Me (obviously) - I review games and do the Retro Review column.
Theo Fraser – The man who loves all things Nintendo and is the writer of Nintendophile.
Vincent Chiucchi – A busy man who writes not only Gaming Trends and the Select and Start News Report but also now does the Top 5 column.
Jordan Williams – Reviewer and writer of Working Title.
Sean Garmer – Game reviewer and the man responsible for the monthly roundtables.
Sean McCabe – Review and writer of The Retrospective.
David Redkey – Games reviewer
Greg Bruno – Games Reviewer
Chris Kovatsh - Another newcomer to the site who’s doing reviews.
Cory Moore – Reviewer and writer of the new column The Fun Factor.
Will Scott – Writer of Unlockable Content
Joshua Richey – Writer of Xbox-A-Gogo and Games Reviewer.
Best Developer
Winner - Nintendo
Steve McHugh – No other developer was going to get this. In fact Nintendo won this with one of the highest percentages of the vote out of any of the categories. They deserve it too. Both Zelda and Mario were excellent and the Wii was a massive success. Even without the Wii Nintendo had an amazing year. Well done to them as they seem to have really caught the publics’ attention.
Will Scott - Between Wii's launch title of Wii Sports and Twilight Princess, Nintendo stepped up from an few off years to reclaim the spot as best developer in 2006.
Greg Bruno - Gotta hand it to the big N. They aren't going anywhere and they prove it over and over again. This time, with the Wii, they've given us an entirely new way to enjoy games. Hell, my grandma was playing Wii Sports at my College Graduation party. The Wii slogan should be "Wii bring family together."
Sean McCabe - Like I said above, Nintendo have been delivering this year just like they deliver every year. Even when they're the only ones left supporting their consoles, you can bet more than enough fans will still buy everything with their name on it. That Nintendo Seal of Quality means something to people, it means a damn lot.
Sean Garmer - Nintendo made a big splash this year with the Wii, and showed everyone they were more than just a gimmick. All of the Wii’s systems sold out, and Nintendo’s little system had a great year as well. If you wanted a DS Lite for Christmas good luck finding one. Nintendo did a great job with Zelda and Mario, but here is another stat, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl have sold over five million copies in Japan, and the game hasn’t been out too long. Nintendo still has staying power and I think this console generation. Microsoft and Sony will have a battle on their hands.
Cory Moore- Nintendo made terrific strides in the gaming scene this year. It really took the Wii-mote concept and ran with it, producing some great titles that were the best at showcasing its promising future.
Jordan Williams - Ubisoft, Epic, and other places have had one hell of a year. But when it comes to cranking out consistent hits, it's Nintendo. They are still one of the few people who can support a hardware and software front, and the DS is just pretty much all bit stomped the PSP to dust. Nintendo develops games, and it's good at it.
Chris Kovatsh - Nintendo games have always had a special place in my heart. Their games are always brimming with excitement and new ideas (aside from the sequels). All of the outstanding hits they put out for the Nintendo DS and now the Wii more than warrants them as best developer.
Joshua Richey -This one is pretty obvious. The success of the Wii has overshadowed the year that the Nintendo DS had. Nintendo is definitely back in a big way.
Vincent Chiucchi - Besides Zelda, Nintendo was also able to deliver with New Super Mario Bros., a remake of a game that came out twenty years ago. Meanwhile in Japan, Pokemon continues to dominates the gaming charts with the latest versions Diamond & Pearl. The year was really great for Nintendo all around.
David Redkey - While some of their marquee titles in my opinion were a little lacking this year (New Super Mario Bros. and Zelda), no one can deny that Nintendo excelled this year at capturing the non-gamer. Hopefully, next year Nintendo focuses on making awesome games for people that actually have been playing games longer than five minutes.
Theo Fraser - Nintendo have had their best year in a LONG time, thanks to the continued success of the DS and the Wii becoming an overnight sensation. But this award is specifically for Best Developer, not company, so we can ignore all that for now. All that matters is the fact that Nintendo still have ‘it’. With the release of New Super Mario Bros. they showed that they still corner the market in the platforming genre, and not a single competitor can hold a candle to them in that department. Then you have the magnificent Wii launch, with the insanely fun Wii Sports and the astonishing experience that is Zelda: Twilight Princess. Sure, Nintendo have made some questionable decisions in the past, but there is no way you can tell me that they don’t produce great games.
Runner Up - Epic
Steve McHugh – I’d have preferred to have seen Capcom or Ubisoft here but it’s a majority vote so Epic it is. They did a wonderful job with Gears of War and deserve accolades for that at least.
