Allison’s Favorite Games of 2024

While I’d argue that 2023 was a better year for gaming, I think 2024 has been stellar. I’ve had fun catching up on some older games, along with playing some new titles. Thanks to Xbox Game Pass and fantastic eShop sales, I’ve been able to play a lot of bangers in 2024. This list was a challenge to make, as I wanted to comprehensively cover EVERYTHING I’ve played this year. But, the end of the year is always hectic, and you get what you get, so here we go!

What I Loved About This Year 

It’s no secret I love cozy games (check out my Best Cozy Games of 2023 list!), but this year, I spiced things up with some rogelites/roguelikes. Having never played the genre before 2024, I instantly fell in love, though there are more classic roguelikes I need to try in 2025, like Hades and Slay the Spire. I think the Nintendo Switch is a great console for roguelites/roguelikes as they’re great to play on the go in handheld mode.

Below, I’ve collected my six favorite games that I played in 2024. Most came out this year, but a few released prior. I’ve also included some of my favorite books, shows, and films from this year, along with what I’m looking forward to for next year!

6. Little Kitty, Big City

This game seriously resembles Untitled Goose Game in that you play as a lone animal that causes chaos for humans. Little Kitty, Big City starts when you, a black cat, fall from an apartment windowsill while taking a nap. Lost and confused, you wander around the Japanese-inspired city, completing quests to aid in your ultimate goal to find home. Along the way, you meet new animal friends and wreak havoc for humans. 

I love the chaos and wish there was even more in Little Kitty, Big City. I had such a blast tripping people and stealing their phone when they drop it. Sometimes, you don’t even need to cause chaos because there’s a random cat hater on the street who shoos you. 

Aside from the mayhem, the other animals are so great. One of the best moments I’ve had all year in gaming was finding a duckling taking a ride in a washing machine. It was so cute! 

There are also 42 hats to collect that your cat can wear. Some are hidden around the city, or you can buy from a crow. The hats are adorable. I didn’t collect them all, but my favorite was the hard hat. Precious! 

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

5. Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket

I had no idea when it was first announced that Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket would be on my Game of the Year list, but here we are. 

In this mobile game, you get a free pack of Pokémon cards to open each day. Your goal is to collect all 226 cards in the Genetic Apex. As someone new to the world of Pokémon cards, I love learning how to battle. I’ve been doing well against the CPU, and now that I’m more confident, I will try battling online. I can’t wait to try battling friends! 

Coming soon is a feature where you can trade cards with friends. I’m looking forward to this so I can complete my collection!

Platforms: iOS, Android

4. Figment 2: Creed Valley

As a former EPCOT employee, I normally think of a certain purple dinosaur from the 1980s whenever I hear of the word “figment.” However, now, I think of the adventure puzzle game made by Bedtime Digital Games. I first played Figment earlier this year on Game Pass and then immediately played its successor, Figment 2: Creed Valley.

The Figment games are solid action-adventure titles that tackle issues like mental health. In it, you play as Dusty, a mind creature who is working to restore peace in the mind all while fighting nightmares. Meanwhile, the sequel Figment 2: Creed Valley improves upon its predecessor with quality of life updates. The game looks and feels cleaner, with updated controls. The Figment games also have extensive musical sequences that are unlike anything I’ve seen in a game. When you fight a boss, there are these funny songs with sassy lyrics. 

Take a look at one of the numbers here: 

The games often go on sale for incredibly cheap. If you like adventure games on the easier side, you’ll probably like Figment and Figment 2. Let’s hope a hypothetical Figment 3 releases soon!

PS: I am guilty of thinking Figment 2 was a 2024 release. I played it in February when it was new to Game Pass, and it took me until December to find out it was a new port of a 2020 game. I wasn’t writing at Punished Backlog then, so it’s just as well, so please enjoy this addition to the list anyway!

