Despite the explosion of blockbuster AAA retail releases this holiday season, the casual computer games market continues to flourish. Although more temptations than ever seduce game developers away from the PC platform, what with Xbox Live Arcade and the iPhone becoming primary casual-game outlets, the personal computer—because it is so open and everyone owns one—remains a primary development platform. So while many other game sites focus their attention on conventional retail offerings, I unearth for your playing pleasure the very best hidden computer treasures that casual gaming has to offer. To select the dozen 2009 award winners from an increasingly competitive field, I spent many hours scouring hundreds of full, registered versions developed all over the world to discern their overall value. Because of increasingly intrusive and annoying copy-protection schemes and the presence in many homes of multiple computers, some of which lack online access, I tested only the single-player modes of offerings that can be registered and played on a non-Internet-connected machine.

The definition of what constitutes a casual computer game has become quite murky, and some readers might disagree that all of this year’s award winners belong in that category. The wide-ranging ways used to delineate casual games include the following: (1) low price point; (2) small or “indie” development team; (3) compact code size allowing quick downloads and having low minimum system requirements; (4) appeal primarily to consumers who buy their games at places like Target and Wal-Mart; (5) something stay-at-home moms can play when they have a spare moment; (6) releases embodying low complexity and sophistication, often facilitating immediate play without reading instructions; (7) ease in completing specified game objectives with mistake tolerance, hint systems, and/or the ability to exit and continue at any point; (8) omission of dark, bloody or morally objectionable material; (9) the existence of a port on mobile devices; and (10) the inclusion of cute characters (such as cuddly creatures) or low-stress side activities (such as mini-games).

This is the 10th anniversary for this awards article, making it the longest-running continuous casual games award series anywhere. I am flattered that, since its inception, it has spawned several imitators. As a former shareware PC game developer myself, I am thrilled at the attention many indie game releases now receive. One of the pleasures of doing this awards article is that I get to meet some of the nicest, most imaginative and highly talented game developers on the planet. Reflecting backward over the past decade, while the technical aspects—graphics and sound quality—of the releases have certainly improved since the beginning of this article series, the gameplay has been highly enjoyable from the very beginning.

Machinarium by Amanita Design

All the way from the Czech Republic comes Machinarium, a highly immersive and challenging point-and-click adventure game. It features an entertaining story of a cute robot that needs to find his way home and save the world. There are around 30 locations to explore. You undertake a series of intricate steps to make progress in your mission, as there are few tasks that can be executed in a straightforward way. Often you know where you want to go or what you want to do, and have to consider carefully every option to figure out how to accomplish it. Along the way you collect items in an inventory, which often you must combine before you use. If you get stuck, a convenient hint system is available, either through general ideas or precise solutions (earned through playing a mini-game). The beautiful, enchanting graphics are hand-drawn, the sound effects are right on the mark, and the music is soothing and pensive. If you like an intellectual challenge that requires logical physical puzzle solving but no twitch arcade reflexes, you should buy this game.

Grappling Hook by Speed Run Games

At first glance, Grappling Hook looks like a traditional combat-oriented first-person shooter, but closer inspection reveals that it is a highly creative game from Germany that focuses on 3D platform action collecting pickups. The principal play dynamic involves a powerful grappling hook that can transport you long distances against the forces of gravity if you attach it to the right surfaces. As you progress, you find yourself using the grappling hook in increasingly unusual and intricate ways, as you encounter lethal obstacles that you must avoid or somehow use to your advantage. To overcome these obstacles, you often need to engage in highly skilled and speedy physical moves. The animated level design is amazingly complex, including moving walls, floors and ceilings. You encounter 31 levels, have the opportunity to earn 30 achievements, and face ever-escalating challenges. The visuals are crisp and colorful, and the music fits the mood of the game. If you like action-puzzle challenges that require a deft combination of hand-eye coordination and mental strategy, Grappling Hook is for you.