Best Games Shortlist Announced

The Interactive Entertainment Association Australia has announced the shortlist for the best games of 2006. Award categories include the best games for online, PC, Xbox 360, Nintendo and Playstation, among others.

Up for the online Game of the Year award is the ever-popular World of Warcraft. Gears of War has also been shortlisted for this award as well as for Xbox 360 Game of the Year. It is also up for the Game 1 Ultimate Game of the Year alongside The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess,  Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Saints Row. (See below for the full list of shortlisted games.)

Games were selected for the shortlist based on independent industry panel votes, sales figures as well as special sponsor allocation, the association said. The Association has introduced an Industry Peers Awards voting system this year, whereby five reps from each of the 12 member companies of the IEAA will vote on a winner from each award category. The winners will be announced at the Interactive Entertainment Awards at the end of this month.

“There were many great and varied games released last year.  The introduction of the industry peer voting system will provide an insight into the industry’s view of the best games of 2006,” said IEAA CEO, Chris Hanlon.

The Industry Peers awards shortlist:

IEAA Online Game of the Year
·         World of Warcraft
·         Gears of War
·         Battlefield 2142
·         Call of Duty 3

 

Samsung Xbox360 Game of the Year
·         Gears of War
·         Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
·         Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas
·         Saints Row

 

Post Logistics PlayStation Game of the Year
·         Guitar Hero 2
·         WWE Smackdown v Raw
·         Singstar Legends
·         Lego Star Wars 2

 

IEAA Nintendo Game of the Year
·         The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
·         Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training
·         New Super Mario Bros
·         Nintendogs: Dachshund & Friends

 

BigPond Games PC Game of the Year
·         Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
·         World of Warcraft
·         Medieval 2: Total War
·         Battlefield 2142

Network Ten Australian Developed Game of the Year
·         Destroy All Humans 2
·         Medieval 2: Total War
·         AFL Premiership 2006
·         The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning

IEAA Girls Game of the Year
·         Bratz: Forever Diamondz
·         Nintendogs: Dachshund & Friends
·         The Sims 2: Pet
·         Singstar Legends

GAME 1 Ultimate Game of the Year
·         Gears of War
·         The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
·         Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
·         Saints Row

IEAA Most Innovative Game of the Year
·         Guitar Hero 1
·         Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training
·         Wii Sports
·         Buzz: The Sports Quiz

Derwent Howard Sports Game of the Year
·         Pro Evolution Soccer 2006
·         Ricky Ponting Cricket
·         Rockstar Table Tennis
·         Fight Night Round 3