The votes have been tailed, absentee ballots have been counted, and all hanging chads have been removed. So now is the time we announce this year's winners of the NBVA's. Thanks to all those who participated, and to those who didn't, you have no right to complain. And so the winners are, err, the award goes to (gotta be P.C. about this)...

(Note: Runner-ups are only listed for categories in which the voting was relatively close. If more then one game is listed, they were tied. Open to games released in the US 1/1/01 - 12/15/01.)

Category Awards

Best Graphics - Star Wars Rogue Leader
Runner-up: Metal Gear Solid 2

The very first category and already we had a close race. In the end, GC's amazing looking Star Wars game makes you wonder if it's not really the movie, and outshines PS2's beautiful and realistic MGS2.

Best Sound - Star Wars Rogue Leader
Runner-up: Grand Theft Auto 3, SSX Tricky

Another victory for RL already? Star Wars movies are know for their excellent score. So just adding that to a game gives it an unfair advantage, but Rogue Leader wins for so many reasons. Tricky's hip soundtrack and its voices helped tie it with GTA3's radio stations for runner-up honors.

Best Storyline - Metal Gear Solid 2
Runner-up: Max Payne

MGS2 was the clear winner among voters, but it's still somewhat a controversial pick. The story is a huge part of Metal Gear Solid, and while enjoyable for many, well, see Viewer's Choice...

Best New Character - Conker (Conker's Bad Fur Day)
Runner-up: Pikmin (Pikmin)

Anyone who played BFD instantly feel in love with this foul mouthed grey squirrel, the same could be said of these intriguing Pikmin creatures. Nintendo always seems to be coming up with new memorable characters.

Best Replay - Super Smash Bros. Melee
Runner-up: Grand Theft Auto 3

The battle between first and second was very close here too, but Melee's 4-player multiplayer modes pushed it over the top. Still, just like you can spend hours with Melee, you can spend hours with GTA3 roaming around causing havoc just because you can.

Genre Awards

Best Adventure Game - Metal Gear Solid 2
Runner-up: Conker's Bad Fur Day

We almost had an upset here, but in the end, the highly anticipated sequel to possibly PSX's best game won out over N64's last great game. While both VERY different games, both are very deserving of praise.

Best Action Game - Grand Theft Auto 3

While there were votes for other games, this game won by a landslide, and as anyone who played it knows, it was for a good reason. Like mob movies, games like this are full of action.

Best Fighting Game - Super Smash Bros. Melee
Runner-up: Dead or Alive 3

Even though not a traditional fighting game per say, Melee was still able to win this relatively weak category this year over the bouncy DoA3.

Best Racing Game - Gran Turismo 3

Another category where there was one clear winner. Not the strongest category either this year, but it probably didn't matter. GT3 is amazing.

Best RPG - Golden Sun (GBA)
Runner-up: Dragon Warrior 7

Wow, a handheld wins a category (then again the runner-up is a PSone game)? Many people are really starting to get into this new series though.

Best Puzzle/Strategy Game - Super Monkey Ball
Runner-up: Pikmin

In this day and age it's good to see an old school style game. Not the fanciest graphics, but more fun then a barrel of monkeys, er, hmm... Captain Olimar and his army of Pikmin had a thing or two to say though.

Best Sports Game - Madden 2002
Runner-up: NFL2K2

The longest running football series (and probably the longest running sports game period) shows why it has lasted so long. Yet Visual Concepts was hot on EA's heels with their own football game.

Best Extreme Sports Game - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

After the excellent first two games, did it come as any surprise that the third installment would be just as good? Plus on PS2 you can add online play. Sweet.

Best FPS - Halo
Runner-up: Red Faction (PS2)

Easily one of the best console FPS games ever, Halo helped launch Xbox. Still, some seemed impressed with PS2's version of Red Faction.

Best Multiplayer: Party - Super Smash Bros. Melee

Smash Bros. on N64 was one of the best party games ever. So take that and improve on it in every way, and it's no wonder this game easily won.

Best Multiplayer: Online - Phantasy Star Online
Runner-up: Unreal Tournament (DC)

Even though it came out early in 2001, many people still play it to this very day. Anyone who picked it up found it hard to turn off for at least a month. Many FPS fans though claim the 8 player UT was DC's best online effort.

