LogFAQs > #950681898

Due to semi popular demand, a select few curious about the history of these things, and recent opinions that my last tournament was (accurately) the best one I've ever done, I've decided to start this topic. I've done 25 Game of the Year tournaments since January 2006. I will rank them as I go, discussing vital points and thoughts on each one as the series progressed over the last 15 years.

I will list these in the order which I ran them, so therefore the first one discussed will be...

Best Game of 2005
https://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?1&tid=136909

Ran: January 2006
Overall top seed: Resident Evil 4
1 seeds: Resident Evil 4, Dragon Quest VIII, Devil May Cry 3, Final Fantasy IV Advance
Final Four: Resident Evil 4, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Devil May Cry 3, Mario Kart DS
Ultimate Loser: Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
Championship: Resident Evil 4 defeated Devil May Cry 3 9-7

The original format for my GotY tournaments was a bit unorthodox and I wonder how I kept doing it the next several years. For those unfamiliar, I ran 12 polls where people voted for the best game of each month. Game of the Month winners were guaranteed nothing lower than a 3 seed for this tournament, which made for some interesting matches.

January: Resident Evil 4
February: Xenosaga Episode II
March: Devil May Cry 3
April: Jade Empire
May: Fire Emblem - The Sacred Stones
June: Kirby Canvas Curse
July: Killer7
August: Advance Wars - Dual Strike
September: We <3 Katamari
October: Fire Emblem - Path of Radiance
November: Dragon Quest VIII
December: Final Fantasy IV Advance

The runnerups (2nd and 3rd place each month) would get guaranteed spots also, just at lower seeds. The rest was determined in a last minute nomination topic for the scraps. I also remembered picking the #1 seeds based on leverage/impact of their releases, as well as how much they dominated their polls (the last part may be 50% true; this tournament was 15 years ago, mind you).

Anyway, the tournament was certainly some humble beginnings. Some matches didn't even break 10 votes. Devil May Cry 3 and Phoenix Wright's matches were certainly bringing in the bacon and then their one on one match in the Elite Eight tore the house down. I firmly believe if Phoenix Wright had upset Devil May Cry 3, it might have won the whole contest; Ace Attorney was only released recently at this point and Board 8 was ready to make Phoenix the official mascot and spokesperson here.

The only #11 seed not to win in the first round was Tekken 5, losing to X-Men Legends II. Mario & Luigi 2, Guitar Hero, and Indigo Prophecy all won their openers, and only Guitar Hero failed to make round 3. The most successful double-digit seed of course was Phoenix Wright, making it to the Elite Eight as a 10 seed.

Half the field's 1 seeds ended up disappointing, as Dragon Quest VIII lost to Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow in round 3, while Final Fantasy IV Advance suffered a round 3 loss to Mario Kart DS. Some seedings didn't make sense in the long run, and while I stand by DQ8's #1 seed, there really was no excuse for FF4A getting one. Devil May Cry 3 do