Somebody needs to tell the DS that 2009 marked the handheld’s fifth year on the market. With the launch of the DSi, the announcement stating the DSi XL will be arriving shortly on this side of the pacific, and the console racing well past the esteemed 100 million units sold mark, this year really couldn’t have fared any better for Nintendo’s once touted “third pillar system”. And software-wise, do we really need an introduction? 2009 gave way to some of the biggest software releases yet, some of which will go down in history as the elite of the already illustrious DS software crop. So sit back, relax, and feel free to add your own two cents in the comments box below as VGChartz highlights the best of the best for DS in '09.
Best Shooter: Space Invaders Extreme 2
A sequel to last year’s highly acclaimed Space Invaders Extreme, Extreme 2 offers more modes, updated wave formations, and new music tracks in addition to the already stellar gameplay that takes the original Space Invaders formula and fine tunes it for modern times. Upon the title’s critical reception, an additional DSiWare version of Extreme 2 has also been released in Japan.
Runner-Up: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized
Reader’s Choice: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized
Best Fighter: WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010
It’s easy to dismiss games simply because new iterations are released on a yearly basis, but doing so may leave you out in the cold regarding certain key titles. Smackdown Vs. Raw is a prime example of this, because many of the changes that this year’s effort brings to the forefront are some of the best the series has seen thus far. The biggest and best change? The substituting of stylus driven controls to a much more traditional interface. Doing so not only has the game playing much better than before, but the much improved story mode and over-the-top gameplay make Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010 one of the most entertaining pocket fighters around.
Runner-Up: Naruto Shippuden: Ninja Destiny 2
Reader’s Choice: N/A
Best Platformer: The Legendary Starfy
What is actually the fifth game in an already popular long-running series in Japan, the Denetsu no Stafy series finally swam its way to western shores in the form of The Legendary Starfy, and are we happy the little guy finally left his homeland. Playing like an offshoot Kirby title in some ways, the ability to obtain and utilize a variety of costume power-ups is what propelled the game past its competition. Fantastic level design, entertaining minigames, and an enjoyable story all contribute to making Starfy’s worldwide debut an occasion to remember.
Runner-Up: Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
Reader’s Choice: Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
Best Platformer: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
A full blown GTA experience on the DS? No way… Rockstar couldn’t possibly pull this one off, could they? But then it happened - on March 17, 2009, on the game’s release date, Rockstar answered gamers' calls with a resounding “Yes, yes we can.” A game many would go on to praise as being better than many of its console counterparts, Chinatown Wars has all of the satisfying elements you expect in GTA - fun missions, an engaging and provocative story, and a sprawling re-creation of Liberty City for players to peruse. And the best part? It’s all ready for you at any time, on the go or at home.
Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Reader’s Choice: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Best Rhythm/Music: Rhythm Heaven
Rather than having players press the correct colored control input to match colored on-screen commands like virtually every other music game released today, Rhythm Heaven makes you listen and “feel” the music’s beat to play. Played in “book” fashion and controlled intuitively by either tapping or holding the stylus on the touch screen for an appropriate amount of time is excitingly much more fresh and innovative than this text can possibly make it out to be. If you have the luxury of owning an internet connected Wii (and DS of course), head on over to the Nintendo Channel to give it a try and see what the craze is about for yourself.
Runner-Up: Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits
Reader’s Choice: Rhythm Heaven
Best Puzzle: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Although many of the game’s basic elements remain mostly unchanged from last year’s title, Diabolical Box is still great in the sense that its brainteasers are just as fun as ever to solve. And unlike many titles in the same genre, Diabolical Box offers a dazzling range of unique and altogether exciting puzzles, all of which make superb use of the DS hardware. The striking aesthetics, catchy soundtrack, and interesting narrative are all just icing on the cake.
Runner-Up: Scribblenauts
Reader’s Choice: Scribblenauts
Best Racing: TrackMania DS
What you’ll notice the first time you boot up the DS edition of TrackMania is just how fluid the racer looks. Once you’ve finished marveling at the visuals, you’ll then notice just how well the game plays, with the series' lauded track creator taking center stage. TrackMania doesn’t just stop with your own creations however, and features over 100 pre-built tracks to race on, solidifying this game's position as best DS racer of the year.
Runner-Up: Need For Speed Nitro
Reader’s Choice: N/A
Best RPG: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
The latest offering in the Mario & Luigi RPG series almost couldn’t have been any better - or at least more “fun”. Inside Story has the famous Italian plumbers attempting to save the day from inside of Bowser’s belly, and no matter how crazy it sounds, we couldn’t have asked for it any other way. Playing from inside the series’ infamous Koopa King brings forth new and exciting gameplay elements never before thought to be possible. Whether you’re a fan of the game’s thrilling battle system, zany story, the Mario Bros.-like platforming elements tossed in, or maybe a bit of everything, Inside Story is easily one of the best games (let alone RPGs) on the DS in '09.
Runner-Up: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
Reader’s Choice: Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
Best Strategy: Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Over the system’s five year lifespan, the DS has acquired a variety of solid strategy titles, and Shadow Dragon easily goes toe-to-toe with every single one of them. A remake of the very first game in the franchise, Shadow Dragon also marks the series’ return to the handheld spectrum after a five year hiatus. Aside from offering the stellar tactical gameplay that fans know and love, the game offers a much more streamlined learning curve for newcomers, as well as much needed internet connectivity for the first time.
Runner-Up: Dawn of Discovery
Reader’s Choice: Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Best Sports: FIFA Soccer 10
The reason FIFA Soccer 10 wins Best Sports this year isn’t due to any one noticeable feature or attribute. It won because of the way it’s able to bring all of its strengths together in a way that defines what an on the go DS soccer experience should be. The game shares many of the same great modes with its console counterparts, includes wildly fun off and online multiplayer, and plays at a sharp 60 frames-per-second. Most importantly, gameplay itself is fun and addicting as ever thanks to the traditional D-Pad method of control the developers have once again opted for.
