The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2010 Awards - Day Five

We have reached the conclusion of the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2010 Awards! I am bittersweet about this. On one hand, I get to reveal the Game of the Year for 2010, but on the other, I won't get to wear this tux until 2011! That blows, man! Oh, well. Let's get onto the awards!

[System of the Year]

Nintendo DS


This handheld juggernaut just won't stop being relentless to the competition! It still sells millions upon millions of units worldwide. This year we had a wonderful catalog of games including but not limited to: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, Super Scribblenauts, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, Mario VS. Donkey Kong: Miniland Mayhem, and more! Great year for a great system.

Sony PSP


The PSP is selling abysmally in every region save for its homeland of Japan. That's all right though. It still has a great amount of games on it regardless such as: God of War: Ghost of Sparta (did not get nominated since I didn't play it), Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip, Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and Phantasy Star Portable 2. Not a bad year for the system software-wise at all.

Nintendo Wii


The Wii is a success beyond measure. 2010 was a year that hardcore gamers cannot complain about at all. There was: Super Mario Galaxy 2, Disney's Epic Mickey, Metroid: Other M, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Sonic Colors, NBA Jam, FlingSmash, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. With no doubt, the Wii had a very wonderful year for both casual and hardcore games.

Xbox 360


Halo Reach, Dead Rising: Case Zero, Crackdown 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Kinect, and others makes this year for the 360 a great system for both casual and hardcore gamers-- just like the Wii. Sure, I cannot stand Kinect and that seems like Microsoft's desperate plea to be relevant, but the 360 can still sell well in all regions (save for Japan, of course).

PlayStation 3


Move debuted as Sony's answer to the Wii remote. Perhaps it's not innovative enough to warrant too much attention. Regardless, patches to Killzone 3 and MAG with Move playability came or are coming. Other than that, there were some notable titles such as God of War III, MAG, The Sly Collection, and Gran Turismo 5. A good year for a great system, the PS3 continues to chug along.

And the winner is...








Nintendo Wii

With more notable games than the competition, the new Wii Remote Plus accessory, and the new red Mario 25th anniversary bundle, the Wii simply rocked this year. There's no question that the Wii is my favorite console this generation, but there's no playing favorites here. The Wii is a system that outclassed the rest this year. Congrats, Nintendo.

Runner-Up: PlayStation 3

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Now the time has come, but before we get to the Game of the Year of this year, let's take a look back at 2009's Game of the Year. Oh, what a great one that was!

GOTY 2009: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Mario hadn't had a console 2D Mario game in, what, 20 years? With the ability to play with four characters/players at once, a rocking amount of levels, three hidden star coins in each level that unlock a whole new world of challenging levels, and a memorable soundtrack make up New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Sure, you may call it a LittleBigPlanet rip-off, but New Super Mario Bros. Wii didn't have floaty jumping. Ooh, diss! And that was 2008's Game of the Year! Regardless, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a sales juggernaut, and quite frankly, this amazing game deserves every sale it gets!

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Now onto the GotY 2010 Award nominees...

[Game of the Year 2010 Nominees]

God of War III (PS3)


Kratos takes on his ultimate foe, the god of gods, Zeus, in the conclusion to the God of War trilogy in God of War III. Featuring impressive, jaw-unhinging visuals that are a true work of art (F.U., Ebert), a visceral combat system that master players can block and attack with ease, and a challenge campaign that lasts around ten hours, God of War III is a beast of a game, and it could only be done on the PlayStation 3.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (PS3, 360, Wii, DS)


This is the ultimate racing game of 2010. Forget Blur or Split/Second or Need for Speed or whatever. Kart racers are in, and those games are out. The game that outperformed Mario Kart Wii of all games with its intriguing amount of unlockables, characters, tracks, and options, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is one exhilarating ride worthy of every gamer's attention.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)


