Official GS GOTY 2013 - Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

The people getting upset over this remind of people who get upset when compact cars win COTY awards. Sure, that compact car doesn't hold a candle to the mid-size, luxury and performance vehicles on the market, but it's still a damn good car and it should be recognized for the accomplishments it achieved despite the limitations of the platform.

I'm really glad it didn't go to YAWN of the year GTAV.

Totally agree. Games like Natural Selection 2, Chivalry, Terraria, Aquaria, FTL: Faster Than Light, Brothers, Monaco, (I can name more and go on for quite awhile), etc are some of my favorite games of all time. It's sad that alot of people won't try these games because they've convinced themselves, or rather, have let mainstream gaming brain wash them into only playing heavily commercialized games. It's sad when you think about it. They let the media do all the thinking for them. I'm glad I was born in an era when gaming in general was a niche (Atari/NES), and finding good games meant personally playing through heaps of games to find the true gems. There was no internet back then, and there wasn't any review system. I just played anything I could get my hands on. It didn't matter to me whether a game was short or long, had high production values or not; a good game was a good game. I'm glad I've embraced and lived by that gaming code even today. It's probably one of the main reasons why I love PC gaming so much (aside from loving all the games that require a higher level of thinking), and why I am a huge Indie supporter. Indies are the true innovators of the modern gaming industry.

They are and they aren't. Do we need another psuedo psychological game about depressed characters mirroring our real life problems? You must admit even this trope is getting old.

I'm going to play the game soon because it's Zelda, but I really doubt I will like it. It looks like the worst game in the series since Zelda 2 to me. Linearity is the series' greatest strength, imo, but it probably doesn't really make much difference in the 2D setting, I guess.

@Bread_or_Decide: Well, some indie devs do innovate more than others. However, none of those games he listed though is "yet another psuedo psychological game about depressed characters mirroring our real life problems" though. I cant speak for him, but personally, I just ignore those games, there are so many other brilliant indie games to choose from anyways.

The Last Of Us: flop of the year

Butthurt

So are your posts. Honestly, they're a perfect match.

Just in time for Feedbackula tomorrow.

PS4 vs XOne. bla bla bla. Fanboys wars. Wii U not Next gen. Nintendo is doomed. Meanwhile a NINTENDO game is THE GAME OF THE YEAR. Thanks Nintendo and congrats, the good games, all that matter.

The comment section for the GOTY page is breath taking.

"It's official: Nintendo has won gaming. From now on, we'll only be allowed to purchase and play Nintendo games, and will be obligated to destroy our non-Nintendo gaming posessions.

...what's that? We don't? Then what the hell is everyone so worked up about?"

Salty as ****

LOL Stay mad moo cow.

This was completely unexpected. When's the last time a handheld game won GOTY? It's a great game, but I don't even think it was the best Nintendo game this year when Pikmin 3 and Super Mario 3D World came out this year.

tchbo

Unexpected. I didn't play it so I have no idea how good it really is. It seems to get pretty high praise though.

Ha, awesome. I'm happy with that, haven't played it yet but it looks brilliant. And GTA5/TLOU/Bioshock all have some annoying sections and flaws throughout so if Zelda is pure fun the whole way through it'll beat them out for me as well.

About right for GS. Surprised by the choice, nonetheless.

Didn't expect that. Congrats Sheep.

Post is Golden! Thank you. +10

Lol, what is True game design char?
Because last time I checked you're not a game developer.

inb4 Animal shows off irrelevant pictures of his gaming consoles again

3DS has some amazing ass games. I'm not a fan of handheld gaming, but I'd be happy with the content available for the 3DS.

Lol blab butthurt. You gottta have accolades on the streets Blab. :D

You Can't roll like me.

Nub sauce.

I take it back. The gamespot comment section is only funny, the Neogaf comments about Gamespots GOTy is breathtaking

The problem with Zelda winning GOTY is it doesn't provide any social commentary.

Nintendo's entire philosophy is to create games that temporarily draw you away from reality. Games that are essentially created in a vacuum. That's a perfectly fine sort of game to enjoy, and it's possibly why their franchises have aged so well, but they're so abstract nothing can really be gleaned from them.

There's no incite. The player isn't changed by the experience. You turn the game off and move on with your life. You won't hop on the subway and see an elf. You

will

see GTA 5's Trevor, but you won't understand him.

If in 50 years someone want's to get a feel for what gaming (and life) in 2013 was like, is Zelda really the best example?

Isn't this the first handheld game to get goty on this site?

lol what?

Is the internet THIS serious now?

Instant butthurt

There was a time the internet wasn't THIS serious?

