Consoles? We don't need your stinkin' consoles. I got yer console right here — in my pocket. Except I call it an iPhone. The strength and quality of the games available for the iPhone (and the iPod Touch) went through the roof this year, and developers keep on pushing the envelope. Among the standouts is Rolando (and its sequels), a cute but also strangely affecting game set in a cartoon world populated by round creatures who need to be rolled through a grassy, perilous wonderland to their destinations. Rolando totally blows out the iPhone's ridiculous graphical power — and makes sly use of its accelerometer too. And at under $5, the price is right. — Lev Grossman
Price: $2.99 at Apple