Nintendo DS

Another top selling year for the Nintendo DS broke wind of a new system being released (DSI), but the game that were released were either unique or highly polished games that deserved your attention.

Ninja Town - For about 10 months, I was thoroughly convinced that the best Tower Defense game released this year was PSN's Pixeljunk Monsters. Then Ninja Town came out and blew that game out of the water. Featuring the sense of humor of the Shawnimals brand, and some of the most accessable and challenging Tower Defense gameplay you can come across, Ninja Town will more than sate the appetite of the most ardent TD gamers, while allowing new gamers to the genre to enjoy its outlandish charm.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village - Unique puzzle games are hard to come by, but Professor Layton and the Curious Village ends up being one of them. Featuring a charming watercolor palette and over 50 puzzles and riddles to solve, Layton becomes the go-to game for DS players who like a brain teaser.

Sony PSP

There were quality titles that came out for the PSP this year, such as Space Invaders Extreme, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and Patapon. However, in the long run, the PSP titles weren't enough to crack the Top 25, either due to not enough depth (Patapon), bigger competition (Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII) and a better version on another system (Space Invaders Extreme)

Nintendo Wii/Wiiware

The Wii had another dynamite year in sales, with the inclusion of Wii Fit to the fold. However, disc based games didn't sell all too well. The inclusion of WiiWare, however, created another source of revenue for the system with some surprising quality games (such as the Art ****/em> series). WiiWare seems to be the more exciting feature of the Wii for hardcore gamers, so it will be interesting to see where they go from here.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Where Brawl lacks in new features, it more than makes up for with an excellent cast of characters and a overall solid presentation and feel to the game. The Smash Bros. series has always been a favorite amongst the Nintendo crowd, but HAL Laboritories adds more depth into the fighting system while adding more options for gamers to unlock.

Mega Man 9 - Even though MM9 came out for all three downloadable services, the Wii ends up having the best look, feel and control of the game. Make no mistake, this game is a ****c through and through with some of the toughest enemies and platforming sections you'll ever tackle. Retro fans will fall in love with this game.

World of Goo - This puzzle game is not only one of the toughest you'll come across, it's also one of the most artistically unique games on any system. The beautiful art provides an excellent backdrop for the excellent physics based puzzle play.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King - Aside from the entirely ludacris downloadable content for the game, My Life As A King features some of the best city-planning gameplay. As a cross between SimCity and Harvest Moon, this game will keep you busy with building different places and accepting more soldies to do your deeds.

Sony Playstation 3/Playstation Network

The Sony Playstation 3 had a surprisingly strong year, with multi-platform titles comparable or better than the competition. There were also quality titles exclusive to the system, such as Resistance 2 and Motorstorm: Pacific Rift. This list isn't indicitive of the quality of the PS3 this year, since some are on the Top Ten and others are multiplatform.

Pixeljunk Eden - Pixeljunk branded games seem to have been synonmous this year with unique and addicting gameplay and Eden is the game that more defines that brand. Featuring a unique platforming mechanic with some of the most lush visuals and best music from any game this year, Eden aims to give gamers who look for a different type of game an engrossing and challenging good time.

LittleBigPlanet - The game that will be constantly updating for years to come, LittleBigPlanet's charming art ****is complimented with great control and an extremely robust create a level mode. In fact, everything in the game is customizable, so this sandbox work of art will be constantly updated for years to come.

Sony Playstation 2

Sure, the PS2 is the oldest system by far this year, but the system still provides excellent entertainment at a budget price. It also has some of the most refined and entertaining games on any system. Sure, none of the games are on the honorable mentions, but...

Microsoft XBOX 360/XBOX Live Arcade

In all intents and purposes, the 360 had a dynamite year not only in disc based sales, but in downloadable as well. With the release of NXE, the system becomes a more sleek, defined system as well. But the games are no pushover as well. Check out some of the best from this year.

Gears of War 2 - A simply intense single-player/co-op campaign coupled with a brand new cooperative mode (Horde) improves upon the first games gameplay in tenfold. The graphics, particularly the environments, are more than worthy of its praise and the sound is simply brilliant.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 - Taking the original Retro Evolved and improving upon that tight, frantic gameplay was a feat unto itself. Adding 4 new modes that are equally, if not more fun? Absolute arcade gaming brilliance.

Left 4 Dead - A game that begs to be played with friends, Left 4 Dead takes co-op play to another freaky level with some of the best partner and enemy AI you will ever encounter. The campaign can be beaten in a matter of hours, but the game is such a good time and so different every time you play that you'll want to replay those scenarios many times.

Castle Crashers - So, you say you wanted an update Double Dragon-esque game with excellent hand-drawn animation, tons of blood and some poop and fart jokes to boot? Boy, do I have a game for you! Castle Crashers has all of this and four player co-op throughout the entire game. A simple yet fun combat system and a surprising amount of humor and strategy goes along nicely with this irreverant brawler.

Multiplatform

It was an exciting year in gaming. All systems have great exclusives, but multiplatform releases also shone brightly on all systems. Take a look and see some of the best.

The Club - It is a unique enough concept: Take a game like Project Gotham Racing and instead of cars, it's guys using guns and that's The Club. Implementing an old school combo system with 3rd person shooting sounds a tad on the strange side, but it's actually beautifully executed in this addicting arcade shooter.

FIFA Soccer 09 - Choosing between FIFA 09, NHL 09, Tiger Woods 09 and MLB 08: The Show was an incredibly difficult thing to do. All four have deep modes, aside from the regular franchise, that could last you months. On top of that, they all have excellent gameplay mechanics. But, in the end, making an excellent soccer game is one of the more difficult things to do, and EA pulled it off with much aplumb. Great controls, atmosphere and the Be A Pro mode is by far one of the best modes on any sports game.

N+ - Sure, the game looks simple....and it plays simple too. N+, however, is platforming nirvana. Featuring some of the most unique and challenging jump puzzles, the game takes the genre on portables and downloadable games with it's great simple fun and it's flexible create-a-level mode. Whether on XBLA or on the portables, you need to own N+.

Top 10 of the Year

10. Space Invaders Extreme - Taking the ****c gameplay from the original Space Invaders and sprucing it up with a colorful and vibrant look, then adding a bunch of power-ups and microgames to round out what has to be one of the best retro revisions of any game in recent memory.

9. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 - The Persona series slowly went from a niche RPG to one of the toast of JRPG's in America. The combat allows tons of depth to be interwoven in the story/dating sim aspects, while the characters are engaging, likable and quite possibly some of the best written in a long time. Those who desperately want a quality JRPG should be playing this game right now. If you're not, well, you're missing out on one of the best stories in this generation.

