Looking for the best games of 2020 so far? Then you're in the right place. We're already halfway through the year and there have been some fantastic game releases for both PC and console. And with the PS5 and Xbox Series X due to release later this year, we're sure to see more must-have titles joining their ranks.

It can be hard to keep track of all the great games that have released this year, so we've put together this handy list of the best games of 2020 so far, to help you keep track of the most essential games releases.

We'll be updating this list with each new release. So, without further ado, here are the best games of 2020.

• Best PS4 games: the PlayStation 4 games you need to play
• Best Xbox One games: the most essential Xbox One releases
• Best Nintendo Switch games: top Switch titles to play right now

Dreams

Dreams is less like a game and more like a platform. Developed by Media Molecule, the creators of Little Big Planet, Dreams allows players to play, create and share worlds, games, artwork, music and more. All of this content is created in Dreams, which provides players with a plethora of tools to get creative with. But if you’re not quite an artist, you can simply take advantage of the incredible (and sometimes odd) creations of others.

Release date: February 14, 2020

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Ori and the Blind Forest was arguably one of the best Xbox One games when it released back in 2015, so hopes were high when a sequel was announced. Ori and the Will of the Wisps not only lives up to the original, but it improves on it in every way. From the sumptuous art style to an overhauled and significantly improved combat system, Ori and the Will of the Wisps will firmly test your abilities as a gamer and pull on your heart strings with its emotional story.

Release date: March 10, 2020 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the first new entry in the mainline Animal Crossing series for almost eight years and the first entry to be playable on the Nintendo Switch - and it was definitely worth the wait. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is packed with charm and the perfect game for those who want to kick back and just take things at their own pace. It’s familiar and fresh, deftly combining the old enjoyable parts of the series with some much-needed improvements and far greater depth than we’ve seen before. 

Check out our full Animal Crossing review.

Release date: March 20, 2020

Doom Eternal

Doom is back and it's the best it's ever been. Not only does Doom Eternal boast all the blood-pumping, gore-packed fun we expect from a Doom game, it also adds a bunch of new RPG-like elements we didn't even know we needed. If you're looking for a game that doesn't focus too much on narrative and instead throws you into ripping and tearing some demons, then Doom Eternal is one not to be missed.

Check out our full Doom Eternal review.

Release date: March 20, 2020

Half-Life: Alyx

Some were afraid that Half-Life: Alyx, one of Valve's first first VR games and the first new entry in the series in over a decade, might not live up to the expectations. But, without a shadow of a doubt, this is a Half-Life game that fills the roomy shoes that Valve left behind in 2007. It's that good.

It is, like its forebears, a mind-bending joyride with a physics system to die for. The inventive, head-scratching scientific puzzles you’re used to from the PC games? They’re here. Tense jaunts through zombie-infested death pits that instil terror better than most ‘horror’ games? Alyx has got that in droves.

Release date: March 23, 2020

Resident Evil 3

Following up on the huge success of Resident Evil 7 and its remake of Resident Evil 2, Capcom remade Resident Evil 3 and completely nailed it. With its fast-paced action, excellent graphics and, of course, terrifying zombies; the Resident Evil 3 remake is one of the best games of 2020. What's more, you get asymmetrical-multiplayer survival horror Resident Evil: Resistance as part of the package.

Check out our full Resident Evil 3 review.

Release date: April 3, 2020

Final Fantasy 7 Remake

The FF7 Remake had the impossible task of satisfying people's memories of a 23 year-old RPG classic, while only tackling less than a third of its original story. It's successful in a lot of ways, though, especially in its combat, which finally shows how the Final Fantasy series can bring the complexity of turn-based battles into its real-time action. While the sidequests are flabby and the deviations from the original game will prove divisive, this finally gives fans what they've been asking for.

Check out our full Final Fantasy 7 Remake review.

Release date: April 10, 2020

Streets of Rage 4

It’s been 25 years since gamers took on countless thugs as Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding, but Streets of Rage 4 emphatically proves that Sega’s once dormant series still can’t be beat. It manages to feel completely new yet instantly familiar, which is helped in no small part by the slew of unlockable content that centers around the previous games. With its phenomenal soundtrack and super satisfying combo system, you’ll find yourself taking to the streets time and time again.

Release date: April 30, 2020

• Best free games 2020: the top free games to download on PC

Can't find the time to keep up with tech news? Looking for some awesome lockdown listening? We have you covered with the Noise Cancelling podcast, which is brought to you by TechRadar and our sister sites Laptop Mag and Tom's Guide.

The show is presented by Gareth Beavis, Global Editor in Chief of TechRadar, and features Sherri L. Smith, Editor in Chief of Laptop Mag.

This week our guests are Kimberly Gedeon of Laptop Mag and Mark Wilson, Cameras Editor at TechRadar, who join us (from their homes of course) to talk about the last seven days in tech.

Week eight: our verdict on the iPhone SE

As usual we're talking about a variety of topics. First up, we've got our final verdict on the new iPhone SE – and we promise this will be the last you hear about that phone on this podcast… maybe. 

We'll also be discussing the video specs of the upcoming Canon EOS R5, which Mark believes is set to be an absolute game-changer for the cameras world. Other topics on this week's show include rumors about the upcoming Microsoft Surface Pro 8, and Sony's plans for a cute/creepy robot that would keep you company while you're gaming on your PlayStation – and might even play along with you.

Meanwhile, this week's 'Unpopular Opinions' slot is all about that Cyberpunk 2077 edition of the Xbox One X. Do we like the design? You're going to have to listen to the show to find out.

For all this and more, tune into the all-new Noise Cancelling podcast – subscribe on Spotify, grab it on Apple podcasts, or find us wherever you get your pods. New episodes land every Friday.

When it comes to gaming, the past was a simpler time. You bought your console, paid for your games, and then you sat down and played them.

No online multiplayer, no downloadable content, no guides to spoil all the fun, and no patches to get in the way of you playing. Sounds nice, doesn't it?

Over the years, several companies have attempted to bring this simplicity back with a variety of retro console revivals.

These boxes plug into the back of your TV, and use emulation software to allow you to play a number of games that would otherwise be impossible (or at least, very expensive) to find as a physical cartridges.

We've not ranked these revivals, like we do in some of our guides, because nostalgia is a key part but we will talk you through the pros and cons of each. Below are our top picks of the best retro console revivals that you can play right now.

Following the massive success of the NES Classic Mini, Nintendo has returned to the 90s in a more compact form with the SNES Classic Mini.

The box plugs into your TV via HDMI and comes with 21 pre-loaded games (one of which is the unreleased Star Fox 2!) as well as two mini controllers that will allow you to take advantage of multiplayer. 

The drawback of Nintendo's retro consoles is that once you've exhausted the fairly limited library you won't be able to play anything else. The console doesn't accept the original cartridges, nor does it let you download more content.

That said, it'll take you a little while to get through all of the titles included on the SNES Classic Mini allowing you to get your nostalgia hit. 

Read our full review: SNES Classic Mini review

Everyone remembers the Sega Genesis (or the Mega Drive as it was known outside North America) acting as a competitor to Nintendo's SNES. The console was home to such classics as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Earthworm Jim.

Unlike some of the other hardware on this list, the console, which is manufactured by Chinese firm At Games, will play any original Mega Drive cartridges that you have lying around.

Don't worry if you've not got any old cartridges lying around though, since the console comes with 80 game pre-installed, including Mortal Kombat and Golden Axe.

Also unlike the original Mega Drive, the console supports wireless controllers so you don't have to worry about the mess of controller cables that used to plague console gamers.

Read our full review: Sega Genesis Mini review

If you want an even more retro hit, the NES Classic Edition was the first rereleased console from Nintendo and it came sporting 30 games onboard. Those games included The Legend of Zelda, Mario Bros and Castlevania.

The bad news is that once you've exhausted that library you won't be able to play anything else - the console doesn't accept the original cartridges, nor does it let you download more content.

