Before we get started, I want to clarify to anyone who has stumbled upon our GOTY awards that we are a Nintendo-focused site, and our awards reflect that. This doesn’t mean that we don’t love and play games on other platforms, but for the sake of our GOTY awards, we stick to games that appear on Nintendo platforms only.
This year we have divided our awards into two categories, Nintendo handhelds and Nintendo consoles, each of which have 5 awards; virtual console GOTY, eShop Most Wanted, eShop GOTY, Most Wanted, and GOTY. For the sake of these awards we define eShop as anything that appears as a digital download only (IE cannot be bought at a store as a retail product), while our regular awards apply to anything that can be bought as a retail product. In the future this distinguishment will probably disappear as the lines between retail and digital become more and more blurred, but for now, it works.2012 was a year of transition for Nintendo consoles, with the Wii on its last legs (but still cranking out some solid titles) and the release of the Wii U in late November. There were definitely some slow times before the Wii U, but here at the end of the year there is a lot to look back on and appreciate. Let’s get started!
Console VC GOTYNintendo often seems to all but have abandoned the virtual console on the Wii, just to let a key title pop up out of nowhere. However, without a virtual console ready on the Wii U at launch, and some large gaps on the Wii, this was not the best year for virtual console on the home consoles. But there were some gems, for sure, and here they are.
And the winner is…
Mega Man X2 (Super Nintendo) (109 points)Runner-ups:
Monster World IV (
43 points)
Metal Slug X (
39 points)
Not quite:
Strider (
29 points)
Prince Of Persia (
15 points)
Wonder Boy in Monster Land (
14 points)
Mega Man still has power 20 years later, and X2, a somewhat darker (in my eyes) take on the X formula, was much loved here at Negative World, easily nabbing our console VC GOTY awards. Monster World IV, a never seen before in NA and personal Zero favorite, edges out Metal Slug X for second, while Strider misses the mark and Prince of Persia and Wonder Boy lag behind.
Console eShop Most WantedThe new and improved eShop is one of the more exciting things about the Wii U to me, but of course a shop needs games to make it worthwhile. 2013 is providing games to be sure, and this is another list that I had to cut out a lot of good choices to get it down to just six.
And the winner is…
BIT.TRIP Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of
Rhythm Alien (Wii U eShop) (103 points)Runner-ups:
Retro City Rampage (
63 points)
The Cave (
52 points)
Not quite:
Mutant Mudds Deluxe (
28 points)
Pier Solar and the Great Architects HD (
26 points)
Cloudberry Kingdom (
20 points)
We love us some BIT.TRIP here at Negative World, and the first direct sequel to a BIT.TRIP game (unless you count FLUX) is also our most wanted console eShop game without contest. The long awaited (is it really still coming?) Wii title Retro City Rampage takes second, and Double Fine’s The Cave sits just behind in a close third. Mutant Mudds, Pier Solar, and Cloudberry all put up a decent showing, but fell short in the end.
Console eShop GOTYThere wasn’t much to look at on WiiWare in 2012, but one key title did slip into our list, while the Wii U debuted with a bunch of quality digital downloads to help fill out the rest. For my dollar, the Wii U eShop launch was more exciting than the Wii U retail launch, but YMMV.
And the winner is…
Little Inferno (Wii U eShop) (66 points)Runner-ups:
La-Mulana (
48 points)
Trine 2: Director's Cut (
43 points)
Not quite:
Nano Assault Neo (
40 points)
Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition (
38 points)
Chasing Aurora (
17 points)
Little Inferno, the oddly poignant game about burning everything you can in a fireplace (and isolation, and commercialism, and the environment, and...), is our clear winner, although WiiWare’s La-Mulana and Trine 2 don’t fall far behind. Nano Assault Neo and Mighty Switch Force just miss a shot at winner’s circle, while poor, poor Chasing Aurora can’t quite ascend to the same heights.
Console Most Wanted2013 will be the first full year for the Wii U, and we hope that it will be a great one. There are plenty of interesting looking titles coming in the near future, including one that was announced many, many years ago and we are still waiting on, so the hype levels are running high. Which one took our award?
And the winner is…
Pikmin 3 (Wii U) (141 points)Runner-ups:
Rayman Legends (
66 points)
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (
61 points)
Not quite:
The Wonderful 101 (
60 points)
LEGO City: Undercover (
56 points)
Bayonetta 2 (
44 points)
It wasn’t even close, with our winner more than doubling the points of our second place. We have been waiting years for Pikmin 3 and now that it is finally almost here, the anticipation is palpable. Rayman and Monster Hunter fill out our top spots, with The Wonderful 101 and LEGO City right behind. Even our last place finisher, Bayonetta 2, garnered a respectable amount of points.
Console GOTYOur decision to combine both the Wii and Wii U awards was a pretty easy one to make for most of the other categories, as there were rather slim pickings on the Wii in most categories. However, the Wii received a trio of big games in 2012, including 2 heavily anticipated Operation Rainfall games that finally hit the NA territory, so our console GOTY became a pretty interesting battle, with both the Wii and the Wii U having 3 games each in our list. Which console emerged victorious?
And the winner is…
Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii) (130 points)Runner-ups:
Nintendo Land (
77 points)
New Super Mario Bros. U (
72 points)
Not quite:
Rhythm Heaven Fever (
54 points)
The Last Story (
49 points)
ZombiU (
31 points)
You have to hand it to the Wii this time, with Xenoblade Chronicles devastating the competition for an easy win, sending the Wii off on an excellent note. The vast scope, the epic storyline, and the many modernizations of antiquated RPG mechanics helped propel this game to our top spot. The Wii U was no slouch either though, with Nintendo’s two big launch titles, Nintendo Land and NSMB U, taking our second and third spots. Rhythm Heaven, The Last Story, and ZombiU all put up some solid numbers as well. From 2D platformers to mini-game collections to epic RPGs to zombie killing horror games, there was quite a variety of great titles to experience on Nintendo consoles in 2012!
And that wraps up our console GOTY 2012 awards. Be sure to check out our
handheld GOTY 2012 awards!Past GOTY results:
2011 GOTY awards |
2010 GOTY awards |
2009 GOTY awards |
2008 GOTY awardsPS. And even once more I'd like to take this moment to thank the members of the Negative World for an excellent 2012! You guys and girls are the best and you know it. And if you're reading this and not a member yet, get yourself signed up, ok?
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