NPR’s staff has ranked the top games of 2023 and the list is quite long. To begin, NPR stated that 2023 has been one of the most memorable years of gaming history due to games like Final Fantasy 16 and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. NPR also mentioned that not only have popular franchises flourished, but also indie games too.

NPR’s list starts with Theatrhythm Final Bar Line which is a rhythm based game (similar to how Guitar Hero and Rock Band function) but instead of a fretboard, players use their controllers to tap the correct sequence of buttons. The game comes from Square Enix and it includes many soundtracks from the Final Fantasy franchise. If you are a fan of Final Fantasy music and enjoy games like guitar hero, then Thearhythm Final Bar Line is the game for you!

Next on NPR’s list of games is Tchia. Tchia is a cartoony vision of a fictional world known as New Caledonia. It contains bright visuals and bouncy island aesthetics as you control your character around the archipelago setting. As you move your character across the world, you climb various surfaces and use your glider to move around. Even though the visuals make the game seem harmless, the story line is actually quite dark. For instance, There is a villain in the game that eats babies and the purpose of the game is to free your father from captivity. There is also a considerable amount of violence in the game. The game plays a lot like Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom due to its level of exploration and open-world freedom. You can also craft tools to help you traverse the world just like Zelda.

Next up on NPR’s list of games is A Space for the Unbound. This game is considered to be a “slice-of-life adventure game.” the game follows couple Atma and Ray as they finish their last days of high school in 1990s Indonesia. It incorporates colorful pixel art and many nods to Indonesian culture. With traditional music whisking through the game, players unravel the life of Atma through numerous quests, fights and complex puzzles. The game moves at a steady pace allowing players to become familiar with the characters of the story.

Lastly, MLB The Show 23 takes place on NPR’s list. MLB The Show has been around since 2006 and as usual, players get to play on their favorite teams and play with their favorite players. Although the game plays a lot like its predecessors, MLB The Show 23 involves a new mode known as the Negro League. The Negro league honors the pioneering black athletes who ushered in the Negro National League. This league was created to combat the Jim Crow laws that made it impossible for black athletes to play professionally. With stunningly real graphics, and a wide range of soundtracks, MLB The Show 23 creates an impressive professional baseball setting.

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With such a vast list, it is impossible to cover every game here. Video game enthusiasts should look and see for themselves what NPR’s list of the best games of 2023 has to offer. You never know, you may end up playing one of these games if you haven’t before.