Here's a rundown of the biggest stories in gaming this coming year.
Sony
1. The unveiling of the PSP, Sony's fancy (and upscale) new portable game machine. Fantastic resolution, 32 megabytes of RAM and wireless connectivity will make the games magnificent. But it will also have a USB camera and a GPS device to take the application to gadget level, rather than just a game machine. You can expect games like Ape Escape, Armored Core, Syphon Filter, Spider-Man, MediEvil, Gran Turismo, Ridge Racer and Tony Hawk at launch.
2. Ratchet and Clank 3. Slowly building steam as the series goes along, this one is set to be the biggest yet with the best graphics. It's among the strongest franchises on PS2.
3. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. Still a lot of mystery around this one, but it's up there with Halo as the most anticipated game in history. Everyone wants a piece of the next crime series that lets you free-roam around California landscapes on underworld business.
4. Def Jam Fight for NY. Music and mayhem mix as more licensed rap artists, including Ludacris, Redman and Method Man, are in this game, which is a mix of street brawling, wrestling and hip-hop.
5. Silent Hill 4. Resident Evil might have set the standard for psychological thrillers but Silent Hill perfects the psycho part. This time, you're battling even sicker monsters and the mood is creepier than ever (also on Xbox).
Microsoft
1. Halo 2. On Nov. 9, this monster space-shooter arrives. You can now carry two guns at once, the vehicles are upgraded and the online play is amazing. It will launch with a limited edition, packaged in a metal box that includes a special DVD loaded with extra content.
2. EA on board. The announcement that you will finally be able to play the killer EA games, from NHL 2005 to Madden 2005 to Need for Speed Underground 2, will be a huge boost to online gaming. EA's lineup gets more and more dominant each year and as good as Xbox Live is, without EA's games the impact would be lessened. Xbox Live video chat and the new Xbox Live Arcade will enable online Xboxers to chat over the Net face-to-face, and Live Arcade allows downloads of classic games as the online strategy pushes forward.
3. MechAssault 2. Greater graphics, online play, more mechs, more story, more burning buildings left in your wake.
4. Fable. Blend of action and RPG from programming legend Peter Molyneaux. Dark, dangerous and moody, look for big weapons, big spells and big business.
5. Doom 3. The legendary first-person space shooter gets a complete remake with realistic graphics and a dark, violent mood. Also on PC.
Nintendo
1. DS. The Dual Screen portable gaming machine is going to be the must-have gadget of the year. Not only will it let you play while having two different perspectives on the two screens, there's a new set of gaming technology. You'll be able to interact with the screen and move characters and things around by touch. There will be voice recognition and wireless communication. Chat software will let you transmit text messages, handwriting and drawings to other players. Expect to see games including a Spider-Man 2, Rayman, SpongeBob and Metroid Prime Hunters.
2. Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter. More portable innovation as you'll be able to hook up wirelessly with other Game Boy Advance players. Expect this in September. The system even lets you know when someone also playing is close by.
3. Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat. This GameCube title comes with a new "bongo" drum controller, and you move and interact by drumming in this rhythm- and music-based game. More than 30 songs from kids' classics to pop favourites are in here.
4. Legend of Zelda, Four Swords. The first multiplayer Zelda adventure for GameCube lets up to four players plug in their Game Boy Advance units to compete for Force Gems while co-operating to move massive blocks, trigger switches and slay mighty bosses. As a single player, you'll assume control of all four Links and command their every move by seamlessly switching between battle formations.
5. Nintendo announced a new home system is being produced to succeed the GameCube. They are claiming it will "revolutionize" gaming. Some had suggested they were on the Sega road and would get out of the hardware business to just make games. Not so, and we can expect a fancy new machine with some heavy specs to be announced soon.
Paper Mario 2 may not be that bad afterall! New Zelda will be awesome. Kingdom Hearts II will be mine!