Come at me Blabadon. Or actually don't just go play VLR or 999.

Now that is some pretentious ass shit right there.

I concede, that gif is too awesome.

999/VLR allusion was lame as shit though.

Mhmmm they were absolute shit. Now instead of insulting your fellow posters stay on topic! :D

Wow, this new website traffic is slow as all **** compared to the old one. Such a shame...

I wanted to comment on this as well. What is true game design? I'm sure it's char's personal perspective that Nintendo delivers true games design, but I can't put my finger on what that is exactly. Saying they create some of the most 'incredible' or 'amazing' game design would fit better maybe? He IS a game player and has enjoyed so many games in his life, so that gives him personal understanding of what true design is I suppose.

Anyways, Nintendo had one of their best years this year concerning games. They've showered the handheld scene with some incredible stuff (the Wii U, too!).

Kudos to GameSpot for giving the GOTY to a game that hasn't won it anywhere else. I expected GTAV or TLOU, like 99% of the other review sites.

They absolutely created an amazing game and I am in no way denying that. Also Nintendo makes really solid games.

But sitting here calling it "True Game Design" is kinda stupid. ALBTW is an awesome zelda games, they do enough to shake it up with the equipment and dungeons. But It's just Legend of Zelda with rental equipment and do a dungeon in any order. But aside from everything else this year it's not my PERSONAL GOTY but it does deserve it.

As far as i'm concerned there's nothing that exist that's "True Game Design" games are made for all types of people and things. Are there core mechanics to game design styles? Absolutely.

Damn, this is a surprise, but it's a cool one. There were a ton of worthy games this year, though. All of the nominees could have walked away with it. The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite, GTA V, Gone Home, Tomb Raider, and a ton more. One of the best years this gen, up there with 2010 (The GOAT) and 2007.

I guess I have to play ALBW now.

lolright? and it's about GTA 5, the **** does GTA 5 teach you about anything. Game is ridiculous as ****.

Actually there was that annual flop of the year thread we always have and TLOU was voted the most. He's just stating what the majority agree with here on GS. I'm sure it's a good game, but it certainly was an epic level of flop here.

The fact is there can rarely be a single "the" game of the year.

This was a strong year for gaming and there's no obvious front-runner.

I like this choice because it underscores how important Nintendo still is and validates the idea of quality-focused portable gaming in an increasingly app oriented medium.

Yo, this is nonsense.

Ocarina of Time is better. So are Twilight Princess and Majora's Mask.

I'm glad that A Link Between Worlds got it, the game is really good. Funny thing is, its not that difficult of a game at all, just very well designed. The puzzles are all very intuitive once you understand the merging ability. The combat is basic stuff, but it gets the job done. Bosses all needed different tactics, and were decently challenging outside of a certain one that was just cheesy more then anything. The music was some of the best I've heard on the handheld, and I liked no voiced dialogue (this is what ruined RPGs more then anything IMO, and it would be a shame to see it do the same to whatever genre you want to consider Zelda). Finally there was absolutely no filler, it was a tight experience from start to finish. A really good example of doing a lot through clever design and assuming that the player has a functional brain.

The other games on there that I played really didn't deserve it IMO. I liked Infinite a lot, but that was more of a story and social commentary then a fun game, and not GOTY material at all. Brothers was more of a story then a game again, even though the dual brother mechanic was neat. Path of Exile could have easily won it, but the game does have a couple of major problems that bring it down overall. Dota 2 is a great game, but the community is an absolute joke and puts it out of the running IMO. Gone Home is more a social commentary then a game. I played GTA 5 for a few hours and I don't see the big deal, its OK, but nothing special unless you like just shooting dudes. Can't talk on AC4, TLOU, or 3D World unfortunately.

>shit

dontcha know

>insulting

will buy the tissues for next time Xaero and I joke around

>on topic

we are the topic

Lel, I'm kidding with Monsieur, don't worry about it.

It's a great game. If you have a 3DS put the time in because it is rewarding and fun.

How did I miss "true game design"? Gtfo Char, you pretentious poser. ;3

Definitely. I kinda agree with it though. He thinks Nintendo doesn't deserve to have a GOTY game. I don't agree with that part at all. Abstract ideas give feeling, provoke thought, and can evolve you as in individual. Nintendo has done this for ages to great affect, for me.

Character studies that we find in GTA or Gone Home aren't the only way to provide a feeling, nor is it the only way help you relate to the world. But his general idea of games that evolve you, I have a similar beliefs. He just has a closed minded view on it though, lol.

@Blabadon:

Come again? o: