The past decade in gaming was marked by massive growth in competitive gaming and advancements in technology that allow for hyper-realistic graphics. Popular titles like Fortnite provided ease of access with their free-to-play strategies, while games like The Witcher 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2 carried on a tradition of amazing, fully-featured console games.

These are the top ten video games of the decade!

Batman: Arkham City (2011) | Rocksteady Studios

The Dark Knight's return to console gaming came in the form of three extremely detailed role-playing games. Arkham City was the second installment of the series and was given a near-perfect score by many of the top video game publications. The critically acclaimed game also features separate game modes where players can take control of Robin, Catwoman, Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood and even... The Joker.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) | CD Projekt

The third installment of The Witcher follows in the tradition of open-world, role-playing games. Wild Hunt features one of the largest and most detailed game maps of any game on this list. Its claim to greatness is the abundance of side quests and challenges players can complete away from the main storyline.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) | Nintendo

Nintendo took an ambitious approach to its most successful Super Smash Bros. game. It included just about every Super Smash Bros. character you could think of and made them all playable. This ultra-customizable classic is one of the most versatile fighting games out there and deserves to be called one of the best games of this decade.

League of Legends (2009) | Riot Games

This game has arguably been the best multiplayer battle arena game available for PC since its debut in 2009. Although it was technically released before 2010, League of Legends has maintained its popularity throughout the decade.

Fortnite: Battle Royale (2017) | Epic Games

Fortnite's free-to-play Battle Royale mode has gained more than 250 million users despite following a tried-and-true formula. The game is lauded for its impressive graphics and detailed map.

Pokémon GO (2016) | The Pokémon Company

Pokémon GO blazed a trail for a new class of augmented reality-based games. The mobile game allows players to catch and raise Pokémon, just like the classic Gameboy titles, but with a twist. Players locate Pokémon by exploring their real-life surroundings.

Minecraft (2011) | Microsoft

Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time with over 180 million copies sold and over 112 million active monthly players. The creative sandbox game allows players to build or destroy anything they want in an ever-expanding world made of pixelated blocks. For those that love to let their imagination run wild, Minecraft is the perfect playground.

Grand Theft Auto V (2013) | Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games’ flagship role-playing title made waves in 2013 with its gorgeous open-world map and unique story with three fully-playable main characters. Six years later, GTA V boasts a huge online community that still rushes to download the latest updates.

Red Dead Redemption 2 | Rockstar Games

This 2018 action-adventure game is widely regarded as the most visually impressive video game ever made. According to review aggregator Metacritic, Rockstar Games' wild west RPG received universal acclaim. Reviews from USgamer, Game Informer, IGN and Edge all scored Red Dead Redemption 2 higher than 95/100.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) | Bethesda Softworks

This game set a new mark for open-world games back in 2011. In the enormous world of Skyrim, the possibilities are almost endless as players can spend hundreds of hours interacting with the surrounding world and completing side quests. After its initial release, the game was updated with three new game modes and re-released in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018 for various gaming platforms.