GameFaqs’ Best Game Ever Round 1 – My Picks

On November 5th, voting will begin for the first round of GameFaqs’ “Best. Game Ever. 20th Anniversary Edition,” in which people vote for the games they consider the best until only one remains. There are also prizes if you can accurately predict the winners.

I normally ignore these, but KoopaTV’s choices Ludwig’s choices filled me with righteous anger, and it’s time to make my stand!

Or something like that.

Anyway, let’s take a look at the round 1 contenders. Keep in mind, these are my personal opinions and some of them might not line up with yours. In fact, I all but guarantee it.

Division I

Chrono Trigger vs. Ratchet & Clank 3 – I have yet to play the Ratchet & Clank series, so I can’t directly compare these two games. However, Chrono Trigger was fantastic and I generally prefer RPGs to action platformers, so my vote goes to Chrono Trigger.

Speaking of which, do you think Square Enix will ever make another Chrono game, or will they just continue to troll us by placing its music in their E3 preview videos?

Dragon Quest VIII vs. Persona 3 – The last time I played a Dragon Quest game, it was still called Dragon Warrior and I never finished it. The closest I’ve come to playing Persona 3 is looking at it on Amazon. So I really can’t vote on this one. However, I’ve heard many strong recommendations for Persona 3, so I lean in that direction.

Batman: Arkham City vs. Mega Man X – Arkham City was a good game, even if its open-world nature makes me prefer its predecessor. I haven’t played Mega Man X, but 2D platformers aren’t my favorite. Therefore, I pick Batman: Arkham City.

But Arkham Asylum is better, although it didn’t make this list at all. I dislike open world games.

Final Fantasy X vs. Half-Life – This one is no contest for me. One of my unpopular gaming opinions, right up there with hating open worlds and enjoying Amy, is my dislike for the Half-Life series. And while Final Fantasy X was a bit too linear, it had a good story and an excellent battle system. In this match-up, I’d vote for Final Fantasy X any day.

Super Smash Bros. Melee vs. Portal – I’m sure I’ll receive some criticism for this one. Another unpopular opinion of mine is that I’ve never been able to get into the Super Smash Bros. series. However, the original Portal is an amazing game and definitely my pick.

Pokémon Gold/Silver vs. The World Ends With You – Oh. Oh. Why would you do this to me, GameFaqs??

The second generation Pokémon games got me into the series. Their remakes got me back into the series after my long hiatus. And yet… The World Ends With You is one of my favorite RPGs. Ever.

If I look at this from a purely objective standpoint, Pokémon Gold/Silver probably deserves to win, especially if SoulSilver and HeartGold are taken into account. But this isn’t an objective analysis, it’s my own thoughts on these games… and as much as I love Pokémon, I love The World Ends With You more.

Metal Gear Solid 4 vs. Kingdom Hearts II – Another match-up where I’ve played neither game. MGS has a great reputation, but after how much I enjoyed the first Kingdom Hearts, I will tentatively give this round to Kingdom Hearts II.

The Last of Us vs. Halo 3 – I haven’t played The Last of Us. I know, I should. People keep recommending it to me. On the other hand, as if last week’s ramble about the Flood didn’t indicate this enough, I love Halo. So for the time being, I say Halo 3 is the better game.

Division II

Final Fantasy VI vs. Assassins Creed II – Another one of my favorite RPGs ever versus an open world stealth game? Anyone who knows me should know this is no contest: Final Fantasy VI.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door vs. Tales of Symphonia – WHY???

The Pokémon/TWEWY match was hard enough. Now GameFaqs has pitted two of my favorite RPGs against one another, and it’s only Round 1! Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is charming, entertaining, and a definite must-play. But when it’s up against a game I called perfect… I’m sorry, Paper Mario. I vote for Tales of Symphonia.

Tales of Symphonia should win this entire contest! It won’t, but it should. Just my opinion.

…Symphonia.

Ahem, moving on…

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic vs. Xenogears – Whoa, GameFaqs isn’t pulling any punches with these choices. This would be another really hard choice… except I haven’t played Xenogears yet. Therefore, I will lament my backlog while cheering on my beloved Knights of the Old Republic, and hope I don’t regret this in years to come when I play Xenogears at last.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker vs. Pokémon X/Y – Why… why is Pokémon X/Y on this list when Black/White isn’t? My feelings toward X/Y are less than ideal, so I’ll happily vote for my first and favorite Zelda game, Wind Waker.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U vs. Planescape: Torment – I may not be a big Smash Bros. fan, but until I wrote this article, I thought that other game was called Planetscape. Since I haven’t played either, I can’t really vote, but from my limited knowledge I’ll give this one to Super Smash Bros. Wii U.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 vs. Mass Effect – I enjoyed the original Super Mario Galaxy, but I haven’t played the sequel yet. People say it’s great, but is it good enough to overcome my love for the original Mass Effect? I’m not so sure. For me, Mass Effect wins.

