I've heard often from people outside of geekdom that when we geeks get together we seem like we're speaking a different language. This is especially true amongst video gamers, because over the years we've found ways to shorten definitions of our games so communication is quick and direct.

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As a fantasy-loving nerd who came of age in the '80s, I was fascinated by the role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons.'' Fortunately, I didn't know anyone else who cared, so I didn't get drawn into the cult. But I've been a sucker ever since for the electronic games that were inspired by it, from 1981's ''Wizardry'' to the ongoing ''Final Fantasy'' series.

For a relatively youthful medium, video gaming has a profound sense of its own history. The majority of popular franchises - Mario, Madden, ''The Sims,'' ''Final Fantasy'' - have their roots in the 1980s, practically ancient times in today's accelerated pop culture.

When future archaeologists look back on the games of the 21st century, they're likely to be confused by the convoluted myths we've created. Who is this Zelda, and why must Link find her? How do magic mushrooms make Mario powerful? Why is Pac-Man on the run from his ghosts?

News from the virtual world: -LEAP INTO THE VOID: In May, video gamers usually turn their attention toward Los Angeles, site of the industry's biggest annual trade show. But this year, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has been downsized and moved to July - and those of us who have gotten used to a pre-Memorial Day trip to California are left twiddling our thumbs.

2006 was a great year for video games. While years that see new home consoles are successes, this year in particular proved that video games are becoming mainstream faster than you may realize. While a lot of it has to do with the Wii, a system vying for the position of “console anyone can play,” the fact that a huge entertainment company like Sony is showcasing their new format of media on PlayStation 3 says something. Now that officially every mainstream game has been released in 2006, here are the 20 best games of the year:

In a result that will surely send fanboys into a rage, action-RPG The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion beat out favorite Gears of War for Game of the Year at Spike TV Video Game Awards 2006. You can watch the star-studded event on Spike TV this Wednesday, December 13, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. List of nominees below, winners in bold: