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Why can't a handheld game win Overall Game of the Year?

MisterHero said:
Hype-perpetuated media can't put a game with [apparently] modest production on such a big pedestal.

Are games like The Walking Dead and Journey pointing towards that direction though?
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I'd say no. The Walking Dead is based on a major comic/TV series and I'd hesitate to really consider Journey an indie title considering Sony Santa Monica's involvement. Not to mention it looks just as good as last gen AAA title.

Handhelds will continue be put in their "Best Handheld Game" ghetto, despite the quality of the games being released. GotY awards usually seem to be based on 50% hype and 50% on the actual game quality, and the handheld games just can't compete in that first category.
 
kunluncat said:
why ios/android games cannot win game of the year?
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You mean like the walking dead did...last year?

But overall it doesn't matter. My previous GOTY was FTL (soon to be on ios by the way) and I don't see why that is any less valid than something like the VxG awards or whatever the show coming up is. If a handheld title is your game of the year then be happy with that.
 
A lot of good thoughts in here, I think it's a combination of things.

One aspect that I think affects us and reviewers is the notion that AAA Console or flagship PC games are doing something much more spectacular than handheld games. Even if the handheld game is technically a better more polished game with much better reviews. If there is a spectacular feat of production values that is at least a pretty good game then It stands a pretty good chance of winning.

These high production value games often are more easily marketed, and probably garner a larger voting base to acknowledge it as the GOTY. It's not as if voters have to have played all nominated games before being eligible to cast their votes.
 
Kadin said:
Interesting you mentioned TLoU because I just finally started playing that myself. Picked it up on BF for $29 and so far, wow... very impressive. Trying to take my time with it but it definitely looks to be a GOTY contender for me.
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Yeah, definitely take your time with it. And play with some good headphones if you can. They make the game way more immersive.
 
If true 3d Pokemon that really changed the game came out I think it could take game of the year.

I think console games just touch people on a deeper level than handhelds which are more about having fun than hitting you in the feels.
 
Good question. Fire Emblem Awakening or A Link Between Worlds might as well be the GOTY for me. Tearaway too but I haven't had time to play it yet.
 
I think they really should be able to.

In my opinion, these all deserve to be contenders for their respective year:

Link's Awakening
Pokemon Red/Blue
Advance Wars
Mario Land 2
Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga
Link Between Worlds
 
I have an irrational dislike of handheld games.
Is it silly? Yes
Is it immature? Perhaps.
Are there more likely? Almost definitely.

I simply don't class it as "serious" gaming, I barely have time to do stuff as it is with just 1 console. I'm sure the game is probably quite good and thoughtful and well designed but I literally don't even see them as consoles, more as toys. It's dumb but........ shrug? that's how I see it.

I think a lot of people don't take them seriously - maybe in Japan it's a different story but the west? nah.
 
Walking Dead won it through many websites... they were talking about the Vita platform with that right?
 
Because the mainstream media gives award to the most popular games and not the best ones.


SMT4 is not even my favorite handheld game of the year and it's already better than anything I played on consoles.
 
mullet2000 said:
What is "Overall Game of the Year"?
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Without qualification. You see several games with "Game of the Year" stamped on them, and it's usually because they leave off "PlayStation," "Action," or "Role Playing" before the words, "Game of the Year." If it says "Overall Game of the Year" it implies that it's the best game regardless of platform or genre.
 
Kuroyume said:
For a long time handhelds were crap. You'd have to be on drugs to pick a handheld game over anything on the SNES/Genesis/N64/PS/Dreamcast in the 90s. And while they've begun to get better there not at the level yet of the home console stuff.
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I really can't agree with that last part, and I'd probably disagree with the first part as well if we take into account the late 90s. Pokemon Red and Blue were fine GOTY candidates back in 98.

But yeah, this will be the 2nd year in a row where a handheld game is my GOTY, and a good chunk of my top 10 will be populated by 3DS games.
 
wizzbang said:
I simply don't class it as "serious" gaming, I barely have time to do stuff as it is with just 1 console. I'm sure the game is probably quite good and thoughtful and well designed but I literally don't even see them as consoles, more as toys. It's dumb but........ shrug? that's how I see it.\
Click to expand...

I have bad news for you.
Consoles are toys.
 
pjxxm2ol.jpg


also available on phones and tablets



/thread
 
Dr.Acula said:
Without qualification. You see several games with "Game of the Year" stamped on them, and it's usually because they leave off "PlayStation," "Action," or "Role Playing" before the words, "Game of the Year." If it says "Overall Game of the Year" it implies that it's the best game regardless of platform or genre.
Click to expand...
halo 4:
Worst
game of the year edition
 
jackissocool said:
I'd like to think that both ALBW and Tearaway stand a chance because they deserve it, but I don't see it happening. Obviously.
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Can you imagine if Tearaway won (which it won't)? A lot of the people championing ALBW for GOTY would lose it.