8. The World Ends With You - Innovation isn't something Square Enix is known for. But, with The World Ends With You, they create an exciting, different world with a battle system that is innovative and unique to the system it was created on. The story is engaging and charming, while the battle system and collection aspect will keep games on this for hours on end.

7. Boom Blox - Puzzle games are a hard sell as it is to hardcore gamers, but to make it fun, diverse and a blast to play on multiplayer is a hard feat. This is why Boom Blox gets one of the top honors of this year. Providing a good single player game, along with some of the best offline multiplayer fun you can have, Boom Blox provides the most fun a group of people can have in a living room for the Wii.

6. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts - Self-referential, hilarious and diverse: Three things you'd never hear about a platformer. Then again, Banjo-Kazooie is a whole different beast to contend with. Featuring some of the best gags and dialogue spoofing of videogames, Nuts and Bolts also features some of the best vehicle building and some of the more unique missions in order to use those vehicles. Sure, if you prefer the old ****of Banjo-Kazooie, you can download the old version on XBLA, but those wanting a new type of game to fool around with can certainly do well with this.

5. Burnout Paradise - Burnout Paradise is an interesting breed. It takes a portion of what makes Burnout great out the window (such as Crash Mode) and adds in something entirely different (a freeworld ****gameplay with an emphasis on using shortcuts and stunts) while still remaining fresh an impressive 11 months after it's release. Paradise does so much right when it comes to many aspects, both as a business model and as a game.

4. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - It's hard to have a ton of hype in a game. It's doubly hard to have that hype AND expected to be a key reason to own a system. Yet, despite all of the uphill battles, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots lived up to the hype by not only having a much more manageable shooting system, but by tieing up the loose ends and bringing an incredible narrative. Also...Raiden kicks ass.

3. Fable II - Fable II is one of those games that seemed destined to fail. Trying to live up to the expectations of people who were disappointed with the original Fable while remaining fresh with new features seemed to be a disaster waiting to happen. But, lo and behold, it not only lived up to the expectations, it far exceeded them. With a distinct feel and charm, along with a simplistic but engaging combat system, Fable II places incredible depth into such a simple system that any type of gamer can get involved in this system.

2. Braid - Braid may come down as one of the most important games in history, alongside Super Mario Bros., Pong, and Space Invaders. The blend of high art, platforming and puzzle solving is expertly woven and done with great care to compliment the horrowing and incredibly high-brow storyline. Braid was something that gamers were never expecting: a visually appealing and simplistic game that is more of an experience to be a part of, not just a game to simply "play".

1. Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution - In the beginning of the year, I could be heard saying "This game will probably be one of those games that Sid Meier will just shake his head and wonder 'Why did I even attempt this?'" Well, now, you can hear me saying "Why didn't they do this sooner?" This is the best Civilization to date, even trumping my favorite (Civilization II) on the PC. A streamlined, intuitve control scheme with a sped-up game system (games last 2 - 4 hours at most, unlike the PC games that can last for 10 times that amount) helps make CivRev one of the best strategy games on any system.

Pacemaker Extreme (In need of restructuring or resuscitation)

Sonic the Hedgehog

The PSP

Devil May Cry

Arcade Sports Titles

Gran Turismo

In an answer that was almost too easy, Sonic the Hedgehog wins the property or series in desperate need of a rebuilding or death altogether. His latest "canon" adventure, Sonic Unleashed has him turning into a furry with stretch arms with terrible controls and fighting mechanics.

Biggest Story of the Year

NXE unveiled at E3

Phil Harrison leaves Sony for Atari

FFXIII for 360 and PS3 announced at E3

DSi announced, coming late 09

EA attempted to buyout Take Two

This story had the spotlight throughout the year, which was a year filled with business propositions, take-overs and downturns. Whether Take-Two will be able to stand on its own during a recession remains to be seen, but it'll be interesting to see what happens as the following year comes along.

Brad's Take: The only bigger story that wasn't put on here was, of course, the economy fallout. In all honesty, the gaming industry won't feel the fallout until this coming year, so it may be an even bigger story next year than it was this.

The Digital Pen

Braid

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

Valkyira Chronicles

The World Ends With You

From beginning to end, Braid's story makes you think outside of your own comforts and asks you to think abstractly throughout its story and game. The end result is a story that will surprise many and will have you thinking about the ending for years to come.

Brad's Take: Brad feels there is no question, Braid is the winner in this category. But, in all honesty, the most well put-together story that constantly keeps you play was Shin Megam Tensei: Persona 4, with its excellent characters and dark macabre story.

Best Gaming Personality

Denis Dyack

Todd Howard

Johnathon Blow

Peter Moore

Peter Molyneux

Out of anyone this year, Johnathon Blow had the most positive impact when it comes to personalities this year. In some circles he's the Tarantino of gaming developers and it's easy to see why: Braid made people think outside of the box and he fought valiantly to show that independent games deserve a place in the mindset of videogaming.

Brad's Take: Brad agrees, with a bit of reluctance, that Johnathon Blow deserves the win here. However, one shouldn't deny that Denis Dyack deserves some props too: It was because of him that Too Human didn't completely flop due to bad word of mouth.

Best Gaming Journalist

Jeff Gerstmann

Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw

Shane Bettenhausen

Adam Sessler

Gabe and Tycho (Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins)

Gaming journalists very rarely get any recognition for the hardwork and foresight they put into making games better. Opinion Unlocked wants to rectify that. So, with the first and only place that honors gaming journalists, we announce our first winner: Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of the popular webcast Zero Punctuation. His candid, lurid and hilarious findings in the way games play and the way we play them makes us rethink of our thoughts of games in a way that we may not have wanted, but still feel intranced to do so.

Brad's Take: Brad is reluctant to call Yahtzee a "clear" winner in this category. It's hard not to be inspired and somewhat amazed by Jeff Gerstmann's story this year, from being controversially canned at Gamespot in the beginning of the year, to have one of the more popular gaming sites Giant BOMB on the web takes a lot of dedication and love of this industry. But to keep writing as well and as funny as he does deserves major props.

Best Podcast

1up Yours

Retronauts

1up Show

From the Bleachers

Giant BOMBcast

The old Gamespot regime returns in the Giant BOMBcast and seems to add more to the gaming world than it did previously. Jeff Gerstmann, Ryan Davis, Brad Shoemaker and Vincent Caravela have created one of the best podcasts that will become a mainstay in any enthusiast gamers MP3 player.

