That’s right, it’s time for round 3 already of GameFaqs’ “Best. Game. Ever.” poll tournament. From the original 128 games on the list, several of my favorites lost in Round 1 (alas, poor Ace Attorney), and more fell away in Round 2.
But a lot of great games are still in the running, so here are my personal picks for Round 3!
Note: at the time I wrote this, the first match was already completed.
Division I
Chrono Trigger vs. Final Fantasy X – As an RPG fan, I’m delighted to see how many RPGs have made it this far. This was an easy choice for me, as I simply consider Chrono Trigger the better game.
Super Smash Bros. Melee vs. Kingdom Hearts II – I tentatively cast my vote for Kingdom Hearts II, as I loved Kingdom Hearts and have a good appreciation for Chain of Memories so far, but I wasn’t too surprised to see it lose to Smash.
Division II
Final Fantasy VI vs. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – Oof. Another painful match-up. I love both of these games. But while Wind Waker will always be special to me, it doesn’t have the same magic as Final Fantasy VI.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U vs. Final Fantasy VII – After my past votes this round, it should be no surprise that my vote here goes to Final Fantasy VII.Division III
Pokémon Red/Blue vs. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – I’m not really a Sonic fan, so I have no regrets in saying I’ll vote for Pokémon Red/Blue in this match.
Undertale vs. Super Mario World – To be honest, I’m amazed Undertale made it this far. Sure I love it, but it’s not exactly mainstream. And up against a classic like Super Mario World… I’ll still cast a vote for Undertale, but I won’t be surprised if this is where it falls away.
(And I swear I’ll have a review ready soon.)
Division IV
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim vs. Metroid Prime – Skyrim has never interested in me, and I intend to play Metroid Prime in the future. So in a rare case where I’m voting against an RPG, I hope Metroid Prime wins.
Super Mario 64 vs. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – This is a tricky one. My memories of Super Mario 64 are better, but possibly tainted by nostalgia. My memories of Twilight Princess are more recent, but not as good. For its role in video game history, Super Mario 64 has my vote.
Division V
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time vs. Final Fantasy IX – Is this the round where I vote against Zelda games? Although I enjoyed my time with Ocarina of Time, it doesn’t compare to my enjoyment of that great JRPG, Final Fantasy IX.
Donkey Kong Country 2 vs. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night – Despite my sorrow that SotN knocked Banjo-Kazooie out of the running, I prefer its gameplay style to that of DK Country 2. My vote goes to Symphony of the Night.
Division VI
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past vs. Dark Souls – I’ve never been able to complete A Link to the Past, and I’ve never played Dark Souls. I have an appreciation of both games, but… yes, it looks like I will have to abstain.
Super Metroid vs. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – Two in a row? I’ve heard good things about both of these games, but I’ve yet to play either. It looks like I’ll abstain from voting here as well…Division VII
Super Mario RPG vs. Chrono Cross – Tricky, tricky… two RPGs I haven’t played… I predict Super Mario RPG will win this round, but I myself will withhold my vote again.
Metal Gear Solid 2 vs. Resident Evil 4 – I’m still voting against Resident Evil 4. I vote for Metal Gear Solid 2!
Division VIII
Metal Gear Solid vs. Shadow of the Colossus – It saddens me that EarthBound didn’t make it this far, because I would have voted for it over Shadow of the Colossus. In this match, I think I’ll vote for Metal Gear Solid for its story’s sake, though I have yet to play Shadow of the Colossus.
Metal Gear Solid 3 vs. Mass Effect 2 – Wow, there’s a lot of MGS on this list. Since I played and enjoyed Mass Effect 2, it’s my pick for this one… but I won’t be heartbroken if it loses, either.
What a strange Round 3 this turned out to be. At the start, I thought I wouldn’t have to go undecided for any this time, until I reached those last few.
The standings are curious, with some favorites I’d love to see win alongside games I have no interest in. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Final Fantasy VI go all the way to the end!
Which games will you vote for in Round 3 of GameFaqs’ “Best. Game. Ever.” contest?