It was a lot of fun coming up with my favorite new releases from 2009, but buying most of my games on clearance really limits how many games I get that were actually released that year. Sometimes a few will slip in because of a really good sale, or something that came out earlier in the year and dropped in price before the year was over and sometimes I will just buy it because I really want it. However, for the most part, I don't get too many games in the same year they are released.

This got me to thinking and I realized that my list of my favorite games for 2009 when considering all of my pickups, would likely be very different. So, I thought I would make a separate list, this time it will be my top 20 favorite pickups in 2009. For this list, I decided to exclude the games from my top nine new releases of 2009. All of those were great games and I really liked them, if I included 2009 releases again it would be a little boring since most, if not all, of them would be in this list as well. So, for this list I went over all my games I bought in 2009 and picked my favorites.

As with my top 9 games of 2009, the same three factors were used to determine the order of the list. Again, those were: being unique, addictive and being a game that I always want in my collection.

Number 20 -

Wireless Nunchuk - Not a game, but certainly related to gaming and something I'm very happy to finally have. I was really in need of another nunchuk and to be honest, I was just getting sick of hitting myself in the face and/or being limited in motion by the wired nunchuk. I'd been looking for a wireless one for a while, but could never find one that seemed to get good reviews. After a while I finally decided to try the Nyko Kama. It was only $20 and so far I have been very happy. It does have some downsides (i.e. uses extra batteries, doesn't feel as nice as the Nintendo nunchuk, etc) but overall I've been very happy. Games like boxing, EA Sports Active and other games that require a large range of motion and/or a lot of movement are a much nicer experience with the wireless Kama for me!

Number 19 -

Order Up! - I wasn't sure, at first, if Order Up! was going to be included in my top 20 list. But, after thinking about the gameplay and how much fun I had playing, I ultimately decided I would include it. I bought this shortly after joining CAG. I went to Best Buy, found some good prices on games and basically bought them all. Some of them were good, some not so good. Order Up! was definitely one of my favorites from that day. I love the way the game is played, the use of motion controls, etc. As with all my games, I always try them after I buy them to make sure they load properly and don't have any problems. I usually only play for a few minutes and then put it in with the rest of my games to be played. Order Up ended up being a game I wanted to keep playing and ended up playing for a good amount of time. This type of game certainly isn't for everyone, but to have a little bit different style of gameplay and a fun use of the motion controls is what earned this game a spot in my top 20.

Number 18 -

Animal Crossing City Folk - Maybe its just me, but a lot of games come out and have a lot of hype behind them that I don't quite understand why. Now, games like Halo, Modern Warfare, etc. I can understand why a lot of gamers like them but I don't, its simply the fact I don't like that style of game. But, a lot of games come out that are games that seem like they would be right up my alley and are pretty popular, but I just don't get the concept behind the game. Animal Crossing was one of those games. I had heard about it for a while and so many people online said it was a great game, but I just couldn't understand all the hype behind it. So, finally, after years of hearing about it, I decided to get it during a sale at Gamestop. I bought three games from the sale and this was definitely my most anticipated to try.

After the game came, I put it in. I didn't know what to really expect, I had played games like the Sims in the past and they were okay, but they weren't really my style. I was very surprised, not only how much fun I had with the game, but how much time I put into it. I was playing this game every chance I got and loving every minute of it. It was extremely addicting and a lot of fun. I still don't understand what makes the game so much fun, but I definitely could see why so many people liked it.

However, for me, the hype of this game wore off pretty quickly. I loved the game at first and spent a lot of time with it, but after a while it started to get boring and doing the same thing over and over just wasn't fun. I really haven't played the game much the past few months and when I do, its only for a short amount of time. Had I bought this game later in the year, there is a chance it would have ranked higher on my list, but after spending a lot of time with the game, I feel it just doesn't offer enough new things to keep players coming back. Its still a great game and I definitely got my moneys worth out of it, so it definitely deserved a spot in my top 20 list!



