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• Top 25 Most Wanted Games of 2010

  At the beginning of every year, the IGN editors sit down, look over the publishers' projected release lists and argue over our list of the most anticipated games of the upcoming 12 months. Then the year actually kicks off, and everything changes. Delays happen, new games are announced and the Electronic Entertainment Expo shakes everything up.
  
  So now that E3 is behind us and fall is fast approaching (it'll be here sooner that you think), we thought we'd take another look at how the rest of the gaming year is shaping up. We scoped out the list of upcoming games with solid release dates and narrowed it down to the hottest 25. Then we got together and had an old-fashioned vote-off. Here at IGN, we have a big group of editors with a wide range of tastes in genres, platforms and expectations. Here are their 25 most anticipated games of the second half of 2010.
   

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  25. NBA Jam
  
  

  

  
  Craig Harris: NBA Jam is going back to the original arcade game, taking what worked and why it was fun, and then applying all these new school techniques to it.
  
  Greg Miller: Who didn't love the original NBA Jam? I played as Bill Clinton all night long. I hope I can be Obama in this new one.
  
  Hilary Goldstein: NBA Jam feels and sounds exactly like the old game. It's as close to replicating a classic as you can get.
  
  24. FIFA 11
  
  

  

  
  Hil: FIFA 10 was one of the greatest sports games of all time and 11 looks like it's taking it up a notch. The online is perfectly integrated into the single-player game. They're adding a ton of new custom moves that are specific to players so now it's gonna feel even more like the real players.
  
  Nate Ahearn: This is the sequel to our 2009 Sports Game of the Year and is the best sports game in EA's current lineup.
  
  23. Sonic the Hedgehog 4
  
  

  

  
  Arthur Gies: This feels like a Genesis Sonic game and there are a lot of people who really want that. SEGA is doing a pretty good job of picking up the torch from Sonic 2 and moving forward.
  
  Hilary Goldstein: Sonic the Hedgehog on Genesis is one of my favorite games of all time and it's great to see SEGA finally get it – it's time to stop with all this 3D Sonic crap and go back to 2D platforming. I think people are going to love it.
  
  22. Prof. Layton & the Unwound Future
  
  

  

  
  Dana Jongewaard: I love the Professor Layton games and this one is going to be just like the other two. Can't wait to play it again.
  
  21. GoldenEye Wii
  
  

  

  
  Brian Altano: I anticipate first-person shooters on the Wii. If it doesn't stray too far from the simplicity of what made the first one good I think Goldeneye Wii could work. If they bring back the maps, specifically the Facility, I'll be very excited. I want to sneak into the bathroom stall and kill people again.
  
  Ryan Geddes: We all have great memories of playing Goldeneye with friends. I'm really curious to see how they handle the controls on Wii. Even if it was just a slickly done port of the original game I would still play it, so if they're doing something totally new I'm excited to check it out.
  20. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
  
  

  

  
  David Clayman: Ubisoft is good at creating really original multiplayer games. Spies vs. Mercs was one of the most addictive things I've ever done online; it just had no fan base. But Assassin's Creed is such a huge franchise now, maybe this original take on multiplayer will catch on and people will play something other than Call of Duty and Halo.
  
  Hil: The one thing that drove me crazy about the end of Assassin's Creed II is that you finally get to Rome but then don't get to explore it. Just having the ability to go around and explore Rome is going to be a lot of fun.
  
  19. Call of Duty: Black Ops
  
  

  

  
  Clayman: The throwback vibe they have in this game has got me really excited for one reason: Metal Gear Solid 3 is my favorite game of all time and one of the main characters in Black Ops looks like Snake from that game. He's got the mullet with the headband, and I'll play anything that looks like Snake Eater.
  
  Brian Miggels: I liked World at War, the last Treyarch Call of Duty game. Flying a helicopter around looks really cool.
  
  18. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
  
  

  

  
  Charles Onyett: With Cataclysm, Blizzard is creating some of the most exciting quests I've played in an MMO. It's got me interested in playing WoW again. I'm leveling up my beta characters with a lot of consideration – even though I know they're gonna be wiped when the beta stops. I think that's a pretty good sign that they've done something right here.
  
