2023 Game of the Year - Recommended by Steam Deck Content Creators

With the year coming to a close, it goes without saying that it was filled with so many incredible games. It's actually hard to narrow down a single choice due to how many amazing releases there were. Baldur's Gate 3, Resident Evil 4 Remake, DREDGE, Dead Space, Hi-Fi Rush, Amnesia: The Bunker, Street Fighter 6, and Lies of P are just a few of my favorites that I played this year.

With so many options, I asked some of the biggest Steam Deck/handheld content creators/press what their favorite game was this year. I want to give a big thank you to all of them for participating, too. They are each incredible people and so unique, I can't recommend them enough!

Cryobyte33 - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

As a lifelong Zelda fan who thought Breath of the Wild was sparse and disjointed from the overall narrative, Tears of the Kingdom was the Zelda game I've been waiting for since Twilight Princess was released. A perfected game loop, much more content, more cohesion with the narrative, and good emulation performance on the Steam Deck made my playthrough one of my favorite memories in recent history!

About Cryobyte33:

Cryobyte33 is a YouTuber and content creator who is best known for creating the near-essential tool, CryoUtilities, which can help with performance issues in some games. He also creates deeper dives and creates settings for some of the biggest games, most recently making one for Starfield, and creates content revolving around the Deck.

Deck Wizard - Baldur's Gate 3

Hi everyone, Deck Wizard here! My Steam Deck Game of the Year is, without a doubt, Baldur’s Gate 3.

The critically acclaimed tactical RPG has taken significant strides from when it was released in August 2023 with Larian Studios improving its performance and adding more content to the game now that we are in December 2023.

When native controller support was included with the game’s 1.0 official release, things became a lot more personal for me when I decided to take Baldur’s Gate 3 for a spin on the Steam Deck and stop playing completely on my PC with the Mouse and Keyboard configuration that my early access time was filled with.

There were many times while playing Baldur’s Gate 3 on the Steam Deck, where I said to myself, “I’ll just play for a little,” and ended up sinking hours of time into this magical & captivating RPG. Even though Act 2 & especially Act 3 demand that you turn graphics settings to their lowest in combination with FSR 2.2, this never deterred me from progressing further through the story, capitalizing on my enjoyment, and becoming even more immersed in the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 while outside or lying down on the sofa with the Steam Deck until the story’s conclusion.

Having recently released a massive update called Patch #5, bringing performance improvements and Epilogue content alongside being nominated for Game of the Year 2023 at the Game Awards, there's never been a better time to jump into the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 on Steam Deck.

About Deck Wizard

Deck Wizard is a Youtuber who focuses on video game preservation, as well as guides and tutorials. He focuses primarily on the most popular handhelds, including the Steam Deck, Legion Go, and ROG Ally.

Fan the Deck - Pizza Tower

I've spent time with dozens of new releases on the Steam Deck this year, though there's just one game that I continued to think about throughout all of 2023: Pizza Tower. Completing Pizza Tower levels is decent fun, but the game doesn't truly shine until you start reaching for higher ranks. It's the Devil May Cry of 2D platformers.

The level structure itself is reminiscent of Wario Land 4 - you make your way to the end of a level, which triggers a timer, leaving you in a rush to make it back to the beginning. How quickly you make it back and how long you maintain your combos contribute to your rank. And honestly, it's an addiction that starts innocently enough. Maybe you finish a level and reach a B, C, or D rank and aim to improve that. If you make it to A rank and notice you have time to spare - well - that's where the game gets a hold of you. Because if you've already found all the secrets, collected every collectible, keep a high enough combo and make it back to the beginning with enough time to spare - a portal opens up. That portal will teleport you back to the end of the level (again) for a final lap. If you can nail all three laps perfectly, secrets included, without dropping your combo,, you can finally claim your S-rank.

I spent hours on individual levels trying to perfect my route and reach that ultimate goal. What makes things more challenging is that the protagonist, Peppino, gets these transformations that change up his playstyle. As Firemouth Peppino you get an airdash, or as a Knight, you get a double jump. Each transformation is only seen in one or two levels throughout the game and that keeps the overall experience feeling fresh even though you may end up spending hours on any given challenge.

As far as the Steam Deck experience, you can get 4+ hours of battery life on the Steam Deck LCD and up to 7 hours on the Steam Deck OLED. All of that without making any changes whatsoever. Pizza Tower is a perfect companion for the Deck, assuming you have what it takes to reach those higher ranks.

