ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES (AIAS) ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR 2003 INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Finalists for 2003’s Game of the Year include:
• Animal Crossing for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America Inc., developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.;
• Battlefield 1942 for the PC, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Digital Illusions;
• Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Insomniac Games;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America Inc., developed by Retro Studios;
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2, published by Rockstar Games, developed by Rockstar North.

Finalists for 2003’s PC Game of the Year include:
• Age of Mythology, published by Microsoft, developed by Ensemble Studios;
• Battlefield 1942, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Digital Illusions;
• Medal of Honor Allied Assault, published by Electronic Arts, developed by 2015 Inc.;
• Neverwinter Nights, published by Infogrames, developed by BioWare;
• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, published and developed by Blizzard.

Finalists for 2003’s Console Game of the Year include:
• Splinter Cell for the Xbox, published by UbiSoft, developed by UbiSoft Montreal;
• Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Insomniac Games;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America Inc., developed by Retro Studios;
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2, published by Rockstar Games, developed by Rockstar North;
• Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America Inc., developed by Silicon Knights;
• Animal Crossing for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America Inc., developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.

Finalists for 2003's Innovation in PC Gaming include:
• Battlefield 1942, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Digital Illusions;
• Dungeon Siege, published by Microsoft Game Studios, developed by Gas Powered Games;
• Grand Theft Auto III, published by Rockstar, developed by Rockstar North;
• Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, published by Electronic Arts, developed by 2015 Inc.;
• Neverwinter Nights, published by Infogrames, developed by Bioware;
• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, published and developed by Blizzard Entertainment.

Finalists for 2003's Innovation in Console Gaming include:
• Animal Crossing for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.;
• Eternal Darkness for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Silicon Knights;
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2, published by Rockstar, developed by Rockstar North;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Retro Studios;
• Splinter Cell for the Xbox, published by Ubi Soft, developed by Ubi Soft Montreal.

Finalists for 2003's Console Action Adventure Game of the Year include:
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2, published by Rockstar, developed by Rockstar North;
• Splinter Cell for the Xbox, published by Ubi Soft, developed by Ubi Soft Montreal;
• Hitman 2 for the Xbox, published by Eidos, developed by IO Interactive;
• JSRF - Jet Set Radio Future for the Xbox, published by SEGA of America, developed by SEGA and Smilebit;
• Rez for the PlayStation 2, published by SEGA of America, developed by SEGA and United Game Artists.

Finalists for 2003's Console Fighting Game of the Year include:
• Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Infogrames, developed by Pipeworks Software;
• Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance for the PlayStation 2, published and developed by Midway;
• Capcom VS. SNK 2: EO for the PlayStation 2, published by Capcom, developed by Capcom Japan;
• Tekken 4 for the PlayStation 2, published and developed by Namco;
• Virtua Fighter 4 for the PlayStation 2, published by SEGA of America, developed by SEGA and AM2.

Finalists for 2003's Console First Person Action Game of the Year include:
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Retro Studios;
• Medal of Honor: Frontline for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Electronic Arts LA;
• James Bond 007: Nightfire for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Eurocom Entertainment and EA;
• Timesplitters2 for the PlayStation 2, published by Eidos, developed by Free Radical Design Ltd.;
• Ghost Recon for the Xbox, published by Ubi Soft, developed by Red Storm Entertainment.

Finalists for 2003's Console Platfor Action / Adventure Game of the Year include:
• Ratchet and Clank for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Insomniac Games;
• Sly Cooper and the Thievious Raccoonus for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Sucker Punch;
• Super Mario Sunshine for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.

Finalists for 2003's Console Racing Game of the Year include:
• ATV Offroad Fury 2 for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Rainbow Studios;
• Moto GP: Ultimate Racing Technology for the Xbox, pubished by THQ, developed by Climax;
• RalliSport Challenge for the Xbox, published by Microsoft Game Studio, developed by Digital Illusions;
• NASCAR Thunder 2003 for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Electronic Arts Tiburon;
• Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Electronic Arts Black Box.

Finalists for 2003's Console RPG of the Year include:
• Animal Crossing for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.;
• Kingdom Hearts for the PlayStation 2, published by Square Electronic Arts, developed by Squaresoft;
• Wild Arts 3 for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by MediaVision;
• Final Fantasy X for the PlayStation 2, published by Square Electronic Arts, developed by Squaresoft;
• Suikoden 3 for the PlayStation 2, pubished by Konami, developed by KCET.