  Dana: World of Warcraft is a 2004 game that millions of people are still playing. It's funny, it's smart, and more content for it is always a good thing.
  
  17. Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World
  
  

  

  
  Hil: Everything about this game is cool. You can't say enough about how great the music is. It's 8-bit so it kind of sounds like old school games, but it still feels fresh and alive and new.
  
  Daemon Hatfield: Anyone with fond memories of River City Ransom will want to play Scott Pilgrim. It's an old school beat 'em up with old school visuals, but presented in glorious HD. Great to see Ubisoft taking such a unique approach to a movie tie in.
  
  16. DJ Hero 2
  
  

  

  
  Clayman: It's not revolutionary that they added real vocal support and refined the multiplayer modes in DJ Hero, but it does turn it into a really viable party game. Before, it was cool that the music was good, but nobody wants to watch someone else play a game. It's similar to Guitar Hero's transition into Guitar Hero 5. Guitar Hero 5 was the ultimate party game, but nobody cared anymore. But DJ Hero is still fresh enough that I think you should care. Plus, you bought that turntable so you might as well get the sequel.
  
  Daemon: DJ Hero was already a near-perfect experience, and it seems like Activision is fixing the very few qualms we had with it for the sequel. I'm hearing rumors that my absolute favorite DJ will make an appearance this time…
  
  15. Gran Turismo 5
  
  

  

  
  Geddes: I'm a huge car and racing fan. I still play Forza 3 even though it came out a while ago but it doesn't have that "car porn" vibe that I'm looking for. Gran Turismo always has so many cars that are beautifully modeled.
  
  Hil: Gran Turismo 5 is one of the best-looking games you'll ever see. PlayStation 3 owners have really needed a hardcore racing simulation and without question you're going to get that with GT5.
  
  14. Super Scribblenauts
  
  

  

  
  Craig Harris: Scribblenauts was a great concept and a fun game, but was broken in some respects. It's great that it's being given a second chance to work this time. Making the controls work is the important thing, and it looks like they've fixed what was broken in Scribblenauts.
  
  Daemon: Adjectives add a whole lot to what you can summon in Super Scribblenauts. A delicious baby? A sexy nun? A gelatinous taxi? All of these and more are possible.
  
  13. Limbo
  
  

  

  
  Daemon: Limbo has a very distinct art style, something you don't find very often in videogames. One glance at it and you immediately know what game you're looking at. This creepy puzzle platformer takes me back to the glorious days of Out of This World. Limbo doesn't really have a soundtrack, but the audio experience is amazing.
  
  Greg: Limbo looks really cool but it's the sound that really gets me. When you play it with headphones on it's a beautiful sounding game. The pitter patter of your feet walking through the woods; a steel bear trap closing on your head… The kills are really graphic, which I wasn't expecting.
  
  12. Patapon 3
  
  

  

  
  Greg: Patapon 1 and 2 were our PSP Games of the Year two years in a row, and it seems like they're doing a lot of really cool stuff with Patapon 3. Seems like it's gonna be a huge game – much bigger than before.
  
  11. Dance Central
  
  

  

  
  Dana: I am an awful dancer. I've always wanted to be a better dancer and Dance Central dangles a little illusion of hope that I might be able to not embarrass myself after I've played it for a while.
  
  Daemon: I thought Dance Central looked ridiculous when I first saw it. Then I played it and I was having a ridiculous amount of fun. You may be tempted to write something like this off, but you really have to play Dance Central to get why it's so cool.
  
  Hil: If you play Dance Central I think you'll actually learn to dance. That's pretty incredible.
  10. Medal of Honor
  
  

  

  
  Anthony Gallegos: I still have fond memories of the beach landing scene in the first Medal of Honor. I'm really hoping that EA can make this Medal of Honor something that can compete with Call of Duty.
  
  Arthur: DICE has a proven track record for making great multiplayer games.
  