Will Scott - Epic's release of Gears of War was so impressive that it's overtaken Bungie's spot as the best developer of shooters for console play. The inevitable sequel to GoW will tell us if this was a fluke or not.
Sean Garmer - Epic made one great game that impacted the nation. As great as the game is, it takes more than one game to make you a great developer in my eyes, but Epic should be honoured that their one game is receiving tons of awards.
Chris Kovatsh - The company that released Jill of the Jungle and Jazz Jackrabbit years and years ago is still pumping out hits like Gears of War. Nintendo’s sheer mass of hits though is enough to take the top spot over the one gigantic hit Epic had this year.
Joshua Richey -I think that anytime that your game wins ‘Best Game’ – that you automatically should get considered for ‘Best Developer’. C’mon, you can’t award a piece of art with a prize and not credit the artist.
Vincent Chiucchi - Gears of War is really paying off for these guys, as thanks in part to this game, Xbox 360 had a good Christmas season.
Best 360 Game
Winner - Gears of War
Steve McHugh – Okay Resi 4 did the over the shoulder camera thing first and Kill Switch did cover first. But this improves on both of those things dramatically. In fact it improves on most shooter gameplay. It might not do anything too new but it doesn’t need to. It just makes what’s already there that much better.
Will Scott - Gears of War is better than Halo. There, I said it. This game is the first killer application for the X-Box 360 (and it pains me to say that my beloved Dead Rising is still a niche game), and that's enough to secure it in the number one spot for some time.
Greg Bruno - Obviously. Although there wasn't too much to go against it, nothing quite came to the caliber that Gears was at.
Sean Garmer - They were the best 360 game to come out this year. It did have some competition in this department, but you really can’t compare them.
Jordan Williams - Although the single player is a bit lacking, it makes up for it with co-op. One of the best split-screen (Yes, people still use that) co-op games I have played in a long time. It stood out as this years bit hit for Xbox 360, but I think it's timing is what really got it to the top.
Joshua Richey -It wasn’t MY favorite game for the 360, but what a lot of my colleagues lack is the ability to look at the bigger picture. No game has generated this much attention from casual gamers since Halo. Nintendo fanboys aside, gamers loved this game. Thus it wins Best 360 game.
Vincent Chiucchi - It's the most played game on Xbox Live. What else is there to say?
David Redkey - how much can you say about this game???
Runner Up - Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
Steve McHugh – A wonderful game that I genuinely found a lot of time for. You can play this game for over a hundred hours and still not see everything. The suicidal troll is something everyone who plays this game should find though.
Will Scott - Probably the game that kept the 360 afloat and in the mind of gamers before the glut of awesome titles were released in the past few months. How good is it? It's a big deal that Oblivion wasn't a launch title for the PS3.
Sean Garmer - The graphics on this game are amazing and the world is expansive. I just don’t get what’s so great about this game, but obviously, other people do and Bethesda should be happy.
Jordan Williams - One of the best, longest, and in depth RPGs I have played in a LONG time. Never before was I able to actually play a character as true to heart as you could in this game. You want to be evil and kill whoever crosses your path? Go for it. I know I did.
Chris Kovatsh - The fourth installment of the incredibly popular Elder Scrolls series was exactly what the Xbox 360 needed to make people purchase their system. With a huge lengthy story and the freedom to do almost whatever you want, this game was a must for lots of Xbox fans.
Joshua Richey - I’m not a fan of this game at all… but I know that you all are… so more power to you, I guess.
David Redkey - One of the best RPGs this year…it doesn’t matter that conceptually this is the weakest Elder Scrolls game (where’s my spears, damn it? Why does the game hold your hand?). Even though.
Theo Fraser - It’s easy to see why this infinitely open-ended RPG has garnered so much success and attention from the hardcore RPG nuts out there. You basically create your own adventure. How awesome is that? There isn’t much difference between this and the PC version, but whichever format it’s played on, it’s one of the best games currently out there.
Best Live Arcade
Winner - Street Fighter 2
Greg Bruno - Although I disagree with this, I could see how it would win. Nostalgia is a big hit with this generation of gaming hardware. Personally, I downloaded this game and haven't played it since that night.
Cory Moore - SF II was a no-brainer here. Kudos to Microsoft for snagging the rights to the arcade version of the game, an opportunity the big N really botched for the Virtual console release.
Chris Kovatsh - It is the original classic arcade game. Although it has limited characters and features, you’ll still be having a blast playing this game on Live.
Joshua Richey -It was a nice year for the Live Arcade. A lot of that should be attributed to games like Street Fighter 2 – that age oh so well.
