Retro platform advice

[t0yrobo]

I like searching all around in games where you are able to scroll back because you usually build up a large cache of lives. If you wish that there was a save feature than you can probably find a level select code for the game. Besides being able to let you select which level you want to play from the get go, you can usually see how many levels there are.

Mario All-Stars lets you save so you can build up tons of extra lives.

[pelham123]

I would be interested in knowing what retro games you DO enjoy, kingmohd84. Platformers are just like shmups, you've just got to learn off them levels. Super Mario Bros. on the NES is a great one to start with, the most pleasing physics I've ever encountered in a game. You can do so much with a run and a jump. And of course, a big part of it is being rewarded for risky exploration. That's what made Nintendo great I feel, all of that secret stuff they put in their games.

[dedalusdedalus]

I have the same issue with the difficulty level of old-school platformers. That's why save states are my best friend.

[RCBH928]

I know how to use google , but I use walkthroughs when I do not know what to do next or having difficulty beating a boss. But in this case, I know what to do but I am not sure what style I should be playing with.

For example, for the longest time I thought I was supposed to playing sonic slowly and not rush through each level.

Am I just supposed to play over and over and over and over till I get it right?
Its really frustrating beating 9 levels then losing your last life on the tenth and doing it all over again.

Is this what all of you do, or is there some other way to it?

Someone mentioned that 1 mario game got 32 levels. Am I supposed to beat that in one setting? No savings in those platformers.

And thanx for the castlevania advice, this was one of the games I was testing out. I noticed the difficulty. I really have jumping to platforms when they make it difficult to reach. It ruins the game.

[Jrecee]

"Its really frustrating beating 9 levels then losing your last life on the tenth and doing it all over again. "

Yes, it is.

The retro games that have aged the best in my opinion are the ones that are a bit more modern, as in they're not totally cheap and usually feature a gamesave or at least a password.

What sonic game are you playing? I don't think any of them were that hard. The first one is probably the hardest, or maybe sonic 2.

Am I just supposed to play over and over and over and over till I get it right? Its really frustrating beating 9 levels then losing your last life on the tenth and doing it all over again.

Is this what all of you do, or is there some other way to it?

I'm not sure what your asking. The other way to do it is to cheat, if you feel like doing that. I prefer to beat the game as it was originally intended (most the time).

[Breetai]

I feel old after reading this thread. I worry about the attention span of today's youth.

[Luke]

I feel old after reading this thread. I worry about the attention span of today's youth.

What are we talking about?

[RCBH928]

I feel old after reading this thread. I worry about the attention span of today's youth.

What are we talking about?

He is probably talking about that people before had enough patience to play the game over and over to get it right. Now I just want to run through it and get over with it.

Truth is, back in the day those kind of games gave you a bang for your buck. You can play them forever. The reason is good titles are released scarcely back then. The idea was to buy a good game and play it to death.
the mentality changed now, a 6 month game is an old one. Buy the new one. Are people still playing COD 2 or 3 for example? Its a new game every year. No dedication any more.

Now there is a huge mass of retro+modern titles and they take hours upon hours to finish. I can't dedicate myself to 1 game for 3 or 4 months to master.
Another thing is, in modern games you can save and monitor your progress. In retro games, if you switch the system off(due to lack life duties) or die you have to do it all over again. I mean just imagine the terror of electricity power down on the final level!

I just figured out , all those people beating those kind of games got some kind of a secret or a style for beating them.

[Luke]

I feel old after reading this thread. I worry about the attention span of today's youth.

What are we talking about?

He is probably talking about that people before had enough patience to play the game over and over to get it right. Now I just want to run through it and get over with it.

I was making a joke.

I can't dedicate myself to 1 game for 3 or 4 months to master.

Sounds like retro gaming may just not be for you. But most games only take a week or two to really figure out.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I feel old after reading this thread. I worry about the attention span of today's youth.

What are we talking about?

He is probably talking about that people before had enough patience to play the game over and over to get it right. Now I just want to run through it and get over with it.

Truth is, back in the day those kind of games gave you a bang for your buck. You can play them forever. The reason is good titles are released scarcely back then. The idea was to buy a good game and play it to death.
the mentality changed now, a 6 month game is an old one. Buy the new one. Are people still playing COD 2 or 3 for example? Its a new game every year. No dedication any more.

Now there is a huge mass of retro+modern titles and they take hours upon hours to finish. I can't dedicate myself to 1 game for 3 or 4 months to master.
Another thing is, in modern games you can save and monitor your progress. In retro games, if you switch the system off(due to lack life duties) or die you have to do it all over again. I mean just imagine the terror of electricity power down on the final level!

I just figured out , all those people beating those kind of games got some kind of a secret or a style for beating them.

You're kidding right?

What do you care how many games come out every few months, it's not like you're going to play each and every one of them. Retro gaming is both an exercise in fun and patience, yes you have to restart and yes it sucks to game over; but that's practice and if you don't care to practice or put any effort into retro then you really need to re-evaluate why you play it.

I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just being honest. Practice means perfect regardless of whatever hobby you have as if you truly enjoy it then you'll put in the effort to truly make some thing of it and not just give up.

Now, pick up your controller and play through the game again and again for about an hour until you start getting it right or give up and quit complaining because I'm sick of hearing people whining about meaningless stuff like how this "Seven world platformer won't save." or that you're afraid that the "Power will cut off on the final level" as that kind of talk just pisses me off.

Now with that having been said, try to play through something simple like SMB1 or Sonic1 and remember these simple tips. Use running jumps often, learn little glitches such as using the running ducking jump in SMB1, if you begin to overshoot a jump push back and aim for the nearest ledge as most of these games actually have pretty robust physics systems, exploit the physics system, stop trying to rush through the game until you've learned more and played more of it, watch youtube playthroughs or ask a friend near you or here on the boards if you really get stuck and remember games are about fun if the game ticks you off then either try to get through it as hard as you can or give up and move on it's that simple.