Sorry Vin, but Wheelman stunk.
(Credit: Gamespot)We've already shared our picks for the best games of 2009, so now it's time to check out the other end of the spectrum: the worst games of the year.
Before you jump over to the slideshow, we want to preface our list with a few important details. Our worst-of compilation doesn't include just games; it highlights some of the most disappointing hardware and trends that surfaced in 2009 as well.
So with that knowledge absorbed, we invite you to check out our picks for the worst that 2009 had to offer in the world of video games.
Don't see your most-despised game of 2009 on our list? Make sure to tell us in the comments section.
(Credit:
Gamespot)
Another year, another laundry list of video games. This year saw thousands of titles released, but only an elite few are worthy enough to be labeled as "year's best." It was undoubtedly another year of sequels, though a few new franchises do appear on our list.
We already know what to look forward to in 2010, but as we conclude another year of gaming, let's look back at the best video games of 2009.
Don't see your favorite video game of the year on our list? Let us know in the comments section.
As we approach the longest break we get here at CNET, I'm preparing to head off for my annual journey to England to stay with the in-laws. These trips are marked by long, quiet afternoons in the countryside, and it's usually when I break out some portable games I've been stowing away all year.
You may have recently gotten or are planning to get one of the three big handheld game systems: the Nintendo DS, the PSP, or an iPhone/iPod Touch (yes, it deserves to be called a game system now). You may be wondering about a few good games to take with you. Well, I happen to own all three, and these are my recommendations. Feel free to take this little cheat sheet along.
(Credit:
CNET)
Nintendo DS
The DS actually comes in two versios: the DS Lite and the DSi. One has a Game Boy Advance cartridge slot, and the other can download minigames from Nintendo's DSiWare shop. Both can play Nintendo's tremendous collection of DS cartridges. For lovers of touch-screen puzzle games and lengthy adventures, or those who want family-friendly entertainment, the DS is perfect for you. Top games this holiday:
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks or Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story: a new Zelda adventure that's perfect for fans of the series, and a Mario role-playing adventure with a goofy style. Either one is perfect for long plane rides and snowed-in cabins.
- Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box: the Layton sequel has dozens of brainteasers and a relaxed pace.
- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars: it came out back in March, but if you haven't played it, you must do so immediately. And, chances are, you still haven't unlocked everything in it yet.
- Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes: we hadn't even heard of this game until recently, but if you loved Puzzle Quest or enjoy adventure games with puzzle strategy, get this.
- If you have a DS Lite: save a few bucks and shop bargain bins for some used GBA titles like Super Mario 3.
- If you have a DSi: download some of Nintendo's excellent Art Style puzzles, or try one of the bizarre Electroplankton musical art-toys. ... Read more
Flower started a big trend in 2009.
(Credit: Thatgamecompany)In many ways, 2009 seems to be the year download-only games hit their stride. Between the iPhone and iPod Touch dominating the portable market with the ever-growing App Store; the release of the completely disc-free PSP Go; and the Nintendo DSi--which also can download games from an online store--portable gaming has started to move beyond the cartridge and disc. Even in home consoles, there's been a continuing focus on lower-cost downloadable games and DLC sold on Sony's PSN, Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade, and the Nintendo Wii's WiiWare as alternatives to pricier disc-based titles.
While download-only games can't be resold, and lack a physical hard copy for display or archive, there's no denying that downloadable games cut down on clutter. Plus, it's likely that box-free gaming will be our destiny in the next decade, so you may not have a choice either way.
From Rockstar's double-fisted set of GTA side games culminating in The Ballad of Gay Tony to Nintendo's ongoing set of experimental artsy games, it's been a great year to go boxless. While some of the games on our list are available in disc or cartridge form, we're focusing on the download versions here.
Check out our gallery of the most notable 20, and feel free to chime in on ones we might have missed.
So you've finally purchased a gaming console and you've already loaded up on some of the best games. In order to get the most out of your hardware, we recommend checking out some of our top-rated must-have accessories.
It's a safe bet that you'll need at least one extra controller, but there are also plenty of first- and third-party items that will complement the system of your choice. Whether it's rechargeable battery packs, controller attachments, or HDMI cables, you're definitely going to want to take a look at what we recommend for each video game console.
Click on your gaming console below for our top picks:
On this week's Digital City, we discuss Google's rumored new phone; get to the bottom of the current iMac shipping delays, and go over the best games you can play on a Netbook (all after Dan had to get up at 5am to shoot a local news TV segment on his favorite holiday games).
Then, things take a turn for the weird with a solid gold PlayStation 3, rumored to be under Jay-Z's Xmas tree; and a surprising NYC find -- a Mario-themed pizza place that is calling out for a visit from the ghost of intellectual property lawyers past (see below).
