GameFAQs Contests

So....Chun-Li > Ken > Wesker?
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"You brought your *****, to the waffle hut?"

Ken choked and honestly his showing against Sonic was probably accurate.
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*is Dranze*
Krahen Prophet did a fatality.

Ken did as expected against Ganondorf, it was Wesker that performed better. Also despite the poll I would take Ken over Chun Li directly and indirectly.
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Calintares made a whole lot of geolocation x-stats
Congrats to Dr. Football for winning the Guru.

It's not like these kinds of polls have ever led us astray before, right?

*cough*Yoshi > Bowser*cough*
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"So cold. I am always by your side."
"There ain't no gettin' off of this train we on!"

Also, Ken might end up beating out Chun-Li by the time this thing's over with anyway.
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"Spoil it for me. I'm never going to play that game so I want to know if he's going to be another Auron or another Sin." - Soul about PW/Jecht

Yeah, I would also take Guile over Blanka and Dhalsim would lose to Zangief and maybe E. Honda.
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Calintares made a whole lot of geolocation x-stats
Congrats to Dr. Football for winning the Guru.

I don't think Dhalsim wouldn't lose to either one of them, personally.

Not that we ever need to see those matches.
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"The great GF...Bahamut."
"...GF? I...? Using my powers...It is you humans...I fear..."

Joke characters seem to naturally lose the favor of the voters after a contest or two. L-Block and Weighted Companion Cube are defintely much weaker than they used to be. Mudkip and Sandbag aren't that strong. Missingno. and new joke characters are the only ones that may have a lot of strength. I don't think Missingno. will ever be as strong as it was in the 2k10 contest. If Missingno. can still beat Crono, it'll only because Crono also fell a lot.

Hmmm...now I learn that WCC was quite a bit weaker in this recent character contest. I think your logic is likely correct in this case. This is even after discounting any momentum gains; what I mean is that WCC probably wouldn't compete with Tidus, despite it squeaking the victory over him in 2K8. This could also be due to the change of poll format, though we have no way of knowing...

So, L-Block hasn't gotten much weaker, if at all (though data from its matches are rough)... it did 5-6 points worse than Bowser against Charizard, which I think is on par to what it did in the fall 2K8 character contest; this despite the fact that it went from 4-way to 2-way polls, which, according to some theories, should have hurt L-Block. I'm excluding 2K7; of COURSE L-Block was at its strongest during that contest, but only because it gained momentum through its "upsets" rather than its inherent strength; in 2K8 L-Block's "natural" strength probably increased a bit thanks to its championship the previous year; with the humor being largely lost, L-Block wasn't able to gain the momentum again.

Mudkip was close to Zelda for Round 2 in 2008; he also seemed stronger than the previous contest, if anything (granted, in the match where Mudkip lost, Zelda was hit by some fanbase leeching; probably nothing big since Mudkip is Nintendo himself). I definitely wouldn't call him weak; I don't think he's quite that close to Zelda as the numbers suggest, but I don't think he's far off.... if L-Block was in its place, would it have done much better than Mudkip? Nah.

You're right, Sandbag isn't that strong; but when Magus was "supposed" to beat it easily... it still raises an eyebrow.

I think the fact that joke characters will win quite a few matches in the future is something one can't argue against, if the contests keep going the way they are. The REAL question is this: is it tolerable for them to regularly win contest matches?

You might be right about MissingNo. I don't see it falling very much in the near future, though. Crono did seem weaker than previously, indeed; it suggested that Yoshi could hang with Crono now. Not that Yoshi's anything less than respectable in these contests, but I'm sure we all figured Crono dropping to the point where Yoshi could compete would (or will) happen sooner or later.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So...what is a party?"
"Well, you drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."

