The VGAs are just around the corner, but the tendency to focus on the HD systems and exclude many deserving Wii titles doesn't sit right with the average satisfied Wii owner.  Therefore, I've comprised the "Golden Mushroom: Best Of 2009" Wii-only awards.  These are my own Wii-centric based awards, relying solely upon my own opinions to recognize deserving winners and runner-ups, so I'm sure everyone won't agree! (Note:  The as-of-yet unreleased games were not eligible, even though they are being released in 2009: Castlevania Rebirth, Final Fantasy: The Crystal Bearers, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Blaster Master VC).  Also, I have included only North American releases, seeing as how many Japanese releases may come next year to the US. 

Best Controls:

The Conduit

Madworld

Wii Sports Resort

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

Modern Warfare: Reflex

WINNER: 

If we're talking about controls here, The Conduit has set the bar for all games that come after.  There isn't a thing that isn't customisable in this game.  Anybody who has played it knows what I'm talking about here.

Best Multiplayer:

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Modern Warfare: Reflex

The Conduit

Wii Sports Resort

Guitar Hero 5

WINNER:

FUN.  That's what it's all about.  It's like Super Mario Bros meets Smash Bros. BRAWL.  It's fun, addictive, and infuriating all at the same time.   To be friend or foe?  Your choice.  Perfectly done.

Best Voice Acting:

Punch Out!!

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Madworld

Dead Space: Extraction

House Of The Dead: Overkill

The Conduit

WINNER:

This is best voice acting in any game....ever.   It's legitimately hilarious, well acted, and perfectly cast.  Although I loved all the nominees:  Mr. Adams in The Conduit, the original Japanese in Muramasa, the over-the-top Isaac Washington in HOTD, and the international banter of the Punch Out contenders, absolutely nothing can compete with Madworld. 

Best Shooter:

Dead Space: Extraction

The Conduit

Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles

Modern Warfare: Reflex

House Of The Dead: Overkill

WINNER:

I liked the Conduit.  It had it's share of flaws, but I actually had a lot of fun with it.  Perhaps the overhype attributed to some of the harsher criticisms, but I'd still take it over the ports and on-rails shooters that are so abundant these days.

Best Sports Game:

Wii Sports Resort

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

Madden NFL 10

Grand Slam Tennis

Wii Fit Plus

WINNER:

Even more than Wii Sports Resort, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 showed the true value of Wii Motion Plus and that it could be used for more than just the mini-game compilations.  When a Wii game is widely accepted by even the most vocal Wii-basher as the definitive version of a game, you know it's good.  

Best Re-release/Port:

Metroid Prime Trilogy

Modern Warfare: Reflex

Pikmin

Samurai Showdown Anthology

Resident Evil: Archives

WINNER:

I decided on this catagory because if I put Metroid Prime Trilogy in the running for other awards, it would have swept every category.  I'm a Metroid fanatic, and this is my favorite release in the last 10 years.

Best WiiWare Game:

Contra Rebirth

Excitebike: World Rally

Final Fantasy: The After Years

Bit.Trip Series

Lost Winds: Winter Of Melodias

WINNER:

For the challenge, the music, the multiplayer, and the retro graphics, the Bit.Trip series stands out as the best Wiiware had this year.

Best Virtual Console Release:

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

Super Punch Out!!

Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Final Fantasy

Super Star Wars

Super Mario Kart

WINNER:

When the Virtual Console was first announced, I knew that there were 3 NES games that I MUST HAVE.  Bionic Commando, Blaster Master, and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse.   Since Bionic Commando will never come out and Blaster Master comes out later his month making it ineligible, that leaves Castlevania III as my only option for 2009. 

Best Art Design:

Punch Out!!

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Little King's Story

A Boy And His Blob

Madworld

WINNER:

I'd stack this up against the HD console games anyday.  No game this year looked more beautiful than Muramasa. 