Number 17 -

Guitar Hero World Tour Mac - After I got Guitar Hero III I really liked the idea behind Guitar Hero / Rockband games. They were a lot of fun and pretty addicting (even my family got into playing it after I got the game) but after the initial hype wore off, I found myself playing the game less and less. Once and a while I would pull the guitar out of the closet, blow off the dust and have a lot of fun playing, but for the most part I didn't play it too often. When Guitar Hero World Tour came out, I was really interested in getting it. I had never played a Rockband game, but was always interested in getting a game with drums. I ended up buying World Tour earlier this year and my main reason for getting it was to play the drums.

When the game finally got to me I couldn't wait to play it. I set it up and got started. I thought Guitar Hero was addicting, but I spent so many hours playing the drums the first week I got this game it wasn't even funny. I honestly can't think of any game I've played more in one sitting then this game. There is just something addicting to the Guitar Hero method (to me anyway) and combining that with drums made it even more addicting. World Tour didn't do anything completely different, in terms of the music games in general, but it made a huge change in what Guitar Hero had to offer. So I decided to put this on my list, not really for the changes it made to the genre, but for the plain and simple element of fun!


Number 16 -

Forza 2 - Forza 2 was the very first game I bought and played after getting my 360. Long before I bought the system I was looking into what games I would get with it and most important what game would be my first purchase. I'm not much into racing games, but I do enjoy having at least one racing game on each of my systems. They are fun to play and are great when I only have a limited amount of time to play. I was always interested in Forza and I thought this would be a great game to get with my system. After playing the game, I really, really liked it. For several months it was just about the only game I played on the 360, I'm definitely not the best at it, but it is a great game and a lot of fun. There is a great selection of cars and a decent number of tracks. But, the part that pulled me in more than anything was being able to customize my own car. The degree of customizing that can be done in Forza is great and its definitely my favorite part of the game. I've never created anything remotely similar to what some of the designers on Forza can do, but I've still had a lot of fun with it. Its a nice feature to mess around with when you don't want to race, but still want to play the game, or when you need a break from a difficult track. I think the racing in the game is pretty fun as well, for me it took a little getting used to, but once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed it more. My only complaint is the lack of tracks. I like most of the tracks in the game, but I think more tracks would have been a great improvement, racing the same track over and over (even if it is different sections) can get pretty boring. Overall, Forza 2 combines a lot of great elements to make one fantastic racing game.

Number 15 -

DeBlob - I honestly didn't realize how many games I got this year that I wasn't sure if I would like them when I bought them, DeBlob is another one of those games. I heard so many great things about it, but couldn't understand why it would be any fun. So, when Toy's R Us had it on sale, I decided to get myself a copy and see what the game had to offer. After playing it, I can definitely see why so many people like the game. Its a unique concept and a great game for the Wii from someone other than Nintendo. It combines a simple idea with some fun challenges, charming characters and nice graphics, there really isn't to much not to love about this game! I hope to see more unique games, like DeBlob, come to the Wii in the future.

Number 14 -

Boom Blox - I've heard about Boom Blox for a long time now. I was always curious about it, but could never really see why it would be any fun. So, I just skipped over it, but always had intentions of trying it sometime. When I found it at Target for under $14, I knew that was the time to buy it. I bought it and put it in and I couldn't believe how much fun the game was and how addicting it was. The concept just never clicked in my head, but getting the chance to play it and see what it had to offer really changed my opinion of it.

I really can't think of any complaint for this game. I loved the way the levels were designed, you could play for 5 minutes, or 5 hours if you wanted to. Each level increased in difficulty perfectly. The colors, look, design, etc. were all great in my opinion. The ability to create your own levels was also a nice touch. I didn't use this too much, but I did try it, it not only seems like a lot of fun, but a great way to get even more gameplay out of the game. Even when I was playing and my family was watching, everyone wanted to get a chance to play and see what the game was, it really was a lot of fun. Before playing the game I not only questioned if the game itself would be fun, but I couldn't understand why a sequel was needed or how it would differ from the first game, but after playing the first game, I definitely plan to get the second one sometime soon!

