2011 Games of the Year and Other Awards

As part of our annual Buyer’s Guide to Games, we present our annual awards for Traditional Game of the Year, Electronic Game of the Year, and Best New Game in various categories. Here are the most recent winners, announced in the December 2010 issue of Games Magazine, followed by the previous year’s winners.

Traditional (Nonelectronic) Games 

Game of the Year: Jump Gate
(Matt Worden Games; designer: Matt Worden) Read review.

Best New Abstract Strategy Game: Arimaa
(Z-Man Games; designer: Omar and Aamir Syed)

Best New Advanced Strategy Game: Egizia
(Rio Grande Games; designer: Acchittoca)

Best New Family Game: Burger Joint
(Rio Grande Games; designer: Joe Huber)

Best New Family Card Game: Jaipur
(Asmodée Editions; designer: Sébastien Pauchon)

Best New Family Strategy Game: Valdora
(Rio Grande Games; designer: Michael Schacht)

Best New Party Game: Telestrations
(USAOPOLY; designer: USAOPOLY)

Best New Puzzle: Anti-Virus
(Fundex; designer: Oskar van Deventer)

Best New Historical Simulation Game: Battles of Napoleon: The Eagle and the Lion
(Fantasy Flight Games; designers: Sergio Guerri and Ugo Di Meglio)

Electronic Games 

Game of the Year: Super Mario Galaxy 2
(Nintendo, Wii, Rated: E) Read review.

Best New Action/Arcade Game: Red Dead Redemption
(Rockstar; 360/PS3; Rated: M) 

Best New Adventure/Role-Playing Game: Mass Effect 2
(EA/BioWare; PC/360/PS3; Rated: M)

Best New Sports/Driving Game: Split/Second
(Disney Interactive Studios; 360/PS3/PC; Rated: E10)

Best New Strategy Game: StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
(Blizzard; PC; Rated: T)

Best New App: Carcassonne
(Apple store; iPhone)

Jump Gate
 
Matt Worden Games, 2-6P, $29.95
 
Designer: Matat Worden

This game of relatively humble appearance by a local independent designer tops the list, beating out higher-priced titles from well-known inventors. It is one of the cleanest designs we have seen, making it easy to learn quickly. Casual gamers will love it. It has the potential to attract your unconvinced friends to the hobby. Still, it packs enough tough decisions into a short playing time to satisfy experienced gamers. It also offers something different from such ubiquitous mechanics as worker placement and resource management

There are eight planet cards around the Jump Gate (where spaceships begin) and the Black Hole. Everyone has a faceup random resource and hand of five action cards. Deal the remaining resources among the planets, with only one faceup card at each. Planets illustrate numbers—one Jump number, one Scan number, and two Landing numbers. Each action card has numbers in two categories.

You execute two actions per turn, but will surely want more. Actions permitted by discarding are: (a) Fly to a planet matching the card’s Jump number. Add a marker in your color to the Jump Gate. Score by having the most markers there when play ends. (b) Reveal a facedown resource at your ship’s planet. The card’s Scan number must match the planet’s. Add a Scan marker (worth 1 point). (c) Discard two cards with Landing numbers matching those on the unclaimed planet occupied. Add a Claim marker (worth 5 points). Reveal all resources there and take one. Those with Scan markers there also earn a resource. (d) Use the card’s special power.

Non-card actions are: (1) Move to an adjacent planet. (2) Take a resource from an occupied claimed planet. (3) Replenish cards, after optionally discarding any held.

Tempting special powers are: (1) Exchange places with another ship. (2) Remove two resources from the claimed planet occupied, or one from elsewhere. (3) Return a non-Claim marker to supply. (4) Scan a planet elsewhere. (5) Teleport (ignoring the Jump Gate). (6) Use the card instead of one Landing number when claiming. (7) Replenish cards and take an extra action.

Some resources demand that you place a marker on the Black Hole when acquiring them. When it sufficiently fills, play ends, and players having the most markers there lose random resources. Play also ends when all planets are claimed and only Black Hole resources are available.

Score also for your resources. Water earns from 2 to 32 points for one to eight cards. Gems earn their quantity, multiplied by the most you have in one of the three colors. Unaccompanied light or dark energy earns 2 points, but 7 when paired. Famous finds earn 5 points.

Highest score, like this superb design, rockets to victory.—John J. McCallion

Super Mario Galaxy 2
 

Nintendo, Wii, Rated: E

The original Super Mario Galaxy was a victim of poor timing here at GAMES. First, it shipped at an awkward point in the year (November), which means we didn’t get it in time for the 2007 awards. Second, a little masterpiece called BioShock (one of the best games of all time), shipped a couple of weeks later, and shut out all contenders for the 2008 Game of the Year Award.

In 2010 we can rectify that oversight, and unequivocally state that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is not only superior to the original, but that it is in fact the best electronic game of the year.

This isn’t just a consolation prize awarded because we couldn’t do that for the original game three years ago. Super Mario Galaxy 2 has earned its place at the top of the heap by the sheer mastery of its design.

All of the best elements of the original have been carried forward in this sequel. It has the same engine, visual style, control scheme, and design elements that made Super Mario Galaxy such a breakthrough pleasure. The first game took Mario’s familiar platforming gameplay—the jumping, bouncing, spinning, and soaring traversal of puzzle-like levels—through a dazzling array of inventive landscapes in, on, and around planets and other celestial bodies.

The sequel smoothes over the rough spots, eliminates what didn’t work, and expands upon what did. Galaxy 2 begins in the 2D world familiar to players of Super Mario Bros. for Wii, then gradually introduces more complex controls and environments until the player finds himself traversing lavish 3D worlds with shifting gravity, or soaring through space from one planet to another.

To accomplish this, Mario has some new resources in Galaxy 2, such as a Cloud Suit that allows him to create fluffy, temporary platforms, or a Rock Suit that allows you to use him like a bowling ball. Yoshi is also drafted into the space program—he can use his tongue to grab objects or his glowing power to illuminate hidden platforms. Players can even have a friend help out, with a more fully developed co-op mode that allows another player to hop in and help grab stars.

This is just a pure delight, with nary a single element out of place. Thanks to the more gradual learning curve, an in-game helper, and co-op play, this is a good pick for the whole family, even younger gamers. There is joy in here, and families with a Wii shouldn’t pass this one up.—Thomas L. McDonald