Runner-Up: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Reader’s Choice: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Best DSiWare: Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!
Yeah, we admit there wasn’t much competition for the DSiWare’s first year of service, but that doesn’t negate the fact that Minis March Again! is a great game. Aiding and ultimately guiding each little Mario to safety is as engaging and rewarding an experience as you’ll find on DSiWare, and with the ability to create and download more stages than ever before thanks to the added DSi horsepower, you’ve got a title that’s well worth the eight bucks you’re asked to put down.
Runner-Up: Flipnote Studio
Reader’s Choice: Flipnote Studio
Best Graphics: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Showcasing quite possibly some of the best visuals on the DS ever, describing Spirit Tracks as a beauty to look at may well be an understatement. The way in which the land of Hyrule unfolds in this latest Zelda offering is truly breathtaking, whether you’re looking out over the vibrant world via Spirit Train, battling one of the game’s many bosses that spill out over both screens, or watching one of the title’s many cinematics, everything is as fluid and vibrant as you could ever possibly ask for. And when it manages to accomplish all of this without so much as a hitch frame rate wise, the game is literally a sight to behold.
Runner-Up: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Reader’s Choice: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Best Musical Score: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Ah, the atmospheric music of the Zelda series. Portable Zelda titles never seem to quite match their console brethren in this department, but Spirit Tracks seems to reverse this trend with the amazing overworld theme alone. The Spirit Flute segments also feature some of the best instrument interaction in a long time.
Runner-Up: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Reader’s Choice: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Most Innovative: Scribblenauts
If there’s one award that should come as no surprise to anyone this year it’s no doubt the award for Most Innovative. In Scribblenauts you can actually write down just about any word imaginable and it will appear onscreen? You can use any of these summoned items to solve tasks and complete a bevy of puzzles in just about any way you can think of? You mean I can really live out my dream of wearing a king’s crown while floating on a magic carpet, watching menacingly from the skies above as a t-rex and kraken duke it out until the death below? Yes, all of the above. ‘Nuff said.
Runner-Up: Flipnote Studio
Reader’s Choice: Scribblenauts
Biggest Disappointment: Scribblenauts
Now, just about everyone who plays Scribblenauts enjoys the game to some extent. Scroll up for proof, as the title not only won the award for Most Innovative game, but won a few readers choice awards as well. With that said, can any sane person tell you the game lived up to the hype it so effortlessly garnered prior to release? Absolutely not. What was actually touted as the “Game of the Forever” by some after this year’s E3, Scribblenauts was set up to be a disappointment from the get-go. The terribly awkward controls and detrimental camera issues sure didn’t help either.
Runner-Up: Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier
Reader's Choice: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Best game No One Played: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
You mean you still haven’t played this game yet? Upon the game’s critical reception it even jumped ship and made its way on over to the PSP and eventually the iPhone, cementing Chinatown Wars as not only the Action/Adventure game of the year, but the ultimate handheld GTA ever created. There’s simply no longer any excuse not to own the game - when you’re done with this article, go buy it! Oh, and we track sales by the way. We’ll know if you’ve really bought it.
Runner-Up: Moon
Reader's Choice: Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
Most Anticipated: Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver Version
If you aren’t looking forward to the re-imaginings of the titular Game Boy Pokemon Gold/Silver games, then you’re likely either not a Pokemon fan or you have never played what are arguably two of the best efforts that the almost 14-year-old Pokemon franchise has bestowed upon us. Combining the old Gold/Silver sights and sounds with the new gameplay mechanics that have come with subsequent releases (including a new pedometer peripheral that players can actually wear to hone in-game stats), and you have what will no doubt be one of the best DS experiences the other side of 2010.
Runner-Up: Golden Sun DS
Reader's Choice: Okamiden: Chisaki Daiyou
DS Game of the Year: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Maybe it’s because of the groundbreaking gameplay changes each new title introduces, maybe it’s because of the top-notch gameplay and presentation elements Nintendo so effortlessly throw in, or maybe it’s simply because we can’t get enough of the series. Whatever the reason may be, almost every year a new Zelda title releases, it’s almost a sure-fire contender for Game of the Year, with Spirit Tracks further proving that ambitious statement to be true. Improving what 2007’s Phantom Hourglass pulled off in just about every available facet, Spirit Tracks offers an incredibly fascinating overworld, wonderfully crafted dungeons, and yet another compelling adventure story. The title also presents one of the most powerful unions between Zelda and Link yet, leading to some of the most innovative gameplay elements the long standing series has ever seen. There's no wonder why it’s our DS Game of the Year for 2009.
Runner-Up: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Reader's Choice: Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
It’s easy to dismiss games simply because new iterations are released on a yearly basis, but doing so may leave you out in the cold regarding certain key titles. Smackdown Vs. Raw is a prime example of this, because many of the changes that this year’s effort brings to the forefront are some of the best the series has seen thus far. The biggest and best change? The substituting of stylus driven controls to a much more traditional interface. Doing so not only has the game playing much better than before, but the much improved story mode and over-the-top gameplay make Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010 one of the most entertaining pocket fighters around.
Yeah, we admit there wasn’t much competition for the DSiWare’s first year of service, but that doesn’t negate the fact that Minis March Again! is a great game. Aiding and ultimately guiding each little Mario to safety is as engaging and rewarding an experience as you’ll find on DSiWare, and with the ability to create and download more stages than ever before thanks to the added DSi horsepower, you’ve got a title that’s well worth the eight bucks you’re asked to put down.
