As the summer season rolls on around us, we at N-Europe thought it was a good time to look towards the remainder of the year to see exactly what games are on the horizon to round off our 2009. We've put together a list of our ten most-anticipated games that will keep us ticking over until the New Year, in order of release (dates subject to change). Rattling it down to ten was no easy task, and it required some heartbreaking omissions, but rest assured that these ten titles are enough for anyone's collection to keep them gaming for the last few months of the year.

The Prof is back in the house. Well, he's mainly on a train actually, but what's most important is that this sequel to one Nintendo's recent sleeper hits looks set to offer us another devilishly engrossing batch of puzzles. Anyone who has played the first title in the series will know that Professor Layton is a guarantee for hours of lives lost to that one problem you just can't solve. Whether it's spatial awareness, numerical division or critical thinking, the game will give your skills a run for their money in a way few so-called 'mature' games can, and few self-proclaimed 'hardcore' gamers can feign disinterest to. The perfect 'bridge' title, we already know Pandora's Box is going to be a huge hit when it finally releases.

All aboard for mystery!

When EA announced at the start of the year that one of their brightest (and also darkest) new IPs would be coming to Wii, Nintendo fans rejoiced. When it was later revealed that Dead Space Extraction would be an on-rails shooter � or, as EA like to correct us, a 'guided first-person experience' � it's fair to say there was a collected feeling of disappointment among many. However, far be it from us to dismiss any game without giving it a fair chance, and we hope you'll agree that EA has proven that they just may have something very special on their hands with Extraction. Set shortly before the events of the original game, this prequel offers some key back-story to the events that conspire in the universe. Despite the fact that this game is appearing on a console so oft seen as an underpowered, family-friendly system, Dead Space Extraction gives gamers those awesome things they adored in the original, including stasis, telekinesis, strategic dismemberment, and zero-G gameplay. On-rails has not put us off this potential gem one bit.

Blind Date scrapes the bottom of the barrel.

Write anything, solve everything. It's a simple premise for a puzzle game, and probably one that would cause a few sceptical frowns to appear. That is of course, before one witnesses the player summoning a kraken to fight a shotgun-wielding, skateboard-riding God. Yes, it is perhaps true that Scribblenauts players will spend more time mucking about in hour-long freestyle sessions than actually solving puzzles, but there are over 200 levels to be found in the game. Add in the level editor and the ability to share your creations over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and we could just have not only one of the most novel experiences on DS to date, but one that will keep players hooked for months, perhaps even years to come.

Write your own destiny!

We don't think even Nintendo could have predicted how far the �65 Wii Fit would take off the ground. However, when its global domination became apparent, it came as little surprise when the company announced a follow-up in the form of Wii Fit Plus. The title is more than a mere expansion, with an overhauled interface that allows users to plan their own fitness regime in accordance to their body goals. A host of new mini-games are also along for the ride, including snow ball fight, rhythm kung-fu, and our favourite of the lot, a 3D Mario-style platforming obstacle course. Wii Fit Plus will be available bundled with a Balance Board or as a standalone disc at a budget price for current Wii Fit-ers.

Avril Lavigne would be so proud.

We have to admit, Activision took us by great surprise when they announced a Wii version of HD gamers' 2007 favourite Call of Duty 4. More surprising still was the news that the game would launch on the same day as its next-gen sequel, Modern Warfare 2. Rather than being handled by original developer Infinity Ward, Activision are handing the reins over to franchise's night-shift team, Treyarch. But fret not, as Treyarch last year proved they could deliver a more-than-competent Wii FPS in the form of Call of Duty: World at War. With that title featuring a robust and smooth online experience, we've high hopes they can deliver on the game millions Playstation and Xbox owners have been clocking up hours on every week for nearly two years.

Ultra realistic fonts!

Here's one you perhaps won't be too familiar with. Despite a very low-key announcement, Night Game had to do little to grab our attention. Developed by Nicalis (who are also responsible for other intriguing WiiWare projects such as Cave Story and La-Mulana), Night Game gives us that tantalising, World of Goo feel. Yes, we dare invoke the name of the greatest WiiWare title of them all and the recent golden child of the indie scene. The game sees players simply controlling a ball through various 2D levels, but with progression relying on a solid mind for physics puzzles. This innovative and potentially engrossing gameplay experience is reined in by an incredible soundtrack and some gorgeously dark visuals. We won't be surprised if Nicalis end up giving 2D Boy a run for their money when it comes to WiiWare dominance.

Could it be Holland?

If the inevitable sadly happens and one of the games in this list gets delayed to next year, at least rejoice that the once-2010 title Muramasa: The Demon Blade was brought forward to a November release date, courtesy of Rising Star Games. Developed by Vanillaware, Muramasa fuses intense, side-scrolling action, sumptuous 2D visuals and classic Japanese lore in a way that can only be described as Okami meets Gunstar Heroes. To anyone familiar with the developer's previous work (Odin Sphere, Princess Crown), this will merely be a preach to the converted, but let all Wii owners know that Muramasa is assured quality, and deserves to be up there with the console's finest action games when it releases.

GIANT ENEMY....OCTOPUS!

marks the first time a game in the Silent Hill canon hits a Nintendo home console, so it's somewhat fitting that developers Climax are taking us back to where it all began. Having said that, fans who've already played the forefather of the series to death will still find plenty of originality here; Shattered Memories is much more of a 'remastering' of Silent Hill than it is a remake. Perhaps the biggest selling point of the game is its claim that it "gets inside your head" � making note of every subtle decision you take to determine who or what lies around that next corner. Equally fresh is the fact that combat is out, running for your dear life is in; this is survival horror at its sincerest, and we can't wait to be chilled to the bone this winter.

Suddenly we see why his memories were repressed in the first place.

Back at the GDC in March, Nintendo surprised all by treating us to a debut trailer for a brand new Zelda adventure. Following on from the 2007 hit Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks plunges players back into a gorgeous cel-shaded world with a veritable smorgasbord of creative gameplay mechanics we've come to expect from a handheld Zelda title. The USP (unique selling point) this time around is that Link can traverse the landscape at the helm of a canon-equipped, choo-choo train, which seems to be replacing the King of Red Lions ship from previous, water-themed adventures. Core fans of series still have plenty of classic dungeon-exploring and swashbuckling to look forward to, but with an injection of innovative spark, we're expecting that the trusted team at Kyoto can deliver on one of the most varied Zelda games to date.

I choo-choo-choose you, Link!

You knew it wasn't not going to make it into the list. After an almost twenty year wait, Nintendo are finally giving us a brand new, home console, 2D Mario platformer. New Super Mario Bros. Wii raised a few cynical eyebrows at its unveiling at E3 this year, with it keeping a simple graphical style updated from the DS title and disregarding any online component. But this is Nintendo and Mario we are talking about, and the portly plumber's latest outing could easily end up stealing the show come Christmas and become one of the most frantic multiplayer experiences in years. Welcome back, Mr. Mario, we've missed you.

NASA have similar hats in development.

There are several other titles across all Nintendo platforms we could have included, so we fully expect you to have your own individual lists that differ from this one. Why not drop a comment below and let us know your personal choices on the horizon?

Aaron Clegg
- N-Europe Staff Writer