It‘s hard to believe it has already been over 10 years since 2013, which was a landmark year for gaming that still holds up beautifully today. As the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 era winded down, developers were squeezing every ounce of power from these aging consoles – resulting in some of the most timeless and engaging games ever made.
While we eagerly await new next-gen titles, now is the perfect time to either replay these modern classics or experience them for the first time. Thanks to backwards compatibility, remasters, remakes, and active online communities, the top games from 2013 continue to offer countless hours of fun. We've compiled 10 must-play titles that are just as great now as they were a decade ago.
1. Grand Theft Auto V
It‘s staggering that Grand Theft Auto V initially launched all the way back in 2013 given how alive and vibrant Los Santos still feels today. With its sprawling open world, varied cast of characters, dark humor, and almost endless array of activities – GTA V set a new bar for sandbox gameplay and immersive environments that later titles continue to aspire to match.
Nearly a decade later, an active online community still roams the streets getting into all sorts of shenanigans. Visuals also hold up nicely, especially on new consoles or PC hardware. If you never finished the original campaign, now is a great time to revisit Trevor, Franklin, and Michael‘s interweaving stories full of shocking twists and turns. Both online and the main story represent hundreds of hours of dynamic content – making Grand Theft Auto V an essential play even today.
2. The Last of Us
The Last of Us transformed perceptions of what narratives in gaming could achieve. Set in a post-apocalyptic America decimated by a deadly fungal outbreak, the story focuses on the complex relationship between Joel and Ellie as they traverse the country in hopes of finding a cure.
Expertly balancing high stakes action, horror, and emotionally-resonant moments between its leads – The Last of Us sucked gamers into its dark world filled with tough choices. Many set pieces, such as an early escape from the quarantine zone, still represent some of gaming‘s most anxiety-inducing sequences. A remake has since arrived on PlayStation 5, letting modern hardware elevate its visuals and gameplay even further.
3. BioShock Infinite
While past BioShock games took players to the depths of Rapture, Infinite soared to new heights by letting gamers explore the floating city amongst the clouds known as Columbia. This shooter retained staples of the franchise like plasmids/vigors, moral choices, and impactful story beats.
Yet rather than retread familiar ground, Infinite crafted its own compelling narrative full of dimension-hopping twists most didn‘t see coming. The setting itself brimmed with striking art direction and steampunk-inspired architecture that made uncovering Columbia‘s dark secrets even more wondrous. Some visual effects don‘t blow you away as they once did, but the world building and enthralling journey still represent a breath-taking experience.
4. Super Mario 3D World
Nintendo has kept Mario consistently familiar yet fresh for decades, striking a masterful balance between nostalgia and innovation. Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U does exactly that by pairing classic 2D sidescrolling level design with four player 3D co-op challenges. Vibrant worlds dazzled with clever themes, obstacles tested platforming prowess, and trying to nab the fastest time or most coins bred friendly competition.
The new cat suit power-up delightfully added verticality for climbing sky-high or pouncing atop foes. Nintendo also packed in memorable boss fights, bonus objectives, and hidden collectibles nearly everywhere you look to reward curious players. We‘re still chasing that ever-elusive perfect 100% playthrough nearly a full decade later!
5. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
The Assassin‘s Creed franchise has taken us everywhere from Revolutionary War America to ancient Greece. But Black Flag on Xbox 360/PS3 remains a series highlight for putting wind in the sails of this stealth action juggernaut.
Its gorgeous Caribbean setting during the Golden Age of Piracy brimmed with tropical islands to explore, legendary ships to take command of, and hidden treasures to uncover. Swordplay and parkour felt fluid letting you unleash inner buccaneer. What made Black Flag truly special was the ability to set sail for distant horizons aboard your own upgradable vessel, leaving tropical storms and enemy fleets in your wake. From sea shanties to swashbuckling, Black Flag let us live out our pirate fantasies better than any other.
6. Pikmin 3
Don‘t let the cutesy art style fool you – succeeding in Pikmin 3 requires sound strategy and resource management skills. As interstellar explorers crash land on an alien world, players direct plant-like Pikmin creatures to collect precious fruit and repair their marooned spacecraft before time runs out.
