Let's face it: 2007 will go down as one of the best years in gaming history. Ok, so Grand Theft Auto IV didn't come out, but besides that disappointment, 2007 saw the release of a string huge sequels, the debut of some strong new franchises, and a fair amount of innovation across the board. Perhaps the best news, however, is that no matter which game console you own, there are plenty of must-play games this holiday season. Here's a look at my picks for the best games on the 360, PS3, and Wii. Also, if you're looking for some hidden gems on each system, make sure to read my November column that calls out titles like WarioWare: Smooth Moves and Crackdown.

Zack & Wiki's innovative motion controls made it a surprise hit on Wii.

Mass Effect is an epic game that will take you a few weeks to complete.

Ratchet & Clank for the PS3 is cute, charming, and filled with variety.

XBOX 360

BioShock

BioShock was easily the biggest surprise of the year. Set in a 1960s dystopian underwater world called Rapture, this first-person shooter with strong RPG elements looks amazing, features a compelling story, and delivers a ton of unique gameplay thanks to its plasmid weapons and upgrade system. I also love innovations such as the vita-chambers, which eliminate the need for save points. Bioshock proves that action games and RPGs are really becoming one and the same. I bet you'll see a lot of games liberally borrowing from this title in future years. Out of all the games on this list, BioShock is probably my favorite because of its epic scope and innovation.

Halo 3

Isn't it funny that Halo 3 came out just a few months ago, yet it already seems like everyone has forgotten it? Hyped to no end, this is still a solid and spectacular first-person shooter. While personally I was a little underwhelmed with the single-player campaign that wrapped up Master Chief's story, you have to admire the quality of Bungie's work and innovative features like the Forge Level Creation tool and the online co-op multiplayer. If you haven't played through the campaign in online co-op mode, it's worth checking out.

Mass Effect

Fans of Mass Effect had to suffer through a number of delays this year until the game finally came out at the end of November. The wait, I think, was well worth it. This epic sci-fi RPG from BioWare breaks new ground by fusing Gears of War-style combat with rich character development and some really well done interactive cutscenes (believe it or not, there are four different endings). I liked the combat better in BioShock, another similar action/RPG hybrid, but Mass Effect has a richer story that can take more than 25 hours to complete. This is one game you're going to need to rent for a while!

Half-Life 2: The Orange Box

For sheer value, you won't find a better game in 2007 than Half-Life 2: The Orange Box, which packs together the first-person shooter Half-Life 2, two additional episodic Half-Life stories, the multiplayer team-based shooter Team Fortress 2, and finally the sleeper hit of the year, Portal. You really must rent Orange Box just to play Portal, which takes the warping technology from the game Prey to the next level. There are no human enemies. Instead, you battle against a rogue computer AI in a test lab where you must fire you portal gun to create entry and exit teleport holes to solve environmental puzzles. The game is hard to describe, but trust me, after playing it you'll get a glimpse of where game design is going next.

PLAYSTATION 3

Call of Duty 4

I'm listing Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare under the PS3 because it runs surprisingly well on the system at a full 60 frames per second. But it's just as good on the Xbox 360. I must say that this Call of Duty adventure is the most visually stunning game I've ever played. This is the game you should rent when you really want to show off your new HDTV to the family over the holidays. Set in Russia and the Middle East, you alternate between playing a British and American soldier in a modern day conflict that only takes 6 or 7 hours to complete. Add in extensive multiplayer, and you have easily the best Call of Duty yet.

God of War II

Wait, why is Geoff listing a PS2 game for the PS3? Well, I still think God of War II, which came out in March, is one of the best PlayStation games of 2007. And if you have an early PlayStation 3 model, it will play this PS2 disc through backwards compatibility (be warned that the new $399 40 GB PS3 does not include backwards compatibility). Kratos' second adventure looks better than most next-gen games. The fluid gameplay makes you feel like you're playing the movie "300" as Kratos takes on Zeus and other mythical figures. I for one can't wait to see God of War III on the PS3.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Sure it's cutesy, but the latest Ratchet & Clank game is just pure, unadulterated fun. This sci-fi Pixar-movie-like third-person action game showcases tons of guns and gadgets like the Groovitron, which uses a disco ball to distract enemies with 70s-style grooves. The colors are vibrant, the environments are highly interactive, and the actual gameplay reminds me of fun platform games from the 1990s. Ratchet won't earn any awards for innovation, but on a system starved for big-ticket blockbusters, this is definitely a game to rent.

Wii

Super Mario Galaxy

I was skeptical about the latest Mario game--and with good reason. I wasn't a huge fan of Super Mario Sunshine on the GameCube, nor Luigi's Mansion. But you know what? Super Mario Galaxy is almost as good as Mario 64. I fell in love with this game's sense of adventure and ever-changing variety as Mario flies through space to battle against Bowser. You fly around in a bee suit, skate on ice, launch yourself out of a cannon, and run all the way around spherical worlds. Believe me, you'll get hooked, and soon be coming back every night to try and earn just one more star. If you grew up playing Mario games, you have to give Super Mario Galaxy a whirl. Wait until you see some of the boss fights!

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure

Here's a game you may not have heard of, but is well worth checking out. Capcom's Zack & Wiki is notable because it's custom-tailored to the Wii's motion-sensing controls. This whimsical third-person adventure has you shaking your Wiimote to turn living things into objects like hammers and saws. And then, you guessed it, you have to mimic the motions of those tools using the Wiimote to search for pirate treasure! Mario and Metroid are obvious games to buy for the Wii, but Zack & Wiki is worth a rental if you want to play a game that's only possible on the Wii.

That's it for 2007. Thanks for reading. Have a happy holiday season, and check back in January when I'll be giving you an overview of the biggest games of 2008 and a look behind the scenes at the 2007 Spike TV Video Game Awards. Happy New Year!