The gaming community needs more critical discussion and analysis. Local No. 12’s Colleen Macklin, John Sharp, and Eric Zimmerman created a card game encouraging players to debate about games in a constructive way, going viral at gamer gatherings. The game can also be useful in the context of discussing nominees:
GAME OF THE YEAR
1. Which is more meditative to play?
2. Which demands more of its players?
3. Which is a better way to spend 10 years?
4. Which deserves more respect than it gets?
5. Which should be put in a 1,000-year time capsule?
6. Which gets better over time?
7. Which is simply a better game?
8. Which is more strategic?
9. Which is more unpredictable?
10. Which is more of a work of art?
11. Which has been more influential?
12. Which had a bigger impact on the industry?
13. Which created a more intense subculture?
14. Which created a bigger buzz?
ANIMATION
1. Which is more realistic?
2. Which is more like a movie?
3. Which is more visually beautiful?
4. Which is more of a work of art?
ANIMATION, INTERACTIVE
1. Which requires more finesse?
2. Which is more of an embarrassment to all games?
3. Which is more unpredictable?
4. Which lets players express themselves more?
ART DIRECTION, PERIOD
1. Which is more realistic?
2. Which is a better simulation of its subject?
ART DIRECTION, FANTASY
1. Which is more elegant?
2. Which is more like a movie?
3. Which is more of a work of art?
ART DIRECTION, CONTEMPORARY
1. Which is more realistic?
2. Which is more visually beautiful?
3. Which is more of a work of art?
4. Which is more culturally sophisticated?
CAMERA DIRECTION IN A GAME ENGINE
1. Which is more elegant?
2. Which requires more finesse?
3. Which deserves more respect than it gets?
4. Which is more like a movie?
5. Which is more visually beautiful?
6. Which is more of an embarrassment to all games?
7. Which is more unpredictable?
8. Which is more frustrating to play?
CHARACTER DESIGN
1. Which is funnier?
2. Which should be put in a 1,000-year time capsule?
3. Which is more sexist?
CONTROL DESIGN, 2D OR LIMITED 3D
1. Which has a more satisfying core mechanic?
2. Which demands more of its players?
3. Which is more of an embarrassment to all games?
4. Which is more frustrating to play?
CONTROL DESIGN, 3D
1. Which has a more satisfying core mechanic?
2. Which demands more of its players?
3. Which is more of an embarrassment to all games?
4. Which is more frustrating to play?
CONTROL PRECISION
1. Which is more elegant?
2. Which requires more finesse?
3. Which demands more of its players?
4. Which is the one that everybody loves to hate?
5. Which is more unpredictable?
COSTUME DESIGN
1. Which is more elegant?
2. Which is more visually beautiful?
3. Which is more of a work of art?
DIRECTION IN A GAME CINEMA
1. Which is more elegant?
2. Which gets better over time?
3. Which is more like a movie?
4. Which tells a better story?
5. Which is more unpredictable?
6. Which makes better use of audio?
GAME DESIGN, NEW IP
1. Which is more open-ended?
2. Which gives the player more freedom?
3. Which makes better use of space?
4. Which is more hardcore?
5. Which is simply a better game?
6. Which is more unpredictable?
7. Which makes better use of audio?
8. Which had a bigger impact on the industry?
9. Which lets players express themselves more?
GAME DESIGN, FRANCHISE
1. Which is more open-ended?
2. Which gives the player more freedom?
3. Which makes better use of space?
4. Which is more hardcore?
5. Which is simply a better game?
6. Which is more unpredictable?
7. Which makes better use of audio?
GAME ENGINEERING
1. Which has more randomness?
2. Which is more meditative to play?
3. Which has more meaningful social interaction?
4. Which requires more finesse?
5. Which demands more of its players?
6. Which is more strategic?
7. Which makes better use of audio?
8. Which created a more intense subculture?
9. Which is more complex?
GRAPHICS, TECHNICAL
1. Which is more realistic?
2. Which requires more finesse?
3. Which should be put in a 1,000-year time capsule?
4. Which created a bigger buzz?
5. Which is sexier?
INNOVATION IN GAME TECHNOLOGY
1. Which has more meaningful social interaction?
2. Which should be put in a 1,000-year time capsule?
3. Which is more of an embarrassment to all games?
4. Which had a bigger impact on the industry?
5. Which lets players express themselves more?
6. Which created a bigger buzz?
LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY
1. Which is funnier?
2. Which is more sexist?
LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA
1. Which has made more players cry?
LIGHTING/TEXTURING
1. Which is more realistic?
2. Which is more elegant?
3. Which is more visually beautiful?
ORIGINAL LIGHT MIX SCORE, NEW IP
1. Which is more like a movie?
2. Which is more elegant?
3. Which is more meditative to play?
ORIGINAL LIGHT MIX SCORE, FRANCHISE
1. Which is more like a movie?
2. Which is more elegant?
3. Which is more meditative to play?
ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE, NEW IP
1. Which has made more players cry?
2. Which is more like a movie?
ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE, FRANCHISE
