This is something I was hoping to include in the 2008 awards article, but that article already had too many words. So here it is, instead. It’s a blog exclusive!
Best Reviewed Game of 2008
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
(Wii)
From the review: “…overwhelmingly this is a title everyone should own and is accessible to casual gamers, stays true to the series for the hardcore gamers, and balances play between the two so everyone can enjoy playing together. This core concept is what Nintendo and ultimately what the Wii brand is all about, and the game pulls it all off exceptionally.”
Trivia: Sprite Monkey had to win a battle to the death in Versus Mode to earn the right to review this game.
More trivia: This game was released in 2008 and everyone was totally obsessed with it, but it failed to win anything in our year-end awards.
Jewel Knight Crusaders
(PC)
Review by: Matt Gardner
From the review: “…the game comes off as something a newbie programmer slapped together in 45 minutes after getting rejected yet again by every single girl he’s ever tried to dry hump at a school dance/club/office party/etc. It isn’t fun in the least, and the content is so repetitive and boring that I can’t even see an enthusiastic rapist getting through the whole thing without a yawn or two…. Even if you are the number one rape fan in the universe, there have to be better alternatives.”
Trivia: Not only did this game receive the lowest score in 2008, it’s also tied for the lowest score in GameCola history, with Midnight Raiders, reviewed by Richo Rosai in June 2005.)
Hey! While I’ve got you here, here are my personal top 10 favorite games from 2008:
1. Chrono Trigger (DS)
2. LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
3. Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution (X360)
4. Castle Crashers (X360-XBLA)
5. Fallout 3 (X360)
6. Sam & Max: Season 2 (all the episodes that were released this year, but, in particlar, Chariot of the Dogs)
7. Time Hollow (DS)
8. Pajama Sam in Don’t Fear the Dark (Wii)
9. Swords & Monsters (X360-CG)
10. Super Mario RPG (Wii-VC)
Anyone else wanna share their top games of the year? If you’re a GC writer, go ahead—make a blog post about it. I won’t stop you.
And hey! For kicks, here’s three games from 2008 that disappointed me a great deal:
1. Mario Kart Wii (ruined multiplayer and ruined, cheaptastic gameplay)
2. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (ruined the Phoenix Wright character)
3. You’re in the Movies (ruined a really neat-sounding concept)
