Lost Odyssey - This is the game that Final Fantasy X should have been. Classic gameplay, one of the least-stupid and most involving stories to ever grace a JRPG, and gorgeous character design by one of the most amazing people working in comics today, Takehiko Inoue, make this game my favorite RPG of the decade

Rock Band 2 - My girlfriend loves this game. My mom loves this game. I love this game. Rock Band 2 is the perfect game for all sorts of get-togethers, and the never-ending and usually great DLC has kept this game in my xbox longer than any game that isn't Street Fighter. 

Metroid Prime - Metroid Prime is the most atmospheric and engrossing game I have ever played. No game has ever made me feel more in the skin of its protagonist. And who would have thought that platforming could be so much fun in first person?

Mario Kart Double Dash - I love the co-op driving, and I haven't played a game that has used that wonderful mechanic since. Double Dash has played host to countless 4 players on 2 teams brawls, and this is another one of those great games that is fun for the casual gamer. The character-specific specials and the huge roster were a blast too.

Resident Evil 4 - How good is RE4? I was a skeptic when I borrowed disc 1 (of 2 on the Gamecube). I played through it non-stop, called my friend at 1 am to see if he was done with disc 2, and had to drive out to a Meijer 40 minutes away in the middle of the night to grab my own copy so I could finish the game. RE4 is all the fun and spirit of and Indiana Jones movie crammed full of zombies with set pieces and production value that remain the best in gaming.

Halo - I love Halo for 2 reasons.

1. I'm the moron who ran around in Golden Eye slapping wildly as Odd Job. If I did use a weapon, it was explosive. And I was terrible. Halo came along, and now all of a sudden I can whack people AND throw explosives without having to change weapons. Now I'm rocking.

2. I didn't even know what a LAN party was until Halo. Before long, 16 people were crammed in my house and I don't think FPS games will ever be that fun for me again.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - This is one of the most beautiful games ever made. I have never had more fun exploring the world of a game, and a game has never made me feel the joy that Wind Waker elicits. Nintendo's Gamecube era games were absolutely crammed with personality and goodwill, and this is the best of them all.

Street Fighter 4 - For ages, it seemed that Street Fighter was done. Capcom didn't seem to care about the franchise, and the only people paying any attention to it were the hardcore SFIII fans. I feel like this game was announced out of no where, and before long people were actually talking about arcades again. I made a pilgrimage to LA just to try before it hit console. When it finally did hit console, it was a masterpiece. Millions of gamers suddenly cared about Street Fighter as much as I did. I have already logged over 300 hours of this game, and the only reason I'll stop is because SUPER is hitting soon.

Capcom made the game accessible and marketed it fiercely, and bam: the greatest franchise in gaming is back.

Jet Grind Radio - It has been nearly 10 years since Jet Grind Radio came out and no other game has even come close to it in terms of style, originality, and flavor. JGR and its sequel, Jet Set Radio Future, are the best looking games of all time. They also feature one of the best, if not the best, gaming soundtracks ever. This game is eons ahead of its time, and I'm not sure gaming will ever catch it up to it.

Street Fighter III: Third Strike - Perfection came home in 2000. SFIII is the best looking 2-D game of all time, and one of the most deep and intricate games of all time. It took 3 years of playing before I was even competent SFIII, and it was worth the effort. I'm glad the franchise is more accessible now with SF4, but there is no other game that rewards practice like Third Strike. This is the game I'd choose to have if I was stranded on an island, and this is my top game of the 00's. Can we please have an XBLA/PSN version with HD menus, art, and backgrounds now? With GGPO? Thanks in advance.

What are YOUR picks for the best of the decade?

I recently went to the Gameworks in Indianapolis, IN to see if they had any new offerings, and to enjoy some arcade classics with my friends from Addicted to Media.

Much to my surprise, SEGA actually had two new(ish) games to check out. The always classic SEGA RALLY series has returned with SEGA RALLY 3:

The monitors were gorgeous and really showed off the crisp games graphics. The game was even more fun than the overlooked Sega Rally Revo on 360/PS3.

Also new, was RAMBO:

This game was beyond rad. It played like Virtua Cop or Ghost Squad (check out the great Wii version if you want some hot arcade action), but was chock full of Stallone goodness. There was even a "rage" button that made your character do the Stallone growl/howl/shout for 30 seconds while you mowed down terrorists. It was epic. The game was also spiced with clips from the movie, making this game a must-play for fans of hot action and bad acting.

Since this arcade is located in the heart of Indianapolis, Sega was sure to furnish it with an epic version of the racing classic, Indy 500:

The event that put Indianapolis on the map is recreated with 4 oversize car cabinets and giant monitors. The game is a blast, and you can't beat that presentation. This Gameworks is inside the Circle Center mall and I can't imagine too many racing tourists passing up a round of this if they see it while they shop.

The arcade even had a small selection of fighters, gloriously tucked out of the way near the restrooms:

Street Fighter III: Third Strike, Virtua Fighter 3, Soul Caliber 3 Arcade, and the always in-use MvC2. The selection is much better than nothing, but it makes one miss the good old days. Thank god for Xbox Live and PSN for helping to facilitate the return of competitive fighting games.

I encourage everyone to find an arcade by them, check it out, and share what they find. Arcades cabinets are still the most fun and exciting way to experience a game. Even though the crowds are gone, the magic isn't!