Brad's Take: Brad loves Giant BOMBcast. But throughout 2008, my weekend never started until I listened to 1up Yours at least 3 times fully. Entertaining, informative and full of intelligent insight, 1up Yours was one of the best podcasts you can tune into. It makes its closure all the more saddening.

Best 360 Game

Fable II

Gears of War 2

Tales of Vesperia

Left 4 Dead

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

No RPG had more to live up to than Fable II and it succeeded admirably at the task. Lionhead Studios' excellent and accessable RPG should be a permanent fixture in every 360 gamers home, thanks to great combat and a hilarious, witty world to populate yourself in.

Bryan's Take: Bryan had some serious love for Gears of War 2, with it's total package (at least to him) of great single-player and multi-player. However, he kind of wishes he played Tales of Vesperia earlier, since it became an RPG he enjoyed very much.

Brad's Take: Brad agrees with the winner, but he definitely fell deeply for Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts with its irreverent charm and excellent platforming. However, when it comes to cooperative multiplayer, Left 4 Dead had him enthralled.

Best PS3 Game

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift

Valkyria Chronicles

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

LittleBigPlanet

Resistance 2

A game that benefits everything that the PS3 does, LittleBigPlanet has some of the best customization options you can't find on any other game and it utilizes the free online capabliities the PS3 champions.

Brad's Take: It's really something that a year where a new Metal Gear was released that it isn't THE game of the system. And, as much as Brad loved Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, with its twisting narrative and great gunplay, the sheer amount you can simply do in LittleBigPlanet is a sight to behold.

Best Wii Game

No More Heroes

Animal Crossing: City Folk

Boom Blox

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Wario Land: Shake It!

Not exactly a landmark year for the Wii this year, but nonetheless, No More Heroes is the game you want to own on the system. With its strange sense of humor and its very fun fighting, No More Heroes gives enthusiast Wii gamers something to sink their teeth into.

Brad's Take: Brad respects No More Heroes. But, he still feels the game to beat will always be Boom Blox when it comes to the Wii.

Best PSP Game

Patapon

Downstream Panic

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Wipeout Pulse

God of War: Chains of Olympus

In a year that saw nearly anything on the system, God of War: Chains of Olympus was the shining beacon of the PSP. Great controls, combat and a slick look easily give God of War: Chains of Olympus the win.

Best DS Game

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

The World Ends With You

Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer

Ninjatown

Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword

A strong year for the DS ends with a game that best utilizes the DS' strengths. That game was The World Ends With You, an action/RPG lootfest with a fun and different battle system and a unique art ****and story.

Brad's Take: Brad was hooked on The World Ends With You throughout the summer...but he still can't shake that undeniable love he had for the rogue-like Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer. Few games of its kind ever came out on home systems, but roguelikes had a reniassance this year that started with the understated brilliance of Shiren.

Best Multi-Platform

N+

The Club

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

GRID

Burnout Paradise

Many games played great on all systems, but nothing really beat Burnout Paradise this year, with not only its high speed, insane gameplay, but it's nearly endless amount of DLC (and on the PS3, the ability to download the entire game on the hard drive).

After a strong year in 2008, it's time to announce our categorical winners. Of each category, Brad and Bryan choose these winners:

The Out of Body Experience Award (Best Third-Person Shooter)

The Club

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Gears of War 2

Saints Row 2

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

Despite some tough competition, the visually pleasing and intense Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots takes the win with its excellent control and environments.

Bryan's Take: Despite being very impressed with MGS4, Bryan feels that Gears of War 2 has the complete package when it comes to 3rd person shooters. He enjoys the excellent campaign, along with the competitive multiplayer and the new Horde mode.

The Retina Attachment Award (Best First Person Shooter)

Call of Duty: World at War

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Left 4 Dead

Resistance 2

Battlefield: Bad Company

Call of Duty: World at War has everything each of these games have: strong multiplayer, an intense single player and an involving storyline. But, with it's excellent control system and abundance of Jack Bauer, World at War takes the top prize in FPS.

Brad's Take: Strong multiplayer is usually a necessity in this category, which is why it was hard to not choose Left 4 Dead with Brad. He also says that Resistance 2 would have also been a desired pick...if the single player just wasn't boring to play.

The Golden Clutch (Best Racing)

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift

Wipeout HD

GRID

Burnout Paradise

Pure

Another tough category with excellent games, but the surprise winner has to be Disney Interactive's ATV opus Pure. Great course selection and a fun create an ATV mode balance out this fun game.

Brad's Take: This had to be one of the tougher games to choose for Brad. He loved Motorstorm: Pacific Rift and the great amount of stuff you can do in Burnout Paradise left you playing the game for months on end. Wipeout HD was also one of the most refined versions of this franchise that has been made in years. However, when it came down to it, he agreed that the surprise pick of Pure needed to be recognized.

The Juiced Bar (Best Sports Game)

FIFA Soccer 09

Madden NFL 09

NHL 09

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09

Top Spin 3

Sports games had a good year this year, but the impressive rise to fame that FIFA Soccer 09 had gave it enough leg to just eke a win away from NHL 09.

Bryan's Take: Bryan was more than willing to give the award to Madden or NHL, which both had great years in terms of gameplay and overall things to do. However, once Bryan gave FIFA Soccer 09 a chance, the realization that this game is not only beautiful but incredibly deep gave Brad the perfect chance to convert him into the FIFA junkie Brad has become.

The Platinum Mokujin (Best Fighting Game)

Soulcalibur IV

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Bleach: Dark Souls

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

The game that improved the most gets the most recognition. Soulcalibur IV rose back from the dead after a horrendous version in III to take the victory from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Brad's Take: Brad can admit that he's far enjoyed Super Smash Bros. Brawl since the day he got his hands on it. In fact, he still plays it to this day. However, like the rest of the competition: nothing really changed with Brawl, which gave Soulcalibur IV the slight notch above in this category.

The Jumpman (Best Platform)

LittleBigPlanet

N+

Mega Man 9

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

Bionic Commando: Rearmed

With its charming visuals, tactile control and its completely customizable interface, LittleBigPlanet took the Jumpman with its nearly limitless possibilities.

Brad's Take: As much as Brad loves LittleBigPlanet, he had a deep amount of affection for N+ and Banjo: Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. N+ is about the purest and most fun platforming game he's played in years, despite terrible visuals and sound. Some may not even consider Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts a "platformer", which is understandable to an extent. However, he feels it's the most fun he's had of any game on this list.

The Eureka! Award (Best Puzzle)

Braid

Boom Blox

Portal: Still Alive

World of Goo

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Braid is many things to many gamers, but far and away it was the most involving and absorbing of any of the puzzle games released this year.