You may struggle to now be able to find the NES Classic Edition. At the time of writing, it was difficult to find the retro console brand new from any major retailers in the US or UK.

That said, you may still be able to pick it up second hand and try out the retro experience for yourself.

Read our full review: NES Classic Mini review

The PlayStation Classic console is certainly fun, but we feel like it's missing a trick. Sony could’ve followed in Nintendo’s footsteps by releasing a populist's retro console, one that had the undisputed best games of the era like Crash Bandicoot, Final Fantasy 8 and 9 or Tomb Raider. But that's not the PlayStation Classic. 

It doesn’t include the majority of the console’s greatest hits and instead opts for some cult classics like Persona and Jumping Flash among a few well-received titles. Using Sony’s retro console is therefore a lot less like walking down memory lane, an experience we had with the SNES Classic and NES Classic Mini, and a lot more like a sample platter of what the PlayStation had to offer 20-some-odd years ago. 

Of course, some people might develop a real attachment to games like Destruction Derby, Ridge Racer Type 4 and Intelligent Qube - and if that's you, then the PlayStation Classic is going to be everything you've ever wanted in a retro console. 

If not, however, then you'll be disappointed with the game selection, unimpressed by the lackluster interface and forced to watch, often in horror, as late '90s FMVs are brought to life like Frankenstein's Monster on your 4K or 1080p TV.

Read our full review: PlayStation Classic review

The ZX Spectrum was one of the first mainstream home computers to come out when it was released in the UK in 1982. It was to the UK what the Commodore 64 was in the US, a trojan horse for getting computers into homes, and a device that would inspire a generation of coders.

Yes, its keyboard was a bit of a mushy rubber mess, but with a software library that contained classics such as the original Elite, Football Manager, and Manic Miner, you can't exactly fault the little console that could.

The Sinclair ZX Spectrum Vega looks nothing like the original console. Rather than having a full QWERTY keyboard, the console is instead packed completely into a controller which has 1,000 games built-in.

The device was available for £99.99 (around $130), but it's not quite difficult to find so you may struggle more to pick this up than other consoles in this list.

• How to play retro games

We're now in a post-Tiger King world. You've probably read a million articles on what happened to the various people you met in Netflix's latest documentary series, which is about the wild life of big cat owner Joe Exotic. But now it's time to figure out what you'll watch next. 

Below, we've rounded up a few favorites that we think you'll want to see, now that Tiger King is done. All of them are on Netflix, except one, which you can stream on Amazon Prime. Not all of them are documentaries, either, as we've made recommendations based on specific elements of the show.

Did you like the true crime elements of Tiger King? We've picked out some hits of that genre, even if the subject matter is vastly different in our selections. Do you like your documentaries with a bit of humor, or do you simply enjoy cats? We've based a few choices around those things too. 

Your first stop after this piece should be our list of the best Netflix documentaries, where you'll find a lot of great stuff to watch on the factual side. 

• Best Netflix shows
• Best Netflix movies
• Best Amazon Prime shows

Wild Wild Country – if you want another wild ride 

Where to stream it: Netflix

If you loved how quickly Tiger King escalated, then you’re going to want to check out Wild Wild Country. Wild Wild Country is a docuseries about Indian guru (and controversial cult leader) Osho, who gathered such a huge number of followers in the ‘80s that he decided to build a utopia in Oregon to house them all. But this wasn’t just made up of tents and camp fires, this utopia was essentially a functioning city complete with an airport. But, of course, Osho’s practises weren’t exactly above board, and that’s when things get truly interesting.

Wild Wild Country will have you wondering how the heck you (probably) never heard about this story before, and have you perplexed at the lengths some people will go to to become (and follow) powerful figures.

American Vandal – if you liked the comedy 

Where to stream it: Netflix

Tiger King starts as a show about an eccentric with an eyebrow-raising number of big cats who seemingly just wants to be famous, before it gets darker. The overall ludicrousness of the Joe Exotic persona is one way the show gets you hooked. If you've not seen it yet, mockumentary series American Vandal should be your next stop, if you enjoyed this element of the show. 

The first season is set in a high school where pictures of penises are spray-painted onto every teacher's car, with one slightly wayward student taking the fall for the crime. Did he actually do it, though? The filmmakers in this excellent series investigate, and it's got as many twists and turns as any real true crime series. The second season, set in another school where the entire student body is afflicted by laxatives, is another wild ride with an unforgettable conclusion.

Jenny Slate: Stage Fright – for a wacky biography

Where to stream it: Netflix

Jenny Slate’s standup isn’t just funny – it’s otherworldly. In this hour-long comedy special for Netflix, Slate jokes about paranormal sightings in her childhood home, looking like Anne Frank as a child, and making love to the moon in one beautifully-twisted meditation on the self and way our identity is forged. 

It’s very, very weird – but the Netflix format gives us a look behind the scenes too, with interviews with her family and candid moments backstage to show the apparatus behind the fever-pitch humor we get to see onstage.

Cats_The_Mewvie – if you need more cats

Where to stream it: Netflix

The best part about Tiger King is all the b-roll footage of big cats, and if you want a long unbridled look at the best household pet animal, Cats_The_Mewvie is basically 90 minutes of videos of cats.

Well, technically there’s a documentary somewhere here, looking at why cats are so popular in our lives and in online media, but if you can hear that over the ‘awww’ and ‘lookatit!’s of the audience, you really need to turn your TV down.

The Devil Next Door – for true crime intrigue

Where to stream it: Netflix

Perhaps one of the most suspenseful documentaries on Netflix right now, the Devil Next Door follows a Cleveland grandfather and retired autoworker who is accused of being a notoriously sadistic Nazi guard – known as Ivan the Terrible – at the Treblinka extermination camp during the Holocaust.

The Devil Next Door sees John Demanjuk arrested, denaturalized as a US citizen, and extradited to Israel for what was one of the most highly publicized trials of the 20th century. If you loved Tiger King for its true crime intrigue, then The Devil Next Door should be the next show you add to your watch list, even if the subject matter is very different.

Dark Days – if you like documentaries that seem too strange to be true 

Where to stream it: Amazon Prime Video

Ever heard of a documentary premise that appears so outlandish that it couldn’t possible be true? Then only to watch the film and find out the harrowing truth? That’s Dark Days in a nutshell. 

It’s an unbelievable look at New York City’s homeless community at the turn of the millennium, where a forgotten cohort of rough sleepers have established a literal underground community in a shanty town in the city’s abandoned subway lines. Living their days without sunlight, it’s an eye-opening, often sad, look at what happens to those that society turns its back on. An excellent DJ Shadow soundtrack complements the black-and-white footage.

Making a Murderer – arguably the greatest Netflix documentary series

Where to stream it: Netflix

Making a Murderer was the first big Netflix true crime documentary to really capture the public's attention, sparking wider interest in the genre. Exploring the question of guilt or innocence of the convicted Steven Avery for the murder of young photographer Teresa Halbach, you could argue this show has created a frenzy for the genre that borders on the unhealthy. It's very different to Tiger King in tone and seriousness, as you'd expect.

Making a Murderer remains the best true crime documentary on Netflix. You've got two seasons to watch here if you somehow haven't seen it already, and it's very well-made. Be sure to read more background materials on the case once you're done watching. 

Las Vegas has been awash with tech this week as CES 2020 has taken over the city and seen manufacturers from all over the planet announce new products at its variety of hotels and convention centers.

The TechRadar team has been exploring the halls and press events at CES, and we've  come up with our list of the best tech we've seen this year.

It was a difficult process to pick favorites (literally thousands of companies show off products), but using our expert knowledge of the market we've been able to pick out some true highlights from what we've seen at this year's show.

Below you'll find the official winners of the TechRadar CES 2020 Awards, and a bit of an explainer on why we've given that innovation an award. Note that these are listed in alphabetical order.

