Topic: Official E3 Awards Nominees Announced

[StrikerObi]

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a lock for "best conga-based platformer."

The Nominees for the official E3 Awards were announced tonight. Here’s a quick breakdown of the stats. Nintendo and Electronic Arts led in number of nominations with eleven each. That’s six more than Nintendo got in 2003. GameCube games had a total of 18 nominations, which is four more than last year. The Game Boy Advance got zero nominations while the new Nintendo DS snagged three. Microsoft and Bungie’s Halo 2 led with most nominations, netting four. The Nintendo products with the most nominations were: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, the Nintendo DS, and Resident Evil 4 (from Capcom) each with two nominations.

Here’s the full list of nominees.

Best of Show

• Half-Life 2 (Valve/Vivendi Universal Games for PC)
• Halo 2 (Bungie/Microsoft for Xbox)
• Nintendo DS (Mobile Gaming System - Nintendo Co. Ltd)
• Sony PSP (Mobile Gaming System - Sony Computer Entertainment)
• Splinter Cell 3 (UbiSoft Montreal/UbiSoft for PC)

Best Original Game

• Destroy All Humans! (Pandemic/THQ for PlayStation 2, Xbox)  
• Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Nintendo for GameCube)
• God of War (SCEA Santa Monica/SCEA for PlayStation 2)  
• Jade Empire (Bioware/Microsoft for Xbox)
• Yoot Saito's Odama (Vivarium/Nintendo for GameCube)

Best PC Game

• Half-Life 2 (Valve/Vivendi Universal Games for PC)  
• Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth (EALA/Electronic Arts for PC)
• Rome: Total War (Creative Assembly/Activision for PC)
• Sims 2 (Maxis/Electronic Arts for PC)
• Splinter Cell 3 (UbiSoft Montreal/UbiSoft for PC)

Best Console Game

• God of War (SCEA Santa Monica/SCEA for PlayStation 2)
• Halo 2 (Bungie/Microsoft for Xbox)
• Jade Empire (Bioware/Microsoft for Xbox)  
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Retro Studios/Nintendo for GameCube)
• Resident Evil 4 (Capcom for GameCube)

Best Peripheral / Hardware

• Alienware Video Array Technology (Alienware for PC)
• Donkey Konga Bongo Drums (Nintendo for GameCube)
• Nintendo DS (Mobile Gaming System - Nintendo Co. Ltd)
• Phantom Gaming Service (Infinium Labs, Inc.)
• Sony PSP (Mobile Gaming System - Sony Computer Entertainment)

Best Action Game

• Doom 3 (Vicarious Visions/id/Activision for Xbox)
• F.E.A.R. (Monolith Productions/Vivendi Universal Games for PC)
• Half-Life 2 (Valve/Vivendi Universal Games for PC)
• Halo 2 (Bungie/Microsoft for Xbox)
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Retro Studios/Nintendo for GameCube)

Best Action/Adventure Game

• God of War (SCEA Santa Monica/SCEA for PlayStation 2)
• Prince of Persia 2 (UbiSoft Montreal/UbiSoft for All Systems)
• Resident Evil 4 (Capcom for GameCube)
• Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (Insomniac Games/SCEA for PlayStation 2)
• Splinter Cell 3 (UbiSoft Montreal/UbiSoft for PC)

Best Fighting Game

• Def Jam: Fight for New York (EA Canada/EA for All Console Systems)
• Guilty Gear Isuka (Arc System Works/Sammy Studios for PlayStation 2)
• Mortal Kombat: Deception (Midway Games for PlayStation 2/Xbox)  
• Rumble Roses (KCET/Konami for PlayStation 2)
• Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (Capcom for PlayStation 2/Xbox)

Best Role Playing Game

• Fable (Big Blue Box/Microsoft for Xbox)
• Final Fantasy XII (Square-Enix for PlayStation 2)
• Jade Empire (Bioware/Microsoft for Xbox)
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Obsidian/LucasArts for PC/Xbox)  
• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (Troika Games/Activision for PC)

