2004 Nintendo Power Awards

The 2004 Nintendo Power Awards were the 17th annual awards published in the May 2005 issue (Volume 191) after listing the nominees in Volume 189,

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Tales of Symphonia, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, and Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles were nominated for the most awards, but it was Metroid Prime 2 that ended up winning most of them. In addition, the Nintendo DS celebrated its first year with its first few awards, but the Game Boy Advance still had some breathing room as its greatest games of that year were also celebrated.

Winners, Runners Up and other Nominations

Best Overall Game: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Best GameCube Game
Winner: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Runners-up: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Tales of Symphonia Other Nominees: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Pikmin 2 Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Second Sight Viewtiful Joe 2
Best Game Boy Advance Game
Winner: Metroid: Zero Mission Runners-up: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Other Nominees: Astro Boy: Omega Factor Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls Mario Golf: Advance Tour Mario vs. Donkey Kong Metal Slug Advance
Best Nintendo DS Game
Winner: Super Mario 64 DS Runners-up: Feel the Magic: XY/XX The Urbz: Sims in the City Other Nominees: Asphalt Urban GT Madden NFL 2005 Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits Spider-Man 2 Sprung Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
Best Graphics (GameCube)
Winner: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Runners-up: Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Other Nominees: Def Jam: Fight for NY Madden NFL 2005 Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Pikmin 2 Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Viewtiful Joe 2
Best Graphics (DS)
Winner: Super Mario 64 DS Runners-up: Feel the Magic: XY/XX Spider-Man 2 Other Nominees: Asphalt Urban GT Madden NFL 2005 Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits Sprung Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 The Urbz: Sims in the City
Best Graphics (Game Boy Advance)
Winner: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Runners-up: Metroid: Zero Mission Mario Pinball Land Other nominees: Advance Guardian Heroes Astro Boy: Omega Factor Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Metal Slug Advance R-Type III: The Third Lightning Sabre Wulf
Best Sound (GameCube)
Winner: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Runners-up: The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age Pikmin 2 Other Nominees: Call of Duty: Finest Hour FIFA Soccer 2005 Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes NCAA Football 2005 Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
Best Original Music (GameCube)
Winner: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Runners-up: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Tales of Symphonia Other Nominees: Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution Second Sight WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! X-Men Legends
Best Music/Sound (Handhelds)
Winner: Super Mario 64 DS Runners-up: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls Other Nominees: Grand Theft Auto Advance Mega Man Zero 3 Ridge Racer DS River City Ransom EX The Urbz: Sims in the City (DS) Wade Hixton's Counter Punch
Best RPG/Strategy Game (GameCube)
Winner: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Runners-up: Tales of Symphonia Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Other Nominations: Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age Pikmin 2 Pokémon Colosseum X-Men Legends
Best RPG/Strategy Game (Game Boy Advance)
Winner: Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls Runners-Up: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Other Nominees: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon Shining Soul II
Best Adventure Game
Winner: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Runners-up: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures Spider-Man 2 (GameCube) Other Nominees: Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Metroid: Zero Mission Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku Second Sight Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
Best Platformer
Winner: Super Mario 64 DS Runners-Up: Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Sonic Heroes Other Nominees: Donkey Kong Country 2 Mario vs. Donkey Kong Pitfall: The Lost Expedition Sabre Wulf Sonic Advance 3 Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams
Best Shooter/Action Game
Winner: 007: Everything or Nothing Runners-Up: Viewtiful Joe 2 Call of Duty: Finest Hour Other Nominees: Alien Hominid Astro Boy: Omega Factor Metal Slug Advance R-Type III: The Third Lightning Terminator 3: The Redemption
Best Sports Game
Winner: Mario Golf: Advance Tour Runners-up: Madden NFL 2005 Mario Power Tennis Other Nominees: FIFA Soccer 2005 MVP Baseball 2004 NCAA Football 2005 NFL Street Ribbit King Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
Best Level Design
Winner: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Runners-up: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures Pikmin 2 Other Nominees: Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Metroid: Zero Mission Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Ribbit King Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Viewtiful Joe 2
