Phew. What a year for games 2011 was? We saw blockbusters, major disappointments and even a few surprises. We got our PSN’s shut off and a new Xbox Live Dashboard — which may or may not be the best/worst thing ever.  Here’s what we, at Blast Games think was the best of a packed year. Agree? Disagree? let us know! Oh, and just a note, we decided to keep things fair, we would limit the platform specific awards to games that were actually exclusive to that platform — unless of course a game was incredibly better for one platform than the others.

Game of the Year

Nominees: The Elderscrolls V: Skyrim, Portal 2, Uncharted 3, Batman: Arkham City, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Winner: Portal 2

In a year of amazing games, Portal 2 stood out from the rest. It made us laugh, amazed us, and even brought a tear to our eyes. Valve’s followup to it’s critically acclaimed and cult favorite original puzzler was not only better than the original —  it eclipsed it. The writing? Superb. The voice acting? Unparalleled. Oh, and the gameplay? Portal 2 straddles the line between accessible and infuriatingly difficult.

Perhaps what makes Portal 2 so great can best be summed up by Matthew Root’s review, saying “Portal 2 is, simply put, an amazing game. The new gameplay mechanics make for even more incredible puzzle solving; the sense of scale is astounding; and the twisted, dark sense of humor remains hilarious.Buy it without hesitation, play it, and then share it with friends who don’t play games so they can see what they’re missing out on.”

Xbox 360 Game of the Year

Nominees: Gears of War 3, Forza: Motorsport 4, Once Upon a Monster, Bastion

Winner: Gears of War 3

With Gears of War 3, Epic Games has taken the formula set by the first two games and tweaked it ever so much to create the perfect finale for their long running series. Everything you love is here, the chainsaw lancers, the grubs, the brumaks, but there’s also so much more.  The characters are deeper, the story is more engaging and the entire experience is deeply satisfying. Gears of War 3 is undoubtedly Microsoft’s biggest release of the year, and it’s also the best; one that if you own an Xbox – you simply have to experience.

Gears of War 3 is easily the best game in the franchise, and it makes its case for best Xbox 360 game period. It’s a deeply satisfying and at times touching game that takes the formula set forth by the previous iterations and tweaks it in just the right places to make an incredible gaming experience.

PS3 Game of the Year

Nominees: Infamous 2, Resistance 3, Killzone 3, Uncharted 3

Winner: Uncharted 3

I play most games in a predictable fashion. I sit down, play for a few hours and then I walk away. I do anything else. I let the game brew in my head. With Uncharted 3, I couldn’t do that, every time I tried to walk away, I was pulled back. I needed to know what happens next; and that my friends is the mark of a truly excellent game. Uncharted 3 is sure to wow you with its fantastic presentation, thrilling gameplay and all around complete package. This is a game that I can’t recommend enough, and your PS3 library is not complete without it.

Perhaps what makes the game so incredibly riveting to watch is just how well every part of the game works in unison. The story features absolutely brilliant pacing that rivals that of Hollywood movies, and the top notch voice acting combined with the stunning score and remarkable visuals makes for a great experience. With Uncharted 3, Naughty Dog has cemented their reputation as one of the best storytellers in not just the industry, but all of popular culture.  It’s seen in the relationship reveals, the stunning plot twists that make you rethink the entire strategy, and perhaps most importantly, the game’s feeling of resonance players are sure to have each time they step away.

Wii Game of the Year 

Nominees: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Fortune Street, Kirby

There weren’t a ton of AAA games for the Wii this year, but there was one that changed everything. One that represented what motion control can do and gave a long established franchise a brand new identity.

When Nintendo introduced the Wii, and motion control to the world, it made some hefty promises. Now, nearly six years later, with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, those promises have been delivered on.  This isn’t just the best Zelda game or the best Wii game, it’s also the first game that makes motion controls make sense. With its incredible production values, new gameplay ideas and most importantly heart, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is simply one of the best games I’ve ever played.

It’s only fitting then that after 25 years and a lot of gaming, I’ve finally got that same feeling back – and it’s another Zelda game.  With incredible production values, bold new mechanics and a wonderous sense of exploration; The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword feels an awful lot like falling in love with gaming again. Each time I booted it up, I found something new that I made it not only the best Wii title or the best motion controlled game but the best Zelda in franchise history – and that’s truly saying something.