Mario won last year with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and this year it's a tight race to see which game will be Game of the Year 2010. It's Mario's 25th anniversary, and he celebrated it in style with the incredible, unbelievable Super Mario Galaxy 2. The developers at Nintendo EAD took all the leftover ideas from the original Mario Galaxy, and placed them into this highly-inventive game. Mario usually knows best, and it shows in the Wii's best blockbuster.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (DS)


Nintendo heavily-promoted Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies as it was the first mainline Dragon Quest game to hit the system in over a decade. The game is full of replay value with an unlimited amount of quests, enemies to slay, people to rescue, and a long storyline to follow. The game that got me back into RPGs, I hold a very special place in my heart for Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)


Naked Snake is back in the 60s in the jungles in bite-size missions, perfect for a handheld. The game features the same stealth-action gameplay that many of us, including fans of the franchise, know and love. There's even a mode where you can take down a creature from the Monster Hunter franchise. You can bet Japan ate that mode up like sake and sushi! A wonderful edition to the Metal Gear Solid series, this game is a must for PSP owners.

And the Game of the Year of 2010 is...










....










[GoTY 2010: Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)]


With more diversity than any other game released this year, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the ultimate video game. It's what video games are foremost all about. Not story, not heavy-handed cinematics, or intense violence, but FUN! And Super Mario Galaxy 2 delivers fun in spades. Nintendo EAD once again shows while they are the kings of video game design with this incredibly enjoyable, colorful 3D platformer. There is no better game this year, and there was some tough competition.


Runner-Up GotY 2010: God of War III (PS3)

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There you have it. The curtains are closing, the audience is leaving, and the custodians are getting ready to clean up the aisles. This was a supremely fun and enjoyable Best of 2010 Awards show, and I hope you loved it as much as I did. As always, if your favorite game wasn't nominated, perhaps I didn't play it! So no yelling! I'm a sensitive dude anyway. Until next year, we'll see you back here in 2011 for traditional SPC posts! See ya!

The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2010 Awards - Day Four

All right. We're knee-deep in awards now. The Oscars may be on my birthday, but they're nothing compared to the awesomeness that is the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2010 Awards, right? Yeah, I'm right. That was rhetorical, mind you. My teeth have been brushed, and there's gel in my hair, so let's get this party continuing, shall we? Today we honor the best games for each system save for the 360 which died on me because it was cheaply made. Let's do it to it!

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[Best PSP Game]

And the nominees are...

Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip


The first Hot Shots Tennis was on the PlayStation 2, and it was a decent if not flawed game. It had a very short single-player mode. Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip fixes this by having a more in-depth campaign having you traveling around the world visiting locales, opening treasure chests, fending off foes, and gaining new recruits to your "We Love Tennis" team. The gameplay hits the sweet spot with some tricky AI, fun modes, and generally good times are had.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker


Essentially Metal Gear Solid 5, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker splits up the game into bite-sized chunks in the form of missions. This is perfect for the portable PlayStation indeed! The missions are well thought out with each one giving more and more to the story. Sure, the cutscenes may tend to run a little heavy like Metal Gear Solid 4 before it, but you can always skip those! Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker plays smooth, tight, and is just a bunch of enjoyable fun.

Phantasy Star Portable 2


Similar to the Phantasy Star Online games on Dreamcast, Gamecube, and Xbox, Phantasy Star Portable 2 takes you for a wild ride with its single-player and online Wi-Fi modes. The goal here is to take out monsters, gain new loot, and upgrade your weaponry. It's all fine and dandy, and it's massive amounts of fun, too! A significant upgrade from the original PSP (Phantasy Star Portable, that is), PSP 2 is a great action-RPG worthy of your attention.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep


Enter the confusing world of Kingdom Hearts once again. This time it's for the first entry on the PSP, and boy, is it a good one. Play as one of three characters as you explore the wonderful worlds of Disney in this excellent action-RPG. There's no Sora to be found this time around as the new cast rounds out things quite well. For a meaty single-player game, Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep is one game to watch out for this year!

