Firemint tops Aussie awards

The winners of the GDAA Industry Awards have been announced, with Firemint taking home three awards for its iPhone title Flight Control.

The title won in the Best Game, Best Gameplay and Best Mobile categories, while other companies to walk away with accolades included Infinite Interactive for Puzzle Quest: Galactrix and Tranmission Games for Heroes over Europe.

The awards, which celebrate games created in Australia, took place as part of this year's Game Connect Asia Pacific event in Melbourne, but while the focus was on excellence the plight of Transmission Games - which recently closed its doors, according to reports - underlines the tough market in the region at the moment.

"Congratulations to Firemint on their success at the 2009 GDAA Industry Awards," said Tom Crago, president of the GDAA. "Flight Control has been a phenomenal success and has really been responsible for the creation of an entire new genre on iPhone. We're very proud that this title was developed in Australia"

The full list of winners follows:

Best Game

• Flight Control (Firemint)

Best Console Title

• Heroes over Europe (Transmission Games)

Best PC Title

• Puzzle Quest: Galactrix (Infinite Interactive)

Best Handheld Title

• Puzzle Quest: Galactrix (Infinite Interactive)

Best Mobile Title

• Flight Control (Firemint)

Best Gameplay

• Flight Control (Firemint)

Best Graphics

• Heroes over Europe (Transmission Games)

Best Audio

• Heroes over Europe (Transmission Games)

Best Downloadable Title

• Shatter (Sidhe)

Independent Games – Best Unsigned Game

• Hazard: The Journey of Life (Alexander Bruce)

Independent Games – Best Game Play

• Last Life (Powerboard Productions)

Independent Games – Best Graphics

• Pillager (AIE Melbourne)