  Charles: The single-player campaign is really well presented and could have a cool storyline. It could actually be a lot more interesting than the completely over-the-top '80s action flick storylines in, for example, the Call of Duty series.
  
  9. Metroid: Other M
  
  

  

  
  Altano: The fact that they're bringing in Team Ninja to enhance the combat is a strange and interesting change for the Metroid franchise, and I'm excited for it.
  
  Anthony: The combination of first- and third-person gameplay really intrigues me.
  
  8. Fable III
  
  

  

  
  Erik Brudvig: I'm excited for Fable III because it seemed like Lionhead overestimated what they could do with the second one. They shot for the moon and didn't quite get there. Now with Fable III they're recognizing what went wrong with Fable II and cleaning it up a bit.
  
  Kristine Steimer: I'm a big Fable II fan. Love that dog, so I'm very happy the dog is back.
  
  7. StarCraft II
  
  

  

  
  Charles: I've personally been waiting for this for 12 years. The fact that they actually changed up the campaign so that it plays a little like a point-and-click adventure game is pretty exciting.
  
  Nick Kolan: Blizzard has been working on this sequel for at least five years and it's really polished, even in its current beta state. It's gonna be awesome when it's released.
  
  6. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
  
  

  

  
  Dana: I will play any game Criterion makes and love it. This is Burnout with cop cars and I am so there.
  
  Geddes: The Need for Speed series has needed a reboot for a while. What we saw at E3 included cops, hot cars – there is even a Bugatti cop car, which is pretty much the most awesome thing I can imagine. It looks like the excitement of Need for Speed is back.
  
  Hil: Criterion makes incredible racing games. The best mode that has ever been in any Burnout is Road Rage and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is an entire game built around Road Rage. It's gonna be a blast and is gorgeous to look at.
  
  5. Kirby's Epic Yarn
  
  

  

  
  Charles: I just think Kirby looks cool. The visual style in that game is enough to make me go buy it, even without reading any previews.
  
  Craig: There hasn't been a massive console game starring Kirby in some time. The visual style is amazing. Using string and yarn for the characters and environment is something no one has ever done before and it looks fantastic.
  
  Dana: It just looks so damn cute. How could I not want to play a game that looks like something I might actually make with my sewing machine?
  
  4. Epic Mickey
  
  

  

  
  Anthony: This looks like the best Wii game coming out this year – possibly overall. It just has such a cool art style. I wasn't sure if Warren Spector could deliver again but now, having seen it firsthand, it looks really great. Not even "great for a Wii game," it just looks great.
  
  Craig: Warren Spector is big news in the world of gaming and to have him make a console game, especially for the Wii, is a big deal.
  
  3. Halo: Reach
  
  

  

  
  Arthur: This feels like the first real next-gen Halo game. Seems like Bungie is taking the fact that this is their last Halo game on the 360 to heart and they're really putting a lot more into it than they have in the past. The story aspect seems interesting. I like that it's gonna end in tragedy.
  
  Erik: If you're a Halo fan it's impossible to not be excited about Reach. This is the World Cup of shooters.
  
  2. Civilization V
  
  

  

  
  Charles: The Civilization series has been the most consistently entertaining strategy franchise around. It's got a lot of depth and is always fun to play. I have no doubt that Civ V will do the same thing. The fact that they're actually changing up the formula a lot with Civ V is really interesting.
  
  Dana: I always want to rule the world and Civilization is my chance to live that dream.
  
  Erik: This is my number one most anticipated game. I think I've played more Civilization over the past five years than any other game. In fact, I took two days off work last week and just sat around playing Civilization. So I'm still playing old Civ games and will probably play Civ 5 for years.
  
  1. Fallout: New Vegas
  
  

  

  
  Arthur: I dumped about 85 hours into Fallout 3. I probably played more Fallout 3 DLC last year than any other game. So I'm looking forward to losing myself in that world again.
  
  Erik: Fallout New Vegas is more Fallout. That's awesome and all you really need to know.
   

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  That's how we rank the hottest upcoming games of the remainder of 2010. How about you? Give us your personal top 5 in the comments section below.