Super Bowl ads don't disappoint

There were nearly 60 commercials during this year's Super Bowl, including the first in 3-D: a 30-second trailer for the animated movie "Monsters vs. Aliens" coming out in March and a commercial for PepsiCo's Sobe Lifewater energy drinks.

For the first time in a decade, no U.S. automaker advertised during the most-watched U.S. sports event. But Germany-based Audi had one featuring action actor Jason Statham.

With four-and-a-half minutes of advertising time, brewer Anheuser-Busch featured Clydesdale horses, Conan O'Brien and the Bud Light Lime and Budweiser American Ale brands.

Here are our favorite commercials from the game.

Coke Zero: The much anticipated Coke Zero send-up of the classic "Mean Joe Greene" commercial from 1980 brought a smile. Pittsburgh Steelers player Troy Polamalu plays Greene's role. A boy follows a limping Polamalu to the locker room and offers him a Coke Zero, and two men who claim to be "Coke Brand Managers" try to steal it. Polamalu tackles them. Following this Super Bowl debut, "Mean Troy" will air as a 60-second cinema commercial.

Miller High Life: The Miller High Life Delivery man shouting "High Life" took one second. It won't make anyone switch brands, but it makes me wish some of the other commercials were that long.

CareerBuilder.com: So punching a talking Koala Bear in the nose may sound cruel, but it was funny in the CareerBuilder commercial that counted off things that indicate "it might be time" for a new job, like screaming over your steering wheel or having an office mate sitting in his underwear.

Coca-Cola: Animated insects that steal a Coca-Cola from a napping guy in a field were more stunning than the 3-D stuff. Butterflies formed a Coke bottle. Set to classical music, it was one of the best-looking spots.

Monster.com: Monster.com had a laugh-out moment with a sweeping view of a majestic office for a CEO with a Moose head on the wall. The camera moves to show the other side of the wall, where an office drone sits under the Moose's behind. Yeah, he needs a new job.

Budweiser: A Clydesdale recalls how his great grandpa came to America from Scotland and struggled until he found his calling with Budweiser. It's cute.

Denny's: Denny's does a comic send-up of gangster movies with tough guys in a cafe booth getting happy faces on their pancakes. Denny's, of course, offers a real breakfast. The best part of the ad was the announcement of a free breakfast the Tuesday following the Super Bowl for anyone who walked through the door!

"Monsters vs. Aliens": The 3-D spot for "Monsters Vs. Aliens" gets a big "so what?" Some of the effects were interesting, but the commercial for the upcoming movie didn't have a "wow" factor.

SoBe: The 3-D spot for SoBe was just weird, with big football players doing ballet steps and lizards leaping in the air. Not worth the effort to put on the silly glasses.

E-Trade: The creepy but cute E-Trade baby is back with a new talking buddy who breaks into song — "Take these broken wings" — as the Babester is making a pitch for stockbroker firm. The little guy just wants to "flex the pipes." OK, I laughed.

Bud Light: More slapstick and pratfalls are found in the Bud Light "Drinkability" ad. Guys compare smooth Bud Light to an expert ski jump and other beers to a skier who falls, tumbles and smashes into a ski lodge.

Cars.com: Cars.com offers a mildy amusing story of a "genius" named David who congratulates his doctor at birth, is a whiz through childhood, going into a burning building to save a rabbit and goldfish, but lacks confidence to buy a car so he gets help from Cars.com. Effective but not a knee-slapper.

Budweiser: The Clydesdale-in-love commercial finds the noble steed racing through streets and wilderness to the music of "Ain't No Mountain" to get to Daisy, a circus horse. When the fat lady takes a fall, we laugh. Bud is just horsing around with our emotions.

Bud Light: The first laugh of the night was from Bud Light, with a little drama about a board meeting over cost-cutting measures. When an underling suggests they cut out Bud Light from the meetings, he gets tossed out a window. Maybe worth two yuks.

Audi: Audi jumped in early with a series of chase scenes that count on viewers knowing the appeal of stuntman Jason Statham as he skips through time looking for the perfect getaway car.

Doritos: Doritos goes for laughs with the office nerd tossing a crystal ball at a vending machine to make a prediction of "free Doritos" come true. Another office clown tries to make his wish of a promotion come true, but when he tosses the crystal ball, he hits his boss in the crotch. Crotch jokes make an impression. Bet this one scores high with viewers.

Bud Light: In his first-ever TV commercial Conan O'Brien plays off his dorkish image by agreeing to do a steamy Budweiser commercial that "only will be seen in Sweden." He hams it up, crawling like a lion over a fur rug as the "party starter" only to see the commercial playing in Times Square. It works.

Bridgestone: Good laughs with Bridgestone tires and animated Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head out for a drive. He's going too fast. She is nagging. When he comes to screeching stop, her lips fly off, leaving Mrs. Potato Head silent and Mr. Potato Head smiling. One of the best.

Castrol Edge: A surprise is the Castrol Edge motor oil commercial. Two dimwit buddies marvel over a team of chimps that show up as "grease monkeys," when one opens a can of oil. Guys love chimps. And really love chimps that can change oil.

Doritos: Bad form for Doritos commercials where a guy is hit by a bus. It starts out funny as money flies from an ATM, but the bus smack is disturbing.

GoDaddy: GoDaddy.com does it again with "steamy" Danica Patrick in the shower … and you have to go the Web site to see it all. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Diet Coke: Diet Coke takes The Three Stooges approach with "I'm Good" and guys taking pratfalls in the "man can take anything" commercial.

Budweiser: Bud's first Clydesdale spot brings a smile. The Dalmatian can fetch, and so can the Clydesdale.