When Nintendo introduced the Wii, and motion control to the world, it made some hefty promises. Now, nearly six years later, with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, those promises have been delivered on.  This isn’t just the best Zelda game or the best Wii game, it’s also the first game that makes motion controls make sense. With its incredible production values, new gameplay ideas and most importantly heart, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is simply one of the best games I’ve ever played.

Best Art Direction/Visuals

Nominees: Skyward Sword, Skyrim, Uncharted 3, Batman: Arkham City, Rayman Origins

Winner: Rayman Origins

In a day of computer generated graphics, pixels and rendering,Rayman Origins stands out for its hand drawn animation, charming visuals and fun and original score. It may sound cliche, but they simply just don’t make ‘em like this anymore.

Rayman drips with charm and color. Each of the game’s worlds features remarkable hand drawn animation that literally pops off the 2D canvas. The detail in the levels are absurdly well done, and shows a remarkably varied palate. In one level for instance, you’re gliding through waterspouts in lush jungles, then the next you’re in a fiery volcanic level – -and each of them looks remarkably stunning. The game’s score is also remarkably well done, as I would do certain things in the game just to hear some of the game’s sound effects. It harkens back to a time that’s long gone bye in gaming, and perhaps most importantly, it’s packed with content.

Best Sound

Nominees: Batman: Arkham City, Uncharted 3, Skyward Sword, Skyrim, Bastion

Winner: Batman: Arkham City

This could have been the toughest category of the year, but we just couldn’t get past how well done Arkham City’s score and voice acting really is. Sure, you can say that there’s a bit too much Nolan North, but every character, whether it be major, supporting, or just background is voiced so superbly. The work by Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill..and yes, even Nolan North stands out as not only believable, but unforgetable.

What sealed Arkham city’s win? The joker infused symphony that plays while you hunt down thugs in the Steel Mill.

Biggest Disappointment

Nominees: Duke Nukem Forever, Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, X-men Destiny

Winner: Duke Nukem Forever

How could it not be?

Right from the get-go, Duke Nukem Forever looks ages behind most modern day shooters. Textures are messy and undetailed, there’s a ton of slowdown and screen tearing and the entire game just looks unpolished.Character models look robotic and outdated as well. Okay, I get it, Gearbox wanted to keep the spirit of the original game intact, they wanted it to look like it’s still from that era of gaming, but they better hope that the rest of the world, and not just the gaming public is in on the joke, and are willing to pay $60 for a game that looks like it’s decades old.

Of course, the appeal of Duke Nukem has always been it’s take no prisoners in your face adult humor. It’s here (the first  two minutes feature quicktime events of the game’s protagonist peeing and then ability to pick up poop and throw it), but unfortunately it too feels dated. Remember movies like Team America: World Police and the famous political scandals of the 90s? Because Duke Nukem and Gearbox sure do.

Most Anticipated Game

Nominees: Diablo III, Mass Effect 3, Bioshock Infinite

Winner: Bioshock Infinite

Looking back at 2011, one event sticks out, seeing the behind closed doors demo of Bioshock Infinite. I wrote the following words in my notebook regarding what I saw : “Amazing, outstanding, complelling…HOLY SHIT.”

Yes, Diablo III and Mass Effect 3 are going to be amazing, but every time we see more of the game, the wait until it comes out (no date has been announced, so it’s even worse) seems longer. With Bioshock Infinite, Ken Levine and Irrational Games are not only looking to redefine the series, but create their own revolution in the process.

We can’t wait to actually get out hands on it.

Last night, word broke that the legendary creator of Mario and Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto had told Wired that he would be stepping down from his current position and focusing on smaller projects.

“What I really want to do is be in the forefront of game development once again myself,” Miyamoto, 59 told Wired. “Probably working on a smaller project with even younger developers. Or I might be interested in making something that I can make myself, by myself. Something really small.”

Nintendo has repeatedly denied the reports that the man known as “Japan’s Walt Disney” would be stepping down, issuing a press release telling Reuters that “This is absolutely not true,” said a Nintendo spokesperson “There seems to have been a misunderstanding. He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation. He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned.”

The writer of the original Wired report stands by the piece though, tweeting that “Shigeru Miyamoto’s comments in the Wired story speak for themselves. Wired and I stand by this report.”

The original Legend of Zelda came out when I was two, and I still remember sitting in front of the TV as my mom and brother (and eventually me) navigated through dungeons and dished out Hyruleian justice master sword style. I can trace my love of gaming to those moments being amazed by Link’s quest.

