2010 Games of the Year and Other Awards

These were the previous year’s winners, announced in the December 2009 issue of Games.

Past Games of the Year

Traditional (Nonelectronic) Games

Game of the Year: Small World
(Days of Wonder; designer: Philippe Keyaerts) Read review.

Best New Abstract Strategy Game: Blox
(Ravensburger Germany/Funagain; designers: Wolfgang Kramer, Hans Raggan, and Jürgen P.K. Grunau)

Best New Advanced Strategy Game: Le Havre
(Lookout Games/Funagain; designer: Uwe Rosenberg)

Best New Family Game: Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age
(Fred Distribution; designer: Matt Leacock)

Best New Family Card Game: Amerigo
(DaVinci/Funagain; designer: Din Li)

Best New Family Strategy Game: Dominion/Dominion Intrigue (Expansion)
(Rio Grande Games; designer: Donald X. Vaccarino)

Best New Party Game: Dixit
(Asmodée Edition; designer: Jean-Louis Roubira)

Best New Puzzle: La Ora Stelo
(Kadon Enterprises; designer: Jacques Ferroul)

Best New Historical Simulation Game: Fields of Fire
(GMT Games; designer: Ben Hull)

Electronic Games 

Game of the Year: Batman: Arkham Asylum
(Eidos, PC/360/PS3, Rated: T) Read review.

Best New Action Game: Red Faction: Guerrilla
(THQ; PC/360/PS3; Rated: M) 

Best New Casual Game: Plants vs. Zombies
(PopCap games; PC/Mac; Rated: E10)

Best New Role-Playing/Adventure Game: Little King’s Story
(Marvelous Entertainment;Wii; Rated: E)

Best New Sports Game: Fight Night Round 4
(EA Sports; 360/PS3; Rated: T)

Best New Strategy Game: Demigod
(Gas-Powered Games/Stardock; PC; Rated: T)

Small World
 
Days of Wonder, 2-5P, $50
 
Designer: Philippe Keyaerts

We welcome Belgian designer Philippe Keyaerts to the top spot for the second time. His Evo was our Game of the Year in December 2001. You start with five coins to dominate a tiny, overcrowded island of provinces in five terrains. There is always a column of six random combinations on the menu. Each combination is a tribal strip (valued from 3 to 8) representing a race with a unique advantage, accompanied by a Special Power token (valued from 2 to 5).

On your initial turn, select a combination and replenish the column. The column’s first combination is free—otherwise place a coin on every combination above your selection and take any coins previously deposited on your choice. Take a number of matching warrior squares equal to the total value of your combination, and invade. Start at an edge province, and expand to provinces adjacent to those you occupy. Place two warriors in an empty province. Mountainous provinces and each enemy encountered costs an additional warrior. Vanquished opponents retrieve all but one warrior (discarded) from conquered provinces, and replace them in their provinces when your turn ends.

You may roll the special die on your last invasion after nominating a province you do not have enough remaining warriors to conquer. If the die roll plus remaining warriors at least equals the number of warriors required, your warriors occupy the province; otherwise, place them in any provinces you control. After optionally transferring warriors between regions you occupy to assist defense, earn one coin for each of your provinces.

On future turns, continue expansion by redeploying warriors in play. Alternatively, put your weakened tribe into Decline by removing from play all but one in each territory. Declining frees you to select a new combination to invade next turn. Declined warriors, although immobile and powerless, earn coins until removed by conquest or when you decline another tribe. Being aware of available combinations and considering declining even when relatively strong is essential on the road to winning this intensely tactical game by having the most coins after the final round.

Fascinatingly different games are guaranteed with the enticing plethora of random combinations that in clever, and often amusing, ways strengthen attack, enhance defense, or increase income. We see a big future for this Small World, and look forward to expansions.—John J. McCallion and Robin H. King

Batman: Arkham Asylum
 

Eidos, PC/360/PS3, Rated: T

Batman: Arkham Asylum was a true last-minute upset. The idea that a licensed superhero game might not only be outstanding, but qualify as the best game of the year, just wasn’t feasible. Sure, there have been a few good superhero titles: Marvel Ultimate Alliance, The Spider-Man and Hulk series, and…actually, that’s about it. None ever transcended their license to become a great games on their own. But, as we explored Arkham Asylum more deeply, all the gameplay elements began to evolve, and the locations and story line opened up. We started making shocking comparisons—not to other superhero games, but to certified masterpieces like Bioshock (arguably the finest game of the last decade).

Yes, Arkham Asylum is that good. The combination of three disparate elements—stealth action, plain old brawling, and even a bit of detective work—takes some time to gel, but once it does, the game becomes almost impossible to put down. The upgrade system and gradual introduction of new abilities are remarkably satisfying, and 240 “Riddler puzzles” (including riddles that involve careful examination of the environment) add a tremendous depth and flexibility to the gameplay. The production is topnotch, with performances by the stellar voice cast of Batman: The Animated Series (including Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the definitive Joker) and a terrific story and script by comic book writer and TV producer Paul Dini. The film is saturated with Batman lore and fan-service, and loaded to the gills with villains from the Dark Knight’s rogues’ gallery. It is, simply (and without any undue hyperbole), the best superhero game, ever.—Thomas L. McDonald