Gaming Target - Features: Game of the Year Awards 2003

Written by Matt Swider on January 18, 2004

Game of the Year Awards 2003:

These are the winners of the Gaming Target's Game of the Year Awards 2003 split into various genre, technical feature and overall categories. Each of our staff members voted for a single game (counted as 1 vote) and a runner-up (counted as half of a vote) unless they felt like that didn't have enough experience with a specific category, in which case they would skip over that group. This allows Gaming Target to fairly judge all of the video games of the past year and below are the results of those that scored above a half of a vote in 2003:

Action Game Award Winner: Viewtiful Joe (2.5 votes) GameCube
	Capcom came away with the first win as Viewitful Joe allows its players to jump into a stylish 2D action game for GameCube. The second installment of Max Payne came close, but Joe could also slow down time and he took the lead in the end.
The Runners-Up: Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2 votes) PS2, Xbox Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (1.5 votes) Xbox Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (1 vote) PS2

Adventure Game Award Winner: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (7 votes) GameCube
	Almost all of the votes for Adventure Game of 2003 went to The Wind Waker for GameCube while the other titles mainly benefited from combined runner-up votes. Still, a prince, two mobsters, and an archeologist can't compete with a boy in tights.
The Runners-Up: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2.5 votes) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack (1.5 votes) PS2, Xbox Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (1 vote) PS2, Xbox

Platform Game Award Winner: Jak II (5 votes) PS2
	Naughty Dog developed a new sort of Jak and Daxter title for 2003 in giving Jak II their own naughty look and feel. Its the mature makeover this platform game deserved and, now, gets the credit it desrves, though the second Ratch & Clank game is right up there as well.
The Runners-Up: Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando (4.5 votes) PS2 Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (1 vote) GBA Ape Escape 2 (1 vote) PS2

Shooter Game Award Winner: Ikaruga (3 votes) GameCube
	Ikaruga shot its way fromаDreamcast toаGameCube and beat out other notable shooters of 2003 including Eidos' Deus Ex: Invisible War andаSony's SOCOM II as well asаother flying shooters likeаPanzer Dragoon Orta and third installment of Rogue Squadron.
The Runners-Up: Deus Ex: Invisible War (2 votes) Xbox SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs (1.5 votes) PS2 Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War (1.5 votes) Xbox Rainbow Six 3 (1 vote) Xbox Panzer Dragoon Orta (1 vote) Xbox Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III Rebel Strike (1 vote) GameCube

Role-Playing Game Award Winner: Final Fantasy X-2 (4.5 votes) PS2
	Square found a Final Fantasy adventure to continue and many votes to gain theаRPG of the Year Award, though,аKnight of the Old Repbulic, Xenosaga Episode I and Dark Cloud 2аdid receive enough votes to score spots next to FFX-2.
The Runners-Up: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (4 votes) Xbox Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht (2 votes) PS2 Dark Cloud 2 (2 votes) PS2 Skies of Arcadia Legends (1 vote) GameCube

Sports Game Award Winner: Madden NFL 2004 (3.5 votes) PS2, Xbox, GameCube
	With little surprise, Madden made it into the top spot as the traditional sports title forа2003. Its college counterpart, NCAA Football 2004, tailed Madden along with Top Spin and NBA Street Vol. 2, each recieiving one vote.
The Runners-Up: NCAA Football 2004 (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Top Spin (1 vote) Xbox NBA Street Vol. 2 (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube

Extreme Sports Game Award Winner: Tony Hawk's Underground (7 votes) PS2, Xbox, GameCube
	THUG provided the underground attitude that no Tony Hawk fan was expecting, but enjoyed in the end. Its face-mapping technology and an actual storyline stole many of the votes from competitors, allowing it to rise above SSX 3.
The Runners-Up: SSX 3 (2.5 votes) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Downhill Domination (1 vote) PS2

Racing Game Award Winner: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (4 votes) GameCube
	Mario Kart came away with a victoryаin being the best racing game of 2003, though, PGR2 tailed it all of the way to the top and Midnight Club II came close with two votes. Still, Mario made it to the finish line half a vote ahead.
The Runners-Up: Project Gotham Racing 2 (3.5 votes) Xbox Midnight Club II (2 votes) PS2, Xbox F-Zero GX (1.5 votes) GameCube Moto GP 2 (1 vote) Xbox Need For Speed: Underground (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube

Fighting Game Award Winner: Soul Calibur II (8 votes) PS2, Xbox, GameCube
	Soul Calibur II was clearly the best fighting game in the past year with Sega's evolution of Virtua Fighter 4 being its only main competitor. Obviously, the spirit still burns inside this one and earns the most votes of the awards.
The Runners-Up: Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (2 votes) PS2

Wrestling Game Award Winner: Def Jam Vendetta (3.5 votes) PS2, Xbox
	Def Jam Vendetta did the WWE in this year with a game that featured your favorite rappers as wrestlers. One of the developers behind the game, AKI, also created Ultimate Muscle, which alsoаearned a couple half votes.
The Runners-Up: WWE Raw 2 (2 votes) Xbox Ultimate Muscle: Legends vs. New Generation (1.5 votes) GameCube WWE Smackdown! Here Come the Pain (1 vote) PS2

Puzzle/Music/Compilation Game Award Winner: WarioWare Inc.: Mega MicroGame$ (2 votes) GBA
	WarioWare is clearly a unique game that combined over 200 mini-games into one package. Tetris Worldаon Xbox went online through Xbox Live for the first time, butаsaw tooаmany flaws to take the top spot.
The Runners-Up: Tetris World Online (1 vote) Xbox

Visuals Award Winner: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (5 votes) GameCube
	Although many doubted the new look of The Wind Waker, this Legend of Zelda game gave everyone's eyesаa surprise the first time they played it. XIII also earned a vote for its cel-shaded appeal as all others took a more realistic look.
The Runners-Up: Silent Hill 3 (1.5 votes) PS2 Deus Ex: Invisible War (1 vote) Xbox Crimson Skies (1 vote) Xbox XIII (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube

Audio Effects Award Winner: Silent Hill 3 (1.5 votes) PS2
	There's nothing likeаgood sound effects in a horror game and, though it was a close race, Silent Hill 3 was able to scare up a half of a vote to beat out its random competitors, which everyone had a different take on.
The Runners-Up: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (1 vote) Xbox Legacy of Kain: Defiance (1 vote) PS2, Xbox The Simpsons: Hit & Run (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Rainbow Six 3 (1 vote) Xbox Ikaruga (1 vote) GameCube Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick (0.5 vote) PS2, Xbox

Music Soundtrack Award Winner: Final Fantasy X-2 (2 votes) PS2
	FFX-2аwas able to score twoаvotes in another tight race to the top. Evenаthough Silent Hill 3 came close to almost tieing it, the soundtrack Squaresoft provided is more memorable to our ears in the end.
The Runners-Up: Silent Hill 3 (1.5 votes) PS2 Madden NFL 2004 (1.5 votes) Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack (1.5 votes) Xbox Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (1.5 votes) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (1 vote) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (1 vote) Dark Cloud 2 (1 vote) The Simpsons: Hit & Run (1 vote)

Storyline Award Winner: Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht (3.5 votes) PS2
	Der Wille zur Macht earned our award for having the best storyline in 2003аand, yet, this is only the first episode of the series. Namco is planning to release the second Xenosaga game sometime in the future with the same main characetrs.
The Runners-Up: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2 votes) Xbox Final Fantasy X-2 (2 votes) PS2 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (1.5 votes) GameCube

Multiplayer Award Winner: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (5 votes) GameCube
	Mario Kartаlead the way with multiplayer LAN capabilities for up to eight players. This isаkart racing bliss thatаcan't beаequalled even if you combine the votes for Midnight Club II, Def JamаVendetta andаDDR Ultramix.
The Runners-Up: Midnight Club II (1.5 votes) PS2, Xbox Def Jam Vendetta (1 vote) PS2, Xbox Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix (1 vote) Xbox

