2nd Annual XBLA Awards

Xbox LIVE Arcade is proud to announce the best games of 2008 thanks to the Xbox LIVE community’s votes in the 2nd Annual Xbox LIVE Arcade Awards!

Crowd favorite “Castle Crashers,” developed by The Behemoth, remains number one in fans’ hearts and wins the top honor of Best Game of the Year along with awards for Best Original Game and Best Co-op Mode.

Some classics never die. “Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix,” published by Capcom, also takes home the top brass in three categories: Best Versus Mode, Best Remake, and Best Graphics.

Adding to its trophy cabinet, “Braid” designed by Jonathan Blow, receives notable praise for creativity winning Best Innovation; everyone’s favorite artificial intelligence GLaDOS proves she’s not going anywhere as “Portal: Still Alive” developed by Valve wins Best Single Player; and “A Kingdom for Keflings” developed by Ninja Bee, shows that people love to play as their Avatar, taking home “Best Family Game.”

All winners were determined by the Xbox LIVE community’s popular vote, who turned out in impressive numbers.185,000 members casted their votes for the biggest and best games of 2008.

And the Xbox LIVE Arcade Award goes to…

Game of the Year:

Castle Crashers

Best Versus Mode:

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Best Single Player Game:

Portal: Still Alive

Best Remake:

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Best Original Game:

Castle Crashers

Best Innovation:

Braid

Best Graphics:

Super Street Fight II Turbo HD Remix

Best Family Game:

A Kingdom for Keflings

Best Co-op Mode:

Castle Crashers

Portal Still Alive Hits XBLA Next Week

You are invited to return to the Aperture Science Enrichment Center this Wednesday, October 22 at 9 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. PDT) via Xbox LIVE Arcade. Due to the unforeseen conclusion of your last visit, all necessary precautions have been taken to ensure that “Portal: Still Alive” is a sanitary, objective, and mostly non-lethal testing environment.

In addition to the original award winning first-person puzzle experience, Aperture Science is proud to provide 14 new challenge maps exclusive to Xbox LIVE Arcade. Six advanced maps will also be provided to help guide you along the way.

Though prior test subjects proved to be unstable and may have presented false information, Aperture Science is pleased to inform you that your cake is indeed waiting for you and that the Weighted Companion Cube misses you in your absence. Come visit them again for 1200 MS Points.

Please review the following incentivizing memorandum:

Your prompt compliance is appreciated and will once again help us help you help us all.