WipEout Pure (PSP): I feel the same way about WipEout Pure as Matt does about Ridge Racer for the PSP. Both games have the same graphical shine to them, although Ridge Racer may look a little crisper as it has a realistic setting. WipEout Pure may not offer the insane challenge, but it more then makes up for it in downloadable content. With eight download packs (to date), I keep coming back to WipEout Pure more often then Ridge Racer - or any other PSP game for that matter. If it only had Infrastructure Wi-Fi it may have seen GOTY honors. Ad Hoc is enough though as this speedy game is addictive with one or seven more people to race against.
Now, if only Xbox Live games offered this much after the initial purchase.
Mario Kart DS (DS): Mario Kart, the often imitated but never duplicated kart racer is back, as strong now as it was in its debut 13 years ago. This time the DS's dual screens add much to the already polished game. What a way to jump start the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and online games for the Nintendo DS.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS): It sure is a shame that the consoles get the mediocre 3D Castlevania, but it is great news for handheld owners. The GBA games have been good, but nothing has come close to Symphony of the Night until now. We finally have another wonderful 2D Castlevania.
Honorable Mentions:
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA): Proving that the GBA is not dead, Minish Cap is a wonderful and new addition to the Zelda franchise.
Sid Meier's Pirates! (Xbox): It is not an easy task taking a PC game to the console, but Sid Meier's Pirates! on the Xbox is, in many respects, better. It is still the solid game it was 20 years ago.
God of War (PS2): Games don’t get much bloodier then this. But there is actually a fun game with some great boss battles under all that carnage.
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee (PSP): Arcade golf perfected - with cute little anime people running around the golf course. More challenging that you would think, too.
Article comments
1 - Alisha Karabinus
Man, it was allllllllll about Resident Evil. Y'all could have just left these other games on the floor or something.
First time the ol' chainsaw man came at me, I about peed my pants. I've never been so jumpy during a game in my life.
2 - Ken Edwards
Well, we didn't want to sound like fanboys or anything :)
There were a lot of great games this year. But RE4 was the best, by leaps and bounds. It was such a great experience. And yea, getting your head severed from you body from Chain Saw Dude was intense.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
Minish Cap. No question.
4 - jcdfdxxc
what about halo 2
5 - Ken Edwards
If you look at last year's list, for 2004, you will see Halo 2 listed. It came out in November of 2004.
6 - Alisha Karabinus
Maybe jcd.... means Halo 2 was STILL the best game of the year. ;)
7 - Aaman
It was pretty good - especially the way they continually extended it's online value with new multi-player map packs
8 - Ken Edwards
Maybe, I did not think of it that way. But even last year I don't think it was tops. The Live additions have been great. It is a shame more games do not take advantage of content download.
I might also add that I am not the biggest FPS fan in the world, but it is a genre I always play. Of course until this year I didn't really care for racing games at all, and now it is one of my favorite.
That can be attributed to Ridge Racer on the PSP, and then my endless addiction to Forza on the Xbox. And for the record, I do own all 3 racers for the 360: Ridge Racer 6, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and Project Gothem Racing 3. I am such a racing whore, I know.
9 - unknown
has any one here played gran theft auto san andras for xbox
10 - unknown
if so can you tell me how it was i might buy it if its good
11 - Dragon Voyager
I know it's just a rehash of a game brought out in 2004, but Ninja Gaiden Black deserved an honorable mention IMO. All the new features added just rocked my socks off.
That and the fact that the Mission Mode caused me to pull every hair out of my head. That deserves a mention. Team Ninja needs a new catchphrase:
"WARNING: Playing our games may cause baldness, fits of rage, new curse words being created in the span of a heartbeat and slight cases of diabetes."