September Had Some of the Best Games of 2020; Let’s Take a Look Back

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2

Tony Hawk is back! And not in the THPS HD or THPS 5 way. It would be for the best if everyone forgot those games ever existed. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater returned to form this September with 1+2 and it’s arguably one of the best games in the franchise.

It took the best parts of the gameplay from the first four games of the franchise and tossed them into completely remade levels from the first two games. It’s a great nostalgia trip, but it’s also incredibly easy for new players to pick up and enjoy.

Marvel’s Avengers

None of the other September games on this list faced the months of scrutiny that Marvel’s Avengers received. To be fair, it looked a bit rough at the beginning. But to the credit of the developers, they took the criticisms to heart and delivered a stellar game.

Also, the decision to feature Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan so prominently was an incredibly smart choice to help freshen up the Avengers after over a decade of the MCU version. Reviews are still a bit mixed, but that’s to be expected from a game that was so polarizing from the start.

Spelunky 2

After all these years of technological advancements in video games, a 2D platformer was one of the best games of September, and possibly the entire year. Spelunky 2 is the follow up to the original platforming title, but this time you can play cooperatively or competitively.

This challenging title will push your platforming skills to their limits with its constantly changing procedurally generated levels. And the fact that there are no checkpoints only makes death even more dangerous. But this all adds up to an extremely rewarding experience for those who can master it.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars

Yes, the fact that these games are essentially untouched in a bare-bones package is highly disappointing. But at the same time, Super Mario 3D All-Stars bundles together three of the best 3D platformers that have ever been created.

They all hold up extremely well, and Galaxy is undoubtedly the best-looking one of the bunch. If you like Mario then this bundle absolutely needs to be a part of your Switch collection. Even if you’re new to the franchise, it’s the best way to finally get into some of the best 3D platformers you can play.

Genshin Impact

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wi- I mean Genshin Impact is one of the best games to come out in September. And yes it has a more than passing resemblance to Breath of the Wild. However, this game absolutely stands on its own as a fantastic game.

Do not overlook Genshin Impact just because it appears to be a cash-in on the success of another title. This free to play game has traversal and cooking that’s reminiscent of BotW. But the combat is markedly different with skills tied to cooldowns and seven elemental skills that players can combo together in order to inflict additional damage, cause ailments, and more.

Spellbreak

September was a great month for fantastic free to play games. Spellbreak tries to situate itself into the extremely deep lineup of battle royale games by making some key changes to combat that separate it from the rest of the crowd.

As the title implies, the main form of combat is going to be by blasting away your foes with spells launched from your hands. It also takes more of an action-RPG approach to the gameplay with stat buffs, passives, different elemental classes, and more. It’s so different from other titles in the genre that it almost feels like it deserves its own classification.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is one of the highest-rated games to come out in September. Yet, it’s not getting the same fanfare as many other Atlus-published titles. Still, with over 100,000 copies sold, Atlus has determined it a success. Surely, this franchise can only go up from here if they choose to continue it.

In 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Developer Vanillaware pulls of the feat of combining a side-scrolling 2D Adventure and an extremely deep RTS battle system into one cohesive and enthralling experience. On top of that, the character designs and art style look downright incredible.

Crusader Kings 3

Last but not least is Crusader Kings 3. And oh boy if you’re looking for a game where you can role play as a malevolent tyrant, then this is the game for you. You can also be a benevolent leader, but where is the fun in that when you can capture and eat the Pope?

Jokes and the ridiculous fact that you can eat the Pope aside, Crusader Kings 3 is one of the deepest RPGs to come out in 2020. You can get into every nitty-gritty aspect of how your character lives and makes decisions. And you even pass down traits to your descendants that carry on your dynastic line.