Best Graphics (Technical):

Modern Warfare: Reflex

Dead Space: Extraction

Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles

The Conduit

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins

WINNER:

It did a few things right, and quite a few things wrong, but for sheer technical brilliance, The Conduit had a lot of effort put into it and subsequently influenced what would follow on the Wii for the rest of the year.  Although the artistic design could be better, it did a great job in other areas.

Best Soundtrack:

The Conduit

Madworld

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Bit.Trip Series

Guitar Hero 5

WINNER:

It says a lot when my favoite soundtrack of the year was mainly born from a genre of music that I don't even like.  It just clicks and meshes perfectly with the vibe of the game.  Look no further than Madworld's Asia Town stage for some of the best tracks you'll find in a game all year.

Poison Mushroom Award:

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins (Expectations shattered)

Spyborgs (CAPCOM drops the ball again)

Dead Space: Extraction (On-Rails?!? Come on!)

Valhalla Knights: Elder Saga (Downright awful)

Tony Hawk: Ride (Broken controls)

The Conduit (Overhyped)

WINNER....(or LOSER):

I had so much hope for this game.  Great graphics, motion control, and Rikimaru all on the Wii.  I was looking forward to this more than almost any other game announced for 2009.  But I was let down more than I ever could have dreamed.  Samurai talked like they were from England.  The open world of the old games was replaced with arcade-style, linear hallway levels.  Ayame was annoying, and the repetitive "Sorry friend" style death quips were unbearable.  And where is my grappling hook?!?!?!?  This was not the worst game of the year, but it let me down more than any other.  My expectations were just too high.  All the nominees in this category were deserving though.  Dead Space on rails???  A skateboard that doesn't work???  Spyborgs?!?!  Ugh.  Thank goodness we had all the other good games this year.

THE GOLDEN MUSHROOM ~ Game Of The Year:

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Punch Out!!

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Little King's Story

Madworld

WINNER:

I know a lot of people won't agree with me here (especially since NSMBWii just came out), but no game raised the bar in it's respective catagory more than Madworld did this year.  It's not for everyone, but for my tastes, it's was the funniest, most engrossing, artistic, and original title to release on the Wii in 2009.  The voice acting was spectacular, the music was top-notch, and it's style is unquestionable.  It's Sin City meets No More Heroes meets Godhand.  That's why Madworld gets the Golden Mushroom Supreme.

Special Runner-Up Award

WINNER:

I feel bad not giving Punch Out!! a Golden Mushroom Award, because it was definitely one of my favorite games this year.  In pretty much every category, it was just barely edged out by the winner.  And since I don't really consider it a sports game, I didn't feel right including it with the others (it would have won that category if I had, though).   Punch Out!! deserves to be played by every Wii owner out there!!

And here are 11 minutes of why I love MADWORLD (includes gore and spoilers):

Feel free to post your own winners, contenders, or even awards.  Perhaps this thread could also serve as a buyer's guide of sorts for all of those looking for the best of the best on the Wii in 2009.

Best Boxart:

While I don't necessarily agree with your picks, nice format and I agree with most of the nominations. I also agree that it is unlikely that Wii games will get much recognition this year in overall categories from gaming publications/websites. Also, I like the name you came up with "The Golden Muchroom Awards".

Good list my friend, But i think winter of the melodias deserves best wiiware... i mean this game is better than many , many , many games that retail for 50 bucks at wallmart!!

That is really slick.  Too bad they will probably change it for the North American release. 

Wait, who got to choose these? I disagree with at least half the list.....

We should start over and vote nomineesand Winners.... MW deserves no awards

Feel free to take these and start a voting thread.  That would be pretty cool too.  I just posted my own personal choices here.  I didn't wanna take the effort to do a thread where I had to keep tallying votes.  Plus, I figured if there was just a voting poll, then everybody would just vote New Super Mario Bros Wii into every award, and to me that wouldn't be very exciting. 

And just to clear it up, I didn't give MW any awards either, but when you're looking for 5 shooters on the Wii, you have to take what you can get as a nominee.

Eh, i would put Wii Sports Resort ahead. But yours was a good effort.

Feel free to post your own winners/nominees out of the awards listed.  Or even just make up another award altogether!