And now for the grand finale of our budget games series, covering the most expensive, blinged-out games: those priced at $9 or $10. Think of these as the Cadillacs of the budget game world, if Cadallics only cost $10. Actually, that's not too far from the truth these days...
So pull out your Alexander Hamiltons and get ready to put them down on some of the best games -- budget or otherwise -- out there.
The Budget Game Bonanza!
Day 1: Freebies part 1
Day 2: Freebies part 2
Day 3: The Cheapies ($0.01 through $8 games)
Day 4: $9 to $10 Gems
Price: $9.99
Where to get it: PC (Steam)
Audiosurf is a music lover's music game -- no plastic guitars required. It'll analyze most any music file -- MP3, iTunes M4A, WMA, CD tracks, and OGG -- to create an interactive musical track, allowing you to play along with your own songs. The beautiful tracks match the songs remarkably well (try out any Weezer song and you will be rewarded). I actually prefer Audiosurf over any Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. How's that for a recommendation? -Trevor Hinkle
Price: $9.99
Where to get it: PC (Steam), XBLA (Marketplace)
In the crowded tower defense market, games often get lost in the shuffle. Defense Grid stands out from the pack by introducing a 3D isometric perspective. Not only does the game look great, it gives players abundant ways to strategize. A variety of towers, a robust upgrade system, and a number of different enemy types complement the graphics to produce an enjoyable game. -Jon Cole
Price: $9.99 ($0.99 on iPhone)
Where to get it: PC (Steam), iPhone (iTunes Store), XBLA (Marketplace), PSN
The puzzle game Droplitz feels like a blend Pipe Mania and Bejeweled Twist. Rotate tiles to funnel globs of oil to collectors. It's not deep stuff, but it's great for a quick breather from work. Plus, the chill soundtrack and slick presentation make it hard to get frustrated with the difficult puzzles. -Alex Martin
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Price: $10
Where to get it: XBLA (Marketplace)
Geometry Wars 2 takes the twin-stick shooter formula and, uh, evolves it. The flashy visuals draw you in, but the true beauty of the game lies in the way it integrates high scores. Your friends' high scores appear even when you're playing the game, goading you to keep playing until you knock them off the list. It's a simple yet highly effective addition, and one that all score-based games should emulate. -Ultan O'ConnellPrice: $9.99
Where to get it: XBLA (Marketplace), PSN, WiiWare
Mega Man 9 recreates the classic 8-bit graphics -- and brutal difficulty -- of its predecessors, giving any aging gamer a warm feeling of nostalgia. The standard Mega Man rules apply: defeat a boss, then use his weapon to beat other bosses. It's the essense of simplicity, and a brilliant mix of sidescrolling platforming, shooting, and unforgiving challenge. -Kevin Zhang-xing
Price: $9.99
Where to get it: XBLA (Marketplace), PSN
Military Madness: Nectaris is a classic turn-based tactics game. This reissue adds new features and updated graphics but leaves the core gameplay untouched. Players control a varied group of military units -- infantry, armor, artillery, and air -- which battle other armies over a hex map. Terrain and positioning factor in heavily for success, meaning missions end up feeling puzzle-like in design, with heavy emphasis on tactics. Don’t believe the naysayers -- Military Madness is well worth your time. -Rob Savillo
Price: $9.99 ($4.99 on iPhone)
Where to get it: PC (Steam, Direct2Drive), iPhone (App Store), XBLA (Marketplace), PSN
At first glance, Peggle's bouncing balls are as mindless as Pachinko, only less lucrative. Two glassy-eyed hours later, though, you realize it's probably more addictive -- few other games elicit a stronger just-one-more-board compulsion, and the hundreds of Peggle skill shot videos on YouTube prove it's not all just dumb luck. Developer PopCap is quietly becoming a consistent hit factory on par with Blizzard and Pixar. -Demian Linn
Price: $9.99
Where to get it: PSN
Most tower defense games don't offer much as far as personality goes, with clichéd weapons and a feeling of detachment as your god-like hand/cursor controls everything. In PJM, you're on the field, dancing to upgrade towers, fending off otherworldly beasts, all in a whimsical cartoon land, to an unforgettable soundtrack. Personality, this game has plenty of, but just in case you need more, the Encore expansion is only six bucks. -Dan Hsu
Price: $9.99
Where to get it: PC (Steam)
Who knew a tower defense game crossed with Root Beer Tapper, where projectile pea plants protect the front yard from undead hordes (including Zamboni-driving zombies), would be one of my top contenders for 2009 Game of the Year? It may sound -- and look -- a little silly, but Plants vs. Zombies is clever, addictive, and nearly perfect.
I would happily pay $30 for this game. Alright, $40, but that's my final offer. $45. -Demian Linn
Price: $9.95/month with subscription
Where to get it: PC (GameTap)
Get doubly pretentious by playing a video game cult classic while adhering to your socialist ethics. Gametap has been offering up the full game for free for as long as the service has been around -- THAT IS UNTIL I STARTED TO WRITE THIS BLURB. Jerks. Oh well, put down the $9.95 for the monthly membership and you'll get hundreds of games -- Psychonauts being the best of the bunch. Go play it so all those blogs can stop complaining about how no one played it. SO ANNOYING. -Andrew HiscockPrice: $10
Where to get it: XBLA (Marketplace)
Sometimes less is more. 'Splosion Man's controls couldn't be simpler: Press a button and 'Splosion Man 'splodes. Yet it provides one of the most sublime experiences available on XBLA. Part puzzler, part Sonic the Hedgehog, the game will bring back fond memories of days spent mastering the brutal but fun platformers released for the SNES and Genesis. -Brett Bates
Price: $9.00
Where to get it: Wii Virtual Console
Star Parodier first appeared on the TurboGrafx-16. Its bizarre title comes from another shoot-em-up, Star Soldier, into which the Japanese developers spliced in the word "parody." Clever.True to name, Star Parodier the relinquishes dark, battle-related themes common in shooters for a lighter aesthetic. You can literally fly a TurboGrafx-16 and shoot CDs at crabs. Or fly a regular ship and shoot clouds at fishies! Either way, this "cute-em-up" is a great purchase. -Chris Whitehead
Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo: HD Remix
Price: $9.99
Where to get it: XBLA (Marketplace), PSN
The title is self-explanatory:
Super (Deformed): Street Fighters and Darkstalkers bust gems amid cameo-filled backgrounds.
Puzzle: Players devise massive combos to crush opponents.
Fighter: The characters aren’t for decoration -- Chun Li drops more garbage blocks per combo, while Donovan’s drop pattern is harder to clear out.
2 Turbo: Fast-paced action. Also, Capcom is cheeky.
HD Remix: The graphics get a face-lift, while character balance gets some needed tweaks. -Chris Hoadley
Price: $9.99
Where to get it: PSN
In the same way that fellow twin-stick shooter Robotron feeds gamers' desires to get high scores by offering progressively more valuable humans to save, Super Stardust HD also has a high-risk, high-reward combo system: Boost through a minefield of death to pick up several score markers in a row, and your score will multiply. The game also draws comparisons to Asteroids with massive debris everywhere to blow up with your upgradeable weapons. Those two classics aren't bad company to be in.... -Dan HsuThat wraps it up! Thanks to everyone who submitted entries. You've given us all 45 new ways to procrastinate -- and have a whole lot of fun while we're at it.
