TIME Names Top 10 Video Games of 2009

TIME Magazine has released its top 10 video game picks of 2009, tossed in amidst a slew of 50 different lists chronicling the year's highs and lows. It usually makes for interesting reading to see how those outside the industry view the past year's crop of games, though some head-scratching and disagreement are all but guaranteed.

Games that appeared on multiple platforms comprise half of the list but five platform-exclusives make the list as well, including Geo-Defense Swarm for the iPhone.

Modern Warfare 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and DJ Hero claim the top three spots, followed by Borderlands, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and Geo-Defense Swarm. Scribblenauts, Halo 3: ODST, Assassin's Creed 2, and Uncharted 2 round out the list.

The brief blurbs describing each selected game will likely leave hardcore gamers wanting, while simultaneously entertaining with some unintentionally humorous bits. The assertion that Modern Warfare 2 shows that video games "have something intelligent to say about contemporary military conflicts," made me chuckle, as did the reference to Borderlands' "wickedly clever writing."