It’s 2026, and while the gaming world has moved on to new releases, the echoes of 2023 still resonate like the aftershock of a creative earthquake. That year delivered a remarkable lineup of titles that challenged conventions, redefined genres, and—most importantly—were just plain fun. One particular list from that time, crafted by an editor who grappled with a fear of horror and a lack of a PS5, captured the indie spirit perfectly. As we look back, these ten games remain as vibrant as a newly inked comic panel, each panel a window into a different universe. Let’s revisit the countdown.

10. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

At the dawn of 2023, many expected this sequel to dominate every Game of the Year conversation. However, its initial reception was a slow-burning fire rather than an immediate explosion. The sandbox physics operate like a Rube Goldberg machine built on a sewing needle—delicate, intricate, and somehow perfectly functional on the Switch’s aging hardware. The true crown jewel, though, was the Sky Temple and its approach, a sequence of vertical exploration that felt like ascending a staircase woven from clouds. It was some of the most inventive dungeon design the series has ever seen, a reminder that Nintendo can still craft moments of pure genius.

9. Viewfinder

If M.C. Escher had been given a Polaroid camera and a degree in computer science, the result might have been Viewfinder. Its core mechanic—snapping a photo and then stepping into that captured scene—worked with a seamlessness that felt almost magical. The game unfolded like an origami puzzle, where each fold revealed a new dimension. It’s the kind of idea that makes you wonder how on earth it was coded, leaving players hungry for more layers.

8. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Taking the Jet Set Radio Future blueprint, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk skated into 2023 with a style so sharp it could cut glass. The movement felt like poetry on rollerblades, the story bubbled with fun, and the cel-shaded world dripped with an attitude unmatched by any other title. It was a shame the game was largely overlooked during awards season, but as a true spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio, perhaps its greatness was destined to be recognized only by a cult audience—much like a graffiti tag that only the streets truly appreciate.

7. Chants of Sennaar

A language-deciphering puzzle game wrapped in the stunning, line-art aesthetic of Sable, Chants of Sennaar felt like an archaeologist’s dream journal. Players pieced together hieroglyphic clues like stitching a tapestry of forgotten tongues. Its design was immaculate—an intellectual labyrinth where every solved symbol tugged you deeper into its silent, beautiful world.

6. The Invincible

Imagine Firewatch transplanted into a retrofuturist sci-fi novel, and you get The Invincible. Exploring the surface of Regis III felt like walking through a vintage paperback cover, all atom-age optimism and creeping cosmic unease. While some mechanics were clunky, the atmosphere was thick enough to breathe, a world that invited slow contemplation and awe.

5. Cocoon

Cocoon played out like a matryoshka doll factory designed by Escher. Worlds nested within worlds, each contained in a glowing orb that players carried like a fragile universe. The level design made backtracking feel not like a chore but like rewinding a beautifully constructed melody. Boss fights were puzzles in motion, and every squelching step in the organic, otherworldly landscape heightened the sense of venturing through a living dream.

4. Dredge

Dredge was the perfect recipe for those who like their horror more atmospheric than outright terrifying—a cocktail of Lovecraftian dread mixed with the salt spray of a fishing sim. The tension wound around your nerves like a slowly twisting tourniquet; the click of the fishing rod, the sputter of the engine, the descent of night, and the spectral nipping at the hull all conspired to create an incomparable sense of seafaring unease. The Pale Reach DLC later added a chilly new layer to explore.

3. Cassette Beasts

For those who wished Pokémon would evolve into something more narratively rich and mechanically inventive, Cassette Beasts was the answer. The pixel art glowed with personality, the character arcs carried genuine weight, and the boss battles were as terrifying as they were creative. Transforming into monsters using cassette tapes felt nostalgic yet fresh, capturing that kid-in-a-record-store wonder.

2. Dave the Diver

Pure, unadulterated fun—that’s what Dave the Diver served up like a master sushi chef. The split-personality gameplay of deep-sea diving and restaurant management was seasoned with a dizzying array of minigames, each more absurd than the last. The later crossover with Dredge was the wasabi on an already delicious roll, blending two oceanic obsessions into one delightful package.

1. Baldur’s Gate 3

No surprise here. By 2026, Baldur’s Gate 3 has firmly cemented itself as the game of the decade in the minds of many. Larian’s RPG was a sprawling, reactive universe where choices propagated like ripples in a cosmic pond. Every playthrough unspooled in unique directions, offering a virtual D&D table where the dungeon master’s imagination was the only limit. It wasn’t just a game; it was a testament to what can happen when developers trust players to be creative.

Looking back, 2023 was a watershed year. These games were not merely flashes in the pan but celestial bodies that reshaped the gaming cosmos. As new titles arrive, the gravity of these ten still pulls us back, reminding us of the magic that happens when creativity knows no bounds.