• Want to see all the big announcements? Our CES 2020 guide may help you

Alienware Concept UFO

That's not a Nintendo Switch you see above - it's the latest concept from Alienware, and it's an idea that aims to put PC gaming in your palms even when you're riding on public transport.

Alienware hasn't specified whether it plans to bring this product to market in future, but it's a fascinating innovation from the company. In our hands on review, we even said the Alienware Concept UFO has the opportunity to change the entire PC gaming market.

• Our hands on Alienware Concept UFO review

AMD Ryzen 4000 mobile

AMD has had a brilliant 2019, and it seems like 2020 will be a fantastic year for the company as well, with AMD showing off its Ryzen 4000 series of mobile processors at CES 2020.

We are particularly excited about the performance benefits AMD is promising with its new lineup, which could see loads of new laptops come out that are thin, light and powerful. Some of the most exciting laptops we've seen at CES 2020, such as the Asus Zephyrus G14, are going to be rocking AMD's new chip. Intel's dominance in the laptop market could be under serious threat.

• More information the AMD Ryzen 4000 mboile

Bluetooth LE Audio

Bluetooth isn't a technology owned by a specific company. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group standardizes the technology, and that organization has just unveiled its next iteration of the standard. It has a rather boring name of Bluetooth LE Audio, but it may one day change your headphones.

According to the authority, the upgrade with LE Audio will allow for improved sound quality and improved battery life. This may not be something you can specifically buy, but once it's available on a new set of headphones or a portable speaker you will appreciate this innovation.

• What is Bluetooth LE Audio?

Canon EOS 1D X Mark III

The Nikon D780 might be a more realistic DSLR for most of us, but the 1DX Mark III pipped it to our CES 2020 award for two reasons: it’s a genuine leap forward for Canon, and gives us a glimpse of where its cameras are headed next.

The 1DX Mark III packs in some incredibly powerful shooting features for pro sports photographers (20fps burst shooting, virtually unlimited buffer) with some exciting innovations for the rest of us, including the Smart Controller, ‘deep learning’ autofocus and HEIF support. It might just be the first star of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

• Our hands on Canon EOS 1D X Mark III review

Dell XPS 13 (2020)

The Dell XPS 13 has constantly topped our best laptop list over the years, and this year's model, which we got time with at CES 2020, looks set to continue that fine legacy. 

Once again, Dell has created a gorgeously-designed laptop with top-notch build quality. The keyboard is comfy to type on, and its screen is to die for, with up to 4K resolution and minuscule bezels. Dell is also promising 19 hours of battery life from a single charge. The best laptop in the world just got better.

• Our hands on Dell XPS 13 (2020) review

JBL 9.1 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar

This soundbar from JBL isn't an entirely new concept. It has two true wireless speakers that are battery powered so you can disconnect them and place anywhere you wish when you want to get surround sound. We've seen JBL do that since 2017, but this is the first time we've seen Dolby Atmos included.

The detachable rears are what makes this unique when compared to other home cinema offerings. Don't want to run wires down your walls to get your speakers setup? This may be how you're able to experience great audio.

• Ours hands on JBL 9.1 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar review

Samsung Bot Chef

Perhaps the strangest entry on this list is the Samsung Bot Chef that made a salad for one of our editors while they were touring the floor at CES. You'll see above that it features two robot arms that can rummage through cabinets and pour ingredients into a pan to make your dinner.

The Bot Chef currently knows 35 different types of recipe (these are currently just restricted to salads) which is all possible through AI technologies and computer vision algorithms.

• An introduction to Samsung Bot Chef - and how that salad tasted

Samsung Q950TS 8K AI QLED

CES is known for its TV announcements, but in 2020 there's only one on this list of the best tech at the show. It's the latest top end TV from Samsung and it's called the Q950TS 8K AI QLED.

It has a nearly invisible bezel, impressively high peak brightness and the contrast is great on this TV too. There's also an innovative new speaker system that should beat a lot of the competition from other manufacturers.

• Catch up on our hands on Samsung Q950TS 8K AI QLED review

Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2020 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.

Smartphones had a great run in 2019. We got our first wave of foldable smartphones giving us a glimpse of the future, camera capabilities grew in terms of number and performance, fast charging and USB Type-C became common across all price segments, and manufacturers finally started understanding the importance of a great software experience. 

With 2019 now behind us, the TechRadar Middle East team sat down to highlight the best phones from the past year. There was plenty of discussion and disagreements, and in the end, we realized that there were way too many good phones released during 2019. 

The smartphone market has matured to a point where flagships aren't vastly different from each other. So instead of choosing just one phone for each category, we’ve picked three, and you can't go wrong selecting any of them.  

We have listed them in Alphabetical order (based on company name) so just because one phone is above another, doesn't mean we prefer it.  

Here are the categories for 2019: 

• Most Innovative Smartphone
• Best Flagship Smartphones
• Best Mainstream Smartphones
• Best Affordable Smartphones
• Best Budget Smartphones
• Best Camera Smartphones
• Best Gaming Smartphones
• Best Compact Smartphones

Most Innovative Smartphone

The most interesting technology in phones is usually shared through concept devices such as the Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha or the Huawei Mate X. However, the phone that actually shipped this year was the Samsung Galaxy Fold. 

While not perfect, the Samsung Galaxy Fold ushers us into the next generation of smartphones with its foldable display. This technology allows us to turn our phone into a tablet or into a compact form.  

We can't wait to see the foldable phones releasing in 2020, but hats off to Samsung for being the first to showcase foldable technology to everyone. 

Best Flagship Smartphones of 2019

Flagship phones pushed boundaries with their capabilities this year- improving and excelling in every area from screen technology to cameras, performance and battery life. These phones are on the higher-end of the pricing spectrum, but offer nothing but the best.  

Here are our three picks for best flagship phones of 2019: 

Apple iPhone 11 Pro 
Although the iPhone 11 Pro looks identical to its predecessor, Apple has improved it in almost every way. It has a better screen, faster performance, a superb camera and battery life to last all day. 

Huawei P30 Pro 
The P30 Pro is as close to a perfect phone as you can get. It has everything you want from a modern flagship: stellar cameras, beefy performance, hefty battery and a gorgeous design. 

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
The Note 10 is the best that Samsung has to offer right now. While it doesn’t bring game-changing updates from its predecessor, it still has a lot going for it with its outstanding hardware, an incredible AMOLED display, excellent battery life and consistent camera performance.  

Best Mainstream Smartphones of 2019

Though flagship phones offer the best a manufacturer offers, they can be very costly, and if you don't want to live on the bleeding edge of technology, you can save yourself some cash by choosing the next best phone on offer.  

Here are our three picks for best mainstream smartphones of 2019: 

Apple iPhone 11
The iPhone 11 is one of the best flagships you can get your hands on right now. Apple has improved on the previously released iPhone XR in every way by loading up the iPhone 11 with an excellent camera, terrific battery life and even faster performance.  

OnePlus 7T Pro
The OnePlus 7T Pro is one of the most impressive handsets of the year. It doesn’t cost nearly as much as other flagships and can go toe-to-toe with the likes of iPhone 11 Pro in terms of performance. There’s also a stunning 90Hz notch-less display on board, along with a hefty battery and decent camera setup. 

Samsung Galaxy S10
Samsung’s feature-packed Galaxy S10 is one of the best Android phones around. It has a gorgeous, all-screen design with an in-display fingerprint sensor, wireless charging with PowerShare, beefy specs, and a triple camera setup with consistently good performance.  

Best Affordable Smartphones of 2019

How do you define an affordable phone? Here at TechRadar, we chose phones that are under AED / SAR 2,000, and there are tons of great phones in this price range. Features that were considered flagship in previous years have trickled down to the affordable phones category.  

Here are our picks for the three best affordable smartphones: 

OnePlus 7T 
The OnePlus 7T offers massive upgrades over OnePlus 7 and is one of the best value phone around right now. There’s a top of the line Snapdragon 855+ under the hood for all your performance needs, a smooth and stunning 90Hz display, good cameras and superb battery life.  

