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# Ballots: Sam Machkovech
- URL: https://www.killscreen.com/ballots-sam-machkovech/
- Published: 2012-01-06T09:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2015-11-17T14:34:23.000Z
- Description: High Scores 2011 ballot.
- Author: Anonymous
- Tags: Article, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-07-26 09:39

### Games

1\. Batman: Arkham City (15)  
2\. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (15)  
3\. Frozen Synapse (12)  
4\. Super Mario 3D Land (11)  
5\. Renegade Ops (11)  
6\. Atom Zombie Smasher (9)  
7\. Realm of the Mad God (9)  
8\. Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions (7)  
9\. Mortal Kombat (6)  
10\. Star Wars: The Old Republic (5)

### **Comments**

I was tempted to bump *Arkham City* and *Skyrim* from my list, considering how well-known both games are, but *The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword* changed my mind. My thought after 20 hours of *Z:SS* was, “I’ve already played better Zelda games this year.” *Arkham City* and *Skyrim’s* mixes of enormity, power and heart are what we elitist gaming snobs have been wanting from our Gamestop purchases for so long, and I think they each nail the promise of titles like *Fallout 3* and *Red Dead Redemption—*both of which were grand but lacked what I sought in pacing and emotional resonance.

*Frozen Synapse*, meanwhile, is the best digital board game of the year. I could imagine playing the game in a bygone era; players would write out their squadmates’ moves and maneuvers, measuring them on a home playboard with tape, then mail them out to see whose operatives were seen or killed as a result. Yet somehow, the game also feels ahead of its time. I assume reddit’s successor’s successor will have a slew of nostalgic, arcane image posts about *FS* that confuse 95% of the readership.

*Super Mario 3D Land* and *Renegade Ops* are the two best “pure fun” games of the year. Bite-sized thrills that are accentuated with 3D and physics tweaks, not overloaded by them. I have repeatedly recommended this one-two punch to every gamer type I meet, from novice to diehard. Strangers on the street are confused by this; too bad for them.

*Atom Zombie Smasher* is the best iPad game of the year… only it’s not on a touchscreen device yet. I reserve the right to relist the game at #1 next year upon an iOS port. Still, in its current state, I’d be happy if this were the last zombie-related video game ever made; then, the genre would go out on top. (Like that would ever happen.)

*Realm of the Mad God* is the most accessible MMO in the world. Free to play from any web browser. The tutorial is maybe three minutes long. The shmup-in-a-guild questing advances quickly and sensibly. In-game purchases enhance the game without breaking the importance of grinding for loot. And yet *RotMG’s* hardcore leanings and perma-death consequences almost—ALMOST—make *Dark Souls* look like a joke.

*Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions*? Did you even know this game existed? You should, because buried in this game’s hodgepodge of Namco remasters was the best modern *Sonic the Hedgehog* gameplay of the past decade. *Pac-Man* takes to a side-scrolling quest that’s all about speed and perfect lines. You have to try it.

*Mortal Kombat* was my party game of the year. I was equally surprised by the reclamation of violence as by the long-awaited smoothing of the series’ wooden play mechanics. *Star Wars: The Old Republic*, meanwhile, squeaked onto the list after a last-minute assignment covering its beta weekends. No way am I going to get sucked into this one for months and months, because the game is too WoW-like to thrill me into sticking around that long. But the writing, voice acting, character classes and atmosphere are worth commending, and it’ll be long forgotten by the time I mark up a best of 2012 list, so here you go, Bioware.

I didn’t play *The Witcher 2* or *Deus Ex: HR*, and I didn’t get far in *Dark Souls*, yet I enjoyed a lot of games that didn’t quite make this list. Consider this mobile/indie addendum my #11, considering its combined price is probably, what, $15? I played more *Drop7* (iOS, Android) than all games on this list combined, but it’s a 2009 game and, as such, wasn’t allowed. I heard about *SpellTower* (iOS) from some Kill Screen writers, and it’s as dangerously addictive as described. The touch-screen mechanics in Tentacles (WP7) are the best in a mobile action game by FAR, and they would’ve landed the #10 spot if SW:TOR didn’t charm me over the past month. Dark Dot (iPad), another tip from KillScreen contributors, was just about as impressive in terms of how it employs a touchscreen. *Shot Shot Shoot* (iPad) is the ice hockey of the future. *The Binding of Isaac* (PC) proves that random-gen dungeon games should’ve been mixed with old-school Zelda play a lonnng time ago. *Triple Town*, the best Kindle game ever made (yeah, Kindles have ’em), launched on Facebook a few months ago, and its mix of *Bejeweled* and *Animal Crossing* should be banned in this country.

Oh, and one last honorable mention: *DiRT 3* was really fucking badass. Until other high-end racing gamespour some decent mud or snow into their visual and physics engines, this is my go-to for silly, straight-up speed.

*Back to [High Scores 2011](http://killscreendaily.com/articles/high-scores-end-2011?ref=killscreen.com)*