As we discussed a few months back, Mario Galaxy was destined to sweep the 2007 Nintendo Power Awards. Let's see what other stunners were revealed. To gauge my prediction accuracy, I'm going to compare my predictions to the reader votes. The mag editors are notorious for selecting dark horse games so that the third parties don't feel entirely shut out. And remember, in my original posts, there's often a big difference between my vote and my prediction.

Wii Game of the Year: Super Mario Galaxy
Yes, yes. Although Metroid 3 was great (and my personal vote), there isn't even a discussion here.
Editor Choice: Galaxy / Reader Choice: Galaxy / My Choice: Metroid 3 / My Prediction: Galaxy / My Record: +1

DS Game of the Year: Phantom Hourglass
Boooooo! So an overly-linear, lackluster Zelda game knocks off the Pokemon juggernaut that reinvigorated a franchise and sold 14 million copies? Jesus, even Zelda fans agreed that Phantom Hourglass was a lame stab for the series.
Editor Choice: Phantom Hourglass / Reader Choice: Phantom Hourglass / My Choice: Pokemon / My Prediction: Pokemon / My Record: 0

Best Wii Graphics: Super Mario Galaxy
I'm surprised the reader vote went so neck-and-neck between Galaxy and Metroid 3. Metroid 3 looks great, but it doesn't have the conceptual freedom to push dazzling environments like Galaxy.
Editor Choice: Galaxy / Reader Choice: Galaxy / My Choice: Galaxy / My Prediction: Galaxy / My Record: +1

Best DS Graphics: Contra 4
What did I just say about third parties? Bingo. There is no bloody way that dopey SNES-style 2D graphics compare to the stylized clean lines and appealing design of Phantom Hourglass. he voters were right about this one. Way right.
Editor Choice: Contra 4 / Reader Choice: Phantom Hourglass / My Choice: Phantom Hourglass / My Prediction: Phantom Hourglass / My Record: +2

Best Music: NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams
Seeing that NiGHTS wasn't even out when this contest ran, it's ludicrous to put this out there... except as part of the push to get third party games mentioned.
Editor Choice: NiGHTS / Reader Choice: Galaxy / My Choice: Phantom Hourglass / My Prediction: Galaxy / My Record: +3

Best Sound/Voice Acting: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
For real? How can a game with a mute main character win this award? Because everybody was so impressed with that nasty General guy? Weird.
Editor Choice: Metroid 3 / Reader Choice: Metroid 3 / My Choice: Simpsons Game / My Prediction: Simpsons Game / My Record: +2

Best Adventure Game: Phantom Hourglass
This is the one where NP asked readers to NOT vote for Phantom Hourglass. They clearly did not listen. And then the editors chose it anyway.
Editor Choice: Phantom Hourglass / Reader Choice: Phantom Hourglass / My Choice: Super Paper Mario / My Prediction: Phantom Hourglass / My Record: +3

Best RPG/Strategy Game: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Yeah, sure it was. This is a political choice, just as political as the magazine steadfastly refusing to run any Pokemon clip art in the article. This must be how they think they can lose NP's less-than-hardcore rep, by ignoring Pokemon.
Editor Choice: Fire Emblem / Reader Choice: Pokemon / My Choice: Pokemon / My Prediction: Pokemon / My Record: +4

Best Shooter/Action Game: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Another non-vote. I originally claimed that only Umbrella Chronicles had a chance at unseating Metroid, and it was a very distant second place.
Editor Choice: Metroid 3 / Reader Choice: Metroid 3 / My Choice: Metroid 3 / My Prediction: Metroid 3 / My Record: +5

Best Sports/Racing Game: Mario Strikers Charged
Now this was a horse race! Strikers and Mario/Sonic/Olympics came out right on top of each other.
Editor Choice: Strikers / Reader Choice: Strikers / My Choice: Strikers / My Prediction: Olympics / My Record: +4

Best Platformer: Super Mario Galaxy
Yep.
Editor Choice: Galaxy / Reader Choice: Galaxy / My Choice: Galaxy / My Prediction: Galaxy / My Record: +5

Best Puzzle Game: Picross DS
Ha! The game that everybody was gaga over for a couple months - Puzzle Quest - doesn't even rate on anyone's scale.
Editor Choice: Picross DS / Reader Choice: Picross DS / My Choice: Disney Meteos / My Prediction: Puzzle Quest / My Record: +4

Best Alternative Game: WarioWare: Smooth Moves
This is always one of my favorite categories, just because it gets some weirdo titles a mention. However, this wasn't a great year for "alternative" games (nothing compares to the year with Odama!) and sticking Guitar Hero III in there is only to make up for the lack of a genuine music game category.
Editor Choice: WarioWare / Reader Choice: Guitar Hero / My Choice: WarioWare / My Prediction: Guitar Hero / My Record: +5

Best New Character: Some guy from Hotel Dusk
The winner chosen here was the absolute last place finisher in the vote. Personally, I'm not buying Hotel Dusk until I see it for $5.
Editor Choice: Hotel Dusk Guy / Reader Choice: Linebeck / My Choice: Count Bleck / My Prediction: Linebeck / My Record: +6

Best Multiplayer: Trauma Center: New Blood
Another editor veto power vote, because nobody chose Trauma Center. I'm just glad Phantom Hourglass didn't win... yech. And I'm surprised Mario Galaxy wasn't even nominated, actually.
Editor Choice: Trauma Center / Reader Choice: WarioWare / My Choice: WarioWare / My Prediction: Olympics / My Record: +5

Best Story/Writing: Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Justice for All
Hey third parties! You're still cool!
Editor Choice: Phoenix Wright / Reader Choice: Super Paper Mario / My Choice: Super Paper Mario / My Prediction: Super Paper Mario / My Record: +6

Best Online Game: Pokemon Diamond/Pearl
The single, solitary bit of artwork for Pokemon in the entire article - did I mention the 14 million copies? - is a two-centimeter screenshot attached to this award. You can't tell me that there's not some kind of Pokemon-limiting editorial ban at work here.
Editor Choice: Pokemon / Reader Choice: Pokemon / My Choice: Pokemon / My Prediction: Pokemon / My Record: +7

Overall Game of the Year: Super Mario Galaxy
Again, I have to say that there's nothing scientific about the nominations for this category. It should either be every game released in 2007, or, more likely, every game rated 9 or above by Nintendo Power in 2007. In the end, the discussion is moot because we all knew Galaxy was going to butt-stomp the entire concept. I really like the Galaxy character montage artwork they used; I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the boss battle against Bouldergeist.
Editor Choice: Galaxy / Reader Choice: Galaxy / My Choice: Pokemon / My Prediction: Galaxy / My Record: +8

My overall record was not as good as I would have liked. Somebody smarter than me can figure out the batting average. I discounted the power of Zelda over Pokemon, and put too much stock into Mario & Sonic. Nevertheless, as far as the readers were concerned, I was correct about Mario Galaxy winning every category in which it was nominated. And I was right about Phantom Hourglass capping out at four wins, but I thought it would track more or less the same as Metroid 3 and it did not.