2D homage to the Wario Land series Pizza Tower receives the GameMaker 2023 Game of the Year award.
The three winners of the GameMaker 2023 Awards are as follows:
- Game Of The Year 2023: Pizza Tower
- Most Anticipated Game 2023: Berserk Boy
- Best of GX.games 2023: Super Chicken Jumper
You can view the announcement below:
With over 150 entries from across 30 countries, GameMaker Awards 2023 has been one the most hotly-contested competitions to date, but the winners can now be revealed.
Taking the coveted ‘Best Game’ award crown this year is Pizza Tower, the hyper-manic destructible platformer, developed by Tour De Pizza, while high-speed action platformer, Berserk Boy, from BeserkBoy Games, ran away with the ‘Most Anticipated’ game gong.
“Each year the quality of the entries for the GameMaker Awards just gets better and better, to the point where actually picking five finalists for each category is almost impossible,” said Russell Kay, Head of GameMaker, adding: “That said, each finalist has showcased an impressive blend of creativity and technical expertise, harnessing GameMaker’s capabilities to push the boundaries of 2D game design. I’m relieved that the ultimate decision was entrusted to our dedicated communities of GameMaker and Opera GX enthusiasts.”
Pizza Tower stars the wild and balding Italian pizza chef, Peppino Spaghetti, who embarks on a quest to destroy the titular Pizza Tower that threatens his restaurant. The judges were hugely impressed with the game’s striking visual style and how it effortlessly introduced so many fresh level mechanics, while the community also made Pizza Tower the clear winner this year.
This year’s shortlist for Best Game was absolutely stacked with incredible indie releases, with Pizza Tower beating a shortlist which included: FAITH: The Unholy Trinity, OTXO, Rusted Moss and ZERO Sievert.
This year’s ‘Most Anticipated’ game award was won by Beserk Boy, a high speed action packed platformer, packed with vibrant and stylish pixel art. Scheduled to release in 2024, Berserk Boy hands you the powers of Lighting, Fire, Ice, Air, and Earth in your quest to defeat Berserk Boy’s greatest enemy, Dr. Genos, who threatens to enslave the planet with his army of darkness.
The judges were seriously impressed with the high speed action and the developer’s ability to create a game that showcases both stunning pixel art and feels great to play.
The other finalists for ‘Most Anticipated’ game included: Beastieball, CONSCRIPT, Slave Zero X and Turnip Boy Robs a Bank.
Finally, the ‘Best of GX.games’ award was claimed by the addictive and charismatic Super Chicken Jumper, developed by SewerCat Studio. In Super Chicken Jumper, players must face the forces of evil as planet Earth’s last hope: Chicken, the nimble fowl with a knack for destruction and death. This award is the latest success story for the Brazilian GameMaker community, whose votes helped propel developer Luiz Alves’ game to first place.
The finalists for ‘Best of GX.games’ award included: Happy Sheepies, Run Bun Bun Run, Sunset Driver and Vaporwave Surfers.
From over 150 entries, only 5 games for each category were selected by an expert panel of industry peers, including Head of GameMaker Russell Kay and Opera GX Product Director Maciej Kocemba. The winners within each shortlist were then voted for by the GameMaker community.
