The all-ages world-building game Minecraft made The Guildhall at SMU’s 2013 Top 10 Games for Giving list. The game’s publisher, Mojang, released the highly anticipated Adventure Update in June.
The Guildhall at SMU has named 10 outstanding titles – ranging from a new adventure from the Legend of Zelda to a reboot of the classic Tomb Raider series – to its 2013 Top Video Games to Give for the Holidays list.
The games were chosen in a survey of Guildhall faculty and students and include a mix of new releases and classic titles. All of them are recommended as great gifts, says Doug Darby, Guildhall manager of creative and digital strategy.
Following is the complete list, in ascending order, of The Guildhall’s Top 10 for 2013. Descriptions include the developer/publisher, genre or genres, ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) rating and the game platform or platforms on which it runs.
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Super Mario and friends are back – and as unstoppable as ever. Their new adventure, Super Mario 3D World, was chosen by students and faculty of The Guildhall at SMU as one of 2013’s Top 10 Games for Giving.
10. Minecraft
Mojang / Microsoft Studios
Genre: Sandbox, survival
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Android, iOS, Java platform, Java applet, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4,
PlayStation Vita, Raspberry Pi, Xbox 360, Xbox One
9. Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar Games
Genre: Action-adventure
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
8. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Nintendo
Genre: Role-playing
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and up)
Nintendo 3DS
7. Super Mario 3D World
Nintendo
Genre: Platform game
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Wii U
6. Borderlands 2
2K Games / Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: First-person shooter, action-adventure, role playing
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Windows
5. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Ubisoft
Genre: Action-adventure, stealth
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, Windows
4. Tomb Raider (2013)
Square Enix / Feral Interactive
Genre: Action-adventure
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows
The vividly imagined floating city of Columbia, circa 1912, is the setting for Bioshock Infinite. The latest game in the critically acclaimed series tops The Guildhall at SMU’s 2013 Top 10 Gifts for Giving list.
3. XCOM: Enemy Unknown
2K Games / Feral Interactive
Genre: Turn-based tactics, strategy
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
iOS, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Nintendo
Genre: Action-adventure, open-world
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Nintendo 3DS
1. Bioshock Infinite
2K Games
Genre: First-person shooter
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows
Additional titles that scored high enough to merit honorable mention:
Starbound
Chucklefish Games
Genre: Platform game, action-adventure, sandbox, role-playing
ESRB Rating: Not yet rated
Linux, Mac OS X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows
Pokémon X and Y
Nintendo
Genre: Role-playing
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Nintendo 3DS
Saints Row IV brought the series’ trademark blend of adventure and comedy back for another round in August. The game has received an honorable mention on The Guildhall at SMU’s 2013 Top 10 Games for Giving list.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Bethesda Softworks
Genre: Action-adventure, role-playing
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
Saints Row IV
Deep Silver
Genre: Action-adventure
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