  Best Racing Game

• Burnout 3 (Criterion Games/Electronic Arts for PlayStation 2/Xbox)
• Enthusia Professional Racing (Konami for PlayStation 2)
• Forza Motorsport (Microsoft for Xbox)
• Gran Turismo 4 (Polyphony Digital/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 2)
• Street Racing Syndicate (Eutechnyx/Namco for All Console Systems)

Best Simulation Game

• Full Spectrum Warrior (Pandemic/THQ for PC/Xbox)
• Pacific Fighters (1C/UbiSoft for PC)
• Sims 2 (Maxis/Electronic Arts for PC)
• The Movies (Lionhead Studios/Activision for All Platforms)
• The Urbz: Sims in the City (Maxis/Electronic Arts for All Console Systems)

Best Sports Game

• ESPN NFL 2005 (Visual Concepts/ESPN Videogames for PS2/Xbox)
• FIFA Soccer 2005 (EA Sports/Electronic Arts for All Platforms)
• Madden NFL 2005 (EA Sports/Electronic Arts for All Platforms)
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 (EA Sports/Electronic Arts for All Platforms)
• Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 (Neversoft/Activision for All Platforms)

Best Strategy Game

• Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth (EALA/Electronic Arts for PC)
• Pikmin 2 (Nintendo for GameCube)
• Rome: Total War (Creative Assembly/Activision for PC)  
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War (Relic/THQ for PC)

Best Puzzle/Trivia/Parlor Game

• Donkey Konga (Nintendo for GameCube)
• Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Nintendo for GameCube)
• EyeToy: AntiGrav (Harmonix Music Systems/SCEA for PlayStation 2)
• Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 (Harmonix Music Systems/Konami for PlayStation 2)
• WarioWare, Inc. DS (Nintendo for Nintendo DS)

Best Online Multiplayer Game

• Battlefield 2 (Digital Illusions/EA Games for PC)
• EverQuest II (Sony Online Entertainment for PC)
• Halo 2 (Bungie/Microsoft for Xbox)
• Star Wars Battlefront (Pandemic Studios/LucasArts for PC, PS2, Xbox)
• World of Warcraft (Blizzard/Vivendi Universal Games for PC)

[nickmitch]

in a battle where there can only be up to 15 winners....
WHO WILL WIN?!?
Only time, will time...

[mouse_clicker]

I have to say, I'm quite pleased with just about every nominee.

Just a question, though- was Halo 2 playable or only shown on video?

[Chongman]

From what I've heard, it wasn't playable on the floor,  but some press did get to actualy play head to head.

I'm not 100% sure though...

[Bloodworth]

Yeah, Halo 2 was playable, but only behind closed doors.  

[mouse_clicker]

Do you know anyone that actually got to play it? Or can they even talk about it, considering the secrecy?

[Ian Sane]

I agree with four of those choices for Best of Show but Splinter Cell 3?  I don't recall any sort of major buzz for that game from people who attended the show.  The coverage seemed to be a "oh Splinter Cell 3 was there too" sort of thing.  RE4 and MP2 both seemed to recieve much more positive feedback from any sites I've read and I'm not just saying that because they're Cube exclusives.  KOTOR 2 also was more popular.  Sure those examples are all sequels but so is Splinter Cell 3.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

OH YES DK JUNGLE BEAT!

BEAT THOSE MONKEYS!

[joeamis]

Gamespot gave Splinter Cell 3 best action adventure game, best PC game, and Game of Show awards (PC version).

[Robageejammin]

Yes I must say, i found myself going back to Jungle Beat more than anything else at E3, really fun stuff.

[Berto2K]

I know the guy who runs www.xboxevolved.com got to play halo 2.  He was staying with us in the hotel.  2 of our guys almost got to.  Half Life 2 was only shown as video again, and its still nominated.  Thats pretty stupid in my opinion.  But glad to see the DS, Konga, and Jungle Beat get so many nominations.  RE4 should win at least 1 or 2 awards.

[Bloodworth]

You crazy fool.  This man hunted us down and shot us --- with his camera.   Good seeing you in person Michael.

