DotA

Ahhh, yes, Defense of the Ancients. DotA is arguably the best custom map for WarCraft III--I would even go as far as to say DotA is to WC3 as CounterStrike is to Half Life. In fact, it is not uncommon for someone to purchase WC3 and TFT solely for the purpose of playing DotA online. Many other custom maps out there have tried to be as good and as popular as DotA. Few have succeeded.

On the surface, DotA may seem like a simple enough game. I mean, for the vast majority of the time, all you do is control one hero. One. One is a lot less than the forces you control in a regular melee game--which usually number in the dozens. Not to mention, all you have to do is go from one side of the map to the other and destroy the opposing faction's main building. So why are so many people out there drawn to DotA if it's so bland?

Balance. Balance is what brings players back for game after bloody game of DotA. The number of available heroes to choose from number over six dozen. The number of items that can be equipped on said heroes also number over six dozen. And, to top it all off, everything is (mostly) balanced. There is no overpowered hero that everyone will want to choose. There is no overpowered sword of truth that everyone will try to obtain. DotA, after going through countless iterations, still manages to be a game based more on skill than luck. And what makes it so damn fun is that because of the huge number of heroes and items, no two games will play out to be exactly the same. There is no set "build order" to follow in the early game. There is no fail proof strat to build towards for the mid and late game. Rather, DotA manages to be a complex, multi-dimensional game that emphasizes a player's skill. If only there were more games out there like DotA.