Board 8 > Best Game of 2020 Tournament **Nomination Round**

(+) Yeah! (+)

It's time, once again, to determine in single elimination fashion what Board 8 declares to be the best game of the year! Despite the pandemic and other shenanigans, 2020 still provided us with a great lineup of releases, and one of them will join the wall of champions:

1996 - Super Mario RPG
1997 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
1998 - Pokemon RBY
1999 - Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage
2000 - Pokemon GSC
2001 - Super Smash Bros Melee
2002 - Metroid Prime
2003 - Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
2004 - Metal Gear Solid 3
2005 - Resident Evil 4
2006 - Okami
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy
2008 - Persona 4
2009 - Uncharted 2
2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2
2011 - Portal 2
2012 - Xenoblade Chronicles
2013 - Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
2014 - Super Smash Bros for Wii U
2015 - Rocket League
2016 - Dark Souls III
2017 - Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018 - Super Smash Bros Ultimate
2019 - Disco Elysium

Nomination Rules
1) Nominate up to 10 games released in North America in 2020
2) The amount you nominate determine how many points each game gets. If you nominate 10 games, your top choice gets 10 points. If you only nominate 1 game, it only gets 1 point.
3) Full on remakes (like FF7 Remake and Resident Evil 3) are fine for nominating. Remasters and rereleases are not (sorry Xenoblade, Demon's Souls, and P5 Royal)

List of notable releases are in the next post, but I will always welcome new nominations as long as they're eligible

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Ghost of Tsushima
Hades
Doom Eternal
The Last of Us Part II
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Cyberpunk 2077
Nioh 2
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Paper Mario: Origami King
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
Resident Evil 3
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
Trials of Mana
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory
Bugsnax
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Astro's Playroom
Streets of Rage 4
Super Mario Bros. 35
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV
Watch Dogs: Legion
Godfall
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Genshin Impact
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Battletoads
Star Wars: Squadrons
Immortals Fenix Rising
Half-Life: Alyx
Predator: Hunting Grounds
Visage
Maneater
Valorant
Dirt 5
MLB the Show 20
Minecraft Dungeons
Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions
Marvel's Avengers
Spelunky 2
Kirby Fighters 2
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV
Crusader Kings III
Torchlight III
Paper Beast
Haven
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War
Project CARS 3
PGA Tour 2K21
Madden NFL 21
NBA 2K21
FIFA 21
NHL 21
WWE 2K Battlegrounds
UFC 4
Serious Sam 4
Rogue Company
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is back
Jackbox Party Pack 7
Ord.
Carrion
Murder by Numbers
Death Come True

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1) Mario 35
2) Jackbox Party Pack 7

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+10 FF7R
+9 Streets of Rage 4
+8 Super Mario Bros 35
+7 Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity
+6 Animal Crossing New Horizons
+5 Doom Eternal
+4 Tony Hawk 1 and 2
+3 Crash Bandicoot 4
+2 Fall Guys
+1 Pokmon Smile
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1. Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
2. Temtem
3. Final Fantasy VII: Remake
4. Watch Dogs: Legion
5. Assassins Creed: Valhalla
6. Spider-Man: Miles Morales
7. Persona 5: Royal
8. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
9. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
10. Resident Evil 3

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+10 World of Horror
+9 The Last of Us Part II
+8 Resident Evil 3
+7 Murder House
+6 Visage
+5 Amnesia: Rebirth
+4 Cyberpunk 2077
+3 Carrion
+2 Call of Duty: Warzone
+1 Doom Eternal


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Top to bottom:

1. Hades
2. Animal Crossing New Horizons
3. The Last of Us Part II
4. Final Fantasy VII Remake
5. Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout
6. Paper Mario: The Origami King
7. Doom Eternal
8. Super Mario 35
9. Cyberpunk 2077

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+10 Max Rat Dead
+9 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
+8 Romans Christmas
+7 Final Fantasy 7 Remake
+6 Temtem
+5 Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity
+4 P5Royale
+3 Fall Guys
+2 Tales of CRESTORIA
+1 Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2

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1. Kentucky Route Zero
2. Crusader Kings 3
3. Troubleshooter
4. A Summers End - Hong Kong 1986
5. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
6. Phantasy Star Online 2
7. Urumangi Generation
8. Yakuza: Like A Dragon
9. Spelunky 2
10. A Short Hike

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+8 Final Fantasy VII Remake
Genshin Impact
Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
The Last of Us Part II
Cyberpunk 2077
NBA 2K21
Astro's Playroom


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+4 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
+3 Hades
+2 Paper Mario: The Origami King
+1 Trials of Mana

These, Xenoblade, and Pokemon DLC are the only 2020 games I played.

