Best of 2010 Awards: Wii Exclusive

Wii Exclusive: Kirby's Epic Yarn

Kirby's Epic Yarn wove itself into gamers' hearts this year with its syrupy-sweet fabric-based visuals and decidedly unpunishing difficulty. Bead-collection, hidden items, and creative level-design help keep more experienced gamers engaged, but young kids and those who don't usually game will also find themselves hard-pressed not to have tons of fun with the little pink hero. Kirby's shape-shifting abilities keep the action fresh, and optional mini-game-based levels do a lot to extend the experience.

Some might see the game's completely nonthreatening nature as somewhat of a detractor, but we think that's really one of Epic Yarn's best qualities. Rare is the game that is inviting to both long-time gamers and newcomers, and that spans generational appeal. Kirby's Epic Yarn's wide appeal, accessibility, and unique visual style are a few of the main reasons why it gets our best Wii game nod for 2010.

Runner-up: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2 had to meet some pretty high expectations in order to dethrone its predecessor. Luckily for gamers, Mario's latest galactic adventure was able to take its winning 3D plat-formula to new heights with the introduction of some new game mechanics, and oodles of levels in which to utilize them. Sometimes, it's better to just straighten out some spokes than try to reinvent the wheel, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 iterates on Mario's prior outing enough to outclass most of its competition.

Nominees: Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Monster Hunter Tri, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, and GoldenEye 007

[Wii is part of Shacknews Best of 2010 Awards. For more information, including selection methodology, see this introduction.]