My exploits in the world of video games began around the meager age of 6 when I received my Nintendo DS for a Christmas present. Checking out my old DS games floods me with nostalgia, and I grew to introduce my younger brother and sister to my video games as well, leading to a mutual love of Mario, Kirby, and other such recognizable characters. I would even go so far as to consider myself a connoisseur of video games—I have experienced a diverse range of genres, including platformers, first-person shooters, RPGs, and puzzle games as well. My siblings and I have been particularly excited about 2023, which has been shaping up to be a great year for video games. Following the release of the Mario movie, several of my most anticipated video games are slated to be next. Take a look at some of the 2023 video games that I am most excited to see:

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom—Release Date: May 12, 2023

A direct sequel to 2017’s Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom takes place once again in the vast kingdom of Hyrule. The evil Ganondorf has been resurrected once again, and you must play as Link, chosen to seal the darkness that has begun to envelop the land. This once may just be the most anticipated game of 2023, as the previous installation won Game of the Year, among many other awards. Breath of the Wild may just be my favorite game of all time, so I am really looking forward to this one.

Baldur’s Gate 3—Release Date: August 31, 2023

Baldur’s Gate has been a long running series of role-playing video games based on the world of Dungeons and Dragons. The first two mainline games in the series were met with critical acclaim, being among the first RPG to use real-time gameplay for battles and other quests. Although all fights happen in real time, you are able to pause the game in order to command your characters to perform different actions, allowing the player to step back and strategize the best path to victory. The games are essentially a whole Dungeons and Dragons campaign contained within the game, using random number generation to automatically simulate the rolling of a die that would often be required in a tabletop board game. This installation of the series is already in early access, allowing players to view the first cutscenes and explore the first area. I gave it a test run myself—the game does not disappoint.

Street Fighter 6—Release Date: June 2, 2023

Starting in 1987, the Street Fighter franchise has spanned more than three decades, with Street Fighter 6 being the seventh main-series game. Street Fighter has influenced many other games, being one of the most popular fighting games of all time, with iconic characters and fighting moves such as the Hadoken and Shoryuken. Although I have not played a legitimate Street Fighter game, I have played similar fighting-type games, as well as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which features Ryu and Ken as playable characters.

Hollow Knight: Silksong—Release Date: Unconfirmed, likely 2023

Silksong is the sequel to the 2017 indie game Hollow Knight, where you traverse an abandoned city full of bugs, jumping and slashing your way to victory. Hollow Knight was an indie hit, so it is only natural that a potential sequel has fans abuzz. Recently, it has been delayed, and will not be releasing in the first half of 2023. However, it is still possible that it may release near the end of this year. Either way, I am full of anticipation for this game.

2023 will see the release of many games that were announced over the course of the past few years, and I for one have been eagerly awaiting these releases. If any of these titles have intrigued you, I urge you to give them a try. Each one has potential to be the next Game of the Year—we will have to wait and see.