After spending a good amount of time with the game, I find myself excited to get through each level to see what is ahead, but also a little disappointed when I see my percentage done increase because I know I'm closer to finishing it. Being able to download levels online is great because it gives a lot more gameplay even when the main game is done. Despite my impressions of this game after first hearing about it, it is definitely one of my favorites in my Wii collection after playing it!


Number 13 -

WarioLand Shake It - Every time I spend a little time looking into games, I always find some games that I've never heard about but seem perfect for me. When I found WarioLand Shake It, it was obviously a game I had to have. I got myself a copy and immediately fell in love with the game. No game makes me happier than a side-scrolling game and WarioLand Shake It is exactly the type game I love. This game takes all the things I love about Mario and adds a few unique elements to make it just a little different and its own game. I've not yet played through the game, but I can't wait to see how it finishes and now that I have the Boss Controller covers I think it will be even better than before. WarioLand Shake It is a perfect game for the Wii and every side-scrolling game fans dream!

Number 12 -

Drawn to Life - Sometimes, a game is announced and you know, without much detail, information, or thought that it will be a game you will like. For me, one of those games was Drawn to Life. The idea behind the game sounded perfect and the ability to draw your own character sounded really cool. I had planned to get this game when it first came out, but I started getting a bunch of games and it slipped through. That turned out to be a good thing since I was able to find the game for a really good price at Target.

I just got the game for Christmas, so I haven't had much time to play it, but I can already tell it is going to be a lot of fun. Just seeing a character that you draw come to life and be a part of the game was really cool (I can only imagine how awesome this game would have been to me when I was a kid playing video games. It impresses me now, but to be 10 years old and play this, it would have been the coolest game ever). Overall the game seems like it will be a lot of fun and a unique experience. It may not be one of the best games out there, but for the pure creativity and uniqueness it brings, I felt it deserved to be on the list.


Number 11 -

Ratchet and Clank Future Tools of Destruction - When I first got my PS3, one of the coolest things for me was being able to download game demos. Up to that point I was playing DS and Wii and if I wanted a game, the only way to try it was to buy it, try the limited games that were in store to play and read reviews and watch gameplay (I've only rented a few games and haven't rented games for years because no rental stores around me had a good selection). So when I got my PS3 and discovered this, I thought it was great. For a while, Little Big Planet was the only game I had, so having the demos gave me a lot more games to play beyond just Little Big Planet. The second game I downloaded was Ratchet and Clank Future Tools of Destruction. The game looked like something I would enjoy and was a game I had considered purchasing, so I thought I would try the demo.

After downloading the demo I tried the game and immediately fell in love. I must have played that demo 20 times before I finally got tired of doing the same thing. The graphics were amazing, the gameplay was fun and addicting and it was just the perfect game for me. I wanted to buy the game right away, but after paying $60 for Little Big Planet, I realized that wasn't really something I liked and I decided to wait for the price to drop. It took almost a year to finally find the game for a good price, but I finally did. Tools of Destruction now sits proudly on the shelf with the rest of my PS3 games.

Now that I finally have the game and I'm able to play more than just the first level, I can really see what the game all has to offer. The demo was a perfect representation of the overall game and the more I get to play it, the more I enjoy it. Now that I finally have Tools of Destruction in my collection I can't wait to get Crack in Time. I've played the demos for that as well and it seems like it will be even better than Tools of Destruction. Though it took a little longer than I hoped to get, Ratchet and Clank Future Tools of Destruction was well worth the wait!


Number 10 -

The Legendary Starfy - The Legendary Starfy was one of those games I picked up without putting much thought into it. I was at Toy's R Us during a Buy One Get One 50% off sale and I decided it was silly not to get a second game at 50% off. I couldn't decide what I wanted and was curious about the game, so I picked it up. I started playing it as soon as I got home and really liked the gameplay. I don't have much experience with the Kirby games, but I hear they are somewhat similar (which is one of the reasons I got a Kirby game Overall, the game seems great and is really the perfect game for the DS and a perfect game to match my style of gaming. Really, the only complaint I can think of is that the game was too short, if it was longer it would be a perfect game and I think that is a perfect reason why the game deserves to be on my top 20 list.


