Top 10 GM Games of '09

written by 3DPursuit

T'is the fall of 2009, and many marvelous games have been released this year, as well as many exciting additions to the GameMaker world. For one, NAL Games (Andrew McCluskey) gave us a chunk of new content, a new website, and a bunch of YoYoGames Features. PixelInvoke released it's first playable demo of it's SideScroller Pixel Project, and Zack064 got his first well deserved feature. Game Maker 8 was released, Competition 05 (YYG) is soon to be announced and everything seems to be going well in the Game Maker world. But looking at this post, you may be thinking, "What are the best Game Maker Games released this year?" Your not? Well, I'm going to give you the answer anyway. I will be giving a review, and some content of my top 10 favorite games of 2009.

10) Wrapple (Awoken Entertainment) Awoken/Nick Carney released his first completed Game Maker game, Wrapple. You play as a futuristic Potato and "wrap". This is not a form of hip cultural music, but a strange teleportation skill similar to Focus (Jesse Venbrux, Focus). As you go through the levels, it seems a decent puzzle platformer. So, what makes Wrapple stand out? For starters, its level design. Unlike 99% Of puzzle games made/found on Game Maker/YoYoGames, this game starts of simple, but the difficulty soon rises. As you wrap your way through the levels, you need to use your head, not just your fingers. You get mad at the game for trying to figure it out, NOT getting stuck jumping over a spike. In case you didn't get that, it's a good thing. Wrapple takes a simple black and white style, and combines it with something reminiscent of Jesse Venbrux's unfinished title "Oi." Wrapple is a terrific game, and definetly stands out in the Game Maker (Puzzle) World.

Link: http://gamejolt.com/freeware/games/puzzle/wrapple/1119/

9) The Moon Keeper (Pgil)- Pgil releases a retro game about saving the moon by destroying all 5 Gestation Pods. What makes this game stand out is it's execution, design, and graphics. I originally played this game in early '09, before it got featured on GameJolt. It's graphics stood out to me. They use a blue and red/pink style, full of retro goodness. Unlike most "8bit/Retro" games, it's not just an excuse for poor graphics, these are actually good. I found the walk animation a bit sketchy, but that's for you to decide. The GamePlay is simple scroller gameplay, but uses a lot of Exploration and Gunning down enemies, that many games like CastleVania and Metroid are famous for. This game is terrific, a must play.

Link: http://gamejolt.com/freeware/games/platformer/the-moonkeeper/231/

8) Saut (MabiGames)- HopHopHop, Hope to the Top... That's the game. In MabiGames' Saut, you repetitively tap the spacebar to cause your little black man to hop over obstacles to get to the end of each level. The graphics are just beautiful. They are so retro, yet so good. This game was entered and placed in GameJolt's "Minimal" 1 week competition. The game has great replay value, and is just general fun. The coding is spectacular. Not only does this game stand out against many other GameMaker platformers, it was made in 1 week! For everyone loving Canabalt (Flixel) you should definetly play this game.

Link: http://gamejolt.com/freeware/games/platformer/saut/1043/

7) Pixel Project (PixelInvoke)- This is pure beauty. Beauty, that's what this game is. "You control a little hiro in a pointless, but still fun world. :] The gameplay is the classic 2D scroller one, but there are some unique features in it." Is the description give by the creator, PixelInvoke. You do escentially that. Run around through fast paced levels, smashing, jumping, running and hopping over crates, moving water, flying bombs, robots and hopping... Something? Anyway, the game is a beauty, and the GamePlay is great. The enemy AI, which there really isn't any, so enemy patterns are so unique, and happen to move in different ways in each area, but add difficulty, make it just so Professional. There isn't much more to say as it's still incomplete, but It's going strong.

Link: http://pixelproject.pixelinvoke.com

6) Puke! 2 (Zack064)- This game produces the fun of Ad Nauseum 2 (CactusSquid) and graphics matching it. Unlike the average "I shoot bullets at ships" SHMUP Style, you play as a face, shooting at terrificly programmed face things, with... Puke. This game is so random, it's funny. But so beautifully executed, and so perfectly done. Zack has this thing for a TVSet effect, and implementing it into Puke! 2 was ingenious. The game was made for BoxedLunch Games competition, and placed 2nd, to MODNAR SSOB, and I placed 5/6th... :P

Link: http://gamejolt.com/freeware/games/shooter/puke-2/1227/

5) DeathWorm (JTR)- The Mongolian Deathworm, feared to all Mongolians from Mongolia, eating all Mongols in site. Except, instead of fleeing from "Death Worm" you are it, and it's brutal. In Leviathan (Jesse Venbrux (This guy created everything...)) style GamePlay, you attack Mongols, horses, Airplanes, burrowing rats, and more. You try to get "Meat" by eating people. I never actually died, so I'm not sure if it's possible. The title screen just cracks me up. The creator obviously didn't sprite it, but It's ingenious none the less. The game is more funny than scary, but it was more fun than everything.

Link: http://www.yoyogames.com/games/72097-death-worm

4) Assasin Blue (Banov) Banov G, creator of Wolf, Crazy over Goo, and Dubloon (Incomplete) created an RPG/Adventure game, in which you play as Blue, an assassin in a fantasy world. You fight using a perfect system, almost strategy like, in a cartoony world, with dinosaurs in the sand, crazy towers, and an amazing story/dialogue to keep you interested. This game is amazing. It has over 5 hours of gameplay, and many different areas to explore, from a Castle, to a Desert to a Forest. This is a must play for Final Fantasy, Metroid, Street Fighter... Everyone!

Link: http://www.yoyogames.com/games/44391-assassin-blue
(I just realized this was from 2008, sorry. Check it out anyway)

3) Innoquos 3 (NAL Games)- Run, Jump, Blob, and Flip. Play as a yellow circle in a square world. Seem boring? No. As you run around, you flip gravity, allowing you to access new areas. Some levels involve trial and error, and some are incredibly fast paced crazy arenas. This game not only contains FIFTY amazing levels, but a speedrun, and all the levels from I1 and I2. NAL really outdid himself. I originally didn't like this, but when I played it again, it was terrific.

Link: http://www.yoyogames.com/games/88722-innoquous-3

2) Focus (Jesse Venbrux)- Focus... Focus... Shoot, the controls suck! Focus is a terrific game. You play as a strange white runner in a cave world bending around physics to jump through walls, avoid Missiles, and blast past lazers. While the game is overall smooth and great, It has some flaws. Firstly, The controls are so annoying! I don't know If I'm the only one, but I was a bit bothered by using the arrows for my Focus power. Secondly, the Player didn't quite fit in. But overall, this game was a game I was waiting for, and It was all I expected. Fan-tastic.

Link: http://www.yoyogames.com/games/103647-focus

The Game, We've all been waiting for. The Best Game of the year. It is-

1) Kablooey (Vertigo Games)- It's to great to say In words. So I'll tell you a bit, then I'll give you some links.
The Game is about stopping the president. He's supposed to do give a big speech, and for some reason, you don't like that. It's just beautiful. Look at it.




Link: http://gamejolt.com/freeware/games/adventure/kablooey/1105/

EDIT: GameMakerGames Appeared to be doing an unofficial list of favorite GM Games of all time. To find this list, visit the link below.

Link: http://www.gamemakergames.com/forum/index.php?topic=38926.0