..will be a lot less entertaining than Cary’s, sorry. But hey, you’re here now, may as well read on!

Anybody with an interest in games knows that 2007 was a fantastic year. If you disagree, you really should find a new hobby, because no matter what your preferred platform or genre, you were handed some golden titles. This list however is about my personal favorites, most of which you’ll find reviews for at GamerDad. There’s no ranking here, as it has worked out that just about all my favorites were quite different types of games, it would be too hard to compare! Instead, consider this list as games that I want to draw special attention to.

Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness (PSP, GamerDad review)

If you just have to rank things, I suppose I could put this at the top as the game I’ve sunk most time into, though considering it’s a port of the 2003 PS2 game it feels like a bit of a cheat. But the move to a portable format is perfect for this turn-based strategy/RPG extravaganza, I play it in a whole new way. I’ve put dozens of hours into it, playing it while I cook dinner, wait for code to compile, or when I don’t want to watch what everybody else is on the TV. I haven’t even finished it either, I’m just playing earlier stages over and over to level up. The presentation and humor makes this task – a chore in most other games – enjoyable.

Portal (PC, 360, PS3, GamerDad review)

No, I’m not going to lump everything in as “The Orange Box”, because each component of that package truly stands on its own. Portal is special however, as it manages to provide a genuine surprise twist, no easy thing in this age of instant communication, while still being fully playable as the mind-bending first-person action puzzle we all expected it to be. Unlike many people, I’ve only played through Portal once, and I still found the experience satisfying enough to give it a shout out. OBLIGATORY CAKE REFERENCE HERE.

Odin Sphere (PS2, GamerDad review)

I’m a sucker for pretty anime girls, I make no attempt to hide that. So when a game arrives that has you taking control of several pretty anime girls fighting bad guys and is presented in truly beautiful 2D artwork, you know I’m going to love it, and it’s one of my favorite games now. The funny thing is that the gameplay is quite repetitive and the PS2 can’t really handle some of the more intense battles, but these flaws do nothing to dampen my enthusiasm. You really should pick it up before it goes out of print and impossible to find, like every other Atlus game.

Half-Life 2: Episode Two (PC, 360, PS3, GamerDad review)

In a way, I consider myself lucky to have not played Episode One until I bought The Orange Box, because that set me up for some terrific back-to-back gaming nights playing through the extensions to one of the best computer games in recent years. The new chapters are as good – if not better – than the original game, showing the evolution of Valve’s storytelling and technical abilities, drawing real emotion from me.

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

Yeah, automatic game of the year, really. It just epitomizes what video games are all about for me, and I smile every time I play. There are games with better stories and better graphics, but nothing pulls everything together as well as a good Mario game, and this is a good Mario game. There’s a segment in the latest issue of EGM where various game designers talk about why Nintendo games are Nintendo games, and the level of polish and feeling of control that are the big N’s trademark are on full show here.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3, GamerDad review)

And here we have a game that proves that Nintendo aren’t the only ones who can provide a solid platforming adventure. While a lot more “shooty” than Mario, it still delivers an entertaining trip that’s pretty family-friendly, with graphics that make you feel like you’re in a Pixar movie. Well alright, Dreamworks. Probably the best game on the PS3.

Team Fortress 2 (PC, 360, PS3, GamerDad review)

Talking of shooty.. this is the game that got me playing online again. I had rarely played FPS games against other people since deathmatch fell out of favor, aside from a dalliance with Counter-Strike, because as every adult gamer knows, it’s hard to perform in a team game when you might have to drop out at any moment to change a diaper, Band-Aid a boo-boo, or make dinner. You can’t compete with college kids with nothing better to do for three hours. The pull of TF2 is too strong to resist however. It’s as if the whole concept of team-based FPS has been looked at with fresh eyes in order to answer a single question: How can we make a fun game for everybody?

