Tournament: Best Sierra Game Vacation! (Round 2)

[Datadog]

All right! Round 2 is go!

Unlike my previous tournaments where I randomized matches, I'll be hand-picking selections and matching them up against games with similar-ish elements. I'll also be bringing back some of the "draws" from Round 1 and matching them against different games.

Same notes for your vacations as before:
1. You're only limited to visiting locations within the games; not entire real-life cities
2. You can bring supplies like food, water, and tents
3. The trip can be as "tourist-friendly" and safe as you want it.

Ready? Round 2! Fight!

1. King's Quest 1 vs. The Black Cauldron
Which fantasy land makes for the best outdoors getaway?

2. King's Quest 2 vs. Quest for Glory 5
Which seaside escape (complete with Pegasus rides) would you rather visit?

3. Space Quest 1 vs. Manhunter 2: San Francisco
In which sci-fi, murder-heavy destination would you have the most fun?

4. Leisure Suit Larry 1 vs. Leisure Suit Larry 7
On which trip would you rather go for food, drinks, gambling, and hot tubs?

5. Police Quest 2 vs. Police Quest 3
Which version of Lytton has the most entertaining police shenanigans?

6. King's Quest 3 vs. Gold Rush!
Which cross-country escapade most appeals to you?

7. King's Quest 4 vs. Conquests of Camelot
Which magical world of fairies and castles would be great to get lost in?

8. King's Quest 6 vs. Gabriel Knight 1
Which seaside game, complete with book stores and the walking dead, would be your pick?

9. King's Quest 7 vs. Torin's Passage
Which diverse fantasy land offers the widest selection of sightseeing?

10. Space Quest 4 vs.Space Quest 6
Time travel, zero-G and arcades vs. Inner space, holodecks and arcades!

11. Leisure Suit Larry 2 vs. Leisure Suit Larry 3
Same island, different adventures! Which tropical escapade is your jam?

12. Leisure Suit Larry 6 vs. The Adventures of Willy Beamish
Which "Horny" game could you have the most mischievous fun in?

13. Quest for Glory 1 vs. Quest for Glory 4
Lush forests, creepy castles, and beautiful gardens! Which game tops them all?

14. EcoQuest 1 vs. Island of Dr. Brain
Goofy characters in colorful tropical settings, where's your pick?

15. The Colonel's Bequest vs. Phantasmagoria
Considering you survive, which mansion makes more the best weekend getaway?

16. Shivers vs. Lighthouse
Another creepy weekend getaway! Choose your poison!

[JasefWisener]

Hmm, ok.

1: KQ1
2: QfG5
3: SQ1
4: LSL7
5: PQ3
6: KQ3
7: Camelot
8: GK1
9: KQ7
10: SQ6
11: LSL3
12: LSL6
13: QfG4
14: EcoQuest 1
15: Phantasmagoria
16: Shivers

[Semi-Happy Partygoer]

1. King's Quest 1
2. Quest for Glory 5
3. Space Quest 1
4. Leisure Suit Larry 7
5. Police Quest 3
6. King's Quest 3
7. King's Quest 4
8. King's Quest 6
9. King's Quest 7 (sorry Torin)
10. Space Quest 4
11. Leisure Suit Larry 3
12. Leisure Suit Larry 6
13. Quest for Glory 4
14. EcoQuest 1
15. The Colonel's Bequest
16. Shivers

[Tawmis]

1. King's Quest 1 vs. The Black Cauldron
Which fantasy land makes for the best outdoors getaway?

Daventry is a wee bit more cheery, and thus my choice.

2. King's Quest 2 vs. Quest for Glory 5
Which seaside escape (complete with Pegasus rides) would you rather visit?

Oh. I will go King's Quest 2 here... tough choice.

3. Space Quest 1 vs. Manhunter 2: San Francisco
In which sci-fi, murder-heavy destination would you have the most fun?

Space Quest 1 seemed to have more of a positive vibe... usually.

4. Leisure Suit Larry 1 vs. Leisure Suit Larry 7
On which trip would you rather go for food, drinks, gambling, and hot tubs?

I'll take Cruise, for 200, Datadog! (LSL7!)

5. Police Quest 2 vs. Police Quest 3
Which version of Lytton has the most entertaining police shenanigans?

Police Quest 3 had a few cool little scenes.