Minecraft vs. Halo: Combat Evolved – Building games like Minecraft don’t interest me at all, and I really love Halo. Therefore, my vote goes for Halo: Combat Evolved.

Final Fantasy VII vs. Journey – I can sense the fights breaking out already. I’m sure Journey is a beautiful game, and maybe fans overhype Final Fantasy VII a little… but it’s still a really great RPG. I vote for Final Fantasy VII.

And pray the remake doesn’t ruin things.

Division III

Super Mario Bros. 3 vs. Age of Empires II – I may not be in love with 2D platformers, especially older ones, but I hate the whole RTS genre. (I’m full of unpopular opinions today.) Therefore, my vote goes to Super Mario Bros 3.

Pokémon Red/Blue vs. Tetris – Tetris is more classic, but I find Pokémon a lot more fun. Pokémon Red/Blue take this one.

Portal 2 vs. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – Remember my earlier thoughts on Portal? Well, if it comes down to the two of them, I consider Portal 2 to be the better game. Meanwhile, I never got into the Sonic games, old or new. I vote for Portal 2.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves vs. The Walking Dead – One day, I swear, I will give Uncharted 2 an honest chance even though I hated the first game so much I couldn’t finish it. However, that day has not yet come and it’s up against a dark, gripping story that wreaked havoc on my emotions. My vote goes to Telltale’s The Walking Dead.

But why isn’t The Wolf Among Us a contender? Anyone? I like it more…

Fallout 3 vs. Life is Strange – I haven’t played either of these games. I’ve heard good things about both. I’ve watched gameplay of both and been unable to stay with it. I’ll tentatively give this to Life is Strange, but I really don’t know.

Undertale vs. Mass Effect 3 – Stop reading this article and go play Undertale.

Even if Undertale didn’t win for its characters, humor, moral consequences, gameplay tricks, and overall concept, how can you argue with its amazing soundtrack?

GTA: Vice City vs. Final Fantasy VIII – Of the classic Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy VIII might be the weakest. However, it has charm, good RPG gameplay, and memorable characters. Meanwhile, I have zero interest in the Grand Theft Auto series. It will probably lose, but I vote for Final Fantasy VIII.

Super Mario World vs. Animal Crossing: New Leaf – I haven’t played either, I probably never will play either, and I’ve heard excellent things about both. For the sake of classics, I’ll give this to Super Mario World.

Division IV

Yes, I know this picture is for the whole trilogy.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – This isn’t a hard choice for me, but it’s painful to see this match-up. What chance does Ace Attorney have against a juggernaut like Skyrim? Nevertheless, I love the Ace Attorney series. Here’s hoping Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney pulls through.

Goldeneye 007 vs. Diablo II – Another pair of supposedly-great games I haven’t played enough to compare. I’ll go with Diablo II, but my heart isn’t in it.

Metroid Prime vs. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – Although I haven’t (yet) played Metroid Prime, you know how I feel about open world RPGs. I give this one to Metroid Prime.

Half-Life 2 vs. Demon’s Souls – Two games I’ve started and not completed… yet under different circumstances. I quit Half-Life 2 after I finished Ravenholm, because I realized I found the majority of gameplay boring. I quit Demon’s Souls because I wanted to play other games more, but still hope to return to it. My vote goes to Demon’s Souls.

Super Mario 64 vs. Mario Kart 8 – My memories of Super Mario 64 are tinged by nostalgia, since it was one of my first games. Mario Kart 8 was fun, but I only spend a handful of hours with it. The winner here should be Super Mario 64.

Final Fantasy Tactics vs. Resident Evil 2 – I’ve never played Final Fantasy Tactics and I probably never will. Resident Evil 2, on the other hand, is one of my favorite survival horror games. This is probably another controversial opinion… but I choose Resident Evil 2.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess vs. Skies of Arcadia – This is a surprisingly tricky one. Do I vote for a good game I enjoyed, or for a game I haven’t played but desperately want to because of all the good things I’ve heard about it. If Skies of Arcadia ever becomes easier to find, I’ll be able to give an answer. For now, I abstain.