Picross (DS, GamerDad review)

I didn’t immediately jump on this because I thought it was too numbersy, and I get enough of that with Sudoku. However, while numbers are involved, they’re only there as hints in this game. There have been several iterations of Picross, and as we’ve seen time and time again on the DS, when they’re done right, puzzles are perfect for the dual-screen / stylus format, with “just one more go!” being a common phrase. I’ll say this though – somebody NEEDS to create a DS sequel to the obscure Japanese GBA game Guru Logi(c) Champ, which shares a close resemblance to Picross except you’re rotating the board to fire pieces in instead of picking them specifically. I was excited when I saw Kuroputo Cool Cool Stars get a US release as there are some similar mechanics in place, but it’s nowhere near as fun as Guru Logi.

Stuntman: Ignition (PS2, 360, PS3, GamerDad review)

Here’s a game that most people probably passed on, with the bad taste of the first game left in their mouth (cool idea, frustrating execution) or just because the Burnout series provides all the flashy crashy driving action they need. Well, I’m telling those people to look at this sequel. By its very nature there is still lots of “try, try again” gameplay, but the frustration level is managed quite well, allowing you to progress much easier. The film stunts provide more thrills than any of Burnout’s crashes, and while still not the same, I think anyone disappointed with Burnout Paradise’s Crash-replacing Showtime mode should check out Ignition.

Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree (Wii, GamerDad review)

I have to enjoy any game that gets the whole family playing, and Amy’s competitive streak was brought out for this. It has much more of a game feel than the DS brain games, particularly with the inclusion of the gameshow-style multiplayer option. Besides, it’s shown me that I’m smarter than GamerDad.

QuickSpot (DS, GamerDad review)

I checked this out after reading Cary’s review, and even if you remove his bias as a Namco fan, everything he said still holds true. It’s a perfect 10-minutes-a-day game, you’ll keep finding new things, and it’s just flat-out enjoyable. Unlike Cary, I’m willing to call the repetition a plus too – while it might seem better to have new pictures, you have to think on your feet when you encounter a familiar scene in the rapid mode, as the differences are not always the same.

Peggle (PC, iPod, coming soon to 360, GamerDad review)

I almost want to call this game of the year. Nothing in recent memory comes close to being as addictive, accessible, and just plain fun as Peggle. I first tried it because of the special Peggle Extreme version included in the PC version of the Orange Box, and was instantly hooked on the curious blend of pachinko, breakout, and pinball. My 2-year-old daughter loves it (and can play rather well). My 12-year-old son loves it. My mum loves it. Anybody who dismisses it as a game of pure luck is pure wrong, because while some luck is involved (the boards include a random element to keep things interesting) the path of the ball can be predictably calculated by a skilled player.

Special Mentions

There are some games that deserve recognition even if I couldn’t truthfully list them as my favorites this year. A pair of games (Smart Girl’s Playhouse / Smart Boy’s Gameroom) on the DS showed up in the US late in the year that are unique in that they target the under 5 market – and they’re actually good, with high production values and a quirky Japanese feel (because they’re Japanese..) that will keep the little ones entertained. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is probably the second-best game on the PS3, delivering a real adventure movie feel, only let down by repetition with the enemies and my dislike for the PS3 controller for shooting games like this. Folklore is another PS3 exclusive that is worth checking out, but not a system-seller to me. On the Wii, Mario Strikers Charged continues to provide many happy moments playing against my son, but could stand a little more Nintendo-ness (and balance in the single player!). I had high hopes for another Wii title, WarioWare Smooth Moves, but while I enjoyed playing through it, I was disappointed in the limited multiplayer game. Let’s have a Wii sequel to Mega MicroGame$ please! Finally, I’m not a massive PC gamer, but GameTap saw massive improvement in 2007. There is literally no reason for you to ignore GameTap, even if you only sign up for a free account, and with a year’s subscription now available for the price of one game (60 bucks if you pay for a year, 10 a month otherwise) it’s still amazing value, especially when you consider that they are now getting new PC games the same day as retail! I’ll be honest, I just unsubscribed, but for one reason – with limited time for the rest of the family, the only person making use of the account was Charlotte, and unfortunately GameTap lost the license for the Humongous catalog (Freddi Fish, Pajama Sam, etc.) in December and thus Charlotte lost most of her playlist. Even with this loss, GameTap is still easy to recommend.

And so to 2008! Smash! Metal! Little! Fall! Mercs! Grand! Left! Duke? Yep, looks like another good year.

Tags: Misc