Well the results are in! We asked you to nominate your favourite Australian games of the year. Then we asked you to vote. Now it’s time to announce the winners…
And you might be surprised with the results.
Reader’s Choice
Real Racing 3
I can’t say I was expecting this. At all. A lot of you complained about Real Racing when it was released, with its focus on micro-transactions and whatnot, so this winning was quite the surprise.
That being said, Real Racing 3 is the best example, this year, of what a large, talented studio can do on the mobile platform when they… um, mobilise themselves. The game itself is an incredible achievement. Well done to the team at Firemonkeys!
2nd Place: Assault Android Cactus
3rd Place: Antichamber
Editor’s Choice
Duet
I want to open this explanation with a confession. Despite recently purchasing Antichamber on Steam, I haven’t actually had the chance to play it yet. Which is a bit embarrassing on my part because, by most accounts, it is easily one of the best Australian made games of the year.
So my choice is based purely on the Australian games that I did play. That’s just the way it has to be. My choices are personal. Intensely personal. And I think that’s always the correct way to go. Does anyone really want to see the same game win all the accolades across every outlet on the planet. I certainly hope not.
Duet is my favourite Australian game of the year because it does things I like mobile games to do. It is elegantly designed. It has simple rules stretched tight across an increasingly complex set of designs. It is sleek. It feels original. It requires a shift in thinking. It forces you to learn a skill. These are all traits I value in video games, particularly in mobile games, therefore it makes sense that I would fall in love with Duet.
Runners up: Stickets, Puzzle Retreat
Thoughts — did we get it right or wrong? Let us know your picks in the comments below.
Comments
6 responses to “Kotaku Awards 2013: Australian Game Of The Year”
Antichamber definitely would have had my vote if I realised a vote was being taken in the first place. Assault Android Cactus is also fantastic; I spoke to the devs at Avcon in July, and they were really fun dudes who made a really fun game.
To be honest, I never even heard of Real Racing until now.
Is this supposed to the be mobile game of the yea? If not, FFS.
I am shocked and disappointed. There was only one possible option for Australian Game of the Year, and that game is Ashes Cricket 2013.
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After all, there’s nothing saying that the Game of the Year has to be good. It’s like how Hitler won Time Magazine Man of the Year. (No I am not equating Ashes Cricket 2013 to Hitler.)
I am!
I vote for Assault of Android Cactus cause the game is awesome and the dev’s are cool – oh wait, the voting is over, when did it start?
I disagree with this. If that were the case then it should be under the heading of “Mark Serrells’ Personal Choice”. It isn’t though, it is under “Editor’s Choice”. To me this mean’s it should represent the values of the publication – taking into account all the editor’s, where the publication has been during the year, what it reported on. Given this is a video game site then it should take into account practically everything released. Saying “I’m one person who only played a few games and so have picked from them” is pointless and a waste of the readers time.
Except it’s editor’s not editors’, implying that it is Serrels’ choice. And he’s only obliged to give his personal recommendation, and the best way to do that is with a game that he knows best.
Besides, like he said, other lists will feature other editors’ personal recommendations so if you really want to get the most preferred Aussie game this year, look at everyone’s and come to your own conclusion.
I agree with Kato.” Mark’s personal choice and I haven’t even looked at the the readers most popular choices” is not a good look. You mentioned Antichamber but did you even glance at Assault Android Cactus as it doesn’t sound like you even noticed it was No. 2 ?
I would say Antichamber personally but I did play Duet at PAX and wow…that game is great for something so simple. I’ve been meaning to pick it up ever since but keep forgetting, thanks for the reminder 😛
I wish Duet all the best but I really don’t understand the hype. You play the game for maybe a minute before getting sick of it, and while I’m all for minimalist graphics there’s a difference between “simple elegance” and “Hey guys I just learned how to make circles in MS Paint”.
How about instead of constantly fawning over a mediocre game you expand your gaming library to include titles that don’t look like they were the result of a “learn how to code video games for dummies” tutorial?
Australias best game for 2013.
hahah.
hahahahahah.
go Australia *rolls eyes*