[WuTangTurtle]

As much as i like how the nominations went i feel the actual awards will be #@%@#$ up.

Why u ask, because it says the voters are:

TV Guide * TIME * Newsweek * Entertainment Weekly * Rolling Stone * Business 2.0 * USA Today * Los Angeles Times * The Washington Post *   Gannett News Service * San Jose Mercury News * Seattle Post * Computer Gaming World * Electronic Gaming Monthly * Game Informer * Gamepro *  GameSpot * GameSpy * GMR * Happy Puppy *
Hollywood Reporter * IGN * Official PlayStation Magazine *
Official Xbox Magazine * PC Gamer * PSM * UGO.com * XBN * Yahoo! Games Domain * Bell Canada GamesMania * Game-Revolution * CNN/Money * Electric Playground * G4TV * TechTV *


Why Tv Guide, Time, Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, USA Today, etc?

Oh and why does XBOX and PS2 official mags get a vote and Nintendo Power doesn't?

These awards are BS!

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

These awards are BS!

4X

[Bloodworth]

Hey now, I've met the guy from Newsweek.  He's pretty cool.  And USA Today... wouldn't that be Steven Kent you're talking about?  While I'm not sure how much TV Guide or Rolling Stone has to input, not all the guys working at mainstream press outlets are outsiders.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

I don't see Tales of Symphonia up for Best RPG.

why

WHY!>?

[RABicle]

Just wait for next year, Zelda will win all 15 awards. Dont give me any crap like "It wont win best racing game" YES IT WILL I TELL YOU!

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

YOU TELL IT BROTHER!

[DrZoidberg]

why didn't Reggie get a nomination for 'Best HARDware'?

[couchmonkey]

I'm also definitely disappointed to not see Tales of Symphonia, but otherwise I think the nominations look good.

Something that I notice from looking over these, and something that I've been thinking about in general lately, is that there's really a drought of good puzzle games in this console generation.   None of the games in the all-encompassing puzzle/trivia/parlour category would even rate as puzzle games in my opinion (well, I don't know about the eyetoy game, but none of the others really count).

Seeing Mary-Kate and Ashley sue Acclaim, I can't help but think that THQ's stagnant monopolization of the Tetris liscence warrants a lawsuit.  Of course I don't know who'd do the suing...does Alexei Pajintnov (I apologize if my spelling is all wrong) still control Tetris?

Boy, that's an awfully political post.

[Jonnyboy117]

Alexei Pajitnov never controlled Tetris; as soon as he created it, the game was property of the Soviet government, and later it was sold to several licensees, with most of the rights being delved out to Henk Rogers.  He is the man behind The Tetris Company, which controls Tetris licensing to game publishers (they don't make any games themselves).  In general, The Tetris Company will grant you the license if you can pay their fee and are making a game deemed worthy of the license.

In other words, it's probably not so much that THQ has been stagnant with the license, but that other publishers have seen the sales of Tetris Worlds and have chosen not to create any new Tetris games.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Quote
Originally posted by: DrZoidberg
why didn't Reggie get a nomination for 'Best HARDware'?

It wouldn't be fair to the other companies since he'll be the most powerful machine for as long as he lives.

[Selochin]

Guys, I have a question. Here's the way I see it:

Sony released online periphrials for the Playstation 2. Developers are now using them in their games.
Microsoft released online periphrials for the Xbox. Developers are now using them in thieir games.
Nintendo released online periphrials for the GameCube. Developers ARE NOT using them in thieir games.  WHY?

                                                                         

[WuTangTurtle]

Well i think sony and micro$oft have made a backbone to get online games, xboxlive and SOE(Sony Online Entertainment).

Nintendo does not have a online backbone, the only online games we have are the Phantasy Star Online games, which Sega operates on its own.

Developers are not willing to waste money to make and operate thier own online mode on GCN, seeing how Sony and Micro$oft does the job pretty much for them.

P.S.  What was that other game Nintendo was getting that was online, it looked like animal crossing but it wasn't, and i do believe they said it was a rpg, what happend to that?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Homeland, by Chunsoft.