This year saw the Wii continue to maul its competitors, much to the disapproval of the “hardcore” player set, while the Xbox 360 maintained a comfortable lead over the PlayStation 3 for second place in console sales. These movements - or lack thereof - within the games industry in 2008 were motivated by many standout titles. What follows are my eight favorite games of the year. Neither the best nor the most impressive - just my favorite.

“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” - The fourth chapter of Hideo Kojima's tactical espionage series achieves a masterful balance between stealth and shooting game play. Players must pick which approach suits them more within sprawling, infinitely negotiable landscapes of the Middle East, South America and a few familiar settings to fans of the series. First-rate voice acting and stunning facial animation enliven an absorbing story that may befuddle or bore some, but it will fail to impress few.

“Super Smash Brothers Brawl” - Nintendo's dream match fighting franchise got bigger and better on the Wii with tightened play mechanics and the introduction of Sonic the Hedgehog and “Metal Gear Solid's” Solid Snake.

“LittleBigPlanet” - Sony's second bang-up exclusive of 2008 thrived on the cuteness of its mascot, Sackboy, and the ability it provides players to create their own platform levels for the little guy or girl to hop along. The fabric-and-cardboard infrastructure of these levels lends them an inspired feel that easily stands out from the polished photorealist aesthetic of most next-generation titles.

“Boom Blox” - Steven Spielberg's collaboration with Electronic Arts resulted in one of the finest minigame titles on the Wii. A complicated mixture of Jenga and darts, “Boom Blox” achieves remarkably addictive depth with this core dynamic.

“Rock Band 2” - Rhythm games may have reached their critical mass in 2008, but “Rock Band 2's” remarkable genre-spanning collection of songs and full body of features place it atop the fake plastic heap.

“Mega Man 9” - I still haven't beaten this downloadable throwback to Capcom's platform series featuring the Blue Bomber. But the agonizing difficulty of the levels hasn't discouraged me from continuing to try. The simplicity of the design - and austere range of abilities players have to negotiate them - appears to bring even the most challenging stages within reach. That's the brilliance of “Mega Man 9.”

“PixelJunk Eden” - This physics-based garden platform game absorbs easily with its stark color patterns and trance soundtrack. When players achieve the balletic high of swinging their Grimp character from stalk to stalk and racking up points along the way, their stay in “Eden” could tally several hours.

“Okami” - Though hardly new as a Wii port of a 2006 PlayStation 2 game, “Okami” came to more vibrant life on Nintendo's system with somewhat clunkier controls but no less mythic sweep. My only knock against this gorgeous cel-shaded journey through feudal Japan is its overlong final stage, which forces players through a series of second go-rounds with the game's biggest bosses.