The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2009 Awards - Day Four

Welcome to day four of the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2009 Awards. Tonight is the important night to see which games will go on to the Game of the Year nominations! Are you excited? Yes, of course, you are. Why wouldn't you be? Unless your game wasn't nominated or lost. Then yes, I could see you a little less excited than you should be. Nonetheless, we have five metaphorical awards to give out, so let's get to it! We're awarding the best game for all five major platforms save for PC which we don't follow on SPC.

[Best PSP Game]

And the nominees are...

Resistance: Retribution


Sony Bend does it again by taking a well-known console game and translating it down to portable size with an all-new adventure. This third-person shooter feels like Gears of War mini without all the gratuitous swearing and steroids. If the single campaign doesn't satisfy you (which it will satisfy you), you can hop online and duke it out in up to eight player fragfests! For a well-crafted game, look no further than Resistance: Retribution.

Motorstorm: Arctic Edge


What perfect weather to sit inside and play a game set in the frozen tundra... Perhaps that's the last place you'd like to visit during these cold months, but with Motorstorm: Arctic Edge, there's plenty of winter fun to go around. With twelve all-new tracks, multiple paths on each track, and online multi-player, you can't go wrong with Arctic Edge.

LocoRoco 2


The LocoRoco are back and bigger and better than ever. With new powers, new levels, new mini-games and new colors, LocoRoco 2 is perfect for the whole family. Easy to learn (you just use the shoulder buttons to play almost exclusively) but tough to master, LocoRoco 2 is great for either the casual or veteran gamer.

LittleBigPlanet


The other Best PSP Game nominee from Sony Bend, LittleBigPlanet takes all the fun of its big brother and minimizes it to fit the PSP's screen. All new levels, costumes, and creation tools make LittleBigPlanet on the PSP accessible and fun to nearly everyone. While there's no multi-player this time around, the journey through the creator lands is as fun and challenging as ever! To get your creative juices flowing, there's no other choice than LittleBigPlanet.

PANGYA: Fantasy Golf


Fooooooore! The power of the PANGYA is back with PANGYA: Fantasy Golf. New and familiar courses and characters return in this portable version of Albatross18. Play through the story mode with each character to earn pang to buy new gear, costumes, and accessories for your characters, or hop on and play with friends and foes alike. Golf has never been this crazy!

And the winner is...




LocoRoco 2

Bringing some serious charm and eccentricity to the PSP was much needed. LocoRoco 2 in delivering a fun, family experience for both casuals and veteran gamers with its ingenious level design, ease of control, and gradual difficulty making it so you were seldom frustrated when playing. For only twenty dollars at release, LocoRoco 2 is the PSP's best game of 2009.

Runner-up: Resistance: Retribution

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[Best Nintendo DS Game]

And the nominees are...

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks


Link's left Epona and the King of Red Lions for a new mode of transportation, a locomotive train! For the first time ever, Princess Zelda joins Link on his quest to right the wrongs of a maniacal chancellor by restoring the tower of spirits back to normal. The stylus controls are fantastic and feel like you're in total control of Link, and the DS is pushed to the limit hardware-wise. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks truly is legendary.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story


Mario and Luigi are back, and this time Bowser's along for the ride with them. Well, technically, Mario and Luigi are inside Bowser, but I digress. This turn-based action RPG features all the comical, wacky, hilarious action and writing that you remember from past games in the series, and all of the hours of fun you expect. For a rip-roaring good time, there's not much better than Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.

The Legendary Starfy


Starfy finally makes his way across the Pacific with The Legendary Starfy, known as the fifth installment in Japan. To catch up, Starfy is the prince of a cloud kingdom. When a fugitive rabbit crashes in on him, it's up to Starfy to help protect him from the evil gang of misfits trailing the bunny. Play under and over water as Starfy in this one-of-a-kind platforming adventure!

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure


Good show, Henry! Meet Henry Hatsworth, a treasure hunter and historian, who has just caught wind of a magical golden suit. Unfortunately, there's others in pursuit of the suit! Play through five platforming worlds while occasionally entering a puzzle mini-game in order to earn new items and bonuses in Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box


Professor Layton and his apprentice, Luke, return for an all-new mystery. There's a box that when opened, kills the opener. There must be more to this story than that, and that's exactly what Layton and Luke are off to discover! The game focuses heavily on clever and mightily enjoyable brain buster after brain buster to inch closer and closer to the truth behind the diabolical box.

And the winner is...





The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Kirby Canvas Curse can move over because now we have a game that usurps it as best use of the DS' touch screen. Controlling Link and using his weapons is as easy as ever. The addition of Zelda as your partner brings a new dynamic never seen before in the Zelda series. The train is a fun, quirky mode of transportation throughout the land of Hyrule. Better than Phantom Hourglass, and better than a lot of Zeldas, it's The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

Runner-up: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

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[Best Xbox 360 Game]

And the nominees are...

Left 4 Dead 2


Head into the Deep South and mutilate some redneck zombies as you play as one of four survivors in this cooperative zombie-bashing video game. Sure, you can use firearms as your old standby, but who needs them when you can smash their undead brains in with an axe, a sword, or one of many other melee weapons?