Bryan's Take: Bryan agrees with Braid getting the win, but despite it being an expansion, he feels Portal: Still Alive should get serious props for its gameplay that, even a year out, still seems fresh and exciting.

Brad's Take: Brad also agrees with Braid getting the win, but still feels love should be showered on World of Goo and Boom Blox.

The Outside of the Box Award (Best Third Person Action Game)

God of War: Chains of Olympus

Rez HD

Aces of the Galaxy

Prince of Persia

No More Heroes

With its breathtaking visuals and excellent puzzles and environment jumping, Prince of Persia takes the win with its different spin on the 3rd person action game.

Brad's Take: Brad can say it: This category was pretty weak. Still, he fought to get Aces of the Galaxy nominated in the very least.

The Vaunted Pixel (Best Arcade-****Game)

Space Invaders Xtreme

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2

Assault Heroes 2

Castle Crashers

Arkanoid DS

Much like Pac-Man: Championship Edition, Space Invaders Xtreme takes the simple and legendary gameplay of the original and transforms it into a game that is relevant and fun today. Those who play it get easily addicted and will continue to play it until the next retro revival happens.

Bryan's Take: Bryan makes no bones about it: Space Invaders Xtreme is Brad's gay fanboy love game, not his. Bryan's game of choice, clearly, is Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, a game that improved on the highly addictive arcade game from two years ago. He also has much love for Castle Crashers, despite having some obvious bug problems.

The Sword of a Thousand Truths (Best Role-Playing Game)

Fallout 3

Fable 2

Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer

The World Ends With You

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

No game was as daring or as different as The World Ends With You, with its excellent combat system and collecting mechanics. Because of this, it is our winner of the Best RPG of this year.

Brad's Take: Brad was addicted to two portable games throughout the first half of the year: Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer and The World Ends With You. As much as he likes both and agrees with the winner of this category, he has a deep love and respect for Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

The Ultimate Supervisor (Best Strategy Game)

Valkyria Chronicles

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

Pixeljunk Monsters

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King

Ninjatown

There were some disappointments (Final Fantasy Tactics A2?), but strategy games had some surprising heavyweights. It should come to no surprise that Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution takes the win with its accessable take on this beloved franchise.

Bryan's Take: Bryan can't exactly disagree with the winner, but he does seem to think that Ninjatown isn't getting the love it should. The humor and fun you get from playing this game can make even the more jaded gamers laugh out loud.

The Artificial Enhancement Award (Best Downloadable Add-On)

Burnout Paradise (Bikes, Day/Night Cycle)

Pixeljunk Monsters (Encore and Trophy Packs)

LittleBigPlanet (Extra Sackboy Outfits and Level Packs)

NBA LIve 09 (NBA Live 365)

Gears of War 2 (The Combustible Map Pack)

Coming as a surprise to literally no one, Burnout Paradise clearly wins this category for keeping a game fresh and relevant throughout the entire year.

Best PSN Game

Wipeout HD

Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty

Bionic Commando: Rearmed

Pixeljunk Monsters

Pixeljunk Eden

PSN had some great games this year, but the value and fun you get from Wipeout HD beats out the mini-Ratchet adventure and either of the Pixeljunk games released this year.

Brad's Take: You know what Brad was also into from PSN? Pixeljunk Eden's mix of kalideoscopic visuals, entrancing music and addictive gameplay perfectly melds into a unique platformer like no other.

Best Wiiware

World of Goo

Tetris Party

Mega Man 9

Art **** ORBIENT

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King

Wiiware's six months in existence was surprisingly strong, which is evidenced by the winner of this year's Best Wiiware: World of Goo. With a distinct and beautiful graphical artistry and a unique puzzle system, World of Goo is also one of the best games you can play on Wii, period.

Best XBLA

Braid

Castle Crashers

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2

A Kingdom for Keflings

Aces of the Galaxy

Another strong year for XBLA was capped with another must-play favorite to strengthen the cause for downloadable games. This year's winner, Braid, perfectly blends story, control, puzzle solving and artistry to make one of the most compelling games this year.

Bryan's Take: Bryan says he likes Braid, but no amount of some guy crying over his girl can tear him away from the addictive digital carnival that is Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2. He also would like to say Brad is a pretentious wuss who wets his bed.

Brad's Take: Brad would like to say that if anything else would have one this, it would have been Castle Crashers, despite the problem with its online multiplayer. And in his rebuttal, Bryan is a troll who lives under a bridge who grunts and moans unintelligently.

Nip-Tuck Special (Best Retro Revival/Remake/Sequel)

Space Invaders Xtreme

Mega Man 9

Galaga Legions

Bionic Commando: Rearmed

Tetris Party

This year was the year of retro revivals and what game better personifies that than Mega Man 9. Taking the roots of the Mega Man series and creating a new game while retaining all the charm and characteristics of the original games is a feat that needs to be properly commended.

Father Time's Second Wind

Chrono Trigger

Secret of Mana

Ikaruga

Rez HD

River City Ransom

Chrono Trigger wins, hands down. This is especially surprising, since this game is $40 on the DS, while the others have you pay only $10 to play them.

Best Multiplayer

Gears of War 2

Boom Blox

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Resistance 2

Call of Duty: World at War

Featuring an RPG-like system that rewards you in everything you do, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is the most rewarding and addictive of any multiplayer game released today.

Bryan's Take: Let's be honest, both Bryan and Brad could not agree on a winner, so they peacemealed and chose an in-between. Bryan valiantly defended Gears of War 2, citing the excellent Horde Mode and Campaign that is great to play online, while Brad staunchly exclaimed that the competitive multiplayer left a lot to be desired.

Brad's Take: Brad wasn't exactly impressed with Gears of War 2's multiplayer, so he decided to accept Vegas 2 as the winner. However, Brad's true winner is Boom Blox, a game that was fun and easy to understand for everyone who wanted to give the game a shot.

The Sawdust and Mildew Award (Best Sleeper)

Braid

The Club

Ninjatown

N+

Pure

There wasn't a game that captivated a large audience in such a short time like Braid. The unique platforming puzzler charmed audiences with its distinct artistry and challenging puzzles.

Bryan's Take: Bryan definitely agrees Braid is the clear cut winner. He also wants to mention Pure, the ATV racing game Disney published that surprised everyone who played it.

Game That Should Be Downloadable

Monopoly

Culdcept SAGA

Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy

Boom Blox

Wii Music

Monopoly for the 360 - online multiplayer - good graphics = $40??? WTF?

Brad's Take: Seriously, WTF?!

