It' s your choice, so pick what you want. Doesn' t matter about review scores or official award nominations or anything like that...pick 1, pick 5, pick 20. It' s up to you, and rank them. Of the games you' ve played this year, which deserves the top honors? If you feel the need to list explanations for your choices, go right ahead.

Mine:

1. The Chronicles of Riddick
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
3. Halo 2
4. Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
5. Ninja Gaiden
6. Champions of Norrath
7. Star Ocean: ' Til the End of Time
8. Half-Life 2
9. Onimusha 3
10. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal

Games I haven' t played yet but fairly sure they have a chance of making the list:

Fable
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Metroid Prime 2: Stir of Echoes
Tales of Symphonia
World of Warcraft
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Burnout 3
Jak III
Ace Combtat 5
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Kingdom Under Fire
Katamari Damacy

Mine:

1. The Chronicles of Riddick
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
3. Halo 2
4. Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
5. Ninja Gaiden
6. Champions of Norrath
7. Star Ocean: ' Til the End of Time
8. Half-Life 2
9. Onimusha 3
10. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal

Unfortunately for me I' ve only played 2 games from that list. But those two were definitely ace!

Games I haven' t played yet but fairly sure they have a chance of making the list:

Fable
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Metroid Prime 2: Stir of Echoes
Tales of Symphonia
World of Warcraft
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Burnout 3
Jak III
Ace Combtat 5
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Kingdom Under Fire

lol, once again only played two games from the list. Tales of Symphonia and Metal Gear Solid 3. Tales of Symphonia was definitely the best RPG I' ve played all year, but then again it' s the ONLY RPG I' ve played all year, lol..

My personal picks so far are:

Viewtiful Joe 2
Gradius V
Virtua Fighter Cyber Generation (Virtua Quest)
Outrun 2
Onimusha 3
Ninja Gaiden
Breakdown
Metal Gear Solid 3
WWE: Day of Reckoning

This is very difficult because there haven' t been a ton of games I' ve liked this year. But I' ll give it a shot.

1. Rallisport Challenge 2
2. Out Run 2
3. Gradius V
4. Feel the Magic XY/XX
5. Burnout 3
6. Katamari Damacy
7. Halo 2
8. Otogi 2

Another VERY enjoyable game I' ve played this year was Hudson' s Adventure Island remake. I mean it' s not the type of game that would get nominated as a game of the year candidate but it is one of my favorites remakes released this year!

Well if it came out this year and you enjoy it, then it should be on your list! I almost forgot about Rallisport Chalenge 2 and Otogi 2 until I walked in and looked at my collection, even though they were fantastic games and I still enjoy them (especially Rallisport). I have a harder time remembering what came out this year and what didn' t.

I am getting Wario Warez and F-Zero Legends for the GBA for Christmas, so either of those might be on my list after I play them as well. Speaking of which I must edit my list to add a DS game!

Most of the games I' ve played this year came out in 2003 or even before then which is a shame.

Anyhow 2004 favourites are:

Astro Boy (GBA)
Dragon Quest V (PS2)
Dragon Quest VIII (PS2)
Made in Wario (GBA)
Outrun 2 (xbox)
Pro Evolution Soccer 4 (PS2)
Winning Eleven 7 International (PS2)

The pre 2004 stuff is much better though

All things considered and reconsidered, i think I have to go with Half Life 2 for best game of the year. simply incredible!

I' ve got a question about that Star Ocean game...Is it like a direct sequel or just a stand alone game? I just finished Knights of the Old Republic 2 and I' ve got a hunger for another RPG before I head back to college.

Otogi II and Astro Boy for both the GameBoy Advance and PS2 are definitely on there for me as well as the recently released Chaos Fiend for the Dreamcast

So far my favorite game of the year has been Metroid Prime 2. However, there were some other real good ones that I played including Battle for MIddle earth, and Pikmin 2.