Xbox Live Arcade Awards voting kicks off March 3

By Randy Nelson
Oscars, Schmoscars. Microsoft is letting Xbox Live users cast their votes for the best Xbox Live Arcade games of 2008 starting on March 3. Foregoing any sort of web-based ballot, votes will be cast from within the New Xbox Experience's Spotlight Channel. Voting will wrap up on Tuesday, March 10, with users permitted to change their votes — but not vote multiple times — as often as they'd like, up to that point.

Have a look at the full list of categories and nominees (your "sample ballot," if you will) after the break.


Best Overall Arcade Game

  • Braid
  • Castle Crashers
  • Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2
  • Street Fighter II HD Remix
  • Portal: Still Alive

Best Original Game

  • Castle Crashers
  • N+
  • Braid
  • Penny Arcade Episode 1
  • Schizoid
  • Age of Booty

Best Family Game

  • Boogie Bunnies
  • Roogoo
  • A Kingdom for Keflings
  • Lost Cities
  • Meteos Wars

Best Co-operative Multiplayer Game

  • Castle Crashers
  • Schizoid
  • Bionic Commando Rearmed
  • N+
  • Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2

Best Competitive Multiplayer Game

  • Street Fighter II HD Remix
  • Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2
  • Soul Calibur
  • Meteos Wars
  • Age of Booty

Best Solo Game

  • Braid
  • Mega Man 9
  • Penny Arcade Episode 1
  • Rez HD
  • Portal: Still Alive

Best Innovation in XBLA

  • Braid (time travel)
  • A Kingdom for Keflings (use of Avatars)
  • Fable II Pub Games (retail game integration)
  • N+ (level sharing)
  • Duke Nukem 3D (dynamic replay)

Best Graphics

  • Street Fighter II HD Remix
  • Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2
  • Braid
  • Castle Crashers
  • Bionic Commando Rearmed

Best Classic/Remake Game

  • Bionic Commando Rearmed
  • Street Fighter II HD Remix
  • Mega Man 9
  • Galaga Legions
  • Rez HD

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