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

3. Turnip Boy Robs a Bank

I reviewed Turnip Boy Robs a Bank earlier this year, scoring it a 9.8 out of 10. Needless to say, I loved it so much that I played it two times in a row. As the sequel to Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, Robs a Bank is a continuation of Turnip Boy’s story but in a completely new genre. In this wacky roguelite, you play as Turnip Boy, a troubled root vegetable who robs Botanical Bank over and over again. The characters are so cute and silly, and I’d imagine this game was especially fun to write for.

Even though I thought Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion was just okay, I undoubtedly love its sequel. This game is what got me into roguelites this year, and with that I am grateful, especially because I have found some knockouts. 

Back in February I said this game would be on my Game of the Year list in December, and boy am I still right. I am sad, however, that I haven’t heard many gamers talking about Turnip Boy Robs a Bank this year. This is a hidden gem that I’d recommend to pretty much anyone (including fellow writer, Amanda—stay tuned for an upcoming podcast episode where we’ll talk about it!). Especially with its accessibility features, you can make the game as easy or difficult as you would like. Seriously, try this game and let me know what you think!

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, Android

2. Brotato

I’d like to thank GamePass for introducing me to 2023’s Brotato, a roguelike arena shooter where you play as a potato. There are 44 unique characters to select, each with their own special abilities and challenges. There are numerous weapons and upgrades, and I love testing out tons of different builds with various characters and tools. Overall, the gameplay is pretty simple; shoot alien enemies and survive each round. 

The best thing about Brotato is its accessibility options. Players can turn off or adjust certain features like aiming, enemy health, damage, speed, and weapon highlighting. This makes the game more approachable for players newer to the roguelike genre. It’s great for when you want a challenge, or to take it easy. I’ve sunk many hours into Brotato on both Xbox and Switch. Hours and hours later, it’s still one of my comfort games, even after 100% completing it.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, Android

1. Balatro

I love Balatro, and it should not be surprising for any of my fellow writers that Balatro is my game of the year. If I were more poetic, I would make this entry an entire article on its own. 

In case you are unaware, Balatro is a roguelike deckbuilder inspired by poker. The hype over this game has been incredibly high, because it is so addicting. You do not need to know how to play poker to enjoy this game; After a few hours, you’ll get the gist and hopefully start winning some rounds. (If you want a more in-depth review on Balatro, I recommend reading Sam’s piece, Balatro’s Masterful Take on Gambling.)

Balatro is arguably best played on a handheld device, like Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, or mobile. I’ve been playing on Switch, where it has climbed to my third most-played game at 215 hours. Since its release, there’s been free updates that bring new card designs inspired by other indie darlings like Stardew Valley and Vampire Survivors. 

Moreover, the graphics are one of the things I love most about Balatro; there’s over 100 unique Joker card designs in pixel art. They’re seriously so cool, and I bet solo dev LocalThunk had a blast designing each card. For massive fans of game such as myself, there’s also going to be a physical playing card deck in the Balatro art style releasing in 2025. Maybe put a pre-order on your Christmas wish list!

Platforms: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, Android

My Favorite Shows, Films, Music, and Books of 2024 

In addition to games, here’s some other media I’ve enjoyed from this year, too! 

Documentaries: 

• Jim Henson: Idea Man 
• Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV
• The Many Lives of Martha Stewart
• In Vogue: The 90s 

Movies: 

• Saturday Night
• The Wild Robot
• At the time of this writing, I am also looking forward to watching Sonic 3 in theaters. 

Music: 

• Short N’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
• Harlequin by Lady Gaga

TV: 

• St. Denis Medical 

Books:

• Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy
• Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
• The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden 

Looking Ahead to 2025

I’m already on a backlog for next year! I need to catch up on my Nintendo backlog by playing The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door remake. However, it seems we will have much to look forward to next year with Nintendo as they’re expected to unveil a new console. 

Additionally, this year, I obtained a replacement for my childhood Nintendo DS Lite. In 2025, I would like to dive deeper into the DS library, and play some of The 13 Best Nintendo DS Games of All Time. 

Looking forward to what the next year of gaming brings!