The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2013 Awards - Night Three

By the end of tonight we'll be more than halfway through our five night games ceremony spectacular. Night Three of SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2013 Awards contains three awards to hand out. These awards will go to the Most Overlooked game of the year, the Publisher of the Year, and finally, the Multiplatform Game of the Year. As usual, wear your finest clothes for this special sixth annual event!

[Most Overlooked]

An unfortunate aspect of our industry is that for every great selling AAA blockbuster, there are five excellent games that sell like water to a drowning man. If you are frequent reader of SuperPhillip Central, then you know how we liked spotlighting such games in our Most Overlooked series of articles. This category awards the Most Overlooked of the most overlooked.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3, Vita)

Although it appeared on the NPD for the month it was released, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time ended up on the lower end of the top ten in a month of low sales almost all around. Regardless, the newest entry in the Sly Cooper series saw the Cooper gang time traveling to various locales and time periods, such as the Old West, Medieval England, and even the Ice Age. Saving the Cooper Clan from disappearing from history was the goal here, and the stealth gameplay, fun platforming, and entertaining missions meant that all of those PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita owners who ignored Sly Cooper's latest missed out big time.

Puppeteer (PS3)

A game too niche for the PlayStation 3 audience, Puppeteer came from Sony's Japan Studio, and it was set up like you were controlling a character in a play. Controlling Kutaro, our headless hero, you went through levels coming across objects that could temporarily take the role of Kutaro's head, allowing him access to otherwise unreachable areas. With a special pair of magical scissors, Kutaro could defeat enemies and be involved in unique platforming challenges. While the gameplay didn't reach its full potential, the presentation and originality alone are worth looking into Puppeteer.

Tearaway (Vita)

It seems obvious that a game that is exclusive to a platform that is severely underperforming would make it on a list of overlooked games. That is exactly the case with Media Molecule's Tearaway. Using a ton of what the PlayStation Vita had to offer functionality-wise, Tearaway was a platforming adventure quite unlike anything else on the market. Between its lack of marketing, odd premise, and audience, it's without much surprise that Tearaway takes a place on our Most Overlooked nominee list.

Soul Sacrifice (Vita)

While PlayStation Vita owners do not have a Monster Hunter game to call their own, several imitations have appeared on the system. The first of such of these titles was Soul Sacrifice. Taking the risk of battle to a completely different level, Soul Sacrifice allowed players to sacrifice items as well as body parts in order to get a leg-up (no pun intended) on the battle at hand. The colossal creatures that were ready to be faced meant for some very intense encounters. Soul Sacrifice's premise was quite intriguing, but apparently it wasn't intriguing enough for a lot of Vita owners.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (3DS, PSN, XBLA)

We were very weary of trying out the latest in the Castlevania series. After all, the old staff had nothing with the game-- it was all Mercury Steam, a Western developer. However, while Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate did not stand on the same shelf as classics like Super Castlevania IV, Symphony of the Night, or Dawn of Sorrow, the game did impress enough and had enough quality to make it recommended by us. The game was essentially doomed on the word "go" once it was announced for the Nintendo 3DS, a system that doesn't have the most M-rated games on it, or a fan base that buys them like they were going out of style. However, those who did get to try the game with an open mind found a Castlevania game that was a worthwhile play.

Runner-Up: Rayman Legends (Multi)

One of those fresh breaths in the gaming industry, Rayman Legends was a 2D platformer with not just a marvelous art style but it had the gameplay to back the presentation up. Originally to be released as a Wii U exclusive, the game was delayed seven months in order to be ported to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation Vita. Unfortunately, the new release date was right in the thick of the AAA gaming season, making Rayman Legends a game that many passed on in favor of other games that were releasing that season. It's a darn shame, too, as Rayman Legends is one of the most refreshing 2D platformers that has been released in retail in a long time.

Winner: The Wonderful 101 (Wii U)

Just like with the PlayStation Vita's Tearaway, it should be no surprise that a niche, new IP released on a struggling system would not receive much in the way of sales. It doesn't help that many critics were too impatient in learning the actual mechanics of The Wonderful 101 before writing the game off, turning countless potential consumers off simultaneously. The Wonderful 101 offered a deep and complex combat system, a story that kept raising the stakes to ridiculous levels, and a presentation that was out of this world. Although it was given its own Nintendo Direct, The Wonderful 101 did not do so hot in sales, but then again, what Wii U game has? Unfortunate, as The Wonderful 101 is one of the best action games released in a few years.

