It wasn’t so long ago that smartphone/tablet games were considered a passing phase – not to mention inferior to games on dedicated mobile gaming platforms (which is a shame because that version of Snake on old Nokia phones was awesome). But things have changed a lot since then, and in fact smartphone/tablet games have popped up in the “Best Mobile/Handheld Game” category of the Game Developer’s Choice Awards four years in a row now. This year, it’s The Room and Hero Academy.
It wasn’t so long ago that smartphone/tablet games were considered a passing phase – not to mention inferior to games on dedicated mobile gaming platforms (which is a shame because that version of Snake on old Nokia phones was awesome). But things have changed a lot since then, and in fact smartphone/tablet games have popped up in the “Best Mobile/Handheld Game” category of the Game Developer’s Choice Awards four years in a row now. This year, it’s The Room and Hero Academy.
Impressive as all that is, the really incredible part is how well smartphone/tablet games have performed in previous years. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP took home the trophy last year, and Cut the Rope did the same the year before it. They beat out games like Dragon Quest IX and Super Mario 3D Land, and regardless of whether you agree with that, it really hammers home the notion that smartphone/tablet games aren’t going anywhere. They may not stomp out dedicated mobile gaming platforms, but they’ll certainly continue to give them a run for their money.
But you didn’t click on this article for speculation; you came here to read about awards! It just so happens we’ll be in attendance at GDC this year, so we’ll be sure to let you know who ends up winning the category. You can also expect to hear how The Room and FTL: Faster Than Light perform in the “Best Debut” category, and whether or not The Walking Dead wins in every single category – including the ones it wasn’t even nominated in.
