Fragrance comparison

212 VIP Men Wins vs Pure Game Special Edition

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 8 Oct 2026 182 ratings analysed

4 wins

212 VIP Men Wins

Carolina Herrera

4.08144 votes

Rank #10,112 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

57%scent match

Closely related

Pure Game Special Edition

Adidas

3.6138 votes

Rank #51,521 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

212 VIP Men Wins takes 4 of 7 categories.

212 VIP Men Wins
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Pure Game Special Edition
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

212 VIP Men Wins4/7

Pure Game Special Edition3/7

Ratings & consensus: 212 VIP Men Wins
Community sentiment: 212 VIP Men Wins
Longevity: 212 VIP Men Wins
Sillage & projection: Pure Game Special Edition
Value for money: Pure Game Special Edition
Versatility: Pure Game Special Edition
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 212 VIP Men Wins

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

212 VIP Men WinsCarolina Herrera

Pure Game Special EditionAdidas

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.08/ 5 · 144 votes

Have 82%Had 18%Want 0%

3.61/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 32%Had 50%Want 18%

Category winner212 VIP Men WinsRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

37%Like

11%Ok

3%Dislike

6%Hate

144 votes

21%Love

45%Like

8%Ok

26%Dislike

0%Hate

38 votes

Category winner212 VIP Men WinsMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

Longevity212 VIP Men Wins

SillagePure Game Special Edition

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value63

Category winnerPure Game Special EditionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

citrus90%

aromatic80%

green70%

sweet60%

lavender50%

fresh spicy100%

citrus92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

amber69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match57%Closely related · both fresh spicy, citrus and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top20-30 mins

YuzuBasilMandarin Orange

Heart2-3 hrs

Madagascar PepperLavender

Base6-7 hrs

SkinTonka Bean

Top

Mandarin OrangeGrapefruitPepperBasil

Heart

LavenderCypressGuaiac Wood

Base

Tonka BeanIncensePatchouli

InformationalShared notesBasil, Mandarin Orange, Madagascar Pepper and Lavender. Durations are only published for 212 VIP Men Wins, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter22

Day100

Night37

Spring100

Summer56

Fall33

Winter78

Day100

Night33

Category winnerPure Game Special EditionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex13

Women1

Casual 39%Work 32%Date 16%Party 13%

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#10,112

PerfumerCarlos Benaïm, Juliette Karagueuzoglou

Launched—

Reviews16

Overall rank#51,521

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winner212 VIP Men WinsHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Men Wins delivers an energetic blast of bitter yuzu, juicy mandarin orange, and crushed sweet basil right from the first spray. The opening feels bright and athletic. Within twenty minutes, spicy Madagascar pepper and clean French lavender take over the heart, tempering the initial citrus tart…

Reviews →

Pure Game Special Edition by Adidas is a Woody Aromatic fragrance for men. Pure Game Special Edition was launched in 2010. Top notes are Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit, Pepper and Basil; middle notes are Lavender, Cypress and Guaiac Wood; base notes are Tonka Bean, Incense and Patchouli.

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, 212 VIP Men Wins or Pure Game Special Edition?

212 VIP Men Wins takes 4 of 7 categories. 212 VIP Men Wins is rated 4.08/5 from 144 votes; Pure Game Special Edition is rated 3.61/5 from 38 votes. Choose 212 VIP Men Wins for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Pure Game Special Edition for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 212 VIP Men Wins or Pure Game Special Edition?

212 VIP Men Wins lasts longest (212 VIP Men Wins 65/100, Pure Game Special Edition 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 212 VIP Men Wins or Pure Game Special Edition?

Projection is very close: Pure Game Special Edition 57/100, 212 VIP Men Wins 55/100 for sillage.

Do 212 VIP Men Wins and Pure Game Special Edition smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, citrus and aromatic accords. Common notes include Basil, Mandarin Orange, Madagascar Pepper and Lavender.

Is 212 VIP Men Wins or Pure Game Special Edition better for summer or winter?

For summer, Pure Game Special Edition is the stronger pick. For winter, Pure Game Special Edition is the stronger pick. 212 VIP Men Wins suits daytime wear; Pure Game Special Edition suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 212 VIP Men Wins and Pure Game Special Edition?

212 VIP Men Wins has top notes of Yuzu, Basil and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Madagascar Pepper and Lavender, a base of Skin and Tonka Bean. Pure Game Special Edition has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit, Pepper and Basil, heart notes of Lavender, Cypress and Guaiac Wood, a base of Tonka Bean, Incense and Patchouli.