Pikmin comes in various colors denoted by unique abilities like flame resistance or flight to help navigate environmental puzzles and towering predators. Balancing Pikmin types across three captains to efficiently achieve objectives gets challenging quickly, made more nerve wracking by the constant push of dwindling days. Its charming presentation masks a savvy real-time strategy affair dripping with charm.
7. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds brought a nostalgic top-down perspective back into the fold after years of acclaimed 3D entries. Yet rather than feel dated, returning to Hyrule offered perhaps the best portable Zelda quest available. Everything from world traversal using Link‘s morphing wall ability to renting items offered player choice instead of sticking to rigid formulas.
Puzzles struck a pitch perfect balance between challenging grey matter without ever feeling frustrating. Boss encounters tested reflexes and pattern recognition skills through multi-stage showdowns. Perhaps what makes A Link Between Worlds stand tall among 2013's lineup comes down to its masterful game design that respects players‘ time while unlocking Zelda magic for newcomers and veterans alike no matter where or when you play.
8. Pokemon X and Y
Pokemon took its first steps into 3D on the Nintendo 3DS with XY introducing gorgeous polygonal models. Mega evolutions added flair to battles by temporarily transforming Pokemon into even more menacing forms. Fairy types and character customization helped competitive play and personalization reach new heights. Most importantly, Pokemon X/Y respected its legacy by retaining the straightforward role playing brilliance that makes training teams such a joy. Hundreds of Pokemon to catch, regional badges to earn, and online matches to be won ensure this 2013 gem still rocks over a decade later.
9. Rayman Legends
When it comes to 2D platformers, Rayman Legends remains an artistic triumph blending slick animations with pinpoint controls. Ubisoft leveraged their gorgeous in-house engine to render dozens of living, breathing worlds from mystical forests to undead lairs awash in dazzling light effects. Level layouts constantly introduce clever concepts from manipulating environments to stylish boss fights. Local co-op ratchets up the manic fun. Perhaps no platformer before or since can match Legends for sheer variety, polish, and replayability nearly 10 years later!
10. Beyond: Two Souls
Rounding out our list is Beyond: Two Souls – an underrated PS3 swansong that attempted blending Hollywood cinematics with player choice to guide young Jodie through spectacular set pieces. Shifting between different stages of her life, you experience intense action and slower dramatic moments alike.
Star power from Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe further elevate impressive performances. In many ways, this release allowed Quantic Dream to take risks advancing narrative gameplay and technical boundaries that paved the way for later hits like Heavy Rain and Detroit. If you missed this emotional rollercoaster back on PlayStation 3, be sure to take the journey now via updated PS4 and PS5 versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What‘s the difference between the multiple versions of The Last of Us?
The Last of Us originally launched on PlayStation 3 before seeing an upgraded PS4 remaster that improved visuals and performance shortly after. In 2022, developer Naughty Dog remade the game from the ground up for PlayStation 5 titled The Last of Us Part I – giving the classic modernized gameplay, stunning new graphics, haptic feedback, and more.
Are the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One backward compatible?
The Xbox One can play a growing library of supported Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. However, the PlayStation 4 did not offer backwards compatibility for PS3, PS2, or PS1 titles. Sony later launched PlayStation Now cloud gaming that lets you stream select older games.
Is A Link Between Worlds a remaster?
No, A Link Between Worlds for Nintendo 3DS is an entirely new game paying homage to early 2D Zeldas rather than a remaster of any existing title.
Were all Xbox One games Kinect compatible?
Despite Microsoft bundling Kinect motion cameras with every Xbox One at launch, very few titles actually took advantage of its tracking capabilities leaving core gameplay largely unaffected if you didn‘t own Kinect.
Does Rockstar still support Grand Theft Auto V?
Yes. Nearly 10 years later, Rockstar continues rolling out major online updates for GTA V alongside transformative graphical upgrades and new content for the recent PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S editions.
