From musical serenity to hardcore action, 2013 was a great year for Leap Motion gaming. Whether you like fighting violent mobsters and evil aliens, riding musical beats, or exploring a mysterious puzzle, the Airspace Store has lots of great games for you to discover. You can browse a full list of games in our gaming category or see the most popular apps in our Play collection.

But for the real breakout hits of the year, look no further than our Best Apps collection. Here are the top seven games of 2013 – plus how GameWAVE lets you reach into a wide variety of games.

Blue Estate Prologue

Your finger is your weapon in Blue Estate Prologue, a first-person Windows shooter designed exclusively for the Leap Motion Controller. Load your gun and leap into the gritty world of sarcastic gangster Tony Luciano as he fights through wave after wave of bullets and swords from rival gangsters. Battle through outlandish locations that include a burlesque show, a steam bath, and secret doors. Get the app »

Stan Lee’s Verticus

From the legendary co-creator of Spider-Man™ comes the latest high-tech superhero – Verticus. Equipped with a heat-resistant jump suit and charged with defeating an evil alien race, you must fall from outer space and into the Earth’s core. Dodge obstacles, collect powerups, upgrade your suit, and stay alive to save the world. (You can try the free version before purchasing the full app.) Get the app »

Boom Ball Adventures

Smash and explode your way through 55 levels of chaotic demolition with Boom Ball Adventures for Mac and Windows. The cubic creatures of planet Crebos are rapidly forming walls in exotic locations around the world – the Egyptian pyramids, Japan, under the sea, and even in outer space! Knock them down with the Boom Ball using paddles, lasers, and more. (Want to try it first? Download the free trial before downloading the full version.) Get the app »

Dropchord

Ride the beats and rack up points in Dropchord, a music-driven score-challenge game for Mac and Windows. Use your fingers to manipulate a beam crossing a circle to dodge scratches and collect notes. Featuring an original soundtrack and mesmerizing visuals, it’s a unique experience that’s fun for all ages. Get the app »

Kyoto

Travel to a land of mystery and melancholy. Free for Mac and Windows, Kyoto is a serene experience that takes you into an ambient puzzle of sound and harmony. Reach out to explore a moonlit river, uncover the surprises hidden within, and get inspired by the game’s mind-melting original soundtrack. Get the app »

Fruit Ninja

Slice fruit with your bare hands and master the art of the ninja with one of the world’s most popular games, now available on Windows for the Leap Motion Controller. Spray the walls with the juice of your delicious targets, avoid dangerous bombs, and rack up points to become a true food warrior. Get the app »

Cut the Rope

Feed everyone’s favorite candy-munching monster with Cut the Rope, free for Mac and Windows. Collect gold stars, swing sweets through the air, and overcome a series of physics-based puzzles. Get the app »

Take Control with GameWAVE

Available for Mac and Windows, GameWAVE lets you control almost anything on your computer – from your favorite games to your operating system. On the Leap Motion blog, we’ve explored several custom mappings for games like Diablo III, World of Warcraft, and Godus. But we just scratched the surface. On the developer’s site, you can discover over 50 custom mappings, or contribute your own. Community forum users have reported successful GameWAVE mappings and playthroughs for the following computer games:

GameWAVE and Second Life

The Drax Files is a mixed-reality YouTube channel dedicated to showcasing the creations of Second Life – a massive shared online virtual reality space. With the show, creator Bernard Drax reveals how designers, developers, musicians, social activists, and historical reenactors around the globe are using Second Life’s built-in 3D modelling tools to bring wonderful new creations to life.

Last month, Drax used the Leap Motion Controller and GameWAVE to dive into Second Life in a whole new way. In the video below, you can see how he can fly, walk, run, and teleport home with a wave of his hand. Read more »

What was your favorite gaming moment of 2013? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter, or join our 2013 retrospectacular forum thread.