Professor Layton was a game that I didn't want to put down until I reached the end, a real page turner if you will and a standout title for the DS. The French styled animation and sound direction set the stage for a small town murder mystery plot with a few very interesting twists, it's all entertaining stuff and the atmosphere created makes the core word, math, visual and logic puzzles stand out that much more. It's a game that anyone can enjoy -  charming, beautiful, well written, and a real mental workout at times. Can't wait for the sequels to arrive stateside.

8. Left 4 Dead (360/PC) gameplay

There may not be a ton of content in Left 4 Dead out of the box, but what's there is so polished and satisfying that it's worth returning to over and over again. PC users get the superior version but playing on a console is no slouch either and the 360 controller works just fine despite the game's fast pace. The best co-op, zombie apocalypse Valve game ever and my favorite FPS that I played last year as well..


9. Geometry Wars 2 (360) gameplay

The original Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved was a great little arcade title, the best game on the 360 for a while actually, and the sequel improves upon the first in nearly every way. A variety of modes change the rules of the game and all are equally addicting and fun. With fun achievements, leaderboards and robust 4 player multiplayer, replayability factor is off the charts with GW2.