Which is best, for example: a well put-together military shooter or a well put-together match-three puzzle game? Answers will differ.

TIME Magazine was the recipient of some ribbing recently when it listed the obscure mobile game Prune as the best game of 2015, but of course there's no reason why, for the individual who wrote that list, it shouldn't be.

With games continuing to expand at both ends of the spectrum – big-budget Hollywood style blockbusters and intimate, small-scale fare – games are more diverse, more numerous and more accessible than ever, and 'best of' lists vary wildly according to each player's individual experience.

Such lists are still valuable, however, insofar as they let us celebrate that diversity by matching our own experience of the past year with that of others, or maybe finding some gems we previously had never heard of. I think most will agree 2015's been a phenomenal year in terms of good video games (with some impressive-looking stuff still to come in December, which I'll unfortunately have to omit here). My personal top 10 is below, be sure to post yours in the comments.

Lara Croft Go

A master class in how to translate a traditional, familiar game series to the smartphone, Lara Croft Go distils the Tomb Raider experience into a beautiful, surprising game you can play at your own pace. Keeping the climbing, puzzling and mythical creatures of the series but replacing the reflexes and twitch gameplay with turn-based swiping, this is an intelligent adventure that even dedicated console gamers will want in their pocket. Android, iOS | $4.49

Yoshi's Woolly World

It's adorable. That's all you need to know about Yoshi's Woolly World. Breezy and fun, the game looks like woolcraft but behaves like its Super Nintendo inspiration (the lava is really an orange and red scarf spooling out of a volcano, but it will still burn you). Adding to the old-school formula is the added bonus of two-person local play, and the ability to unlock an army of immaculately designed Yoshis by collecting yarn or scanning your amiibo collection. Wii U | $79.95

Ori and the Blind Forest

Another side-scroller, Ori is essentially the anti-Yoshi, save for the fact they're both gorgeous. Fluid and painterly to look at, the aesthetic masks the tough-as-nails gameplay hiding underneath. Playing this game feels like mastering a craft, as more mechanics – double jumps, wall-runs, attacks – are added to your utility belt constantly as you go. A moving story and a brilliant orchestration takes it over the edge from merely great to breathtaking. Xbox One, PC | $27

Until Dawn

Until Dawn is an interactive horror story, but more than that it's proof that the intersection of games and movies isn't always as middling as it has been in the past. This is gory, sexy, melodramatic teen horror as we all know it, but with the stress of decision-making and escape put upon the viewer rather than the characters, challenging their decisions and intuition. Acted by a very strong cast and ripe for multiple plays, it's a solid win for interactive drama. PS4 | $79.95

Splatoon

One of the more amusing gaming anecdotes this year was that Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto once asked if classic shooter GoldenEye could be done with less murder, having Bond visit the hospital at the end to shake hands with all his victims. While that would have been bad, Nintendo now has its non-violent shooter in Splatoon, and it's wonderful. Playing online, teams go head to head to cover as much of the map with ink as they can. Shooter staples like taking cover and reloading are replaced by the ability to transform into a sneaky squid, and the whole thing makes for a much more accessible, less aggressive and less frustrating experience. Wii U | $79.95

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Compared to the slew of role-playing games coming out of Japan and America, The Witcher 3 is a breath of fresh, Polish air. Subtle and complex, confident and unafraid of moral ambiguity, this is a mature game that remains incredibly fun and rewarding to explore. A captivating game full of stories and distractions, the combat can get difficult but the huge world is a dark fairytale waiting to be discovered. PS4, Xbox One, PC | $109.95, 89.95

Fallout 4

In contrast, barely anything is subtle or restrained in Fallout 4, but it's captivating in its own way. A huge post-apocalyptic world filled with useful items to salvage, ghouls and raiders to kill, weapons and apparel to craft and ruins to pick through, the random craziness that happens when so many systems collide is far more entertaining than the actual narrative of the game. The world's amazing, but the best stuff is what you make of it, there's always more emergent stories to find. Xbox One, PS4, PC | $99.95, $89.95

Rocket League

I'm not the biggest fan of car games, soccer games or online multiplayer games, so the fact that I still can't stop playing Rocket League should really tell you something. The concept — replacing soccer players with rocket-powered cars — is stupid but immediately exhilarating, and the precise controls allow for advanced manoeuvres you might not master even after dozens of hours. The five-minute match length and endless stream of new content has kept me coming back. PS4, PC | $29.95

Super Mario Maker

The side-scrolling Super Mario games have a language of their own that pretty much everyone understands: one button runs, the other jumps; jump on enemies to crush them; get a mushroom to grow stronger; avoid pits, etc. Super Mario Maker gives players the toolset to explain their own ideas with this language, using assets from classic Mario games to make and share their own stages. Anyone can create a playable stage in minutes with this powerful and charming software, but making something that's fun for others to play is a significant challenge. When you're not creating, the online trove of levels created by players around the world provides endless content that's variously inspired, dumb, baffling and just plain magical. Wii U | $79.95

Rise of the Tomb Raider

It may be that I'm still basking in the afterglow, but I'm calling Rise of the Tomb Raider my favourite game of 2015. From the very beginning until the end credits — and for every minute in between — this game walks a line between tightly guided action goodness and free exploration, and it nails it immaculately. Rather than a giant open world, Rise consists of a series of open hubs filled with ruins, tombs, modern structures, wild animals and resources. When you're done exploring you progress the story by running through an action-packed sequence to the next hub, but you can return at any time. It's truly the best of both worlds, and it combines with a likeable protagonist, great storytelling and one of the best-looking game worlds seen to date to make for a must-play experience. Xbox One, Xbox 360 | $99.95, $79.95

Post your favourite games of 2015 in the comments.

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