XYZZY Awards (Best Story)

Browse the XYZZY Awards either by year:

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Or by category:

Best Game | Best Writing | Best Story | Best Setting | Best Puzzles | Best NPCs | Best Individual Puzzle | Best Individual NPC | Best Individual PC | Best Use of Medium (1997–2009) | Best Implementation (2010–) | Best Use of Innovation (2010–) | Best Technological Development (2010–) | Best Supplemental Materials (2010–2013) | Best Use of Multimedia (2014–) | Other awards

See also:

Statistics

Best Story Winners

1996 Best Story: Tapestry (Daniel Ravipinto; Z-code).
1997 Best Story: Babel (Ian Finley; TADS 2).
1998 Best Story: Photopia (Adam Cadre; Z-code).
1999 Best Story: Worlds Apart (Suzanne Britton; TADS 2).
2000 Best Story: My Angel (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
2001 Best Story: All Roads (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
2002 Best Story: Savoir Faire (Emily Short; Z-code).
2003 Best Story: Slouching Towards Bedlam (Daniel Ravipinto and Star Foster; Z-code).
2004 Best Story: Blue Chairs (Chris Klimas; Z-code).
2005 Best Story: Beyond (Roberto Grassi, Paolo Lucchesi, and Alessandro Peretti; publisher: Mondi Confinanti; Glulx).
2006 Best Story: The Traveling Swordsman (Mike Snyder; Hugo).
2007 Best Story: A Fine Day for Reaping (James Webb aka "revgiblet"; ADRIFT).
2008 Best Story: Nightfall (Eric Eve; Glulx).
2009 Best Story: Blue Lacuna (Aaron A. Reed; Glulx).
2010 Best Story: The Warbler's Nest (Jason McIntosh; Z-code).
2011 Best Story: The Play (Dietrich Squinkifer, writing as Deirdra Kiai).
2012 Best Story: howling dogs (Porpentine, Twine).
2013 Best Story: Solarium (Alan DeNiro; Web browser).
2014 Best Story: 80 Days (inkle, Meg Jayanth; iOS, Android)
2015 Best Story: Birdland (Brendan Patrick Hennessy; 01-Oct-2015; Web browser).
2018 Best Story: Bogeyman (Elizabeth Smyth)

