1. Metroid: Other M; A bold experiment with the franchise that doesn't quite hit all the right notes, but when it does, it's first of it's class. If you need the ability to go back after every power-up you obtain, you won't like this. But the game does an incredible job at swiftly moving you from location to location, having new dangers in older rooms and keeping the action moving. Opposite of Bayonetta, it takes the action genre to a different culmination, offering a fast, yet efficient way of dispatching foes, keeps the game moving and offers plenty of visual rewards to well done combat. The camara system introduced is the best I have seen in gaming. It relates to the 2d games before it, while offering 3 movement and rooms when it makes sense, pans and zooms in fluid takes that makes you work seamless with the camara and not fight it like every 3d game before it. Unfortunately, it trips with a few odd and obscure design choices, a bad localisation and playing it safe by abandoning the investigation parts. Regardless, it delivers like no other game before it.
2. Monster Hunter 3: Tri; It's my most played game of all time. Although it has the carrot & stick mechanic I so hate, combat makes up for it. Going up against a huge monster too fail countless times and finally defeating it has little comparisons. And being able to defeat it easily later with no upgrades seals the deal. Throw in hell of a GAF group in online play, I killed hours and hours and hours.
3. Bayonetta; It's the pinacle of the combo based action game. The elegant design of attacking while dodging with the combination of wicked weaves, it creates a system like no other, you're always in control of the fight. The best character introduced this year, and countless nods to other games, makes it the culmination of everything Kamiya, PG, Clover and the little treats by SEGA. It is a bit chatty at times, like Other M, camara sometimes fights you and the secret combat zones are idiotically hidden though.
4. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker; Good to see the series back. Although the story is completely unnecesary, and at times offensive, I can forgive it thanks to both the incredibly smart bite sized campaign, and the ammount of content in the game. Controls are finally streamlined making perfect use of the PSP's hardware. Next time though, hire some competent guards.
5. Sin & Punishment 2: Star Successor; The return of the arcade shooter never played better. S&P2's design feels like a natural extension of the Wii Remote, never being completely overwhelming, but offering great challenge throughout the whole 2 campaigns. Story is absolutely absurd and entretaining. If you haven't picked this up yet, do it now.
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2; Takes Galaxy, and expands on it in every posibly imaginable way. For the most part, drops the spherical and gravity gimmick of the first one and instead opts to introduce a new gimmick in every galaxy, with no limitation regarding logic or physics. Great use of the pointer as an extension of controls, and a killer post game content, it leaves the next 3d Mario with some big shoes to fill.
7. Cave Story; LTTP here, but I only found out about this one after the confirmation of it coming to Wii ware, and thought what the hell, if it's as good as everybody says, I'll just wait and play it there. But boy did it blew me away. Pixel crafted one of the most lovable worlds ever, filled with great sights, music and characters. Gameplay is top notch as well, with a very smart leveling up system and tons of hidden secrets throughout. A shame about the fetch quest with the dogs tainting an otherwise perfect game. Although the Wiiware port carries some cool extras, like time attack Sanctuary and Curly mode, so much fluff detracts from the exprience and not to mention the touched up (optional) graphics and music are not good. It would be my no.1 if it wasn't for the fact that it released years ago, and this is actually an underwhelming port.
8. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars; The return of the vs series. And brings the fighter closer to what this scrub thinks should gravitate towards. Easy execution with depth to back it up. Great roster to seal the deal as well. Too bad about botching the soundtrack with the localisation. Haven't had extensive time with SSF4, that's why this one takes the spot, but feels like a shared merit to me.
9. Kirby's Epic Yarn; Best described as "My first Wario Land". It uses the same basic style of slow platforming with a focus on puzzle solving, although it's often times easier. This is not an absolute negative though, it allows you to enjoy the game with many different people, and let yourself go with the beautiful world developed by Good Feel. It offers a great variety with the different transformation stages as well.
10. Professor Layton & the Unwound Future; Perfect culmination of the PL saga. Although much easier than it's predecesors, it offers the best variety in puzzle design, an incredibly paced story, and a beautiful set of cinematics and artwork. Great amount of extras and downloadable puzzles, will keep you coming back for more.
Notably missing are titles which I've yet to play like, Super Meat Boy, Vanquish, DKCR, Golden Sun, Patchwork Heroes, Pac Man and 3D Dot Game Heroes among others.