Persona 4 vs. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors – I’ve heard amazing things about both of these games, and I hope to play both of them in the future. Although both sound great, I lean slightly toward 999 and name it my pick in this match-up.

Division V

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time vs. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft – I’ve never been much of one for cards. While Hearthstone is entertaining, I got more enjoyment out of Ocarina of Time, even if I didn’t play it until the 3D remake. Therefore, my vote goes to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Suikoden II vs. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate – Once again, I haven’t played either game. However, the Monster Hunter series doesn’t appeal to me and I like what I’ve heard about Suikoden. From this pair, I vote for Suikoden II.

Okami vs. Warcraft III – Warcraft III is a game I’ve never played in a genre I dislike. Okami is a game I keep trying to play and just can’t enjoy as much as I want to. I abstain.

Final Fantasy IX vs. Kingdom Hearts – It’s been a while since we had one of these. As I mentioned earlier, I really loved Kingdom Hearts when I played it over the past few months. If it were up against something else, Kingdom Hearts would win. But it’s up against one of my first RPGs, a game I truly love. I’m sorry, Kingdom Hearts. I have to go with Final Fantasy IX.

Xenoblade Chronicles vs. Donkey Kong Country 2 – I might come under fire for this one, but I can’t get into the Donkey Kong games. And I loved Xenoblade. While I’m still uncertain about the upcoming spiritual successor, my vote here goes to the Xenoblade Chronicles.

Fire Emblem: Awakening vs. Super Mario Maker – This is a tricky one. I haven’t played either, both have been recommended to me… I say Super Mario Maker. Of the two, it looks more fun. It also produces fun fan tributes, as we discussed before.

Banjo-Kazooie vs. Baldur’s Gate II – Banjo-Kazooie is one of my favorite games of all time. I don’t care how good Baldur’s Gate II is (I might play it someday). Banjo-Kazooie wins.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials & Tribulations – What are you trying to do to the Ace Attorney series?? Although it has been placed up against a game considered by many people to be the greatest game of all time, I stand by my personal choice of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials & Tribulations.

Division VI

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past vs. Cave Story – It’s one of my great gaming shames, but I’ve never finished A Link to the Past. On the other hand, I’ve never played Cave Story at all. Is it worth trying? For now, my vote goes to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Deus Ex vs. Final Fantasy IV – I might try the Deus Ex series someday, but when it’ll have to be out of this world to overcome a classic turn-based RPG on my list. That said, I still need to actually play Final Fantasy IV, for while it is my vote, I’ve only played the beginning.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain vs. Perfect Dark – These are two more games I’ve never played. Let’s think about this. MGS V is open world, and while it’s in a highly story-driven series, many players say its story feels sparser. Perfect Dark is a shooter from Rare. I’ll tentatively give this one to Perfect Dark.

Dark Souls vs. Civilization IV – No contest. I’m not positive I’ll enjoy the Souls games, but their overall gameplay appeals to me more than that of the Civilization series. Dark Souls wins.

Super Metroid vs. Call of Duty 4 – Moving on, while I’ve played neither (I know, I know…), I like Metroid gameplay and have little interest in the Call of Duty series. This one goes to Super Metroid.

Still the best golem ever.

Super Mario Galaxy vs. Dragon Age: Origins – I’m sorry, Mario. I really am. Super Mario Galaxy was a fantastic game, fun to play and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes 3D platformers. Yet it can’t compete with one of the best games I played in 2013. Here, my vote goes to Dragon Age: Origins.

Bloodborne vs. Final Fantasy XII – Another contest made tricky by virtue of the fact that I’ve played neither game. Two RPGs that come highly recommended, one which oozes Lovecraftian horror and one from a time-honored RPG series. Worst of all, I fully intend to play both of these games in the future.

You know what? I abstain.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask vs. Valkyria Chronicles – This one gets even trickier. I’ve heard enough great stuff about Majora’s Mask to make me feel it’s perfect for me… but also enough criticisms to make me worry I’ll hate it. I’ve heard a lot of praise for Valkyria Chronicles… but tactical RPGs tend to be hit or miss for me.

And since I’m absolutely going to play both games in the future… I abstain again.

Division VII

Grand Theft Auto V vs. Shenmue – My interest in the GTA series is so low, the choice would be obvious even if I hadn’t watched Game Informer’s hilarious Shenmue playthrough. As it is, Shenmue won my heart and deserves this win.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion vs. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars – By now, I’ve probably made my feelings on the Elder Scrolls games clear. I haven’t played Super Mario RPG yet, but I can’t wait to see what it’s like. Therefore, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars gets my vote.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas vs. Shovel Knight – Shovel Knight. See previous GTA comments.