The two most recent episodes have been released, so have a listen to our latest episodes:

In our very special Best of 2008 episode, Brad and Bryan announce the winners of every category of gaming, then after give their picks for their Top Ten games of the year. Be there as Bryan and Brad debate, agree and get confused over their top picks.

On Episode 17, Bryan gets out of his bend of being the disheveled Mall Santa to discuss the closing of EGM, stats of 2008's downloadable games, debut our "Bugdetary Reflux" and we answer some viewer mail.

Be sure to download our podcast HERE
or you can check us out on iTunes by searching "Opinion Unlocked"

Also, PM me with questions and comments.

His job security may be in jeopardy, but damn, is he a fine radio host is what Brad's boss might have said under his breath at one point in his day.

The Outside of the Box Award (Best Third Person Action Game)

God of War: Chains of Olympus

Rez HD

Aces of the Galaxy

Prince of Persia

No More Heroes

Third person action can mean many things, but here are the five that are most impressive. Rez HD is simply the old Rez with an HD mix, but with so few people played the original that it deserve props now still. Prince of Persia takes a more deliberately focus on platforming, while adding a competent combat scheme and a beautiful art style. God of War: Chains of Olympus fits the GOW game series you know and love and throws it on the PSP, with a surprisingly competent control scheme. Aces of the Galaxy is the closest XBox gamers are going to get with the classic StarFox, but that's not a complaint at all. Aces has a great look, intense firefights and a surprisingly fun campaign mode. Finally, there's No More Heroes, featuring unique Wii combat controls and a hilarious sense of humor.

The Vaunted Pixel (Best Arcade-Style Game)

Space Invaders Xtreme

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2

Assault Heroes 2

Castle Crashers

Arkanoid DS

2008 was a great year for Arcade Style games, starting with two sequels of popular franchises in the genre. First, there's Assault Heroes 2, the sequel to the 2006 XBLA hit. Adding more weapons and better enemies, the sequel adds more to the co-op Ikari Warriors style gameplay. Then there's Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, sequel to the X360 game of launch. Retro Evolved 2 adds 4 new modes to the franchise, while keeping the ultra-tight, ultra alick gameplay intact. The last of the XBLA games is the beat-em-up Castle Crashers, from the makers of the Behemoth. A lively art style, on top of some of the funniest moments and tightest co-op this year, Castle Crashers is the nezt-gen side scrolling beat-em-up everyone has been waiting for. On the portable front, there's Arkanoid DS. This game is exactly as it states: It's Arkanoid and it's on the DS, with either touch screen support, d-pad support or th e use of an import attachment. Lastly, there's Space Invaders Xtreme, Taito's retro revival of the classic arcade game. This game adds new power-ups, modes and increasingly frantic gameplay while keeping the original feel of Space Invaders intact.

The Sword of a Thousand Truths

Fallout 3

Fable 2

Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer

The World Ends With You

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

RPG's had a very strong year this year: the first time this generation that RPG's stood out. Let's start with Bethesda Softworks' Fallout 3 for 360, PS3 and PC. Fallout 3's incredible world and art design helps spice the immersive story with a sense of dread and discovery that only Bethesda could do. Then, there's the penultimate rogue-like dungeon crawler Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer. Rogue-likes are usually convoluted and arbitrary at best, but Shiren's flexible and strategic battle system, coupled with its odd sense of humor and punshing difficulty, gives even RPG fans a run for its money on this addictive game. Next is Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. Japanese RPG fans, you have your best game of the year. 360 and PS3 RPG's couldn't match the charm, excellent writing and deep combat system that the PS2 Persona series has. It's great score and excellent characters and writing couple what is one of the best p roducts on any system to date. Next, is the unique and mesmerizing DS RPG The World Ends With You. A good story and a very well implemented art style can only do so much. However, it's the loot collecting and addicting battle system that makes The World Ends With You one of the must have RPG's of this season. Finally, there's Fable 2. Lionhead Studios had the nearly impossible task of not only trying to surpass the disappointment that was the original Fable, but also making a sequel that can make people feel the series is progressing in a big way. Well, not only did they pull through, they made one of the best RPG's to date.

The Ultimate Supervisor

Valkyria Chronicles

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

Pixeljunk Monsters

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King

Ninjatown

Strategy games usually aren't as fun unless there is a twist involved, but these 5 strategy games take the core concepts of each of their strategy roots and builds solid games out of each. Sure, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King isn't what you expect from a Final Fantasy game. And, yes, in order to play the game it was fully intended to be, you need to spend 3000 Wii Points on the full product. However, this game features some of the best city planning gameplay on any console this year. Next is Valkyria Chronicles. Unlike most strategy/RPG's, Valkyria Chronicles adds an incredible art style with its tactical gameplay, giving the game a distinctly different feel in a genre filled with "me too" clones. Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution is the next game. What makes this game so special is the fact that they were able to fit a complicated, highly detailed PC game series into a console that is easy to play an d understand in 10 minutes. Civ junkies will fall in love with this streamlined version of their favorite series. On the tower defense front, there's the PSN exclusive Pixeljunk Monsters. The game plays like a standard TD game, but adds a nice, soothing soundtrack and a charm that few TD games have. Finally, there's Ninjatown for the Nintendo DS. Take the charm of Pixeljunk, throw in a hilarious sense of humor and addicting gameplay and you've got Ninjatown.

The Artificial Enhancement Award (Best Downloadable Add-On)

Burnout Paradise (Bikes, Day/Night Cycle)

Pixeljunk Monsters (Encore and Trophy Packs)

LittleBigPlanet (Extra Sackboy Outfits and Level Packs)

NBA LIve 09 (NBA Live 365)

Gears of War 2 (The Combustible Map Pack)

This year, studios tried more and more to add more content into their games to make them even more playable throughout the year. Pixeljunk Monsters added new levels and a trophy challenge system throughout the year so players can replay the game's touch challenges. NBA Live 09 implemented NBA Live 365, offering detailed daily updates on anything and everything that went on in the league, including tendencies of specific players. Gears of War 2 offered its first DLC in the Combustible map pack, which offers three new maps that change the face of the multiplayer aspect of the game. LittleBigPlanet is one of the most customizable games out there on any system, so adding stuff to make it even more customizable is just a big plus all around. Sackboy skins and customes are a big boon, as well as more items for the level editor. Finally, there's Burnout Paradise. Paradise not only added new modes, but it also added bikes to the game, as well as a day/night cycle.