Vincent Chiucchi - As a Capcom person rather then SNK, I really enjoy Street Fighter. While everyone is going gaga over DOA and Soul Caliber, I'll always stick with this gem. That is, if I had an Xbox 360...which I don't. But damn it, it's still fun! Go buy it now.
David Redkey - I’m seriously surprised that this game made it to the top. The D-pad of the 360 is not made for 2d fighters and some online issues. Still pretty good overall.
Runner Up - Ultimate MK 3
Steve McHugh – I’d have picked Doom here but that’s because I think 2D Mortal Kombat peaked with MK 2. Still a fun game to play with friends just like every MK game.
Chris Kovatsh - I voted for this one as the best Xbox Live game. It’s more polished and offers a lot more characters, but Street Fighter 2 is the original king of fighting games.
Joshua Richey -I voted for Contra, but yeah, Mortal Kombat was good too.
David Redkey - In my opinion, this game was more faithful to the original than Hyper Street Fighter 2. Pretty good but does show its age.
Best Wii Game
Winner - Legend of Zelda: TP
Steve McHugh – Best game on the new console. Without it the Wii launch wouldn’t have been anywhere near as good.
Will Scott - I bought this with my Wii, and I haven't regretted it. Even though fishing annoys the crap out of me, it's still an excellent game.
Greg Bruno - Fantastic game. Easily one of the best stories in any game. This will keep you glued to your Wii (it STILL sounds dirty) for hours on end.
Sean McCabe - Yep, well, it is the best Wii game of 2006. Best game of 2006 too, not that you'd know.
Sean Garmer - Best game for the Wii period, nothing on the Wii touches the experience you get with this game. Great story, the Wii controls make it fun, and best of all, it’s another great Zelda title.
Jordan Williams - Zelda? The best game for a Nintendo console? Talk about forgone conclusions. Soon as we know Zelda was going to launch with the Wii, we knew this game was going to top the charts for that console. Despite the controversy over its scores, it's still the best thing out for the Wii right now.
Chris Kovatsh - Personally it boggles my mind that a game that wasn’t even meant for the system can be considered the best game for the Wii. Granted the library if very limited at this point but I found Elebits to be a much more interesting and enjoyable experience. It also showcased more what the Wii can do.
Joshua Richey -As I mentioned above, I think that the Zelda series is losing its spark. As while not a lot has been released from the Wii at this time, I don’t even think Zelda was the best game for it. That honor would go to Wii Sports.
Vincent Chiucchi - Not that hard considering that the rest of the Wii games weren't exactly system sellers (I'm looking at you Red Steel!).
David Redkey - –The best game for the system at this point.
Theo Fraser - Runner up to Game of the Year, this was obviously going to get the vote for Best Wii game of 2006. First of all, it’s a Zelda game, which is always a big deal. We haven’t been let down or disappointed by a Zelda game since The Adventures of Link, and that was many, many moons ago. With a franchise like Zelda that continually churns out classic games, the next entry to the series consistently garners a lot of attention, and rightfully so. Over 75% of Wii owners bought Twilight Princess with the new console, proving that it was THE game to purchase over the Christmas period. Whether it’s the best Zelda ever is another matter, but it’s certainly the best out there for the Wii right now. Personally, I adore this game. The immerse control scheme, the fluid animations, the lush scenery, the brilliant set pieces (like the jousting battle atop of the Hylian Bridge, and the Protect the Caravan mission) and the clever puzzles have made it one of the more enjoyable experiences I’ve had playing a game in recent memory.
Runner Up - Trauma Centre 2
Steve McHugh – Not out over here for a while but I’m very interested in seeing how it compares to the excellent (if bloody hard) DS version.
Will Scott - My personal favorite on the Wii, and the second title I bought. Sure, it's a reworked DS port in many ways, but it works well for the Wii.
Sean McCabe - Haven't played this yet due to it's European delay. Looks good though.
Sean Garmer - I played this and I loved it. One of the better games for the Wii, it fits the control scheme rather well too. I hope they continue with this Trauma Centre series because I can’t get enough of it. Even though it’s difficult, I find myself enthralled by the game. I still play the DS version to this day. My Dad is a Doctor but he hates games, however, he found himself playing this a few times because he felt that it in some ways mimicked actual procedures. That’s cool if you ask me.
Cory Moore - Trauma Centre: Second Opinion was definitely a great launch game for the Wii, even if it was a remake of the original DS release. The precision controls emulate the original stylus concept well, and playing it on a TV is much more thrilling, in my opinion.
