1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF DECEMBER 24 | 1UP's FAVORITE GAMES OF 2012

1UP's Favorite Games of 2012

This week, we celebrate the experiences that brought us the most enjoyment this year.

Well friends, it's been one hell of a year. 1UP has gone through some pretty big changes by focusing around weekly cover stories, not to mention completing one of the biggest projects in the site's history with the Essential 100. But despite all of that, we're still first and foremost a website about video games. And what better way to end the year than by celebrating the games of 2012 that reaffirmed our love for the medium?

This isn't a countdown hinged on telling you that this game is three spots better than that game. Instead, in the spirit of celebration, we're giving you the games that meant a lot to us in 2012. Games that made us laugh, made us cry, made us think, and made us die. Some of these are huge spectacles, while others are quiet ponderings. Some can be played for hundreds of hours, while others can be completed in about ten minutes. I can't help but be proud of how varied our list of favorites is.

One of the best things about working at 1UP is that between the four of us, there is no genre left unaccounted for. Our interests reach across the entire spectrum of gaming. Though we certainly each have things that we wouldn't touch with a 12 foot pole, there's always another editor here who will defend those games until their dying breath. And trust me -- there have been some arguments this year that I was almost sure were going to end in bloodshed. But honestly, that's what makes discussing games -- and any art -- so much fun.

You may've noticed that we're using the word "favorite" and not "best." That's because we've come to the agreement that comparing one game to another can oftentimes be apples and oranges. How can you size up the difference in quality between a AAA-blockbuster created by a team of hundreds and a downloadable indie title made by a single person? It seems silly to pit Halo 4 and Spelunky against each other -- it'd be like trying to compare The Godfather and Anchorman. Both are amazing at what they set out to accomplish, but also view the medium in entirely different ways. So it's with this frame of mind that we decided to simply tell you about our favorite video game experiences of 2012. Some of them overlapped across the entire team, while others were cherished by just a single editor. Regardless, these are the games that we'll still be thinking about long into 2013, and we have a feeling that you will be too. -- Marty Sliva

MONDAY, DECEMBER 24

Spelunky

Novice explorers need not apply to Derek Yu's fantastic XBLA roguelike.

Double Fine Happy Action Theatre

The most memorable use of Kinect isn't a traditional video game.

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Chunsoft shows off the possibilities of the visual novel with their complex portable thriller.

Tokyo Jungle

How a frisky Pomeranian led to one of this year's strangest sensations.

Resident Evil Revelations

A portable entry in Capcom's lauded survival horror series managed a stunning upset of its more capable console counterparts.

Gravity Rush

Proof that the PlayStation Vita has what it takes to deliver an unforgettable experience.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25

Thirty Flights of Loving

The most impressive digital short story of the year.

Mass Effect 3

Bioware's popular sci-fi trilogy comes to a close.

Dyad

][ Games smashes Rez into Tempest for one trippy experience.

Fez

An indie darling that made gamers' heads spin.

Crashmo

The follow up to last year's Pushmo intelligently expanded its tiny borders.

Hitman Absolution

More than any other game this year, Hitman proves the thrill of hiding in plain sight.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26

Dishonored

Arkane studios reinvents stealth with their engrossing new IP.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

A solid platformer that shines in its exploration of Mario's alternate reality.

Xenoblade Chronicles

Monolith Soft pulls it together to prove the relevancy of Japanese-developed console RPGs.

Scribblenauts Unlimited

5th Cell continues to up the creativity ante with the latest Scribblenauts title.

The Unfinished Swan

Giant Sparrow eschewes sensory overload, instead giving us a triumph in minimalism.

Dust: An Elysian Tale

A beautiful homage to 2D, exploration-based platformers.

Rhythm Heaven Fever

Nintendo finally shows America why their quirky rhythm series matters.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27

Spec Ops: The Line

A stunning treatise on the horrors of war and the depravity of man.

Dragon's Dogma

We hope 2012's impressive RPG is a sign of things to come from Capcom.

Nintendo Land

Wii U tech demos come together to form one great package.

Halo 4

The Master Chief's return signals a solid start.

Lumines Electronic Symphony

Q Entertainment's dazzling sequel delivers an exceptional mix of sight and sound.

Sound Shapes

Our favorite game of E3 2012 gave Vita owners something to smile about.

Paper Mario Sticker Star

Paper Mario on the 3DS is charming and fun, even if it doesn't necessarily stick to traditional RPG mechanics.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28

Mark of the Ninja

Delving into the creation and inspirations behind one of the year's best games.

Whittling Down a List of 2012 iOS Favorites

A look back at some of the best games the App Store had to offer this year.

Journey

A transcendent adventure and one of the defining experiences of this generation.

The Walking Dead

How Telltale made me care about someone other than myself.

XCOM Enemy Unknown

One of the most intense tactical experiences you'll ever play.

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• Great list!

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  GameNTrade
  

  This list is great! Gives a good look at other games that were great that also should have made more headlines. Great work guys! 

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• If there is something I've learned...

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  rand0mZer00
  

  It's that I will never be able to play every game that winds up on anyone's GOTY list because it's just not feasable. But, that's ok. To me, it's about picking and choosing games during the right times (maybe during the slow summer or early in the year) to give a lot of these games the time they deserve instead of forcing myself to finish a game just to get to the other one.

  I know at some point I will finish this list of games, and then move onto the next list and so on. It's the circle of gaming I suppose.

  Now, if you excuse me, I have to play this game called....Chrono Trigger? Yeah, that's it. Heard it's pretty good...

  Flag | Reply

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• I feel really bad...

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  V3rnan
  

  Because I haven't played any of these titles... I am pretty backlogged, and still stuck in the 1999-2011 era... Blows!!!  I'll catch up one day... one day...

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• Break from the norm.

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  D-e-f-
  

  I love this list because it shows the breadth of wonderful experiences that came out this year. And you guys seem to remember that Nintendo systems and and the Vita exist! Thumbs up!

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