Brad Wiswall’s Top Ten Games of 2009 (and 15 runners-up)
Apple iPhone
This being the new platform that was being covered, the Apple iPhone had a surprising amount of great games from up and coming indie developers. Sure, companies like PopCap, Square Enix and Taito made quality games as well for this handheld, but it was clear that the shining examples of great games this year came from more independent developers.
11. Drop 7 – How can such a bite sized game capture hours and days of my time this year? When it’s Drop 7, a puzzle game that has you getting rid of falling balls by the amount of balls in a row or column. If the number on the ball matches the amount on a row or column, they disappear creating chain reactions. This simple premise and clean interface makes Drop 7 the perfect game to play for a few minutes while on the go.
19. Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor – Portable games aren’t want you would expect to bring new experiences in the platform genre, but Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor does just that. By simple pressing on the spider and flicking on the screen, creating intricate webs to ensnare enemies becomes a satisfying and unique experience that can only be done on this platform.
Nintendo DS
While every other year before it was a year that the Nintendo DS flourished with dozens of quality titles, 2009 proved to be kind of a snooze fest for the venerable dual screened handheld. Sure, mainstays like Zelda, Layton, Kirby and Pokemon had their releases, along with a new version of the Nintendo DS (DSi), but something still seemed rather lacking for the handheld.
24. Knights in the Nightmare – The Nintendo DS is almost a dumping ground for JRPG’s this generation, but some of the more unique games are finding its way to the dual screened system. The most unique, and unbelievably complex, games to be released on any system is Knights of the Nightmare. Blending shmups, strategy and RPGs, learning the rules and the strategies of this game is well worth the investment in time…if you’re willing to sink your teeth into it.
Sony PSP
In a year that Sony put more attention to its video game handhelds and consoles, the PSP ended the year on a slight whimper even though it started off surprisingly strong. Many quality titles were released, including Resistance: Retribution, Pangya: Fantasy Golf and Rock Band: Unplugged.
That being said, no PSP games made it to our honorable mentions category.
Sony Playstation 3
More than any other year, this was THE year of the Playstation 3. A new “Slim” model, plus a price drop and a new foothold on the market thanks to some high quality games. Both the PSN side and the retail releases had some of the best games released this year, so for these honorable mentions to make this list shows the high quality these games have.
16. Flower – In what may be one of the most devisive games to be released this year, Flower’s blend of gorgeous visuals, unique storytelling and very capable (and controllable) Sixaxis controls makes it easily one of the games every PS3 owner has to try out. After the 4 hour adventure is complete, you’ll grow a great appreciation of the relaxing and beautiful world thatgamecompany has created.
22. Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time – Not only a stunningly animated and beautiful rendered world but a well imagined and very well produced game. All of the platforming and weapons are excellent in one of the best games in the vaunted Ratchet and Clank series.
Microsoft Xbox 360
In terms of quality exclusives, the 360 recieves a venerable “meh”. The year sounded like it would be exciting for the system, but towards the end it’s the Arcade offerings of the 360 that truly stood out.
12. ‘Splosion Man – Xbox Live Arcade’s best game happens to also be the best platformer this year: ‘Splosion Man. Featuring a hilarious main character and some of the toughest and most nerve-racking platforming, ‘Splosion Man caters to a specific set of gamers, but it fully satisfies their need of platforming.
17. Shadow Complex – Think about how strange this concept is: Let’s make Super Metroid for the 21st century…only we won’t change anything about it. It’s this admittedly simple yet impressively executed concept that drives home what is one of the best values in gaming in 2009.
Nintendo Wii
The Wii’s popularity hasn’t made it a favorite amongst the hardcore gamers. However, this year proved to be a fantastic year for a Wii owner who considered themselves dedicated gamers.