Jordan Williams - It's WAY more than just a port of the DS game. It takes a bit to get used to the Wiimote(I don't care what Struck says, it's a Wiimote) but when you do, you'll appreciate it. You can do a lot more with the Wiimote than the stylus.
Chris Kovatsh - I definitely consider this one of the top games for the Wii. The game play is outstanding and the controls work even better for the Wii than they did for the DS.
Vincent Chiucchi - I honestly don't get why this series is so popular. I've been playing it for the Wii and it is UNBELIEVABLY hard! Do gamers enjoy abusing themselves with difficult games?
David Redkey - the original was showed the power of the touch screen. The sequel shows the power of the Wii-mote.
Theo Fraser - Unfortunately, this wasn’t a launch game in the UK, and won’t be released for a few months yet. That doesn’t mean I’ve ignored it, however. The DS version was good, but Trauma Centre: Second Opinion really capitalizes on the Wii hardware and is a natural fit. Come on, can you seriously tell me you’ve never dreamt of using a defibrillator? Now you can, and it works just as you’d think; plunge the controllers towards the patient, and squeeze the two triggers. That is gaming brilliance. The Wii is all about fun, and Trauma Centre delivers it in spades. It might not be hugely different to Under the Knife, but if you missed out on the DS original, this NEEDS to be in your collection.
Best PS3 Game
Winner - Resistance
Steve McHugh – The only PS3 launch game that looks even slightly interesting. From all accounts it’s a fantastic game and there are no giant, historically accurate crabs anywhere to be found.
Greg Bruno - I don't have a PS3, and I'm fine with that. From what I've heard, there wasn't much of a debate over how this would be the PS3 GOY...you know...since there were like only 5 other ones...that have been on the 360 for about a year.
Sean McCabe - Hmm, well I haven't played it. It probably does deserve to win though based on the fact that the PS3 had very few other worthwhile games.
Sean Garmer - Yeah there weren’t that many good games for the PS3 at launch, and Resistance was the best no doubt about it.
Cory Moore - Resistance is really the only PS3 game worth playing thus far. The rest of the launch line-up has been pretty unimpressive. Even though I’m not a big fan of military shooters, the realistic environments and controls is something to check out.
Chris Kovatsh - The best game the PS3 has to bring to the table has an interesting and unique storyline and exciting gameplay. If you have a PS3 you'd be missing out if you didn't purchase this game.
Joshua Richey -This game wins by default, doesn’t it? I played this game quite a bit, and I wasn’t impressed by any means.
David Redkey - Really good FPS shooter. This cross between Call of Duty and Half-Life is really fun to boot.
Theo Fraser - This was really the only PS3 game at launch that grabbed my attention. This is all you could ever ask for from an FPS game; intense single player, a stonking multiplayer mode that really shows us what the PS3 can do online, with support for up to 40 players (kerr-azyyy!) and much more. It’s also worth considering that this is a launch title; rarely do we ever see such a solid game released on Day One.
Runner Up - Fight Night 3
Sean Garmer - Fight Night 3 is a great game and the first time I ever had fun with a boxing game. The graphics are amazing and the gameplay holds up too.
David Redkey - Not much else to play at this point. The models are better than the 360 version…but not by much.
Best PS2 Game
Winner - Guitar Hero 2
Steve McHugh – How can you not like this game? It’s got the best peripheral ever and you can play Freebird. Seriously what else is there?
Will Scott - So...good. Sure, not as good as the original, but it's fun. Co-op has made it even better as a party game.
Greg Bruno - Best party game is more like it. I love these games, and hope that they continue to make them.
Sean Garmer - If it wasn’t because this game is tons of fun with friends I don’t think this is even on here. The music is nowhere near as good as the first one, but the game is still fun nonetheless. Getting to act a fool while also playing with a weird guitar, that’s priceless.
Cory Moore - Guitar Hero is just plain fun. Rocking out to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Strutter” never gets old. It seems like every time I enter an EB Games, someone is always picking away, with someone over their shoulder eager for a shot at being a rock superstar.
Jordan Williams - I'm not even going to lie, I don't agree with this one. GH was a great game and all, but I think Bully was far better at being a game. GH2 reaches to new gamers and rhythm gamers. But for people that want a game to play, I think Bully was a lot better.
Chris Kovatsh - Guitar Hero 2 was more than deserving of best PS2 game. This game has a great soundtrack as well as a lot of neat new features like co-op. This is how sequels should be done.
Joshua Richey -After all the buzz, all the hype, and all of the attention, Guitar Hero 2 completely lived up to the billing.
Vincent Chiucchi - Music games can get very addictive, and this is one very, VERY addictive game. With over 60 awesome songs and some new multiplayer options, you will have instant fun with this game.
