This Old Neon Forum

Welcome to the #BGE2020 Elimination Round of 256!

Each game is seeded based on its performance in the two opening rounds of pools. Every game in the Upper Bracket has defeated multiple other games in 1-on-1 polls to get to this point. These are still the best of the best.

Polls are updated weekly, typically on Sunday or Monday. Check back throughout the week to make sure you don't miss a vote!

HOW TO VOTE

This is easy. You only get one vote per poll. The game with the most votes wins. In the event of a tie, the higher seed advances, so don't get complacent!

Here's a good example of what I was talking about in the General Discussion thread. Super Mario Odyssey is a fine game, another entry in the 3D platforming adventure subseries, but Rogue is Rogue. Have you heard of roguelikes? And rogue-lites? This game has spawned at least 2 separate entire genres. Whole systems of game rules transplanted straight from this game. It's too important and influential (not to mention a good game in its own right) not to advance over yet another Mario hopping around game.

I do love Super Mario Odyssey but for me it loses focus compared to the earlier 3D Mario games. Instead of having six stars per world - an achievable goal - you have a seemingly unending parade of Power Moons to collect. Combined with the various outfits you can purchase, it felt a bit like a blending of Mario with the achievement overload seen in a lot of open world games. Collect, unlock, collect, unlock...add to that the fact that the environments, while interesting, are not as gonzo as in earlier 3D Mario games, and it isn't too hard to vote for Rogue instead. As KW notes, Rogue is the starting point for dozens if not hundreds of games influenced by its legacy and it's still playable and enjoyable today. Super Mario Odyssey is a really great game, but it's not special in the way that Rogue is.