Game of the Decade: Sweet 16
[Update: The Sweet 16 have been whittled down to eight. Place your vote to decide the final four!]
The excitement is palpable. Go ahead, palp it. We're down to the Sweet 16 in the Game of the Decade bracket, and if you thought the second-round matchups were tough, look at some of the excruciating choices you have to make now.
Halo vs. Gears.
BioShock vs. GTA 3.
WoW vs. … Peggle?!
Fierce battles will be waged on the polls and in the comment threads this round, and when it's all over, some great games will be laid to rest. But we will be one step closer to a champion.
Take a look at the results below, and pour one out for your fallen favorites. Then click through to the next page, get your vote on, and whittle this Sweet 16 into an Excellent Eight. The polls close Sunday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. Eastern, and the division finals will follow on Monday.
<!-- BRACKET -->
<!-- DIVISION 1 -->
| Koopa Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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<!-- MATCHUP 1 --> 16. Nintendogs <!-- /MATCHUP 1 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 9 --> 8. Super Smash Bros. Melee <!-- /MATCHUP 9 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 13 --> 8. Super Smash Bros. Melee <!-- /MATCHUP 13 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 15 --> TBD <!-- /MATCHUP 15 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 2 --> 8. Super Smash Bros. Melee 9. Wario Ware Inc.: Mega Microgame$! <!-- /MATCHUP 2 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 3 --> 5. Paper Mario 12. Animal Crossing <!-- /MATCHUP 3 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 10 --> 12. Animal Crossing <!-- /MATCHUP 10 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 4 --> 13. Jet Grind Radio <!-- /MATCHUP 4 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 5 --> 6. Okami 11. Ico <!-- /MATCHUP 5 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 11 --> 11. Ico 14. Psychonauts <!-- /MATCHUP 11 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 14 --> 14. Psychonauts <!-- /MATCHUP 14 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 6 --> 3. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 14. Psychonauts <!-- /MATCHUP 6 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 7 --> 10. Pikmin <!-- /MATCHUP 7 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 12 --> <!-- /MATCHUP 12 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 8 --> 15. Boom Blox <!-- /MATCHUP 8 --> |
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<!-- /DIVISION 1 -->
<!-- DIVISION 2 -->
| Alucard Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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<!-- MATCHUP 1 --> 1. BioShock 16. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed <!-- /MATCHUP 1 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 9 --> 1. BioShock 9. Portal <!-- /MATCHUP 9 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 13 --> 1. BioShock <!-- /MATCHUP 13 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 15 --> TBD <!-- /MATCHUP 15 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 2 --> 8. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem 9. Portal <!-- /MATCHUP 2 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 3 --> 12. Diablo II <!-- /MATCHUP 3 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 10 --> <!-- /MATCHUP 10 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 4 --> 13. Dead Space <!-- /MATCHUP 4 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 5 --> 6. Fallout 3 11. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King <!-- /MATCHUP 5 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 11 --> 6. Fallout 3 3. Half-Life 2 <!-- /MATCHUP 11 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 14 --> 3. Half-Life 2 <!-- /MATCHUP 14 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 6 --> 3. Half-Life 2 14. Dead Rising <!-- /MATCHUP 6 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 7 --> 10. Demon's Souls <!-- /MATCHUP 7 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 12 --> 15. LEGO Star Wars <!-- /MATCHUP 12 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 8 --> 2. Perfect Dark 15. LEGO Star Wars <!-- /MATCHUP 8 --> |
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<!-- /DIVISION 2 -->
<!-- DIVISION 3 -->
| Chocobo Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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<!-- MATCHUP 1 --> 16. Bejeweled <!-- /MATCHUP 1 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 9 --> 8. Deus Ex <!-- /MATCHUP 9 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 13 --> 4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic <!-- /MATCHUP 13 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 15 --> TBD <!-- /MATCHUP 15 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 2 --> 8. Deus Ex 9. Braid <!-- /MATCHUP 2 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 3 --> <!-- /MATCHUP 3 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 10 --> 4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic <!-- /MATCHUP 10 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 4 --> 4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic <!-- /MATCHUP 4 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 5 --> 11. Lumines <!-- /MATCHUP 5 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 11 --> 11. Lumines 14. Peggle <!-- /MATCHUP 11 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 14 --> 14. Peggle <!-- /MATCHUP 14 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 6 --> 14. Peggle <!-- /MATCHUP 6 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 7 --> 7. The Sims 10. Mass Effect <!-- /MATCHUP 7 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 12 --> 7. The Sims <!-- /MATCHUP 12 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 8 --> 15. Killer 7 <!-- /MATCHUP 8 --> |