Oppo Reno 2
Oppo’s second wave of Reno devices get a lot of things right. With its versatile camera setup, premium design and build, the Reno 2 strikes a nice balance between price, performance and features. 

Xiaomi Mi 9
The Mi 9 is another mid-range stunner from Xiaomi. It has all the bells and whistles of a premium flagship phone such as a beefy chipset and powerful camera array, without the eye-popping price tag. 

Best Budget Smartphones of 2019

Moving further down the price range, we restricted budget phones to a maximum of AED / SAR 1,000, and were surprised to see the number of phones competing for our top spot.  

Here are the three that made it for our top picks for the best budget smartphones: 

Honor 9X 
The Honor 9X brings enough to the table to make it a compelling budget phone. There are enough trappings of a modern phone to ensure that it lasts you a long time such as an all-screen display, a pop-up selfie camera, as well as decent performance and cameras to boot. 

Nokia 7.2 
With its strong main cameras, smooth performance and premium design, the Nokia 7.2 stands out as one of the best value phones of the year. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro
The Redmi Note 8 Pro offers a lot for its price tag - a versatile quad-camera setup, fast performance, premium design and a large, crisp display.  

 

Best Camera Phones of 2019

This year, we saw most manufacturers move to multiple camera lenses on their smartphones. Ultrawide sensors became the norm, with many flagships also adding a telephoto lens for an extended focal range.  

Here are the three phones that take the best photos: 

Apple iPhone 11 Pro 
The iPhone 11 Pro has one of the best camera systems on any phone. With three distinct 12MP cameras including an ultra-wide lens and optical zoom, it’s perfect for taking stunning photos on the go and crisp 4K videos at 60fps.  

Huawei Mate 30 Pro 
The Mate 30 Pro’s cutting-edge quad-camera array offers a powerfully versatile setup that can take stunning photos and videos in almost any lighting condition.  

Oppo Reno 10X Zoom 
The Reno 10X offers a ton of versatility and photo taking prowess for mobile creators. Its highlight is the 10X hybrid zoom on the rear cameras that can take detailed shots, and a motorized shark-fin pop selfie camera on the front.  

Best Gaming Smartphones of 2019

Mobile gaming is booming, and we now have dedicated phones for playing games on the go. But instead of choosing a gaming phone, we chose the best three phones that can easily handle the high demands of mobile gaming, including a great screen, fast processor, and decent battery life. 

Here are our top picks: 

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max 
The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch screen and a battery that lasts for more than day, which makes it a perfect platform to experience Apple Arcade - Apple's subscription service for games.  

Huawei Mate 20 X 
The Huawei Mate 20X has one of the largest screens we’ve seen on a recent smartphone, measuring a mammoth 7.2-inches. Needless to say, games look incredible on such a large screen. Paired with Graphine cooling and an insane battery life, the Mate 20X provides a fantastic gaming experience. 

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus 
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is a powerhouse of a phone, with the best 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display making your games look beautiful. A rather large battery should also keep your gaming sessions going for a long time. 

Best Compact Smartphones of 2019

As capable as smartphones are getting, they are moving towards large sizes that aren't too comfortable to use with one hand. We have chosen three phones that are still manageable with one hand, and offer almost all the perks of their larger siblings 

Apple iPhone 11 Pro 
With a 5.8-inch screen size, the iPhone 11 Pro is manageable with one hand and comes with all the features found on its larger sibling such as a triple camera setup, wireless charging and FaceID.  

Huawei P30
The Huawei P30 has a screen size of 6.1-inches, yet Huawei manages to fit that in a body of a compact phone. You lose some of the features of the P30 Pro such as the higher zoom range and wireless charging, but still end up with an extremely attractive handset that’s priced well. 

Samsung Galaxy S10e
The Galaxy S10e turned out to be a fan favorite from the Galaxy S10 lineup due to its compact form factor and a flat touchscreen that measures 5.8-inches. You lose out on the in-screen fingerprint sensor and the third camera, but still continue to enjoy great performance from this phone. 

That's all for the first edition of TechRadar Middle East Mobile Awards. Big thanks to our jury members, readers, and partners for making this possible. 

Season's greetings and a Happy New Year!

We have often talked about how great a market India is for tech products, especially smartphones. Every brand is trying to bring the latest innovations to lower prices, and It has made India one of the most lucrative market for any brand.

TechRadar India team feels privileged to be able to witness this shift from the front seat and share our thoughts about these products as they enter the market.

The Indian smartphone scene needs little introduction, and most of you would know how competitive and exciting the market has become. After having gone through dozens of them, we thought it would only be fair if we could somehow give the due recognition and acknowledge the teams behind these products.

Smartphones had a great run in 2019. We got our first wave of foldable smartphones giving us a glimpse at the future; cameras grew in terms of number as well as abilities, fast charging became common across all price segments, USB Type-C became standard in a way it was destined to. Manufacturers finally started understanding the importance of great software experience.

Of course, some devices did a better job than others, but overall, the segment moved in the right direction.

We also tried to implement a new methodology that would make these awards even more objective and foolproof. It started with scoring every aspect of every product we tested this year on specific parameters that mattered the most. The overall best scoring devices made it to the final round, where they were compared with each other, with inputs from our experts.

For each category, we had an expert help us decide the final winner, which were selected for their extensive knowledge for the particular category. For the first edition, we have a total of ten categories:

• Popular Choice Award
• Best Gaming Smartphone 
• Best Budget Smartphone
• Best Camera Smartphone
• Most Innovative Product
• Best Value for Money Smartphone
• Best Designed Product
• Best Brand Experience
• Best Smartphone
• Expert Choice Award

Let’s start with the Popular choice awards. This year, many names created a ripple in the smartphone industry. In simple words, these are the phones that earned a special place among you guys. 

We teamed up with Ashwin Sundar, host of the Technology Jock YouTube channel, who gave us insights as to which smartphones got a great response and created a fan following of sorts. These finalists were then open to public voting, where our readers voted for their favorite smartphone of the year. The final winner was calculated based on a combination of the public votes and the jury.

Winner, Popular Choice Award 2019: Realme XT

“Honestly, I was not surprised. Realme’s X series had been truly game-changing in 2019. With the XT, you get a great Snapdragon chip, a Super AMOLED display, quad-cameras, including a 64MP sensor for just Rs 16,000, a combination that is hard to find in this price segment.”

Moving on to the best gaming smartphone of the year. Not only did we see the mobile gaming boom in the country, but we think that this segment, as a whole, improved the most in 2019. Last year, one could’ve dismissed them calling a gimmick or a niche, but this year, they looked refined, made strides in the user experience, and became more suitable as a daily driver.

After discussions with YouTuber Dhananjay Bhosale, we narrowed down the finalists to the ASUS ROG Phone 2, the OnePlus 7T, and the Nubia Red Magic 3S. Dhananjay, tell us who the MVP is!

The final contenders included the ASUS ROG Phone II, the OnePlus 7T, and the Red Magic 3S by Nubia. Dhananjay helped us figure out the MVP of this round.

Winner, Best Gaming Smartphone of 2019: ASUS ROG Phone II

“A 120Hz screen on a huge screen, two USB Type-C ports, a headphone jack, 6,000mAh battery, great accessory support for Rs 38,000 is killer—the best pair of stereo speakers and thermal performance of any gaming smartphone of 2019.”

Another segment that matured a lot was the budget segment. The race saw many elements from the premium mid-range trickle down to the sub-Rs 20,000 segments. In fact, we’d go as far as saying that India is probably the best market for those looking for budget smartphones.

While there were two obvious champion brands in this round, 2019 saw many manufacturers take the budget segment more seriously in hopes of grabbing a piece of the pie.

Our top 3 picks for the best budget smartphone of the year are Redmi Note 8 Pro, the Realme XT and the Nokia 7.2. Abhishek Bhatnagar, from Gadgets to Use, is here to help us decide the winner.

