Spore, The Year's Most Anticipated PC Game

From the team headed by Will Wright, creators of The Sims, comes Maxis's next wild burst of imagination, Spore. It's a game, it's a toy, and it's the most intriguing computer gaming experience to come along in years.

Matt Peckham, PC World

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Simple as the Cell Stage sounds, Spore uses it to establish crucial design principles that carry through to future stages. These include a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, the sophisticated but tremendously intuitive 3D creation tool, the radar and "current mission" displays (which keep you grounded when you tire of puttering around), and the way that dying gently whisks you back to a safe point without loss of points or abilities.

It's a clever way to introduce players of all stripes to concepts like "gene toolkits" and "inherited traits" without mentioning any of that stuff by name. All you have to do is steer, eat, and either avoid predators or become one yourself.