Let’s continue the preview of the year ahead by checking out the 10 hottest Wii games to be released in 2009. We have already looked at the 10 hottest PC games and 10 hottest PS3 games, so if you missed any of the lists, go ahead and check them out!

Now back to today’s top – I must admit it was pretty difficult to choose the “finalists” since there are over 50 Wii games to be released this year (at least this is the number we know of!). Therefore, we had to let out other promising titles like Endless Ocean 2, Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers or Overlord, but I’m pretty sure that the list below manages to cover the hottest upcoming releases. So check it out!

10. Grey’s Anatomy: The Video Game – if you take a highly popular TV show and create a Wii game for it, it’s clear that people will rush in to buy it, especially if you promise that the game will deliver all the characters from the series, as well as a brand new storyline which will see us dealing with all sorts of personal and professional problems, just like in the TV show.

9. Punch-Out!! – it could be Facebreaker done properly. It could be much more, since the original Punch Out!! was an “arcade-box” title, if you can imagine something like that. One thing is clear: the game has the potential to be both entertaining as hell and very creative thanks to the Wiimote-based control and the nature of the game itself. And since King Hippo returns, alongside other favorites of the series, this game can get really hot!

8. Deadly Creatures – instead of cute furry animals and smiley faces, THQ will deliver creepy creatures, intense combat sequences, a gameplay filled with surprises (you can’t be sure how long you’ll the the predator or the prey) and some really eye candy visuals. Include unbelievable creatures like tarantula wasps, black widows and huge scorpions and you’ll have a Wii game that gets out of the “cutesy game” crowd – which is a really good thing, after all!

7. Sadness – narcolepsy, nyctophobia and paranoid schizophrenia. That’s how Sadness’ story sounds like if we are to analyze it, and it will be completed by some revolutionary and rather abstract visuals. Another game that’s not meant to be played by kids, this deep and dark horror thriller promises to scare the brains out of your Wiimote via the atmosphere and not brainless violence. Although you might have plenty of that, too. A real Wiightmare!

6. MadWorld – another strange title, but with a decent style and gore aplenty which strengthens the trend of delivering more mature titles to the Wii. With a very simple objective (waste your enemies as creative as possible) and a visual design a la Sin City, Sega’s title will certainly change the status as “ultimate family-friendly” console for the Wii. Bonus: Germany will not release the game since it’s too violent!

5. Overkill: House of Dead – Sega prepares gamers for MadWorld by delivering a rail shooter where you have one single goal in mind: destroy the undead. There are hordes of them, so you’ll have tons of fun if you’re into such things. Again, not your classic type of Wii-fun, since the game comes packed with enough blood to drown Mario and all his friends in it. Luckily, that’s not going to happen. Oh, and we have a bonus here, too, one which helped Overkill grab number 5: Hand Cannons!

4. The Conduit – this spring we’ll finally see High Voltage’s game that promises to compete visually with any high quality PS3 or Xbox 360 title. Except for an incredible visual design, the first person shooter will feature a Metroid Prime 3-like control scheme (which means it’ll be great!) which will be intensely used to wipe off Earth’s surface hordes of invading aliens. You’ll do that!

3. Wii Sports Resort – after so many hardcore and mature titles, Wii Sports Resort will indeed offer us a chance to relax a bit and stretch those muscles which are still contracted in fear. It’s worth mentioning that this game is the sequel to Wii Sports, Nintendo’s title which became the bestselling game of all times. We don’t know if Wii Sports Resort has the power to beat the original game (it would be too much, after all!), but I’m sure many people will fancy some Jet Skiing or Frisbee playing – to mention just a couple of the games to be included in the upcoming title.

2. Fatal Frame IV – already out in Japan and scoring high, this is a game I’m really looking forward to play. Survival horror at its best, with a dark atmosphere in which ghosts and beautiful girls roam freely – these are just a few of the goodies FF4 offers. Add to that motion sensitive controls and a “camera obscura” you have to aim at ghost to stay alive and you’ll realize that we’re talking about a really hot game here!

1. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers – unfortunately, we’re not at all sure if the game will make it this year, but it should since four years have passed since it was first announced. Various reports said that Square Enix canned the project, but it’s still alive and promising: a real Final Fantasy title that promises to deliver a more mature experience, alongside the franchise’s classics. And flying. Tons of flying!

Now let us know what games are missing: which are your highly anticipated Wii released for this year?