Top 5 games of 2008 that will still be great in 2009.
Yes, it’s a new year, and yes there are all these fantastic new games coming our way in 2009. But what are those 5 games that will still be great and still be popular at the end of 2009? Two things will be driving these games to be played and replayed and replayed: Downloadable Content, and User Generated Content…
5. Mario Kart Wii
The Mario Kart franchise has seen six console and two arcade appearances over the past 16 years. The release of Mario Kart on the Wii was a great moment in time, featuring a remix of many tracks and characters from almost all the previous installments, and the fact that you drive with the Wiimotes just adds to the fun levels. Mario Kart Wii has the staying power to be played well into the year.
4. Guitar Hero 3 / Rock Band 2
I put these two games together, as anybody that likes this kind of game ends up owning them both anyway. Current predictions are that Rock Band alone could have a total of 5000 songs by the end of this year, most of them for paid download. Downloadable Content is going to keep both Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band 2 popular into 2009 and beyond, and filling the pockets the record companies, but who cares, as long as we get to strum and drum to the beat of our favourite bands right?
3. Left 4 Dead
The best co-operative gameplay seen in a game since Gauntlet 2. Four players, forced into cooperative play, or die. Zombies (OK, sorry, “Infected”) attacking, and a variety of weapons to pick up and earn to fight off the zom… Infected. Tons of fun, more fun on the XBox 360 with the headset, allowing for screaming and shouting instructions to your 3 team mates. What could be more fun?
2. Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty 5 once again takes players back to the ever popular World War II, and not only does it have a compelling and fun single player game, but it also features some of the best multiplayer game play anybody’s seen for many moons. In fact, some die hard Call of Duty 4 fans merely bought World at War to upgrade to the better multiplayer, and don’t even bother with the single player mode.
1. Little Big Planet
This one is going to shine this year. User Generated Content is going to shoot Little Big Planet sky-high into the record books. Sony can not go wrong with this one as long as they keep pushing Downloadable Content to this game and allow people with more options to expand the universe as they see fit.
There you have it. Check back here again at the end of the year to see how true these predictions were.
vincenthofmann
SheBee
AcademicGeek
gogi
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cath-jenkin
JuicyJustin
BlindCripple
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beetle001
Gears of War 2 deserves an honorary mention too, it’s one of the few games that received a 90+/100 score on Metacritic!
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/gearsofwar2
I have to say that I considered Gears of War 2 for the list, but I just don’t think it has the staying power to last through the whole year. Perhaps if I made it a Top 10 I’d have put it at number 6.
You’re right, it does deserve an honourable mention. 
And you did it.
I’m still playing GTA IV. That should definitely get a mention as well.
Guitar Hero III (Legends of Rock) has been the most successful single game title ever. Sales exceeded $1billion in Dec 2008. It should be #1 and not compared to Rock Band.
I think CoD WaW for PC has done better than PS3.
I want to play a bloody game of Guitar Hero. It’s my mission to get to play this game soon.
Shebee first off we going to have to teach you some co-ords, then give you some alcohol, then GG
Pvt Parts – I specifically didn’t include the platform of the games in the list as I’m including the games on all the platforms, not just the one. I agree, PC versions of popular games like Call of Duty are definitely more popular than the console games, if only for the fact that playing an FPS game on a PC is *still* a better experience than on a console…
Lol Aubrey. Cant agree more. FPS will always be better on PC but RPG’s and Racing Games own on console. Interesting list though.
Contemplating robbing a bank to get my little paws on Guitar Hero World Tour. In the meantime I’ll continue to rock out on GHIII
Hmmm…yeah…gotta disagree with a few of these but each to their own.
In my opinion this article was a bit of a letdown. It’s all good predicting your top 5 but how bout a bit of an overview on what the games are about?
I’m skipping GH World Tour (the R3000+ price tag might have something to do with it), gonna wait for GH Metallica, will probably pre-order out of excitment
Goblin – That’s why you are free to exercise your right to comment and converse. Feel free.
dbngirl – ai, can’t please everyone eh?
This article, I suppose, does make the assumption that you know the games mentioned. Perhaps next time I mention a game I’ll be sure to link to either a review of it, or the game’s website. Try http://www.gamespot.com for some reviews for now…
The Call of Duty games of late have been the success story of online multiplayer, but WaW will be replaced by the next in the franchise later this year. I suspect it will make a strong show during the first half of the year, but not without a fight from the Halo franchise and a few others.
Although I’m yet to return to the zombie infested woods of Left 4 Dead, once the DLC is released, I don’t think I could resist the temptation of teaming up and taking on a horde of infected in a new area.
Oh, and Gears of War 2 should defintely receive a mention
Aubrey, if you can give shebee your email address I would like to get in contact with you bud. Swop some ideas and shoot the shit lol, had a vivid image there, shit flying all over…nvm lol, can I ask shebee for your email addie so I can get some help and advice on something?
@Denouncer: You so right. CoD WaW didnt turn out to be what they thought it was. Dont even know why they gave it to Treyarch to do it cause they Failed. Secondly if CoD WaW has the same gp engine as CoD 4 then why do you require a better graphics card for it, I understand maps are big but I have heard of and seen 8800 gt’s struggling. The “expansion” for CoD 4 coming out this year will put a damper on CoD WaW cause the comptitive side of CoD WaW has taken a knock as no Promod is going to be released for it which really sucks and all the other competitive mods really suck donkey ___s. But lets wait and see.
GTA IV… The detail in that game is on a superior level to that of others in its genre
The fan fair for Left 4 Dead seems to have worn off, but if Valve pulls through with a major update soon, I think it will renew interest in what possibly could be considered one of the most exhilarating mp games of all time.
I’m really glad LBP hit the first spot in this short and sweet article. What an absolutely stunning, even more brilliant game than I expected. We usually get 4 mates together and end up going into the early hours of the morning playing levels over and over again. Lets just hope for some user content that doesn’t get nuked by the mods!
Ooh. Guitar Hero 3 will definitely still be big. I predict a big ‘Quake III Arena’ comeback especially with ‘Quake Live’ on the horizon.
Reading this reminds me of my late room mate. That guy was one of the smartest persons I know, but he was a little outlandish for my tastes though. Anyways I appreciated reading this, thanks. Will give me something to talk about when I see him.