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[Publisher of the Year]

For the past five years we have had a Developer of the Year category. This year, at the very last moment, we decided to transform it into the Publisher of the Year category. We have five nominees for the first edition of this award, so let's get to it!

Microsoft

For the first 3/4 of the year, Microsoft was relatively quiet, only releasing Gears of War: Judgment as they made their preparations for the Xbox One. The Xbox One launch alone was fantastic, with such titles Microsoft published like Killer Instinct, Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, Zoo Tycoon, and although its potential was not met, Ryse: Son of Rome. All these games add up to giving Microsoft a spot on our list of nominations for Publisher of the Year.

Ubisoft

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Call of Jaurez: Gunslinger, Rayman Jungle Run, Rayman Legends, Rocksmith 2014, Just Dance 2014-- These are just a wide sampling of the offerings of Ubisoft this past year. There's something for everyone here-- action-adventure games, shooters, platformers, party games, etc. It's for these reasons that Ubisoft takes a nice place in our list of nominees for Publisher of the Year.

Warner Bros. Interactive

Giving gamers and less serious players a host of content to enjoy, Warner Bros. Interactive did rather well for itself this year. With LEGO Marvel Super Heroes for Marvel fans, Scribblenauts Unmasked for DC Comics buffs, as well as Batman: Arkham Origins and Injustice: Gods Among Us, WB Interactive has had a good offering of quality games in 2013.

Runner-Up: Sony

Sony earns bonus points for taking a lot of risks by investing in new IP at the end of this past generation. Some were absolute successes like The Last of Us, while most had the quality but not the sales, such as Puppeteer and Tearaway. Regardless, Sony's output this year was very good, offering Gran Turismo 6, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, God of War: Ascension, Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus, Soul Sacrifice, two Killzone games (one for the PS4 and one for the Vita), among others. The reason why Sony is only runner-up is because a lot of the titles published by the company pale in comparison quality-wise to our winner.

Winner: Nintendo

While coming nowhere near the levels of risk that our runner-up ventured to, Nintendo without a doubt had both quality and quantity when it came to their releases. On the Nintendo 3DS alone you had Fire Emblem: Awakening, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Pokemon X and Y, and finally The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Then when you look at what the Wii U gave us, LEGO City Undercover, Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Wii Party U, and Super Mario 3D World, it's difficult to give this award to any other publisher than Nintendo.

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[Multiplatform Game of the Year]

We have reached the first really really important award of this ceremony. You see, the winner of this category will be in the running for SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year 2013 award. While there were a lot of multiplatform games to choose this year, we have selected six of the very best to represent the year that was 2013.

Tomb Raider (PS3, 360, PC)

Tomb Raider was already in the running for our Most Unexpected Surprise award, and now it leads off the nominations for Multiplatform Game of the Year. Lara Croft in this reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise is a more vulnerable girl, not yet battle hardened. That certainly changes through the events of the game. From the enjoyable gun play to the massive amount of exploration within the game, Tomb Raider is indeed an excellent revision of the classic Tomb Raider franchise.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Multi)

Take to the open seas in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. The developers successfully took the issues players had with the previous game in the series, Assassin's Creed III, and corrected them. The incredible scale of the open world setting Black Flag offers is absolutely remarkable with tons of areas to venture in. Even the side missions this time around are fantastic and some might argue even better than what is offered in the story. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a game that properly reinvigorated the quickly aging franchise, making it a shoe-in to be nominated for our Multiplatform Game of the Year category.

Rayman Legends (Multi)

The odd game out on this list of Multiplatform Game of the Year nominees, 2D platformers were a dime a dozen back in the NES and SNES days of gaming. Now, they've been unfairly positioned in a place where gamers expect them to be cheap for whatever reason, regardless of how much content they actually have. Rayman Legends gives players all of Rayman's move set at the beginning of the game, tricky platforming challenges, amazing music-driven stages, difficult Invasion levels, a stunning presentation, and innovation in the form of Murfy. 2D platforming fans have no doubt already enjoyed what Rayman Legends has to offer, so if you haven't, there's no better time than the present.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, 360)

Platinum Games knocks another one out of the park with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Slicing and dicing up foes with Raiden's blade is always exciting and immensely enjoyable. The fast pace of this high octane action game shows off just why Platinum Games is king when it comes to character-driven action games. It has a deep, rewarding combat system that seems so simple at first, a level of challenge that is just right, and crazy as all get out set pieces.

