Well, 2006 is almost over, so I'm gonna look back at some of the best games of '06.

Need for Speed Carbon
This game blew me away.  The new, revamped Drift races are a blast, the game looks amazing, even on the Xbox and other consoles of that generation.  The new Autosculpt is awesome and really allows even more depth when it comes to customization, and a plethora of different vehicles, along with 3 classes - Tuner, Muscle, and Exotic - means that there is something for everyone.  For sheer, pick-up-and-play racing thrills, this game didn't disappoint, and for those who want in for the long run, it didn't disappoint in that respect, either.

LocoRoco
Damn, not enough people played this game - why?  Is it the cutesy charm that turns guy gamers off?  Is it the simplistic controls, or is it merely the fact that it's on the PSP?  Honestly, I played it just for the hell of it all, and I ended up thoroughly enjoying the game.  There's plenty of game to entertain you, and it isn't as easy as it appears - it does provide quite a challenge for casual gamers and 100% completists alike.  Way underappreciated.

Star Wars: Empire At War and Forces of Corruption Expansion Pack
This RTS went unattended to after the release of Company of Heroes, and this is actually a very fun, challenging game with tons of replay value, further added by the addition of a "rogue" side in the expansion pack "Forces of Corruption".  This game is more than just Star Wars universe fan service - this is one hell of an RTS that shouldn't be missed by Star Wars and overall RTS fans alike.

Daxter
What can be said?  This is the game that really defines what the PSP can do.  Daxter, everyone's favorite loud-mouthed, arrogant ottsel, got his own game.  Although the storyline is strange at best, don't let that be a misnomer - this is a very complete platforming experience, containing all of the great platforming elements from the Jak and Daxter series while still maintaining the series trademark humor through cutscenes, dialogue, and "dream sequence" mini-games that spoof movies such as Braveheart, Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, and more.  Along with great graphics, this was the definitive portable gaming experience of the year.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Made by the same people who create the X-Men Legends games - which, mind you, are great games, especially in the multiplayer aspect - Ultimate Alliance gives you control of about 30 some-odd different heroes from the Marvel universe.  The controls are tight, the graphics are great, but the multiplayer, as always with a game coming from the X-Men Legends team, is what truly shines.  Not only that, but it's online-enabled, and it works almost perfectly.  Without a doubt one of the great online multiplayer experiences that doesn't contain the words "Halo" or "Gears of War" in it.



That's all I'll touch base on for now.  See you some other time.