David Redkey - While a good game. I would take Okami or the forgotten MGS: Subsistence. I didn’t think the original was the best game last year and the slightly inferior version shouldn’t be the best one this year either.
Runner Up - Final Fantasy 12
Sean McCabe - Well, it's the best Final Fantasy since... well, probably since the series came into existence. Good stuff, a well deserved runner up.
Sean Garmer - To me IX is the best FF ever, XII is totally in my top tier though. The game had a great cast of characters. I’m glad that they dared to try something new in the gameplay realm because it seems to have paid off well. Taking some guys from Vagrant Story to develop a nice storyline for the game is a complete package. There were a lot of great PS2 games this year and that FFXII is in one of the final two is unexpected.
Jordan Williams - I'm really not surprised. The game was good, but man. It feels like I'm playing the same game over and over again. I will say that the new battle system is a welcome change.
David Redkey - It’s nice to see S-E take their flagship series into new directions with new and innovative gameplay (unlike *cough*Nintendo*cough*). They took some risks and I’m glad they paid off…
Theo Fraser - If Sean McCabe, who is an avid hater of recent Final Fantasy games, thinks this is good, then heck it must be!
Best Xbox Game
Winner - Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Steve McHugh – The best Splinter Cell EVER. The 360 version is the best of the bunch but however you get to play this you really should.
Chris Kovatsh - Originally I didn't really care for Splinter Cell, but this game made me a believer. Being a double agent in this game made everything a lot more exciting. This series definitely has the potential for a whole bunch more games.
Joshua Richey -The Xbox is running on fumes, so not a lot of competition in this area this year.
David Redkey - Not much to choose from this year…In some ways, this game is better than the 360 version.
Runner Up - Mk:Armageddon
Sean McCabe - Meh, not bad, but not great. Can't think of anything else more deserving in this case though.
Sean Garmer - Not the greatest fighting game, but then again, there wasn’t a whole of great things that came out for the XBOX this year as it is.
Chris Kovatsh - This is what I thought should have won best Xbox game. I know a lot of people were disappointed because people though almost every character was going to be killed off, but there was still a whole whack of characters as well as a whole new fatality system. Mortal Kombat has a bright future ahead of themselves in the next generation.
David Redkey - this really shows how Microsoft treats their customers who don’t move on (same things going to happen with the 360…you watch). This blister inducing game was a runner up because of the weak field overall.
Best Gamecube Game
Winner - Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Sean Garmer - What a way for the Gamecube to go out. This game at least is one of the ten best ever released for the system and how fitting it is that it will be the last major thing made for it. Everything I said for the Wii version applies here, and some things are even easier to do with a regular controller.
Chris Kovatsh - There really wasn’t all that much to choose from, but the game that people waited essentially four years for finally came out and delivered entirely. Sure Gamecube users felt used that the game didn’t come out for a few weeks after, but that all stopped when they finally got their hands on it.
Vincent Chiucchi - Two words: DE-FAULT.
David Redkey - A fitting swansong…should have been released in ’05…however.
Runner Up - Lego Starwars 2
Steve McHugh – It’s awesome in ways I can hardly describe. It also one of the genuinely good ‘kiddie’ games and it’s just as fun for adults. And it’s laugh out loud funny. ‘Luke I am your father’ – classic comedy.
Sean McCabe - Not played it. I maybe should.
Sean Garmer - This game is fun for the whole family. Even if you don’t like Star Wars, the gameplay itself is so engaging that you find yourself hooked to it. If you haven’t played this, you are missing out on one hell of a game.
Cory Moore - With the Wii launching this year, the Gamecube schedule was pretty thin. However, Lego Star Wars 2 was a great game that brought back nostalgia to fans of the old movies, as well as bringing some comedic value, too.
Jordan Williams - Gamecube didn't really have much this year, did it? Oh well. Lego Starwars was a good game, but it got outshone by the other versions.
David Redkey - I hate it when games that you can find on other consoles wind up being the best game for a particular system. It shows how much love this redheaded stepchild received this year.
Best DS Game
Winner - New Super Mario Bros
Steve McHugh – 2D Mario is great shocker. It’s not as good as Super Mario World or Yoshi’s Island but then what is? Still it’s the best platformer on the DS and probably the best platformer I’ve played in years. Those gold coins are evil though.
Will Scott - This was my favorite game this year. It's got all the charm of the original games, with enough new flavor to make it fun to play all over again.
Greg Bruno - Old school gaming in a new world level of technology. This was a really fun game that brought a lot of gamers back to the "good ol' 2-D" side scrolling days.
