Does using an in-game code count for completing a game?

[tony_good]

I know using a Game Genie does not, but what do you think?

[Half Japanese]

Not 100% sure what you mean by this, so I'll cover the two bases it could mean (to me):

- If you mean "cheat code" a la the famous Konami code, then yes, I would consider that cheating and not truly beating the game.

- If you mean "password" a la the early Mega Man games, then I don't consider that cheating, but 100% legit.

To me, beating a game is doing so without entering cheat codes. Certain glitches, however, are grey areas, although I generally think those fall under being legit as well, sine the programming code in question was left intact.

[Emily]

I would say no. Cheating is cheating.

[Nesmaster]

Not 100% sure what you mean by this, so I'll cover the two bases it could mean (to me):

- If you mean "cheat code" a la the famous Konami code, then yes, I would consider that cheating and not truly beating the game.

- If you mean "password" a la the early Mega Man games, then I don't consider that cheating, but 100% legit.

To me, beating a game is doing so without entering cheat codes. Certain glitches, however, are grey areas, although I generally think those fall under being legit as well, sine the programming code in question was left intact.

hit the nail on the head. i feel the same way. you earn the passwords. you do not earn cheats (well you can, but usually only after beating the game :P)

[Cauterize]

Not 100% sure what you mean by this, so I'll cover the two bases it could mean (to me):

- If you mean "cheat code" a la the famous Konami code, then yes, I would consider that cheating and not truly beating the game.

- If you mean "password" a la the early Mega Man games, then I don't consider that cheating, but 100% legit.

To me, beating a game is doing so without entering cheat codes. Certain glitches, however, are grey areas, although I generally think those fall under being legit as well, sine the programming code in question was left intact.

hit the nail on the head. i feel the same way. you earn the passwords. you do not earn cheats (well you can, but usually only after beating the game :P)

For Example, the lovely Paintball Mode on Goldeneye!

[GarrettCRW]

Ah, but not all cheats are the same-the Konami Code (esp. in Contra, Gradius II, and Life Force) is far less of a cheat than, say, the debug menu cheat for Super Star Wars (which totally warps the rules of the road, IIRC).

[tony_good]

To explain what I meant, yes, like the Konami code.

To me, that's cheating, 30 lives is ridiculous.

The gray area is the Battletoads code for 5 lives and the short level warps in that game.

I did complete Battletoads by using those codes, and now I'm wondering if that counts as legitimately beating the game?

I agree that passwords are completely legit, provided you earned them yourself.

[Nez]

I wouldn't consider the level warps cheating its just a way to get to where you were faster. I mean if there was continues in the game it woul be cheating but come on, the games just not fair.

[bargora]

My question is what do you mean by "count"? I mean, it's not like the Official Game Completion Advisory Board is going to review your results.

But if you're planning to brag to your buddies that you beat Gradius III (while using a code), you might want to also mention that you're a cheatin' bastard.

[tony_good]

The jury has reached a verdict.

Using a code to give one extra lives at the beginning does, in fact, NOT count as legitimately beating a game.

Now I must defeat Battletoads without the luxury of a 5-live code to start.

As soon as I complete Oddworld Stranger's Wrath and get 100% on GTA San Andreas (I'm at 97.86%), that is next in line...

Christ, it's going to be tough. Battletoads will be so much more difficult than either of those games.

My fault for asking. I've just screwed myself, but it will be a labor of love.

[vulcanjedi]

Greetings

My 2 cents.

There are some games that are so hard that some people would never get past a certain point without using a code. Like in 88 I bought Rocky for the SMS and repeatedly got crushed by Drago. I thought with more practice I could get good enough. So I refused to turn auto-fire on trying to be a purist. 14 years later I got over it and threw it in the PBC with an auto stick and twenty minutes later I finally got to see the ending of Rocky. Now I wouldn't count that as one of my beaten SMS games but I am glad I finally got to see that crappy ending

Wait, thats only about 1 cent worth..

