You don't understand the meaning of second party then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro_Studios

"Retro Studios, Inc. is an American first-party video game developer and division of Nintendo based in Austin, Texas."

Second party:

1. Independently owned studios who take development contracts from the platform holders and what they produce will usually be exclusive to that platform.
2. Studios who are partially or wholly owned by the platform holder (also known as a subsidiary) and what they produce will usually be exclusive to that platform.

Retro studios is the second kind. Know what else was? Rare. And we saw how that turned out for Nintendo. Where are Banjo and Conker now? Not with Nintendo. Sure, Nintendo would keep Metroid and Donkey Kong if Retro were bought out, but that's because those are Nintendo owned IP. Doesn't change the fact that Retro is second party.

The best games I played this year are Tropical Freeze and Bayonetta, I would give both a high 9.
I beat both in hard mode.
I still haven't beat Tropical Freeze in the time trials mode.

Both are excellent and very challenging games. I think those 2 games will be expensive in a decade.

Mario Kart 8 is also great, but needs a better battle mode.

"In the video game industry, a first-party developer is part of a company which manufactures a video game console and develops exclusively for it. First-party developers may use the name of the company itself (such as Nintendo), have a specific division name (such as Sony's Polyphony Digital) or have been an independent studio before being acquired by the console manufacturer (such as Rare or Naughty Dog).^{[5]" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_developer#First-party_developer}

Retro are a Nintendo studio, they are first party.

What? The Letter isn't on the poll?

By far this years most impressive and amazingly unique and exclusive horror survival game available on the eshop.

Undeniably, Smash Wii U.

I deny it, so clearly it's not undeniable. :P

Nintendo's holiday hype is definitely riding on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, but Mario Kart 8 would be a pretty equally great choice as their GOTY, especially after the latest DLC pack.

Smash Wii U. Even though Bayo 2 and MK8 could be contenders, they aren't as good. Also no 3DS games will make it. Even though I enjoyed the titles this year, they were extremely lackluster reflecting on 2013