Winner, Best Budget Smartphone of 2019: Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

“The winner is the Redmi Note 8 Pro for a great processor, a great display, a big battery, and everything else you’d expect from a budget smartphone, inching out the Realme XT.”

This year, we saw most manufacturers move to multiple camera lenses on their smartphones. Apple even added a secondary camera on its most affordable iPhone. Ultrawide sensors became the norm, with many flagships also adding a telephoto lens for an extended focal range. 

Our finalists all had a very different approach with the combination of their cameras: the iPhone 11 Pro completed the focal range trifecta beautifully, while the Huawei P30 Pro took it to the extreme by fitting a periscopic telephoto camera which could shoot at a crazy 50x zoom, and the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ sticking to the standards while adding a slew of AR features. Ershad Kaleebullah from Mr. Phone helped us figure out which was the Best Camera Smartphone of the year!

Winner, Best Camera Smartphone of 2019: Huawei P30 Pro

“The reason why the Huawei P30 Pro was chosen as the best camera smartphone was for its zooming and low light capabilities, giving you a lot of versatility which very few other smartphones can match.”

Alright, let’s spice things up a bit and move beyond smartphones. One of the reasons why we all love technology is the constant pace of innovation and crazy ideas we get to see. Some of these innovations change the way we use products, while others are just plain enjoyable. 

For us, the best innovations of the year were the Samsung Galaxy Fold, Bose Frames, GoPro Max, Huawei P30 Pro’s periscopic camera, and ECG on the Apple Watch.

Winner, Most Innovative Product of 2019: Samsung Galaxy Fold

"The Galaxy Fold takes this one, for its futuristic approach to design, and almost successful implementation of what looks to be the next big revolution in smartphones."

Another reason why we're highlighting these innovative features is to see them eventually trickle down to affordable segments, which is a crucial part of our next category - the Best Value For Money smartphone of 2019.

Our top 3 picks were the Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro, the OnePlus 7T, and the iPhone 11, all of them champions at their respective price points.

Tushar Mehta from XDA Developers joined us to decide which smartphone is truly a daily driver material. 

Winner, Best Value for Money Smartphone of 2019: OnePlus 7T

“The OnePlus 7T built upon the brand’s legacy of never settling for anything but undiluted performance. It allures you with its tempting looks, the fluid 90Hz display and unrivaled performance in the Android cadre thanks to the Snapdragon 855+.”

Another prevalent trend for the year was an increased focus on product design. Consumers in India have also started considering the looks, especially in the premium segment... Obviously, who doesn't like something that looks as good as it works?

Nominees included the Dyson V11 Absolute Pro, Samsung Galaxy Fold, Oxygen OS, GoPro HERO8, the Sigma FP, and the Vivo NEX3. 

Winner, Best Designed Product of 2019: Dyson V11 Absolute Pro 

Who would’ve thought that a vacuum cleaner would take this crown?

This year we also saw brands strengthen their post-purchase services such as offline availability, product life, after-sales support, and regular updates. So with the Brand Experience award, we're acknowledging the most reliable brand of 2019.

This was an open category where readers could vote for their favorite tech brand of the year, which gave them the best experience from start to end. We had industry veteran Abhishek Baxi join us and explain how the winner claimed the spot and share insights around the topic.

Winner, Best Brand Experience: OnePlus India

Alright, now let’s get to the hottest award of them all, the prestigious Best Smartphone of the year 2019. The no-holds-barred, best of the best smartphone that landed in India. 

While choosing the best smartphone, our main intention was to filter out the all-rounder that’s capable of doing anything you throw at it and gives the best possible results. We ignored the price for this one as we’re looking at the ultimate best that money can buy. 

A lot of you might have guessed who the winner will be, but we had Raju PP from TechPP to make things official for this category and explain why there was a clear champion smartphone.

Winner, Best Smartphone of 2019: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

"Apple has completely nailed it with the iPhone 11 series; the iPhone 11 Pro Max, in particular, has an amazing battery, possibly the best set of cameras with no one else coming close for video recording, and iOS 13 is well optimized and feature-rich."

Needless to say, there were many other gadgets that we and our jury tried this year and will remember for a long time. So, for our last category, we let the jury members talk about their favorite tech of the year that they really loved.

Winners, Expert Choice Awards 2019:

Abhishek Baxi: Google Nest Hub

Abhishek Bhatnagar: Foldable displays

Ashwin Sundar: Night Mode on smartphone cameras

Dhananjay Bhosale: AMD Ryzen 3000 series chipsets

Ershad Kaleebullah: Mi Smart Water Purifier

Raju PP: Dyson V11 Absolute Pro

Tushar Mehta: Periscopic camera on the Huawei P30 Pro

Aakash Jhaveri: Ather S450

Siddharth Chauhan: ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo

Sudhanshu Singh: Bose Soundbar 700

That's all for the first edition of TechRadar India Awards. Big thanks to our jury members, readers, and partners for making this possible. We will be back in 2020, with a bigger ceremony and more categories beyond smartphones.

Season's greetings and a Happy New Year!

What are your favorite products of the year? Is the iPhone 11 Pro your favorite smartphone, or was the Google Pixel 4 better? What about your favorite laptop, tablet, game console, headphones and more? That's what we want to know for the first-ever Future Tech Awards Reader's Choice awards!

Throughout 2019, we've used thousands of products, and narrowing it down to the best of the best is difficult. At least 50 flagship phones, more than 100 computers, and millions of different accessories were launched this year. Across Future Tech (TechRadar, Tom's Guide, PC Gamer, Mac|Life and more), we've seen the good, bad, and great this year, and we've shortlisted the best products and services across a range of categories. 

We need your help to sort it all out and, for all your hard labor, we're giving away four prizes to four random readers - all you have to do is cast your vote! 

Here's what's on offer:

• Grand Prize: Apple iPhone 11 Pro, Apple Watch Series 5 and iPad Pro 11-inch
• Second Prize: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Watch Active 2 
• Third Prize: Dell XPS 13 laptop
• Fourth Prize: Oculus Quest & $100 worth of games

To cast your vote, fill out the survey below. You can scroll up and down between questions and go back at any time using the button at the bottom. Once you finish the survey, you'll be able to enter the giveaway. (Note: Don't hit the back button in your browser, as your responses will be lost, and you'll have to start from the beginning.) 

We will announce the winners of the Reader's Choice Awards the week of December 16. Winners of the giveaway will be contacted the week prior, and we'll aim to have your prize shipped to you in time for the holidays. 

Cast your vote now, make sure your voice is heard and you could have an extra special holiday!

Click here to vote and enter the giveaway if you're on mobile/AMP 

•  Find out more about the Future Tech Awards 

Father's Day 2019 is just around the corner in Australia – this year, it lands on Sunday, September 1. If you're like many members of TechRadar's Australian team, you may be finding it tricky to figure out what to buy for the dad (or dads) in your life.

If that's you, we've got good news: our colleagues at Australian T3 mag have created a helpful (and 100% free!) digital mag that's chock full of ace gift ideas, all of which are perfect choices for tech-loving dads.

You'll find hand-picked and editor-approved recommendations in a wide variety of categories, with everything from smartphones and tablets, to wearables, home entertainment gear, personal audio and much more.

To discover all our team's suggestions, simply hit this link to be taken to your free digital mag, or click on the 'Full Screen' button in the mini preview below:

Nintendo had a very strong showing at E3 2019 – somehow without even being at the expo. Thanks to its hugely popular Nintendo Direct livestreams, the house of Mario has managed to continue gripping gamers and gaming press alike with its joyful and nostalgic roster of titles – and this year it really knocked it out of the park.

Two years into the Nintendo Switch's lifespan, there are still massive mainline franchises pulling out the stops. We may not have got more details about the rumored Switch console upgrades coming later in the year, but there was still plenty for us to chew on: fantastic-looking new games, significant updates to existing favorites, smart ports and remakes, as well as at least one bombshell sequel.