VJ

[bargora]

vulcanjedi brings up a related issue--auto-fire. In a boxing game, I would concur that it's not legitimate. In a shmup, though, especially if you don't have an arcade style controller, I think auto-fire is OK. Your thumb just can't press the button 10,000 times to get you through Gradius. At least, mine couldn't. Old thumbs!

[rbudrick]

I think this depends on whether you discovered the code yourself.

Long before the Konami code was popular (it was only in Contra, that I knew of at the time), I randomly tried it on Lifeforce before it was known to cater to the cheat. I almost shit myself when it worked, as did my family...they thought I was a genius (and they were right ). In that particular case, I think I did indeed "earn" it. However, I still can only make it to level5 or so without the cheat.

In Ikari Warriors 1 and 2 for NES, it is absolutely 100% impossible to beat the game without the A, B, B, A revival trick. The game is still retty damn long and difficult even with the cheat. I think that cheat was meant to be used to make it more like the arcade where you can continue...so I consider that cheat completely legit.

Other than those situations, I believe aything else is cheating, and not legit.

-Rob

[Dr. Morbis]

vulcanjedi brings up a related issue--auto-fire. In a boxing game, I would concur that it's not legitimate. In a shmup, though, especially if you don't have an arcade style controller, I think auto-fire is OK. Your thumb just can't press the button 10,000 times to get you through Gradius. At least, mine couldn't. Old thumbs!

I disagree. I think using auto-fire on any system where it doesn't come standard (ie: NES) is 'cheating'. Auto-fire is NOT cheating if a system's standard/pack-in controller has it as a feature (ie: Turbografx 16).

As someone who pounded on those little red buttons tens of thousands of times to get through Gradius, Guardian Legend, Zanac, etc, that's the way I see it.

[suznjak]

who cares woop ass and call names

[GarrettCRW]

To explain what I meant, yes, like the Konami code.

To me, that's cheating, 30 lives is ridiculous.

It's taken me damn near 15 years to get to the point where I could possibly beat Contra in 30 lives without continuing. Trust me, it's that insane. And Gradius II has the trademark Gradius starting points (so if you lose a life, you're screwed). 30 lives isn't cheating-it's being fair!

I can't believe we're using this to challenge the validity of someone's beating of a game, especially with the continue/extra lives codes, which tend to even the odds with games that have punishing difficulties. SMB 2J, anyone?

[Dangerboy]

Question:
What's the difference between doing the 1-Up Trick in Mario with the turtle shell / staircase trick and the Contra 30 Man code?

Answer:
Nothing. They both give you more lives.

I'm one of those people that play games to, you know, play them. I don't give two turds about how those means are reached. If I really wanted to stroke my own ego and sit here for hours on end to beat one game without any sort of 'help', then yeah I'll try and do it legit. But I'm only on this planet for a set amount of time and there are a LOT of games I want to play. If they don't fall into my 'personal legit favorites', they get 'enhanced'.

To tell you the truth, the Action Replay and GameShark are the only things that granted some games permission to even be played. Infinite Health helped me enjoy shitty games like Charge N' Blast, Extermination, etc.

And Contra: Shattered Soldier? Infinite EVERYTHING.

Did I use them on Burnout 3? No.
Did I use them on Transformers? No.

Basically, if it helps make the game fun, you better bet I'll use that cheat device (or "game enhancer", as we'd say in my GS days...).

Just play a game, enjoy it anyway you can regardless of what it takes.

Jason

[retroman]

yes u finished it...but u know u cheated....know what i mean.

[tony_good]

It's taken me damn near 15 years to get to the point where I could possibly beat Contra in 30 lives without continuing. Trust me, it's that insane.

My friend Dave showed me one of the most incredible things I have seen in my life. I would not have believed him had I not seen it for myself. Not only did he beat Contra without the 30 lives code, he did it without continuing.
If memory serves, he only died ONCE!!!

[-hellvin-]

Hell yeah it does! I used that unlimited ammo code in resident evil 2 for the dreamcast and I will guaruntee the game was completed with many zombies dying horribly.