Best Story Winners and Finalists

1996 Best Story: Tapestry (Daniel Ravipinto; Z-code).
- Finalist: Delusions (C.E. Forman; Z-code).
- Finalist: Lost New York (Neil deMause; TADS 2).
- Finalist: So Far (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
- Finalist: Time: All Things Come to an End (Andy Phillips; Z-code).
1997 Best Story Babel (Ian Finley; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Glowgrass (Nate Cull; TADS 2).
- Finalist: I-0 (Adam Cadre; Z-code).
- Finalist: Madame L'Estrange and the Troubled Spirit (Ian Ball and Marcus Young; Z-code).
- Finalist: Mercy (Chris Klimas; Z-code).
1998 Best Story: Photopia (Adam Cadre; Z-code).
- Finalist: Anchorhead (Michael Gentry; Z-code).
- Finalist: Little Blue Men (Michael Gentry; Z-code).
- Finalist: Losing Your Grip (Stephen Granade; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Spider and Web (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
1999 Best Story: Worlds Apart (Suzanne Britton; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Aisle (Sam Barlow; Z-code).
- Finalist: Common Ground (Stephen Granade; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Lunatix: The Insanity Circle (Mike Snyder; MS-DOS).
- Finalist: The Mulldoon Legacy (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
- Finalist: Varicella (Adam Cadre; Z-code).
2000 Best Story: My Angel (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
- Finalist: Being Andrew Plotkin (J. Robinson Wheeler; Z-code).
- Finalist: Heroine's Mantle (Andy Phillips; Z-code).
- Finalist: LASH -- Local Asynchronous Satellite Hookup (Paul O'Brian; Z-code).
- Finalist: Masquerade (Kathleen M. Fischer; Z-code).
- Finalist: Rameses (Stephen Bond; Z-code).
- Finalist: Shade (Andrew Plotkin as "Ampe R. Sand"; Z-code).
- Finalist: Shrapnel (Adam Cadre; Z-code).
2001 Best Story: All Roads (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
- Finalist: Fallacy of Dawn (Robb Sherwin; Hugo).
- Finalist: First Things First (J. Robinson Wheeler; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Pytho's Mask (Emily Short; Z-code).
- Finalist: Vicious Cycles (Simon Mark; Z-code).
- Finalist: Voices (Aris Katsaris; Z-code).
2002 Best Story: Savoir-Faire (Emily Short; Z-code).
- Finalist: Augustine (Terrence V. Koch; TADS 2).
- Finalist: The Moonlit Tower (Yoon Ha Lee; Z-code).
- Finalist: Till Death Makes a Monk-Fish Out of Me! (Jon Ingold and Mike Sousa; TADS 2).
- Finalist: When Help Collides (J. D. Berry; Z-code).
2003 Best Story: Slouching Towards Bedlam (Daniel Ravipinto and Star Foster; Z-code).
- Finalist: City of Secrets (Emily Short; Glulx).
- Finalist: Narcolepsy (Adam Cadre; Glulx).
- Finalist: Redemption (Kathleen M. Fischer; Z-code).
- Finalist: To Hell in a Hamper (J. J. Guest; ADRIFT).
2004 Best Story: Blue Chairs (Chris Klimas; Z-code).
- Finalist: The Act of Misdirection (Callico Harrison; Z-code).
- Finalist: The Cabal (Stephen Bond; Z-code).
- Finalist: The Dreamhold (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
- Finalist: Future Boy! (Kent Tessman; Hugo).
- Finalist: Necrotic Drift (Robb Sherwin; Hugo).
2005 Best Story: Beyond (Roberto Grassi, Paolo Lucchesi, and Alessandro Peretti; publisher: Mondi Confinanti; Glulx).
- Finalist: All Hope Abandon (Eric Eve; TADS 3).
- Finalist: Chancellor (Kevin Venzke; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Distress (Mike Snyder; Hugo).
- Finalist: Vespers (Jason Devlin; Z-code).
2006 Best Story: The Traveling Swordsman (Mike Snyder; Hugo).
- Finalist: Moon-Shaped (Jason Ermer; Z-code).
- Finalist: Pantomime (Robb Sherwin; Hugo).
- Finalist: The Baron a.k.a. De Baron (Victor Gijsbers; Z-code; English and Dutch).
- Finalist: The Elysium Enigma (Eric Eve; TADS 3).
2007 Best Story: A Fine Day for Reaping (James Webb aka "revgiblet"; ADRIFT).
- Finalist: An Act of Murder (Christopher Huang as "Hugh Dunnett"; Z-code).
- Finalist: Dead Cities (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
- Finalist: Deadline Enchanter (Alan DeNiro as Anonymous; Z-code).
- Finalist: Fate (Victor Gijsbers; Z-code).
2008 Best Story: Nightfall (Eric Eve; Glulx).
- Finalist: Afflicted (Doug Egan; Z-code).
- Finalist: Everybody Dies (Jim Munroe; Glulx).
- Finalist: Gun Mute (C.E.J. Pacian; TADS 3).
- Finalist: Violet (Jeremy Freese; Z-code).
2009 Best Story: Blue Lacuna (Aaron A. Reed; Glulx).
- Finalist: The King of Shreds and Patches (Jimmy Maher; Glulx).
- Finalist: Klockwerk: The Shadow in the Cathedral (Ian Finley and Jon Ingold; publisher: Textfyre; FyreVM).
- Finalist: Make It Good (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
2010 Best Story: The Warbler's Nest (Jason McIntosh; Z-code).
- Finalist: Gris et Jaune (Jason Devlin as "Steve van Gaal"; Glulx).
- Finalist: Hoist Sail for the Heliopause and Home (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
- Finalist: One Eye Open (Colin Sandel and Carolyn VanEseltine; Glulx).
2011 Best Story: The Play (Dietrich Squinkifer, writing as Deirdra Kiai).
- Finalist: Bonehead (Sean M. Shore).
- Finalist: Cryptozookeeper (Robb Sherwin).
- Finalist: The Life (and Deaths) of Doctor M (Michael D. Hilborn).
- Finalist: Zombie Exodus (Jim Dattilo).
2012 Best Story: howling dogs (Porpentine, Twine).
- Finalist: Changes (David Given, Z-code).
- Finalist: Eurydice (Anonymous, Z-code).
- Finalist: First Draft of the Revolution
2013 Best Story: Solarium (Alan DeNiro; Web browser).
- Finalist: Coloratura (Lynnea Glasser; Glulx).
- Finalist: Horse Master (Tom McHenry; Web browser).
- Finalist: ULTRA BUSINESS TYCOON III (Porpentine; Web browser).
2014 Best Story: 80 Days (inkle, Meg Jayanth; iOS, Android)
- Finalist: Eidolon (A.D. Jansen; Web browser)
- Finalist: the uncle who works for nintendo (michael lutz; Web browser)
- Finalist: Venus Meets Venus (kaleidofish; Web browser)
- Finalist: With Those We Love Alive (Porpentine, Brenda Neotenomie; Web browser)
2015 Best Story: Birdland (Brendan Patrick Hennessy; 01-Oct-2015; Web browser).
- Finalist: Arcane Intern (Unpaid) (Astrid Dalmady; Web browser)
- Finalist: Cape (Bruno Dias; Web browser)
- Finalist: Map (Ade McT; Glulx)

2018 Best Story: Bogeyman (Elizabeth Smyth)
- Finalist: Alias 'The Magpie' (J. J. Guest)
- Finalist: Animalia (Ian Michael Waddell)
- Finalist: Cannery Vale (Hanon Ondricek)
- Finalist: Dead Man’s Fiesta (Ed Sibley)
- Finalist: Dungeon Detective (Wonaglot, Caitlin Mulvihill)