Online Award Winner: SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs (2 votes) PS2
	SOCOM was the number one online title the year before andаSOCOM II takes the prize again in being the best online game in 2003. However, it did face some stiff arm competition from the likes Madden andаMotoGP 2.
The Runners-Up: Madden NFL 2004 (1.5 votes) PS2 MotoGP 2 (1 vote) Xbox Project Gotham Racing 2 (1 vote) Xbox Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (1 vote) Xbox

PlayStation 2 Award Winner: Final Fantasy X-2 (2 votes)
	Final Fantasy was able to continue its plotline as well as continue toаits dominatation the best of PS2аnow that there's no new GTA title this year. Other worthy PS2 games did receive one vote in this close race, but FFX-2 is definitely the winner.
The Runners-Up: Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht (1 vote) Dark Cloud 2 (1 vote) Jak II (1 vote)

Xbox Award Winner: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (3 votes)
	It didn't seem like there was a whole lot of high-profile Xbox games in 2003, though, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic gave us an interesting licensed RPG game. Crimson Skies took off somewhat, especially online, with one vote.
The Runners-Up: Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (1 vote)

GameCube Award Winner: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (4 votes)
	The Wind Waker already earned three awards and was its system winner without a doubt. Ikagura and Viewitful Joe just managed to get a single vote together and are also two worthy titles GameCube owners should check out.
The Runners-Up: Ikagura (1 vote) Viewitful Joe (1 vote)

GBA Award Winner: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (2 votes)
	FinalаFantasyаfound success on Game Boy Advance in addition to PS2 this year. Tactics may have earned out worst commercial award if we had such a category, but it's an impressive game nonetheless.
The Runners-Up: Fire Emblem (1 vote) WarioWare Inc.: Mega MicroGame$ (1 vote) Golden Sun: The Lost Age (1 vote)

Coolest Add-on/Gimmick Award Winner: Game Boy Player (3 votes) GameCube
	GBаPlayer got the most votes in this category, beating out innovations such as the EyeToy and THUG's face-mapping technology. Though all great ideas, there's nothing like being able play your entire Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advanceаcollection on a big screen television.
The Runners-Up: EyeToy (1 vote) PS2 Tony Hawk's Underground face-mapping (1 vote) PS2

Surprise Game of the Year Winner: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2.5 votes) PS2, Xbox, GameCube
	Theаreturn of Prince of Persia may have been greatly hyped just before it released, but it didn't exactly earnt the respect it eneded up deserving during its development process. Otogi just wasn't hyped enough, so be sure to check that out as well.
The Runners-Up: Otogi: Myth of Demons (2 votes) Xbox Gladius (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Beyond Good & Evil (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Magic Pengel (1 vote) PS2

Disappointing Game of the Year Winner: Devil May Cry 2 (3.5 votes) PS2
	The second coming of Devil May Cryаdidn't impress us as much as it should have in 2003аandаthe same can be said about Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness, Enter the Matrix, Mega Man X7, Brute Force and P.N. 03, three of them from Capcom.
The Runners-Up: Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness (3 votes) PS2 Enter the Matrix (3 votes) PS2, Xbox, GameCube Mega Man X7 (1 vote) PS2 Brute Force (1 vote) Xbox P.N. 03 (1 vote) GameCube

Worst Game of the Year Winner: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (3 votes) PS2, Xbox
	Oh, how a gameаthat incorporatesа"Rise" into its name falls so hard. And yet,аthere's already a sequel planned that may be panned just as much. Fugitive Hunter and Charlie's Angels are also two titles to stay away from as well.
The Runners-Up: Fugitive Hunter (1 vote) PS2 Charlie's Angels (1 vote) GameCube

Best Game of the Year Winner: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2.5 votes) GameCube
	The Wind Waker came away with the overall victory out of all of the games in 2003. However, FFX-2 did follow close behind in only being half a vote from the top whileаPrince of Persia and Xenosaga jumped in front of the highest voted Xbox game, Knights of the Old Republic.
The Runners-Up: Final Fantasy X-2 (2 votes) PS2 Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (1.5 votes) PS2 Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht (1.5 votes) PS2 Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic (1 vote) Xbox Ikagura (1 votes) GameCube Dark Cloud 2 (1 votes) PS2 Soul Calibur II (1 vote) PS2, Xbox, GameCube