SAN FRANCISCO, June 20 ― Cardboard create-it-yourself games platform Nintendo Labo for the Nintendo Switch is 2019's Game of the Year according to the Games for Change Awards, whose winners were announced June 18.
The 2019 Games for Change Awards resulted in a Game of the Year win for the Nintendo Switch's Nintendo Labo as well as a double win for non-conflict historical exploration experience Discovery Tour ― Assassin's Creed: Ancient Egypt.
Nintendo Labo launched in April 2018 as a Nintendo Switch game and a range of accompanying pop-out cardboard sheets that can be assembled into various controller housings.
The kits encourage users to play and experiment with the pre-made software, which in July 2018 expanded to include various self-assembly cardboard vehicle controls, and in April 2019 a strapless virtual reality viewer.
Players can also view the Nintendo Labo software suite to examine official games and alter them accordingly.
Discovery Tour ― Assassin's Creed: Ancient Egypt is a special mode for action adventure game Assassin's Creed: Origins, which takes place during a historical reconstruction of fifth century BCE Egypt.With Assassin's Creed: Origins released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in October 2017, the Discovery Tour was launched in February 2018 as a free update for existing owners or a separate purchase for those that just wanted the tour.
Assassin's Creed publisher Ubisoft won the Industry Leadership Award.
Best Gameplay went to Gris, a side-scrolling adventure about dealing with grief; Most Innovative Game was won by TendAR, an augmented reality Android app about a virtual fish that feeds on laughter, surprise and tears.
Unicef's Kid Power won Most Significant Impact ― it encourages children to learn about the world, get active, develop critical life skills and participate in a nutrition program for the malnourished ― while Best Student Game went to Prism, and the National Film Board of Canada's 15-minute non-fiction story Homestay won Best XR (Cross Reality) for Change Experience.
Lindsay Grace, the Founding Director and Associate Professor at the American University's Game Lab, was recipient of 2019's Vanguard Award. ― AFP-Relaxnews