Is it really that awesome though, gaf? I haven't got to download the demo yet.
 
cosmicblizzard said:
Consoles are toys.
Click to expand...

I know! but I just see them different, always have. I feel like I can have a deeply cinematic experience on a console (I'm very heavily SP focused) - I guess if I liked more casual or multiplayer / mechanics based games, I might like handhelds more - but as someone who focuses entirely on SP - no handhelds for me.
 
VXLbeast said:
Can you imagine if Tearaway won (which it won't)? A lot of the people championing ALBW for GOTY would lose it.

Is it really that awesome though, gaf? I haven't got to download the demo yet.
Click to expand...

It's the most charming game I've ever played. Definitely get the demo.
 
I feel like if there were even a remote chance of handheld games winning that award, then angry birds should have ran away with that award. Tens of millions of people were purchasing, downloading and playing the hell out of that game.
 
While it very well could win GOTY and nothing should be counted out, you also can't diminish the GOTY contenders it is going up against. While ALBW might be great, it does have to be compared to TLOU or GTAV, or Brothers, or Gone Home and everything else out there. Have these games pushed something this year, are their stories better, are their mechanics better than other things in their genres.
 
My personal GOTY last year was Zero Escape. Take what the games media says with a grain of salt, video game "awards" don't mean shit outside of making money.
 
Phoenician_Viking said:
Yeah, it´s not like Journey won multiple GOTY awards or anything.
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Journey was the best selling PSN game of the year, and I fucking LOVE IT.

wizzbang said:
I know! but I just see them different, always have. I feel like I can have a deeply cinematic experience on a console (I'm very heavily SP focused) - I guess if I liked more casual or multiplayer / mechanics based games, I might like handhelds more - but as someone who focuses entirely on SP - no handhelds for me.
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Almost all my DS/3DS games are SP, as in almost everything that isn't Pokemon or Mario Kart.
 
I think they should of course be able to, but I don't believe any handheld title released this year is good enough to be GOTY anyway.
 
wizzbang said:
I have an irrational dislike of handheld games.
Is it silly? Yes
Is it immature? Perhaps.
Are there more likely? Almost definitely.

I simply don't class it as "serious" gaming, I barely have time to do stuff as it is with just 1 console. I'm sure the game is probably quite good and thoughtful and well designed but I literally don't even see them as consoles, more as toys. It's dumb but........ shrug? that's how I see it.

I think a lot of people don't take them seriously - maybe in Japan it's a different story but the west? nah.
Click to expand...

When was the last handheld you've owned, if you've ever owned one?

If people considered indie games as "serious games" these days, handheld games deserve the same consideration.

I wasn't into handheld gaming at all since the original Gameboy but the DS changed all that for me.
 
ALBW has an AAA vibe due to its connection to best of all time candidate LTTP, so could I see it get some nominations.
 
Sakura said:
I think they should of course be able to, but I don't believe any handheld title released this year is good enough to be GOTY anyway.
Click to expand...

Shin Megami Tensei IV
Fire Emblem: Awakening
A Link Between Worlds

I could argue other niche games(Etrian Odyssey 4 ftw) I like but those are so good that they very well deserve GotY or at least being nominated, at the very least they are way better than the usual cinematic AAA game.
 
Cuburt said:
When was the last handheld you've owned, if you've ever owned one?

If people considered indie games as "serious games" these days, handheld games deserve the same consideration.

I wasn't into handheld gaming at all since the original Gameboy but the DS changed all that for me.
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Owned? Ummmmm I had one of the gameboys, I've used a PSP, Vita, DS, 3DS all for brief stints, it just doesn't do it for me.
Not to shit up the thread but I suspect I'm not the only one who feels like this, they might have some great games but an Uncharted level game, while possible on the Vita, it just doesn't play the way it does on the big screen.

Mass Effect 2 on 3DS? :/
 
Mauricio_Magus said:
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Fire Emblem: Awakening
A Link Between Worlds

I could argue other niche games(Etrian Odyssey 4 ftw) I like but those are so good that they very well deserve GotY or at least being nominated, at the very least they are way better than the usual cinematic AAA game.
Click to expand...

I disagree that those games were good enough to be GOTY (in my books at least) but I do agree that they are better than typical AAA movie games.
 
I'm sure some handheld focused publication is handing out GOTYs to handheld games. What I'm trying to understand is what the fuck an 'overall' GOTY is here.
 
I hope someone gives it to Zelda. I've already heard a lot of people enjoying it more than Mario (myself included).

But yeah, I have a hard time picturing it winning GOTY over something like TLOU.
 
Handheld games tend to get overlooked in general. Kid Icarus Uprising should have won best soundtrack and best character but wasn't even nominated.
 
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