Assorted Awards

Sleeper Hit of the Year - Super Monkey Ball
Runner-up: Ooga Booga, Ico

A Sega game on a Nintendo console is still hard to believe, but anyone who's looked past the cutesy graphics knows this is a great game, and very hard to put down. Sega almost won with their native take on Smash Bros. and the short Ico still seems to amaze many.

Best Commercial - SSX Tricky
Runner-up: NFL2K2/Sega Sports

"It's Tricky, Tricky, TRICKY!" There were a number different versions with the kid and his huge afro being most memorable. It conveys the über coolness of this game. Sega almost won with their great sportsmanship, but instead took out their frustrations on a helpless plant in their backyard.

Most Hyped Game - Metal Gear Solid 2 & Halo

A tie for first! For the longest time all we heard was, "Just wait till MGS2 comes out, then PS2 will show what it can do." It was a great game, but still unbelievably hyped. Halo has been hyped even longer. Heck, people started hearing about Halo when it was still just a PC game and not even for Xbox yet.

Most Disappointing Game - Simpson's Road Rage & Alien Front Online

A wide open category, but these two games won out. Many Simpson fans thought a Crazy Taxi like Simpsons game couldn't fail... Oops. As for AFO, many hoped it was more then just the voice chat, but most were disappointed.

Viewer's Choice Awards

Here was a chance for voter's to recognize a game in a certain area it otherwise might not have received. These were the ones we felt were the most deserving to be included. See what your fellow gamers thought:

Funniest Game - Conker's Bad Fur Day
Most Addictive Game - Super Monkey Ball
Best DVD-Like Extras - Rogue Leader
Best Interface - Rogue Leader
Best Hair - Eddie from SSX Tricky
Worst New Character - Raiden (Metal Gear Solid 2)
Coolest New Villain - Fortune (MGS2)
Publisher of the Year - Rockstar
Best Intro Movie - Super Smash Bros. Melee
Best In-Game Character Music - Luigi's whistling (Luigi's Mansion)
Most Annoying Cancellation - Shenmue 2 (US)
Best Free for All Carnage - Grand Theft Auto 3
Most Violent - Grand Theft Auto 3
Lamest Story in a Game - Metal Gear Solid 2
Most Screwed Up Idea - Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix
Biggest Sack of Crap - Kabuki Warriors (Xbox)
Dumbest Game - Floigan Brothers

Platform Awards

Best Dreamcast Game - Phantasy Star Online
Runner-up: Unreal Tournament

More people became addicted to PSO in 2001 then to even crack. Well maybe not, but it was close. Almost forgotten with DC's death, UT was still strong enough to not be overlooked, and of course online gamers couldn't forget their hours on Stalwart XL...

Best PlayStation 2 Game - Grand Theft Auto 3
Runner-up: Metal Gear Solid 2

There seemed to be two main choices here among voters, but one game still garnered twice as many votes. Who doesn't love a game as violent as this GTA3? The much talked about MGS sequel made this a hard decision for many though.

Best Xbox Game - Halo

While not unanimous, it was by far the closest to being so (only one voter didn't vote for Halo). If there is one game to get for Xbox, this is it. It may even be reason enough to buy an Xbox, maybe.

Best GameCube Game - Super Smash Bros. Melee

This was another category where the vast majority of people seemed to vote for the same game. There were a number of picks, but the sequel to many gamers favorite N64 game couldn't lose.

Best GBA Game - Golden Sun
Runner-up: Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

It won for best RPG so why not for best GBA game? A close battle between the old school Castlevania, but people starved for a new RPG couldn't resist Golden Sun.

Best N64 Game - Conker's Bad Fur Day

As surprised as many were to see this on N64, it comes as no surprise that this game should win. The voting was probably closer then it should of been, even if it got 90% of the votes. Here's a toast to Conker 2!

Game of the Year
Grand Theft Auto 3

Surprised? You're an idiot if you are;) This game is so good that it's banned in some countries! The original GTA came out with much fan fair over the cop killing in the game. Did they tone it down after that? Hell no! They kept turning it up! You can play this game for hours for no reason but to go on a killing spree. There was a variety of voting here, but this game still won by a landslide. If you haven't played this game yet, hang your head in shame!

So this brings us to the end of 2001. A sad time indeed. No more DC, but with 3 major consoles out now, no videogame fan can complain. Good times. What does 2002 have in store for us? Only time will tell... But be certain of this, it will be damn hell ass fun!