It’s that time again.  What I like to do this time of year is write about the best games of the year.  Keep in mind that no outside opinions went into the making of this list.  It’s just my own picks.  And if a game is missing from my list, it either didn’t appeal to me as much, or I just simply haven’t played it yet.  Can’t play all the games out there, you know!  Plus I do apologize if this list leans toward the Nintendo side.  I don’t have an Xbox One or PS4 yet, so you’ll just have to deal with it.

Anyway, so without further ado, welcome to the Cary’s Best Games of 2014 Awards Show!  I’m your host, Cary, and today we’ll have special guests like Chibi-Robo, Yumi, Agnes from Bravely Default, Aurora from Child of Light, Kirby, Captain Toad, Shantae, and Pablo form LocoCycle.  So let’s take a look at our first category.

WEIRDEST GAME

This list is a pretty big category (and admittedly a little vague, too), but I do like to play weird games, and there sure were a lot out there this year!

Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder (3DS)

I love the Chibi-Robo games.  They’re so creative and fun.  Too bad we didn’t see the DS sequel to the GameCube game outside of Japan.  Anyway, this downloadable oddity isn’t the best Chibi-Robo game around, but it sure does use the 3DS camera in unique ways.  Your job is to take pictures of items so they can be in a special ‘NostalJunk’ museum.  You must take pictures of things that have a particular outline around them, like a coffee cup, plug outlet, or roll of toilet paper.  It’s like a photo-taking scavenger hunt.  To earn money for the film you use, you’ll play Chibi-Robo themed mini-games.

Runners Up:

Weapon Shop de Omasse (3DS)

It’s like a Cooking Mama game mixed with a music game, except you’re a blacksmith making weapons for RPG characters!

Yumi’s Odd Odyssey (3DS)

Combining 2-D platforming with…fishing?  This game actually isn’t new, as it dates all the way back to the Super Famicom in Japan.  But Natsume brought over the remake on the 3DS.  Folks who enjoyed Bionic Commando will love this.  But be warned, this game is hardcore!  The main character is cute, though.

NES Remix 2 (Wii U)

I think this is the shortest time for a sequel to come out after the original.  NES Remix 2 lets you play challenges from classic NES titles in WarioWare fashion.  What makes the sequel better is it has more ‘contemporary’ games that more people probably remember playing, like Mario 2 & 3, Metroid, Kid Icarus, Kirby’s Adventure, and many more.  Only problem is the price is just a tiny bit too high.  Luckily, now you can buy hard copies of this and the original game combined on the Wii U and 3DS!

Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends (3DS)

Any of the ‘Mama’ games are weird by default.  But this one is a great kids’ game as it plays like a very simplistic Harvest Moon title.  And while we’re on the subject, Cooking Mama 5 came out this year, so I need to mention that as well.

Tomodachi Life (3DS)

It’s like The Sims except a bit more simplistic.  But you can use your Miis you’ve created in the game to make some fun and silly (and impossible situations).  For instance, my Mii married Princess Zelda and we had a baby.  I named him Zelda Jr.  Yeah I know that’s a weird name, but no weirder than me marrying Zelda in the first place!

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS)

It’s the mash-up crossover we’ve always wanted, but never thought we’d get.  They just replaced the investigation phases of Phoenix Wright games with the puzzles of Prof. Layton, and it works pretty well even though I’m not a big fan of the Layton titles.  One thing I’ll say about this game, though, is the story is really good!  I kept playing it just to see what would happen next!

BEST ARCADE CLASSIC COLLECTION/REMAKE

Pac-Man Museum (360)

Since this was the only kind of game I played in this category, it wins by default.  It’s a decent downloadable collection of Pac-Man classics, but the ‘Arrangement’ version is from the PSP, not the arcade, which is much better.  And they use the ‘Ghostly Adventures’ version of Pac-Man in the game.  Ugh.

BEST RPG

Child of Light (360)

I thought that Bravely Default would win this award by, well, default.  But Child of Light came out of nowhere and won the award by being simple and NOT being too long and meandering.  Plus its creative mix of 2-D platforming and turn-based battles won me over, as well as its hand-painted graphics, hauntingly beautiful music, and memorable characters.

Runner Up:

Bravely Default (3DS)

This was a good RPG, too.  Just a straight-up JRPG that used every feature of the 3DS very cleverly, even if they didn’t explain everything clearly.  They should’ve just called it a Final Fantasy game, though.  Probably would’ve sold better.

BEST 3-D ADVENTURE

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U)

The best way to describe this game is it is a “Cary” game.  I loved the Captain Toad mini-game levels in Super Mario 3-D World so much that I posted a Miiverse message that said they should make a whole game out of them!  Did Nintendo take my advice?  Anyone who reads my blogs and reviews regularly know that Toad is my favorite Mario character, too.

Runners Up:

The LEGO Movie Videogame (360)

The LEGO Movie was one of the best films I’ve seen this year so far.  While the video game based on the flick is just a typical LEGO game, it’s still pretty fun.  Especially if you enjoyed the movie.  I should also give a shout out to the LEGO Hobbit and LEGO Batman 3 games that came out this year as well, as they were fun, too.

Armillo (Wii U)

This fun little downloadable indie game was like a cross between Mario Galaxy, Sonic, Marble Madness, and Pac-Man.  And it reminded me of classic N64 and GameCube games because it starred a cartoon character, wasn’t too long or too hard, and it didn’t get too big for its britches.

