There has been talk of a third Bill & Ted movie for a long time. After playing Shovel Knight in 2014, however, I think they’re barking up the wrong tree. You see, the crew at Yacht Club Games is the video game version of Bill & Ted. It’s my sincerest belief that the majesty of Shovel Knight will bring about peace on Earth. So, to the crew at Yacht Club, do not be alarmed when George Carlin shows up in a phone booth. Just roll with it. Strange things are afoot at Pridemoor Keep.

In all seriousness, here are my favorite eShop games of 2014.

5. Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition

I played and adored Guacamelee when it came out on PlayStation platforms in 2013. I didn’t really plan to double-dip, but I’m really glad I did. The Super Turbo Championship Edition of Guacamelee is even better than the original. It’s not merely an enhanced port, though. Substantial new content is worked seamlessly into the game.

4. Sportsball

I first heard about Sportsball when I caught the name of it in a Nintendo press release. I didn’t really understand what in the hell Sportsball was until I actually played it, though. It’s like Joust (or Balloon Fight) crossed with basketball and brilliant nonsense (and the dopest soundtrack this side of Double Dragon Neon). While it’s lame that the single-player content is very light, the multiplayer is kinetic. It’s fast paced and frantic, but it still relies on some semblance of strategy. This is what I look for in an arcade sports game. This is also what I look for in a multiplayer game. Sitting down with three friends to play Sportsball has interrupted multiple Super Smash Bros. for Wii U gameplay sessions. That’s likely the highest compliment I can give anything.

3. The Swapper

This is a bit of a cheat, as I actually played The Swapper on PlayStation platforms. Regardless, The Swapper is a fantastic and mysterious game with devious puzzles and a harrowing art style and design. The story also accounts for the gameplay hook, which is something that always makes me smile. In this case, it is sinister since you’re creating copious amounts of clones that die constantly. Is it kind of depressing? Sure, but damn the puzzles are fantastic.

2. Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse

Any other year, this might have been Shantae’s category to lose, but in a year with Shovel Knight, Shantae will have to settle for second best. I enjoyed the previous two Shantae games, but they had their issues. The threadbare map in Risky’s Revenge, for example, is horrendous. Pirate’s Curse, in turn, feels almost like a direct response to every criticism of past Shantae games. It’s a masterpiece that is well designed and smartly constructed. Everything feels simplified, but not in a way that hinders the experience. I am stoked for Half-Genie Hero now.

1. Shovel Knight

I kicked off this article by saying that I think Shovel Knight will be the cause for world peace. This is the best game I’ve played all year and maybe even the best game I’ve played this decade. If you haven’t played Shovel Knight yet, I don’t get you. This is the best 2D game I’ve played in years. The ending made me tear up. I played it like 3 times straight through in a row. I may or may not have written a Shakespearean sonnet about its beauty.

As a bonus, here are some Virtual Console games I played in 2014 and really dug.

• Advance Wars (GBA on Wii U) – I haven’t played the original Advance Wars in at least a decade, but man oh man did this GBA classic remind me how much I’ve missed this series. I really hope we get a new one on 3DS soon.
• Ufouria (NES on Wii U) – While most people talked about Ufouria when it came out on Wii Virtual Console, I somehow missed out on it. I’m glad I went back to it, because this unique Metroid-like title with outstanding music and animation is a forgotten classic. It’s rough around the edges, but that’s mostly due to the time that it came out in. If you’re into seeing the early kernels of Metroid design, check out this NES gem.
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA on Wii U) – I still think Bowser’s Inside Story is the peak of this series, but Superstar Saga is the closest we’ll ever get to a direct sequel to Super Mario RPG. It takes the style, gameplay, and flair of the SNES classic (and actually features some of the same developers). It was wonderful replaying this game.
• Pokemon The Collectible Card Game (GBC on 3DS) – I had always heard such great things about this game, but I didn’t play it until this year. Card games are hard to translate into games, but somehow, this all works. It’s tough to build your deck, but if you don’t get too heavy into customization and just roll with it, this is fantastic, even if it’s grind in the end game.
• Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (GBC on 3DS) – My only memories of Super Mario Bros. Deluxe were borrowing a friend’s copy years ago. I didn’t quite uncover the majesty of this remake then, though. With fun challenges and novel Boo races, it adds so much to the original while making it work on a limited portable platform.