Solid sequels, a surprisingly menacing superhero and remakes done right made 2009 a great year for gamers.
While the depressed economy caused some videogame makers to drop or delay major titles, others blew our minds with titles nobody expected to be worth a damn. When Wired.com strung together its "Top 11 Most Anticipated Games of 2009" list, who knew Batman: Arkham Asylum would be anything more than a dull slog? That Assassin's Creed II would feel nothing like the original? That Left 4 Dead 2 was even a possibility?
Ranking this year's top 10 games sparked a good amount of debate among GameLife's writers as we sifted through a better-than-average crop of games. Probably the most surprising thing turned out to be our pick for Game of the Year – which, shockingly, was unanimous.
Read our picks for best games of 2009 and sound off in the comments below.
This beautiful, dreamlike game sets itself apart from the darkness and violence of most games. And it actually uses the PlayStation 3's motion controls (remember those?). Tilt the controller to gather flower petals and bring color back to a dreary landscape and a sinister-looking city. Flower is great fun – and relaxing, too, thanks to the lack of any possibility of failure. Even the closing credits are pretty. – Daniel Feit
Flower probably (OK, definitely) got too much hype prior to its release, but the final product is worth playing. The dynamic music that accompanied your petals' journey through the wind, plinking out another note each time you revitalized another flower, is one of the game's unsung features: Lots of games have pretty graphics and music, but few this sort of intertwined Fantasia-style visual symphony. – Chris Kohler
The world’s greatest rock band entered the age of digital distribution in 2009, but not in the way anyone expected: The Beatles got their own videogame before their own (legal) MP3s. The addition of three-part vocal harmonies as a gameplay element helps Beatles: Rock Band stand out from the rest of the genre, and a steady flow of post-release downloadable songs keeps the Fab Four fresh. – Chris Kohler
In hindsight, the notion of bringing the Beatles to videogames may seem like a no-brainer, but until now, gaming's brief flirtation with pop music has been largely unimaginative. Beatles: Rock Band marks the moment when a smart, reverent and joyful meeting of the two seemingly disparate forms of art became more than a novelty. From here out, doing right by the music is mandatory. – Gus Mastrapa
This criminally overlooked gem mixed the overhead camera of classic GTA with contemporary niceties like GPS, making for one of the most sophisticated games ever seen on DS. The PSP version is more suited to the platform than the overambitious Liberty City Stories. And the drug-dealing gameplay was a master stroke: Even if you only have 90 seconds to kill, you can log on, unload your heroin and stock up on coke. Talk about addictive gameplay. – Chris Baker
My fondest memories of Grand Theft Auto were of playing the old-school 2-D games, and Chinatown Wars brought back those memories. But even with more simplified graphics, Rockstar clearly worked overtime to bring a level of cinematic presentation and polish that I'd never before seen on a third-party Nintendo DS game. – Chris Kohler
Someone at Nintendo should be locked up for not bringing the Game Boy version of Rhythm Heaven to America. At least we got the DS sequel, one of the best games on the platform. A collection of quirky mini-games set to the beats of an infectious J-pop-tinged soundtrack, this game's diverse musical stages are excellent time-wasters on their own and add up to a mammoth challenge if you want to conquer the whole thing. The songs will stick in your head for years after you put it down (I suppose). – Chris Kohler
Two things I thought I was tired of: rhythm games and mini-game compilations. But Rhythm Heaven used those elements to create one of the most entertaining and memorable DS games I've ever played. Though surprisingly simplistic, the mini-games are fun, quirky and addictive. And though the later levels get a bit challenging, tapping your stylus to Rhythm Heaven's catchy music and unique visual style never gets old. – Tracey John
Aren't you glad that Naughty Dog gave up on Jak? The continuing story of treasure hunter Nathan Drake cranks the nonstop cinematic action up several notches. In addition to its engaging story and likable characters, Uncharted 2's finely polished gameplay and surprisingly fun multiplayer makes us remember why we bought a PS3 in the first place. – Tracey John
