Was there ever any doubt? 2008 was the year of Brawl, a game so good that it drew virtually no ire from any of the typical corners of the gaming world. Nintendo fanboys had nothing to complain about as they received what is perhaps the ultimate fan-service game. Meanwhile, Blue Ocean haters were robbed of ammunition due to its support of traditional control schemes, de-emphasis of motion controls, and completely uncompromised gameplay. Brawl’s feature-set also happened to be a mile long, making it one of the best values in gaming and a perfect foundation for the collection of any cost-conscious Wii owner. Super Smash Bros. Brawl is truly a game that has something for everybody.

There were a few detractors, however. Critics complained that it felt a bit too familiar, claiming that it didn’t change up its formula enough and bore too much of a visual resemblance to its GameCube predecessor. They also cited its laggy online implementation as a letdown. In the end, it didn’t matter. These sour notes fell on deaf consumer ears as Brawl racked up 2008 sales of over four million copies in the U.S. alone. And if the retail performance of previous entries in the series is any indication, sales won’t let up any time soon. Much like Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of those games that you simply must own if you have a Wii. Wii Fit may have stolen the press spotlight, and Mario Kart Wii may have taken the sales crown, but in our eyes Super Smash Bros. Brawl reigned supreme as the best game on Nintendo systems in 2008. Long live the king!

Runner-up: World of Goo