2000 - Perfect Dark (N64)
We start off the decade with the spiritual successor to Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark, which brought even more to the table. This first-person shooter still trumps many current day offers in gameplay, accessibility, and options. The single-player is fun, but the multi-player is truly where it's at. With up to eight bots of different personalities, customizable weapons, teams, and modes, and a host of large, expansive arenas, Perfect Dark still remains my favorite FPS period. Catch it when it an updated version hits Xbox Live Arcade sometime this winter.
2001 - Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)
The all-star brawl is one with Super Smash Bros. Melee. Compared to Brawl, Melee is much faster, but whether it's more fun is a small matter of opinion. (Brawl rules!) Filled with 25 characters, numerous themed arenas, items, and spanning several decades of Nintendo history with the addition of trophies, and you have one game that seemingly has it all. Who knew that Brawl would come out and have even more content and options?!
2002 - Metroid Prime (GCN)
When Metroid was announced to be entering the first-person genre, many gamers felt worried, suspicious, skeptical, cautious, apprehensive about the news. Thankfully, their shaky feelings would be put to rest once they played what would be called Metroid Prime. Retro Studios successfully translated 2-D Metroid into the third dimension, and they did so with glorious style. There were plenty of secrets to find, lands to explore such as the icy and ever-popular Phendrana Drifts, computers to scan, bosses to battle, and enemies to take down.
2003 - Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)
Going Commando was and still is my first ever entry into the Ratchet & Clank franchise. It's an action-platformer with tight emphasis on the platforming part. There's a myriad of powerful weaponry to use, and as they're used they level up in strength and efficiency. The lovable duo of Ratchet and Clank are hilarious together as is the story. The locales are memorable, the game's difficulty is just right, and there's plenty of content to unlock, places to see, things to do.
2004 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, Xbox, PC)
Hot coffee, anyone? While I never got the chance to see this mod, I appreciated Rockstar's San Andreas all the same. The state of San Andreas was absolutely huge with three major cities, badlands, and a countryside. There was plenty of fun missions with enough variety to keep players coming back for more. It was almost overwhelming how much there was to the greatness that is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Who doesn't love leaping out of a plane and falling to the ground without the safety of a parachute?
2005 - Resident Evil 4 (Wii, GCN, PS2, PC)
Resident Evil 4 reinvented the franchise, but what did I know? This was my first Resident Evil. It got me interested in the series in the first place. Perhaps had I played the earlier games, I'd be even more impressed with RE4. It ditched the tank controls and fixed camera views for an over the shoulder perspective that many current and future games utilize. It had massive creatures to take down, chainsaw-wielding wackos to avoid, and enough thrills to last the whole year.
2006 - Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
A remake of Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is a PlayStation 2 exclusive title that takes the MGS franchise into a whole new perspective. No longer will you have to deal with fixed camera angles as Snake has slid his way into a free-roaming camera. It makes surveying the land much easier without breaking the game entirely. Add in two classic Metal Gear titles, the opportunity to watch cinematics at any time, and one of the best tales in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, and there are your reasons why MGS Subsistence is 2006's Game of the Year.
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
This is the big one. Not only is it the Game of the Year, but I'd go as far to call it the Game of the Decade. But enough Game of the... talk. Let's see why Super Mario Galaxy is so great. Well, playing is believing, and that holds true with Galaxy. Mario controls tightly, the levels are colorful and well-crafted, the cinematics are absolutely gorgeous, and the musical score is orchestrated with great care. No other game this generation has given me more "wow" moments than Super Mario Galaxy. That definitely says something about this great game.
2008 - LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
Play, Create, Share-- it is the mantra of the LittleBigPlanet series. Play the pre-packaged levels, create your own masterpieces, and share them with the world. It's a happening community that is still going strong a year after release with new downloadable content and updates. The platforming may be too floaty to some, but for me it's absolutely perfect. It's very rewarding creating your own levels, and then having total strangers give their advice and comments on. It's very cool, and Media Molecule created a fantastic game.
2009 - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
The most recent Game of the Year recipient is New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Not only is a terrific return to 2-D form, but it still possesses that Mario charm from the original games. The multi-player is a blast to play with up to four people either saving each others' hides or costing one anothers' lives. The level design is some of the best the series has ever seen with rotating blocks, great enemy placement, and a consistent number of new challenges each level. Nobody does it better than Mario, and nobody else is 2009's Game of the Year.
What were your favorite games of the past decade? Let us know in the comments section!
Yes to Brawl and MG. By the way, there's a complete collection pack for the Metroid Prime series if you are interested.
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