6. King's Quest 3 vs. Gold Rush!
Which cross-country escapade most appeals to you?

King's Quest III... because it has pirates.

7. King's Quest 4 vs. Conquests of Camelot
Which magical world of fairies and castles would be great to get lost in?

King's Quest 4 wins here for me.

8. King's Quest 6 vs. Gabriel Knight 1
Which seaside game, complete with book stores and the walking dead, would be your pick?

Oh. This probably the toughest one on the list for me...

But I will go... King's Quest 6. I've been to New Orleans (most of the scenes from GK1 that were real)... and I've not been anywhere in KQ6. And... again, girl in the tower.

9. King's Quest 7 vs. Torin's Passage
Which diverse fantasy land offers the widest selection of sightseeing?

Torin's Passage, easy.

10. Space Quest 4 vs.Space Quest 6
Time travel, zero-G and arcades vs. Inner space, holodecks and arcades!

Time travel for the win!

11. Leisure Suit Larry 2 vs. Leisure Suit Larry 3
Same island, different adventures! Which tropical escapade is your jam?

Damn it. Leisure Suit Larry 3. It's almost all exotic island, while LSL2 starts pretty much in Hollywood.

12. Leisure Suit Larry 6 vs. The Adventures of Willy Beamish
Which "Horny" game could you have the most mischievous fun in?

I'm going LSL6. The redhead in the pool and all...

13. Quest for Glory 1 vs. Quest for Glory 4
Lush forests, creepy castles, and beautiful gardens! Which game tops them all?

QFG1.

14. EcoQuest 1 vs. Island of Dr. Brain
Goofy characters in colorful tropical settings, where's your pick?

Eco.

15. The Colonel's Bequest vs. Phantasmagoria
Considering you survive, which mansion makes more the best weekend getaway?

Geez... now I have to really sit down and think... going Colonel's Bequest, because the house itself was more interesting (with things to do, hide, spy)...

16. Shivers vs. Lighthouse
Another creepy weekend getaway! Choose your poison!

Lighthouse.


And... let me say... these pairings were PERFECT... and your captions for each are REMARKABLE. Not even kidding...

[Rath Darkblade]

1. King's Quest 1 vs. The Black Cauldron
Which fantasy land makes for the best outdoors getaway?

That's easy - KQ1, because I haven't played The Black Cauldron.

2. King's Quest 2 vs. Quest for Glory 5
Which seaside escape (complete with Pegasus rides) would you rather visit?

That's easy. QfG5. I love the ancient Greek setting.

3. Space Quest 1 vs. Manhunter 2: San Francisco
In which sci-fi, murder-heavy destination would you have the most fun?

That's easy - SQ1, because I haven't played any of the Manhunters.

4. Leisure Suit Larry 1 vs. Leisure Suit Larry 7
On which trip would you rather go for food, drinks, gambling, and hot tubs?

LSL1 is nostalgic fun, but LSL7 is far sillier - which is why I'll pick LSL7! It even has a hot tub. *plays the Juggs theme, which is also the Phreddy Farkas theme*

5. Police Quest 2 vs. Police Quest 3
Which version of Lytton has the most entertaining police shenanigans?

That's easy - PQ1, because I haven't finished PQ3.

6. King's Quest 3 vs. Gold Rush!
Which cross-country escapade most appeals to you?

Hmm... toughie. I finished KQ3 (the VGA remake, not the original) and it was tough, but Gold Rush! sounds like a deathtrap. So I'll pick KQ3.

7. King's Quest 4 vs. Conquests of Camelot
Which magical world of fairies and castles would be great to get lost in?

Conquests of Camelot for me. I just could not get past that stupid whale's uvula, grumble.

8. King's Quest 6 vs. Gabriel Knight 1
Which seaside game, complete with book stores and the walking dead, would be your pick?

GK1 FTW! Alexander in KQ6 (and all the heroes in the whole KQ series, by the way) are much too white-bread wholesome for my tastes. I also don't care much for the KQ villains - they strike me as much too cardboard cut-out. Then again, the KQ games were originally intended for kids, so meh. Maybe I'm being unfair in comparing the KQ heroes/villains to the heroes/villains from QfG, LSL or GK. IMHO, they were far more interesting - especially the GK ones.