So what did Nintendo have on show? We've collated all of the most exciting game trailers and new announcements below – from Luigi's Mansion 3 and Pokemon Sword and Shield to a whole load of Zelda titles in the works. 

There's plenty we didn't see, to be far: no sign of the delayed Metroid Prime 4, or the soon-to-be-released Mario Maker 2. But for an expo that largely exists to create hype around new and upcoming releases, we're certainly excited about what we saw.

• As for a Nintendo Switch 2? That'll have to wait, it seems...

An (unnamed) Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel

It was the final mic-drop moment of Nintendo’s E3 live stream, but what a moment it was. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn’t getting more DLC – it’s getting a whole new sequel.

At this stage, there’s no name or release date to go on (we'll just have to call it The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 for now), just a momentary clip instead. It showed Zelda and Link exploring beneath Hyrule Castle, before encountering a resurrected warrior foe – potentially an undead Gannondorf. The camera cuts to a view of Hyrule Castle from a distant location. There’s a ground-shaking quake, Hyrule Castle is engulfed in dust. And that’s it.

Very much looking to be in keeping with the new Zelda formula laid down by Breath of the Wild, this could be this generation’s Majora’s Mask.

Luigi’s Mansion 3

You may not be afraid of no ghost, but Luigi still is. We got an extended look at Luigi's Mansion 3 during the Nintendo livestream, which introduced us to a few new mechanics for the game. Namely, it’s looking like it’ll be a much more kinetic outing for the scaredy-cat plumber, who will be able to use his ghost-catching vacuum cleaner thing to slam spectors against walls, while also doing an area-of-effect air blast. On the floor at E3 we got to play through tons of content from the trailer (seen below) and made it to our first boss battle with the King Ghost. 

There’s also a new multiplayer mode announced for the game called ScareScraper, letting you compete for ghost-hunting prowess against your buddies, as well as a co-op mode that introduces a new character called “Gooigi”. Imagine a Flubber-fied version of Luigi, and you’re there, with the green gooey version of Luigi able to walk on spikes and squeeze through fences like a friendly T-1000 terminator. He’ll also be the secondary character couch co-op players get to play as. 

Sadly, there’s still no firm release date for Luigi’s Mansion 3 beyond “2019”. We’ll keep you posted.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening 

We knew the remake of the GameBoy classic, Link’s Awakening, was going to be at E3 2019 but we didn't know how much fun we'd have with it. In a 15-minute demo with the game we were able to get our trusty sword from the beach, trudge through the mysterious forest and battle the first dungeon's mini-boss, Rolling Bones. 

Still keeping to that top-down style that the series was once so famous for (but with a new, modernised, Pixar-like art style), Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch has now been revealed to have a build-your-own dungeon mode. Drag-and-drop tiles will let you build new challenges within the game – here’s hoping there’s an online element so that you can share them with your friends.

The Witcher 3 for Nintendo Switch

Someone had better send a demon hunter to Nintendo HQ – there must be some sort of dark magic being cast in order to make The Witcher 3 run on the Nintendo Switch. But monster hunter Geralt is indeed headed to the hybrid console, both in its docked and on-to-go handheld modes.

It’s the complete edition of the game, including all its expansion packs, and while the lengthy, engrossing adventure is perfect for mobile play-anywhere sessions, we’re still stumped as to how they’re going to make it work on relatively underpowered hardware. We can’t wait to see it in action for ourselves.

Pokémon Sword and Shield

We’ve seen a lot about Pokémon Sword and Shield, which is coming to Nintendo Switch November 15, 2019. The hype is high, the release date is soon, but Nintendo doesn’t have much more to show off than it did during its Sword and Shield-dedicated Nintendo Direct presentation released a week before E3 2019.

Our demo at E3 gave us a taste of the Galar region that players will be exploring, and specifically showed off the vaunted ‘Dynamax’ feature that temporarily evolves your Pokémon to colossal size and power. We took on the Water Gym Leader Nessa in a huge arena in front of cheering crowds using an oversized Grookie and, in the end of the demo, got out first badge.

The only thing missing from that demo was a look at the legendary Pokémon that give this generation its name, Zacian (sword) and Zamazenta (shield). But there's always a chance Nintendo will put out a demo before the game's launch in November.

Panzer Dragoon

Panzer Dragoon originally came out for the Sega Saturn in 1995, which tells you how iconic the game has become as the only title from that doomed console to be remembered so fondly. The game has been completely remade for a Switch release later in 2019.

The original Panzer Dragoon perched the player on the back of a dragon and gave them a gun. It’s a rail shooter on a dragon. Need we say more? Okay, the game didn’t just make its bones on then-novel 3D gameplay - its vibrant world and lore captured players’ imaginations, too. We knew the game was being remade by Polish publisher Forever Entertainment, but didn’t know the Switch would be included in its release plans.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

The Marvel's Avengers game from Square Enix made plenty of waves, sure, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: the Black Order deserves plenty of attention too. You’ll be able to play as one of countless characters from across the rich Marvel universe in an interesting-looking action RPG. Plus, we got to see Magneto wielding an Infinity Stone, and we can’t wait to see how that pans out. 

Luckily, we only have to wait until July 19 to get our hands on it... not that it stopped us from playing it at E3 2019. In a short demo three of our editors were able to team up, taking control of Wolverine, Captain America and Storm, while battling through Hand forces in Hell's Kitchen. 

We didn't get to see the complete list of characters coming to the game, but if you’re a fan of non-Avengers Marvel lineups like the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, keep an eye out for the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order season pass that will have tons of cool characters.

Banjo-Kazooie and Dragon Quest's Hero

Some of the more surprising faces were those added to the roster for Super Smash Bros Ultimate, the Switch entry for Nintendo's iconic fighting franchise that came out last year. There's been a steady drip-feed of additional Smash Bros DLC content with new characters like Piranha Plant and Persona 5's Joker joining the fray – though Nintendo has now revealed the next two fighters for the coming content packs. 

The first is Hero! You know, Hero? The (technically unnamed) protagonist from the recent Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age will be slashing his way onto Smash Bros stages later this summer, with a nifty trailer showing off some serious swordplay – and three alternative skins that let you play as the lead characters from Dragon Quest III, Dragon Quest IV, and Dragon Quest VII.

The other is Rare mascot Banjo-Kazooie, who first appeared on the Nintendo 64 back in 1998, and has been at the top of fan's lists to add to the game, alongside the likes of Dragonball's Goku or Crash Bandicoot (we're still holding out hope for the others).

Banjo-Kazooie will be available to download – with additional soundtracks and stages for the game – in Autumn 2019. As a fighter, they're sure to add a whole load of vertical strategy with that bird strapped to Banjo's back.

Animal Crossing New Horizons

Our first gameplay footage of Animal Crossing: New Horizons shows the villager farming and crafting new furniture – something that has never been an aspect of the main Animal Crossing games. Some of these features look like they’re lifted from Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, while other aspects are completely new for the series. 

The setup for the game, as was revealed by the trailer, is that Tom Nook is now chartering vacation packages to a deserted island which you, as the villager, must explore and cultivate into a thriving community. It’s a neat spin on the classic formula, and one that we’ll hear more about before it comes out on March 20, 2020.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

This one’s a match made in heaven for Nintendo’s portable machine. Ni no Kuni is, in our humble opinion, one of the most underrated JRPGs of the last decade. 

With art direction helped along by some of the Studio Ghibli team, it combines beautiful anime visuals with a Pokemon-like battle system that has you training up companion monsters for turn-based battles. It’s also got an absolutely heart wrenching story. It’s a long and fairytale-like adventure, making it perfectly suited for on-the-go play.

Doom Eternal

The upcoming latest edition in the Doom series has been confirmed to be making its way to Nintendo Switch, meaning you can transverse the hellscape while on your work commute. A truly terrifying thought.

