Legendary Developers Pick Their Favorite Games of 2011

This time of year, every gaming site is offering up the top games of 2011. While IGN is also taking this approach, we also decided to do something a little different. Who better to call out some of the best games of the year than the people who are actually making the games.

We asked some of the top game developers (at least those who had time to take a breath fromtight production schedules) to name their top three favorite games of this year. The only caveat was that they couldn't name one of their own titles. Any platform was open for discussion.

While Skyrim and Uncharted 3 were as popular with developers as the general public, some of their selections will surprise you. Here's what they had to say.

1. Minecraft -- It's been fascinating to see this game evolve over 2011 from its rough and ready first iteration at the start of the year to a complete experience with an end game by the end of the year. It's been a truly wonderful development journey.

2. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword -- Some of the game mechanics are old and formulaic, but overall it's a brilliant and engaging experience.

3. Forza Motorsport 4 -- Forza really has evolved into a racing game, which for the first time I have truly enjoyed…so much so that it's affected my driving in the real world!



1. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception -- This game delivers super high-quality, excellent action and highly interesting story. The final level was the absolute highlight of the game.

2. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- I was impressed by the incredible richness of the game, which offered a very intense atmosphere and great freedom for the player.

3. FIFA 12 -- This is the best soccer game right now, very detailed, and great improvements compared to FIFA 11. I never used to play any soccer games, but started with FIFA 11 and I'm now addicted.



1. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- I recently caught up with Todd Howard and shook his hand, looked him in the eye, and thanked him for making me fall in love with the RPG again. I grew up on the genre, from Chrono Trigger to Lunar and Phantasy Star and simply lost interest in my mid 20s to 30s. I've always been a fan of fantasy; I even have a dragon tattooed on my back and love Lord of the Rings and "Game of Thrones" and this was the title to bring me back into that sort of realm.

2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 -- I haven't even touched the campaign yet. The multiplayer? It works. Some players like to bash the series for some reason, but you can't knock the fact that 60fps, smooth controls, and a surprisingly deep online experience continue to work well for that franchise.

3. Amazing Breaker (iOS) -- It's almost as if Angry Birds and Bust a Move had a love child by way of "Antiques Roadshow". Simple, pretty, and addictive fun.



1. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- What more can anyone say about Skyrim that has not already been said? The game is just great. It's engaging, fun, beautiful, expansive, and such a pleasure to play. I've always enjoyed the Elder Scrolls games and this one is by far the best. I already can't wait for the next one!

2. Batman: Arkham City -- I loved Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City is more of everything that was great about the first one. When I was a kid I always pretended I was Batman and growing up I played many Batman games trying to get that childhood fantasy feeling, but with these two games I really feel like Batman. The gameplay is dynamic, engaging, and over-the-top. I wish Rocksteady Studios could make games about all my favorite superheroes!

3. LittleBigPlanet 2 -- I have 7 year-old triplets, so finding a game for the entire family that is challenging, fun, but also approachable is often difficult. LBP2 allows me to play with all the kids at the same time, but also provides challenges for myself and them. The endless supply of user generated content is also a great addition, since the kids often get bored with replaying the same levels. The game is also very charming and just a lot of family fun.