Best PSN Game

Wipeout HD

Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty

Bionic Commando: Rearmed

Pixeljunk Monsters

Pixeljunk Eden

The Playstation Network may just be a "me-too" of XBLA to some, but PSN sells games that actually give you the most game for your dollar, someitmes allowing you to download full games on PSN you could buy at the store. The Pixeljunk series, Pixeljunk Monsters and Pixeljunk Eden, offers both traditional (tower defense) and non-traditional (platforming, but swinging on plants) gameplay with a fantastic and different art style. Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty turns the game into a mini-adventure but with the same outstanding graphics and gameplay you come to expect. Wipeout HD takes the tracks from the PSP Wipeouts (Pulse and Pure) and gives the game a beautiful high-definition gloss. Finally, Bionic Commando: Rearmed takes the classic game into hi-def with all of its painstaking difficulty intact.

Best Wiiware

World of Goo

Tetris Party

Mega Man 9

Art Style: ORBIENT

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King

Of the surprises this year, Wiiware is quite possibly the most surprising, since everyone was shoving it off as a poor man's XBLA. But, with games like Art Style: ORBIENT, a puzzle game that's played with just two buttons and involves pull and pushing a planet into orbit, Wii-ware will have it's special twist on downloadable games. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King gives Final Fantasy a Simcity approach by creating buildings in towns and sending soldiers into distant lands to fight enemies. Mega Man 9 was the most surprising this year, utilizing a NES engine and look, while maintaining the core concept of Mega Man in his retro hay-day. World of Goo brings a pleasant art style and a unique twist to tower building games, but allowing you to toy with different properties of goo in order to clear a level. Finally, there's Tetris Party. Obviously, it's Tetris, but with more modes and multiplayer capabilities than any previous Tetris game.

Best XBLA

Braid

Castle Crashers

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2

A Kingdom for Keflings

Aces of the Galaxy

Another year, another strong XBLA lineup. Obviously, the sequel to the mega popular downloadable game Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 was going to be on this list, providing more of the same old-school thrills that the original had. And, yes, the artful critical darling Braid is also on the list, with its time manipulating puzzle elements in two. And, of course, Castle Crashers is on the list, which provides some of the best beat-em-up gameplay since Final Fight, Streets of Rage and Double Dragon. So that's it, right? Wrong! There's A Kingdom For Keflings, the very first game custom made to use avatars, fills in XBLA's city planning sims. And there's Aces of the Galaxy, the incredibly fun StarFox clone for the XBLA.

Best 360 Game

Fable II

Gears of War 2

Tales of Vesperia

Left 4 Dead

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

The XBOX 360 had a plethora of exclusive games come out this year. The biggest one this year was, of course, Gears of War 2. Featuring some of the best co-op gameplay with its campaign and brand new Horde mode, Gears of War 2 improves everything in its single player campaign from the last game. Then, there's the full blown co-op gorefest Left 4 Dead. A heavy emphasis on teamwork and tactics is necessary to go through this game, but the incredibly complex "Director" helps make this game fresh each time you play. For the family friendly type, there's Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. Taking platforming and including vehicles was a bold step for Rare, but they succeed with a diverse set of areas and a hilariously witty sense of humor. On the RPG front, there's Fable II, Lionhead Studios' anticipated sequel. Making an RPG deep is par for the course this generation, but to make it accessable enough for a number of people to play the game is a feat few, if any, can accomplish. Fable II succeeds more than admirably in this situation. Finally, there's the hardcore JRPG Tales of Vesperia. Tales fans will know exactly what this game entails, while the art design and animation show just how diverse the power of the 360 can be.

Best PS3 Game

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift

Valkyria Chronicles

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

LittleBigPlanet

Resistance 2

If there was any system that had the best amount of exclusive games, the Playstation 3 was that system. Take, for instance, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Using the power of Blu-Ray to create some of the most breathtaking and incredible graphics yet seen in any game, Metal Gear Solid 4 more than justifies a purchase of a PS3 with one glance. However, the excellent gunplay, story and characters give the game much more substance. Speaking of substance, LittleBigPlanet is a game all about substance. You have the substance to play, create and share all sorts of levels created by the development team or by people around the world. The game also has its sense of unique style, which you could always create all your own. Another style and substance game is Valkyria Chronicles, a strategy RPG with some of the best art and animation you could see on any system. The water color look of the game contrasts heavily with the grim story and intense firefights in the game. Resistance 2 is a shooter that aims to give a fulfilling experience, no matter how you play it. Whether you're playing the long single-player, the intense cooperative game or the highly competitive multiplayer, Resistance 2 has enough shooting to keep players on theri toes for months to come. Lastly, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift greatly improves on the old game with excellent graphics, more strategy and an excellent track design.

Best Wii Game

No More Heroes

Animal Crossing: City Folk

Boom Blox

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Wario Land: Shake It!

Let's be honest....Wii doesn't have that many quality games. And calling Wario Land: Shake It! and Animal Crossing: City Folk the pinnacle of quality in Wii games just feels kinda wrong. Thankfully, there are games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which gives the same fighting play with even more craziness. And Boom Blox, which is one of the most addicting and fun multiplayer games on any system. And, of course, No More Heroes, one of the most bloody, violent and uproarious Wii games on the market.

Best PSP Game

Patapon

Downstream Panic

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Wipeout Pulse

God of War: Chains of Olympus

Hey, did you hear what came out for the PSP this year? You don't care? ...can't say I blame you...

Best DS Game

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

The World Ends With You

Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer

Ninjatown

Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword

Another year goes by and the DS had another solid year of gaming. That's starting with the unique action/RPG The World Ends With You, featuring a battle system with unique uses for the stylus and the d-pad. Then, there's the rogue-like Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer, which marries old-school sensibilities with an odd sense of humor and maddeningly difficult gameplay. Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword attempted to marry the frantic yet strategic fighting of Ninja Gaiden by using the stylus on the DS, and it succeeds in doing so. Professor Layton and the Curious Village takes perplexing puzzles and riddles, puts a unique adventure game feel to it and gives the game a charm of its own. Finally, there's the cute, cuddly and hilarious antics of Ninjatown, one of the few (but best) tower defense titles released this year.

Best Multi-Platform

N+

The Club

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

GRID

Burnout Paradise

Multiplatform development is hard enough as it is, but to make a great, quality game on all different types of hardware is a feat deserving of recognition. N+ is a game that is so simplistic looking, it can be played on the Atari 2600. However, no matter where you play it (DS, PSP, XBLA) you have a quality platforming/puzzle game to master. Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution took a highly complex game and put it itno three different systems (PS3, 360, DS) while sacrificing next to nothing and make it accessable for both consoles and handhelds. GRID looks beautiful and plays with the same tight control on both PS3 and 360. The Club's unique gameplay controls great on both systems. And the fact that both systems get all the downloadable content for Burnout Paradise (you can download the entire game off PSN if you want as well) is a plus as well.