Runner-Up: BioShock Infinite (Multi)

With pitch perfect shooting mechanics, an awesome ability to jump on and off as well as ride sky rails, and one of the most captivating stories told in a video game, BioShock Infinite no doubt is worthy of the BioShock name. Ken Levine and his team deliver a compelling mystery that is accentuated by the excellent gameplay mechanics. BioShock Infinite is definitely a great contender for Multiplatform Game of the Year, but it's not THE winner of this category.

Winner: Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, 360)

Not only is our Multiplatform Game of the Year one of the most ambitious games of the past generation, but it unquestionably offers the player an insane amount of freedom. Los Santos and its surrounding areas is a huge open world sandbox setting to explore. The amount of detail in Grand Theft Auto V is astounding, the story is intriguing with characters you might not like but are interested in, and the customization options are incredible as well. Grand Theft Auto V takes the series to new heights and with that in mind it certainly deserves top honors for Multiplatform Game of the Year.

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We're not past the halfway point in our awards ceremony! Tomorrow night we will add more games to enter the running for Game of the Year 2013 here at SuperPhillip Central. We hope you are looking forward to it!

The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2013 Awards - Night Two

Hello guys and gals. It's night number two of SuperPhillip Central's five night Best of 2013 Awards. We've already gone over the best soundtrack, the best presentation, and more, but if you missed out, just check out this link. For everyone who is caught up, tonight we "give out" four more awards to four more deserving nominees. Tonight we have Best New IP, Most Unexpected Surprise, Most Innovative, and Most Disappointing. We have a lot of games being represented here on our awards ceremony, so hunker down and get ready. (As a side note: Feel free to wear a dapper tuxedo or fancy dress, depending on your preference! You know, just to make the ceremony seem nicer than it actually is.)

[Best New IP]

Best New IP is our first award category this evening. It's not usual that we see a lot of new IP that come out towards the end of a console generation. That is the case here, however, and SuperPhillip Central nominates the very best that debuted this year. All of these nominees didn't just make a new IP just to make a new one-- they had unique gameplay to make it all the more worthwhile.

Beyond: Two Souls (PS3)

The line between film and gaming blurs with the game Beyond: Two Souls, a title from Quantic Dream, known for their game Heavy Rain, also a PS3 exclusive. Beyond: Two Souls offers an engaging story rifled with emotion. With the big name talents of Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe involved with the game, Beyond: Two Souls is a remarkable experience, even if it struggles to present much in the way of actual gaming.

Tearaway (Vita)

Even with a new generation of consoles coming out, Sony still produced multiple new IPs for their existing hardware. Tearaway is yet another one of these titles. Journey into the colorful world of Media Molecule's Tearaway, an adventure unlike anything seen before. Using the PlayStation Vita's strengths and functionality to create a sensational game, Tearaway is a new IP that is both entertaining and endearing. We shouldn't forget absolutely charming, either!

Puppeteer (PS3)

Another new Sony IP that failed to set the charts alight, Puppeteer stars a boy named Kutaro, who has been summoned into a foreign, fantastical world where his head has been stolen by the Moon Bear King. Along his adventure to regain his lost head, Kutaro comes across multiple items and objects that take the place of his head, as well as plenty of shearing to be done with a magical pair of stolen scissors. We agree with Matt of Digitally Downloaded that no amount of advertising would have made this game sell, and that speaks to the sad state of the industry.

Runner-Up: The Wonderful 101 (Wii U)

Platinum Games and Nintendo's first project together on the Wii U was The Wonderful 101, a tale of 100 superheroes (the player is the 01- in the 101 title) banding together to take on the GEATHJERK alien army. Though the combat takes some getting used to, once learned, players can assaults enemies with impressive combos, switching between guns, swords, and giant hulking fists. The gameplay and plot constantly escalate between one crazy scenario after another, each more insane than the last. It's with these reasons why The Wonderful 101 gets runner-up this year for Best New IP.

Winner: The Last of Us (PS3)

It's quite hard to ignore The Last of Us, as it is one of the most incredible games that came out this past year. Like Beyond: Two Souls, it brings out emotion from the player, but this title actually has a lot of excellent gameplay to back things up. The struggles of Joel and Ellie keep the narrative going strong, and the stealth gameplay mixed with occasional bits of pure action make for a game that is well rounded. The Last of Us is without question the best new IP of 2013, and arguably this generation.

