Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Top 5 mobile and handheld BAFTA winners


British Academy Games Awards PS Vita, thumbnail 1

If you're a fan of gaming (or shiny gold statues), then you'll know that the annual BAFTA Video Game Awards are being held tomorrow.

As usual, the Mobile and Handheld section is packed with Pocket Gamer Award-winning titles, with games likeIncobotoThe Walking Dead: The Game, and LittleBigPlanet Vita all up for consideration.

Most impressively of all, creepy puzzlerThe Room (which earned a Pocket Gamer Gold Award) has been nominated in a total of four categories, including Artistic Achievement and Best British Game.

In anticipation of tomorrow's ceremony, we thought we'd take a look back at the games which tomorrow's winner will be joining in the BAFTA halls of fame.

So, without further ado, here are our top 5 mobile and handheld BAFTA winners.

LocoRoco (PSP)
By Sony Entertainment
Year: 2006
Bafta Award: Best New Character, Best Children's Game



If you were a PSP owner, then there were a few games that you were duty-bound to play. Tsutomu Kouno's gorgeous puzzle platformerLocoRoco was one of these titles.

Rather than assume control of the lead character directly, players have to move and tilt the environment to guide LocoRoco to the exit.

So charming that it earned two separate trophies, this standout PSP title was a fantastic artistic achievement, and a damn fine game to boot.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village (Nintendo DS)
By Level-5
Year: 2009
Bafta: Handheld



Proving that brains can triumph over brawn, Professor Layton's debut adventure beat the likes of sci-fi blaster Geometry Wars: Galaxies and portable gore-fest God of War: Chains of Olympus to the 2009 Handheld Bafta.

This unsuspecting puzzle-solving title about a detective and his young sidekick went on to spawn an entire franchise of quaint interactive mysteries.

Unfortunately for fans, this year's instalment, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies, has been confirmed as the detective's last adventure.

LittleBigPlanet (PSP)
By Sony Cambridge and Media Molecule
Year: 2010
Bafta: Handheld



Media Molecule's ongoing LittleBigPlanet series is another strong citation in the 'creativity over carnage' argument.

Acting as a sort-of sequel to the PS3 game, this Bafta winner served as an excellent mobile extension of Sackboy's hand-crafted universe.

Though the multiplayer feature didn't survive the transition to PSP, players can still create their own levels, and share them with their friends. Another PSP must-play title.

Cut the Rope (Android, iOS)
By Zeptolab
Year: 2011
Bafta: Handheld



Cut the Rope's win in 2011 was not only a great day for Russian dev Zeptolab, but a validation of smartphone gaming as a medium.

This elegant physics puzzler beat Lego Harry Potter and Super Scribblenauts in the Handheld category.

In doing so, it shone a great big spotlight on some of the high quality gaming experiences which have been created on both iOS and Android platforms.

Peggle HD (iOS)
By PopCap Games
Year: 2012
Bafta: Handheld



This ball puzzler is probably the most controversial game in our little list. So controversial, in fact, that we wrote an article about why it shouldn't have won.

Don't get us wrong: we love us some Peggle. It's immediate, addictive, and seriously enjoyable.

No, our contention was with the fact that the game was ported to iOS back in 2009, making this nomination some three years late. The fact that an HD version was released in 2011 was enough earn it a nod, and ultimately, the award itself.

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