent protagonist can be injected with more character than an immensely written out NPC, and that blood and gore could be cranked up to 13.

I was a happy marine.

DOOM Key Art

Bianca

The Last Guardian finally getting a release date!

The Last Guardian
The Last Guardian

Kelsey

Crash Bandicoot’s return.

Crash Bandicoot Remaster
Crash Bandicoot Remaster

Shauna

Discovering the Nintendo 3DS! I had long thought that I would have no interest in hand held gaming. I thought that the games just wouldn’t be… serious enough for me if that makes sense? Coming from the Souls series and competitive Overwatch direction, in my mind handhelds were where you played games like Tetris and Pong. Boy, was I wrong. Between discovering the amazingly challenging and intricate world of Zelda to my new addiction to the tactical JRPG Fire Emblem Fates, I couldn’t be happier with this little hand held. I literally can’t put it down. A must have in any serious gamer’s arsenal!

New 3DS Unboxing
New 3DS Unboxing. Photo © Catherine Smith-Desbiens / Girls on Games

GrahfShiro

How good DOOM ended up being. It’s no secret that the game had some pretty severe troubles during development, even having a nearly finished build of the game scrapped. It didn’t look good for a while, and most people didn’t expect a ton out of the game. The E3 trailer was amazing, but closer to release there were some rumblings in the wind, as very few copies were given out to reviewers, which many thought might be an indication to how good the game might end up being. Well, turns out those fears were misguided; it is a truly visceral and violent experience, one that lives up to its predecessors while adding its own unique flair. Truly a surprise.

Doom
Doom

Shannon

The global popularity of Pokémon Go! That was fun. I wish they had added trainer battles and trading to it though. Has a lot of potential.

Come to Dorchester Square for popcorn, #pokemongo and friends! @CHOM977 #mtl

A photo posted by Girls on Games (@girlsongames) on

What were your surprise video game moments in 2016?! Let us know on twitter @thegirlsongames or in the comments below!