And the winner is...







Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Solid Snake does it again, and this time he definitely meets business. Taking place in the era of Snake Eater, Peace Walker takes the stealth-action gameplay of the series and puts it in mission form and on the PlayStation Portable. What it adds up to is a magnificent stealth title that any PSP owner should pick up and play immediately.

Runner-Up: Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep

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[Best Nintendo DS Game]

And the nominees are...

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies


When Dragon Quest IX was announced for a handheld, the gaming world nearly crapped their pants in turmoil. How could my Dragon Quest be released on a weak handheld-- much less the DS? Well, fears were put to rest when the game was released, and it was awesome. With customizable heroes, a lengthy quest, plenty of side content, and gorgeous graphics, Sentinels of the Starry Skies is one RPG that fans of the genre should not miss.

Professor Layton and the Unwound Future


Plenty of puzzles ahoy for Professor Layton and his apprentice, Luke, in the third chapter of the Professor Layton series. There's many brain teasers and puzzles to wrap your head around and be embarrassed about when you cannot solve them without using up your last hint coins! Indeed this puzzle game with a rich story is one to look out for definitely as all Layton games are worth buying, young or old.

Picross 3D


Picross in 2D was a challenge. Picross in 3D is an even bigger challenge. This time there's three dimensions of fun to be had here. Numbers on the side of the 3D shape give you clues as to how many blocks need to be destroyed in the puzzle. By using the powerful tool of deduction, you slowly chip away at the ship until you unveil the special shape. Sometimes it's an animal, flower, or spaceship even! Or you can opt to create your own puzzles in this puzzling puzzler.

Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver


The fad that never dies returns with remakes of Pokemon Gold and Silver. With snazzy new visuals, added content, and the ability to explore both Johto and Kanto lands, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver feature the same gotta-catch-em-all mentality of past games. Whether you're battling with friends or against the AI, there's fun to be had in this pair of brand-new Pokemon games!

And the winner is...






Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

Those starry skies shine bright in Dragon Quest IX. This immense RPG is full of content-- hundreds of hours before seeing everything there is to see. The game sold so well that Nintendo is bringing over Dragon Quest VI, the remade version, to North America this February. Here's hoping this RPG series never loses its tremendous stride!

Runner-Up: Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver

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[Best PlayStation 3 Game]

And the nominees are...

God of War III


The gods are angry at Kratos, and Zeus is aiming his powerful lightning bolts directly at the former God of War's heart. Ooh... How intense! From the remarkable HD visuals that look like a work of art as David Jaffe, creator of the series, once stated, to the amazing combat system and powerful score, God of War III serves as a reminder of how a triple-A blockbuster should be.

Gran Turismo 5


Polyphony Digital were hard at work on this highly-anticipated sequel for years. In fact, they released Gran Turismo 5: Prologue as a means to satiate the anticipation for a while longer as they honed their skills on this great racing simulator. Speed through Laguna, race through the streets of Italy, and drift through turns in this excellent racer. With more cars than a Chevy dealership, Gran Turismo 5 is the ultimate driving simulator.

The Sly Collection


Three games in one plus some Move-enabled minigames, The Sly Collection takes your favorite raccoon thief, and puts him in glorious HD. Each game plays differently from the next. One is a pure platformer while the second plays out more as a sandbox title. The third is a mix of both. No matter the game you play in the Sly trilogy, you're sure to have a gigantic smile on your goofy face.

Sports Champions


In my opinion, this is the premiere Move title, showing what Sony's Wii-too controller can do to its fullest. From archery to bocce ball, there's an impressive list of sports to play, awards to earn, and good times to have. Table tennis is much more responsive and entertaining than that of Wii Sports Resort. As many know, this is no easy task! If you're interested in a Move, be sure to pick up Sports Champions as your first Move title!

And the winner is...






God of War III

How are the other games supposed to beat a god? Answer? They can't. There's just no way in Hades. Kratos reigns supreme with some visceral and engaging combat, jaw-dropping visuals, and sensational score and voice acting. While it's not the best game of the God of War trilogy (that honor goes to II), it still is one very entertaining game.

Runner-Up: Gran Turismo 5

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[Best Wii Game]

Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars


Joe the Condor versus Ryu? Bring it on! A game that I deemed better than Super Street Fighter 4, Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars brings all the fun of fighting games and streamlines it so anyone can pick up the controller and play. Sure, most of us will have our asses handed to us when we play online, but that's a whole 'nother story! With enough memorable characters, arenas, and combos to be had, Tatsunoko VS. Capcom is the best fighter this year.

Monster Hunter Tri


Capcom did Wii owners well this year with two Wii Game of the Year nominees. Monster Hunter Tri is essentially a big boss rush game. You are constantly thwarting the plans of gigantic monsters who intend to KO you in three hits. Meanwhile, you earn new weapons and armor from defeated monsters via transforming animal hides into valuable weapons. A difficult game to jump into, Monster Hunter Tri was my very first experience with the franchise, and I enjoyed every second of it.

Super Mario Galaxy 2


Super Mario Galaxy was 2007's Game of the Year here at SuperPhillip Central. This year, its sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2 came out, and it blew me away. The new challenges, puzzles, and tasks to accomplish were literally out of this world! The soundtrack is easily my favorite of the year, and jumping on 3D Goombas never gets old. If you're looking for a supremely competent 3D platformer, look no further than Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Donkey Kong Country Returns


Retro Studios handled the 3D versions of Metroid, and they handled them well. Now armed with the Donkey Kong Country franchise, Retro knocked this one out of the park as well with Donkey Kong Country Returns. The levels were fiendishly designed, the enemies were inspired, and the remade music was catchy, too. It's a game to absolutely go ape over or go bananas. Whichever monkey pun you prefer is fine with me!

Metroid: Other M


Some folks have a seething hatred of this game due to its insane story. I didn't mind it at all. If Samus Aran wants to have daddy issues, let the woman have daddy issues! From the fun exploration of the Bottleship to taking out enemies in stellar fashion, Metroid: Other M featured a whole array of new tricks, some good, some bad. All-in-all, Samus' newest adventure is definitely worth taking a look at.

Sonic Colors


You know the Wii is doing well when there's six games vying for the Wii Game of the Year in 2010! What a year it was for Sonic. First there was Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, then Sonic teh Hedgehog 4, and that was followed by the incredibly great Sonic Colors for Nintendo Wii. Blast through levels at the speed of sound as Sonic the Hedgehog. This time around, the added gimmick, the Wisps, does not deter from the game but enhances it. Bravo, Sonic Team. Bravo.

And the winner is...







Super Mario Galaxy 2

Who else could it be but Mario? The fantastic platforming, creative new galaxies, and stellar soundtrack kept Mario Galaxy 2 apart from the rest of the pack. Truly, it was not even close. 3D platformers are always a fun genre to play, and Mario generally always leads the way. This definitely holds true for Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Runner-Up: Donkey Kong Country Returns

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Tomorrow night is the final night of the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2010 Awards, so buckle up! We'll be looking back at last year's Game of the Year followed by the moment everyone has been waiting for-- 2010's Game of the Year! See you then, gang!

The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2010 Awards - Day Three

Yay! I got the grape jam out of my tuxedo. I've been wearing this thing for three days straight now. That's how dedicated I am to this award show, darn it! Today is a cool day for nominees. This time we're checking out the Most Overlooked game, Developer of the Year, and Multiplatform Game of the Year. It's sure to get interesting, so put on your helmets, fasten your seat belts, and do whatever else is necessary to prepare for the awesomeness that is the SPC Best of 2010 Awards-- Day Three!

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[Most Overlooked]

It hurts me deeply when a favorite game of mine is overlooked. I get angry. Not, like, "grrrr" angry, but more, like, "Darn you, people, for not buying this game!" You know what I mean? Well, I do at least, and that's all that really matters here, I imagine. Here are your nominees for most overlooked game of 2010...

Picross 3D (DS)


Man, was I addicted to this title! The goal is to make a shape by chipping away at blocks in a three-dimensional fashion. Numbers on the side of the shapes inform you of how many blocks are in a set row. Then it all comes down to the power of deduction to solve the puzzle for yourself. With hundreds of puzzles and a cheap budget-price tag, there's no excuse why this title didn't sell better!

Metroid: Other M (Wii)


Metroid: Other M didn't set the world on fire like Nintendo intended. It was supposed to be one of their biggest titles of the year, but it has yet to even hit half a million sales worldwide. Now that is sad. Regardless, was it game's weird story? Was it the linear progression of the game? Who knows? I am just disappointed that this wonderful game in the Metroid series didn't sell the way it should have!

FlingSmash (Wii)


I like hitting that little sucker around. Zip and Pip, the dynamic duo, trying to help out Sutton Island from the evil bad guys trying to take over the island. You use the new Wii MotionPlus to smack those bastards through twenty-four progressively more difficult side-scrolling levels. It's good fun when the controls work. And the game is really only ten bucks with a forty dollars Wii MotionPlus controller. Pretty cool deal that most people overlooked for Wii Play. Bastards!

Limbo (XBLA)


What can I say about Limbo? It's an atmospheric platformer/adventure game where you watch out for hidden traps, rolling boulders, and gigantic arachnids! The game is really beautiful to look at, but so many gamers overlooked it. Why? I don't know. Maybe art is subjective to people, and many folks didn't appreciate the style of the game. Limbo is in limbo to most gamers, and that's just disappointing.

Red Steel 2 (Wii)


RED STEEEEEEEL! YEAAAAAAAAH! All right. I'm calm now. This game must have been hampered by the MotionPlus only controls which left many a-gamer out in the cold. Regardless, those who played the game appreciated the masterful gunplay and swordplay that the game possessed. It was a blast taking down samurai warriors with a combination of a gun and a sharp, slicin' and dicin' katana blade. Unfortunately, the game sold like Enron stock.

And the winner is...







Metroid: Other M (Wii)

A big blockbuster game that sold poorly in the eyes of everyone, including Nintendo. That's no good! Now Samus Aran's next adventure may be in ten years instead of two since Other M sold so poorly. I definitely mind this unlike some people. I loved this game. Sure, the story was told oddly, but it was a fun adventure for the most part save for those Where's Waldo? TM sections.

Runner-Up: Red Steel 2 (Wii)

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[Developer of the Year]

Nintendo EAD won last year over Rocksteady Games who made the incredible Batman: Arkham Asylum. Can they make it a repeat this year with Super Mario Galaxy 2? Let's find out with our nominees...

Nintendo EAD


Last year, Nintendo EAD won this coveted award for their work on both New Super Mario Bros. Wii as well as The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. This year they are nominated for this award for their work on Super Mario Galaxy 2. A team that can consistently pump out award-winning franchises and games is just sensational. Can they pull of the two-peat?

Sony Santa Monica


The makers of God of War III crafted an exceptional game. It consisted of Kratos, the God of War himself, terrorizing the god who turned against him, Zeus. The gameplay here is exquisitely-made with some impressive backdrops, intense sequences, and clever camera angles. This game really is a work of art, and only Sony Santa Monica could have done it. Well, maybe not.

Polyphony Digital


The team perfected the racing simulator with Gran Turismo 4. They somehow further enhanced the genre with Gran Turismo 5 on the PlayStation 3. How do you enhance perfection? Well, the fine folks at Polyphony Digital did just that. With more cars, more tracks, realistic driving physics, and a snazzy soundtrack, Polyphony Digital certainly outdid themselves this time around.

SUMO Digital


This team is known for their great tennis titles. However, in this case and in this year the team worked on Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, and did a terrific job. The tracks are well-designed, the cast of colorful characters is terrific, and the multiple modes are enjoyable. Who hasn't wanted to pit Sonic against Knuckles in a race?

And the winner is...







Nintendo EAD

For two years in a row, Nintendo EAD has amazed me the most with their impressive game-making skills. This time they crafted the excellent Super Mario Galaxy 2 which may be in the running for best Wii game! This time just knows how to make fun games, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a testament to that.

Runner-Up: Sony Santa Monica

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[Multiplatform Game of the Year]

I own multiple consoles, but my 360 RROD'd. That's the reason why the 360 won't have a game of the year this year or any other. If Microsoft could make dependable products, this wouldn't be a problem. Regardless, I own every other console, and got to play a slew of multiplatform games. Here are the nominees...

Dead Rising 2 (PS3, 360)


Join Chuck Greene as he battles the undead in beautiful Paradise City in Dead Rising 2. While not as impressive as the original Dead Rising on the 360, Dead Rising 2 does have its share of interesting and exciting moments! From driving through the halls of Paradise City's casinos, running over zombies, to combining weapons to form new, more powerful tools of destruction, Dead Rising 2 is a fantastic sequel worth your money.

Super Meat Boy (360, PC)


Meat is delicious. You vegetarians are missing out! Nonetheless, meat is also fun to play as, especially when you're Super Meat Boy. You play through super-difficult platforming perils, through sawmills, chainsaws, and other death traps. The game is a bone-crushingly hard, but it's rewarding to run through and complete each and every level Super Meat Boy offers.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (PS3, 360, Wii, DS)


SUMO Digital's Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is an impressive racer as I've said repeatedly throughout this award show. May I have your permission to gush about it even more? Awesome! With fun and creative tracks to race upon based on several SEGA properties, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is a racer that outshines, outclasses, and outperforms Mario Kart Wii. It beats out a Mario Kart! Unbelievable!

Call of Duty: Black Ops (PS3, 360, Wii, PC)


Ooh-ra-- all right. That's enough of that. Call of Duty: Black Ops features an intense single-player campaign, incredibly fun online multiplayer, and some gorgeous graphics. The multiplayer's prestige system gives players rewards for kills and wins and levels up players with new rewards and weapons. All right. I'm saying it again! Ooh-rah!

Super Street Fighter 4 (PS3, 360)


Over thirty fighters from around the world fight for purpose, honor, and strength. Super Street Fighter 4 features new fighters, arenas, and options. It's a terrific fighting game with individual strategies offering new standards of play. The graphics are super-impressive with an awesome art style, great music, and classic characters that we know and love. Plus new ones!

And the winner is...







Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing

I'm sick of talking about the wonderful track design featuring locations like Dino Jungle from Billy Hatcher, Seaside Hill from Sonic Heroes, and many more. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Eggman, Billy Hatcher, Ulala, Aiai, and others join the fray as you race through the colorful courses and awesome tracks. Better than Mario Kart Wii, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is SPC's best Multiplatform game.

Runner-Up: Super Meat Boy

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There goes by the halfway point of our lovely awards ceremony. I'm jumping into the washer with my tuxedo to get it clean. That is the smart thing to do, right? Hope you enjoyed tonight's awards. See you tomorrow, friends!

The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2010 Awards - Day Two

My tuxedo has been dry-cleaned! You know why? That's because it's time for Day Two of the wondrous SuperPhillip Central Best of 2010 Awards! This day we'll be taking a peek at the Best New Franchise, Biggest Unexpected Surprise, and Most Disappointing. Ooh. We're ending on a downer. I hope I can take it! Let's do this, dawgs!

