More of the best games of 2008

There were a lot of great games this past year, which makes choosing the top ones a lot more challenging than in years past. Here are some more games that stood out in 2008's record year.

Sony Computer Entertainment and Media Molecule made gamers wait a long time for LittleBigPlanet, but the end result stood out as one of the most innovative console games ever made. The key differentiator with this game is the intuitive suite of tools that enables gamers to create their own levels and share them with the world. The impact of this game's user-generated content should spread far beyond the PlayStation 3. And you can bet that other publishers have taken notice that gamers have continued to churn out new levels at a record pace. In a day and age where used game sales are hurting game makers, this is the ultimate keeper. if gamers trade in the game, they lose access to the endless flow of new free content.

While it didn't rake in the dough like Epic Games' Gears of War 2, Electronic Arts-owned DICE pushed the first-person perspective genre in new territory with Mirror's Edge. Powered by Unreal Engine 3, this game stood out from the very crowded shooter genre thanks to its unique color pallette, dazzling world, and intuitive controls that favored acrobatics over gunplay. The game's Asian protagonist, Faith, is a runner that delivers messages by scaling building roofs and eluding the police. A sequel is in development, which is a good sign that EA believes in this franchise.

Although some critics preferred Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, when it comes to World War II, there's not a more visceral experience than Activision and Treyarch's Call of Duty: World at War. Gamers haven't seen the Pacific Front of the Second World War since EA's Medal of Honor: Rising Sun, which was a critical and commercial failure. This time around, the Japanese enemies are hidden everywhere and the fighting is absolutely vicious. The Russian invasion of Germany isn't much nice, as this is one Mature-rated, action-packed look at ware. Gamers are also hooked on the online gameplay. With Ubisoft's Brothers In Arms and EA's Medal of Honor on life support, Activision remains in control of WW II.

Nintendo continues to expand the demographic of gamers with Wii. While there are a lot of bad games available for this great system, Nintendo has crafted some great ones. Mario Kart Wii stands out as one of the most fun multiplayer games for any system. Whether playing with family, friends or die hard gamers, Mario Kart retains the arcade-style gameplay filled with speed boosts and special powers and adds motion-sensor controls. The free addition of the Wii Steering Wheel just adds to the package deal. Great for fun for up to four players at a time.

Role-playing games (RPG) remain a huge draw for gamers as Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King has shown on PC. Console gamers got a pair of great RPGs with Bethesda Softworks' Fallout 3 and Microsoft/Lionhead Studios' Fable II. Fallout 3 offered a rich, bleak look at the future and offered a nuclear-devestated Washington, D.C. as an open world to explore. Fable II opened up a fantasy world that evolved based on the players' choices. Both games offered endless hours of adventure. Fable II stood out for its multiplayer gaming options, as well.