Sean McCabe - Well, it was good. Since Pheonix Wright Justice for All isn't out till 2007, I suppose this deserves it.
Sean Garmer - This game made me miss those 2D Mario days. The game is so well done and it has tons of levels to play through. It completely fits the on the go style of the DS, and it is oodles of fun too. The fact that Super Mario is the victor is a true statement to Nintendo’s development team, because they had a bunch of good games out for the DS this year. Nintendo always knows how to put its big franchises in the forefront and they’ve done that again here.
Cory Moore - New Super Mario Bros. takes the side-scrolling fun of the original Super Mario Bros. while adding 3-D graphics that resemble Super Mario 64. The end result was gold.
Jordan Williams - If there was a perfect blend of simplicity and fun this year on ANY console, it was NSMB. This game was a blast from start to end, never got too hard, and never got frustrating. I hope Nintendo sees this and makes more games in this fashion.
Chris Kovatsh - This game had an outstanding versus multiplayer mode where you would collect stars, as well as crazy four player action games that would make Mario Party blush. The main game was long and did have great level designs. I can only hope the next Mario Bros game has a four-player mode for the collecting the stars game.
Joshua Richey - I’ve been a handheld hater since I owned my Sega Game Gear. But after playing this game for 5 minutes… I was ‘sold’. Another great job by the folks at Nintendo.
David Redkey - I’m torn on this one…it was a new Mario…but, it did many things wrong that the others did right. I suggest that you may want to skip this one…pick up Mario 3 or SMW for the GBA and play that one instead.
Theo Fraser - The DS has had a terrific year, with vastly more great games than duds, and this was just the icing on the cake. It was a return to form for Mario as he went back to his roots with a classic 2D side-scrolling platformer that left me more than a little misty eyed with nostalgia. It is Mario at his best, and consequently Nintendo at their best. They just have this knack for platformers, and that is plainly evident here. Level design is top notch as always, the 3D polygon characters look beautiful against the 2D backdrops, and the game is actually pretty challenging. Of course, I’m approaching it as a guy who’s played (and loved) the older Mario games like Super Mario World, so I have no idea how the game comes across for first time players, but it certainly meets the expectations of old school Mario fans. As a DS game, no, it doesn’t make great use of the dual screens or touch capabilities (in fact, one could argue it doesn’t even make GOOD use of them) but to be honest, that is irrelevant when you are presented with such a slick and stylish game. For platforming heaven, you can’t get much better than New Super Mario Bros.
Runner Up - Castlevania: PoR
Steve McHugh – Okay so we have to wait till who knows when before we get it officially but this is one of reasons why I import games. Just superb.
Sean Garmer - Played it, liked it, and you really can’t go wrong with a 2D Castlevania, it’s good.
Jordan Williams - Speaking of simple and fun, we get CPOR. Castlevania has been around for 20 years, and it's showing no sign of slowing down. This game was a blast to play even if it was your first time or if you are a seasoned vet. Definitely a must have.
Chris Kovatsh - This game was outstanding. Me being a huge Castlevania fan, I was more than ecstatic to hear of this game coming out. The sheer amount of stuff you can do in this game in incredible. Add in a few other game options and multiplayer and you got yourself a great game.
David Redkey – No Brain Age? Well, can’t go wrong with Castlevania…even if it’s not anywhere close to being the best in the series.
Theo Fraser - Damn those pesky Europeans that make us UK gamers wait for the PAL conversion. Still, it looks like the wait will be more than worth it. Portrait of Ruin has everything Dawn of Sorrow did so well, with the added bonus of online multiplayer content, like the co-op Boss Rush mode. Oh, and you gotta dig that gothic music! A great addition to the Castlevania series, and one that truly deserves a place in your game collection.
Best GBA Game
Winner - Final Fantasy 5
Steve McHugh – After the awful PS1 conversion (ahh…the loading and bizarre translation) the GBA gets a go and from all reports it’s excellent. I’m looking forward to getting hold of a copy.
Sean Garmer - I have the PS1 version and this one apparently has a better translation. The game itself probably does deserve this honor because there weren’t a lot of great games for the GBA out this year. FF V has a better job system than FF 3 and the story may not have been epic, but it’s serviceable enough for anyone.
Chris Kovatsh - There wasn’t all that much to choose from again. Square Enix does a great job with these Final Fantasy remakes though. They add enough new stuff to warrant purchasing them in the first place. This game was already pretty good and all the extras just add to the experience.
Vincent Chiucchi - FF5 is one of the better Final Fantasy’s thanks to it's incredible job system. Plus, since it was released in the 16-bit days, the story isn't a convoluted mess.