The Out of Body Experience Award (Best Third-Person Shooter)

The Club

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Gears of War 2

Saints Row 2

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

Third person shooters...hell, shooters in general, had an imposing year this year, but finding games that are "high-quality" maybe a more difficult. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames takes what made the last game great and gave you more of it. Same can be said with Saints Row 2. However, they brought back the old problems from the previous games so what makes them great is also what limits them. Gears of War 2 can be said the same thing, however the addition of the Horde Mode adds a better cooperative multiplayer aspect, along with the campaign itself. The Club was one of the more overlooked shooters. Even though it looks like the rest of the shooters, The Club is unique in that the game plays more like a time-based arcade game than any of the other competition. Then again, if you want unique, look at the final game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Improving upon a game that many loved is one thin g, but completely redoing it and making it the pinnacle of PS3 games was a high watermark that Kojima Productions managed to do.

The Retina Attachment Award (Best First Person Shooter)

Call of Duty: World at War

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Left 4 Dead

Resistance 2

Battlefield: Bad Company

This category seems to come in flavors: There's the WWII vintage flavor with a dash of startling violence and brutality (Call of Duty: World at War), another with standard tactical trappings mixed with MMORPG leveling (Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2), a game with buckets of blood with some cooperative play (Left 4 Dead), a game with three different modes and some great alt-fire weapons (Resistance 2) and an arcadey game with tons of explosions and humor (Battlefield: Bad Company). What tastes the best? Well, that's a tough one...

The Golden Clutch (Best Racing)

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift

Wipeout HD

GRID

Burnout Paradise

Pure

The racing category could very well be one of the more competitive categories this year. If you crave pure speed, Wipeout HD will more than suffice your hunger. With crisp, clean visuals and an excellent techno soundtrack (filled with tracks from both PSP games), WHD satisfies Wipeout fans and makes it more accessible to new players (especially with the $20 price tag). Next, there's Pure. Those who watch Pure may accuse this game of being like every single ATV game out there, but the beautiful graphics, sharp control and excellent course design makes this game one of the more fun games you could come across. Same can be said for Motorstorm: Pacific Rift. It can be called a more polished Motorstorm, but the beautiful graphics and fun courses makes this game even more fun. Want a challenge? GRID may be up your alley. Great controls, graphics and courses, with a great rewind feature that helps make the game more accessible. Finally, there's Burnout Paradise. Racing is great and intense, while the added content and the incredibly fun open world aspect improves on the Burnout franchise.

The Juiced Bar (Best Sports Game)

FIFA Soccer 09

Madden NFL 09

NHL 09

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09

Top Spin 3

Since the next gen consoles have been out, Sports fans have had to look for other types of games to get a quality sports game fix. This year, the heavyweights have finally come out of the woodwork to make quality games. None has been more scrutinized than the Madden series, but Madden NFL 09 finally delievered on the promises made since the tech demo from 2006. It took a completely reworked engine, interface and gameplay, but Top Spin 3 also has joined the big boys of sports gaming with a fresh take on competitive tennis. Consistently, Tiger Woods' series has always had a certain amount of quality to it, but Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 adds the same sheen with more features, a more robust create a character mode and even better graphics and an updated GamerNet database. The critical darling from last year, the NHL series, wows again in NHL 09, with one of the best Be A Pro modes in any sports game this year. Finally, Pro Evo soccer has always been a champs game when it came to soccer, but FIFA Soccer 09 has dethroned the king this year, thanks to excellent graphics, control and numerous options on the pitch.

The Platinum Mokujin (Best Fighting Game)

Soulcalibur IV

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Bleach: Dark Souls

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

There were some solid titles for fighting game fans, so let's check out the top picks. Anime fans had reason to brawl with Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit and Bleach: Dark Souls. While both had some shortcomings (Burst Limit was short, while Bleach's single player takes a lot of getting used to on a DS), both gave quality fighting game action with their own unique twists. Then, there's Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. A completely reworked, rebalanced version of the final Street Fighter II game, HD Remix takes the old retro title and reworks it with excellent animation and a gentler learning curve. After that is the perennial Nintendo favorite Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Not much has changed in the actually fighting mechanics, but the sheer Nintendo fanboyism, followed by the numerous things you can unlock and experience, makes Super Smash Bros. Brawl one of the more developed and fleshed out fighters. And finally, there's this year's 800lb gorilla of fighting games Soul Calibur IV. The first HD Soul Calibur has some of the best looking stages and a robust create a character mode.

The Jumpman (Best Platform)

LittleBigPlanet

N+

Mega Man 9

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

Bionic Commando: Rearmed

Platforming games haven't been this strong in years, so deciding the five that should be on the list was the toughest its ever been. Let's start small with N+, the simpliest of the bunch. Don't let the sterile and colorless graphics fool you: it hides one of the most challenging and rewarding platforms on any system, portable or Xbox 360. Also on multiple systems, Mega Man 9. The return to form for one of the most iconic gaming characters, the ninth iteration of the series brings the character back to its roots, with old-school graphics and punshing gameplay. Speaking of retro, there's the remake Bionic Commando: Rearmed for PSN and XBLA. Again, punshing difficulty but a top notch graphical presentation and charming old-school feel will let old time gamers enjoy this lavish remake. Speaking of charm, there's Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. The hilarious and inventive platformer allows more customization through vehicles to take on the numerous challenges the game throws at you. All the while, the game gives you a very sarcastic, satirical look in the nature of platformers themselves. Finally, there's the highly anticipated LittleBigPlanet. A tight, imaginative side-scrolling platformer is one thing, but to add the amount of customization that this game does is simply phenomenal in of itself. Of any of the games, LittleBigPlanet has the most longevity of any game on this list.

The Eureka! Award (Best Puzzle)

Braid

Boom Blox

Portal: Still Alive

World of Goo

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Puzzle games seem to have had the biggest break-out year this year, from the standard types of puzzle games (Tetris Party) to the more obscure. This year, one of the first puzzle games that took notice was Professor Layton and the Curious Village. Featuring a watercolor artistry with great puzzles, Layton uses the DS' strengths in new and different ways. Next, there's the Wii multiplayer extravaganza Boom Blox. More like a cross between Jenga and other game types, this charming game allows you to do all sorts of gane types. Next, there is last year's giant hit Portal in the XBLA expansion Portal: Still Alive. Those who missed the original game on The Orange Box would do well to download the game, while fans who have already completed that game are treated to 14 new puzzles to solve. World of Goo, WiiWare's charming puzzler, has you constructing towers and bridges to reach the goal with your little balls of goo. Finally, there's the enchanting critical darling of this year Braid. Braid has you manipulating time and platforming to areas in order to reach the numerous puzzle pieces and areas in the game.

