10) Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

Puzzle games are a dime a dozen these days, and while particularly addictive ones can still get attention, it usually takes something truly innovative that breaks the mold to make everyone sit up and take notice. That’s exactly what this title did.

9) Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Isn’t it just another romp through the world of Ratchet and Clank? Yes, but it’s also an incredibly polished game to be released in a console’s first year of life. The story might be lacking compared to past installments, but if ever there were a game that took us one step closer to controlling a Pixar cartoon, this is it.

8 ) Pac-Man: Championship Edition

The announcement of this game drew laughs from many, including much of the gaming press. Once they played the actual game, however, all opinions changed. It’s the most addictive arcade game in years, and with the minor caveat of the time limits, it’s one of the few “perfect” games released all year.

7) Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune

Sony’s other big holiday franchise lived up to its hype, and then some. The story was first-rate, and players were more than happy to mix a little bit of Tomb Raider with a little bit of Gears of War. Uncharted marked the firm beginning of a new franchise, and one of the most completely realized games of the year.

6) Zak & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

The first year of the Wii’s life may have brought record profits to Nintendo, but it hasn’t always been kind to owners of the little-system-that-could. The sad drought of good games was slightly quenched by this inventive platform/puzzle mix. It reminded us all of the best a Nintendo console could offer.

5) Rock Band

Going into the holiday season Guitar Hero might have been getting all the headlines, but by year’s end one clear winner was left standing. This “evolution” of Guitar Hero takes the same basic rhythmic gameplay and expands it to a full band, and along the way creates the best party game–maybe ever.

4) Crackdown

Likely, if you bought this game it was not for the game at all, but for the Halo 3 beta it came packaged with. Hopefully at some point you played the actual game, as well. If so, you found one of the best sandbox games ever created. The incredibly fun feeling that came along with scaling skyscrapers and leaping between them puts this game alongside Grand Theft Auto as the sandbox titles to beat.

3) Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Sunshine was a let down to many, and proof to others that the series had forever lost its shine (no pun intended). Galaxy reminded everyone that Mario is still the kind of gameplay innovation, and that when a Mario titles is done right, as this one is, it can make all other titles of its genre feel like pale imitators.

2) Portal

Portal is the singular best experience anyone will have playing a game all year. From the mind bending gameplay to the the mind bending plot, it’s that nugget of gold you mine for all year while playing new releases. So, why not number one? As great as it is, another title’s sheer cinematic power slightly overwhelmed it.

1) Bioshock

Best game of the year? Easily. Bioshock was a firm punch to the gut of the first person shooter genre. Hopefully it’s the wake-up call the genre has desperately needed. More characters? Individually rendered appendages? Fantastic! Bioshock trumps all technical innovations with raw storytelling. You care about the game, and what happens within it, and that’s a rare feat in a modern disposable culture. In fact, it brings games dangerously close to what the best films do for an audience–make them care. Evey game should aspire so high.

Related posts:

1. Top five most influential NES games
2. The precarious problem with the Wii’s first year
3. Top five most influential SNES games
4. Four films that need games made of them
5. Video games are not quite as mature as you might think

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