This award goes to the game, announcement, or event that most pleasantly and genuinely surprised us during E3.

Winner: New characters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Steven Rodriguez: Metaknight was an awesome surprise, but then Nintendo kept them coming. Pit! Hot sexy suit Samus! Wario! And just when you thought it was over... HOLY CRAP IT'S SNAKE!!!

Mike Gamin: Nintendo gave us some great new characters (Pit looks awesome) and classic controls. The game wasn't playable but it is easily my most anticipated Wii title.

Jonathan Metts: Wario and Pit are long overdue for this series, while the other Nintendo characters are just welcome surprises. And Snake, what's up with that? He totally dominates in Dream Mix TV Fighters, but I'm sure Sakurai will do the proper balancing for Brawl.

Michael Cole: The gamers' fantasy of third party characters in Smash Bros. turned from fantasy to reality. However, just as surprising was how it was announced. Nintendo saved this shocker for the day AFTER its press conference, concocted an incredible trailer, and re-launched their Japanese Smash Bros. site—encouraging fan requests!

Karl Castaneda: Most people were expecting a new Smash Bros. at E3, so when the press conference ended and nothing was said, gamers the world over couldn't have been more disappointed. Then Nintendo held a press-only presentation, showing off the next-gen fighter in all its stunning glory. The new character roster definitely floored me. Leave it to Nintendo to make the biggest splash of the show a day after press conferences, when we've all got our guard down.