Eh, I wouldn't take L-Block to beat Ryu, so I think it's lost some strength.
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http://i43.tinypic.com/dgwh0.gif
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/atukam/OHWD/snownd.gif

Bowser vs Charizard was on the day of HeartGold/SoulSilver's US release. Charizard then goes on to put up 46% on Mario. You can probably attribute some of Charizard's gain to momentum, but the Charizard that fought Bowser and Mario is likely stronger than the one that beat L-Block and Kratos.

Mudkip being close to Zelda being LFF'd by Mario means it isn't weak but it's faar away from being able to beat Noble Nine members. I don't think there's any real danger in letting Mudkip stay in. Also Mudkip is a RSE starter and showed up a fair bit in the anime so it's not like Mudkip is running only running on joke fuel. Mudkip does have a fair number of fans outside of the fad so I don't think it's that bad if it wins a match or two against midcarders.

Magus was supposed to beat Knuckles. Magus was supposed to beat Big Boss. Magus was supposed to beat Alucard or at least not get clobbered. Magus "supposed" to be able to do something and failing at it shouldn't be rasing an eyebrow at this point. Also Sandbag lost by a fair but to Sub-Zero and Auron in Round 2. Once again, it probably doesn't make Sandbag that weak but it's not exactly strong enough to do any serious damage.

I don't really have a problem with joke characters being able to beat lower end or even a midcarder or two. But who knows when the next Noble Nine or higher level joke character will appear.
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"Let me believe what you've always believed! That living is wonderful!"
"Thank you so much... Thank you for loving me."

Missingno is the closest thing we'll ever have to a legit N9-level joke character, because it has a strong Pokemon background with strong nostalgia ties that other tertiary characters like Epona or Midgar Zolom would never have. People don't feel the same way about L-Block and WCC that they do with Missingno. To them, Missingno is much a Pokemon as Pikachu or Charizard. The fact that it's a glitch helps with joke votes, but unlike other joke characters, its joke power is not where it gets its main strength.

It's the combination of those two fanbases that got it to beat Crono and stand up to Sephiroth. Of course, both those opponents were significantly weaker than in the past, so even if Missingno is at the same level next contest he probably won't be competing with the likes of Squall or Vincent.

Banning joke characters is pretty pointless. We'll never have one that will be on the level of L-Block again, even with bandwagoning, if Missingno couldn't pull it off. They're pretty much our only new source of midcarders besides the occasional new character or two that actually becomes popular on GameFAQs, or yet more FF7 characters. Plus they're one of the few types of characters that can really be all over the place, giving us more debatable matches. And rallying won't do **** in this current format since now characters need twice the votes in half the time to turn a lead around.

Yeah, I don't see the point of banning joke characters.
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Wylvane
shadosneko is a horrible user.

I've been reading over old stats topics from this year's contest for the first time. We had a lot of good matches and discussion, though I don't see myself reliving Crono/Missingno ever.
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Dr. Football was not stopped by any of us, and won the Guru Contest.

You were pretty into that one!
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Nominate EPONA for Character Battle 9:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/55150177

I ended up reading through that day's stats topics after all. It was a great match, the best in years, until 10 PM when Missingno's stupid rallying took off and ruined everything.
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Dr. Football was not stopped by any of us, and won the Guru Contest.

What kinds of new joke characters do you guys think we'll get next contest?
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"Let me believe what you've always believed! That living is wonderful!"
"Thank you so much... Thank you for loving me."

Dark Link and Epona. Not sure how legit they are...
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(|| ' ' ||) ~Zen
. /|_|\ Freak out in a Moonage Daydream, oh yeah...

To be honest, I don't think we're gonna get any new joke characters. It's possible, but I don't think there's anything else that stands out that people would want to nominate and vote for.

I expect L-Block, WCC, and Missingno to return, but that's pretty much it.
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Wylvane
NClark128 is a horrible user.

From: ZenOfThunder | #266
Dark Link and Epona. Not sure how legit they are...

That's the best kind of joke character in my opinion. Something taht's got the fandom there already. I'd hate to see Bub & Bob in a contest because no-one really cares. But people really do like Epona in addition to the fact that she's a damned horse, there's no reason she can't be a solid midcarder just off the "I was in OoT" factor.

