OnTheWeb.It’s all over but the arguing (and the whining): G4 announced which video games have been elected by America’s gamers as the best of 2006, as “X-PLAY” presented “G-PHORIA 2006,” the ultimate video game awards show, created exclusively by G4.

Throughout the summer, G4 viewers had voted for their favorite games in such categories as “Best Shooter,” “Best Handheld Game” and “Best Voice Over.” As the results were announced during “G-PHORIA 2006,” Microsoft’s Xbox 360 proved the platform of the evening, garnering six game “bests” including “Game of the Year.” Games for Sony’s PlayStation 2 earned four awards, while Nintendo walked away with two “bests,” one each for its GameCube and Nintendo DS platforms. Viewers can visit g4tv.com/vote for more information on all the winners and for video from “G-PHORIA 2006.”

Following is the complete list of winners:

  • Game of the Year: “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,” Xbox 360. Publisher: 2K Games/Bethesda
  • Best Voice Over: “Kingdom Hearts II,” PlayStation 2. Publisher: Square Enix
  • Best Alternative Sports: “Mario Baseball,” GameCube. Publisher: Nintendo
  • Best Action Game: “Shadow of the Colossus,” PlayStation 2. Publisher: SCEA
  • Best Graphics: “Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,” Xbox 360. Publisher: 2K Games/Bethesda
  • Best Handheld Game:  “Mario Kart DS,” Nintendo DS. Publisher: Nintendo
  • Best Multiplayer Game: “Ghost Recon Advanced War Fighter,” Xbox 360. Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Most Original Game: “Guitar Hero,” PlayStation 2. Publisher: RedOctane
  • Best Role-Playing Game: “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,” Xbox 360. Publisher: 2K Games/Bethesda
  • Best Shooter: “Call of Duty 2,” Xbox 360. Publisher: Activision
  • Best Soundtrack: “Kingdom Hearts II,” PlayStation 2. Publisher: Square Enix
  • Best Strategy Game: “Star Wars: Empire at War,” PC. Publisher: Lucasarts
  • Best Traditional Sports Game: “Fight Night Round 3,” Xbox 360. Publisher: EA Sports

Continuing G4’s extensive coverage of gamer culture—coverage that included weeklong live broadcasting from E3 2006—“G-PHORIA 2006” celebrated those games deemed the best of the year by the most discriminating and influential critics of all: game fans. During a summer of online and text-message interactive voting, G4 viewers voted—via the G4 website, or on their SMS-enabled cell phones—on the nominees in every award category. Viewers also participated in G4’s live chat rooms during the voting process and the actual broadcast.

To give the games and awards coverage the full-court press they deserve, “G-PHORIA 2006” was produced by the television team behind the network’s most-watched and highest-rated game program, “X-PLAY.” During “G-PHORIA 2006,” in the style of CNN and FoxNews, “X-PLAY” co-hosts Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler hosted the definitive “election night” parody coverage as the tallies came in from around the country. All the excitement of an election night special was included, presented in “X-PLAY’s” distinctive irreverent-yet-authoritative style, including mock field reports and a concession statement from a faux video game campaign manager.

“X-PLAY”—G4’s smart, funny, brutally honest look at the world of video games—is co-hosted by knowledgeable video game experts and passionate gamers Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler. Webb and Sessler have earned a reputation for delivering smart, entertaining and on-target reviews and commentary about the video game industry. In addition to co-hosting G4’s “X-PLAY,” Webb is the author of a monthly videogame column, “The Gaming Goddess,” for FHM magazine. Sessler has been a critic and a commentator on the videogame industry for almost a decade. He excels at making sense of videogame-related issues for the non-gaming public, and has shared his outspoken and articulate views on “The View,” Court TV’s “Hollywood Heat,” “World News Now,” and on several Los Angeles news and radio programs. 

Filed under: Games • News

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