Brainy Gamer

In my last post I asked you name your favorite game of '09, and you responded in a big way. I appreciate all your replies, and I'm especially pleased so many of you took the time to explain why your favorite appealed to you this year. You can catch up on that conversation here and contribute to it if you like.

I've gathered all your favorites and listed them below in alphabetical order. Several games were listed by more than one person, and, to maintain consistency, the list doesn't include games not released in '09, even though some of you suggested older games you enjoyed this year.

A few things worth noting emerge from this list. First, it contains 41 different games. I suppose this wide range and variety could be explained by several possibilities: 2009 was a year with no obvious consensus favorite (has there ever actually been such a year?); 2009 was a year with a large assortment of quality games appealing to a wide range of gamers; readers took me up on my suggestion to name overlooked or forgotten games released in '09 - and plenty of other explanations. 

I may flatter myself to assume people who read my blog are discriminating gamers, but it does seem to me your favorites suggest a curiosity and appetite for excellent games, regardless of their genre or pedigree. Many of you championed simple, imaginative games with tiny or non-existant ad budgets, like Blueberry Garden. Others were taken by the narrative and role-playing scope of a game like Dragon Age. 

Regardless of the reasons or impulses that drove them, your favorites provide plenty of options to anyone looking for a game worth playing. Here they are: