It's been a tough year for Sony's PSP handheld system. Despite its impressive hardware and wide array of multimedia functionality, the PSP has still ultimately failed to catch on with consumers.

Some might argue that Nintendo's stranglehold on the handheld market is unbreakable, but the real problem with the PSP seemed to be the lack of a killer app. Oh sure, there's been a couple of Grand Theft Auto games, and this year finally brought with it a non-card Metal Gear Solid title, but there's still been very little to set the PSP apart from any of Sony's other consoles.

LocoRoco may not be the kind of game that sells systems, but it is one of the first truly unique game play experiences for the PSP that you simply can't get anywhere else. What, at first glance, might have appeared to be a Katamari clone, actually turned out to be a fun and original platformer with a style all its own.

The art design and music are a delight to behold, and the idea of manipulating the environment instead of the characters proved to be a particularly innovative twist. Some may feel that the LocoRoco is too cute and simple for its own good, but I think this kind of game, easy to pick up and enjoyable in short bursts, is precisely what handheld systems were made for.

Runner Up: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Xbox Game of the Year
Winner: Dream fall: The Longest Journey
Synopses: Jason "Njiska" Westhaver

2006 was a rather crap year for the original big black box. The 360 had already arrived when '06 started and its rise in popularity caused many potential titles to simply disappear or make the leap into the next generation. Luckily for Xbox owners Dreamfall: The longest Journey was one of the titles that stuck around.

As the sequel to popular adventure title The Longest Journey, Dreamfall not only did an outstanding job of continuing an already exciting story, it also added a fresh perspective by following the path of a new character rather then just continuing the events of the original. The game is notable for its solid controls, beautiful presentation and enjoyable game play and therefore has earned our award for the best Xbox game of 2006.

Runner Up: Splinter Cell: Double Agent

Xbox 360 Game of the Year
Winner: Gears of War
Synopses: Andrew Ogier

Gears of War is the icing on the cake of Xbox 360's success this year. Not only is the game a fantastic third person shooter, it's also the realisation of what we define as "Next Gen".

There's no denying that the game is the best looking title ever released, and that the sound immerses you like no other... but those aren't the only reasons why this game is what Next Gen is about. It's Next Gen because of how Gears takes a relatively staid genre and redefines it into something fresh and new.