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[Most Unexpected Surprise]

Now, with the Most Unexpected Surprise category, we're being positive here, so it's not like a stinky fart coming out of nowhere is the best unexpected surprise. No, instead the games nominated here came from virtually nowhere or has a quality that was unexpected and blew us away in the end. Oh, and forgive us for the stinky fart analogy.

Tomb Raider (Multi)

Now, we didn't suspect we would be hit over the head 100 times regarding how this new Lara Croft in this Tomb Raider reboot was a hardened survivor. Of course, being abused in multiple ways (e.g. being shipwrecked, being burned, being choked, being impaled, being shot at, etc.) hammered this point home easily. Regardless, we also didn't suspect that the reboot would be a good thing for the franchise. It actually was, and Tomb Raider's reboot offered a full island to explore, treasure to loot, and skills to master. Even the shoehorned in multiplayer satisfied us. Well done, Crystal Dynamics. Well done.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, 360)

Platinum Games has two titles up for the Most Unexpected Surprise award. We didn't really question that a Platinum Games character-driven action game would be bad. We just didn't know how well it would gel with Hideo Kojima's created world, nor did we know exactly how great Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the final product, would actually be. The game is a fast-paced action title that makes you feel like a total bad ass as you play through it, carving up foes like Thanksgiving dinner.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (3DS, PSN, XBLA)

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was a reboot of the Castlevania series, much to the chagrin of many old school fans. However, it did find an audience and expanded this past year to the Nintendo 3DS with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate. The game received an HD version in downloadable form on both PSN and XBLA this past fall. While the game isn't as amazing as Symphony of the Night and games of that similar structure, it is fun to explore the castle grounds, obtaining new moves, uncovering hidden items and treasure chests to improve the player's stats. We might be alone in enjoying Mirror of Fate, but after hearing so much negativity towards the game, we expected a horrible title. Thankfully, Mirror of Fate was quite the opposite.

Runner-Up: The Wonderful 101 (Wii U)

We knew coming into The Wonderful 101 that we would find a fun game. We just didn't expect how deep, rewarding, or far out wacky the game would be. The Wonderful 101 pits players under the control of a steadily increasing armada of superheroes. At 100 members strong, character abilities are augmented to insane limits, allowing players to create crazy combos. The amount of depth in the combat is amazing, and it's easily missed out on by those who simply judge this game after a single play session. It takes some learning to understand The Wonderful 101, and when this accomplished, you will probably have an understanding as to why many, including us, can't get enough of Platinum Games' latest.

Winner: LEGO City Undercover (Wii U)

LEGO games are generally not that well polished, but they do feature a lot of content for those who are willing to go all the way. The latest games in the series have been in a sandbox structure, though there was little to do in each setting. With the Wii U exclusive LEGO City Undercover, the developers at TT Games created a polished open world in LEGO City that is legitimately and amazingly fun to explore. The city is absolutely dense-- every city block has something to do on it, a collectible to find, a vehicle to impound, or a footrace to complete. The story and script are equally hilarious. All of this makes for what is easily the best LEGO game ever devised, and a game that completely floored us in its quality (and its initial long loading times).

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[Most Innovative]

Innovation. Part of the industry strives for it, the other not so much. It is through innovation, whether it be through hardware or software that prevents the industry from becoming stagnant. Sometimes innovation works, and sometimes it just feels thrown in for the heck of it. The games nominated in this category are ones that provide the player with innovation that is positive for the playing experience.

Game & Wario (Wii U)

Something that Nintendo fans have been tired of for a while is the mini-game collection. That didn't stop the big N from releasing Game & Wario over the summer. That said, Game & Wario really uses the GamePad for some truly innovative uses. One game has you looking at the GamePad screen for an overhead view of a leaping character while the TV screen offers a land view of the obstacle course. Another game has you moving the GamePad around to take photos of specific targets while the TV screen shows the entire level. Game & Wario might not be a killer app in the Wii U's ever-growing library, but to say it didn't try new things would be folly.

LEGO City Undercover (Wii U)

LEGO City Undercover is one of the select amount of titles on the Wii U that does not offer off TV play. The reason for this is that the game uses the Wii U GamePad's functionality for a number of things. For one, players can scan the city on the controller screen to identify criminals, find hidden collectibles, and other things of that nature. The controller serves as hero Chase McCain's communication between characters at the LEGO City Police Department. Of course, no open world game on Wii U would be without a map on the GamePad screen for easy access, granting players the ability to make waypoints without pausing the game.