1. Which has made more players cry?
2. Which is more like a movie?
ORIGINAL/ADAPTED SONG
1. Which is funnier?
2. Which is more elegant?
3. Which has a better title?
4. Which is more tragic?
SONG COLLECTION
1. Which deserves more respect than it gets?
2. Which is more sexist?
3. Which is more commercial?
4. Which is more culturally sophisticated?
5. Which lets players express themselves more?
6. Which created a bigger buzz?
SOUND EDITING IN A GAME CINEMA
1. Which is more like a movie?
SOUND EFFECTS
1. Which makes better use of space?
2. Which is more hardcore?
3. Which lets players express themselves more?
4. Which created a bigger buzz?
SUPPORTING PEFORMANCE IN A COMEDY
1. Which is funnier?
2. Which has better characters?
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA
1. Which has made more players cry?
2. Which has better characters?
USE OF SOUND, NEW IP
1. Which is more elegant?
2. Which is more meditative to play?
3. Which is more like a movie?
USE OF SOUND, FRANCHISE
1. Which is more elegant?
2. Which is more meditative to play?
3. Which is more like a movie?
WRITING IN A COMEDY
1. Which has more randomness?
2. Which has better characters?
3. Which is more like a movie?
4. Which tells a better story?
5. Which is more of an embarrassment to all games?
6. Which is more sexist?
7. Which is more unpredictable?
WRITING IN A DRAMA
1. Which is more elegant?
2. Which has made more players cry?
3. Which is more tragic?
4. Which is more educational?
5. Which has better characters?
6. Which demands more of its players?
7. Which gets better over time?
8. Which is more like a movie?
9. Which tells a better story?
10. Which is the one that everybody loves to hate?
11. Which would make a better novel?
12. Which is a better guide to life?
13. Which is more unpredictable?
GAME, CLASSIC REVIVAL
1. Which deserves more respect than it gets?
2. Which has been more influential?
3. Which should be required in school?
4. Which is more hardcore?
5. Which is more of an embarrassment to all games?
GAME, MUSIC OR PERFORMANCE
1. Which is a better way to waste two minutes?
2. Which lets players express themselves more?
3. Which is more realistic?
4. Which has a more satisfying core mechanic?
5. Which is more meditative to play?
GAME ORIGINAL ACTION
1. Which is more sexist?
2. Which has a more satisfying core mechanic?
3. Which is more hardcore?
GAME, ORIGINAL ADVENTURE
1. Which is more open-ended?
2. Which has better characters?
GAME, ORIGINAL CHILDREN’S
1. Which lets players express themselves more?
2. Which is funnier?
GAME, ORIGINAL FIGHTING
1. Which created a more intense subculture?
2. Which has a more satisfying core mechanic?
3. Which has better characters?
4. Which demands more of its players?
GAME, ORIGINAL RACING
1. Which is a better simulation of its subject?
2. Which is more commercial?
3. Which makes better use of audio?
GAME, ORIGINAL ROLE PLAYING
1. Which created a more intense subculture?
2. Which lets players express themselves more?
3. Which is more elegant?
4. Which is more open-ended?
5. Which has better characters?
6. Which demands more of its players?
7. Which gets better over time?
GAME, ORIGINAL SPORTS
1. Which is a better simulation of its subject?
2. Which has more randomness?
3. Which has more meaningful social interaction?
GAME, FRANCHISE ACTION
1. Which is more sexist?
2. Which created a more intense subculture?
3. Which has a more satisfying core mechanic?
4. Which is more hardcore?
GAME, FRANCHISE ADVENTURE
1. Which is more open-ended?
2. Which has better characters?
GAME, FRANCHISE CHILDREN’S
1. Which lets players express themselves more?
2. Which is funnier?
GAME, FRANCHISE FIGHTING
1. Which created a more intense subculture?
2. Which has a more satisfying core mechanic?
3. Which has better characters?
4. Which demands more of its players?
GAME, FRANCHISE RACING
1. Which is a better simulation of its subject?
2. Which is more commercial?
3. Which makes better use of audio?
GAME, FRANCHISE ROLE PLAYING
1. Which created a more intense subculture?
2. Which lets players express themselves more?
3. Which is more elegant?
4. Which is more open-ended?
5. Which has better characters?
6. Which demands more of its players?
7. Which gets better over time?
GAME, FRANCHISE SPORTS
1. Which is a better simulation of its subject?
2. Which has more randomness?
3. Which has more meaningful social interaction?
4. Which is more hardcore?
GAME, SIMULATION
1. Which is a better simulation of its subject?
2. Which is more strategic?
3. Which is more realistic?
4. Which is more complex?
5. Which is more meditative to play?
GAME, SPECIAL CLASS
1. Which is more educational?
2. Which is a better way to waste two minutes?
3. Which is more culturally sophisticated?
4. Which should be required in school?
5. Which lets players express themselves more?
6. Which is more open-ended?
7. Which is more meditative to play?
8. Which has more meaningful social interaction?
GAME, STRATEGY
1. Which is a better simulation of its subject?
2. Which is more strategic?
3. Which lets players express themselves more?
4. Which is more complex?