9. King's Quest 7 vs. Torin's Passage
Which diverse fantasy land offers the widest selection of sightseeing?

I can't pick either because I haven't played either. I only played KQ7 very briefly.

10. Space Quest 4 vs.Space Quest 6
Time travel, zero-G and arcades vs. Inner space, holodecks and arcades!

Again, I can't pick either because I haven't played either.

11. Leisure Suit Larry 2 vs. Leisure Suit Larry 3
Same island, different adventures! Which tropical escapade is your jam?

Sigh, another toughie. LSL2 is very tough (try getting past the killer bees or the swamp in the EGA version!), but LSL3 is also very tough (bamboo maze, river sequence). I like LSL2 for its varied locations, but I like LSL3 for its Mary-Jane death sequence. Then again, I just LOVE the whole Communist angle and James Bond riffing in LSL2... so, LSL2 by a whisker.

12. Leisure Suit Larry 6 vs. The Adventures of Willy Beamish
Which "Horny" game could you have the most mischievous fun in?

That's easy - LSL6. Never finished Willy Beamish... too cartoony, and Willy's family was very annoying.

13. Quest for Glory 1 vs. Quest for Glory 4
Lush forests, creepy castles, and beautiful gardens! Which game tops them all?

Sigh... yet another toughie. I like QfG1 for sentimental reasons (first RPG I ever played), but it can't compare with QfG4 for sheer enjoyment value. QfG4 all the way.

14. EcoQuest 1 vs. Island of Dr. Brain
Goofy characters in colorful tropical settings, where's your pick?

Again, I can't pick either because I haven't played either. I only played EQ1 very briefly, so I can't judge.

15. The Colonel's Bequest vs. Phantasmagoria
Considering you survive, which mansion makes more the best weekend getaway?

Again, I can't pick either because I haven't played either. I only played TCB very briefly, so I can't judge.

16. Shivers vs. Lighthouse
Another creepy weekend getaway! Choose your poison!

Sorry... again, I can't pick because I haven't played either. Sorry.

[Datadog]

1. King's Quest 1
On a vacation, I'd like to explore the castle, and Daventry's seems a lot more accessible. Partying with Daventry's leprechauns also looks more fun than BC's fairies, and I would probably nibble on the Gingerbread House every time I walked by.

2. Quest for Glory 5
No question. I can hang out with Toro at the gym, Elsa can teach me to sword-fight, Rakeesh can show me all the best tanning spots, and I can go zero-G swimming at Erasmus' place. And how great would it be to have Wolfie say "Namaste" to me every morning?

3. Space Quest 1
Still sticking with a weekend at a bar with the Blues Brothers and maybe a few skimmer rides.

4. Leisure Suit Larry 7
This one's tough. Vegas vs. a Cruise. Both places complete with hot tubs and terrible toilets. The upside to LSL1 is that it comes with cleaner bedrooms, a discotheque, and maybe whale rides. But LSL7 has a bowling alley, a buffet, and a clothing optional pool. I guess what sways me is that LSL7 comes with a few extra nicer people to be around. Drew, the Juggs, Johnson - even the blackmailer seems nice enough. And I can try s'pork while I'm there!

5. Police Quest 2
I'm voting for the one that has scuba diving.

6. King's Quest 3
If I can find the ingredients... I can make a magic spell... and turn into AN EAGLE!

7. Conquests of Camelot
CoC genuinely has a lot more tourist activities. In KQ4, I'd mostly be cleaning and digging up corpses.

8. Gabriel Knight 1
Another tough one. Leaning on GK1. Any time spent in KQ6 would either be spent on reading, or lying on the grass. Maybe lurking around the castle (though a nice castle it is.) GK1 has live entertainment in Jackson Square, as well as a tavern for drinks, museums for sightseeing, and at least 2-3 beds I can crash on. Plus, while Gabriel's out, I can invite Grace and Mosely to join me.

9. King's Quest 7
Rethinking my way through TP, I can't see any way I'd have real fun in that game, other than playing with phenocrysts. With KQ7, I can ride a flying horse, take a mud bath, have a picnic in the forest, etc. Also, with the right salve, I can be a jackalope.

10. Space Quest 4
Almost went with SQ6, until I remembered SQ4 has a bar both in the intro and in SQ1. So that, on top of zero-G, an arcade, and a submarine ride seals the deal for me.

