Best Physical Edition Switch Game Package 2019

Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Limited Edition (UK)

Limited Edition

Runners-up: Close To The Sun Limited Collector's Edition; Daemon X Machina Orbital Limited Edition

The Switch has seen some rather lovely physical versions of games released over the past year, which is heartening to lovers of the physical article as more and more games are digital-only. This year our absolute favourite special edition has to be The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Limited Edition. The artbook which came with this Limited Edition was fantastic and the UK version specifically included the Game Boy Steelbook which was absent from the US edition. Useless, it may be, but it was the cherry on an already particularly dreamy cake. Just look at it!

Also worth mentioning is the lovely Close To The Sun Limited Collector's Edition package and the Orbital Limited Edition of Daemon X Machina which included a rather fetching 18cm Arsenal.

Most Unsettling Video Award 2019

Winner: Ultra-Intense Ring Fit Adventure Hard-Sell Video Couple

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Runners-up: nothing that came close

Ring Fit Adventure has been a surprise success, bringing back Wii Fit-style exercise in a piece of software which works much better as a 'game'. Nintendo ingeniously teased the Ring-Con peripheral with an initial reveal trailer which didn't actually show the TV screen at all. One week later, the game itself was unveiled in a video featuring two presenters who we can only assume had downed multiple Red Bulls before filming commenced.

In fairness, they're doing their best to seem as enthusiastic as possible about what is essentially a glorified Pilates ring. However, had we been directing the video we'd have asked them to take it down a notch. The pair of them seem to be trying to induct us into a weird cult.

The guy in particular - who we dubbed Greg because he kinda reminded us of Greg Kinnear, or Greg Kinnear's super-wired little brother - was particularly unnerving. It's almost like he's dubbing himself in realtime, or he's an alien approximating the enthusiasm of a human unit after watching an ad for washing detergent. Or perhaps he's a robot being fed a voltage beyond recommended safety parameters and the skin layer is starting to fizzle over the metal endoskeleton.

Whatever was going on, we found it increasingly difficult to look away. To be fair, we did get Ring Fit Adventure, and we did like Ring Fit Adventure, and... oh no. It worked, didn't it? We're members of the Ring-Con cult now, aren't we? It's called The Circle, and Greg the Intense is Grand Maester. Game over, man, game over.

Best amiibo 2019

Winner: Link's Awakening Link

Link

Runners-up: Ivysaur; Piranha Plant

It's been five years since amiibo were introduced and we've seen some rather lovely figures roll out over 2019. Now that they're releasing at a more sensible rate of a handful every few months, it's easier to pick up new ones (easier on our wallets, at least). The quality of the recent ones has been universally excellent, although the Link one is a standout. We're also fans of the more intricate plant-based ones like Ivysaur and the Piranha Plant. The contrast of the matte head against the glossy tongue of the latter is particularly delicious, but there hasn't been a bad one this year.

Now we're anxiously awaiting the arrival of the inevitable Banjo-Kazooie amiibo, rendering all others obsolete.

That's all for our awards today - we hope you enjoyed them. Check back soon for more GOTY goodness as we look back on a great year and look forward to what's ahead in 2020...