It's that time of year again. Grab a snifter of your favorite brandy (or, for those of you not old enough, a glass of your favorite chocolaty drink -- we suggest warm Ovaltine), take a seat in that comfy recliner (yes, the one that seems to gently caress your supple buttocks in the way that makes you uncomfortably comfortable) and relax by the fire as we take you on a journey through the year that was 2006.

Like we say at IGN, "another 12 months, another 1,200 reviews." Yes, a lot of games, movies, CDs and comics have crossed our desks this year, and we've done our best to evaluate as many of them as we can to tell you what we think is worth your hard-earned buck. 2006 was a busy year with the release of two new gaming systems -- Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii -- as well as the dawning of two new video platforms: HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Although this is a transition year both for videogames and the entertainment industry, we were certainly treated to some great games, movies, and CDs throughout 2006.

We're offering up all of our individual channel picks for Best of 2006 in gaming and entertainment before we go into hibernation for the rest of the year. Of course, we know you're aching to know what our overall picks from all platforms are as well. However, to give the IGN editors a chance to play every possible nominee over the holiday break, we're holding off on our final winners from all platforms until Friday, January 12th, so be sure to check back then. We'll also be posting your picks in mid-January, so look for the Readers' Choice ballots on the various IGN sites and tell us what you thought were the best titles of 2006.

Until then, enjoy reading our Best of 2006 channel awards, and remember to check back in January for our overall picks and to see what the IGN readers thought were the best of the year. While you wait for our overall picks, be sure to cast your own votes in the 2006 Readers' Choice polls on the various IGN channels.