Hyrule Warriors (Wii U)

I never was interested in the Dynasty Warriors games, but put Zelda characters in them and you’ve got my attention.  This was a pretty fun and simple little hack and slash, and it finally let me play as cool Zelda characters like Impa, Agitha, and Zelda herself.  And it was especially fun with two players, and there were lots of things to do.

Skylanders: Trap Team (Wii U)

Sure these games may not be very original and they are very gimmicky, but they’re still fun.  Admit it, if you were a kid right now, Skylanders would be a big thing for you.

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 (Wii U)

The cartoon may be awful, but the games based on it really aren’t that bad.  Just fun little colorful 3-D romps.

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)

Everyone bashed on this game, but I didn’t think it was THAT bad.  Sure it wasn’t that great either, but it was like a cross between a Sonic game and Jak and Daxter, and it held my interest longer than I thought it would.

BEST 2-D ADVENTURE

Kirby Triple Deluxe (3DS)

Yeah this probably comes at no surprise to anybody.  But this was a really good Kirby game with lots of stuff to do.  Not too hard yet not too easy either.  This actually won my Game of the Year SO FAR when I did this back in July at the halfway point in the year.

Runners Up:

Yoshi’s New Island (3DS)

If you’re trying to settle an argument with someone who complains that Nintendo doesn’t do anything new and different anymore, do not show them this game.  It’s so much like the original SNES classic that it’s almost shameful.  BUT, that’s also a good testament to how fantastic the SNES game was, that if another game that comes along that’s just like it is still extremely fun.

Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack (360)

This one kind of came out of nowhere and surprised me.  You play as a blob and try to eat everything in sight to grow bigger so you can eat more things.  It’s like a cross between Katamari Damacy and an old SNES game called Smartball (Jelly Boy in Japan).  This game was done by the same folks who did Guacamelee.

Shovel Knight (Wii U)

This downloadable gem reminds me of the many NES games I rented back when I was a kid.  Back then, game rentals only cost a buck at the local movie rental place, so I rented a lot of games instead of buying them.  Sometimes even renting games multiple times (like with Mega Man and Final Fantasy).  Only problem I have with this one is that it’s a little on the hard side.  But the music is VERY GOOD!

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U)

I originally wasn’t going to put this one on my list, because it’s too much like DKC Returns and way too hard for its own good.  But the level designs are so clever; I had to at least give it that.

Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Editon (360)

It may be a bit politically incorrect, but the best way to describe this game is a “Mexican Metroid.”  You play as a Luchador and can switch from the world of the dead and the living to explore new places.  It’s really good if you like 2-D Metroid style games, but it’s also hard, too.

Shantae and the Pirates’ Curse (Wii U)

I love the Shantae games, and I’ve been playing them since the first one on the Game Boy Color.  This new one is like a long lost SNES game.  I was mad because I downloaded it for the 3DS, and a few days later I found out it was going to be released for Wii U.  So I bought it twice.  Oh well, what can I say?  I’m a sucker for cute characters!

BEST RACING GAME

Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

Yeah you know this would get the award.  Of course I don’t really play too many racing games.  It may not be my favorite Mario Kart game in the series, but it certainly has the best visuals.

Runner Up:

LocoCycle (360)

Not really a racing game, more of a driving battle & chase game like Spy Hunter.  But it was made by Twisted Pixel so it has lots of laughs and fun arcade action.

BEST SPORTS GAME

Mario Golf: World Tour (3DS)

It really just wins by default, as I don’t play too many sports games.  I really haven’t gotten into this one as much as I did with Mario Golf on the GameCube.  I don’t know what it is.  Maybe the touch screen controls or the fact that half the single player game is DLC.  Still a pretty decent game of golf otherwise.

BEST MUSIC GAME

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain  Call (3DS)

The first Theatrhythm game was my GOTY for 2013, I liked it that much.  The sequel doesn’t get as much praise because it’s just more of the same, but when more of the same means more fun, it’s not all bad.  Especially if you like Final Fantasy music.

BEST EDUCATIONAL GAME

Pokemon Art Academy (3DS)

This game teaches kids art and cartooning skills as well as confidence, because it lets them draw their favorite Pokemon characters pretty well.   Nintendo’s Art Academy games are severely underrated.

BEST FIGHTING GAME

Super Smash Bros. (3DS)

There is a better fighting game than this, but it won an even better award so I’ll give the 3DS version its due here.  The portable Smash isn’t perfect, as the screen is so small it’s hard to see items and such, but there is so much to do and it’s still a fun game.  A must have for every Nintendo fan.

And now it’s time for Cary’s Best Game of 2014!  Taiko drum roll, please…

BEST GAME OF 2014

Super Smash Bros. (Wii U)

It’s probably not a surprise that I chose this.  I’m not very good at the Smash games at all, but I sure do enjoy them anyway.  You don’t have to be great at the game to still have fun with it, and like the 3DS version, there are tons of things to do whether you’re playing by yourself or eight of your closest friends.  And plus, it has Pac-Man in it, so you know I’ll like it anyway!

Conclusions

And that’s all for now!  In the comments section, let me know what you think of my picks and tell me YOUR favorite games of 2014.  And tell me if you would watch me on TV if I had my own awards show like this.  Later!  –Cary

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