Sound Shapes – Best Original Game 2012
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment of America
Developer: Queasy Games
My first introduction to the Vita was through Sound Shapes, a game from the small Toronto-based indie developer, Queasy Games. The Vita had just been priced and detailed for Western release and the curtains behind Sony's E3 2011 Press Conference lifted to reveal tons of PS3 games, Jane's Addiction, and a whole bunch of free booze.
The Vita line quickly ballooned to a 2-hour wait, but not knowing if I'd be able to swing by the Sony booth later that week, I decided it'd be worth it to check out the new portable device as soon as I could. Despite an impressive sports sim, a few applications that helped highlight the handheld's touch capabilities, and even an Uncharted game, Sound Shapes stuck with me through the rest of E3.
In fact, Sound Shapes managed to lodge itself in my brain from years before launch all the way through today. Queasy's ingenious music game makes level-creation as fun as messing around on an instrument and turns every level into an incredible composition.
Whether you're playing Nick_Tan's level from hell or enjoying WickedLiquid's homegrown set pieces, Sound Shapes has a lot to love. The campaign (featuring Beck) and the Death Mode levels provide tons of reply value, but the real star here is the community and the way it's transformed from grade-school trumpeter into acclaimed soloist. Once you learn the mechanics and options available to you, creating a level is as easy as one, two, three, four.
Sound Shapes doesn't drop the beat. It keeps it going wherever you go on your Vita. For that, it's earned Best Original Game of 2013.
Runners Up:
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