Puppeteer (PS3)

Puppeteer has the player picking up objects for the protagonist's head to use their abilities at specific points in the game. While this gameplay aspect is nowhere near fully explored, what is the more amazing innovation in the game is Kutaro's use of a special pair of magical scissors. With these shears, he can cut into many objects, allowing him to move vertically and reach otherwise impossible to venture areas, and cut along the seams of fabric to travel across great distances. Puppeteer is a fresh breath of air in a generation where first-person shooters, racers, and sports games ruled.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, 360)

You might be wondering where the innovation in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance comes from. It's quite simple and obvious at the same time. It only comes from the game-defining feature of the gameplay, the sword slashing action. Never before with analog controls has the player been able to so precisely slice through specific segments and parts of an enemy or object. We remember just screwing around, cutting anything and everything in our path just because we got so much enjoyment out of it.

Runner-Up: Rayman Legends (Wii U, Vita)

We exclude the non-Wii U and Vita versions of Rayman Legends because those versions lack touch screens. The Wii U and Vita's touch screens allow the player to become more involved with the game's Murfy levels, where either a human or AI player moves through a level while a player controlling Murfy interacts with various mechanisms to allow the player to advance. Love it or hate it (we love it), it's much appreciated that the team at Ubisoft Montpelier created such an innovative control scheme. It overall makes great use of both the Wii U GamePad and the Vita.

Winner: Tearaway (Vita)

Using every major functionality of the PlayStation Vita, Tearaway is yet another game that couldn't be done on any other PlayStation system. Tearaway has the player using the camera to take photos, making patterns for NPCs to wear, has the player interacting with the environment with the rear touch screen of the system, and has players cutting out patterns with slashes of the front screen. None of this feels like it was just thrown in for novelty's sake, and it all adds up to create an experience that is wholly original.

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[Most Disappointing]

Let's end this night on a downer, shall we? This category has its nominees that let us down in one way or another. Whether they weren't of the quality we were wishing for or simply didn't live up to their expectations, these nominees are the ones we have selected for the dubious honor of the Most Disappointing award for 2013.

Aliens: Colonial Marines (PS3, 360, PC)

A game mired with controversy and disappointment, Aliens: Colonial Marines is a mess of a game. The revelation that the game was outsourced and not made hardly at all by Gearbox Software piled onto the idea that Aliens: Colonial Marines was an obviously rushed out product that was entirely unfinished. Bad AI, a seemingly infinite amount of glitches, lack of balance in the gameplay, and poor graphics. The latter is disturbing because Gearbox showed a demo version of the game at multiple media events where the visuals were clearly much better than what the final product had. For shame.

Battlefield 4 (Multi)

Between its numerous launch bugs and gltiches, some even freezing systems and a good portion of online matches being unplayable, Battlefield 4's situation is anything but positive. For all the pretty set pieces and incredible graphics, the online foundation seems to be broken. It's gotten so bad that the developer DICE has halted work on future projects just to fix the myriad errors of the game. In addition to that, multiple law firms have put EA to task with class action lawsuits for basically lying to investors about the quality of the game. It's pretty apparent that Battlefield 4 was rushed out to compete with Call of Duty: Ghosts, but with doing so, it might have completely destroyed the reputation of the Battlefield brand.

Pandora's Tower (Wii)

The final of the three Operation Rainfall games to be released, Pandora's Tower is an excellent game. Well, that is the original Japanese and PAL versions. Unfortunately for us North Americans, our version of the game has a glitch near the end of the game that results in it freezing at the same spot every time, when one of the last towers of the game is selected. This means many gamers found out that after all their enjoyment with the game and progress, it was for naught. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was near the beginning or even the middle of Pandora's Tower, but to experience this freezing bug near the end, knowing all your work was for nothing, well, that doesn't sit well with us at SuperPhillip Central.

Project X Zone (3DS)

A game that many people, including us, didn't expect to ever be released here in the West due to all of its licenses between companies, Project X Zone released over the summer. The game is a strategy RPG with an abundance of characters from Namco Bandai, Capcom, and SEGA. This sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, that is until you actually play the game for about ten hours. Then battles become endless, the repetitive nature of each battle gets to you, and you begin dreading playing each mission. For a game that a lot of gamers wanted to see localized, it's truly a shame that Project X Zone's gameplay wasn't anywhere as exceptional as its unprecedented crossover premise.

Runner-Up: SimCity (PC)

Perhaps EA is really proud of being named Worst Company in America two years in a row and are going for the threepeat. With Battlefield 4 tarnishing the brand potentially and SimCity prior to that this year, EA has a lot of publishers beat. Though some critics lapped up the game, it wasn't until post-launch that consumers in wide numbers started complaining about SimCity's 2013 incarnation vocally and loudly. Network outages, the inability to play or save the game offline, ridiculously small city sizes, and issues with connecting to EA's servers meant lots of anger from consumers, and rightfully so. Heck, even Battlefield 4 in its worst state allowed people to play the game, but with SimCity's problems, for a lot of people the game was broken and absolutely unplayable. It is yet another embarrassing chapter in the story that is EA. Oh, well. You know, things break. Right, Peter Moore?

"Winner": Wii U Worldwide Sales 

There is no other contender as "winner" of Most Disappointing than this past year's Wii U sales. Nintendo successfully gave away their one year head start with the Wii U in a matter of days of the PS4 and Xbox One releasing. It's a darn shame, too, because the system actually has a lot of worthwhile games to play on it finally. It's simply Nintendo's own incompetence with regards to image, marketing, and preparedness that allows the Wii U to flounder like it has. Currently, the Wii U isn't even on pace to meet the lifetime-to-date sales of the GameCube. It's more in line with what the Dreamcast sold, and we know how that console ended.

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That takes care of Night Two here at the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2013 Awards. We have given out awards to seven games and one miscellaneous thing. Stay here for tomorrow night where we have three awards to hand out in the categories of Most Overlooked, Developer of the Year, and Multiplatform Game of the Year, the latter being the start of our picks for overall Game of the Year 2013. Please be excited!

The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2013 Awards - Opening Night

Welcome everyone, to SuperPhillip Central's sixth annual Best of Awards, this time looking back at the year that was 2013. 2013 was a year that saw an abundance of incredible software in both retail and digital formats. The staff of SuperPhillip Central have put their heads together (boy, did that hurt!), and have seventeen awards to hand out this year. Tonight, being the first night of our five night journey through the best of 2013, we have four award categories. Tonight's just the beginning, and we have plenty of video games to give their due to! Just understand that our tastes our very eclectic in comparison to a lot of outlets, and also that we will not be covering Xbox One or PlayStation 4 exclusives.

Our formula is quite different this year. Compare it to last year for some perspective. We will be listing the games that were nominated first, and then we'll post the runner-up, followed by the winner of the category. It's a similar structure to what our friends at Digitally Downloaded use. With all the explaining out of the way, let's get to our first award...

[Best Original Soundtrack]

A lot of outlets this year have combined games with original music to those with licensed soundtracks. SuperPhillip Central will not be taking this route, as we don't believe you can properly compare the two fairly. We'll just be handing out an award to the game of 2013 with the best original soundtrack.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, 360)

Like electronica? Like fast-paced music? Like heavy metal? Like vocal tracks? Like all these questions? Probably not. We're sorry. Regardless, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance's soundtrack is atypical of the Metal Gear series, offering fast tempo music to accompany the sword-slashin' beatdowns that protagonist Raiden provides.

A Stranger | Remain (Minstral's Theme)

Collective Consciousness

It Has to Be This Way

Rayman Legends (Multi)

Christophe Héral and Billy Martin returned to compose Rayman's latest platforming adventure. It's unfortunate that Rayman Legends sold so poorly, as that meant that millions of gamers were robbed of having the chance of hearing this sometimes ambient, sometimes melodic soundtrack.

Moving Ground

Luchador

20,000 Lums Under the Sea

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3)

Journeying through the world of Ni no Kuni is like journeying through a fairy tale land. This fairy tale feeling is helped by the majestic sounds of the sensational score that accompanies the adventure. Joe Hisaishi, known for his work on Studio Ghibli's films, and Rei Kondoh composed a glorious soundtrack to one of the more reinvigorating RPGs to come out in a long time. It's important to note that even though Ni no Kuni originally released on the DS, that version never came out in the West, making it eligible for this year's category.

Taking to the Skies

Ding Dong Dell

The Fairygrounds

Sonic: Lost World (Wii U, 3DS)

Regardless of your opinion of modern Sonic the Hedgehog games, we think we can all agree that the series' music is always exceptional. Sonic: Lost World is no different. Focusing less on rock and more on classic-style compositions, Tomoya Ohtani created the majority of the Sonic: Lost World soundtrack. The end result is something that goes right alongside classic Genesis Sonic soundtracks. It's very familiar yet very new at the same time.

Honeycomb Highway

Sea Bottom Segue

Frozen Factory - Zone 1

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)

Taking Koji Kondo's famous and heralded compositions from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and giving them a modern feeling is no easy task. However, Ryo Nagamatsu was most definitely up to it. Each theme was given a massive orchestral makeover, and the all-new tracks complemented the familiar boundaries of Hyrule rather well.

Hyrule Field

Kakariko Village

Yuga Battle

Runner-Up: Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)

We're honestly floored by the music of Fire Emblem: Awakening. We never thought back in the days that we were playing our old Game Boy systems that we'd actually get goosebumps from a handheld game's music. We actually did with the orchestral and choir sounds of Fire Emblem: Awakening. It's not just an amazing Nintendo 3DS soundtrack, it's an amazing soundtrack in general, making it runner-up this year for the Best Original Soundtrack award.

Duty

Don't speak her name!

Id~Purpose

Winner: Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Coming off the symphonic leanings of the Super Mario Galaxy duo of games, Mahito Yokota and his team of composers went with a more of a big band flavor to the music of Super Mario 3D World. The end result is astounding, insanely catchy, and livens up the game exponentially. We're suckers for brass and infectious tunes, and Super Mario 3D World delivers all of that in spades, even more than it delivers cat power-ups!

(Unofficial titles as the official CD has yet to be released)

Overworld

Hisstocrat Battle

Staff Credits

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[Best Multiplayer]

Whether you wanna go old school local or play online with your newfangled dial-up or whatever, multiplayer is a part of gaming that brings us together... or in the case of games like Mario Party, heavily divided. Our selections for the best that multiplayer has to offer in 2013 might surprise you, but again, we have eclectic tastes, you know!

Call of Duty: Ghosts (Multi)

It's never a true Best Multiplayer category unless there's a Call of Duty game present. That says a lot of the strength of the series' multiplayer. There's a reason so many millions of gamers invest in systems just to play this franchise, and it's seldom because of the campaign.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Wii U)

Offering online play on a home console, as well as voice chat, this definitive version of Monster Hunter 3 isn't for everyone, but those who take the time to learn the intricacies of the gameplay will find a deeply rewarding experience. This is true, too, for the multiplayer. Hunting with three other companions against a mighty beast is something extremely entertaining to do.

Wii Party U (Wii U)

SuperPhillip Central holds no hate to local multiplayer. It's actually our preferred method of play, so Wii Party U fits the bill for an engaging multiplayer experience quite nicely. Whether it's through the game's asymmetric mini-games, four player contests, or the exceptional and innovative tabletop games, played only on the Wii U GamePad, Wii Party U is a barrel of laughs and fun.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)

Whether played locally or online, Animal Crossing: New Leaf's multiplayer gives friends and family much in the way of pure bliss. Exploring one's village, trading furniture and other items, and participating in island tour mini-games are always enjoyable and innocent fun. The lack of voice chat online stinks, but overall, Animal Crossing: New Leaf's multiplayer is some of the Nintendo 3DS system's best.

Runner-Up: Grand Theft Auto Online (PS3, 360)

Although hampered by several major issues like freezing glitches and total deletion of accounts in the early going, Grand Theft Auto Online, the multiplayer component of Grand Theft Auto V, showcases unprecedented freedom. Up to 16 players can freely explore the vast expanses of Los Santos, engaging in crimes, custom match types, and joining crews. Even with the beginning issues, Grand Theft Auto Online is some of the most fun we've had over the internet.

Winner: Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Many outlets will ignore offline-only games for online experiences. We don't this year, however, as our award to Super Mario 3D World shows this. Regardless, that isn't to say we're superior because of this! Anyway, Super Mario 3D World is a blast with friends and/or family members. Trying to keep one another alive, tinkering your play style to fit your companions', and helping each other all makes for some wicked fun. It's especially wicked fun when you're dying stupid deaths caused by an "accident" made by another player. Super Mario 3D World is the type of multiplayer experience that is perfect for this time of year, and it will no doubt give a lot of kids this holiday season nostalgic memories that they will look back on and think fondly of.

