2017 Game Completion Challenge

[celerystalker]

I am currently attempting Bats & Terry (Famicom) for the players choice. This is a very buggy game. So far I have seen enemies get stuck in walls, walk on air, die for no apparent reason, spawn where they shouldn't, and not spawn at all. Additionally, I managed to get stuck in a few walls and die by wrapping around from the top of the screen to a pit on the bottom of the screen. Yet, somehow, the game is fun.

Now, I have a question. This game allows you to continue from the beginning of the world where you lost your last life by pressing A + Start. I have no idea whether or not this is documented in the manual and the game has no continues otherwise. Is continuing like this permissible or is it considered a cheat?

In the absence of information, we'll say it's ok.

[FieryReign]

Finally done with Burning Force after slinging obscenities out loud constantly. On my last sliver of life, had a continue to spare though. What a frustrating game. Day 4-1 boss is just unfair, period. The last boss takes about a million shots in precise locations. Thought it would never end. I'll never play this game again in my life. Unless I wanna give myself a stroke.

[RP2A03]

In the absence of information, we'll say it's ok.

In that case, Bats & Terry is completed.



Also, fuck this ladder.

[jperryss]

Vice: Project Doom - Completed



Another fast-paced action game with heavy Ninja Gaiden influences (not necessarily a bad thing). The way the enemies burst when you hit them, the waterfall level, the train level with the screen intermittently blacking out, the enemy patterns, the energy bar, the cutscenes, and a ton of cheap hits all combine to make this really feel like an NG game. Plenty of aggravation will be had as enemies bounce you around in the later levels, and there's some annoying platforming in the last stage (still not as bad as NG1 though).

A few of the early bosses can be taken down just by rushing in and going blow for blow, but don't try that with the later ones. The final boss has an easy pattern but you have to move quickly and if you only have the sword, there's not much room for error in your positioning.

The Spy Hunter-ish shmup levels and the Operation Wolf-style shooting rounds were a nice change of pace.

Fun game, but SO frustrating at times.

[RP2A03]

Onward to act 5.

[jperryss]

Onward to act 5.

That game looks beautiful, I love the artistic style.

[celerystalker]

Man, starting to feel guilty about Burning Force pissing everbody off, but congrats to those who beat it. I love the shit out of that game, but I've had a long time to come to terms with it.

On a related note, starting with tomorrow's new games, there will be an "import alternate." Basically, you'll be allowed to skip on one game a week that you don't own or like in favor of an oddball import. As a warning, my import tastes can be a little sideways, but it'll offer up an alternative to those who want to try something different or just hit a wall on a game.

Edit: also, a new poster who is waiting to be approved or something has pm'd me his wins, so when you see a new player listed in the standings this week, it's new DP member biofall.

[jperryss]

Edit: also, a new poster who is waiting to be approved or something has pm'd me his wins, so when you see a new player listed in the standings this week, it's new DP member biofall.

Cool!

Any thoughts about offering a couple free points to any late-starters? That might encourage some new folks to join in on the fun.

[celerystalker]

Cool!

Any thoughts about offering a couple free points to any late-starters? That might encourage some new folks to join in on the fun.

Hmm... I wouldn't want to undermine the efforts of those who have played, but maybe we can do something like a short window after joining for new players to play previous challenge games during their first couple of weeks, minus the player's choice games.

[Emperor Megas]

I discovered that I didn't have the Vice game for NES either, so I've just been dedicating all my gaming time to Muramasa: The Demon Blade. I really, REALLY enjoy this game! It's just flat out gorgeous.

I really love the landscapes and the dialog, the voice acting, and the combat system, however, truth be told I sort of suck at the combat, because I'm just AWFUL at those little challenge sections through our the game that arr in the trees locked behind the magic barriers, where you have to defeat 100 enemies each in. Even when I'm several levels above the level they suggest you be at before taking them on I still get my ass handed to me.

I think I've only beaten one of them, which was the 100 ninjas one in the 5th or 6th region.

[jperryss]

Hmm... I wouldn't want to undermine the efforts of those who have played, but maybe we can do something like a short window after joining for new players to play previous challenge games during their first couple of weeks, minus the player's choice games.

Of course not, me neither. I was just thinking maybe something like 1 point per month passed, just a little boost.

I like your idea also.

[celerystalker]

I discovered that I didn't have the Vice game for NES either, so I've just been dedicating all my gaming time to Muramasa: The Demon Blade. I really, REALLY enjoy this game! It's just flat out gorgeous.

I really love the landscapes and the dialog, the voice acting, and the combat system, however, truth be told I sort of suck at the combat, because I'm just AWFUL at those little challenge sections through our the game that arr in the trees locked behind the magic barriers, where you have to defeat 100 enemies each in. Even when I'm several levels above the level they suggest you be at before taking them on I still get my ass handed to me.

I think I've only beaten one of them, which was the 100 ninjas one in the 5th or 6th region.