About Fan the Deck

Fan the Deck is a YouTuber who focuses primarily on the Steam Deck, reporting on the current news and developments around it and its company. He does review other handheld PCs, like the OneXFly, as well, but the focus remains on the Deck.

GamingOnLinux - Baldur's Gate 3

Narrowing down to a single game is a tough one, but Baldur's Gate 3 just hits the mark. It has pretty much everything I wanted in such an RPG and then some. I went to bed thinking about it, woke up wanting to play more of it. While it still doesn't play amazingly well on Steam Deck, the latest FSR 2.2 update makes it a lot more tolerable on the picture quality, but I still hope more performance improvements are on the way. With my time split between Linux PC and Steam Deck though overall, it's quite an epic adventure that I'm not going to forget for many years to come.

About GamingOnLinux

GamingOnLinux is a press-oriented website that focuses on everything regarding the Linux operating system, with a heavy focus on the Steam Deck. Started by Liam Dawe in 2009, the website has been running 100% independently and primarily by him the entire time.

Hi-Tech Lo-Life - Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

It’s a bit of a toss-up, but if I had to choose a game for GOTY, it would definitely be Armored Core VI.

Armored Core VI’s combat loop is nothing short of excellent, and even the combat can change drastically depending on what you bring to a mission. Buildcrafting is generally important in most FromSoft titles, but it has never been more important than in the Armored Core series. There are a lot of parts to pick from, and you can easily mix and match, given you don’t exceed specific limits like Load or Energy Load limits. There’s also a wide variety of different weapon archetypes, both ranged and melee.

Even your mode of transportation becomes drastically different depending on whether you have bipedal legs, tetrapod legs, or even tank treads instead of legs. I will admit the only thing turning new players off is how unforgiving the game can be at times. Balteus especially filtered out many aspiring AC pilots.

My only advice is not to be afraid to change up your AC as needed. The game encourages you to experiment with different AC parts to find the best mech for the task at hand.

About Hi-Tech Lo-Life

Hi-Tech Lo-Life is a YouTuber who generally focuses on the Steam Deck, but does make other tech videos that can include the ROG Ally and Legion Go. From guides to hardware testing, and some video essays, HTLL does a little bit of everything.

Mekel Kasanova - Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is one of the best games of the year and is a nostalgic revival of the iconic Double Dragon series, the Lee brothers (Billy and Jimmy) return with a contemporary twist. Reminiscent of classics like Double Dragon I and II, this new installment preserves the franchise's foundational charm while introducing modern mechanics. Set in a post-nuclear New York City, the game features a unique twist on the series' storyline with the Lee brothers and new allies tackling various street gangs spanning the series' 36 year run. Its retro pixel style, reminiscent of games like "TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge," blends old-school aesthetics with new gameplay elements, such as a tag-team battle system and the ability to unlock characters like Abobo. Each character's unique combat style and the game's increasing difficulty levels enhance replayability, despite some minor frustrations with overlapping button inputs. The incorporation of a currency system for upgrades adds depth but sometimes feels restrictive. Playing "Double Dragon Gaiden" on the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go heightens the experience as my preferred ways to play the game given the entire series is available on Steam for easy access. Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a testament to the enduring appeal of the Double Dragon legacy, appealing to both longtime fans and newcomers, and offers a seamless blend of past and present gaming experiences.

About Mekel Kasanova

Mekel Kasanova is an independent journalist who has been working in the gaming industry for a long time. He writes reviews, interviews celebrities, and hosts the #1 podcast in Hawaii, The Kasanova Podcast. He also creates and posts content on YouTube, which includes handheld PCs.

NerdNest - Crisis Core -Final Fantasy 7- Reunion

Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - Reunion came out late last year, but I didn't play it until this year, so it is new to me. I never played the original, but it was very different than what I had expected. I figured this game would be more like Final Fantasy VII Remake, but it's absolutely its own thing. The combat system is fun and intuitive. The story was really interesting, it plays very well on the Steam Deck if you lock the frame rate to 30, it will be pretty stable and looks particularly good on the OLED. My one gripe with the game is that it doesn't support the 16:10 aspect ratio, but that's a very small deal. I especially like the Missions where from any save point you can do some quick grindy missions to level up, and get rewards, it's a really great game for on-the-go, which makes sense. It was originally a PSP game. I finished it, which is saying something because I rarely, if ever, finish games, and it took me about 25 hours, there is still some mission cleanup that I probably won't ever get to, but it is absolutely one of my favorite games I played this year on the deck.

