Has it been a year already? Well, not quite, but I think it’s time to revisit the best Wii U games anyway. After all, Super Smash Bros Wii U is coming out this holiday season (probably November), and that’s going to be the moment when many of us finally pick up a Wii U. Well, the system launched two years ago, and that means there’s actually a ton of great stuff to play at this point. Let’s take a look at some of the absolute highlights. I would say two of them count as must-purchases for pretty much everybody, but there are lots of other games that are essentially must-haves in their genres.

The Best Wii U Games Up Through 2014

Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World is probably the most fun Mario platformer in years. If you can wrangle up a full crew of four people, it unquestionably wins that honor. With great level design, lots of fun throwbacks (Kuribo’s Ice Skate, anybody?), and the best new power up since the Wing Cap, 3D World is an absolute must-have. If you like Nintendo enough to even consider getting a Wii U, you need this game. It doesn’t reach the absolute highs of Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, but it’s not trying to. It’s just an incredibly fun Mario game. Isn’t that enough?

Mario Kart 8

It’s the best console Mario Kart game, period. Nostalgia for Mario Kart 64 notwithstanding, Mario Kart 8 really knocks it out of the park. It has great courses, great items, and great gameplay, although the truly terrible Battle Mode and lackluster interface mar the experience a little bit. It’s also Nintendo’s best online offering ever (at least until Smash Bros rolls around). This is our other must-have. The upcoming DLC will make it even better.

Pikmin 3

Full disclosure: Pikmin 3 was my first Pikmin game. A disgrace, I know, but there it is. It is also, by pretty much universal consensus, the best Pikmin. While it isn’t a fundamentally different game than the first two, it perfects the formula, and it’s also pretty stunningly gorgeous and charming (and brutal). This isn’t a game I play a lot or often, but sometimes, it’s a perfect fit. Everyone should experience it. Except those who can’t handle seeing cute things die.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut

Alright, enough Nintendo stuff for now: Square Enix’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut is probably my third favorite Wii U game, after Mario Kart and 3D World. It’s got a great blend of action and RPG gameplay, some real and interesting choices, a surprisingly compelling story, and a pretty cool futuristic setting. The Director’s Cut version gets rid of the problems of the original (i.e. it has better boss fights) and adds a fun new section towards the end. Plus, it makes good use of the GamePad. Trust me, this one is worth it.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

Black Flag is the best Assassin’s Creed since the second one, or better, if you’re a big fan of pirate ships. And who isn’t? If you have a PS4 or Xbox One already, I’d play Black Flag on those, but if Wii U is your first next-gen system, Black Flag looks and plays extremely well (and the map on the GamePad is very helpful too). Note: None of the DLC is on Wii U, which is disappointing, but the game has more than enough content to keep you busy regardless.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

It’s just like Donkey Kong Country Returns, except better, with Dixie Kong, better graphics, more variety, Dixie Kong, a more forgiving difficulty curve, cooler enemies, Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, and also Dixie Kong. Not sure if I mentioned her. This looks like a kids’ game, and it’s certainly kid-friendly, but you’ll have a good time with it too. By which I mean it’s brutally hard and you’ll hate your life. So worth it.

Wind Waker HD

Wind Waker with better graphics and more bloom lighting. And a faster sail. Nintendo didn’t change too much for the re-release of Wind Waker, but then again, they didn’t need to. They streamlined some things, including the end-of-game Triforce hunt, added a hard mode, which is accessible right from the beginning and is legitimately very hard indeed (at least early on). I hope I can add Hyrule Warriors to this list in a few weeks, but for now, this is the only Zelda game on the system, and it’s absolutely worth your time, whether you are new to Wind Waker or you’ve just forgotten its charms.

Shovel Knight

If you loved Super Nintendo platformers, well, forget all the stuff on Virtual Console: What you want is Shovel Knight. Released earlier this year, Shovel Knight is easily one of the best Wii U games, and as an eShop exclusive it is far from expensive. I wrote a lot about Shovel Knight when it came out, but the long and short of it is: It’s the best retro platformer ever made. And that’s pretty high praise.

Those are, as of right now, what I’d call the seven most interesting, most fun, most worth your time Wii U games. There are many honorable mentions I could include. New Super Mario Bros U is lots of fun with others, but it isn’t as much fun as Mario 3D World. Super Luigi U is fun, but brutally hard, like, Lost Levels hard. ZombiU is innovative and experimental but doesn’t quite knock it out of the park. Nintendo Land is pretty satisfying too, and cheap. And Rayman Legends is a solid platformer as well. But start with this list and increment it as you will, and you will be a very satisfied Wii U owner indeed.