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[Best Presentation]

Phil originally made this site, and he ran these awards for the five previous years until some staff joined up. His rationale for not simply calling the award "Best Graphics" was due to the fact that many games don't have jaw-dropping visuals that can compete with the biggest of the big AAA titles. However, when you compare their art styles, things are totally different and become more even. Hence, why we have Best Presentation instead of Best Graphics. There you go, friends. You're being entertained AND learning at the same time!

Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

The team at Nintendo EAD are geniuses when it comes to not only the obvious, game design, but also getting the most out of the hardware they are using, blowing everyone else away. Super Mario 3D World is a prime example of this, sporting fantastic lighting effects, character models, and worlds. We couldn't help but just sit with our mouths open as we gazed upon splendid vantage point after splendid vantage point.

Rayman Legends (Multi)

Using the Ubi Art in-house graphics engine, the team at Ubisoft Montpelier created a visual triumph that looks absolutely breathtaking in stills and even more amazing in motion. We thought the team would not be able to top what was seen in Rayman Origins, but boy, were we ever wrong! Rayman Legends is a truly modern marvel that shows you need not throw one million polygons at the player to get a beautiful end result.

The Last of Us (PS3)

This game was SO close to making it to the runner-up position, but it ultimately didn't make it. That said, The Last of Us pushes the PlayStation 3 to its absolute limit. Everything from the characters to the environments are intricately crafted to give the player a feeling as they play. Whether it's uneasiness in abandoned city streets or pure terror in darkened areas, The Last of Us definitely delivers in the presentation department.

Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Wii U)

The original GameCube title was a gorgeous game that still holds up graphically today. However, Nintendo opted to update the game into HD for the Wii U. The final product is an incredibly impressive-looking title that runs like an interactive cartoon. From the expressions of characters, particularly Link himself, to the special effects like explosions and lightning, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD astounds us, and it will no doubt do that even after a decade has passed, just like the GameCube original.

Winner: Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, 360)

It floors us how Rockstar was able to create a living, breathing city with painstaking detail, awesome visuals, and a frame-rate as smooth as butter for the majority of the time. It's this ambition that makes us so amazed by what Rockstar accomplished here. Grand Theft Auto V is a phenomenal example of what developers can do when they receive the proper budget and time to create their vision. Rockstar's vision is visually a delight, and it's why we've selected it as our winner for Best Presentation this year.

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[Best Box Art]

It may seem trivial to you, but having a great box art can be the difference between a game selling well or a game hitting the bargain bin eight weeks later. Well, that might be an exaggeration, but the point is that a truly great box art can turn you onto a game, while a boring one can make you become disinterested. Many kids like us in the NES days based our purchasing decisions solely on how cool the box arts looked. Many times we were burned. Damn you LJN!!!

BioShock Infinite (Multi)

A lot of people were turned off by this box art, but we here at SuperPhillip Central like its simplicity rather well. There's Booker DeWitt in all his glory, shotgun over his shoulder, and a burning American flag, symbolic of Columbia's disdain of the United States.

God of War: Ascension (PS3)

A depiction of the opening scene of God of War: Ascension, Kratos is getting his just desserts for defying a god. From the coloring to the highlights and shadows, this is a nice piece of box art that was created for the game.

The Last of Us (PS3)

"Did you hear that?"
"What, Ellie? Stop screwing around and come on."
"No. I get the feeling someone's watching us..."

You're right, Ellie. Consumers across the globe are looking at you and Joel and seeing this brilliant box art you two are in. With how good the actual game looks, one could easily confuse this art as in-game.

Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Wii U)

While we prefer the colorized PAL and Japanese versions of this box art, there's just something special about a Legend of Zelda game with a gold cover. Seeing the cast of the game placed strategically on the cover with Ganondorf looking ominously over his shoulder, and looking at the center of it, a wind-wakin' Link, everything comes together splendidly.

Winner: Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, 360)

Grand Theft Auto box arts have a consistent pattern. Multiple well done art of what one can expect of a given installment. We have choppers, hot ladies, psychotic criminals, a doberman, motorcycles, and much more. It all comes together into one cohesive package that is both pleasing to the eye and gives information about what world awaits players.

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That wraps up the festivities for this evening. Tomorrow we'll have four more awards to hand out, including Best New Franchise, Most Unexpected Surprise, Most Innovative, and Most Disappointing. We'll hopefully see everyone tomorrow night!