Finalists for 2003's Console Sports Game of the Year include:
• NCAA Football 2003 for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Tiburon;
• Aggressive Inline for the PlayStation 2, published by Acclaim, developed by Z-AXIS;
• NHL 2K3 for the Xbox, published by SEGA of America, developed by Visual Concepts;
• Madden NFL 2003 for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Tiburon;
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 for the PlayStation 2, published by Activision, developed by Neversoft.

Finalists for 2003's Family Game of the Year include:
• Back Yard Football for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Infogrames, developed by Humongous Entertainment;
• Mario Party 4 for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Hudson Soft;
• Scooby Doo! Night of 100 Frights for the PlayStation 2, published by THQ, developed by Heavy Iron;
• Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets for the PC, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Electronic Arts UK;
• SpongeBob Squarepants: Employee of the Month for the PC, published by THQ, developed by AWE Games.

Finalists for 2003's Handheld Game of the Year include:
• Metroid Fusion for the Game Boy Advance, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.;
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past / Four Swords for the Game Boy Advance, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.;
• Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 for the Game Boy Advance, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.;
• Castlevania - Harmony of Dissonance for the Game Boy Advance, published by Konami, developed by Konami KCET.

Finalists for 2003's Outstanding Achievement in Game Design include:
• Animal Crossing for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.;
• Battlefield 1942 for the PC, published by Electronic Arts, Developed by Digital Illusions;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Retro Studios;
• Neverwinter Nights for the PC, published by Infogrames, developed by Bioware;
• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, published and developed by Blizzard Entertainment.

Finalists for 2003's Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering include:
• Animal Crossing for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Nintendo Co. Ltd.;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Retro Studios;
• Splinter Cell for the Xbox, published by Ubi Soft, developed by Ubi Soft Montreal.
• Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Insomniac Games.

Finalists for 2003's Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction include:
• Kingdom Hearts for the PlayStation 2, published by Square Electronic Arts, developed by Squaresoft;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Retro Studios;
• Sly Cooper and the Thievious Raccoonus for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Sucker Punch;
• Eternal Darkness for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Silicon Knights;
• Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Insomniac Games.

Finalists for 2003's Outstanding Achievement in Animation include:
• Kingdom Hearts for the PlayStation 2, published by Square Electronic Arts, developed by Squaresoft;
• Sly Cooper and the Thievious Raccoonus for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Sucker Punch;
• The Mark of Kri for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by SCEA San Diego;
• Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by Insomniac Games;
• Final Fantasy X for the PlayStation 2, published by Square Electronic Arts, developed by Squaresoft.

Finalists for 2003's Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story include:
• Eternal Darkness for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Silicon Knights;
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2, published by Rockstar, developed by Rockstar North;
• Kingdom Hearts for the PlayStation 2, published by Square Electronic Arts, developed by Squaresoft;
• The Mark of Kri for the PlayStation 2, published by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., developed by SCEA San Diego;
• Syberia for the PC, published and developed by Microids.

Finalists for 2003's Outstanding Achievement in Original Musical Composition include:
• Medal of Honor: Frontline for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Electronic Arts LA;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Retro Studios;
• The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind for the PC, published and developed by Bethesda Softworks;
• Rygar: The Legendary Adventure for the PlayStation 2, published and developed by Tecmo;
• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos for the PC, published and developed by Blizzard Entertainment.

Finalists for 2003's Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design include:
• Eternal Darkness for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Silicon Knights;
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2, published by Rockstar, developed by Rockstar North;
• Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Stormfront Studios;
• Medal of Honor: Frontline for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Electronic Arts LA;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Retro Studios;
• No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way for the PC, published by Sierra Entertainment, developed by Monolith;
• Splinter Cell for the Xbox, published by Ubi Soft, developed by Ubi Soft Montreal.

Finalists for 2003's Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering include:
• Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings, published by Microsoft Game Studios, developed by Turbine Entertainment;
• Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for the PlayStation 2, published by Electronic Arts, developed by Stormfront Studios;
• Metroid Prime for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, published by Nintendo of America, developed by Retro Studios;
• Splinter Cell for the Xbox, published by Ubi Soft, developed by Ubi Soft Montreal;
• Unreal Tournament 2003 for the PC, published by Infogrames, developed by Digital Extremes.

February 4, 2003

Release - Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences