The 2007 NibCrom Central Awards - Video Games
April 6, 2007
April 6, 2007
Honorable Mentions:
Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
I'll be honest, I haven't played much of this game, in fact I've only played the demo, but I have no doubt it will be just as much fun as the original Lego Star Wars game. How do you like that? I gave an honorable mention to a game I haven't even technically played!
Tetris DS
I've always been a fan of Tetris, but I honestly didn't think any version of the game, new or old, could rekindle my interest. Tetris DS did just that. In addition to the standard Tetris game, it has five other modes that range from using certain pieces to clear lines to using your Tetris pieces to destroy Metroids. The game works both as a waiting-for-the-bus type of game as well as a take-away-hours-of-your-life-without-you-knowing experience.
This Years Winners:
Gears of War
From the first time I saw screen shots of this game in Game Informer, I had been waiting to play it. The visuals in this game are simply stunning, but it's got more than just good looks. I haven't spend much time on the single player portion of the game, but the co-op mode is a blast. What differentiates Gears of War from other shooters is the real sense of danger. Finding cover fire is a unique part of the game. Enemies can come at you from all sides, so ducking behind walls or large pieces of debris is essential. The soundtrack and sound effects are amazing too, the whole game is just a great experience.
About the photo: "Here's Gears of War, along with Marcus Fenix's favorite anti-perspirant, lady speed-stick!" - John Febel
New Super Mario Bros
A new side scrolling Super Mario Bros game has been something I've been wanting a for a long time, and thankfully New Super Mario Bros delivers the goods. It has plenty of new game play elements, like becoming a giant Mario, yet it still has a nostalgic charm to it. The game is almost halfway in between the original Super Mario Bros and Super Mario World in terms of scope, challenges and secrets. From the time you start the first level you get that wonderful feeling only a Super Mario side scrolling game can give you.
Video Game of the Year:
Wii
When Nintendo first announced their newest handheld, the Nintendo DS, many said the portable device would flop. Two screens? Is that really necessary?It turns out two screens were not only necessary, but they were a lot of fun too.
Years later, Nintendo would give the public even more reason think they had gone insane when they showed off the controller for their newest console, the Wii. The name itself seemed ridiculous, and the controller resembled a tv remote more than a standard video game controller. Much like the DS, the Wii turned out to be not a gimmick, but a legitimate piece of hardware. The worries and concerns were all put to rest when people got their hands on the Wii and the motion sensing controller.
What is amazing about Wii Sports, which is included with the console, is that is has many games that normally I would not want to play. Golf and baseball games with a conventional controller have never interested me, but on the Wii it's a whole different story. The pick-up-and-play mentality behind the console makes it very easy for even non-gamers to start having fun very quickly.
I of course recommend Wii Sports; Rayman Raving Rabbits and Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz are great games too.