Dark Link just has the potential to be incredibly scary. Whether he will be a Link proxy or not is up for debate but the potential is there and it worries me. I'd be more than happy to see him get in in the same 8-pack as Link, just in case. If they're in opposite halves of the bracket and even if DL only reaches the quarter final, that would be awful for the contest.
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A Link/Dark Link final would be an abomination.

We've already seen Bub in a contest. No need to see him again.
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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

Epona was considered a joke-character during a time when there were no real joke-characters (remember how big Epona VS Vyse would have been with us?), but she's no joke like L-Block or Missingno either. I don't consider Dark Link a joke-character...but he would prove dangerous to our contests. I think he gets over-rated, but he would still be quite threatening.
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Nominate EPONA for Character Battle 9:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/55150177

Goomba would be the best "joke" character to get in.
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"Calling Pokemon RBY a top 10 game was the most insane contest jibba-jabba ever
Woe unto he who sig bets with the near-invincible Lord High creativename

I never really understood why people think Dark Link would be anywhere near Link in terms of strength.
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Calintares made a whole lot of geolocation x-stats
Congrats to Dr. Football for winning the Guru.

It is Link.

but dark.
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Winner of two Mafia Player of the Year Boardys
Sir Chris

Well yes it would make him stronger had his name not been Dark Link. He can have decent strength while being nowhere near Link.
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Calintares made a whole lot of geolocation x-stats
Congrats to Dr. Football for winning the Guru.

I'm all for Goomba; he'd be fun and might surprise.
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Nominate EPONA for Character Battle 9:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/55150177

Actually, speaking of new characters, what's the word on the NRT? It should be nearing that time.....
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Nominate EPONA for Character Battle 9:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/55150177

Speaking of, who won the guru-nomination mini-contest? I remember Goomba was doing well and Chocobo was in it, but I can't remember who won.
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:/

NRT will be coming up soon. Just trying to finish off the NCAA Characters Tournament first.
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"Stay with me until the end. Please."
"Not until the end. Always."

The wiki says Chocobo is the Guru nom and Goomba was the runner-up.
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I should try and remember that.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6269047.html

Looking forward to Link vs Cloud happening on SS's release date.
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Wylvane
Coffee Ninja is a horrible user.

What happens if Sephiroth is the final boss of Zelda: Skyward Sword? Does he beat Link, and does he beat Cloud?
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Dr. Football was not stopped by any of us, and won the Guru Contest.

Goomba is NOT a joke character!

People would vote for it as a representation of the entire Mario series. How is it a joke character?

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"Ahem! There is *sand* on my *boot*!"--Kefka
Dr. Football beat me, Yesmar in the 2010 Guru Contest!

People would vote for it as a representation of the entire Mario series.

Uh, no, that would be Mario.
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"So cold. I am always by your side."
"There ain't no gettin' off of this train we on!"

From: LOLContests | #282
Goomba is NOT a joke character!

People would vote for it as a representation of the entire Mario series. How is it a joke character?

Please define the character of a Goomba.

...

I'm still waiting.

Yeah. That's why it's a joke character.
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The lack of character.

Please define the character of a Goomba.

And Charizard or Pikachu have character?
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"Ahem! There is *sand* on my *boot*!"--Kefka
Dr. Football beat me, Yesmar in the 2010 Guru Contest!

To be fair, Weighted Companion Cube has more character than half the characters in these contests.

Joke character is kind of a stupid term at this point, anyway. People calling mascots like Goomba and Vault Boy jokes is stretching things a lot, and then there's people who claim characters like GlaDOS and Fawful are jokes, which is just flat-out wrong. (Well, Fawful is a joke, but for the same reason Eddie Riggs is a joke).
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Wylvane
Heroic Bigpun is a horrible user.

From: LOLContests | #285
Please define the character of a Goomba.

