Eighth-annual CESA award winners announced

TOKYO--The eighth annual Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) Game Awards show was held in Tokyo today. The umbrella organization for Japanese video game publishers named the top games of the year, chosen by votes from the public and the CESA awards committee.

This year's Game of the Year honors went to Capcom's online PlayStation 2 RPG Monster Hunter. The award for Best Sales went to Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, which racked up sales of 2 million copies in their first three weeks of availability. (The same award went to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire last year.)

In addition to giving out awards for the best games released over the past year, CESA recognized some of the titles that will be released next year and that are expected to be major hits, like Radiata Stories from Square Enix and Wanda and the Colossus from Sony Computer Entertainment. A full list of this year's winners follows.

CESA Game Awards 2003-2004

Award of Excellence:
Monster Hunter (Capcom, PS2)

Outstanding Award:
Onimusha 3 (Capcom, PS2)
Grand Theft Auto III (Capcom [publisher], PS2)
Gyakuten Saiban 3 (Capcom, GBA)
Kadamari Damacy (Namco, PS2)
Tales of Symphonia (Namco, GC)
Sengoku Musou (Koei, PS2, Xbox)
Dragon Quest V (Square Enix, PS2)
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen (Nintendo, GBA)
Minna no Golf 4 (SCEI, PS2)
World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 (Konami, PS2)

Best Sales Award:
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen (Nintendo, GBA)

Global Award:
Exciting Pro Wrestling 5 (Yuke's, PS2)
Need for Speed Underground (Electronic Arts, PS2, GC, Xbox, GBA, PC)

Special Award:
EyeToy: Play (SCEI, PS2)
Kenshin Dragon Quest (Square Enix)
Famicom Mini Series (Nintendo, GBA)

Game Awards Future:
Biohazard 4 (Capcom, GC)
Rockman.Exe 5: Team of Blues, Team of Colonel (Capcom, GBA)
Kingdom Hearts II (Square Enix, PS2)
Dragon Quest VIII (Square Enix, PS2)
Radiata Stories (Square Enix, PS2)
Gran Tourismo 4 (SCEI, PS2)
Wanda to Kyozou (SCEI, PS2)
Tales of Rebirth (Namco, PS2)
Burnout 3: Takedown (Electronic Arts, PS2)
Halo 2 (Microsoft, Xbox)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Konami, PS2)