14 DAY TRIAL // Given the amount and the quality of the titles released last year, 2011 was a great year for Xbox 360 gamers. However, we can’t say the same thing about Windows Phone games, which were not so popular among gamers because of the mobile platform’s low market share.
Still, once again Larry Hryb, also known as Major Nelson, one of the persons responsible for the Microsoft’s Xbox Live programming, has just published the top games for 2011, based on Unique Users who connect to Xbox Live or full versions that were bought last year.
Top 2011 for Windows Phone games comprises highly-acclaimed titles that made history on other platforms, such as PC and Android. The first three most played titles by global unique users are Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and PvZ, exactly in this order.
According to Major Nelson, here is the rest of the top: Need for Speed Undercover (4), Full House Poker (5), MONOPOLY (6), Doodle Jump (7), Bejeweled LIVE (8), Rise of Glory (9), geoDefense (10), ilomilo (11), Assassin’s Creed – Altaïr’s Chronicles HD (12), Sonic 4 Episode I (13), Tetris (14), Fable: Coin Golf (15), Hydro Thunder GO (16), The Harvest (17), Uno (18), Tentacles (19), and The Sims 3 (20).
Keep in mind that release date is a factor that can end up having a sizeable influence on the final rankings. Fortunately, the top three titles for Windows Phone are as different as it can get when it comes to gameplay, which proves that there’s some creativity among mobile game developers.
While Angry Birds domination over the rest of Windows Phone games may not surprise anyone, it’s a bit unusual to see popular franchises such as Tetris, Assassin’s Creed and Sims so low in the rankings.
All in all, it will be interesting to see how well some of these franchises will perform this year.