The most important and entertaining games of 2011 as chosen by your friendly neighborhood 1UP staff.
By: 1UP StaffDecember 22, 2011
Welcome to the Editors' Picks portion of 1UP's Best of 2011 Awards! We've taken a slightly different approach this year by narrowing our awards down to a few meaningful picks instead of offering up dozens of prizes to dozens of games. Sure, the blanket approach would mean everyone could feel good because more of the games they like get mentioned, and it would make us more likely to be quoted on the next round of "game of the year" edition re-releases, but we think our approach is a little more honest. We've put together categories that mean something to us and whittled down this year's slate of amazing releases to the absolute best. These are our sincere, unprejudiced picks: The games we loved most in 2011.
"But where are the best of genre and platform picks!?" you ask. We decided to drop those this year because, well, they don't matter. So many great games are multi-platform releases, and so many break down the boundaries between traditional genres, that we no longer see any meaning in those sort of awards. Agree? Disagree? Tell us all about it (and share your thoughts on our collective picks) in the comments! And don't forget to make your own voice heard in the Readers' Picks portion!
Vote for the Best of 2011 with 1UP's Readers' Picks!
What rocked this year? Make your voice heard by picking the best of 2011!
By: 1UP StaffDecember 22, 2011
You've seen which games 1UP's staff loved (and hated) this year. Now it's time for you, our loyal readers, to voice your own thoughts. What games captured your attention in 2011? Vote here through January 5 and we'll report back with the 1UP community verdict!
Check out these 10 in-depth 1UP features from 2011.
By: 1UP StaffDecember 23, 2011
With 2011 almost completely in the bag, we've taken the opportunity to celebrate some of the year's best content at 1UP. But of all the categories -- from podcasts to reviews -- narrowing down 10 selections for 1UP's best feature proved the most challenging task. We're not just patting ourselves on the back here; our features section played host to an incredible array of great material this year from both 1UP staff and our trusty cadre of freelance contributors. We sneaked a bizarre glimpse into the world of banned Xbox Live users; took a trip through the trials and tribulations of developer Starbreeze Studios; mapped the development of Uncharted 3; and lamented Nintendo's missteps surrounding Mario's 25th anniversary. Whatever the topic, we feel 1UP delivered on the site's long-standing commitment to bring you insightful features every week. Check out our 10 best below.
Launching a new system is one heck of an endeavor for any manufacturer, so we are always curious as to which consoles end up succeeding and which ones utterly fail. Now, using the power of wizardry that we commonly refer to as "hindsight", we take a look at the failed systems of the past (hi there, Sega Saturn and Virtual Boy!), and offer our own suggestions for what should have been done to save, rather than bury, these systems.
1UP contributor Evan Shamoon takes us behind-the-scenes to look at what really happened to the former game publisher, and how their lofty business plan may have been doomed from the start.
After seven years of awesome games (after a rocky beginning), the DS saw its last full year of life in 2011 -- though, in traditional Nintendo fashion, the system certainly went out with a bang. This extensive retrospective series covers the finest games on Nintendo's last handheld.
When a devastating earthquake struck off the coast of Tohoku in March, Japan was rattled as much in a figurative sense as literal. Massive portions of the country shut down, and many people retreated to the nation's southward reaches to avoid a possible nuclear meltdown. Months later, we spoke with a number of Japanese developers to see how the Tohoku quake affected them and how they changed their businesses and habits in response to the events of March 11.
As great as the narratives in the Uncharted series are, the tale of the games' development is the stuff of legend. Scooter was offered deep access into the staff and archives of Naughty Dog, and what he came away with was a great glimpse into what the series is, could have been, and what it may become. This in-depth look into the evolution of not only Uncharted 3, but the series as a whole, gives us rare insight into the creative process.
1UP's Matt Leone takes us through the trials and tribulations of Starbreeze Studios in this behind-the-scenes tale of the developer that created the Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Darkness.
When Final Fantasy VII arrived in 1997, it turned something Americans treated as a niche genre -- Japanese console RPGs -- into a bona-fide smash. Now, more than a decade later, those days are over. 1UP's Ryan Winterhalter examines the whys and wherefores of this trend.
We're smack-dab in the middle of Nintendo's extravagant celebration of Zelda's 25, which only makes Mario's 25th look all the more pathetic. A quarter-decade of service, and what does the guy get? A Super Mario All-Stars ROM slapped on a disc -- and not even the version that adds Super Mario World! Read on and get a glimpse of how happy we'd be if video games got the Criterion treatment (the media publisher, not the guys who made Burnout).
A glimpse into a bizarre, negative, and yet hilarious world of Xbox Live bans. Here, we show you the very public forum that lets banned gamers attempt to appeal the ban that Microsoft Xbox Live has condemned them with. We explore and explain the full gamut of liars, parents, con men, and lawyer wannabes that populate this forum. It's like the video game equivalent of rubbernecking entertainment like Cops or any show focused on a judge overseeing bizarre and minor cases/disputes.
After former Capcom creative leader (and Mega Man creator) Keiji Inafune left Capcom to start his own company, we tracked him down to discuss the state of the industry, why he left, and what his plans are going forward.
That crisp tingle in the air can only mean one thing-- it's that time of year again to put a yule log on the fire, pour yourself a stiff glass of mom's special eggnog, and superglue a controller to your hands. If you're anything like us, you'll be spending your holiday season trying to chip away at the mound of games in your backlog. Lucky for you, we here at 1UP are feeling extra charitable, so we've compiled a list of MyCheats SuperGuides for all of the titles you're going to need help in this holiday season.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations When it comes to Assassin's Creed: Revelations, we left no stone unturned throughout all of Constantinople. We have a full walkthrough for all Ezio, Altair, and Desmond missions, as well as Fragment Locations and so much more. Wherever you get stuck, MyCheats is here for all of your Animus needs.
Batman: Arkham City The Dark Knight just can't seem to catch a break. Luckily our guide is here to help you survive the countdown to "Protocol 10," including the Catwoman DLC missions. Use our SuperGuide to suss out every tidbit of fan-service that Batman: Arkham City has to offer.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Listen up, soldiers: 2011's biggest shooter is here, and you you're going to need all the help you can get in order to survive. Thankfully our Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 SuperGuide on MyCheats is here to steady your aim.
Dark Souls Making the slow crawl through Dark Souls is as difficult as it is rewarding. Our walkthrough is here to provide you with the best route to take along your quest to Ring the Bells, gather the Lord Souls, and ultimately defeat Gwyn. But let's be honest-- if you're anything like us, you're still going to die...and die...and die.
Gears of War 3 Prepare to battle the Locust horde once again in Gears of War 3. Our Gears of War 3 SuperGuide is here to help you defeat the Locust with a single-player walkthrough, multiplayer tips, and loads of cheats, tips, and strategies.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword This massive game is undeniably the Nintendo Wii's swan song, and it's dangerous to go alone. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword SuperGuide is here to help you explore all of Hyrule with a detailed walkthrough, side quest guide, and more.
Skyrim 2011's biggest game is here, and even the most seasoned veteran can use a helping hand. Use the MyCheats Strategy Wiki to help you delve into the depths of the newest Elder Scrolls title. Discover the secrets of Vampirism, dragon-slaying, and marriage.
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Step back into the globe-trotting boots of Nathan Drake in Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. The MyCheats SuperGuide is here to help you navigate the desert and locate each of the game's hidden treasures. From alabaster idols to ornate goblets, our guide shows you how to get the goods.
