Call of Duty 4, Super Mario Galaxy Nab Top Baftas

— -- It's the game that keeps on giving: Call of Duty 4, which actually came out in November 2007, still won three awards at last night's British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) game ceremony. Super Mario Galaxy scooped the biggest award, of course, taking home game of the year. The BBC calls that a "surprise," which just means the BBC doesn't pay a lick of attention to critical consensus. Nothing wrong with that — critical consensus is worth diddly-squat as often as not — but Super Mario Galaxy bagging game of the year's really about as surprising as April showers.

The real surprise was Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV, nominated for seven awards (counting one public) and winner of none.

Here's the full alphabetically sorted list of categories and nominees, with winners in bold.

ACTION & ADVENTURECall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDead SpaceFable II Grand Theft Auto IVPrince of PersiaTomb Raider Underworld

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTAssassin's CreedCall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDead SpaceGears of War 2LittleBigPlanet Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

BAFTA FELLOWSHIPNolan Bushnell, creator of Pong and founder of Atari

BAFTA ONES TO WATCH AWARD Boro-Toro OrigameeVegeme

BEST GAMECall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareFable IIFallout 3Grand Theft Auto IVRock BandSuper Mario Galaxy

CASUALBoom Blox Buzz! Quiz TVGuitar Hero: World TourLittleBigPlanetSingstar Vol. 2Wii Fit

GAME AWARD OF 2008 (PUBLIC)Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Fallout 3Gears of War 2Grand Theft Auto IVGuitar Hero World TourLeft 4 DeadLittleBigPlanetProfessor Layton and the Curious VillageWii FitWorld of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

GAMEPLAYCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Grand Theft Auto IVLeft 4 DeadMario Kart WiiRock BandSuper Mario Galaxy

HANDHELDGeometry Wars: GalaxiesGod of War: Chains of OlympusThe Legend of Zelda: Phantom HourglassPataponProfessor Layton and the Curious Village Soul Bubbles

MULTIPLAYERBuzz! Quiz TVCall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareGears of War 2Left 4 Dead Mario Kart WiiRock Band

ORIGINAL SCOREAssassin's CreedDead Space Fable IIFallout 3LittleBigPlanetMetal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

SPORTSFIFA 09Football Manager 2009Motorstorm Pacific RiftPureRace Driver: GRID Wii Fit

STORY AND CHARACTER Assassin's CreedCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Fable IIFallout 3Grand Theft Auto IVMass Effect

STRATEGYAdvance Wars: Dark ConflictCommand and Conquer: Red Alert 3NinjaTownSid Meier's Civilization Revolution SOCOM: US Navy Seals Tactical StrikeViva Pinata: Pocket Paradise

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTAssassin's CreedFable IIFallout 3Grand Theft Auto IVLittleBigPlanetSpore

USE OF AUDIOCall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDead Space Gears of War 2Grand Theft Auto IVLittleBigPlanetSuper Mario Galaxy

I like the way Christopher Faherty commenting on this Times Online piece puts it: "Any of the candidates deserved to win." Indeed. The last 12 months, give or take, have been some of the best in gaming history, even while the list of Bafta winners and runner-ups accounts for but a fraction of a fraction of last year's greats.

Matt Peckham would've voted Fable II his game of the year. You can keep tabs on him at twitter.com/game_on.