Glad you're digging it! Odin Sphere is extremely similiar, so if you have that one, it's a great game with Norse mythological overtones. Dragon's Crown is my personal favorite, but that has a lot to do with how hard I love a good beat 'em up, and it has ridiculously fun co-op.

[celerystalker]

Of course not, me neither. I was just thinking maybe something like 1 point per month passed, just a little boost.

I like your idea also.

Definitely open to suggestions, as the more players, the more fun! I'll try and come up with a new player welcome rule over the course of the week, and as long as there are no objections, we'll go from there.

[biofall]

Hmm... I wouldn't want to undermine the efforts of those who have played, but maybe we can do something like a short window after joining for new players to play previous challenge games during their first couple of weeks, minus the player's choice games.

Hey guys, thanks for the warm welcome. Personally I'm totally fine starting with no points. The challenge for me is just a nice way to direct me towards what to play next and potentially introduce me to new games. For example this week I had a blast playing Vice: Project Doom and hadn't ever heard of the game prior to the forum. Additionally the players choice gave me a reason to play a game that has been on my backlog for a while, Hotline Miami 2. While Burning force was a little frustrating and I never finished it, I did have fun for a short while and have no regrets about playing it.

Additionally I have started playing Odin Sphere(another game that was on my backlog) for the monthly RPG and I'm having a good time. This is my first Vanillaware game so it feels like a very new experience. Currently on the second book so still have a long way to go but the game has yet to start feeling stale and I definitely intend to finish it.

[FieryReign]

Man, stage 11 on V:PD is brutal. It had a pretty fair difficulty up to this point. Are the cutscenes and dialogue supposed to make sense?

[biofall]

Man, stage 11 on V:PD is brutal. It had a pretty fair difficulty up to this point. Are the cutscenes and dialogue supposed to make sense?

I pieced together my own ridiculous story based off of the little cutscenes seemingly random events. Stage 11 was pretty tough; having to redo the hardest platforming segment in the game every time you died to the boss was annoying but eventually I figured out the correct spots to neutral jump at and it became almost second nature.

[Emperor Megas]

Glad you're digging it! Odin Sphere is extremely similiar, so if you have that one, it's a great game with Norse mythological overtones. Dragon's Crown is my personal favorite, but that has a lot to do with how hard I love a good beat 'em up, and it has ridiculously fun co-op.

I'm loving it, and I also own Odin Sphere. I don't have Dragon's Crown yet, but it was already on my radar. All of these games seem to have a similar aesthetic, which is a huge plus for me because I love the art style. I imagine it can be off putting to some though. Especially with Dragon's Crown. Vanillaware seems to really like to exaggerate and distort powerful characters with almost grotesque, highly stylized proportions. It's like a freaky Ukiyo-e manga mashup, but I dig it.

Definitely open to suggestions, as the more players, the more fun! I'll try and come up with a new player welcome rule over the course of the week, and as long as there are no objections, we'll go from there.

Just a suggestion, but maybe HALF POINTS could be awarded to newly 'registered' players for completing expired GCC selections, but a only for a limited time period after they joined, like a few weeks to a month, or something?

They could gain enough points to jump in and be competitive, but not enough to unfairly blow early players out of the water, since their points for old entries would be Nerfed, and time wouldn't allow most to blow through everything anyway, so I doubt they'd rack up an obscene amount. We're basically using the honor system already, and I doubt anyone has the time to play through most of the past catalog, so I don't think they'd have an unfair advantage even if they marathoned.

Or that could be a completely horrible idea. I don't know, I haven't really thought it through. ^_^

[RP2A03]

Completed Vice: Project Doom.

[celerystalker]

New week, new games... we'll go a tad softer this week on the difficulty.

-Pick a game from the Pocky & Rocky series. These include Kiki Kai Kai (Arcade, PS2, PCE, FDS), Pocky & Rocky (SNES), Pocky & Rocky 2 (SNES), and Pocky & Rocky with Becky (GBA)

-Power Stone 1 or 2 (Dreamcast, PSP, Arcade)

-Player's choice: pick any game with an alliterated title. Examples might include Fatal Fury, Final Fantasy, Ring of Red, Metropolis Mania, Brawl Brothers, Puyo Pop, Hudson Hawk, Mister Mosquito, etc.

-Import alternative: should you fancy not playing one of these games, any one game this week can be substituted for New Type Action Game Noon on PS1. Note: this is in lieu of a game on the list, not a bonus point.

-RPG of the Month: Vanillaware action RPGs! Much progress is being made on Muramasa, and Odin Sphere, Dragon's Crown, Princess Crown, and Grim Grimoire are all calling to you. Or not... but they're worth a solid 5 points!

New standings go up tomorrow evening. Good luck, and straighten out those Nopino Goblins, will ya?!

[Scissors]

I beat Vice: Project Doom tonight. Another good platformer I've had sitting around for years that I never played before.

Not that it really matters, but in the standings I noticed you have me down for Super Smash Bros, but I actually played Super Smash Bros for Wii U (the "for Wii U" is actually in the title).