Now that the time wasting features in Windows 7 have been enhanced with 3 new games, Microsoft can shift its focus from the next iteration of the Windows-based operating system and towards the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) Awards. If you are a fan of Xbox games, Microsoft has posted a list of nominees for this second annual awards ceremony, and you get to say who will get the most coveted prizes by voting for your favorite games starting tomorrow, the 3rd of March, until the 10th.

The list of nominees posted by the Redmond software developer is made up of the most popular games of 2008. There are a total of 9 nominalization categories and in order to vote for your favorite and best liked game or games all you have to do is log on to the Xbox Live Spotlight channel. Be careful to respect the voting period of 7 days mentioned above.

And the nominees for the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) Awards, according to category, are:

Best Overall Arcade Game
Braid
Castle Crashers
Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2
Street Fighter II HD Remix
Portal: Still Alive

Best Original Game
Castle Crashers
N+
Braid
Penny Arcade Episode 1
Schizoid
Age of Booty

Best Family Game
Boogie Bunnies
Roogoo
A Kingdom for Keflings
Lost Cities
Meteos Wars

Best Co-operative Multiplayer Game
Castle Crashers
Schizoid
Bionic Commando Rearmed
N+
Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2

Best Competitive Multiplayer Game
Street Fighter II HD Remix
Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2
Soul Calibur
Meteos Wars
Age of Booty

Best Solo Game
Braid
Mega Man 9
Penny Arcade Episode 1
Rez HD
Portal: Still Alive

Best Innovation in XBLA
Braid (time travel)
A Kingdom for Keflings (use of Avatars)
Fable II Pub Games (retail game integration)
N+ (level sharing)
Duke Nukem 3D (dynamic replay)

Best Graphics
Street Fighter II HD Remix
Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2
Braid
Castle Crashers
Bionic Commando Rearmed

Best Classic/Remake Game
Bionic Commando Rearmed
Street Fighter II HD Remix
Mega Man 9
Galaga Legions
Rez HD