My favorite games of 2006

• Loco Roco (Sony PSP)
This is still the most surprising and entertaining video game experience I had in 2006. Goofy music, terrific graphics and spectacular game-play finally gave the PSP a killer app. The Christmas / Holiday level (offered as a download on the Playstation site) was the icing on the cake.

• Battlefield 2 (Xbox 360)
I know this was a PC port, but this was one of my favorite online gaming experiences of the year. It's just playing Army as a kid, but now you can see all the things you only imagined.

• Gears of War (Xbox 360)
GoW was the 800 pound gorilla of 2006. The most hyped and anticipated game for any system (maybe ever). Thank goodness it met my expectations (and apparently everyone else's).

• Wii Sports (Wii)
Any game that can coax non-gaming family members into playing for hours on end must have that "special" something. By the way, I'm now a Wii Bowling Pro and everyone is going down. Hear that, Dad?!

• Lumines II (and Lumines) (PSP, Xbox Live Arcade, Mobile Phones)
My favorite original PSP launch title made its way to a spectacular sequel, the Xbox 360 and my RAZR phone. Now I can play the coolest puzzle game anywhere. And I did. And I still am.

• Burnout Revenge (Xbox 360)
Still the most exciting and ridiculously fun racing game on any system. Upgraded graphics, achievements and new smash and crash intersections kept this from being a lame port from past-gen machines. The soundtrack rocks, too.

• Dead Rising (Xbox 360)
The GTA of the zombie genre. Almost like a sandbox of the dead. Great gruesome fun that lasts a good long time. I smell a franchise... or is that a walking corpse?

• Brain Age (Nintendo DS)
This quirky non-game took me right back to sweating over my SAT's. Who thought school lessons would make a fun video game? Should be required playing for all students.

• Project Gotham (Microsoft Wireless Racing Wheel edition) (Xbox 360)
Take my favorite racing game of 2005, add the greatest steering wheel accessory ever made, and you have a whole new level of living-room racing. The perfect example of how an add-on can make an old game new again.

• Resistance (Playstation 3)
I know I dogged it at first, but after several days of playing I realized what a great first-person shooter this is. It's a blast online and is about the best $600 game out there.