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<!-- /DIVISION 3 -->
<!-- DIVISION 4 -->
| Bo Jackson Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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<!-- MATCHUP 1 --> 16. Ratchet & Clank <!-- /MATCHUP 1 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 9 --> 8. Soulcalibur II <!-- /MATCHUP 9 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 13 --> 4. Gears of War <!-- /MATCHUP 13 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 15 --> TBD <!-- /MATCHUP 15 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 2 --> 8. Soulcalibur II 9. God of War <!-- /MATCHUP 2 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 3 --> 12. SSX <!-- /MATCHUP 3 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 10 --> 12. SSX 4. Gears of War <!-- /MATCHUP 10 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 4 --> 4. Gears of War <!-- /MATCHUP 4 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 5 --> 6. Advance Wars 11. Guitar Hero <!-- /MATCHUP 5 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 11 --> 6. Advance Wars 14. Left 4 Dead <!-- /MATCHUP 11 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 14 --> 14. Left 4 Dead 7. Rock Band <!-- /MATCHUP 14 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 6 --> 3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 14. Left 4 Dead <!-- /MATCHUP 6 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 7 --> 7. Rock Band 10. Burnout <!-- /MATCHUP 7 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 12 --> 7. Rock Band 15. Battlefield 1942 <!-- /MATCHUP 12 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 8 --> 2. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 15. Battlefield 1942 <!-- /MATCHUP 8 --> |
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<!-- /DIVISION 4 -->
<!-- /BRACKET -->
Next page: Koopa and Alucard Division voting!
<!-- ******** PAGE BREAK ******** -->
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Koopa Division
Metroid Prime may have been the No. 1 seed on paper, but Super Smash Bros. Melee -- the only People's Choice seed left in the competition -- handed Samus her lunch by a 2-to-1 margin. Suddenly the Koopa Division is Upsetville, as Super Mario Galaxy falls to the unexpected might of Shadow of the Colossus. The voters have left an interesting assortment of titles here -- three of the most idiosyncratic games this decade has seen, alongside one pure, concentrated Nintendo classic.
<!-- DIVISION 1 -->
| Koopa Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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<!-- MATCHUP 1 --> 16. Nintendogs <!-- /MATCHUP 1 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 9 --> 8. Super Smash Bros. Melee <!-- /MATCHUP 9 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 13 --> 8. Super Smash Bros. Melee <!-- /MATCHUP 13 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 15 --> TBD <!-- /MATCHUP 15 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 2 --> 8. Super Smash Bros. Melee 9. Wario Ware Inc.: Mega Microgame$! <!-- /MATCHUP 2 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 3 --> 5. Paper Mario 12. Animal Crossing <!-- /MATCHUP 3 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 10 --> 12. Animal Crossing <!-- /MATCHUP 10 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 4 --> 13. Jet Grind Radio <!-- /MATCHUP 4 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 5 --> 6. Okami 11. Ico <!-- /MATCHUP 5 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 11 --> 11. Ico 14. Psychonauts <!-- /MATCHUP 11 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 14 --> 14. Psychonauts <!-- /MATCHUP 14 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 6 --> 3. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 14. Psychonauts <!-- /MATCHUP 6 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 7 --> 10. Pikmin <!-- /MATCHUP 7 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 12 --> <!-- /MATCHUP 12 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 8 --> 15. Boom Blox <!-- /MATCHUP 8 --> |
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<!-- /DIVISION 1 -->
<!-- ******** KOOPA DIVISION POLLS ******** -->
Alucard Division
Some late action in the Alucard division, as Fallout 3 made a ferocious charge at Half-Life 2 shortly before the close of voting. But the Valve classic held off the Wasteland horde -- barely -- 389 votes to 366. It was the closest vote of Round Two. Will Arkham Asylum, fresh in players' minds, have an edge over the five-year-old HL2? Probably not. So far, the voters have been admirably unimpressed by youth. They're looking for decade-defining greatness.
<!-- DIVISION 2 -->
| Alucard Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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<!-- MATCHUP 1 --> 1. BioShock 16. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed <!-- /MATCHUP 1 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 9 --> 1. BioShock 9. Portal <!-- /MATCHUP 9 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 13 --> 1. BioShock <!-- /MATCHUP 13 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 15 --> TBD <!-- /MATCHUP 15 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 2 --> 8. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem 9. Portal <!-- /MATCHUP 2 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 3 --> 12. Diablo II <!-- /MATCHUP 3 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 10 --> <!-- /MATCHUP 10 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 4 --> 13. Dead Space <!-- /MATCHUP 4 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 5 --> 6. Fallout 3 11. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King <!-- /MATCHUP 5 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 11 --> 6. Fallout 3 3. Half-Life 2 <!-- /MATCHUP 11 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 14 --> 3. Half-Life 2 <!-- /MATCHUP 14 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 6 --> 3. Half-Life 2 14. Dead Rising <!-- /MATCHUP 6 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 7 --> 10. Demon's Souls <!-- /MATCHUP 7 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 12 --> 15. LEGO Star Wars <!-- /MATCHUP 12 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 8 --> 2. Perfect Dark 15. LEGO Star Wars <!-- /MATCHUP 8 --> |
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<!-- /DIVISION 2 -->
<!-- ******** ALUCARD DIVISION POLLS ******** -->
Next page: Chocobo and Bo Jackson Division voting!
<!-- ******** PAGE BREAK ******** -->
@@
Chocobo Division
Dark horse alert: In the most heavily trafficked poll of the contest so far, KOTOR thumped Plants vs. Zombies 640 to 293. Are we underestimating the best Star Wars game ever? As for PopCap fans, they've still got Peggle, which hopes to shock the World and sneak through to the division finals. It's the battle of Casual vs. So Incredibly Not Casual It Isn't Even Funny.
<!-- DIVISION 3 -->
| Chocobo Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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<!-- MATCHUP 1 --> 16. Bejeweled <!-- /MATCHUP 1 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 9 --> 8. Deus Ex <!-- /MATCHUP 9 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 13 --> 4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic <!-- /MATCHUP 13 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 15 --> TBD <!-- /MATCHUP 15 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 2 --> 8. Deus Ex 9. Braid <!-- /MATCHUP 2 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 3 --> <!-- /MATCHUP 3 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 10 --> 4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic <!-- /MATCHUP 10 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 4 --> 4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic <!-- /MATCHUP 4 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 5 --> 11. Lumines <!-- /MATCHUP 5 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 11 --> 11. Lumines 14. Peggle <!-- /MATCHUP 11 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 14 --> 14. Peggle <!-- /MATCHUP 14 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 6 --> 14. Peggle <!-- /MATCHUP 6 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 7 --> 7. The Sims 10. Mass Effect <!-- /MATCHUP 7 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 12 --> 7. The Sims <!-- /MATCHUP 12 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 8 --> 15. Killer 7 <!-- /MATCHUP 8 --> |
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<!-- /DIVISION 3 -->
<!-- ******** CHOCOBO DIVISION POLLS ******** -->
Bo Jackson Division
"Some of these matchups are like 'Sophie's Choice,'" said Gus Mustrapa in the first round of voting. And that round had nothing like the agonizing decisions that face voters in the Bo Jackson division now.
In this corner, the iconic first-person shooter; in that corner, the iconic third-person shooter.
In this corner, the ultimate four-player co-op game; in that corner, the other ultimate four-player co-op game.
Nope, it's not getting any easier.
<!-- DIVISION 4 -->
| Bo Jackson Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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<!-- MATCHUP 1 --> 16. Ratchet & Clank <!-- /MATCHUP 1 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 9 --> 8. Soulcalibur II <!-- /MATCHUP 9 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 13 --> 4. Gears of War <!-- /MATCHUP 13 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 15 --> TBD <!-- /MATCHUP 15 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 2 --> 8. Soulcalibur II 9. God of War <!-- /MATCHUP 2 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 3 --> 12. SSX <!-- /MATCHUP 3 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 10 --> 12. SSX 4. Gears of War <!-- /MATCHUP 10 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 4 --> 4. Gears of War <!-- /MATCHUP 4 --> |
|||
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<!-- MATCHUP 5 --> 6. Advance Wars 11. Guitar Hero <!-- /MATCHUP 5 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 11 --> 6. Advance Wars 14. Left 4 Dead <!-- /MATCHUP 11 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 14 --> 14. Left 4 Dead 7. Rock Band <!-- /MATCHUP 14 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 6 --> 3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 14. Left 4 Dead <!-- /MATCHUP 6 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 7 --> 7. Rock Band 10. Burnout <!-- /MATCHUP 7 --> |
<!-- MATCHUP 12 --> 7. Rock Band 15. Battlefield 1942 <!-- /MATCHUP 12 --> |
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<!-- MATCHUP 8 --> 2. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 15. Battlefield 1942 <!-- /MATCHUP 8 --> |
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<!-- /DIVISION 4 -->
<!-- ******** BO JACKSON DIVISION POLLS ******** -->
[Update: The Sweet 16 have been whittled down to eight. Place your vote to decide the final four!]
