Best games
Best Mac games of 2012
The 65 best Mac games released in 2012, ranked from 28,153 critic and player ratings.
The best Mac game of 2012 is Mark of the Ninja, with a critic score of 91/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2012.
- 50 games are listed on this page, carrying 28,153 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 50
01
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style.
91
/100
02
Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition
91
/100
03
Max Payne 3
Max Payne 3 is a third-person shooter in which the player assumes the role of its titular character, Max Payne. A new feature to the series, introduced in Max Payne 3, is the cover system, which allows players to gain a tactical advantage, and avoid taking damage from enemies. To progress through the linear story, players take on enemies throughout levels. The game features interactive cutscenes which transition seamlessly into continuing gameplay; there are no loading screens across gameplay and cutscenes.
89
/100
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style.
91
/100
02
Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition
91
/100
03
Max Payne 3
Max Payne 3 is a third-person shooter in which the player assumes the role of its titular character, Max Payne. A new feature to the series, introduced in Max Payne 3, is the cover system, which allows players to gain a tactical advantage, and avoid taking damage from enemies. To progress through the linear story, players take on enemies throughout levels. The game features interactive cutscenes which transition seamlessly into continuing gameplay; there are no loading screens across gameplay and cutscenes.
89
/100
04
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.
88
/100
05
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings - Enhanced Edition
All existing owners of The Witcher 2 received free upgrades to the Enhanced Edition, and could pre-load the update starting 11 April 2012. All new copies on PC and Xbox 360 shipped with the additional content on board. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings - Enhanced Edition added over 10GB of new content, including four hours of gameplay, arena mode, new tutorial, 36 minutes of cinematics including a new intro created by Platige Image and an outro, as well as a host of fixes to gameplay and the interface.
88
/100
06
Diablo III
88
/100
07
Thirty Flights of Loving
Explore the world of Thirty Flights of Loving through a first-person short story. In this sequel to Gravity Bone, take a deep dive with high-flying schemers, lovelorn criminals, and more stray kittens than you can shake a stick at. Saddle up, gunslinger.
88
/100
08
Warsow
Warsow is set in a futuristic cartoonish world where rocketlauncher-wielding pigs and lasergun-carrying cyberpunks roam the streets. It is a completely free, fast-paced first-person shooter without hard graphical violence. Red stars instead of blood indicate hits and colored cubes replace guts as gib effects.
88
/100
09
S
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a vehicle simulation game and a direct sequel to the 2008 game Euro Truck Simulator. Travel across Europe as king of the road, a trucker who delivers important cargo across impressive distances! With dozens of cities to explore from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and many more, your endurance, skill and speed will all be pushed to their limits. If you’ve got what it takes to be part of an elite trucking force, get behind the wheel and prove it!
88
/100
10
A
Hotline Miami
A top-down slasher/shooter with unlockable gameplay-altering masks and weapons, featuring a neon-flavoured electronic aesthetic, in which a hitman receives anonymous calls ordering him to travel to certain residences and crime dens and massacre those within, as he stumbles through unreal visions and inconsistencies without any answers to how, why or who.
86
/100
11
Torchlight II
86
/100
12
Fez
86
/100
13
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
85
/100
14
S
The Walking Dead
84
/100
15
FTL: Faster Than Light
84
/100
16
Crusader Kings II
84
/100
17
A
Diablo III
83
/100
18
Super Hexagon
83
/100
19
Angry Birds Space
83
/100
20
Legend of Grimrock
82
/100
21
Botanicula
82
/100
22
Realm of the Mad God
82
/100
23
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
82
/100
24
Dust: An Elysian Tail
82
/100
25
Joe Danger 2: The Movie
82
/100
26
C
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
81
/100
27
Stronghold HD
81
/100
28
Borderlands 2
81
/100
29
LEGO The Lord of the Rings
80
/100
30
Game Dev Tycoon
80
/100
31
Hitman: Sniper Challenge
80
/100
32
Chaos on Deponia
80
/100
33
B
Hitman: Absolution
79
/100
34
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
79
/100
35
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
79
/100
36
Skullgirls
79
/100
37
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
78
/100
38
Awesomenauts
78
/100
39
Thomas Was Alone
77
/100
40
Endless Space - Collection
77
/100
41
The Unfinished Swan
77
/100
42
Katawa Shoujo
76
/100
43
D
Spec Ops: The Line
76
/100
44
McPixel
76
/100
45
LEGO Batman 2 DC Super Heroes
75
/100
46
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav
75
/100
47
Nihilumbra
75
/100
48
Deponia
74
/100
49
DiRT Showdown
74
/100
50
King's Bounty: Warriors of the North
74
/100
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.