It’s only fitting then that after 25 years and a lot of gaming, I’ve finally got that same feeling back – and it’s another Zelda game.  With incredible production values, bold new mechanics and a wonderous sense of exploration; The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword feels an awful lot like falling in love with gaming again. Each time I booted it up, I found something new that I made it not only the best Wii title or the best motion controlled game but the best Zelda in franchise history – and that’s truly saying something.

Nintendo’s bold design choices start with the story of Skyward Sword.  This is the origin story fans have been clamoring for years for that Nintendo wouldn’t give us. Skyward Sword gives us a look at a Hyrule from times gone by, with Link and Zelda as childhood friends. Of course, before long, something terribly wrong happens and Link must go on a quest to save not only his friend, but the world.  It may not seem like a huge change from the established Zelda formula – that is until you take into account just how well it’s all presented.

Skyward Sword is easily the most cinematic Zelda experience to date, and even though there’s still no voice acting, Nintendo has done a magnificent job crafting a thrilling and remarkable tale that’s not only engrossingly epic, but decidedly intimate.  This is accomplished through a mix of taking the emphasis off of the simple plot and on to the game’s interesting cast of supporting characters and letting their emotion come through. Thanks to brilliant pacing, imaginative framing and some of the most well done cutscenes in recent memory, this is a Zelda title that you’re going to find it hard not to be engrossed in and its one that sets a new standard for Nintendo.

The Wii motion plus adds a great deal to Skyward Sword

After 25 years, we’ve all come to know what to expect from a Zelda game, but Skyward Sword challenges that too.  The incorporation of the Wii motion plus controller will change the way you want to play Zelda from here on in. Suddenly, it’s not about just timing and getting a good jump start on your opponents, but making good, conscious decisions how how and when to attack your opponents.  The motion plus enables you to watch your opponents and study just where you should be attacking them. You’ll watch their motions, their patterns and strategize as to the best plan to take them out, but be warned, your enemies can do the same to you.

The true genius of incorporating the motion plus into Skyward Sword is that it never once felt gimmicky and lends itself extremely well throughout the entire experience.  From throwing bombs, to swimming and even gliding through the sky, the Wii Motion Plus feels incredibly natural, like it was made to be used with the Zelda series all along. This isn’t just a game that uses motion controls well – it’s the game that perfects them. Unlike other motion games, I never stopped to wonder what the game would be like with standard controls since I was having so much fun. I often got the feeling that this was the first time that the promise of the Wii and motion control is general had been fully delivered on.

Skyward Sword’s incredible sense of pacing also plays a big part in just how great it is. In previous Zelda games, it was all about the dungeons, and everything before it was just a prelude to the heart of the action. While the dungeons still represent the main portions of the game, Skyward Sword manages to spread out a good portion of the action so it never feels like you’re just traveling to get to the “good parts” again.  There’s also a great sense of exploration here that’s been missing from previous Zelda games, which will require you to go back into areas you’ve already been through to complete certain sections, though it never feels like you’re backtracking as you’re constantly given new tasks and new abilities to try out.

Visually, Skyward Sword is somewhere between the cartoonish visuals of the Windwaker and the darker tones of Twilight Princess. Nintendo seems to have finally admit the limitations of the Wii console and have this created a visual style that’s not only extremely engrossing, but also a great fit for the title.  The entire game has a storybook feel to it that makes the game feel incredibly more epic.

The Blast Factor: When Nintendo introduced the Wii, and motion control to the world, it made some hefty promises. Now, nearly six years later, with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, those promises have been delivered on.  This isn’t just the best Zelda game or the best Wii game, it’s also the first game that makes motion controls make sense. With its incredible production values, new gameplay ideas and most importantly heart, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is simply one of the best games I’ve ever played.

Wipe up your drool, though I don’t blame you for it.

This new Zelda 25th Anniversary themed 3DS has been confirmed for release in the UK on November 25. The pack features a slick black design with Zelda inspired graphics and comes with a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.

As of now, Nintendo has not commented if they plan to bring the limited edition console to the United States.

Take a gander and have a listen to YouTube user Mart0zz and friends as they belt out the classic Legend of Zelda theme on a marimba and a few other instruments.

(via Geeks are Sexy)

Nintendo announced this morning that the long in development and anticpated Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will release November 20 in North America.

Anyone else suddenly feeling sick that week?