Writer Leigh Alexander dismissed Uncharted 2's protagonist as "an Indiana Jones knockoff who makes 'clever' film-star wisecracks and doesn't care that he's killing tons of people." I'd just point out that what made Raiders of the Lost Ark such a terrific action movie was that Harrison Ford played a recognizably human character (hates snakes, bored by scimitar show-offs). Nathan Drake's similar humanizing touches made the game a compelling experience. Richard III it ain't, but Among Thieves really did raise the bar for characterization in games. – Chris Baker
Keep your Street Fighter IV: This is the year's best 3-D remake of a 2-D fighting game. Punch-Out!! perfectly matches the look and feel, the timing-based gameplay, and the borderline-offensive ethnic stereotypes of the original. It's perfect for old-school Nintendo Fun Club members as well as neophytes who never had a console before the Wii. Favorite new feature: Title Defense Mode, in which foes are so much fiercer that even that pushover Glass Joe knocked me out several times. – Chris Baker
It sure took Nintendo a while to resurrect this 25-year-old arcade game, but the results were spectacular. Pummeling massive boxers with exaggerated punches feels just as rewarding as ever, now with gorgeous cartoon graphics and remixed music. And bucking the trend of most Wii-makes, Punch-Out!! is the hardest title in the series. –Chris Kohler
Whether you're solving puzzles or skulking around and silently dispatching foes, Arkham Asylum makes you feel like you are the Batman. The Metroid-style nonlinear exploration makes good use of Bruce Wayne's belt full o' gadgets. Masterful voice performances by Mark Hamill and Arleen Sorkin as the Joker and Harley Quinn complete the authenticity. –Chris Kohler
In a world of lame comic games, Arkham Asylum was a welcome surprise. Not only did it offer a simple combat system expertly blended with thrilling stealth sequences, it turned out to be a Metroid-style nonlinear adventure. Players were free to backtrack in search of hidden collectibles, which contributed directly to unlocking new abilities. And the constant mind-bending battle with Scarecrow was genius. –Daniel Feit
As a solo experience, it's not as good as Mario on the DS. But this four-player twist on the classic formula makes for some raucous couch parties. Even if you and your friends are trying your best to help each other as you run and jump through the game's levels, you'll probably still end up in a screaming match.
And that's just in the cooperative mode. Once the gloves came off and we were competing against each other, I had friends ready to kill me in real life when I ate them with a Yoshi and spit them out into a Piranha Plant. If you think you know Mario, you are in for a rude awakening. –Chris Kohler
2009 was the year the Assassin's Creed team redeemed itself. This beautiful journey through Renaissance Italy fixed all the issues of the first game, delivering a better story blended with addictive, stealth gameplay. But the real joy was the atmosphere. Lovingly re-created versions of four 15th-century cities provide the perfect playground for a fledgling assassin. Running across the rooftops of Venice is one of my best gaming memories of the year, and I can't stop listening to the soundtrack.
The sci-fi back story laid over the top of the period piece means you never know what Assassin's Creed II is going to throw at you next. I can't wait to find out where the sequel will take us. –Chris Kohler
2008's Left 4 Dead was revolutionary: the stripped-down storyline, the creative enemy types, the AI Director feature that made every mission unique and endlessly replayable. I think the reason there was so much outcry before the release of the sequel was that it seemed like it would be impossible to improve upon the formula. But Left 4 Dead 2 ended up being an even more compelling, surprising and amusing experience. – Chris Baker
Releasing a direct sequel so soon after the original is unusual for Valve, but Left 4 Dead 2 is iteration done right. Boycotters feared the follow-up would be a slapdash rehash of the original cooperative zombie shooter, but Valve proved the doubters wrong by spinning nearly every subtle storytelling beat and clever multiplayer innovation from Left 4 Dead into something fresh and surprising. – Gus Mastrapa
Even I didn't think Valve should release a sequel to Left 4 Dead just a year after the original. But what it delivered should appease even the most fervent would-be boycotters. With its cast of chatty, likable characters, campaign and multiplayer modes, weapons, zombie types and a melee combat system, Left 4 Dead 2 is a more complete game than the original ever was. – Tracey John
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