And Charizard or Pikachu have character?

*looks at 700-odd anime episodes*
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Looks like character to me.

*looks at 700-odd anime episodes*

Don't the Goombas have character in the old cartoon/comics? At the very least there are individual Goombas within the game who do have character.
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"Ahem! There is *sand* on my *boot*!"--Kefka
Dr. Football beat me, Yesmar in the 2010 Guru Contest!

Well, there are specific Goombas in the Mario series who have distinct personalities (Goombario and Goombaria in the Paper Mario series), but that wouldn't be the one we're voting for. It'd just be "Goomba."

Just a species itself doesn't make it a joke character, but I don't really expect them to be strong on their own. I don't think people have strong attachments to random enemies. Sure, they'll vote for them over someone they don't know or don't care about (like, say, Jade Curtiss), but I can't imagine them being strong enough to beat someone like Knuckles on their own. If they could, then I think that'd be more of a "Hey, it'd be funny if a Goomba beat Knuckles, don't you think?" kind of thing. It all boils down to "motive," I guess.
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"But you have been given freedom. Freedom to be...outside."
"I am lightning...the rain transformed."

Goomba is not a joke character, because his purpose in the contest would not be to be funny.
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Dr. Football was not stopped by any of us, and won the Guru Contest.

Like I said, it depends on why people vote for him. If Goomba didn't have some sort of "joke" power, I'd expect him just to be a low tier character who could beat nobodies and weaklings.
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"Why must we always choose between certain death and probable death?"
"I'm in an epic battle to the death, FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF!"

Goomba would have some decent strength, I think, because of how iconic he is. Low midcarder probably.
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Dr. Football was not stopped by any of us, and won the Guru Contest.

That's about where I'd peg him on his own, which is fine enough. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing him in the contest, but my expectations of him wouldn't be high.
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"But you have been given freedom. Freedom to be...outside."
"I am lightning...the rain transformed."

This topic could use a little...push, so let's try a sample eightpack:

Lightning
Knuckles the Echidna

Sub-Zero
Vivi Orunitia

Tidus
Mewtwo

Ike
Captain Falcon
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"The great GF...Bahamut."
"...GF? I...? Using my powers...It is you humans...I fear..."

Lightning
Vivi Orunitia
Tidus
Captain Falcon

Mostly based on intuition.

Try this 8-pack (Final 8 in a "Third. Best. Game. Ever. Contest")

A Link to the Past
Final Fantasy X

Super Smash Bros. Melee
Chrono Trigger

Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Super Mario 64
Super Mario World
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Dr. Football was not stopped by any of us, and won the Guru Contest.

A Link to the Past
Super Smash Bros. Melee

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Mario World

Banking on Smash for no real reason, but I figure whoever wins Brawl vs. RBY takes it.
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"That's crazy. I could never do something like that."
"It's not a question of can or can't. There are some things in life you just do."

A Link to the Past
Chrono Trigger

Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow
Super Mario 64
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Dr. Football was not stopped by any of us, and won the Guru Contest.

If you want to see how strong an icon can be, look at Vault Boy. He did pretty decent in the last contest, and while Fallout 3 is strong here, imagine what Goomba, an icon who's just as prevalent and recognizable in his series as Vault Boy is in the Fallout games, could accomplish with a much stronger series backing it.
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Wylvane
Grand Kirby is a horrible user.

Rereading old stats topics is fun. I can't believe that the Games Contest was over a year ago. Anyway, there is so much potential for another Games Contest, whereas with characters I think we've fleshed out most of the matches we might have wanted to see already.
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Dr. Football was not stopped by any of us, and won the Guru Contest.

What are the odds that the next contest is anything other than a Character Battle? I can't see Bacon giving us another Games Contest so soon, but maybe he will.
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"Hold on a minute! That testimony stinks!"
"Witness! You can't just say 'Hello' and expect us to get anywhere! I want you to testify!"