Nintendo announced today that it would be slashing the price of its struggling 3DS handheld from $250 to $170. The price drop, which comes just six months after the system’s release will take effect in the United States on August 12.

“For anyone who was on the fence about buying a Nintendo 3DS, this is a huge motivation to buy now,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “We are giving shoppers every incentive to pick up a Nintendo 3DS, from an amazing new price to a rapid-fire succession of great games.”

The move comes on the heels of Nintendo’s announcement that it has posted a huge financial loss in the fiscal first quarter of this year. According to the report, sales are down over 50% from last year at the house that Mario built.

There is some good news though, early adopters of the 3DS system will be rewarded with free virtual console games. If you register for and connect to the eShop at least once before the price drop, you’ll receive the following games free:

NES games

Super Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong Jr.
Balloon Fight
Ice Climber
The Legend of Zelda
+5 more

Game Boy Advance games

Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Metroid Fusion
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
+5 more

The NES games will become paid downloads for new adopters, while the GBA games are not currently scheduled to be available for purchase.

LOS ANGELES — Undoubtedly, the biggest news to come out of this year’s E3 was Nintendo’s announcement of it’s brand new home console, The Nintendo Wii U. Featuring a controller complete with a 16.2′ LCD screen and classic button layout with two analog circle pads and a D-Pad; the Wii U is like nothing else you’ve played before. With the Wii U, Nintendo wanted to “remove the traditional barriers between games, players and the TV by creating a second window into the video game world.” In easier terms, the Wii U allows gamers to transfer the screen from the TV to the controller’s LCD screen. there’s a ton of other cool options like using the controller as a tablet to being able to teleconference with it as well. Check out the video below, played during Nintendo’s E3 press conference.

Pretty lofty goals huh? Blast got the chance to sit down with Nintendo and take the new hardware and its tech demos out for a test drive at this year’s E3.

The Controller

At first sight, the controller looks big and bulky. While it is quite large (it’s bigger than everything we’ve seen so far, including the big original Xbox controller), but it’s surprisingly light and comfortable to hold. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to navigate. Perhaps its just because we’re not used to a setup like this, but during our hands on time with the controller, we constantly found ourselves hitting the wrong buttons and fumbling around to find exactly what we had to press. It got better after a bit of time, but the new experience definitely doesn’t come naturally.

The Games

In reality, it’s unfair to call what Nintendo showed off actual games; they’re more of tech demos. The first of these demos we were able to check out (read: it wasn’t playable) was that of The Legend of Zelda. It’s obvious that it was meant to show off the new system’s graphical power — and it worked. Miles ahead of the Wii, the demo showed Link fighting a giant spider in a church building. The image was very detailed, and we were able to switch between night and day to truly check out how the system could handle details.

The Wii U Zelda title used the new controller mostly as an inventory system, allowing gamers to switch from one item to the other on the fly. Of course, you could also flip the image to the LCD screen entirely.

The Zelda Wii U demo featured impressive HD visuals.

Next, we were able to get our hands on Battle Mii, a game which had one character control the ship from Metroid  using the new controller, while three other people controlled soldiers wearing Samus’ suit as they tried to shoot the ship down using Wii-motes.  Playing as the ship required us to take advantage of the game’s gyroscope by moving all over the place. It’s a lot harder than it seemed, and we found ourselves failing a lot. Playing as the soldiers was easy with the Wiimote.

We also played Super Mario Bros Mii, which played exactly like New Super Mario Bros, but allowed you to swap in your Mii characters. The key here is that the touch screen was able to render the game’s image quite well, and I found myself not even looking up to the actual TV screen much.

New Super Mario Bros Mii.

The Verdict

It’s really tough to say right now. Yes, it’s novel and yes, it’s new, but we saw what happened when the Wii’s novelty wore off. The tech demos were fun, but they were nothing revolutionary. The Wii U’s success will depend on a number of things, including third party support (we’ve already been promised everything from Aliens to Batman and Dirt 3), how the developers use the tech and how the Nintendo team can bring the new tech to storied franchises.

The Nintendo Wii U will launch in 2012.

Confirming rumors Blast reported earlier this month, Nintendo confirmed today that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for the 3DS will hit North American stores on June 19.

We know. You got Super Street Fighter IV 3D edition, you’ve played the AR games and really don’t feel like playing with puppies and kitties on your fancy new 3DS. All you want to know is, when are the games you really want coming to Nintendo’s new handheld?

