Associated Press writer Lou Kesten has put together what is probably the 1327th "best of 2006" list I've read this past week. But it's also probably my favourite, because it's nice to see I'm not the only person on this planet who thought Gears of War was simply "good".

10. "Resistance: Fall of Man" (Sony, for the PlayStation 3): "Ratchet & Clank" creators Insomniac Games juice up the World War II shooter with alien invaders and flamboyant weapons. The best of the PS3 launch titles.

9. "LocoRoco" (Sony, for the PlayStation Portable): jellylike blobs ooze their way across colorful landscapes, splitting and recombining to get past obstacles. With its vibrant look and catchy soundtrack, it's the year's most endearing puzzle game

8. "Final Fantasy XII" (Square Enix, for the PlayStation 2): I'm not completely sold on the new real-time battle system introduced in this installment, but it delivers everything — grandiose story, lavish graphics and generous gameplay — you expect from a "Final Fantasy" epic.

7. "New Super Mario Bros." (Nintendo, for the DS): The lovable plumber returns to his 2D roots in this side-scrolling running-and-jumping adventure. A blast for those of us who loved the original "SMB," and a real challenge for just about any player, with dozens of levels and tons of secrets.

6. "Wii Sports" (Nintendo, for the Wii): Nintendo's new Wii console has gotten a lot of attention from people who don't normally play games. "Wii Sports," which is packed with the system, is an effective demonstration of its motion-sensing remote, and I have yet to meet anyone who can resist playing once they see it in action.

5. "Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra" (Namco, for the PlayStation 2): The finale of the ambitious (some say pretentious) "Xenosaga" trilogy tackles religion, philosophy, metaphysics and more topics you wouldn't expect a game to address. It's really fun if you don't mind having your mind blown.

4. "Gears of War" (Microsoft, for the Xbox 360): The second must-have for the 360 is "Gears of War," a riotous shooter that pits a team of human grunts against an insectoid army. It's gory, scary and thrilling, especially if you enjoy slicing up aliens with a chain saw.

3. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" (Nintendo, for the Wii, GameCube): The "Zelda" is a satisfying combination of the familiar (clever weapons, diabolical dungeons) and the new (Link is now a werewolf!). We always anticipate great things from "Zelda," but "Twilight Princess" delivers well beyond expectations.

2. "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (Bethesda Softworks, for the Xbox 360): Two hundred hours in and I still feel like I haven't scratched the surface of this wide-ranging medieval role-playing adventure. With a compelling main story and hundreds of side missions, it's the first must-have game of the 360 era.

1. "Okami" (Capcom, for the PlayStation 2): This utterly original adventure delivered a perfect blend of puzzles and action in a mesmerizing tale based on Japanese mythology. The gorgeous graphics, inspired by classic Japanese art, look like nothing else you've ever seen in a video game.

Okami is a brave choice, but a refreshing one nonetheless. There's also a "worst of" list, which features five games that'll generate a lot less discussion, if only for the fact everyone agrees that 25 to Life and Superman Returns are among the worst games of the year. Luke Plunkett

The Best and Worst of 2006's Video Games [SF Gate]