*Best Video Game*

Winner: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

I know some people still insist that Super Smash Bros. Melee is a better game than Brawl, but let’s be realistic, Brawl took everything that made Melee so awesome and added more depth and content than anyone thought possible to it. Unless you’re a total snob about Melee, you can see Brawl is the better game. Would anyone say Megaman is better than Megaman 2? No they wouldn’t, because Megaman 2 made everything you loved about the first game even better.

Ignorant fanboys aside, Brawl is an amazing game. With new characters, levels and content up the wazoo, it proved to be the most addictive game of 2008. It’s only a shame that the online mode wasn’t as good as it could have been, especially since all those snobby “look at how hardcore I am” fanboys always pick that blasted Battlefield stage when playing online. Half the fun of Smash Bros. are the fun obstacles and platforming elements, why pick the level devoid of all these? Oh yeah so they can pretend like they’re all cool and hardcore or whatever. Ooops I’m letting the fanboys get in the way again. I pick Brawl as my Game of the Year because it’s just plane fun, pure and simple. I still pop it into my Wii pretty often to have a Smashing good time (I greatly apologize for that right there).

Runner-up: Megaman 9 (Wii, 360, PS3)

Megaman 9 was every bit as worthy as Brawl when it came to my Game of the Year award, and reminded everyone just how great video games once were, and how great they still could be. Megaman made his long overdue return in the best way possible: great gameplay, awesome music, memorable characters and the high level of difficulty Megaman is known for. Megaman 9 proved to be one of the best games in the storied franchise’s history.

Runner-up: Left 4 Dead (360)

Left 4 Dead is yet another example that Valve is the king of the first-person shooter genre. Left 4 Dead is literally like a classic zombie movie turned into a video game. But best of all, it was an extremely fun game. Filled with action suspense and great gameplay, Left 4 Dead is more than just another first-person shooter, Left 4 Dead is one of the best games of 2008, and a multiplayer classic.

Runner-up: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Solid Snake’s final mission proved to be one of his very best, and the best game on the PS3. While it sometimes may seem more like a movie than a game (hey it’s Metal Gear!), nothing took away from the fact that the game play was spot on.  And the fact that this is the final Metal Gear gave it more impact.