Best Control
Winner: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Runners-up: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures Pikmin 2 Other Nominees: Feel the Magic: XY/XX 007: Everything or Nothing Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Spider-Man 2 SRS: Street Racing Syndicate Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
Best Multiplayer
Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures Runners-Up: Donkey Konga Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Other Nominees: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles 007: Everything or Nothing Madden NFL 2005 (DS) Pikmin 2 Worms 3D X-Men Legends
Best Cut-Scenes
Winner: Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Runners-Up: Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes 007: Everything or Nothing Other Nominees: Feel the Magic: XY/XX Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Ribbit King SRS: Street Racing Syndicate Viewtiful Joe 2 X-Men Legends
Most Pleasant Surprise
Winner: Alien Hominid Runners-Up: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (GBA) Astro Boy: Omega Factor Other Nominees: BlowOut Pitfall: The Lost Expedition Serious Sam: Next Encounter Shaman King: Master of Spirits Wade Hixton's Counter Punch
The Guilty Pleasure
Winner: Torturing other players in Four Swords Adventures Runners-up: Fighting in a Bra and Panties match in WWE Day of Reckoning Running away with the chalice in Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Other Nominees: Being mauled by wolverines in Cabela's Big Game Hunter Blocking the view in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! Giving bad gifts to the girls in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Hitting the pose button in Catwoman Unlocking girlfriends in SRS: Street Racing Syndicate Using telekinesis to throw guards around in Second Sight
Best New Character
Winner: Admiral Bobbery (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door) Runners-up: Lloyd (Tales of Symphonia) Louie (Pikmin 2) Other Nominees: Ben Roethlisberger (Madden NFL 2005) The Hostess (Feel the Magic: XY/XX) John Vattic (Second Sight) Kalas (Baten Kaitos) Mike (Grand Theft Auto Advance) Wade Hixton (Wade Hixton's Counter Punch)
Best Villain
Winner: Dark Samus (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes) Runners-up: Bowser (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door) Mithos (Tales of Symphonia) Other Nominees: The Balrog (The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age) Geldoblame (Baten Kaitos) The Girl in Black (Prince of Persia: Warrior Within) Mirror B. (Pokémon Colosseum) Nikolai Diavolo (007: Everything or Nothing) Revolver Ocelot (Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes)
Best Story/Writing
Winner: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Runners-up: Tales of Symphonia Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Other Nominees: 007: Everything or Nothing Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Second Sight Sprung Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams Viewtiful Joe 2
Harder Than College: The Greatest Challenge
Winner: Getting the eighth and final ending in Metroid: Zero Mission Runners-up: Finishing Metroid Prime 2: Echoes with one energy tank and 10 missiles. Finishing the Pit of 100 Trials in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Other Nominees: Beating Alien Hominid without losing a life Beating all the games in Mega Man Anniversary Collection Beating everyone on Mt. Battle in Pokémon Colosseum Clearing Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes without tripping an unnecessary alarm Figuring out how to play Intellivision Lives! Finding every single card in Baten Kaitos
Ugh! The Most Painful Game of 2004
Winner: That's So Raven Runners-up: Elf: The Movie Thunderbirds Other Nominees: Bad Boys: Miami Takedown Intellivision Lives! Lotus Challenge Serious Sam Advance Thunder Alley Trigger Man
Best Fighter/Beat-'em-Up (Online Only)
Winner: Custom Robo Runners-up: Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 Def Jam: Fight for NY
Best Racing Game (Online Only)
Winner: Need for Speed Underground 2 Runners-up: F-Zero: GP Legend Ridge Racer DS
Best Classic Revival (Online Only)
Winner: Super Mario 64 DS Runners-up: Classic NES Series: The Legend of Zelda Final Fantasy I & II
Most Memorable Moment (Online Only)
Winner: Any Bowser stage in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Runners-up: Meeting Quadraxis in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Watching the Ninja slice guards in the hallway in Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Most Innovative (Online Only)
Winner: Donkey Konga Runners-up: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Best Licensed Music (Online Only)
Winner: Donkey Konga Runners-up: Tony Hawk's Underground 2 The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
Most Bizzare Plotline (Online Only)
Winner: Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction Runners-up: Ribbit King Mega Man X: Command Mission
Most Disturbing Moment (Online Only)
Winner: Watching Flurrie bounce around in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Runners-up: Watching Ninja slice a dude in half in Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Fighting the giant pudding monster in Alien Hominid Other Nominees: Playing pool in Lotus Challenge