Unfortunately we don’t know exactly when we’ll be seeing the Doomslayer making his way to Switch - seeing as Doom Eternal doesn’t actually have a release date yet - but we do know it’ll be later this year.

While violent first person shooters don’t exactly have the charm factor that Nintendo is known for, the most recent Doom game went down a treat on Switch and we’re expecting Eternal to do the same. Who said the Nintendo Switch was just for kids?

Alien Isolation

Nintendo’s not known for its horror titles either, but it’s getting one of the best ever made in the shape of a port of Alien Isolation.

Based on the classic sci-fi franchise, you play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter as she’s hunted down by a lone xenomorph aboard an abandoned space station. It’s more survival-horror than action, where hiding and holding your breath is a better bet than going in all guns blazing. And, with the Nintendo Switch being a hybrid handheld, you can bring the game on the toilet to play in case you get so scared that you… well. You get the picture.

Dauntless

Dauntless officially launched in May 2019 with a bang, drawing millions of players to the free-to-play monster hunting game. Sure, it seems to lift a lot from Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise, but at least F2P makes it accessible to fans who can’t stomach the high price tag of a new game - and lets their friends try it at no cost.

Dauntless exists in a world torn asunder by a cataclysm that releases gigantic monsters, Behemoths, that the players must hunt and destroy. Like Fortnite before it, Dauntless allows cross-platform play, so expect to link up with your buddies on WIndows, PS4 and Xbox One when the game launches on Switch later in 2019.

Collection of Mana

If you're after some RPG nostalgia on Switch, Nintendo has you covered. The Collection of Mana released in Japan back in 2017, bundling a trilogy of iconic games from the Mana series – and is now available to download from the Switch eShop across the world.

That includes Final Fantasy Adventure (Game Boy, 1991) and its sequel Secret of Mana (SNES, 1993) – as well as the third game in the series, Trials of Mana (Super Famicom, 1995) that until now has never been released outside of Japan. See the trailer below for some wonderful pixel action.

• E3 2019 is the biggest gaming event of the year. TechRadar is reporting live from LA, telling you all about the biggest announcements of the week, from epic game trailers to shocking release date reveals. Follow our expert analysis of the keynotes and what we see on the E3 show floor.

Nintendo might have won E3 2019. While it didn't hold a physical press conference like Microsoft, Ninty still knocked it out of the park with its online showcase for the Nintendo Switch this year, announcing a slew of incredible-looking new games, significant updates to existing favorites, smart ports and remakes, as well as at least one bombshell sequel. 

But here in LA we not only got the chance to see trailers for the games, but we even got hands on time with four of the biggest titles: Luigi's Mansion 3, Pokemon Sword and Shield, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3. 

Can't make it to E3 to play Nintendo's next round of games? These are the best Nintendo Switch games we've seen and played E3 2019.

• As for a Nintendo Switch 2? That'll have to wait, it seems...

An (unnamed) Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel

It was the final mic-drop moment of Nintendo’s E3 live stream, but what a moment it was. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn’t getting more DLC – it’s getting a whole new sequel.

At this stage, there’s no name or release date to go on (we'll just have to call it The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 for now), just a momentary clip instead. It showed Zelda and Link exploring beneath Hyrule Castle, before encountering a resurrected warrior foe – potentially an undead Gannondorf. The camera cuts to a view of Hyrule Castle from a distant location. There’s a ground-shaking quake, Hyrule Castle is engulfed in dust. And that’s it.

Very much looking to be in keeping with the new Zelda formula laid down by Breath of the Wild, this could be this generation’s Majora’s Mask.

Luigi’s Mansion 3

You may not be afraid of no ghost, but Luigi still is. We got an extended look at Luigi's Mansion 3 during the Nintendo livestream, which introduced us to a few new mechanics for the game. Namely, it’s looking like it’ll be a much more kinetic outing for the scaredy-cat plumber, who will be able to use his ghost-catching vacuum cleaner thing to slam spectors against walls, while also doing an area-of-effect air blast. On the floor at E3 we got to play through tons of content from the trailer (seen below) and made it to our first boss battle with the King Ghost. 

There’s also a new multiplayer mode announced for the game called ScareScraper, letting you compete for ghost-hunting prowess against your buddies, as well as a co-op mode that introduces a new character called “Gooigi”. Imagine a Flubber-fied version of Luigi, and you’re there, with the green gooey version of Luigi able to walk on spikes and squeeze through fences like a friendly T-1000 terminator. He’ll also be the secondary character couch co-op players get to play as. 

Sadly, there’s still no firm release date for Luigi’s Mansion 3 beyond “2019”. We’ll keep you posted.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening 

We knew the remake of the GameBoy classic, Link’s Awakening, was going to be at E3 2019 but we didn't know how much fun we'd have with it. In a 15-minute demo with the game we were able to get our trusty sword from the beach, trudge through the mysterious forest and battle the first dungeon's mini-boss, Rolling Bones. 

Still keeping to that top-down style that the series was once so famous for (but with a new, modernised, Pixar-like art style), Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch has now been revealed to have a build-your-own dungeon mode. Drag-and-drop tiles will let you build new challenges within the game – here’s hoping there’s an online element so that you can share them with your friends.

The Witcher 3 for Nintendo Switch

Someone had better send a demon hunter to Nintendo HQ – there must be some sort of dark magic being cast in order to make The Witcher 3 run on the Nintendo Switch. But monster hunter Geralt is indeed headed to the hybrid console, both in its docked and on-to-go handheld modes.

It’s the complete edition of the game, including all its expansion packs, and while the lengthy, engrossing adventure is perfect for mobile play-anywhere sessions, we’re still stumped as to how they’re going to make it work on relatively underpowered hardware. We can’t wait to see it in action for ourselves.

Pokémon Sword and Shield

We’ve seen a lot about Pokémon Sword and Shield, which is coming to Nintendo Switch November 15, 2019. The hype is high, the release date is soon, but Nintendo doesn’t have much more to show off than it did during its Sword and Shield-dedicated Nintendo Direct presentation released a week before E3 2019.

Our demo at E3 gave us a taste of the Galar region that players will be exploring, and specifically showed off the vaunted ‘Dynamax’ feature that temporarily evolves your Pokémon to colossal size and power. We took on the Water Gym Leader Nessa in a huge arena in front of cheering crowds using an oversized Grookie and, in the end of the demo, got out first badge.

The only thing missing from that demo was a look at the legendary Pokémon that give this generation its name, Zacian (sword) and Zamazenta (shield). But there's always a chance Nintendo will put out a demo before the game's launch in November.

Panzer Dragoon

Panzer Dragoon originally came out for the Sega Saturn in 1995, which tells you how iconic the game has become as the only title from that doomed console to be remembered so fondly. The game has been completely remade for a Switch release later in 2019.

The original Panzer Dragoon perched the player on the back of a dragon and gave them a gun. It’s a rail shooter on a dragon. Need we say more? Okay, the game didn’t just make its bones on then-novel 3D gameplay - its vibrant world and lore captured players’ imaginations, too. We knew the game was being remade by Polish publisher Forever Entertainment, but didn’t know the Switch would be included in its release plans.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

The Marvel's Avengers game from Square Enix made plenty of waves, sure, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: the Black Order deserves plenty of attention too. You’ll be able to play as one of countless characters from across the rich Marvel universe in an interesting-looking action RPG. Plus, we got to see Magneto wielding an Infinity Stone, and we can’t wait to see how that pans out. 

Luckily, we only have to wait until July 19 to get our hands on it... not that it stopped us from playing it at E3 2019. In a short demo three of our editors were able to team up, taking control of Wolverine, Captain America and Storm, while battling through Hand forces in Hell's Kitchen. 

We didn't get to see the complete list of characters coming to the game, but if you’re a fan of non-Avengers Marvel lineups like the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, keep an eye out for the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order season pass that will have tons of cool characters.

