2009 has been a hell of a year for gaming. Some truly huge releases and the return of some classic franchises made sure of that. There were plenty of smaller gems to discover too, so all gamers were catered for!

We've put together a selection of our favourite games from the year, as well as a few extras that every gamer should own. It's in no particular order, as we simply couldn't agree on one! It's the Gameplay Festive Fifty - fifty gaming items you need in your life!

Plus, send us your list of your own highlights from the last 12 months in gaming and you could win an Xbox 360 Elite with custom Forza graphics! Click here for more details.

Modern Warfare 2 Multi

The most hyped game of 2009, the biggest selling media product in history, and quite possibly game of the year, Modern Warfare 2 is the sequel to the most popular online FPS ever, and it easily lives up to expectations. If anything ever had guaranteed must have written on it, it's this!

Assasins Creed 2 Multi

Shifting forward in time to the Italian Renaissance, Assassin's Creed 2 promises improvements all round. Better mission structure, less pickpocketing, and more of what made the first so much fun - entire cities to explore via rooftops, alleyways, and across canals. Oh yeah, and some good old fashioned stealthy killing!

Halo 3 ODST Xbox 360

Experience the Halo story from a different perspective! Take control of the Orbital Drop Shock Trooper team and prepare to plummet into the battle of a lifetime! New Mombasa has just been invaded, and Master Chief is busy elsewhere, so it's up to you! Add in all the Halo 3 mutliplayer maps and the all new Firefight mode and you've got one hell of a package!

Forza Motorsport 3 Xbox 360

It surely can't get anymore realistic than this! Automobile carnography at it's most ludicrously detailed, Forza Motorsport 3 is any driving enthusiasts dream game, with accurate physics, damage modelling, and shiny, shiny, shiny cars! Hundreds of them in fact, and if you don't like the paint job, you can spend hours designing your own. Petrolhead heaven!

FIFA 10 Multi

The new champion of videogame football returns for another triumphant season! FIFA 10 goes from strength to strength with a host of game enhancing improvements and new features, including the first ever true 360 dribbling in any football game! With a robust online mode, management features, and authentic and accurate team and player data, this is THE football game for 2009!

Left 4 Dead 2 Multi

Whatever you do, don't call them zombies. They're infected. Got that? Good. Valve's multiplayer survival FPS gets a sequel, and it's even more panic inducing than the first! Featuring four new survivors to guide to safety through hordes of slavering flesh hungry freaks, Left 4 Dead 2 lets you and your friends team up to blast your way through the rotting rotters with shotguns, uzis, sniper rifles and more! Awesome stuff.

The Sims 3 PC

The virtual dollhouse/psychotic social experiment gets a long awaited upgrade in The Sims 3. Create your very own unique Sim, and watch them live! Give them what they need, or torment them to the point of virtual insanity - the choice is yours! Almost limitless customization allows you to design your own Sim, house, furniture, clothes and more!

Uncharted 2 PlayStation 3

Like a (much) younger Indiana Jones, Nathan Drake is back, scouring the globe for old stuff that got carelessly mislaid in the past. A stunning archaeological adventure, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves rattles along like a matinee movie with a modern coat of paint, and plays like Tomb Raider always wanted to! Quite possibly the best PlayStation 3 game of 2009, you really can't go wrong with this!

Batman Arkham Multi

He's been waiting patiently for a decent videogame for quite some time now, but at last Bruce Wayne's alter ego gets the digital adventure he deserves in Batman: Arkham Asylum. The Joker has let the nuts out of the nuthouse, and it's up to the Caped Crusader to put them back, one crazy criminal at a time. With fantastic animation, bone crunching combat and note perfect voice acting, it's the best comicbook game ever made!

Killzone 2 PlayStation 3

Whether you want to get into the fanboy arguments about "Halo beater" or not, there's no denying that Killzone 2 is a stonking game, and easily one of the best FPS's of the current gen. Battle the despicable Helghast on their home turf, as humanity rises to the challenge and takes the fight to the enemy! Only on PlayStation 3!