Just curious. What makes the Xbox "Best console of the year"?

Well Grey, I'm by no means and expert (There I said it, so sue me.) my only guess is that Microsoft didn't take its Euro Gamers for granted. One example is the release dates for games are far apart from the U.S ones. The reward system that's coming stateside (Soon I hope.) didn't give its customers too much in return for their loyalty. (Didn't they get like wallpapers or something?) Microsoft must be doing something to satiate gamer's appetites that Nintendo isn't doing. XboX live? Their games? Who knows. If any Euro Gamers out there have insight, feel free, that's just my whacked out theory.

But best publiusher isn't that bad is it? Its another plaque you can put in the NOE's trophy room (If they had one.)

Nintendo won best handheld game? Didint see that one coming...

The main reasons most be XB live and the lack of good advertising from Nintendo. The last Nintendo add i saw on Tv (in Belgium) must have been with the launch of Mario Sunshine, and that's a VERY long time ago. And off course some Pokemon adds, but that's not selling any GC's. Microsoft is just more agressive compared to Nintendo.

Vote Mario!

Djunknown: That has to to do with business strategy, not actual console quality. I agree with Ninja- how the hell did the XBox win best console?

*cough* PAYOFF *cough*

Like I said, its my whacked out theory. For all we know, Nolimits19's theory might've been the case! As far as quality goes, Gamecube has it in spades. It could be the taste of European Gamers differ from ours in a way (North American gamers.) Just as how the Sega Exclusives on XboX, Jet Set Radio future, Shenmue II, and Panzer Dragoon Orta were top quality games, North American gamers didn't pick up on it(Even though JSRF and PDO had good ad campaigns). They were playing what's 'cool' (DOAX, Sports games, Tony Hawk-esque titles etc.)

Again, this a gamer from the other side of the Atlantic trying to reason why XboX gets the gold. So don't it take too seriously. And its not like they didn't walk away with nothing....

"Just curious. What makes the Xbox "Best console of the year"?"

well obviously the xbox had such a stellar line up it could easily compete with the likes of nintendo's big 3 console games- mario sunshine, zelda ww, and metriod prime........

"*cough* PAYOFF *cough*"

i wouldn't doubt it

I could see it beating GameCube, as many of the GCN greats have yet to make it to Europe. But beating the PS2 is a whole different story. In my books, the Xbox would have difficulty beating the 3D0, and I find it very inconcievable that the Xbox can actually beat BOTH the PS2 and the GCN, which are very respectable consoles.

rpoglover: And by "stellar lineup", you mean Splinter Cell, right? Because that was far and away the best game, and one of the ONLY big name titles, on the XBox last year. Not to point fingers or anything, but the Gamecube DID have Super Mario Sunshine and Metroid Prime alone. Not to mention Vice City on the PS2.

I believe he was being sarcastic.

I suspected as much, but without the subtle voice implications, it's hard to tell.

i dont want to sound like a total fan boy, but i really didnt think taht splitter cell was good. when i played it, i couldnt believe it had all the hype it got. i honestly dont have any idea how it won game of the year over metroid. the xbox does have good games that i enjoy, but i dont care what ur culture is, its not going to win console of the year over the cube AND ps2 as someone already stated. not legitamitly anyways. o well m$ can waste its money all it wants, as long as it never becomes the leader in console gaming i will remain happy.

European tastes don't seem to differ that much from american ones. I don't know that much about the european market (hell, even though I live here!) because all news outlets just focus on the US and a lesser degree Japan, I don't even know the console sales numbers. (GC is over 3M according to NoE's newsletter, but it doesn't get any more precise) There could be differences I don't see because I take what we have here as granted, but it's nothing fundamental. I guess the best console award was given based on specs/features, not construction, research or software.

I disagree about the delay of game releases influencing this category, after all that's more the publisher, not the console itself. Also, the games not yet released aren't the most important ones. I can't see Soul Calibur 2 or F-Zero GX make a great difference there.

nolimit: It all depends on taste- I can see how the game is very well made, but espionage type games really aren't my thing. I only brought it up, though, because it WAS the best and biggest game on the XBox last year, at least in my opinion.

"And by "stellar lineup", you mean Splinter Cell, right?"

i think that was the most critically acclaimed game on the xbox and it later came to the other consoles- which would make no sence that the xbox should get console of the year- the only other game i could think of that would be good on the xbox (and it doesnt appeal to everybody, but i like it) is panzer dragoon orta- it is a fun shooter, but it is just that a shooter- i agree with grey and mouse- there is no way that the xbox had a better lineup than both the ps2 and the gamecube- i bet the xbox won because of its deals they had in europe- free games with the consoles, stuff like that

"i dont want to sound like a total fan boy, but i really didnt think taht splitter cell was good. when i played it, i couldnt believe it had all the hype it got. i honestly dont have any idea how it won game of the year over metroid."

beating metroid prime was amazing in my eye- something that should not have happened (prime got a lot of praise when it was released- and according to gamerankings it is the #3 game of all time based on reviews) and i too dont like splinter cell that much- i just have way more fun when i play metal gear solid

"I believe he was being sarcastic."

that i was

at least we are all in agreement. i will give a system credit when it is due, but i bet 9 out of 10 people would like metroid prime better than splitter cell. not that i really matters that much, it just that the possibility that m$ paid for the "console of the year award" really annoys the crap out of me, because it just distorts reality and will persuade people on hte fence to buy an xbox under false pretences. done get me wrong, i think u can own an xbox have have fun with it, i jsut think that out of the 3 it has the least quality exclusives, and was very undeserving of winning console of the year...presumably because of a game that ended up being on all consoles. its completely ludacris.