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+10 Final Fantasy VII Remake
+9 The Last of Us Part II
+8 Ghost of Tsushima
+7 Yakuza: Like a Dragon
+6 Cyberpunk 2077
+5 DOOM Eternal
+4 The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV
+3 Nioh 2
+2 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
+1 Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Edit: Swapped Trails of Cold Steel IV with Hades

+5 Hades
+4 Lenna's Inception
+3 Genshin Impact
+2 Monster Train
+1 Soda Dungeon 2

Tempted to randomly pick other games I haven't played just to boost the ones I haven't, but that's not in the spirit of things.

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+10 Yakuza: Like A Dragon
+9 Hades
+8 Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
+7 Battletoads
+6 Final Fantasy VII Remake
+5 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
+4 Doom Eternal
+3 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
+2 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
+1 Streets of Rage 4

If THPS isn't eligible, please move 13 Sentinels and SoR4 up and add Deadly Premonition 2 as the +1 if that's alright.

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Caught up now.

- Kamek, adjusted your noms to include Deadly Premonition 2, as THPS1-2 is not eligible. Stifled also
- Dancedreamer and Ermine, your noms are also adjusted accordingly, as Persona 5 Royal is not eligible

Right now the top seeds are FF7R, Hades, Last of Us 2, and Doom Eternal

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And my 10...

1) Ghost of Tsushima
2) Doom Eternal
3) Final Fantasy VII Remake
4) Hades
5) Ori and the Will of the Wisps
6) Assassin's Creed Valhalla
7) Cyberpunk 2077
8) Nioh 2
9) Paper Mario: Origami King
10) Spiderman: Miles Morales

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Is the full release of Kentucky Route Zero eligible?

Mythiot posted...

Is the full release of Kentucky Route Zero eligible?

After checking earlier, yes. It falls under the same release guidelines as The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us

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+4 FFVII Remake
+3 The Last of Us 2
+2 Resident Evil 3
+1 Streets of Rage 4

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I don't think I've played a 2020 release deserving of the title. As for the poll, I've only ever played Portal 2 and Link Between Worlds through to the end. I've got XenoblaDE in my Switch right now, but I haven't touched it in months.

Aww. Ok Ill switch my +4 to Kirby Fighters 2.
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Are Destroy All Humans! and Mafia: Definitive Edition eligible?
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+10 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
+9 Phasmophobia
+8 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
+7 Hades
+6 Jackbox Party Pack 7
+5 Paper Mario: Origami King
+4 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
+3 Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory
+2 Spider-Man: Miles Morales
+1 Resident Evil 3
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+10 Max Rat Dead
+9 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
+8 Romans Christmas
+7 Final Fantasy 7 Remake
+6 Temtem
+5 Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity
+4 Fall Guys
+3 Tales of CRESTORIA
+2 Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
+1 Animal Crossing: New Horizons

@ZeroSignal620 edited my list due to no P5 Royale

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+4 Hades
+3 Spelunky 2
+2 Resident Evil 3
+1 DOOM: Eternal

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+10 Kentucky Route Zero
+9 Hades
+8 Final Fantasy VII Remake
+7 The Last of Us Part II
+6 Yakuza: Like a Dragon
+5 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
+4 Ghost of Tsushima
+3 Spider-Man: Miles Morales
+2 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
+1 Spiritfarer

+10 Monster Train
+9 One Step From Eden
+8 Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
+7 Jackbox Party Pack 7
+6 Super Mario Bros. 35
+5 Spiritfarer
+4 Noita (eligible?)
+3 BPM: Bullets Per Minute
+2 The Pedestrian
+1 Streets of Rage 4

I noticed someone nominated A Short Hike btw, which is a 2019 game.

+3 Murder By Numbers
+2 Watch Dogs: Legion
+1 Astro's Playroom

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Paratroopa1 posted...

I noticed someone nominated A Short Hike btw, which is a 2019 game.

Whoops, thanks for catching that. I didn't play it until it came to the Switch.

I'll give my +1 to Monster Train in that case.

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A Short Hike is awesome by the way.

1. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
2. Hades
3. Cyberpunk 2077
4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV - The End of Saga
5. Spiritfarer
6. Doom Eternal
7. Bugsnax
8. 13 Sentinels
9. Genshin Impact
10. FF7 Remake

This format is okay for nominations right?
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+10 Bugsnax
+9 Dreams
+8 Watch Dogs Legion
+7 Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated
+6 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
+5 Kirby Fighters 2
+4 Last of Us Part II
+3 Jackbox Party Pack 7
+2 Nioh 2
+1 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2


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Joelypoely posted...

Are Destroy All Humans! and Mafia: Definitive Edition eligible?

After looking those two up, yes. Mafia II on the other hand as a remaster is not.

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Mac Arrowny posted...

This format is okay for nominations right?

Yes.

Paratroopa1 posted...

Noita (eligible?)

Yes

Johnbobb, THPS1-2 is ineligible

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ZeroSignal620 posted...

Ord.

wait actually is that even from 2020

UF8 posted...

wait actually is that even from 2020

It is not.

I feel like maybe Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 should be eligible?

1. UNREAL LIFE
2. Paper Mario: The Origami King
3. WORLD OF HORROR
4. Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen
5. Hylics 2
6. Christmas Tina
7. Wanba Warriors
8. Fight Crab
9. Umurangi Generation
10. OMORI

sergiocornaga posted...

It is not.

I feel like maybe Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 should be eligible?

Correct, and that one is on me. Ord. was a 2019 release.

THPS 1-2 is listed as a remaster, not a remake.

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also even if it was eligible i would've judged it being called Ord. lol

+10 Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
+9 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
+8 Half-Life: Alyx
+7 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
+6 DBZ: Kakarot
+5 Mortal Shell
+4 Dreams
+3 Destroy All Humans!
+2 Mafia: Definitive Edition
+1 Noita
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Since Royal isn't eligible (even though I feel it should be)

1. Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
2. Temtem
3. Final Fantasy VII: Remake
4. Watch Dogs: Legion
5. Assassins Creed: Valhalla
6. Spider-Man: Miles Morales
7. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
9. Resident Evil 3
10. Fall Guys: Ultimate KNockout

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Wait how has this tournament been running since 1996 when the first gfax contest was 2002? Also surprised at FF having never won before! Will this be the year?

Edit: I am an idiot I just realised you probably ran contests for the early years more recently >_>

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Dancedreamer posted...

Since Royal isn't eligible (even though I feel it should be)

It's the same game it was 3 years prior with extra content. That'd be like nominating Return of the King for 2004 MotY just because 30-60 minutes was added.

andylt posted...

Wait how has this tournament been running since 1996 when the first gfax contest was 2002? Also surprised at FF having never won before! Will this be the year?

Edit: I am an idiot I just realised you probably ran contests for the early years more recently >_>

Correct. I've ran the contests annually since 2005. Starting in 2009, I've slowly covered 1996 through 2004. Final Fantasy has a huge tendency to choke in the finals of these tournaments.

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Bump

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How likely are you to do a Champion of Champions bracket once we have had 32 winners?

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+10 Half-Life: Alyx
+9 Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory
+8 Super Mario Bros. 35
+7 Paper Mario: Origami King
+6 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
+5 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
+4 Hades
+3 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
+2 The Last of Us Part II
+1 Final Fantasy VII Remake

Here's my tentative list. There are about eight 2020 games I'd still like to play more of, and there's a good chance my list could change as I get through them but I have a tendency to miss the deadlines for this sort of thing, so I thought I'd better post something.

+10 Kentucky Route Zero
+9 Spelunky 2
+8 February 2003
+7 Frog Fractions 3
+6 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
+5 Ikenfell
+4 Tales From Off-Peak City Vol. 1
+3 POTTERGAME
+2 Super Bogus World 2
+1 Umurangi Generation

ZeroSignal620 posted...

Final Fantasy has a huge tendency to choke in the finals of these tournaments.

Hades > FF7R in the finals confirmed!

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Cavedweller2000 posted...

How likely are you to do a Champion of Champions bracket once we have had 32 winners?

Hmmm...

2020 will mark the 25th winner. 7 more years backwards would be 1989-1995.

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