Related links:
>>Is Google making a phone?
>>Top 20 Netbook games
>>Top 5 Holiday Game Picks (CW11 morning News)
>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter! And Scott!
Spotted on Houston street in NYC.
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Project Natal
(Credit: Microsoft)While last year's CES didn't blow us away in terms of gaming, we've got high hopes for 2010. Both Sony and Microsoft have new technologies right around the corner and we're hoping to get to see a taste of each at the big show.
Microsoft announced Project Natal at E3 2009, and it would make sense for the company to showcase some of the technology's applications at CES. Could we get an official release date and price for Natal?
Sony has a new motion controller that is almost ready for release so we're anxious to see if it'll be on display. The company has been mostly tight-lipped up until now, so what better venue to unveil it?
Another big theme at CES will undoubtedly be 3D gaming. We got to see a sneak peek last year with the Nvidia Geforce 3D Vision, but now we look to the home consoles to start offering a similar experience. Sony has teased the notion before, so don'
... Read more
Link makes like a train-car-riding hobo in Spirit Tracks.
(Credit: GameSpot)While plenty of people are still readily awaiting a sequel to Mario Kart DS or New Super Mario Bros., it didn't take Nintendo much time at all to shoot off a follow-up to its 2007 Nintendo DS Zelda adventure, The Phantom Hourglass.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, set 100 years after Phantom Hourglass and set in a very similar cell-shaded cartoonish universe, at first looks like it might be a pale shadow of the first touch-screen DS game, swapping out train travel for long boat voyages. We were a little surprised and skeptical when the game was first announced, especially since train travel sounds a lot more passive than sailing. After riding around with Link for a weekend, did our opinion change?
Scott:
I admit, I was originally dubious about Zelda: Spirit Tracks' ability to be as good as its predecessor, Phantom Hourglass. However, to my pleasant surprise, Spirit Tracks is not only a true sequel to Phantom Hourglass, it's also equally good. In fact, in some ways it's even better.
To address first: the trains in this game are set on tracks that traverse a series of small towns and other locations, and pulling up at destinations is essentially the same as docking your boat in Phantom Hourglass. Actually, the train controls are a bit simpler to operate on the go. The rest of the game, including its focus on a central mega-dungeon that unlocks secrets throughout, is very reminiscent of the first DS Zelda. That's not so bad, though--we'd take more of Phantom Hourglass and less of many other crappy DS games any day of the week.
The storyline, which features evil trains, floating towers, and a floating Zelda spirit that helps haunt statues to do your bidding in co-op puzzle solving, is both bizarre and clever, and is closest to the N64 cult classic Majora's Mask in terms of how it feels thematically. Nintendo's greatest achievement is how it adopts charming dialogue and characters to sell us this absurd tale and not have it feel stale or stilted--it's what makes the Zelda games more approachable to a newcomer than some of Square Enix's numerous RPGs.
After a few hours of play, the train riding aspect fades into the background, and Spirit Tracks is about the things all Zelda games are about: finding small towns, unlocking side quests, getting weapons, conquering dungeon puzzles. It's as classic as any Zelda game before it. ... Read more
On this week's Digital City, we tackle one of the most contentious issues of our time -- Mac vs. PC -- as Dan offers an enlightened path to peace for both camps. We also hear about some free municipal Wi-Fi for the new Times Square pedestrian mall; a sweet TV/PS3 combo deal at Best Buy; and discuss the fate of the vaporware-like CrunchPad.
Later, Scott laments the lack of Microsoft synergy in the Zune gaming business model; we check out some new game releases, including Zelda: Spirit Tracks and The Saboteur; and debate the ethics of adding adults-only DLC to games.
Quick note: tune in next week for a chance to win a Zune HD!
Related links:
>>A modest proposal: Detente between Mac and PC laptop fans
>>Can Zune gaming compete?
>>Times Square gets free WiFi
>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
The N64Mini.
(Credit: Zenloc)The modding community has been quite active improving old game consoles. I'm such a fan of the Nintendo 64 that the latest mod of the venerable console was just too cool to pass up.
Dubbed the N64Mini, the portable Nintendo 64 device from modder Zenloc features the familiar Nintendo 64 controller buttons (minus the D-pad, unfortunately) in a nicely compact package. Users can place their Nintendo 64 cartridges in the back of the device to play some of their favorite games.
According to the device's developer, the N64Mini runs on a 4-cell battery and comes with a charger. It also features a headphone jack and an A/V out port for those who want to play the title on a display that's a little larger. It even comes with built-in brightness controls.
But here's the best part: the N64Mini is available now on eBay. Bidding ends in five days, but so far, 26 bids have been placed. The price is at $... Read more
Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