David Redkey - A really good version of a classic game…it doesn’t suffer the fate of FFIVA.
Theo Fraser - Despite strong support for the DS from developers all over the world, the GBA isn’t showing any signs of being dead just yet. Square Enix are evidently still very high on Nintendo’s portable machine as it enters its sixth year on the market, releasing a port of the final FF game to grace the SNES, Final Fantasy V. Said SNES game was originally only released in Japan, with the game only being brought to the Western world with Final Fantasy Anthology for the Playstation. That should be reason enough for dedicated Nintendo gamers to hand over their $30. Bringing an in-depth job system to the table, Final Fantasy V had a lot to offer the series, and it’s a solid release that often gets overlooked due to it being sandwiched between FF4 and FF6; arguably two of the best from Final Fantasy’s lineage. AGAIN this hasn’t received a release date in the UK just yet, but you can bet the minute it does, I’ll slap down a pre-order.
Runner Up - Drill Dozer
Sean Garmer - A 2D side scroller, where you play as a girl inside a drilling machine, kinda reminded me of Wario’s World a little bit. I still play it every now and then, it’s pretty cool actually. When I saw it, I wasn’t expecting to be as good as it is.
Best PSP Game
Winner - Metal Gear Solid: PO
Steve McHugh – Am I the only one who liked Metal gear Solid Acid? Well this is what people want and I’m sure I’ll be great as MGS games usually are. I’m not sure when it’s out over here though. Still the PSP is finally getting some games worth buying the system for.
David Redkey - One of my favorites games of the year and my top choice for overall best game of the year. Adds new mechanics, a great story (it helps that it’s canonical), memorable characters, and its designed with the system in mind. This is how you utilize the PSP. Its sooooo good that it’s getting a sequel! Hell yeah!
Runner Up - Locco Rocco
Steve McHugh – This is one of the most fun games of the year and personally I think it’s the best game on the PSP by a very, very long way.
Sean Garmer - I would buy a PSP just for this game, I love the art style and the gameplay is all kinds of quirky goodness. If Metal Gear wasn’t the fantastic game that it is, Loco Rocco would have won.
David Redkey - Only Satan and his minions wouldn’t be won over by these singing blobs of joy.
Sean McCabe - An anthology of some of the greatest fighters ever made. A great set, good bargain.
Best PC Game
Winner - Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
Steve McHugh – To say wins this with ease would be stating the obvious.
Theo Fraser - The PC has had another strong year, so it was pretty tough to pick a winner. But Oblivion gets the vote for its incredibly deep, expansive universe, where YOU make the game. Want a proper quest of good vs. evil? Go ahead, follow the main narrative. Want to be just like Russell Crowe? Take part in the Gladiatorial Arena. Love your sidequests? There’s over 100 hours of them. You literally play how you want to. Some find that type of gameplay to be a little too open-ended, but for the hardcore out there who are willing to spend weeks, maybe even months in front of their computers, this is the game that offers an immerse world you can lose yourself in. And with around 300 hours of gameplay there’s NO WAY you could say you didn’t get your money’s worth!
Runner Up - Company of Heroes
David Redkey - This game does so many things right.
And Now it’s time for the GAME OF THE YEAR.
Winner - Gears of War
Steve McHugh – Game of the year and deservedly so. Okay like all games it has problems. Having to press x to pick up ammo is a pain and yes the story is a little short. Those things don’t matter at all. You’ll finish the story once and then start it again immediately afterwards. Then there’s the co-op. A co-op that alters the entire gameplay and really makes you think tactically. It’s all wrapped off with its stunning looks. If this is what can be done within the first year of the 360 just think how great things will be by this time next year.
Will Scott - There's no denying this was the first game this year to truly live up to (and in many ways, surpass) the hype. While the story doesn't feel complete, it packs a solid single-player experience complete with beautiful visuals. The co-op mode, if nothing else, situates it squarely on the throne this year.
Greg Bruno - Was there ever any doubt that this would win? Epic created a visual feast for the eyes, as well as wonderful gameplay. We're lucky to have played a game like this.
Sean McCabe - Well, it has great graphics... and a decent co-op. I think that sums up everything that is well, good about it.
Sean Garmer - Ok, Best Shooter, sure. Best Graphics, no argument there, Best 360 game, that’s fine, Game of the Year, I disagree. Gears of War, is a great game, with awesome graphics and fun co-op play. The characters had a compelling feel to them, even though they were basically, these big jocks. While I don’t agree that this should be Game of the Year, it certainly has the merits to be placed here. The game drew attention to the masses and they loved it. That’s a testament for a game that is rather short, to capture people’s attention like it has. Defeating Halo 2 in being the most played game on XBOX Live is something Epic should definitely be proud of.
