It's been a rockin', shoot-'em-up good time

Here's something the world probably doesn't need: Another "best of the year" list of video games. So instead, I'm picking out some of my favorite things — the unexpected surprises and creative leaps — that helped make this a great year for games. If these also happen to be some of the best this year, well, so be it.

Best invention we didn't know we needed

In just about every way, 2007 was the Year of the Wii. When I first wrote that the Wii was a winner, some people were concerned. C'mon, friends said, sure it's cute, but won't the novelty wear off after a couple of months?

Um, no. In its design and execution (a diminutive white box, a stark contrast to its hulking competitors), the Wii went its own way, stupid name and all. Its simple bowling game literally got grannies shaking their Wii-motes. By and large, the Wii got the buzz, the bucks and the glory. Nintendo's inclusive approach paid off and helped define this year in games.

Best vacation destination

The stealth fighting game "Assassin's Creed" has plenty of haters. Having a main character assassinating for the Muslims (and against Christians) is going to rile up a certain part of the population — never mind that it takes place in 1191. But I liked that its namesake creed discourages killing innocents, at least ostensibly (sort of an anti-"Grand Theft Auto" ideology).

The plot and game-play are only part of the reasons to play "Creed." In the dead of winter in Seattle, letting this game fill your screen is a visual vacation. Set in Jerusalem and other Middle Eastern cities, it shows off the Xbox 360's graphics-rendering capacity. As I stood looking out over the idealized, perfectly picturesque mosques and mountains in "Creed," I thought: Dang. I wish I could take a minibreak here sometime, even if it is the 12th century (and virtual).

Best sidekick

I have always had a love-hate relationship with "Half-Life." I want to love it, but it spurns me. It makes me think. It punishes me for not understanding the basic laws of physics. Playing as Gordon Freeman, the scientist/hero of the game, I have to cast myself into the abyss in despair, because the game frustrates me so. And while playing "The Orange Box" — a collection that includes three "Half-Life" games and two others — that's potentially a lot of trips to the abyss.

Which is why Alyx Vance, a hacker and fellow freedom fighter in the "Half-Life" series, is so fantastic. When I've barely survived getting slurped up into a giant electric magnetized doohickey, Alyx chimes in: "Well, that was random." She talks just like a friend would, in a normal, deadpan voice (and dramatically unlike the stilted dialogue of so many games). Plus, she gives me hints when I'm stuck. Alyx — as well as the clever, inventive "Half-Life" games — makes "The Orange Box" a fantastic package.

Best ending credits

While die-hard "Guitar Hero" fans aren't likely to abandon their favorite game, maybe they should. The folks making "Rock Band" (the biggest competitor to "Hero") are having a blast. And they look like they laughed right to the finish line.

After completing "Rock Band" in story mode, the game treats players to a hilarious montage of everyone on the development team striking "Rawk 'n' Roll!" poses. (They broke out the dry ice machines and giant fans.) It's a clever rendition of what's normally a throwaway scrolling list of names. And this little extra somehow seems indicative of the creativity behind this excellent game.

Best recycling

"Resident Evil 4" shows that recycling — even in games — can be a good thing. In this horror universe, you shoot possessed villagers before they rip you to pieces. The game has been around for a few years, but porting it over to the Wii shows a different, creepy possibility for Nintendo's system.

The game itself is violent. The feeling of dread it causes is very real. What might seem like a joke — lining up your trigger finger on the Wii's motion-sensitive remote — seems a lot less funny when an ax-wielding madman is coming your way. "Evil 4" shows that if Nintendo branches out of its normal cutesy universe, wonderful and freaky things can happen.

Best use of a lute

When wandering into a (virtual) pub, I noticed how stellar the in-game music is in "The Lord of the Rings Online." But that's not why the game is included here. Instead, it's because of a "Rings" miniphenomenon: The design-it-yourself, in-game musical system for players, which let players loose in interesting new ways.

Normally, when characters receive an instrument, the game includes an option to play a preset song. But in "Rings," fans can painstakingly notate anything they want, including pop hits, and port them into the game. And notate they did.

I have to respect someone who's spent 100 hours getting their level-40 dwarf a superior shield, armor and helmet. But here's where it really gets interesting: that same person then spent a few more hours using obscure ASCII notations to have their dwarf play The Police's "Every Breath You Take" on an in-game lute. And then posted it on YouTube.

I find that kind of dedication pretty awesome and I like when game designers let people run free. (Or maybe that's just me.)

Best underneath in a game

I'll admit that I'm not a Mario person. But "Super Mario Galaxy" looked fun in previews. Then dozens of reviews came out, each slobbering more about "Galaxy" than the last. New York magazine has an online headline that reads: "Insta-classic Super Mario Galaxy beats writers strike woes." One game could replace every soon-to-be-postponed TV show in America?

When evaluating the game, I called in a second opinion — a friend who was excited about a new Mario. Her critique was simple and to the point: "I like that I get to go upside-down now. I've never done that before. That's cool." Her take was almost Zen-like in its rational appraisal. And plus, she was right: It is good to go upside-down and underneath sometimes. Maybe not insanely great, but at least worth a mention.

So let's hear it for the new, the unique, the surprisingly creative and the just plain awesome in games this year. And here's hoping for even more in 2008.

Jennifer Buckendorff is a frequent contributor to The Seattle Times.