21. Punch-Out!!! – It is easy to condemn Punch-Out!!! as just a simple port job or “re-imagining” of the original Punch-Out!! of the NES. Yet, it’s exactly that reason why this version is so charming and lovable. Little Mac’s conquest of defeating these diverse and somewhat racist set of characters rings that nostalgic bell hard, but you’ll definitely like the tune it plays.
14. New Super Mario Bros. Wii – Speaking of some hard nostalgic ringing, what could possibly be called Super Mario Bros. 4 is simply one of the most delightful games on the Wii this year. Behind one of the harder Mario’s to be released is a clever carry and multiplayer mechanic that makes the game more chaotic, but that much more engaging.
18. Rune Factory: Frontier – As Harvest Moon starts to grow tiresome, Rune Factory seems to bring that series to a new level. Featuring a great dungeon crawling game, along with satisfying farm simulation, Rune Factory: Frontier gives fans of both farm simulators and dungeon hacking a place to co-exist and to enjoy it both of their quirkiness.
Multi-Platform
A recession and a bevy of delays didn’t stop some of the best titles from coming out this year on any platform. In fact, it’s safe to say that this year might be one of the better years in gaming overall.
23. 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand – Never before has solid gameplay mechanics and absolute stupidity meshed so well. A lot about Blood on the Sand should be poked fun at and teased for years to come, but the gameplay is a great mash of Gears of War and hip hop that ends up being a good deal of fun.
13. Street Fighter IV – The comeback of the year, Street Fighter IV brought back everything that was great about the original Street Fighter II and made it relevant and new for this generation. The tried-and-true gameplay, along with subtle refinements that add more depth and strategy to the game, make SFIV a nostalgiic fighting game lover’s dream cone true.
15. Battlefield 1943 - Easily the best multiplayer game of 2009, Battlefield 1943 pares team based gunplay into a simplistic, but very well crafted gelatonous mixture with great controls, strategy and maps. More maps would have been great for this game, but the 4 provided is enough to sate your cravings.
20. Red Faction: Guerilla – Open world games aren’t known for their innovation and penchant for new gameplay experiences, but Guerilla’s completely destructible world creates a unique twist in the open world game that hasn’t been touched since Crackdown.
25. Assassin’s Creed II – What Assassin’s Creed II lacks in new features, it more than makes up for in ambience, atmosphere, diverse gameplay and a great story. Ezio’s road to redemption, plus the very story that spawns from the game, will you keep you engaged and into the story until the very end.
Top 10 of 2009
10. Shatter – Making an Arkanoid clone isn’t a hard feat; taking what Arkanoid did an improve upon it is something different entirely. Shatter does that with a clever multiball bonus mechanic and one of the best techno soundtracks you’ll hear in a game. For $8, PS3 owners have the best downloadable title this year.
9. Space Invaders Infinity Gene – As the iPhone exploded with quality titles this year, one stood above them all and used everything the iPhone has to create a unique and beautiful experience you can’t play anywhere else. Space Invaders Infinity Gens’s mix of Space Invaders, Galaga, gorgeous technic visuals and excellent music gives an audio/visual experience that will capture any on lookers or gamers attention. The constant stream of unlocks makes you want to play each level constantly.
8. Batman: Arkham Asylum – It almost seems like Batman: Arkham Asylum is this year’s game version of Sideways: it automatically is on every Top Ten list. Arkham is the prime of example of how to make a game with great mechanics, character development and atmosphere that will be a testament on how to make stealth, action hero and character driven games for years to come.
7. Excitebots: Trick Racing – You get to be a Frog racing against a Bat, while kicking a field goal during a race.
Oh, you need more reasons? How about a game that brings speed to Burnout 3 proportions, level design to the likes of Pure…while bringing crazy mini-games during the race? How about a surprisingly strong online component and its ingenious Poker Race?
Excitebots: Trick Racing may seem like a kids game or some cheap standing for a “real” racing game, but it ends up being one of the most intense and exhilarating games to come out this year.