Forza Motorsport 3


If you're waiting for Gran Turismo 5 still, might I suggest a game that can be perceived as just as worth the wait. Check out the brand-new cars from hot rods to more recent sportscars, race on the all-new tracks and locales, and race online with friends and total strangers alike in Forza Motorsport 3, an incredibly fun simulation racer.

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes of Liberty City


Head back to Liberty City (y'know, again) as you play through one of two exclusive side-stories for the Xbox 360 packaged into one game. There's the Lost and the Damned where you play as a man whose part of a bike gang, and then there's the Ballad of Gay Tony where you play as the titular character. Less frustration, more fun, these side-stories definitely deliver where the original GTA IV failed.

And the winner is...




Grand Theft Auto: Episodes of Liberty City

Both episodes in this package are incredible. They fix nearly all the flaws of the original GTA IV by adding simple things like checkpoints, more rewards, and more things to do. Plus one of them has full-frontal nudity. Who can go wrong with that?!

Runner-up: Left 4 Dead 2

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[Best PlayStation 3 Game]

And the nominees are...

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves


Nathan Drake returns for more treasure hunting. This time, he's dealing with a new quest-- the search for Marco Polo's lost ships. Unfortunately, a new adversary is after the same thing. Not only that but he has to deal with the ultimate test-- an ex-girlfriend! Uncharted 2 features brilliant set piece after set piece from icy mountains to dodging a helicopter while aboard a train. If it's thrills you want, it's thrills you'll get with Uncharted 2.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time


Still separated after the events of Tools of Destruction, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time has Ratchet still searching for his missing buddy Clank throughout the galaxy. This time around the duo are apart meaning different platforming experiences such as Ratchet's charge boots and Clank's mind-bending time puzzles. Even after six installments, Ratchet & Clank feels as fresh as ever with A Crack in Time!

inFAMOUS


One of the only brand-new IPs on our list of nominations for best of, inFAMOUS follows Cole as he rights the wrongs of his actions. He can decide to be good or evil. Perhaps he can dabble in both? Made by the creators of the excellent Sly Cooper series, inFAMOUS utilizes some of the same platforming action from Sucker Punch's previous work and creates one heck of an electrifying experience.

God of War Collection


A compendium of Kratos' first two console outings in preparation of God of War III, God of War Collection features for the first time, God of War and God of War II in HD. For only forty dollars, it's one heck of a steal... er... deal. Combining visceral action with tight platforming and perplexing puzzles, see how the God of War series got its start with God of War Collection.

And the winner is...





Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Once again, Naughty Dog outdoes itself with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. It plays and feels like a huge cinematic Hollywood epic with enough action set pieces and firefights to make you sweat! The cover system has been upgraded from infallible to more infallible, the gunplay feels tight and response as does the incredible platforming the game throws at you. Simply put, Uncharted 2 is an experience unlike any other.

Runner-up: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

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[Best Wii Game]

And the nominees are...

New Super Mario Bros. Wii


Mario is back in 2-D on a console for the first time in over a decade with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and he hasn't lost his stride in all this time. Eight (?) worlds, over seventy levels from towers to castles to airships to plains to beaches to oceans, the ability to play multi-player for the first time ever with up to four players, and the return of the Koopalings! If you're yearning for one of the greatest 2-D games of the year, check out New Super Mario Bros. Wii!

Excitebots: Trick Racing


Get excited as it's time for more Excitebots: Trick Racing. Race as one as many animal bots as you push for first place all the while pulling off insane tricks and hilarious actions. Excitebots is one of the most wacky and whimsical games I played all year, and it's just a blast to play either against the computer or with friends and strangers online. Punt field goals, kick soccer balls into nets, and catch butterflies with this wacky racer!

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10


Despite all the controversy surrounding Tiger Woods now, perhaps this will get even more people to check out the newest game starring his likeness. Wii MotionPlus makes putting, chipping, and driving as realistic as the real thing except you need not walk or drive around the courses yourself! As if you'd ever get on Pebble Beach, but that's another discussion for another day! With more modes, dozens of hours of play time, and fantastic online play, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 earns a green jacket this year.

Little King's Story


How's it feel to be king for a day? Perhaps you'd like to be king all year-round? You can do just that in Little King's Story. Command your troops with the nunchuk as you beat down baddies and monsters of all sizes on your conquest of the world! Who says greed is bad? For a charming adventure starring a precocious young king, Little King's Story is the obvious choice.

The House of the Dead: Overkill


Mother-- shut your mouth! This rail gun experience is the best the Wii has to offer in the genre with the most action, most zombie head-blasting excitement, and more laughs and swear words than an Eddie Murphy comedy special. Just be warned that this game definitely isn't for the kiddies! It's the House of the Dead: Overkill, and it's @$#$ing awesome.

And the winner is...






New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Jump, run, shoot a fire/ice ball, pick up a koopa shell, toss it at teammate, teammate dies. Who needs cooperation when you're playing New Super Mario Bros. Wii? Of course, nothing can beat being in a perfect rhythm with your friends as you run and jump through levels perfectly, bypassing enemies by one pixel away from being hit and killed. There's nothing like it, and that's why New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the Wii's best game.

Runner-up: Excitebots: Trick Racing

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Stay tuned for tomorrow as I announce the system of the year as well as the all important game of the year for 2009. It's gonna be crazy!