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The 2009 Boysie Awards

It’s time for The Boysies, Boys’ Life’s yearly video game awards! After way too much game playing and some hard thinking, here are the winners.

BEST PS3 GAME

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (Sony)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
Battle in space. Explore pretty much everywhere in the game—even the sky, with your Hoverboots. The graphics are as ingenious as those in almost any animated movie. And since this concludes the Ratchet & Clank trilogy, the game makers have outdone themselves by adding surprises everywhere.

BEST XBOX 360 GAME—TIE

Mini Ninjas (Warner Bros.)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
Mini Ninjas is one of those games that lets you escape into its ultra-cool world. Once in that vivid adventure, you just don’t want to leave. In addition, the idea of changing enemies into animals to fix the balance of nature never gets old.

LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues (LucasArts)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
There’s a lot here. You get the classic, silent LEGO humor and the trilogy of movies plus “The Crystal Skull.” There are tons of new levels, and you’ve got to love the way the whip tosses an enemy over LEGO Indy’s shoulder. “Adventure” is right!

BEST WII GAME

New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo)
Mario creator Mr. Miyamoto puts his Nintendo team’s best stuff into the Mario and Zelda games. In this latest Mario, you get a very fine game that offers multiplayer in the always-charming Mushroom Kingdom. You have to love that helicopter thing that the characters can do. Plus, it’s one challenging game to beat.

BEST PSP GAME

Hammerin’ Hero (Atlus)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
Hammerin’ Hero is a quirky platform game that never lets up as far as challenge and thrills go. It may be a side scroller, but some of the artwork is so intense, it feels 3D. And in what other game can you be a deep-sea diver, a baseball player and a sushi chef?

Runner Up: LittleBigPlanet PSP (Sony)

BEST DS GAME

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Nintendo)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
Link’s return is triumphant and so is his relationship with The Phantom, the ghostly and helpful knight he pals around with. Plus, there are the sweet game mechanics like the Whirlwind and the whip. Finally, who doesn’t like to ride a steam-engine train and defeat enemies while you do it?

Runner Up: Big Bang Mini (Southpeak)

BEST PC GAME

Plants vs. Zombies (PopCap)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
Who knew a real-time strategy game could be so much fun and so full of laughs? The cute undead characters look like they’re out of a comic book. And there are so many weird weapons the zombies use, like catapults and even a Zamboni machine, you have endless fun trying to choose the right plants to counter them. Don’t let ’em get in the living room!

BEST NEW PLATFORM

iPod Touch and iPhone
There are more than 20,000 games for these platforms. While a lot of them stink, the iPod Touch and iPhone are giving the makers of the PSP and DS a serious run for their money. Plus, the price is right—even at this time of year. Until January 2010, Konami has a sale on its games for just 99 cents each at the iTunes store. Some of the other, independently made games are free to download, too.

BEST MUSIC GAME

Band Hero (Activision)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
Sure, LEGO Rock Band is good, but Band Hero wins: With 65 tunes from so many eras of rock, the replay value is immense. And you can play with up to eight people on Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network and even the Wii.

BEST OVERALL SPORTS GAME

FIFA Soccer 10 (EA Sports)
Even if you’re not a soccer fan, you have to appreciate all the upgrades that went into this latest version of FIFA. If you are a soccer fan, it’s pure heaven. FIFA 10 plays like the real thing because the controls and graphics have been mightily improved upon. Plus, there’s so much to do when you really get into it, you’ll find it difficult to find time to play any other sports game.

Runner Up: MLB The Show 09 (Sony for PS3)

BEST RACING GAME

MX Vs. ATV Reflex (THQ)
There are tons of vehicles to drive, and you can customize them your way. The dirt tracks take real-time damage, which you can use to your advantage if you know the right moves. The upshot is that Reflex feels real, and that’s why it’s an exciting game.

BEST MOVIE ADAPTATION

Disney’s A Christmas Carol (Disney for DS)
Boy, did this come out of nowhere! Even though A Christmas Carol has a great variety of games, it’s no mere mini-game collection. You play the games when the time is right and to move the classic Dickens’ story along. They even included the book for you.

