Alternate ways of playing games.

[VG_Addict]

Inspired by SNESDrunk's "Unconventional Ways to Play Classic Super Nintendo Games" videos. (You should definitely check SNESDrunk out).



Finding alternate ways of playing a game, whether by doing a self-imposed challenge, or just playing a game differently than it was intended, are a good way of spicing up games you've played hundreds of times.



I'll start with the 30 Melon Challenge in Yoshi's Story, where you try to get all of the 30 Melons in each level, and NO OTHER FRUIT. It's basically like Hard Mode for the game. Particular Mushroom has a video that goes into more detail.

[Ziggy]

I've been doing this in recent years for games I've played to death. Not that I'm sick of those games, but adding a new way to play adds some excitement back to a game.

It's nothing original, but I was pistol starting each level of DOOM and DOOM II. That's pretty fun to do.

One thing I thought of for myself was to play certain games in one sitting, games that I would usually break up into multiple sittings. One day I'll do this with A Link to the Past.

[marurun]

Lots of speed runs do this, which can lead to interesting results. I mean, how many games have pacifist runs at this point?

[Gucci]

I’ve done the 30 melon challenge in YS. Also I try to get the black and white Yoshi too.

Skyrim. So much potential. When they released some anniversary edition with mod support and the creative club for consoles, they released through the CC a survival mode. It was pretty extensive compared to Fallout 4’s version.

In Skyrim you had to deal with: hunger, fatigue, the cold and staying warm, freezing water, no health regen, no fast travel, sleep to level up, lower carry weight, and new diseases and afflictions. Makes for a super interesting play through.

The caveat to all that is that it isn’t available on the Switch version or 7th gen versions since there’s no CC or mod support. So I took some of the above things and tailor it to a “poor man’s” survival mode. I level up on sleep, I don’t fast travel, I eat food to replenish health (no potions at all — my cat guy doesn’t believe in modern medicine), I save on sleep (I disabled all auto saves), and I think that’s about it.

[Ack]

I had a friend who used to play PS1 games using a DDR pad. He actually got pretty good, unless shoulder buttons were required. Playing Metal Gear Solid by dancing around made for some interesting results.

[Anapan]

Super Mario Bros with a steering wheel - pedals are A & B is quite challenging.

[Limewater]

LJN sold an NES accessory called the Roll & Rocker. It looked sort of like a turtle on its back, where it was flat on top and appeared kind of wobbly.

You rocked it to function as the d-pad. You plugged a controller into the side to use the A, B, Select, and Start buttons.

I have a Broderbund U-Force. I actually used it to play Stealth ATF and Punch Out. I couldn't get much past Glass Joe in Punch out. Once I was down I was supposed to wave my hands rapidly over one of the sensors to get back up, but I couldn't wave fast enough.

For added challenge, you can play Zork without using your hands. I believe the preferred method involves squatting over your keyboard and a pencil.

[Anapan]

AVGN's video on the roll'n rocker had me laughing for longer than it should have. Someone got a link?