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[Best New Franchise]

So many times a new franchise is just the same genre painted in new colors. That's what gets me down about so-called new IPs. Regardless, this list features my favorite new franchises of 2010. Here are our so-called nominees...

ModNation Racers (PS3)


Let's race! ModNation Racers puts you in control. Want to play the single player campaign? It's awesome. Want to design your own tracks and detail your own vehicles and Mods? That's awesome, too. It really is your race to win, design, control, whatever. Playing the game with friends or complete strangers is a blast as well! ModNation Racers might not outdo Mario Kart, but it is a very competent kart racer nonetheless.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (PS3, 360, Wii, DS)


Let's race even more! It's time to the pedal to the metal, and race with Sonic and his SEGA cohorts! There's Ulala, Aiai, Beat, those two zombies from House of the Dead EX, and so many more! It's a SEGA orgy in here! I'm surprised orgy is actually not being spell-checked. Regardless, with supreme track design, a great musical score of classic SEGA songs, and cool online lobbies, this title reigns on top when it comes to new IPs! Or does it? Tee-hee!

3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3)


Sure, it's the original Legend of Zelda taken under a fine microscope, dissected, and crafted finely into its own 3D adventure, but it's a brand-new adventure old-school Zelda-style! With sword upgrades, intense dungeons, monster and boss encounters, and a clever art style featuring 3D blocks making up everything from the characters to the scenery, 3D Dot Game Heroes may borrow heavily from Zelda, but it's a fun journey nonetheless.

MAG (PS3)


MAG. Massive Action Game. They weren't kidding either. Hundreds of players shooting each other in team warfare is a blast! What makes MAG unique is that is an exclusively multiplayer experience. So don't buy this game if you don't have online capabilities! You'll be sucked... er... pissed! The leveling up system makes a lot of sense with players earning new abilities for reaching new XP levels. MAG is the shit, dawg.

And the winner is...








ModNation Racers (PS3)

Hitting the finish line first is ModNation Racers, a truly impressive title! Who doesn't love racing on the excellent premade tracks, your own custom-made tracks, or zooming around the ModSpot for fun? No one, that's who! The controls are easy to master, the game is a joy to play, and you'll just desire to earn more XP as fast as you can accumulate it. Congrats to ModNation Racers, Best New Franchise of 2010!

Runner-Up: Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (PS3, 360, Wii, DS)

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[Most Unexpected Surprise]

This isn't like suddenly becoming pregnant after a rough night of passionate sex. No, no. Did I mention this site was for teens and up? Anywho... No, this is like those games that you played and were expecting them to not be all that good, but lo and behold they were awesome! That's exactly what papa is talking about! Let's get to it, daddios and mommios!

Red Steel 2 (Wii)


The first Red Steel was not a good game. It wasn't even a mediocre one-- it was just bad all around. However, Ubisoft redeemed themselves with the MotionPlus-exclusive sequel featuring gun-toting, sword-slashing gameplay. There was no multiplayer component unfortunately, but what there was of the single-player was one heck of a workout! A fun, enjoyable game, Red Steel 2 made March a great month for Wii owners.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (PS3, 360, Wii, DS)


SEGA has been sucking it up a lot lately. So don't develop the game internally, outsource it to the excellent Sumo Digital. That is exactly what SEGA did. The end result? One of my favorite kart racers of all time with excellent tracks, radical characters, and memorable music from days long past. Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing surprised me as it was even better than Mario Kart Wii! ...But not by TOO much!

ModNation Racers (PS3)


Using LittleBigPlanet's design philosophy of create, play, and share, ModNation Racers brought with it an impressive trick system, XP system, track-creation program, and awesomely designed premade courses to trick out on. Playing with friends is always a blast, or heck, even with strangers! If you like fast kart racing action, and you own a PlayStation 3, then I reckon it's time to bust out a copy of ModNation Racers!

