So as we enter a new year, it's time to remember a few things, split into categories, that were pretty good about the last one. (Did we actually do this for 2013? I can't seem to find a thread about it.)

I'll start with some notable video games and related stuff!

Favorite developer:
Level-5 (These guys really raised the bar on handheld production values with Fantasy Life and Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.)

Best game that I may never stop playing:
League of Legends (So addictive, and still feels/looks fresh with the new Summoner's Rift update and season changes.)

The handheld that 2014 forgot:
PS Vita (What the heck happened? Where are the games?)

The handheld that dominated 2014:
Nintendo 3DS (So many good games, I can't stop playing it.)

Most surprisingly awesome game:
South Park: The Stick of Truth (Perfectly blends great gameplay with South Park's brand of humour.)

Favorite new discovery:
Pushmo & Crashmo (Man I love puzzle games.)

Best trip to the past:
Shovel Knight (This game really takes me back to the NES days.)

FFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU baseball:
Rusty's Real Deal Baseball (So addictive, but so rage inducing.)

Most timeless game:
Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Yes, I'm still playing it every now and then and it's still as charming as ever.)

Game I most want to get better at:
Super Smash Bros for Wii U / 3DS

Blast from the past:
Final Fantasy 9 (I didn't expect this game to hold up so well.)

Smallest let-down:
Dark Souls II (It wasn't bad, but it just didn't feel as grand as the previous Souls games.)

Most worthwhile way to spend a few hours:
Brothers (This game is short, but it's a fantastic experience.)

Best soundtrack:
Child of Light (This category is always so hard to pick, but Child of Light really has a fantastic soundtrack.)

Favorite racing game:
Mario Kart 8 (Even outside of the racing category this game is fantastic. Nintendo may be releasing some of their greatest games right now.)

Here are what I believe to be my top 5 albums of the year, mainly based on how many times I've listened to them. They're probably in reverse order:

5. Copeland - Ixora
4. Kishi Bashi - Lighght
3. Closure in Moscow - Pink Lemonade
2. Sam Roberts Band - Lo-Fantasy
1. Nick Thomas - Shadowars

Honourable Mentions
These are a few albums that I expected to be in my top 5, but I haven't really gotten into them yet. I'll likely rediscover them later this year.

• Sonic Highways - Foo Fighters
• Hey Rosetta! - Second Sight
• Manchester Orchestra - Cope/Hope