About NerdNest

NerdNest is a Youtuber and podcaster who focuses on handheld gaming. He has created some incredible videos and runs the NerdNest podcast, which features several other prominent YouTubers, including Cryobyte33, Retro Game Corps, Phawx, and Fan the Deck.

Retro Game Corps - Super Mario Bros. Wonder

I had a hard time choosing my game of the year, mostly because I didn't feel qualified to have an opinion. After all, even though I am constantly playing and testing games, I don't think I finished a single 2023 game all year. But after some consideration, I realized that there actually is a game which is both my game of the year and one I'm nowhere close to completing. And that's Super Mario Bros Wonder. My kids played it on the original Switch, but I preferred to dump and emulate my cartridge on the Steam Deck so that it's nestled alongside my other PC titles, and it plays beautifully on the Deck, too. In a year of serious, heavy-hitting AAA titles, Mario Wonder is a breath of fresh air, a pushback against the cynicism and violence so prevalent elsewhere. It's a joyful adventure, the kind of fever dream that happens after raiding your kids' holiday candy stash in the middle of the night.

The game is the product of a development team that was given no expectations nor deadlines, with tight controls and little surprises at every turn. As a result, I have wanted to cherish every moment: every new power-up, every (not-so-secret) secret area, every little underhanded comment from those dang flower dudes. So I'm only on the third world at this point, even though my kids plowed through the whole game within a week. In this case, I'm treating it like how Nintendo treated the developers: I have no deadline. And at this rate, it might also be my game of the year in 2024 -- and I wouldn't have it any other way.

About Retro Game Corps

Retro Game Corps is a YouTuber who focuses on content revolving around handhelds. These include handheld PCs, like the Steam Deck, Android devices, like the Odin 2, and smaller handhelds that emulate older consoles.

RetroResolve - Sonic Superstars

Game of the Year doesn't need to be the most breathtaking, technical achievement. Baldur's Gate 3 is amazing, but sometimes you just want a video game that knows it's a video game.  As imperfect as it was, Sonic Superstars is a blast to play, and on the Steam Deck OLED, it showcases just how killer than new screen is. I know picking a Sonic game in 2023 is like saying your favorite TV show is still Friends. But, you know, sometimes you just want to zone out and get a healthy injection of cold hard nostalgia.

About RetroResolve

Started by veteran gaming journalist Wesley Copeland, RetroResolve is a press outlet that revolves around gaming handhelds. This includes news, reviews, and guides that revolve around the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, AYANEO, and many others.

The Phawx - Baldur's Gate 3

While playing Baldur's Gate 3 during its early access period, there were moments where I could see the game taking shape. This was a time before the Steam Deck, and the tiny font size was a notable issue for PC Gaming Handhelds. My longing to return to CRPGs, fueled by (admittedly) unrealistic expectations of extensive choices impacting the gameplay while allowing for near-game-breaking mechanics using the game's rules, miraculously, I found a suitable parallel in this game. Imagine a game that blends the depth of Dungeons & Dragons with the allure of modern RPGs, fully playable on a controller. The game's immersive universe and intricate storylines make every decision shape your journey, akin to writing your own epic fantasy novel. The vastness of the story, like in Dungeons and Dragons tabletop games, is limited only by the player's imagination.

Many might mistake it for a simple dungeon crawler focused on swinging swords and slinging magic, but it's more about strategy and intelligent choices. In this game, every action, dialogue choice, and strategic decision significantly impacts the game's world and its inhabitants. It's not a linear story but a living, breathing universe that reacts and adapts to your actions, whether you're negotiating, exploring hidden paths, or manipulating the environment in combat. Sometimes, even a simple action like going to sleep could challenge you to wrestle with nightmares pitted against your character's own attributes. (I rolled a 3)

This game stands out for its respect towards its players, offering the freedom to shape your character's path in a way that's more than just playing a game. Imagine playing in what feels like living in a different world. Except, you don't have to imagine. That's Baldur's Gate 3. This is why it's my Game of the Year for 2023.

About The Phawx

The proclaimed "Authority on Handhelds," The Phawx is a YouTube channel that provides high-quality analysis and commentary on portable devices. Utilizing a thorough and analytical approach to his reviews, he is highly regarded by the community as a voice of reliability in this market.

Thank you again to these awesome content creators and journalists who responded! They are all wonderful creators and great people, so please check them out!

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