Don't care for Sonic and Tails, really. I came to the realization a while ago that I hate their games.
Wouldn't mind seeing Sonic in for the sheer "OMG WHUT" factor, though.
About my earlier post, some one hit it. When the writers come together to pick a GOTY for any category, chances are they are going to pick something serious, like Shadow of the Colossus or Bioshock. Those two games are awesome games, but I feel that more lighthearted games get slighted. I have no idea why.
I really don't take Shadow or Bioshock anymore seriously than I do Katamari or Loco Roco, although the first two have excellent story lines for games. In the end, it's all about the game, and how much enjoyment I derive from it. I'm not asking for everyone to have my tastes. I would like reviewers to consider actual fun, though.
Brawl is a sequel, a 2.5D, 4 player fighter featuring Nintendo's family friendly cast, with special guests.
So what?
The gameplay is rock solid. The single player already looks awesome and will suck up tons of time. People will gladly replay as every character to get every trophy and unlockable. The unlockables themselves will take hours upon hours to unlock, and are fun to get, whether deliberately or accidentally. The characters look great, play well (if the previous installments are any indication) and feature creative movesets.
The multiplayer, the focus of any fighter, shines, allowing from extreme variety in play styles, from uber casual to rock hard hardcore. Ranging from "GIANT INVISIBLE METAL ALL ITEMS ON HIGH ON HYRULE TEMPLE 5 STOCK 6 MINUTE LIMIT" to "No items, Fox only, Final Destination" it's a game that can suit anyone of any skill level.
I began to think about this because of Halo 3. The Halo series is excellent, although not my cup of tea. I range from "suck" to "slightly competent" in shooters, but I can admire the controls and the effort put into these games, and can appreciate that they are genuinely fun. Halo 3 brings lots of new things to the game, like Forge and Theater, not to mention new weapons, old, rebalanced weapons, new stages, new modes of play, and an improved story mode.
This game will get, or has gotten, 9.5 to 10s across the board, and will definitely be in many, if not all, reviewer's top 5.
I see it as a very similar situation to Brawl, in terms of gaming experience. The single player is much improved, lots of new things added to the game, and the multiplayer, already excellent, just got a lot better. Why the hell won't Brawl be considered?
I will enjoy the game, regardless of what people on magazines declare it to be, or not to be (bring back Hamlet). Brawl will probably end up being of the best selling games on the Wii without a doubt. I'll spend hours upon hours for the next 6 years on this game.
It just bothers me a bit that it'll be dismissed, from what I can tell.
"It's a good game, fun fighter, Nintendo fan service, will sell lots, looks nice. Good job, Nintendo."
vs
"HOLY SHIT HALO 3 IS THE BEST THING EVER OMG ARGHGGH"
Where's the hype from the press? : (
Am I being unreasonable?