This month's Chosen Twelve is surprisingly lacking in the downloadable department. So, let's just get the one downloadable game over and done: A Kingdom For Keflings. This relaxing, yet oddly addicting game uses your newly minted "Avatar" to create buildings, put your people to work and odd menial tasks for the sake of it. The game, which is a cross between SimCity and Black and White, will set you back 800 Microsoft Points, but is more than worth the price.

Next, there's Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. On the outside, it's a cutesy platformer with vehicles. Once you dig into the game, it's an exhaustively creative mini-game collection with tons of creativity to boot. You can certainly go through the game without touching the vehicle creature (or getting any of the in-game references), but some of the best parts of the game involve creating your own vehicles to tackle some of the wackier challenges.

After that is the surprisingly fun Hasbro Family Game Night. You would think that putting Connect Four, Boggle, Battleship and other games would make for a bare-bones videogame and you would be right most of the time. Well, with the added modes for all of these classic board games, it may actually be worth purchasing the digital version to get these fun and different diversions of some of these classics...even though they could be better as downloadable anyway.

Finally, there's Animal Crossing: City Folk. In what could be called The Sims with personality and overly cute critters, Animal Crossing has been charming gamers and non-gamers alike with its time lapsed gameplay since the Gamecube and it continues with this version for the Wii.

With that, coimes November's winner for the Chosen Twelve:

Animal Crossing: City Folk

Developed and Produced by Nintendo

Nothing against the three other games, but Animal Crossing is a game that just simply caters to a mass audience and continues to captivate with its simple gameplay and it's exquisite writing and charm. Any of these games are worth the scratch, but for the widest amount of people, Animal Crossing: City Folk is tops.

Here are the 11 current members of the Chosen Twelve:

Rez HD
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
The World Ends WIth You
Boom Blox
Space Invaders Extreme
Civilization Revolution
Castle Crashers
Art S T Y L E ORBIENT
Fable II
Animal Crossing: City Folk

One more month, then the Chosen One is crowned for the year.

Name: Wiz
Town: Forked
Friend Code: 1676-7189-7595

I have Pears

Please be sure to let me know you're from GameSpot. Also, any messages please keep clean. I have a small child who also plays in my town. Thanks all!

October usually signifies the start of the time where all the enthusiast gamers most anticipated games release. However, and with much surprise to this writer, there are some excellent games that came out that nearly anyone can get a hold of and enjoy.

Here are the requirements for representation on the Chosen Twelve:

1. Quality has to be high enough to recommend a must-play or must purchase

2. Game has to have a defining feature that can be easily described (ex. difficult, easy to learn)

3. Game, above all else, can be tried by a broad audience without being overly convoluted and complicated.

4. Game, preferably, has to be a new property or bring something new or fresh into other games. Or, it can be a game that was missed previously.

Let's start with what seems to be the best place for original content on a downloadable console: WiiWare. WiiWare has been home to the Nintendo created Art Style series and have since grown a niche following with the Wii crowd with their games of simplicity and fun. The latest, CUBELLO and ROTOHEX, continue the trend.

CUBELLO has you matching four blocks that come together on a consistently spinning 3D cube. Physics also play a part in this game, so players need to keep on their toes to get through each level. ROTOHEX takes the same "match color" formula, but has you making Hexagons of the same color. Again, the game looks and plays very simply, but it still keeps your attention for what can be hour long stretches.Both games are 600 Wii Points.

Next on the WiiWare front is Tetris Party, which might possibly be the most robust and enjoyable Tetris to come on any system in years. The game let's you play a classic game of Tetris...or multiple variations. Games like Field Climber, where you guide a person from the bottom to top using shapes, or Balance Board Tetris makes this game different but still familiar from the moment you start playing. This game costs 1,200 Wii Points.

Finally, on WiiWare, there's World of Goo. This bridge building simulator comes pack with some of the most artistically colorful stages concieved on a downloadable game. On top of that, the physics are spot on, with all the different types of goo you can use to create your big towers or pathways to the end. This beautiful, addictive and difficult puzzle game can be found on Wii for 1,500 pts or on Steam for $19.99.

Now, onto what has come out on disc-based format. Since 2007, one game has captured the attention of not only PS3 owners, but gamers all around. That game is LittleBigPlanet. Not only is LBP a fantastically creative game with colorful levels and creative level design, it is also one of the most fully realized community games to ever be released on a console. The create-a-level maker is easily one of the most powerful gaming tools to be given on any game, and the fact that you can customize anything in your game, from your avatar to your world hub. LittleBigPlanet on the PS3 will set you down $59.99.

Finally, there's Fable II. Now, RPG's aren't the most accessable games, but Fable II is surely the exception to the rule. SImple but deep combat, followed by a hilarious conversation system and a fully realized world with incredible art direction and sound balance this game out to be an RPG that nearly anyone can get their hands on and enjoy. Fable II on the XBOX 360 will cost you $59.99.

Fable II

Developed by: Lionhead Studios

Published by: Microsoft Game Studios

LittleBigPlanet is a phenomenal game that may very well be one of the best games of this year, if not the best. However, I really need to give major props to Peter Molyneux and Lionhead Studios, who create what may very well be one of the deepest but most accessable RPG's ever created. The simple controls really give headway to some of the deep elements of the game that hides itself in accessabliity.

As for right now, here are the members of the Chosen Twelve:

Rez HD
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
The World Ends WIth You
Boom Blox
Space Invaders Extreme
Civilization Revolution
Castle Crashers
Art S T Y L E ORBIENT
Fable II

Two months to go before The One That Plays Them All is chosen for the best game with the most accessability. Hope to hear your comments and suggestions soon!

So, you love podcasts and want a new one to download? You love videogames but feel like no one can speak to you in any of these websites? You want to listen to a podcast that speaks to you, the gamer who scours the forums and the websites? Then we think you should listen to Opinion Unlocked.

Opinion Unlocked, hosted by Bryan Fleming (Ruff_edgz) and Brad Wiswall (Gamakarmica) highlights all the big events in gaming throughout the week, talks about the games that were released and we also rant on the occasional topic. We also accept comments from all forum goers and would love to hear from you.

So, go ahead, message us here at Gamespot with a private message, visit our blogs or e-mail us at opinion.unlocked@gmail.com

For the gamers, by gamers like you. This is Opinion Unlocked. Now on iTunes!