The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is an excellent addition to Nintendo's celebrated franchise and a great way to close 2009.

This is a beautiful and conscious game that deserves to be played, even if to just take in its message.

If you've historically been put off by the complexity of Sid Meier's other titles, this is a lovely action-simulation that will lead you gently into the genre. For strategy stalwarts, there's nothing to fear from this very different Meier game, because it really is a huge amount of fun regardless of your typical gaming preferences.

Even though most of the presentation and general gameplay hasn't changed much from previous Pokemon adventures, both HeartGold and SoulSilver have an adequate amount of content, online and off, to keep you exploring until the next sequel arrives.

The game is a nice throwback to a more simple time in gaming.

Those aforementioned problems melt away the second you slaughter several Necromorphs and travel deeper into the brand new story that bridges the gap between the original game and the recently released sequel. We didn't jump out of our chairs, but the wow factor is more than enough to make it worth a look.

It's a bizarre but immensely satisfying experience, thanks in part to the addictive premise, excessively colorful graphics, NES style music and online leaderboards.

A vast improvement over its predecessor and a must have for anyone that loves to work magic in the kitchen. Both easy and fun, it's a perfect replacement for those dusty old books.

If you have a PSP (or PSP go, as the game will be available for download on the PlayStation Network), LittleBigPlanet should be your next purchase.

OK, so War Pinball looks and sounds outstanding, but how does it play? Perfect. In-game missions, smooth play and tight controls put it in a whole other league. The fact that it runs without a hitch with the ball zipping all over the place is impressive, no question.

What Swordigo lacks in revolutionary ideas, it more than makes up for that with hours of nostalgic fun.

Gasketball is an entertaining sports title that'll leave you scratching your head, figuring out the best ways to make a seemingly impossible shot.

It's a fun if not twisted game. We just wish the designers included more than nine in-game achievements. Other than that small and borderline silly issue, Karoshi is a unique puzzle game that also serves as a reminder to never miss vacation time.

The kinetic energy that the series is known for is perfectly intact, and the game looks and plays just as wonderfully as it ever has. The fact that it has classic goodies and exclusive cars significantly boosts its value.

Gemini Rue certainly won't be to everyone's tastes, but if you long for the good old days where grim dystopias met a graphical style that never really went out of fashion, then you're in for no small treat here.

One of the App Store's most intriguing, enjoyable and kooky titles, a game that manages to stick with the player long after he or she leaves the retro inspired world.

Super Hexagon punishes more than it rewards, but the adrenaline rush you get from playing far exceeds any mental anguish. Well, at least until you check out the best times on the Game Center leaderboards. Sobering, to say the least.

If you're one of those boring old-fashioned gamers who values crazy things like fun, compulsion, and competitiveness, you really owe it to yourself to grab this stellar action-puzzler.

It's more like an interactive comic book, with believable characters, solid voice acting, attractive cell-shaded graphics and buckets of blood. In all, a thoroughly entertaining undead romp.

As a toy to play with, Splice is a wonderful thing. As a game however, it just lacks that essential moment where you feel that you've made progress entirely through ingenuity rather than random experimentation.

League of Evil isn't the most original game, but it's a lot of fun and worth your time. Now go out there and kill some scientists before they ruin everything.

Kudos to the developers for merging different puzzle types into one new and exciting concept. Puzzlejuice lacks flash and playing on the iPhone is a challenge (small letters), but it more than makes up for that with engaging play. Definitely one of the best brainteasers out there, and well worth a measly $0.99.

Hank Hazard is one of Chillingo's coolest games, and you'll have a blast experimenting with different objects, grabbing all the stars and climbing the online leaderboards. To infinity, and beyond.

An immensely enjoyable action RPG.

Despite a handful of technical hiccups, Anomaly 2 is everything fans of the previous games in the series would have asked for, and is a very easy sale for existing Anomaly nuts. Those who are put off by the typically static, reactive gameplay of the tower-defense genre, could do a lot worse than Anomaly 2 if they wish to discover what this gaming scene is really capable of.

Although it's more difficult than its predecessor, there's plenty to love about Crashmo, from its wealth of puzzles to its cheery graphics and near limitless editing potential. A satisfying follow-up, this game belongs on every 3DS owner's system.

Not a guarantee that it's a game for everyone, but rather a big fat A+ for Alphadream when it comes to Advanced Game Design. This game is the cream of the portable gaming crop, and you'll be really hard-ressed not to be taken in by at least one of it's plentiful charms.

We love Pro Zombie Soccer. The sharp visuals and satisfying gameplay make it our newest guilty pleasure, as well as one of the most imaginative zombie titles in the App Store.