I hate to dish this award out, but sadly the Cube was at its weakest in 2005. It missed out on some good multiplatform releases (Burnout Revenge, Psychonauts), and had no good exclusives. When Nintendo's best 1st party games are 3d versions of Fire Emblem and Advance Wars that play almost the same as their 2d counterparts, you know you're in trouble. Even its greatest assest, Resident Evil 4 could be played on another console.
Nintendo is lucky that their fans are so loyal. We know the Revolution should bring some great new things to gaming, and we know that Twilight Princess will be better off thanks to the delay. But in return Gamecube fans were left high and dry this year, so much so that I could no longer rely on it as my primary console for this generation. Let's hope things speed up in 2006.
Biggest Surprise 2005: Nnitendo DS
And in the blue corner we have Nintendo again, this time with the DS. I have been harsh on the handheld since it was announced way back when, but this Christmas I finally got my hands on one for an extended period of time. The system is really well designed; it is sturdy in construction, has plenty of buttons, and the touch screen is very well implemented. The wireless setup is simple but very robust, and the menu systems have a very slick design. Oh, and it had a staggering list of original and entertaining games this holiday season. The PSP may have have the horsepower and the gizmos, but the DS manages to provide a fun, sturdy system for a great price.
The Christian Eats Crow Award: Slim Playstation 2
I've bashed the PS2 more than anything this generation. Everything from snide remarks to outright loathing. But when I had some extra money at the start of the summer, I passed over both and iPod and an Xbox in order to pick up a Slimline PS2. While I don't think I would have been dissapointed with the other items, I think I made the right choice.
First there is the size. The slim model is easily one of my favorite console designs ever. It fits perfectly between my phone and TV, and is incredibly portable. Plus it has the network adapter built in, and the console is finally toploading. Sure it allegedly has some hardware issues, but so does the regular PS2 and the Xbox and the Xbox 360. It is practically the norm these days...
Then there are the games. I've already got 16 of them by year's end, with more to pick up in 2006. I still believe that Sony broke the rules of competition with the PS2 (by making gaming a war of "just good enough" rather than "the best"), and that a great deal of its library is junk. But with a sharp eye and an open mind you can find some knockout titles. I finally managed to complete my fighting game collection, and found Metal Gear Solid 3, Ico, Beyond Good and Evil, Burnout 3 and Devil May Cry all for $20 or less. Plus all three of my game nominees can be played on the console. You're still a rat bastard Sony, but I think now I can live with you around.
Best game I played not from 2005: Ico
It is the spiritual predecessor of Shadow, which alone puts it in high esteem. But Ico manages to stand on its own two feet as an addictive platformer that is both surreal and emotional. It is a completly different beast than its brother, but one that is just as worth playing.
Game that needs to go away (at least for a little while): Katamari Damacy
I feel bad giving this award to Katamari Damacy. It really didn't do anything bad. I actually like the game a lot, and I'm glad that to this day people are still discovering it. The problem is that people just won't shut up about the damn game. It is always the same thing; some otaku stumbles across the game, finds the unique concept to be fun, and the quirky japanese style to be so kawaii. After that they continuously proclaim that it is the best game ever, that nothing else is as original, that the music is so amazing, and those who haven't played it are some form of gaming slug. Katamari quickly destroys any internet debate dealing with innovation or game design, and I've literally seen people break out into the game's theme song at every chance they get. Yet half the time they can't even explain why they like it beyond the reason of "its so wierd and cool." One of the best games of last year also happens to be perfect otaku bait.
I understand you all like the game, but there is plenty of other good stuff out there. No it isn't all wierd and Japanese, but that shouldn't matter. And no, you aren't some wisened sage of gaming lore because you stumbled upon the one under the radar game that actually managed to garner a lot of press time. Why don't you spend some of that energy looking at the import scene? I promise you'll find lots of other good titles, and it just might convince some studios to release more Japanese games over here.
Worst of all, the fans are beating the horse dead. One Katamari sequel is fine. One main sequel and two handheld games in a little over a year is overkill. If they all start complaining that their favorite series has "sold out", they won't have anyone else to blame. In five years, when the PS3 is beginning to get a bit old, I would love to see another Katamri style game. But right now I think it could use a little break.
So there you have it everyone. The first Gaming Retrospective is over, and I hope you found it enjoyable. If not, well, I didn't mean to offend anyone either (not even the Katamari fans. I think they just need to calm down a bit). Have a great New Year's celebration, and I'll see you in 2006.
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