A Link Between Worlds Wins GameSpot’s 2013 Game of the Year Award

Did most people assume that Grand Theft Auto V was going to run the table at every awards gathering? I know I did, and if any Nintendo game had a realistic shot I figured it would have been Super Mario 3D World, despite the large contingent of excellent 3DS games this year. GameSpot has bucked the trend, awarding A Link Between Worlds their 2013 Game of the Year Award. Does the game truly deserve that top spot with masterpieces like The Last of Us, Fire Emblem, and others out there? We’re obviously a tad bias on the matter, but it’s definitely worthy of consideration. Read below to see their ultimate reasoning for such a prestigious award

Decades have come and gone without an entry in the Zelda franchise reaching the heights of A Link Between Worlds. While such an accomplishment warms the heart of anyone who has dutifully stood by Link during his ups and down, it has little bearing on this prestigious award.

Just for a second, remove the nostalgic tingle of exploring a familiar version of Hyrule. Forget any sentimental attachment you may have for hookshots and bottled fairies. A Link Between Worlds is fantastic in its own right. It frees you of any tutorial shackles and sets you loose in a bustling world with only your own curiosity to guide you. Such unrestrained exploration is empowering. And when the many puzzles stumped us, it was all the more satisfying to figure out a solution using our own ingenuity.

We can only hope future installments can impress just as much.