11. Leisure Suit Larry 3
Going with the one that has a gym, a piano bar, and showers.

12. Leisure Suit Larry 6
As bad a time as Larry has there, it's still a pretty good resort.

13. Quest for Glory 1
QFG4 would take place in the chilly fall, the forest would be full of the undead, and all the food would be swimming in garlic. In QFG1, it would be spring, I get to stay at a Katta Inn, visit Erasmus for wizard games, and a dude could teach me to sword-fight. QFG1 for the win!

14. Island of Dr. Brain
Almost voted for EcoQuest, but then I remembered I hate swimming in the ocean. Switching to the island so I can just hang out on the beach.

15. Phantasmagoria
These are both bad vacations considering the company I'd keep. I'm opting for the game with more daylight and fewer obnoxious relatives.

16. Shivers
Museum! I want to be trapped in a museum!

[BBP]

1. The Black Cauldron
Nicer castle, even if it's a bit delapidated...

2. King's Quest 2
Purple beaches!

3. Manhunter 2: San Francisco
Always wanted to visit Frisco...

4. Leisure Suit Larry 1
I tend to get seasick.

6. Gold Rush!
Much larger range of locations!

7. Conquests of Camelot
Not as magical but with a nice range in Arabic countries...

8. Gabriel Knight 1
Better bookstore!

9. Torin's Passage
Definitely the lushest of the two!

10. Space Quest 4
since I really don't want to visit somebody's intestine and ride a tapeworm there...

11. Leisure Suit Larry 2
Larry 2 again has a large variety of locations. Larry 3 is the tourist trap.

12. Leisure Suit Larry 6
Classroom or resort? I could use the exercise...

14. Island of Dr. Brain
Gorgeous setting, no?

15. Phantasmagoria
Theatre for the win!

16. Shivers
Lock me in a museum anyday!

[Datadog]

And the results are in!

1.
King's Quest 1 -5
The Black Cauldron -1
Daventry beats Prydain by a landslide! Also, while in Daventry, please stand on the north side of all rocks.

2.
King's Quest 2 -2
Quest for Glory 5 -4
Silmaria beats Kolyma! Vampires and magic carpets are out of the running!

3.
Space Quest 1 -5
Manhunter 2: San Francisco -1
Sorry, San Fran. I'm sure you're less nightmarish in real life.

4.
Leisure Suit Larry 1 -2
Leisure Suit Larry 7 -4
A cruise beats Las Wages! I guess a Vegas-style vacation isn't the same without Cirque de Soleil and David Copperfield.

5.
Police Quest 2 -2
Police Quest 3 -3
The whole idea of a Lytton vacation reminds me of the "We're in Delaware" scene from Wayne's World.

6.
King's Quest 3 -5
Gold Rush! -1
We don't need historical edutainment and dysentary! We got wizards! And dragons!

7.
King's Quest 4 -2
Conquests of Camelot -4
Looks like Rosella will be vacationing in Tamir alone this year. That's ok - more magic fruit for her.

8.
King's Quest 6 -2
Gabriel Knight 1 -4
The Green Isles may have rock-climbing, hot springs, and escape rooms, but New Orleans has jazz, dammit!

9.
King's Quest 7 -4
Torin's Passage -2
A vacation in the sky beats a vacation underground!

10.
Space Quest 4 -4
Space Quest 6 -1
So you want to ride the worm, huh? --Oh, you don't? Ok, then! Time travel wins again!

11.
Leisure Suit Larry 2 -2
Leisure Suit Larry 3 -4
A full island adventure beats adventures in airports and rowboats! (But good luck getting a haircut now!)

12.
Leisure Suit Larry 6 -6
The Adventures of Willy Beamish
Vacation in an actual resort beats a vacation in a polluted, perverted, haunted town!

13.
Quest for Glory 1 -2
Quest for Glory 4 -3
Mordavia wins! I hear Spielburg had a massive Antwerp infestation this year anyway.


14.
EcoQuest 1 -3
Island of Dr. Brain -2
"Up on the shore they work all day,
Out in the sun they slave away,
While we devotin'
Full time to floatin'!
Under the sea!"

15.
The Colonel's Bequest -2
Phantasmagoria -3
The soap opera shenanigans of TCB lose out to a magician's murder mansion!

16.
Shivers -4
Lighthouse -1
Because MUSEUMS ARE AWESOME.

Next round up shortly!