88
/100
05
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings - Enhanced Edition
All existing owners of The Witcher 2 received free upgrades to the Enhanced Edition, and could pre-load the update starting 11 April 2012. All new copies on PC and Xbox 360 shipped with the additional content on board. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings - Enhanced Edition added over 10GB of new content, including four hours of gameplay, arena mode, new tutorial, 36 minutes of cinematics including a new intro created by Platige Image and an outro, as well as a host of fixes to gameplay and the interface.
88
/100
06
Diablo III
88
/100
07
Thirty Flights of Loving
Explore the world of Thirty Flights of Loving through a first-person short story. In this sequel to Gravity Bone, take a deep dive with high-flying schemers, lovelorn criminals, and more stray kittens than you can shake a stick at. Saddle up, gunslinger.
88
/100
08
Warsow
Warsow is set in a futuristic cartoonish world where rocketlauncher-wielding pigs and lasergun-carrying cyberpunks roam the streets. It is a completely free, fast-paced first-person shooter without hard graphical violence. Red stars instead of blood indicate hits and colored cubes replace guts as gib effects.
88
/100
09
S
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a vehicle simulation game and a direct sequel to the 2008 game Euro Truck Simulator. Travel across Europe as king of the road, a trucker who delivers important cargo across impressive distances! With dozens of cities to explore from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and many more, your endurance, skill and speed will all be pushed to their limits. If you’ve got what it takes to be part of an elite trucking force, get behind the wheel and prove it!
88
/100
10
A
Hotline Miami
A top-down slasher/shooter with unlockable gameplay-altering masks and weapons, featuring a neon-flavoured electronic aesthetic, in which a hitman receives anonymous calls ordering him to travel to certain residences and crime dens and massacre those within, as he stumbles through unreal visions and inconsistencies without any answers to how, why or who.
86
/100
11
Torchlight II
86
/100
12
Fez
86
/100
13
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
85
/100
14
S
The Walking Dead
84
/100
15
FTL: Faster Than Light
84
/100
16
Crusader Kings II
84
/100
17
A
Diablo III
83
/100
18
Super Hexagon
83
/100
19
Angry Birds Space
83
/100
20
Legend of Grimrock
82
/100
21
Botanicula
82
/100
22
Realm of the Mad God
82
/100
23
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
82
/100
24
Dust: An Elysian Tail
82
/100
25
Joe Danger 2: The Movie
82
/100
26
C
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
81
/100
27
Stronghold HD
81
/100
28
Borderlands 2
81
/100
29
LEGO The Lord of the Rings
80
/100
30
Game Dev Tycoon
80
/100
31
Hitman: Sniper Challenge
80
/100
32
Chaos on Deponia
80
/100
33
B
Hitman: Absolution
79
/100
34
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
79
/100
35
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
79
/100
36
Skullgirls
79
/100
37
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
78
/100
38
Awesomenauts
78
/100
39
Thomas Was Alone
77
/100
40
Endless Space - Collection
77
/100
41
The Unfinished Swan
77
/100
42
Katawa Shoujo
76
/100
43
D
Spec Ops: The Line
76
/100
44
McPixel
76
/100
45
LEGO Batman 2 DC Super Heroes
75
/100
46
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav
75
/100
47
Nihilumbra
75
/100
48
Deponia
74
/100
49
DiRT Showdown
74
/100
50
King's Bounty: Warriors of the North
74
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Mac game of 2012?
Mark of the Ninja currently tops the ranking with a score of 91/100 across 308 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.