Soon. According to an interview with Nintendo’s UK Marketing Manager, the company is anticipating a 3DS version of Mario kart and it’s highly anticipated Zelda: Ocarina of Time release to hit before the end of the year, but urges everyone that the dates aren’t set in stone.

“That’s certainly what we’re kind of planning on at the moment,” he said, “but you know, things can always change, and until we actually make a firm announcement about the release dates, obviously it’s good to wait and see what those dates might be.”

A supposed leak list of anticipated 3DS games was released earlier this week, showing Zelda to release on June 17, and Star Fox and Resident Evil mercenaries on May 6.

The 2010 year is squeaky clean and brand new, but Nintendo has huge plans for it. We already know two huge names, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M will hit shelves this summer, but might the second Zelda title for Wii drop this year too?

Nintendo’s Cammie Dunaway, speaking with Wired, hinted at a 2010 release for the hotly hyped game.

She explained Nintendo’s strategy and why a Wii Zelda sequel to round out the 2010 year seems pretty likely.

“One of the things that’s true for Nintendo is that we’re not driven by a calendar for our release dates. When the games are ready to go, when the quality is perfect, that’s when we release.

“We all benefit if we can keep a pretty steady pace, so the development teams have worked hard to make sure that we’ve got a full lineup this year. If you compare the first half of 2010 with the first half of 2009, it’s night and day. And from some of the things that Mr. Iwata has talked about, and that we will talk about at E3, like Zelda, you know that we’re going to have a good back half of the year, as well.”

There you have it ladies and gents, this may be the year to be a Nintendo fan. Galaxy 2, Metroid and Zelda in the same year? Wowzers.

Source: Wired

File this one under the “all things predictable” folder as Nintendo recently revealed the next Wii Zelda title will require the MotionPlus accessory.

“After actually making it compatible,” explains producer Eiji Aonuma, ”it just feels so natural. Link’s sword and the controller that you’re holding become one.” Gamers will use MotionPlus to liberally swing Link’s sword, and it’s believed that the game’s many puzzles can only be solved with the proper fighting technique.

He also said that he hopes to have a playable version of the game ready for E3 2010 in June, where I hope to God to get my hands on it, though I can only imagine the line at Nintendo’s booth.

Is the world ready for a new Zelda title? I think so.

Source: Destructoid

Good things are worth waiting for, right?

The closest we're gonna get for a while

Now, that’s fine and dandy, but the company did just last week say the title will definitely ship in 2010, so Nintendo, what gives?

“Right now it’s still in development but the key message that Mr Aonuma and Mr Miyamoto are telling us is that it really has to be perfect when it launches,” said the boss. “That is what the fans are expecting.

“So for all the Zelda fans out there right now, I’d say enjoy Spirit Tracks and know that the Zelda title for Wii is going to come out when it’s perfect.”

All aboard the Delay Train. Next stop, who knows.

Source: CVG via Destructoid

Big news for Nintendo fans today, as Satoru Iwata, Nintendo president, issued a statement today promising a new Wii Zelda title for 2010 and provided the first details on the high-end successor to the DS.

Iwata said the new high-spec DS will feature “highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing”.

Rumors of this new revision have already been swirling, as this summer brought news of this new DS supporting NVIDIA’s Tegra Tech, which seems validated by Iwata’s statements today.

As for the first Wii Zelda sequel, the man only said it would arrive sometime in 2010, which leaves the company open to many possible release dates.

The new Zelda

One thing’s for sure, at this year’s E3 Convention, Nintendo is likely to spill the beans on everything hinted at today.

Seen on IGN and IGN

If you didn’t already know, the 2009 Game Developers Conference takes place this week in San Francisco, CA, and today Nintendo President Satoru Iwata gave a short, statistic filled keynote address complete with what we have been waiting years for.

Iwata, casually dressed without tie, spoke about the rampant success of the Nintendo family of products with the Wii at nearly 50 million units sold worldwide and the DS already surpassing 100 million units.

Iwata also praised legendary video game creator Shigeru Miyamoto’s efforts by saying Miyamoto “sees game opportunities where others don’t” and “In my opinion he is leveraging these development opportunities better than anyone else today” furthermore, “When Miyamoto sees something that a lot of people are enjoying, he’ll study what part of that activity is fun,” and finally, “Even if people don’t realize why they are having fun, Miyamoto does.”