Jordan Williams - Big surprise, hmm? The Xbox 360 had a year headstart on everyone else and already had a good backlog of games to fall on, but Gears of War rounded out it's hits this year, and got enough respect for it's graphical power and gameplay to give it game of the year.
Chris Kovatsh - Even though this game had a lackluster storyline the co-op mode more than made up for it. Ridiculously outstanding visuals just helped add to the great game play experience.
Joshua Richey - Gears of War sold over 2 million copies in just 2006 alone. Why does it win Best Game? It wins best game not because of its amazing graphics or its amazing online features. No, Gears of War was a console seller. It’s no coincidence that the Xbox 360 sold so well after the release the Gears of War. It lured in the casual gamer, and it entertained them. That alone makes it worthy of game of the year.
Vincent Chiucchi - I'm not a fan of FPS games or Xbox, and when I saw all the hype surrounding this game, I was expecting bad reviews and disappointment all around. But to my surprise, this becomes a great game that lived up and maybe even surpassed the hype to become the game of the year. Even if it didn't bring any innovation to the genre (according to EA Montreal manager Alain Tascan), to be able to deliver the hype in such a way is what amazes me the most about this game.
David Redkey - It was neither innovative nor had a particularly strong story, but Gears of War had atmosphere and great gameplay in spades. Having a friend tag along online or offline mad this game a classic. A seriously flawed game of the year. Get past the eye candy and what do you have? Not much…
Theo Fraser - I have a friend who doesn’t like computer games. Never really has, most likely never really will. I’m not entirely sure why, but I get the feeling he thinks they are a waste of time. Whatever. But with the release of Gears of War, my friend was tempted to buy an Xbox 360. Ultimately, he didn’t end up buying one, but the point is this was the first time he’s ever been tempted to purchase a console. Ever. Super Mario 64, Metal Gear Solid, Halo…none of them even TEMPTED him to buy a console, but Gears of War comes along and he starts thinking about it. To me, that says everything. Personally, I have yet to play Gears of War, but I am chomping at the bit to do so. The hype is just too much to resist.
Runner Up - Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Steve McHugh – It’s Zelda and it’s great. Personally I think it’s too much of a Gamecube port with a novel control system to ever make it a game of the year but this is certainly a good stepping-stone for a Zelda game made just for the Wii.
Will Scott - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is roundly considered to be one of the greatest games ever made. Twilight Princess is in every way a worthy successor to that title.
Sean McCabe - Ah, Twilight Princess. A beautiful, sumptuous game. You could call it the Gamecube's Swan song or the Wii's prodigal sonata. Either way, Nintendo have once again shown that when it comes to making games, they have no equal. No Equal.
Sean Garmer - My game of the year went to Okami, however, Zelda would have been my 2nd choice because it was just that good, and I’m glad the staff agreed. Zelda has a long storied history of great games and this one continues it. It had compelling gameplay that set it apart from other games. It had a good story and I enjoyed using the Wii controls for just about everything on it. Zelda is truly one of those unique experiences that are not touched by much on the gaming planet. Sure, the quest is simple, save the princess, but the way the adventure plays out is what makes the game memorable.
Jordan Williams - Fans like more of the same, it seems reviewers don't. Now, I am not a fan of Zelda in the least, but from what I have played of the game it is a very good game. But, the market has changed and I think they more people were appealed to Gears than Zelda right now.
Chris Kovatsh - It was well worth the wait and Twilight Princess finally fell into our laps this year. With an epic story tied in with awesome bosses and friends we're familiar with, how can you not love this game.
Joshua Richey -Too much of the ‘same ole, same ole’ in this case. Legend of Zelda: TP really lacked the excitement and build-up that previous games have had. Was it just mismanaged, or is Zelda an example of gamers having a different taste in what they find enjoyable?
Vincent Chiucchi - Delayed over a year just to lose to Gears of War. Ouch! Oh well, it's still a great reason to buy a Wii or give Gamecube its final moments in the sun.
David Redkey - I like the game much better as Okami. This game is an above average experience that is too similar to previous efforts for its own good. Thankfully, it’s the last one of its ilk as Nintendo has stated they are taking Zelda in a new, fresh direction. I can say finally…nothing new or innovative has been added to this game in years. The Wii controls were an after thought and added really nothing to overall experience. As stated earlier…how good would people think this game would be without Zelda tacked on?
And that’s all. Agree or disagree let me know and in the mean time enjoy the games for 2007.