Runner Up: A Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Majesco for Xbox 360)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

BEST NOD TO OLD-SCHOOL GAMING

A Boy and His Blob (Majesco for Wii)
Not only is A Boy and His Blob touching and beautifully animated, it’s a remake of one of the hardest-to-find Nintendo games. Then, there are all the fun things you can do with the blob, like making him into a ladder and a parachute.


BEST MINI GAMES COLLECTION

Medieval Games (Vir2L for Wii)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
Just when you think there’s nothing more that can be done with mini games for the Wii, out comes Medieval Games. On three ingenious game boards in 30 games, you can play as a wizard, jester or knight. Jousting is challenging, and so is fighting that dragon!

Runner Up: Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo)

BEST OVERALL SERIES

Petz (Ubisoft for DS)
The Petz series takes the virtual pet idea and spreads it across a variety of games that include hamsters, monkeys, horses and dolphins. Some of the games even work with the other games. In Hamsterz Superstarz, you get to bowl and parachute, and in Dolphinz Encounter, you meet 50 underwater species. Very impressive.

GAME OF THE YEAR

Band Hero (Activision)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
It’s about time kids got a family-friendly music-based rhythm game. In addition to the cool stuff mentioned above, Band Hero has most of the features in the T-rated Guitar Hero 5. In addition to the many modes of play, you can even create your own songs.

Runner Up: FIFA Soccer 10 (EA Sports)

87 Comments on The 2009 Boysie Awards

  1. With exception of R&C I have 0 of these games…

  2. browning m1n167 // March 16, 2010 at 9:18 pm // Reply

    why didnt they include scribblenauts, asphalt urban gt, burnout legonds, need for speed shift and all the other good ones. the one they picked for ds i have it and i regret buying it!

  3. drum/game1000 // February 23, 2010 at 9:21 pm // Reply

    I agree with pokemon409, brawl should be a contender at least, (but it’s T) 🙁

  4. cool

  5. what about the DSi!?!

  6. ipod touch is a cool device but the games are too small. I would rather play 60 dollars for a game that I will keep playing for years than spend 99 cents on something that I will be bored of in 10 minutes. Also I wish you would include T games

  7. This list is a joke, Ratchet and Clank for the PS3 GOTY? I can understand MW2 or AC2 not being on here because they’re rated M, but what about Uncharted 2?

  8. where is modern warfare 2? none of these comes close to it

  9. scribblenaut // January 24, 2010 at 7:22 am // Reply

    hey! scribblenauts is awesome

  10. Where is scribblenauts? Bowsers inside story and many other games that we “heard” about and anticipated for a long time

  11. Modern Warfare 2 should be on there. Great game.

  12. cool games

  13. theres gonna be a super mario galaxy 2

  14. i TOTALLY agree with new super mario bros wii for best wii game itz awsome

  15. what is coolman trying to say?

  16. only some good games are there but hey no teen or mature

  17. i like t rated but played some good e and e10 games

  18. Band Hero is a copy of guitar Hero Wold tour

  19. new super mario rocks!!!!!!!

  20. you know what else whenever there is E10 game they make notice of it like it is some sort of dangerous thing they even say the reasons for the “Beyond high rating” (please BL post tis ..please).

  21. No “sonic,unleashed”?! COME ON!!!! It’s a hog-killing time!

  22. you too sneezy

  23. BAND HERO IS AWSOME

  24. Konami didn’t have all their games for ipod touch 99 cents or free most of them where between 2 dollars an five dollars!!!!!! And I agree with every body else lets get some “T” games in here either that or 2 different section one for younger kids and one for older kids.

  25. BTW Boy and his blob= AWESOME ive played the first one and its sweeet!

  26. Meh.. Band Hero is negotionable

  27. the only why sometimes games are rated “T” because they can be hard or have crude humor (wario from ssbb) the’re not just packed with language blood and gore it is sometimes ridiculous that some games have mild violence and they rated “T”.