6. UFC 09: Undisputed – The fighting game came back in full force this year, and while Street Fighter IV was the most popular, UFC 09: Undisputed was the high watermark of fighting games this year. Combining a very responsive and brutal physics engine, gameplay that is diverse and strategy heavy and a very solid and clean look that makes every knockout look painful, UFC 09: Undisputed is a shining example of not only how to do a new franchise right, but to do a great fighting game right.
5. Dissidia: Final Fantasy- If there was one game that seemed to sound like a complete and utter disaster, Dissidia: Final Fantasy was the game to do it. Yet, with its amazingly complex RPG system, along with its simplistic but intuitive fight mechanics, Dissidia turned into a game that not only any fighting game fan would enjoy, but anyone with a good 10 – 20 hours to kill would sink their teeth in and never let go.
4. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – Creating movie-like experiences is something that the videogame industry has toyed around with for years. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the first game to ever create a great game with a great movie combined within it. The personality from the characters help you want to go through every single area in this stellar adventure.
Plus, the multiplayer is a lot of fun to play, thanks to its great level design and ingenious use of verticality.
3. FIFA Soccer 10 – One of the deepest interpretations of any sports game ever, FIFA Soccer 10 provides the depth in both management and pitch play that stat junkies and footie heads will get months of game time out of. The implementation of the Virtual Pro and the updated controls and visuals help FIFA Soccer 10 shine about all of the other sports games.
2. Borderlands – In a year that felt more safe than innovative; more familiar than daring, Borderlands was a big breath of fresh air. Sure, the concepts are familiar: shooting enemies in the head and loot and level grinding are common staples in a FPS and an action-RPG.
Yet, it’s the nearly seamless blending of both game types that makes Borderlands so refreshing. With a visual appealing art style and a quirky, demented sense of humor, Borderlands quells both itches with a style and feel that is distinctly unique and full of a new type of flavor.
Shooting random enemies in the face can get boring in most games, but when you add a progression system that is worth moving through and a reward system that really makes you feel like your accomplishing goals and becoming stronger, Borderlands has an addictive quality that few, if any, games this year possessed.
Creating multiple characters until I hit level cap and downloading every bit of DLC is very plausible and likely for me, because of how completely satisfying the game is.
1. Wii Sports Resort – Why go to an urban wasteland where the most fun you can have this year is Wahu Island? In a surprise that may shock some (including me if asked about this in the beginning of 09), Wii Sports Resort is not only a vast improvement on the Wii Sports franchise, it’s an even bigger improvement on the mini-game collections that are released in the system. More importantly, Wii Sports Resort finally shows one of the inherent strengths of the Wii and improves in every way what the Wii can do.
Sure, you may complain about the fact that it needs the Wii MotionPlus to even play any of the games, but when you attach the peripheral to your Wii Remote and let it rip, you’ll always want to play games with this type of tactile feel and precision. Having the remote respond to the twist of your wrist or how hard you swing and in what direction becomes immediately satisfying.
Wii Sports Resort is also one of the only mini-game collections that require actual skill to play the game. There is no simple shaking of the Remote or random waggling, all of the games require you to be precise, calculated and trained in order to win the game.
Previous Wii Sports games like Bowling and Golf are vastly improved with the Wii MotionPlus. However, the real highlights in this package are Frisbee, Table Tennis, Swordplay and Basketball. Each game utilizes the Wii Motion Plus in different ways to make the game more engaging and fun to play, for any type of gamer no matter how new or jaded.
In a year that was more familiar than risky, due to an economic downturn that closed production of various games, delayed key titles into the next year and shut down various studios, video games were a kind of comfort that many went to for solace, piece of mind and escape. Wii Sports Resort defines the pinnacle of 2009.
Yes, it’s comforting. Yes, it’s safe. But in a time where we could you some optimism and good clean fun, a day at Wahu Island may just be what Dr. Mario ordered. And there really was nothing better to play this year than Wii Sports Resort.
