With the World Cup, U.S. Open, Comic-Con, SXSW and countless other events and brands developing promotions with location services, we’re calling 2010 the “Year of the Check-in.”  From iPad, to Blackberry, to Droid, and everything in between, we’re more connected to our friends and neighborhoods than ever before. If you’re having a hard time determining which geolocation app is for you, below is our cheat sheet to finding the best downloads for deals, badges, pins and even finding a new TV show.

FourSquare
Easily seen as the leader in location apps, FourSquare’s more than two million users have helped skyrocket this startup into application super stardom. Encouraged by the opportunity to win badges by checking in multiple times at designated locations, as well as by area specials offered by local businesses, FourSquare focuses on building community and encouraging repeat business. Though the app encourages checking in to earn points throughout the day, partnerships with media giants like the New York Times, Bravo, and CNN have overshadowed the original purpose of participating in a game to earn points against other users .

GoWalla
Though GoWalla’s network is small at fewer than 500,000 users, this app has become a heavy hitter in the world of geolocation partnerships and promotions, working with brands such as Nike and Paul Frank. Users can check in, create a network of friends, share tips and earn pins to add to their GoWalla virtual passport. Once embraced mostly by California iPhone users, as of July, this app is now available on Blackberry and is increasing its reach beyond the West Coast.

Loopt
The original geolocation service for mobile devices, Loopt now boasts 4 million users since its launch in 2005. With variants like LooptPulse and LooptMix, the application allows users not only to track and contact friends, but almost recommend venues and locations, and even meet new friends. Rather than earning pins or badges, the new LooptStar now integrates brand rewards in the form of discounts and free music.

Others to watch:
MyTown
With more than 2.5 million users, this app for iPhone and Facebook is a combination of FourSquare and Farmville, creating a Monopoly-esque game where along with check-ins, players purchase property and collect rent.

GoMiso
With only 12,000 users, this app for iPhone may have a small network, but also has the most potential. Not limited to larger urban areas, GoMiso is the check-in game for TV lovers. Currently running a large Tour de France promotion, GoMiso allows users to check in to TV, films, and web series, and earn badges along the way. User numbers may be small, but there are already promotions with TNT, FOX, and Digg.

Google Latitude
http://www.google.com/latitude/intro.html
Similar to Loopt, Google Latitude may not be one of the most talked about apps, but as with all things Google, the numbers are impressive. More than 3 million users use the online and mobile app (which runs through Google Maps) to track and contact their friends, thanks to integration with GTalk.

More Resources:
ReadWriteWeb

Mashable

GeekSugar