It is true that every year we look forward to the next, wishing that next year’s games were this’s – making us somewhat under appreciate what we already have.
2009 has brought with it some top titles packed with lots of excitement and drama – and despite the so-called “Credit Crunch” we seemed to find money from somewhere to fund our habit. XD
Perhaps trade-ins aren’t so bad after all, despite the ridiculous mark up…
Anyways, despite this being my last year of uni, I have found time for some (albeit guilty, stress-filled “I SHOULD REALLY BE WORKING”) gaming – and this year perhaps more than any other I have found that my interest in games has spread across more platforms than ever before. Since I got my lovely computer, PC has been my main gaming platform, but I suppose working in a game store where all the staff are Xbox gamers was bound to alter that slightly.
I’m not a total raving Xbox fangirl now, however, I still do pretty much use my 360 for a media centre, but I guess in a way it has opened my eyes.
Okay so what I’m gunna do is give a countdown of my favourite (exclusive) games on each platform! 
Then I’ll undoubtedly have decided by then what my favourite game is XD
So here goes 
First up, Xbox 360!
LEFT 4 DEAD 2
Okay so I know it’s not strictly Xbox exclusive (it’s on PC as well), but if you know me at all you’ll know I’m a massive L4D fan girl. Gotta love them zombies. I was a bit dubious when the sequel was announced. I loved L4D so much, played it constantly and made loads of friends online. I loved the original line up, and was a bit worried that the new one would be rubbish, especially the girl – Zoey was amazing.
But it was all awesome! Theres something quaint about the way everyone yells “ROCHELLLLLLLLLEEEEEEE” everytime I friendly fire, or the patronising way Nick says “Stop shooting me, sweetheart..”
Yes, the game is basically the same as the first but is that necessarily a bad thing?
And chopping zombies’ heads off with a samurai sword is particularly awesome.
Next: Playstation 3!
Okay I’m going to resist going all girly for Eyepet on this one and say: UNCHARTED 2
Although to be fair, choosing Uncharted 2 is not really resisting the girly-ness all that much, with totty like Nathan Drake on the cover. It’s like what we’ve been waiting for all this time – a Lara Croft for the ladieees.
Neither is it much of a surprise to see it up here as the favourite for 2009, it is, even ignoring all gameplay, a beautiful game. When I saw it at Eurogamer 2009, when I finally managed to cram my head in a gap between two sweaty guys to see it in all its splendour, I let out a little gasp. It’s the first high end game I’ve seen in a while which doesn’t use too much Bloom.
I HATE BLOOM.
Anyway yeah, again carrying on with an already successful franchise, but in this case making it much much much better, Uncharted 2 is deservedly my favourite PS3 game this year, simply for doing something really well and perfecting something that was always there but we never even thought about.
Shame Idon’t have my very own PS3 to play it on. Taking donations as of now 
NINTENDO WII
Okay I’m not a huge fan of Wii, but I am a huge fan of 4 player co-op…so it’s gotta be…
NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. WII
For my fave Wii game, this has just GOT to be it. It encapsulates everything the Wii stands for, but without being a douchey “Imagine”-esque party game.
This game is basically what it says on the tin. Classic mario. But with 4 players. I don’t know why this hasn’t been done before tbh. I’ve always wanted to push my friends down holes on Mario and make them rage
The only one criticism I have is the selection of the 4 players. Okay so we’ve got Mario and Luigi. Thats two. Then….erm….two toads! Yeah! That’ll work. No-one wants to be the toads, especially the blue one.
But apart from that its awesome, great fun, restores some faith into the dubious old ninty fans – although it is just a rehashed Mario game, so I’m not holding my breath.
NINTENDO DS
There have been some great releases on DS this year, some of which making me somewhat regret trading in my DS, but then again theres still alot of drivel still out there.
Was a battle between this and Professor Layton: Pandora’s Box, but in the end it’s gotta be:
SCRIBBLENAUTS
I’m not normally a fan of puzzle games (Plants vs. Zombies doesn’t count, damnit) but this is AMAZING. So much so that I’ve covered my laptop in stickers of items from Scribblenauts so it can make me smile when I don’t have the opportunity to play it.
Basically each level you have to solve a puzzle by summoning basically anything you can think of.
I loved it from the first time I played it when I had to summon something to make Santa happy, and I accidently punched Santa in the head and left him cowering in the corner. I totally didn’t mean to punch you, Santa! 
Another favourite is when I’m demoing it at work, and I whisper in the customers’ ear to summon a T Rex, like some crazy imnipotent devil on the shoulder, then watch their faces in glee as the T Rex noms everything on screen
Scribblenauts is awesome for that mischievous evil streak that lurks in all of us, but allows us to vent it without using one speck of fake blood, or any sort of “HEADSHOT!” nonsense.
Utterly. Awesome.
PLAYSTATION PORTABLE
Okay I got this for Xmas and haven’t put it down since, so it’s gotta be:
LITTLE BIG PLANET PSP
When I asked for this for Xmas, I was slightly worried that the tiny PSP wouldn’t be able to contain all the love and happiness that had come with the PS3. I thought the creation tools would be lacking, if there at all.
I was wrong.
This game is so good, and as I said in a previous post, theres something about having your own mini Marilyn Monroe sack girl running across the screen, on the move, that makes it totally worthwhile.
The gameplay is essentially the same as the PS3 version, but the levels are different and yet transfer wonderfully over to the portable version of the game. Some elements are missing, but the main points of the game are so good, you hardly even notice.
The creation tools have been compacted into a tiny toolbox of fun, which, despite this, are no harder to use.
All I can say is, all the awesomeness of the PS3 version, but on the move.
What could be better?
OKAY
So those are my fave games of 2009.
What are yours? Disagree with mine? Lemme know
Still holding out my overall top, I’ve submitted them to the guys over at www.crushfragdestroy.com , and I wouldn’t like to spoil the surprise
Hope you’ve enjoyed reading,
Peace, Love, and Restored Faith in Nintendo
xxx
