Can you believe this year is already half over?  What I like to do this time of year is write about the best games of the year 2014 so far.  Most of the really good titles come out during the Christmas season at the tail end of the year, and the games that come out earlier tend to be forgotten.  So this is where those games get their due.

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 SO FAR 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, Toad, 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 so far!

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.

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.

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!

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

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 game that came out this year as well, as it was fun, too.  Even if I’ve never seen the movies of that or read the books (and don’t plan to either).

BEST 2-D ADVENTURE

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.  There is a better 2-D platformer that came out this year, but it’s getting an even better award so keep reading to find out what it is!

Runners Up:

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.  I’ve never played it, but I’ve heard it got a lot of praise.

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.

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.

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

BESTGAME OF 2014 SO FAR

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.  I imagine that it probably won’t win my overall Game of the Year award.  But I have a feeling that award will go to a game that has Kirby in it, as well as some of my other favorite characters like Pac-Man and Mega Man.  Can you guess what game that’ll be?

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 SO FAR.  And tell me if you would watch me on TV if I had my own awards show like this.  Later!  –Cary

Tags: Misc