Number 9 -

Mario Kart DS - I was always curious about Mario Kart DS, but I ended up getting Mario Kart Wii first and didn't think it was worth having the game on both consoles. I absolutely loved Mario Kart Wii, it was another game that I spent a lot of time with after getting it. But, it just seemed like the games would be too similar. I decided to do some research and eventually decided they were different enough to get Mario Kart DS. I am very happy that I finally decided to get the game because I love it!. Everything I loved about Mario Kart Wii is in this game, its just in a little smaller package. This game is a lot of fun to play alone or with other players and is an overall great game. I liked this game so much that I'm planning to get Diddy Kong Racing eventually as well!

Number 8 -

Kirby Super Star Ultra - I've wanted to try a Kirby game for years, many people have told me that they would be the perfect game for me. I got one for my Gamecube years ago, but it ended up being a racing game instead of a classic Kirby game. Since then I've wanted to get one, but just never made the purchase. When I found Kirby Super Star Ultra on sale at FYE I knew it was the time to take the plunge. After getting the game I'm definitely a fan. I wish I would have listened sooner because there are so many Kirby games that I have to catch up on now! As with so many other great Nintendo titles, this is the perfect game for fans of side-scrolling games.

Number 7 -

Wario Master of Disguise - Wario Master of Disguise is a game I've had on my list of games to buy since I got Wario Land Shake it. Based on Shake It and what I had read on Master of Disguise, I knew I would like this game. So when I found the game at a good price I decided to give it a try. I love how the Wario games all have a little twist to them and this game is no different. Having to change into different disguises based on what you need to do is a great concept and I can't wait to make some more progress in the game.

Number 6 -

N+ - I had just heard about N+ in a video review and had considered getting it in the future, when I found it in the holiday dump bin at Best Buy. I was interested in the game, but decided to pass and was surprised when I received it for Christmas. I knew the game was a puzzle game, but didn't know much beyond that. So when I put this in my PSP I was really curious to see what the game had to offer. As soon as I figured out how the game played, the object, etc. I was hooked. I spent over an hour playing the first time I put it in and loved every level. It was great figuring out how to get through each level and completing them 100%. I've not spent a ton of time with the game yet, but I've played several levels and already made my own, I can't wait to spend some more time with this, it seems like the perfect puzzle game!

Number 5 -

Sega Genesis Collection - I never had a Sega Genesis growing up and I only got to play one a few times, once and a while at a friends house and at my dentist's office. I did have a Gamegear, but for some reason we never got that many games for it, but the few we did have were always fun and Sonic was always a favorite, not only for me, but for my whole family. I want to get a Sega Genesis eventually, but with as slow as I can be getting these type things, it could be a while and I've always been interested in the Sega Genesis Collection games. I found it on clearance at Target for the PSP and even though I wanted to get the one for the PS3 or 360, I decided to get this one while I could.

After I thought about it more, I'm glad I did. Since the Sega games I did play as a kid were always on the Gamegear, it seemed fitting to get this game for a portable system as well. I really only expected to like a few games in the collection, mostly just Sonic. So when I started playing the game, Sonic was what I loaded first. Everything I remember about the game as a kid was there, the sounds were great, graphics, etc. I loved having all those Sonic games on one little UMD. Since I had it, I decided try some of the other games as well and I was really surprised at how much I liked them. I haven't got to play all of the games yet, but there are several games in there I hadn't even heard of that I really, really like. It should be a lot of fun to go through and see what all the games are like. So far, Vector Man is definitely one of my favorites and I may even like it a little more than Sonic. The only downside of this game, for me, is that a lot of the games are fighting games and other games that I don't really like. However, for the price and the amount of games you get, it's well worth it. Any fan of Sega, or the Sega Genesis, or even anyone looking for a really great collection of classic games should look into the Sega Genesis Collection.