  28. chessmaster // January 7, 2010 at 6:38 pm // Reply

    Hey BL: not to sound rude, but you should have a “Teen” category. Then older guys would have something to speak positive about (and it would be a game we would play).

  29. blazejackson // January 7, 2010 at 2:36 pm // Reply

    WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!! No Call of duty!! No Assasins creed II. Plz boys life try harder next time

  30. THere are a whole bunch of movie games that are probably better.

  31. Either BL really has to try harder, or these year’s games stink. I’ve noticed EVERYTHING is either rated E or E10+. The T versions of those games up there are so much better. AT LEAST PUT SOME T’S ON THERE BL WE ARE NOT BABIES.

  32. WHAT!!! Pokemon Platinum didnt winn ANYTHING! Pokemon should’ve won instead of that zelda game.

  33. forced unleased maniac . were are all the STARWARS games

  34. WHERES SUPER MARIO Galaxy FOR WII?

  35. And Disney’s a Christmas Carol the videogame why they could have done something better for movie game catagory.

  36. What! PETZ!? Were boys who like to play action games not girly games please Boyslife try harder.

    • Red Poke'oopa: Riolu // December 31, 2009 at 6:03 pm // Reply

      I have 2 agree!
      Not that I’ve played any of its games, but I no what 2 expect!

      • I haven’t even owned or played but I know that Wii Sports resort rockes (I have played that one) and should have been one from the beging. ( I just read Corkys’ comment and he’s right)I don’t get why Petz was so good. And the have to make most of them the systems I don’t.I think Wii Play to be the best of the year.

  37. forceunleashedmaniac // December 31, 2009 at 1:58 pm // Reply

    ok all of these games stink!!!! ( with the acception of ratchet and clank)I mean they dont even have Assassins creed II, or Modern Warfare II, I mean Come on people? Play a good game!!! I mean Mini Ningas? I dont even no wat that is! And gutar hero is better the band hero. So PLAY A GOOD VIDEO GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JEDI OUT.

  38. Wii sports resort all the way!!! 🙂

  39. Dander P. Donderdink // December 30, 2009 at 4:26 pm // Reply

    I got The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for Christmas and it’s really good.

  40. PS3 and Ratchet and Clank Future Crack in Time for the win

  41. Really? Indy 2? Indy 2 wasnt really that good. Wii sports resort was ok, but definitly not best of the year. Spirit tracks was ok, but who has heard of the runner up? The runner up should have been inside story or scriblenauts.

    • i know. it was soooo hard to stop playing it and switch to mario64. im not saying that super mario64 sinks or anything. i heard that spirit tracks has bad graphics.

  42. go ipod touch

  43. WHAT???!!! bowser’s inside story got a BETTER review than spirit tracks! What up with that?

  44. YEAH! Wii Sports Resort should have won game of the year!

  45. Wii Sports Resort should have won Game of the Year and best Wii game

  46. This year hasn’t been the best for new games, though UNCHARTED 2 is excelent. Hopefully next year will be better, with ModNation Racers, the PS3 motion controller and maybe even an hd Wii (can’t wait to try Band Hero)

    • nintendo,sony,and microsoft said they wont make another system for 4 more yrs.

      • That not true. The HD wii comes out 2011

      • Carbison // June 19, 2011 at 2:11 pm //

        That isn’t true. Nintendo just made the 3DS and they’re making a new system called the Retron. And Sony is making the PlayStation Phone. But it may be true about Microsoft. P.S. If i’m a spoiler about the Retron don’t tell anyone

    • Yea I heard there making a game called Uncharted 3. P.S. Uncharted is from the same people that created Crash Bandicoot and Jak!

  47. Please boyslife Have “T” rated games in here we’re boy’s please

  48. WOAH! Band Hero came out of NOWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!! And it’s the SECOND time that a Mario game won “Best Wii Game.”

  49. the essence of the triforce // December 19, 2009 at 3:24 pm // Reply

    hey! spirit tracks should have totally gotten game of the year!

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