Animal Crossing New Horizons

Our first gameplay footage of Animal Crossing: New Horizons shows the villager farming and crafting new furniture – something that has never been an aspect of the main Animal Crossing games. Some of these features look like they’re lifted from Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, while other aspects are completely new for the series. 

The setup for the game, as was revealed by the trailer, is that Tom Nook is now chartering vacation packages to a deserted island which you, as the villager, must explore and cultivate into a thriving community. It’s a neat spin on the classic formula, and one that we’ll hear more about before it comes out on March 20, 2020.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

This one’s a match made in heaven for Nintendo’s portable machine. Ni no Kuni is, in our humble opinion, one of the most underrated JRPGs of the last decade. 

With art direction helped along by some of the Studio Ghibli team, it combines beautiful anime visuals with a Pokemon-like battle system that has you training up companion monsters for turn-based battles. It’s also got an absolutely heart wrenching story. It’s a long and fairytale-like adventure, making it perfectly suited for on-the-go play.

Doom Eternal

The upcoming latest edition in the Doom series has been confirmed to be making its way to Nintendo Switch, meaning you can transverse the hellscape while on your work commute. A truly terrifying thought.

Unfortunately we don’t know exactly when we’ll be seeing the Doomslayer making his way to Switch - seeing as Doom Eternal doesn’t actually have a release date yet - but we do know it’ll be later this year.

While violent first person shooters don’t exactly have the charm factor that Nintendo is known for, the most recent Doom game went down a treat on Switch and we’re expecting Eternal to do the same. Who said the Nintendo Switch was just for kids?

Alien Isolation

Nintendo’s not known for its horror titles either, but it’s getting one of the best ever made in the shape of a port of Alien Isolation.

Based on the classic sci-fi franchise, you play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter as she’s hunted down by a lone xenomorph aboard an abandoned space station. It’s more survival-horror than action, where hiding and holding your breath is a better bet than going in all guns blazing. And, with the Nintendo Switch being a hybrid handheld, you can bring the game on the toilet to play in case you get so scared that you… well. You get the picture.

Dauntless

Dauntless officially launched in May 2019 with a bang, drawing millions of players to the free-to-play monster hunting game. Sure, it seems to lift a lot from Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise, but at least F2P makes it accessible to fans who can’t stomach the high price tag of a new game - and lets their friends try it at no cost.

Dauntless exists in a world torn asunder by a cataclysm that releases gigantic monsters, Behemoths, that the players must hunt and destroy. Like Fortnite before it, Dauntless allows cross-platform play, so expect to link up with your buddies on WIndows, PS4 and Xbox One when the game launches on Switch later in 2019.

• E3 2019 is the biggest gaming event of the year. TechRadar is reporting live from LA, telling you all about the biggest announcements of the week, from epic game trailers to shocking release date reveals. Follow our expert analysis of the keynotes and what we see on the E3 show floor.

A new year may mean you’ve set yourself goals, but as you probably know it’s unlikely you’ll be keeping your resolutions by the end of January.

That's normally the case with us at TechRadar, so that's why we've put together a list of what some of our writers are intending to do in 2019 and how technology is going to help us achieve our aims. 

We hope our efforts can go some way to inspire you this year to keep your resolutions, and even if they don't we may be able to just encourage you to treat yourself to a new app download or gadget anyway. 

• Best iPhone and Android apps to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions

Gareth Beavis - UK Editor in Chief

I’m going to try and feel calmer with better sleep and less stress

My main goal for the next year is to, well, stop being so bloody chaotic. Make time for the things that matter and not feel like I’m flying from work to a social engagement to being caught in train delays to trying to get a few hours’ shuteye before the whole merry-go-round starts again.

So I’m going to be trying to simply sleep better and feel calmer as a main goal - and that will mean I’ll have to be more measured in my approach to life. To achieve this I’m going to use one of the Garmin range of watches - the Fenix 5 Plus, in this case - to both monitor sleep and stress levels, trying to make sure I grab more than 7 hours a night for as many days as possible in a row, and see how that reduces stress. Fingers crossed the zen just flows out of me...

• Our Garmin Fenix 5 Plus review

Basil Kronfli - Producer

Wake up with a game

I have trouble waking up when my alarm goes off. I don’t play enough games, but love gaming. This year, I want to make the problem the solution.

Having put my phone (alarm) on the other side of the bedroom, in another room, or setting alarm apps that require I solve mental arithmetic problems to shut them up - nope. Nothing. I just go back to sleep.

I’ve recently started playing a mobile game (Injustice 2) every morning as soon as I open my eyes. It forces me to sit up; I look forward to waking up to it every night before I go to sleep and the bright colors on-screen actually stimulate my brain, kickstarting it into action.

Healthy? I'm not entirely sure. Effective? Most definitely.

Vic Hood - Gaming Writer

Eat healthier and exercise more

Cliche, I know. But I’ve been on a weight loss quest and it’s going well so far. A lot of that is down to eating better on my own, but I’ve hit a bit of a plateau recently so I need to step up my exercise. That means I’ll be using two apps that I’ve always found super helpful for people like me who find it difficult to judge the nutritional value of foods and motivate themselves to get exercising.

The first is the MyFitnessPal app, which is great for calorie counting, keeping track of exercise and being aware of the nutritional value of what you’re eating. My favorite bit though is the progress chart that lets you see how much you’ve lost and compare side-by-side images of yourself before and after. It’s super motivating.

Alongside this, I’m trying to get into running but have a horrible habit of being a Snorlax-like creature. So I’ve downloaded the Couch to 5K app from the NHS, which trains you to start running without wrecking yourself. You can even pick a celebrity motivational voice to encourage you - mine is Sarah Millican. It breaks this whole exercise business into much more manageable chunks.

• Best workout apps we've used: improve your fitness in just 20 minutes a day

Phil Hall - Photography Editor

Train over the winter

After losing my dad to prostate cancer earlier in 2018, my New Year’s resolution is to ride the Grand Depart Classic for Prostate Cancer UK next June and raise £1000 in donations at the same time. Taking place a week before the start of the Tour de France, the Grand Depart Classic mirror’s the first stage of the Tour, so just the small issue of over 120 miles to ride in a day.  

The route is a loop out from Brussels and back, and takes in some of Belgium’s iconic Flemish climbs, including the Wall of Geraardsbergen and Bosberg. 

I cycle a bit, but need to get more miles in beforehand if I want to have the legs ready for the end of June. With limited daylight right now, getting out on the bike is tricky, so I’m going to have to turn to some tech for help. 

I’m going to be using a Wahoo Kickr smart turbo trainer to build up my base fitness. It allows me to hook my bike up to its rear 11-speed cassette, with the flywheel providing me with a similar experience to riding outside. 

Thanks to its ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity, I can then sync it with the Zwift indoor cycling app, allowing me to ride and train in a virtual world, with the Kickr’s resistance automatically controlled to mirror the gradients I’m riding in Zwift. Hopefully come the spring I’ll be ready to hit the hills near me with a bit more enthusiasm. As the saying goes, winter miles, summer smiles. 

• The best cycling tech

Gerald Lynch - Home Technology Editor

Find some head space

2018 was a rollercoaster year for me – extreme highs and deeper lows than T-Pain exploring the Mariana Trench.

Next year, I’d like to have some methods in place for leveling out those peaks and troughs, a way to calm the waves between deadlines and days off, a mellower me that can better appreciate life whatever it can throw at me.

So I’ve bought a year-long subscription to the Headspace app, a mobile meditation platform that encourages you to take a little time out of each day to ground yourself, appreciate the little things and take what comes your way, whatever it may be.

I’m really bad at keeping resolutions, and tend to be a bit skeptical about the benefits of things like meditation. But, having already kicked off the resolution thanks to a cheaper subscription offer currently on sale, it’s taken the pressure off and I’m already enjoying the results.

• How Headspace worked for another TechRadar writer