Number 4 -

Boing! Docomodake DS - Here we are, yet again, at a game I knew very little about when I bought it. Since the game had come out, I thought it looked like something I would like. However, despite reading reviews and descriptions, the concept behind the game never clicked in my head. So, when Amazon had the game as a Lightning Deal I decided to get it. As soon as I started playing the game everything clicked and I had a blast. I loved everything about the game, from the characters, to the controls, to the graphics, I can't think of anyway to make the game any better, except to make it longer. This was the only game in my DS for weeks after getting it because I couldn't stop playing. Nothing is better than finding a game that you don't know much about and it being one of your favorite games of the year.

Number 3 -

Zuma - I played Zuma years ago, probably just after it came out, I downloaded it off of Yahoo! and they gave an hour demo with it. My brother and I had been downloading a bunch of games and we would each try them for a little while and then we noted which ones we wanted to eventually purchase. When we downloaded Zuma we had no idea what it was, but wanted to try it. I was the first to play and I was absolutely hooked, I liked it so much that before I knew it the entire hour was up and my brother never got to play. I had always planned to purchase the game, but it was $20 to buy it online and as you may already know, I just like having a physical copy of the game better. Several years went by and I had never purchased the game.

I was on the Playstation Store one day and noticed they had a demo for Zuma, so I downloaded it and thought I may just buy it for the PS3. The game was just as I had remembered it and I loved it just as much as the day I first tried it. The only thing I didn't like was the controls on the PS3, they were okay, but I just found a mouse to work better. I was in Target one night and they had Zuma on clearance and only one copy left, so I decided I had waited long enough and bought the game. I just tried the game a few days ago and I still love it. I've spent over 2 hours playing it (considering I've not had much time to play games the past few days, that's a good amount of time) and I'm hooked. With the hour demo from Yahoo! I didn't get too far into the game, but having the full game now I'm able to see all the different levels and watch as it gets more and more difficult, everything about the game is perfect. I love puzzle games, but I tend to get bored with them after a while of doing the same thing, Zuma is one game that never gets old for me. I can't wait to get my hands on the new version that came out, it looks like it will be awesome as well!


Number 2 -

Super Princess Peach - Super Princess Peach is another game I had never heard about, but once I did, I knew I had to have it. I love how the game takes its roots from Mario but playing as Princess Peach is a completely different experience. The way the game plays and controls is unique, while still keeping the elements that make a side-scrolling game fantastic. The game reminds me a little bit of New Super Mario Bros, but also a little of a Yoshi's Island style game. It really is the perfect game for anyone that enjoys side-scrollers. Super Princess Peach easily deserved its spot in my top 20 list and also ranks at the top for my favorite DS games.

Number 1 -

Yoshi's Island DS - Yoshi's Island was included with my SNES I got as a kid and it was a game I loved. Prior to playing Yoshi's Island, Super Mario Bros was always the game I went to and favored. But after getting Yoshi's Island I found myself playing it as much, if not more than Super Mario Bros. It was a fun and addictive game that I always enjoyed playing. When I found out about Yoshi's Island DS, I no doubt had to get it. It took a little longer than I expected, but when I finally got it, I couldn't have been happier. As with any good remake of a classic game, Yoshi's Island DS took everything I loved about Yoshi's Island on the SNES and only made it better. The game had all the charm and characteristics I remember from the game when I was younger, but was able to provide an experience that was new and just as exciting as the first. Any one that played and loved Yoshi's Island as a kid definitely needs to give Yoshi's Island DS a chance!

So that's my top 20 favorite pickups for 2009. I really never expected to get as many games last year as I did, but thanks to CAG I was able to get a ton of great games for really great prices. 2010 has some great games coming out that I plan to get, eventually, but there are also a lot of games I still need to get from the past few years to get caught up. Despite what I get in 2010, I have a ton of great games to play from 2009, so it should be an awesome year. Not only are these games my top pickups from 2009, but several of them turned out to be some of my favorite games in my collection, so last year was an absolutely fantastic year for me as a gamer!



As always, I love to hear what you have to say. What were some of your favorite pickups of 2009, or even your top 20? What were your favorite games of 2009, etc.?

Thanks so much for reading!