Bill Trinen of Nintendo spoke to the question of a Wii storage solution and if you fire up your Wii today, you’ll find Wii menu update 4.0 which adds the “SD card menu” that allows for additional storage space with 12 channels per screen and up to 20 screens which equals a total of 240 games!

How can a simple SD card hold so much information? The answer lies in SDHC card, capable of up to 32GB of space.‚  You can download from the Wii Shop Channel directly to the SD card, and then launch titles directly from the SD card.

Next, Iwata took back the stage and announced the Virtual Console Arcade, an expansion on the Virtual Console with titles Space Harrier, Gaplus, Star Force, Solvalou, The Tower of Druaga, Mappy and more available today!

In addition, a slew of Final Fantasy titles for WiiWare as well as Virtual Console.‚  “My Life as a Darklord” is a sequel to WiiWare launch title “My Life as a King” as well as “Final Fantasy IV: The After Years and yes, Final Fantasy will come to the Virtual Console in Japan with all six Famicom/SuperFamicom titles released in Japan and “FF 1″ and “FF:IV”‚  debuting stateside.

Finally, after an interesting, dungeon filled trailer, Iwata announced “The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.”

“This new DS title is tentatively named The Legend of Zelda; Spirit Tracks. It will be available this year.”

Iwata said that while new original development may be difficult during the economic downturn, he noted that the jet engine, television and the chocolate chip cookie were created during The Great Depression.

Stay tuned for updates and more information regarding everything we heard today, but feel free to let share in giddy excitement over a new Zelda title, I know I will.

Via Michael McWhertor at Kotaku.

I have never been a huge rap fan, but anything mixed with video game soundtracks, namely The Legend of Zelda, of which I am a dedicated follower, is sure to find its way onto my iPod.

The aptly named Ocarina of Rhyme features ten tracks that dub vocals over classic Zelda tunes.

The mash-ups include Common and Hyrule Market, Jay-Z and meeting the Owl, Clipse and the Lost Woods, and my personal favorite, Slim Thug and Mike Jones and Great Fairy’s Fountain, and many others.

A project like this has the possibility to fail so, so hard, but instead the execution is great, allowing your inner nerd to shine alongside famous rap artists.

Download the 10 tracks over at the Ocarina of Rhyme website free of charge.

The game development community has chosen Portal as Game of the Year at the 8th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards.

Valve’s genre-blending first person shooter/puzzler also took home two other awards at GDC. 2K’s Bioshock, Crytek’s Crysis and Nintendo’s latest Zelda chapter were also big winners.

“The Game Developers Choice Awards stand out from other game industry prizes by being open to all games of a calendar year and by recognizing the individual developers behind each celebrated game,” said Jamil Moledina, executive director of the Game Developers Conference. “We are thrilled gamers at home will be able to meet the people behind their favorite games when our first ever television broadcast special on the awards airs soon on the G4 television network.”

The recipients of the 8th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards are:

2007 Best Game Design
Portal (Valve)
Kim Swift, Realm Lovejoy, Paul Graham

2007 Best Visual Art
BioShock (2K Boston/2K Australia / 2K Games)
Scott Sinclair, Shawn Robertson, Andrew James

2007 Best Technology
Crysis (Crytek/Electronic Arts)
Cevat Yerli, Douglas Binks, Timur Davidenko, Martin Mittring

2007 Best Writing
BioShock (2K Boston/2K Australia / 2K Games)
Ken Levine, Emily Ridgway, Joe McDonagh, Susan O’Connor

2007 Best Audio
BioShock (2K Boston/2K Australia / 2K Games)
Eric Brosius, Pat Balthrop, Emily Ridgway, Justin Mullins

2007 Best Debut
Crackdown (Real Time Worlds / Microsoft Game Studios)
Ramon Gonzalez, Violetta Sanchez, Rafael Diaz, Jose Guerra

2007 Innovation
Portal (Valve)
Kim Swift, Erik Wolpaw

2007 Best Handheld Game
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo / Nintendo)
Eiji Aonuma

2007 Best Downloadable Game
Flow (thatgamecompany / Sony Computer Entertainment)
Kellee Santiago, Jenova Chen, Martin Middleton, Hao Cui, John Edwards,
Nick Clark

2007 Game of the Year
Portal (Valve)
Kim Swift, Erik Wolpaw

Recipients for the evening’s special awards were:

Lifetime Achievement Award
Sid Meier

Pioneer Award
Ralph Baer

Ambassador Award
Jason Della Rocca

For more information about the awards and all the recipients, visit: http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/