Considering the majority of the Tomb Raider games had terrible controls, I'll go with Samus. Solid 2D games > shitty 3D games.

Croft is an Angelina Jolie wanna-be. He "HAY GAMERZ I GOT BOOBS!" screams male-pandering, whilst Samus' subtle femininity brings true class. Samus is a true warrior, who happens to be a women.

Also, Croft only had two non-shitty games, whilst Samus hasn't been in a bad game yet.

Samus Aran, hands down. She's got cooler gadgets, sweeter enemies, and most of all, BETTER GAMES. Though I do prefer brunettes to blondes, I'd take Samus over Lara any day.

Is this a serious question? who is this lara croft?

Samus gives me a boner.

Lara Croft is pretty nice eye candy, but Samus is just much more interesting. She's got sex appeal without it being a major factor in the success of her games.

Samus is uber flexible.

I'm also curious to see how many votes Lara gets.

samus , cause she offers a hell lot more sexual possibilitys with that ball thing , imagine youself in a bar with friends saying.

"there was this time where i fucked with a blonde while rolling around a spacestation"

Samus

She can contort herself into a ball, Ill be she'd shag like a minx

Lol, yep going with the crowd here. Samus has a much nicer body than big-breasted Lara. Don't like blondes much either, but she's an exception...on many levels :).

Definitely Samus. Lara's only in it for the money and fame. And Samus' breasts look more natural.

Samus Aran, with or without the Chozo armor. Absolutely zero contest here.

Samus Aran. Is this a serious question?

anybody who votes Laura Croft over Samus get 4 lashes.

Samus has a move called screw attack.

/debate

Metroid is a much better series so...Samus.

No contest.

Samus

Cannibal: Yes, link to the bigger version. That's awesome. Oh, and Samus. Samus could kick Laras ass any day. How about Samus Vs Master Chief next time.

Whereas Samus is, as many gamers put it, "incidentally" female (as in you finish Metroid and go "she was a chick!? That's hot!), Lara is a manifestation of the male libido. She was literally made and subsequently shaped to be an icon of sexuality by males. Samus is more of a rounded character than "I HAVE BOOBS AND RAID LOLZ". Saying Samus is sexier is saying you'd rather have a real female over the realdoll you ordered online. In this context, Samus = real, Lara = Porn Star.
In the end it's a non-contest, because Samus is what gamers and humans in general respond to, not the porn-star equivalent. Everyone wants to bone a porn star in theory, but when stacked against a real woman they sort of become, how should I put this, freakishly scary.

(If you choose a real doll over a real girl, just die, you are not going to propagate our species and serve no purpose. Stop eating all my damn cheetos.)

Samus ftw.

@A Humble Mr. Perfect:

I was thinking along the same lines, that Lara is just a tease for male gamers. She's a pair of boobs with a sidearm. But Samus all along has just been a straight-up tough girl that kicks ass. That's where her sexiness comes from.

Samus all the way.

| <- Another vote for Samus.

Samus Aran hands down. Here's the illustration some of ya'll requested.



and here's another just to prove my point.