Brunswick Absolute Nirvana very versatile and comparing it to all the newer releases that don't need to mention it is the only ball that hasn't left out of my bag everything else either sold or rotated out and also the Storm Code black is my second choice

The balls from that year that I bought was the Freakshow and Grudge Hybrid.
I played one of my best 4 games with the Grudge at a practice once, but after that it seemed like the ball went dead on me. It was just me though.
Loving the ball now, just need my PSO to make the ringfinger hole a tiny bit bigger, or do it myself.
The Freakshow is great too.
So out of those two, the Freakshow is best. Works well on all conditions for me.

BUT, it's the Venom Shock I like the most now.
At practice yeasterday, I used Venom Shock the most. Used the Grudge to spare when it was more pins on the left.
Looking forward to seeing what kind of balls Motiv will release after the summer break. Got to save up cash now.

Hammer Scandal is the BotY I feel.  Reason? Bowlers are wildly successful with it!!!!

Oh the Scandal was released at the start of 2016. Then that is the best ball of the year.

The balls that I punched up NIB in 2016 were:
Visionary New Breed Particle Pearl
Storm Lucid
GemTek Ten Star Gum Drop (Blatz Beer)
Storm Alpha Crux
Storm El Nino 2000
Brunswick Forest Quantum (Remake)

Out of those, the only ones readily available for purchase at your local pro shop would be the Alpha Crux and Forest Quantum. I'd have to say, that though I've shot higher scores with the Alpha Crux; the Forest Quantum has been an overall better ball for me.

For me personally, Code Black. Clean and great backend recovery.

I know that many others have had great success with the Scandal and No Rules but, in my area, we just don't have the oil for those balls to really show their true value past game 1. No knock on the balls, just an observation.

I don't like threads like this because they end up being a list of almost every ball made during the year. I bought and had drilled up 12-15 2016 balls. They were almost all pretty good. If you drill a ball to maximize the potential of your style and use it on the right condition, there will be times you think it might be ball of the year. 
 
In any case, I've come to judge a ball heavily on it's versatility. The one ball I will always take with me except for the shortest of patterns is the Radical Guru Limited. On tougher patterns, I had some of my best games with it at the Senior Masters and two PBA50 Regionals. At the same time it's an exceptional THS ball, both first and second shifts. It's one of the few balls I'd consider stocking up on.
 
A close second is the Storm Rocket Ship. I haven't had a chance to use it nearly as much as the Guru Limited, but it falls into the same category of versatility.  It too will always be in the bag.
 
On a side note, I respect the opinion of anyone who loves the Scandal, which is one of my 2016 balls. But it's one of the few balls I've ever owned that I've truly disliked. For me, it's a heavy oiler that doesn't come close to the hype. I just had it completely plugged and redrilled, and after a few games, I'm seeing some improvement. Still, for me, it's nothing spectacular by any definition. It just goes to show how subjective this kind of thing is, and that there are no absolutes when it comes to judging the best.