Best Video Games of 2005

We've chosen one great game per system and made it Game of the Year. Budgets, popularity, marketing or hype aren't factors, just pure gaming entertainment. Read below to find which titles you should pick up before starting another year of video gaming bliss.

Nintendo GameCube

The most anticipated title of 2005, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, was unfortunately pushed into early 2006. The game was set to bowl over the competition in November and capture Game of the Year for both the GameCube and home video gaming in general. Disappointments aside, the GameCube still had a good flow of original games in 2005.

• GameCube Game of the Year - Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, for turning a Game Boy hit into a 3D wonder.

• Worth noting: Resident Evil 4, Super Mario Strikers, Killer 7

Microsoft Xbox

The games continue to flow even with the release of the Xbox successor, the Xbox 360. Xbox games are graphically intense environments that pull you into their world upon booting up the system. The raw power of the Xbox is rarely showcased to its full extent. But the quality of games was strong in 2005 and continues to look good for the Xbox 360 in 2006.

• Xbox Game of the Year - Indigo Prophecy, for an amazingly well-written story and script and riveting gameplay.

• Worth noting: Doom 3, Kingdom under Fire: Heroes

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 received a lot of loving from video game developers in 2005. There were sequels, prequels, ports, remakes, compilations, and even a few new games to boot. Out of the enormous amount of mega-hit games released over the year, which one did we think topped them all?

• PlayStation 2 Game of the Year - Shadow of the Colossus, for a breathtaking presentation, great story and stunning gameplay.
• Worth noting: God of War, Star Wars Battlefront 2, We Love Katamari

Nintendo DS

The DS had one of the richest releases of video games of any system in 2005. The innovation continues to pour out of developers' studios as they discover new ways to use the unique features of the DS. Touch screen gaming is all the rage. Narrowing the list down to one amazing title wasn't easy, and the race is very close.

• Nintendo DS Game of the Year - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, for unbelievable dialogue, characters, and the most riveting gaming experience this year.

• Worth noting: Animal Crossing: Wild World, Mario Kart DS, Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, Trace Memory, dozens more.

PlayStation Portable (PSP)

The PSP is Sony's portable, all-media machine. With its huge sexy screen and loads of features, gaming seems an almost trivial inclusion. Regardless, some great games came out for the PSP's first year on the market.

• PlayStation Portable Game of the Year - Lumines, for the first ueber-addicting puzzle game you can dance to.
• Worth noting: Burnout Legends, Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, Mercury

Game Boy Advance

The Game Boy Advance always has a wide variety of games released each year. From ports of 16-bit classics to bona fide original games, Game Boy gamers are usually one of the more excited groups in the video gaming world. This year, possibly because of the release of the Nintendo DS, the games were a little slower and a little more bland. Nevertheless, several stellar titles hit the shelves that are worth looking at.

• Game Boy Advance Game of the Year - Riviera: The Promised Land, for amazing graphics, an original style and an RPG that isn't the same old formula.
• Worth noting: Final Fantasy IV Advance, Mario Tennis Power Tour