World of Warcraft vs. Chrono Cross – I’m not a fan of MMORPGs. And the one MMORPG I got into, I already quit. So WoW has a distinct disadvantage here. Who knows, maybe Chrono Cross will disappoint me when I finally play it, but for now, that’s my pick: Chrono Cross.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt vs. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth – The subject matter of The Binding of Isaac doesn’t appeal to me at all. If you’ve followed my numerous Witcher posts, however, you know I can’t wait to play Wild Hunt! (Yes, I really got sidetracked from my plan to catch up on the series before the game came out…) Even though it’s an open world game, I vote for The Witcher 3.

Let’s take another look at the awesome trailer that made me interested in the series. It takes on so much more meaning now that I’ve read the books…

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty vs. Resident Evil – I’m not entirely sure if this means the original Resident Evil only, or if the REmake (which was released for the Gamecube, re-released for the Wii, and then remastered for non-Nintendo players because it’s just that awesome) counts as well. Either way, sorry MGS, I’ll vote for the survival horror masterpiece, Resident Evil.

Fallout: New Vegas vs. BioShock: Infinite – I haven’t played either of these games, but of the two, I’m more interested in the BioShock series. I even started the first game once, but I didn’t get far. I’ll give this one to Bioshock: Infinite.

Resident Evil 4 vs. Paper Mario – Hahahaha, the game that began Resident Evil’s descent into action up against one of my favorite RPGs? No contest. I’m certain I’m in the minority, but I’ll vote for the original Paper Mario without hesitation.

Division VIII

Metal Gear Solid vs. Splatoon – What an intriguing match-up. I haven’t played either game, but I watched Derangedband’s LP of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. I found the story quite interesting. And while Splatoon seems bright and colorful and fun, I don’t see it having as strong as legacy as MGS did. Therefore, I think this one has to go to Metal Gear Solid.

EarthBound vs. Borderlands 2 – When I reviewed EarthBound, I considered it a quirky and fun RPG. I haven’t actually finished Borderlands 2 sometime. Borderlands has its charm, but I say Earthbound is better… not to mention more influential.

Shadow of the Colossus vs. Team Fortress 2 – Although I haven’t played Shadow of the Colossus yet, multiplayer-only games like TF2 aren’t high on my list. For now, I’ll tentatively stand by Shadow of the Colossus.

Red Dead Redemption vs. Bayonetta 2 – What kind of contest is this? The answer is Bayonetta 2. Bayonetta 2.

Picture added for emphasis, in case you aren’t sure what my vote is.

This puts an open-world action adventure game up against an amazing stylish action game that’s fun, funny, exciting, challenging, and the best game I played last year. Bayonetta 2 deserves to win.

Metal Gear Solid 3 vs. Mother 3 – How am I supposed to judge a match-up when one of them hasn’t been officially released in English yet? Does GameFaqs know something we don’t about Nintendo’s plans? Abstain.

Bioshock vs. Silent Hill 2 – Maybe I’ll love BioShock when I play it, but will I love it more than my favorite survival horror game? Doubtful. And while Silent Hill 2 isn’t my personal favorite in the series, because I prefer the more cult-focused games, it is the most famous and influential.

It also taught us about cans of lightbulbs. I vote for Silent Hill 2.

Starcraft vs. Destiny – Can it get any worse for me than an RTS up against an online multiplayer game? You know, because I’m such a Halo fan, I was actually really interested in Destiny before it came out. I thought I might give it a try. From what I’ve heard, I’m glad I didn’t. On the other hand, although real-time strategy is my least favorite genre, I like Starcraft’s story. So, ironically, this isn’t a hard decision: Starcraft.

Mass Effect 2 vs. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward – Here’s a weird one. I played Mass Effect 2. I liked Mass Effect 2. Yet I’m going to vote for Virtue’s Last Reward, a game I haven’t played. Why? Because while ME2 was fun, I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other games in the series, and everything I’ve heard about the Zero Escape series tells me I need to play it ASAP so I can fall in love with it before the third game comes out. So, cautiously and curiously, I’ll vote for Virtue’s Last Reward.

There you have it: my personal picks for Round 1 of GameFaqs’ Best. Game. Ever. competition. Will Bayonetta 2 see the credit it deserves? Does Ace Attorney stand a chance? We’ll learn soon enough.

Whether you agree or disagree with my picks, share your thoughts in the comments below. What games will you vote for?

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