Summer Games Challenge 2017 - Begin when ready!

[Xeogred]

And Aquatic Ambiance.

[pierrot]

I have been working away at Chrono Trigger, but I haven't really been posting about it since I feel a bit bad that I'm not enjoying it!

You have an ally in me, at least. 12,000 BCE is about the only part of the game I actually kind of like. Otherwise, I think it's kind of forgettable. I love Chrono Cross, though.

[alienjesus]

I'm still plugging away at my list. I beat missions 4-9 of Devil May Cry this evening, I just got the Ifrit gauntlets. Apparently there are 23 total.

Once the game gets going it actually gets to be OK (not amazing so far though...). The early parts of the game where you have no idea where to go and you can barely take a hit really stunk though. The first boss is also the hardest part of the game thus far, at just past a third of the way into the game.

[Xeogred]

Wish you were digging it more! If you want truly bad, hit up DMC2 sometime. Kamiya didn't know it existed until he saw an ad for it in a magazine apparently... lmao.

DMC3 and DMC4 definitely improve the gameplay a lot.

[Key-Glyph]

Aw, Lauren, that's disappointing that you're not enjoying Chrono Trigger. I've never heard of anyone having anything but glowing praise for that game... but maybe plenty of other people were underwhelmed but never say so? Now I'm wondering how much nostalgia and/or "this was my first experience with X convention" factors into its belovedness.

I wish I could say something about DKC 2 other than I'm looking forward to playing it someday.

In my own Challenge news, I beat Contra -- which means I've passed my annual summer benchmark of at least five games beaten. Woohoo! Contra was a huuuuge pick-me-up from my last two lackluster games, too. Just super fun, very fair, very replayable. I never felt like, "Oh @)$*! I died and now I have to do all that bullshit AGAIN?!" It was a really surprising feeling, being consistently chill and enthralled while playing an NES game with a beastly reputation.

I'm kinda confused by Contra's status as a super tough game, actually. It took me maybe an hour and a half to get through. Once I got the hang of the third-person stages and learned to avoid the first volley some bosses threw without warning, I just stormed my sweaty, shirtless, manyly-man avatar through everything from snow to intestines and onward into explosion-laced victory.

Now for the other game I've been waiting all summer for... Super Metroid. I just bought some screwdrivers so I can open up my SNES and attempt to fix it, because my Metroid summer tradition must continue, and I'm beyond psyched. Wish me luck.

[alienjesus]

Aw, Lauren, that's disappointing that you're not enjoying Chrono Trigger. I've never heard of anyone having anything but glowing praise for that game... but maybe plenty of other people were underwhelmed but never say so? Now I'm wondering how much nostalgia and/or "this was my first experience with X convention" factors into its belovedness.

I wish I could say something about DKC 2 other than I'm looking forward to playing it someday.

In my own Challenge news, I beat Contra -- which means I've passed my annual summer benchmark of at least five games beaten. Woohoo! Contra was a huuuuge pick-me-up from my last two lackluster games, too. Just super fun, very fair, very replayable. I never felt like, "Oh @)$*! I died and now I have to do all that bullshit AGAIN?!" It was a really surprising feeling, being consistently chill and enthralled while playing an NES game with a beastly reputation.

I'm kinda confused by Contra's status as a super tough game, actually. It took me maybe an hour and a half to get through. Once I got the hang of the third-person stages and learned to avoid the first volley some bosses threw without warning, I just stormed my sweaty, shirtless, manyly-man avatar through everything from snow to intestines and onward into explosion-laced victory.

Now for the other game I've been waiting all summer for... Super Metroid. I just bought some screwdrivers so I can open up my SNES and attempt to fix it, because my Metroid summer tradition must continue, and I'm beyond psyched. Wish me luck.

I mean, you beat Hard Corps so you're clearly badass at these games. That said, it also probably helped that you've had lots of prior experience playing this type of game. Imagine if Contra was the first game of it's type you'd ever played and I'm sure it would be harder.

I always felt like most of those classic NES games were overrated in difficulty. Ninja Gaiden , Battletoads and Blaster Master are legit hard though

I'm excited for you to play Super Metroid. With Metroid 2 being such a major experience for you, I can't wait to see what you make of Super!

Wish you were digging it more! If you want truly bad, hit up DMC2 sometime. Kamiya didn't know it existed until he saw an ad for it in a magazine apparently... lmao.

DMC3 and DMC4 definitely improve the gameplay a lot.

Urgh, so if I enjoy this one enough to take on the 2 sequels which I also have (got the HD collection on PS3) the next one is worse? Bah!

[pierrot]

Playing FFXI is starting to feel a little depressing. I was punted from a linkshell after saying "hello." I think the Leviathan server might suck.

So, I was looking at my list of games for the challenge, and kind of upset that I made it, but was looking to it for things I should play.

1. Toe Jam & Earl
2. Ecco the Dolphin
3. Devil May Cry
4. Salamander
5. Street Fighter Zero /2(')
6. Xanadu
7. Dragon Slayer: Legend of Heroes II
8. Final Fantasy II
9. The Last Express
10. Ryu ga Gotoku (Yakuza)


I beat SFZero 1, 2, and 2'. I could be cheap, and split that into three slots. I didn't really want to make any modifications to this list, mid-challenge, though.

Last I played of Salamander, I made it more than halfway through stage 4. The game only gives three lives, and no extends, though. The first three stages are fairly simple, once learned, but deaths are probably even more punishing than in Gradius--in part because you respawn immediately, and dying three times in rapid succession isn't all that difficult to do.

I was at the airship in FFII, and kind of got bored. It didn't help that there was a trapped chest, near the end of the area, with a monster that picked its teeth clean with my party's bones.

Xanadu probably won't happen.

I've played the first stage of DMC, many years ago, and didn't think much of it. AJ's thoughts on it don't make me too excited to give it another shot.

Since I don't feel like dealing with the setup for The Last Express, that kind of leaves TJ&E, or Ecco. Both fine, but I sort of feel like scrapping the idea of finishing more games for the challenge, and just playing Umihara Kawase.

[isiolia]

Playing FFXI is starting to feel a little depressing. I was punted from a linkshell after saying "hello." I think the Leviathan server might suck.

Did you get the pearl from one of the NPCs or something? Maybe not everyone in the shell was aware that someone made them available there - still rude, but hey, reasons. I would say to post on FFXIAH about a shell, or otherwise try to get in touch with people first.

Leviathan is one of the smallest servers, for better and worse (may also skew JP as it's particularly dead during NA peak times). SE is running a discount campaign soon that has half off on World Transfers. Asura is the popular destination, and tended to have 1k or so more people logged on at a given time last I had seen. So, that might suit what you want better too.

[Sarge]

With Contra, that's definitely a lot of it. Having powered through other tougher entries will definitely soften things up for a legit run through the NES game. It's tough but fair, and once you know what's coming, it doesn't really feel that hard anymore. (Honestly, I've lost all perspective on the game, having done four no-death runs through the game...)

I'm sure all my prior experience helped me with my Contra III and Hard Corps runs this year. Both of those are quite a bit harder than Contra.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Xanadu probably won't happen.

Yeah, it's impossible.