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Feature Articles > Features > Cary Woodham's Top 10 Games from 2003
Cary Woodham picks the best 10 games of the year! GAMERDAD: Cary is our resident Mega Man, Pac-Man, and Klonoa expert. This is more valuable than it sounds... He also used to write for the Dallas Morning News. Here are his picks for 2003's best games! by Cary Woodham 10. Sonic Pinball Party:(GBA) I love video pinball sims. It was really hard for me to decide which one was better: Sonic Pinball Party or Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire. Both GBA games are great. But I went with Sonic because the game felt more like a real pinball table. Plus there's tables based on NIGHTS and Samba de Amigo, which is awesome. Interesting to note is that Sonic Pinball Party is pretty rare. You can only buy it at Target.  9. Viewtiful Joe: (GC) Capcom is generally known for pooping out sequel after sequel after rehash after rehash (Mega Man, Street Fighter). So for them to pull out with Viewtiful Joe was a nice surprise. It's a throwback 2-D platformer beat-em-up, but its unique gameplay mechanics, cel-shaded graphics and off-the-wall humor give it a sense of style that most games today don't have. Henshin A-Go-Go, Baby! 8. Mario Kart Double Dash!!: (GC) Despite the new dual kart aspect, Mario Kart is still more of the same. But in this case, that's a good thing. It's still a great racing game that everyone can play.  7. Kirby Air Ride: (GC) I rate Kirby one notch higher than Mario Kart because Air Ride has more unique gameplay mechanics, more creative track designs, more things to unlock, better sound and visuals, and some really interesting game play modes. I've seen kids make up their own games in City Trial. You can't do that with most games. Plus Kirby's simple controls make it even more accessible to all age groups, and experts can find enough challenge as well. I think in my review of Kirby Air Ride I said I'd probably like Mario Kart Double Dash better. I'm eating crow now!  6. Ape Escape 2: (PS2) This little gem was released quietly last summer. It's a cute 3-D platformer where you use crazy gadgets to catch monkeys. It featured unique game controls in that you control your character with the left analog stick and operate the gadgets with the right analog stick. Each of the 300 monkeys you had to catch had their own distinct personality, and the game was packed with fun unlockables in the form of gumball machine prizes (like mini-games and comics).  5. Ratchet and Clank 2: Going Commando: (PS2) As far as 3-D platformers go, Ratchet and Clank is as close to gaming perfection as you can get. All game developers could learn a thing or two from Insomniac. R&C 2 featured more of the same from the first game. You had crazy weapons and gadgets (like the remote controlled explosive robot spiders and the 'Sheepinator'), spot on play control with virtually no camera angle problems, plenty of extra challenges to up the replay value, huge detailed worlds to explore, and a sense of humor to boot. Plus, Going Commando has one of the coolest 'Easter Eggs' ever in a video game: The Insomniac Museum! 4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GC): I don't need to explain what makes the Zelda games so great. Wind Waker's expressive use of cel-shaded graphics really gave it a sense of personality, though.  3. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: (GBA) It's a fun action-RPG with colorful graphics and great character animation, not to mention a wacky sense of humor. I like all the ways that Mario and Luigi have to work together as brothers to overcome obstacles. Kind of a good message for kids, wouldn't you say? Plus, Mario & Luigi has tons of obscure classic Mario references. They even bring back seven of my most favorite Mario characters later in the game. Can you guess who those seven are? 2. Pac-Man Vs.: (GC) This is GBA to GameCube connectivity put to good use! Even though you need a lot of equipment to play it, Pac-Man Vs. is a great multiplayer title that keeps the core gameplay in Pac-Man intact. It may not set the multiplayer game genre on fire, but at least you can get Pac-Man Vs. for free (with the purchase of another Namco GameCube game). And plus, IT'S PAC-MAN! That's all I really need to say. (Warning: You can only get this as a freebie with R-Racing, I-Ninja, or Pac-Man World 2. Sometimes you can find a copy on eBay.)  1. Wario Ware: Mega Microgame$: (GBA) Sometimes it's not just the games, but the way that they are presented that counts. Wario Ware features more than 200 simplistic mini-games (micro-games is a more accurate description). But it's the way you play them in rapid succession that is so unique and fun. Wario Ware also features weird Japanese humor in the games, like one challenge where you have to pick a nose or push the A button rapidly to sniff a snot bubble up an anime woman's nose! There are also a lot of mini-games based on classic Nintendo franchises. Wario Ware has almost as much Nintendo history as Super Smash Bros. Melee, with games based on Nintendo toys as far back as the 60's! Wario Ware is the perfect portable pick-up-and-go game, with fun characters and games and great graphics and sound! But Wario Ware also works on a deeper level as well, and that's why it is number one for me. Wario Ware is all about Wario and a few of his friends making lots of simple games by themselves. It takes me back to the Atari days when only one person could make a fun and simple game and everyone would go ga-ga over it. You just can't do that in today's video game business.
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