MAG (PS3)


We've talked so much about this game in the various categories it has been in that I'm really running out of ways to describe this game and make it sound interesting! Who knew a game that was multiplayer-only could function with a thriving community? I mean, it's still your typical FPS, but it's a fun one at the very least. Okay. I'm officially out of words now!

Sonic Colors (Wii)


When the wisps were introduced, it seemed the Sonic Cycle was in full swing all over again. However, as hands-on coverage of the game was given out to the media, it seemed this game, Sonic Colors, might actually be good! No way, Jose! Yes way! With incredible level design, rocking music, and a carefully-constructed 2D and 3D levels, Sonic Colors is not just a great Sonic game, it's just a great game all around.

Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)


I had faith in Retro Studios to produce an excellent return to the Donkey Kong Country franchise, but I was not expecting what I received. It was a full-out awesome adventure with hidden goodies all over the place, multiple shortcuts, barrels to blast between, and Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong-- just how it should be! The game simply outclasses Rare's efforts save for DKC2, and that is no small feat.

And the winner is...








Sonic Colors (Wii)

A true gem in a 3D franchise that just couldn't catch a break from their developers, Sonic Colors is the ultimate 3D Sonic game. It's not just a good 3D Sonic game, it's a good 3D game, Sonic or not. The levels are masterfully-crafted, the game looks great, and the soundtrack is just beautiful when it's not rocking your butt off! Well done, Sonic, you've finally reached the big time!

Runner-Up: Red Steel 2 (Wii)

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[Most Disappointing]

Kinect (360)


I hate Kinect. I played it, and it was not fun. I don't like jumping around like a moron while a camera records me. How do you like my third leg, Kinect? It's my penis. With a pathetic lineup of release date software featuring a paltry amount of Wii clones Kinect-ized, Kinect may sell well, but those of us in the know and with some taste know what kind of garbage desperate Microsoft is cooking.

Metroid: Other M (Wii)


A lot of people had a problem with the story bits of this title. I didn't really mind those nor did I mind the somewhat linear gameplay. Regardless, the game opens up immensely around halfway to the end, so there's lots of traditional exploration to do. Nonetheless, many folks were unhappy with Samus' newest adventure, love that the game didn't sell to Nintendo's standards (that's lame gamers for you), and want the series to go into hibernation. Which is more disappointing-- the game or the gamers?

Dante's Inferno (PS3, 360)


Hyped up to be a God of War killer but was anything but, Dante's Inferno sold like bullocks even with multiple Super Bowl ads. I loved the ad with David Letterman, Oprah, and Jay Leno. You know the one I'm talking about, right? Oh, back to the description! The game wasn't very well designed nor did it have any kind of fun factor to make it even resemble God of War. Add to the fact that it was the most pirated 360 game of 2010, and you have a mess of something.

Sonic Colors (DS)


A DS game reaches Most Disappointing status when it resembles a gerbil running through a maze of poorly constructed levels. Speed is key here, but where's the fun in that when you always fall down a bottomless pit without any warning? At least in the damn Wii version they tell you when there's a bottomless pit ahead! Regardless, Sonic Colors for the DS is a disappointing title that could have been so much better had the team spent more time on the level design.

And the loser is...









Kinect (360)

Screw you, Kinect. You raped my sister and dragged my family's name through the mud. Okay, so my distaste for Kinect isn't steeped in that much back-story, but still it's a horrible add-on from a desperate company in greedy Microsoft. The games suck for the most part (when they even work properly), the tech is too expensive, and the selection of games is, again, paltry. I'm going to get a hemorrhage from this. I almost put hemorrhoid! Now THAT would have been embarrassing!

Runner-Up: Dante's Inferno (PS3, 360)

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Hey, dudes! That's all for day two of the SPC Best of 2010 Awards! I hope you had fun tonight reading my picks for best and worst of 2010! Does anyone know how to get grape jam out of a tuxedo? I think I'm screwed. Oh, well. See you tomorrow night, friends!