Games Beaten 2014

[Stark]

It just loops.

Like Yars' Revenge.

I think I'll make my next game beaten Duck Dynasty.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I've always thought of this issue one way.

If you've "finished" a game, you've cleared every level.

If you've "beaten" a game, you've defeated its challenges. It hasn't beaten you. Getting a game over is obviously a defeat, so if you get one you haven't won.

I think the whole argument comes from people using beaten to refer to both these situations.

[pierrot]

Man. I thought I was bad with worrying about whether or not I can claim a game to be beaten in Backloggery with only a particular mode cleared, or completed without actually clearing a novice mode, or something. Why don't we just play games, keep at it to the point we each, individually, feel satisfied in calling "beaten," then list them here for the silent, yet harsh, judgement of everyone else.

Also, I think both arguments, as they've been presented in the last few pages, are equally valid.


List

Akumajou Dracula/Super Castlevania - (Super Famicom)
Castlevania Bloodlines - (Genesis)
Phantasy Star Online ver 2 (Very Hard Mode) - (Dreamcast)
Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth - (Wii)
DUX 1.5 - (Dreamcast)
Kisuisho Densetsu Astal - (Saturn)
Star Gladiator 2 - (Dreamcast)
Twinbee Da!! - (PSP)


DUX 1.5 is murder.


Astal was a pretty good time. I'd played the first couple levels a couple times, and just kind of stopped, without really realizing that I was getting to around the mid-way point, or just past it each time. Not a long, or particularly challenging game (especially the JP version) but a fun game, with some impressive visuals, and a pretty nice soundtrack. I don't think the game does any one thing particularly well, but as a whole it makes a pretty solid package. I think they came up a little short in development—especially considering Astal's moveset, which is varied, but no move is really all that useful in the majority of situations. I was constantly wanting just a standard punch. However, the mechanics that are there work well for the game, in most instances. Recommended, but probably not that highly, and mostly on its art direction.


Beat Star Gladiator 2 with Ele on one credit. Seemed like a really simple game at first glance to me whenever I had tried it out before. With now having a way to play it in S-video, I actually gave it more than a glance, and while it's not especially deep, it is an interesting fighter. I'd probably liken it to a game like the Naruto Gekitou Ninja Taisen (Ninja Council?) series, where there are definitely some good fighting mechanics that probably lend themselves more to friendly party gaming, rather than deeply analyzed tournament play. It's certainly a Capcom fighting game, though, so there's a lot to like about it. I just don't think it's really competitive with a lot of the other Capcom (or even SNK or Sega) fighting games on the console.


Beat Twinbee Da!! on one credit as well. Not really sure what to say about it. The redone version looks really colorful, and plays pretty well. Although, the 4:3 aspect in a vertical shooter makes for some cramped gameplay at times. I swear, juggling bells in twinbee games is one of the most difficult aspects of any shmup, especially with the shorter vertical height in this one. Only real hiccup in the difficulty here was the stage 4 boss. It was so much more difficult than the rest of the game that I was certain it was the final boss. Once I beat it, I nearly dropped a brick when I realized there was a stage 5. Fortunately I no-missed it. So, yeah. Crazy spike on that stage 4 boss, but without it, the game would have no difficulty at all. Surprised there's even an easy mode.

[Luke]

1) Kung Fu NES
2) Altered Beast Genesis
3) Golden Axe Genesis
4) Golden Axe GBA
5) Golden Axe Dreamcast
6) Golden Axe PS2
7) Golden Axe Sega CD
Golden Axe 360
9) Ninja Gaiden xbox
10) Ninja Gaiden NES
11) Cool Spot Genesis
12) The Duel Genesis
13) Pit Fighter Genesis
14) Hard Drvin' Genesis
15) Death Duel Genesis
16) Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis
17) Mutant League Football Genesis
18) TMNT Hyperstone Heist Genesis
19) Streets of Rage Sega CD
20) Streets of Rage 2 Genesis
21) Golden Axe 2 Genesis
22) Sewer Shark Sega CD
23) Chiki Chiki Boys Genesis
24) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Genesis
25) Mega Man 2 NES
26) Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! NES
27) TMNT Fall of the Footclan Gameboy
28) TMNT Something Sewers Gameboy
29) Punch-Out!! Wii *new*

Unlocking Champion mode is considered beating it, isn't it?

[ExedExes]

1. *NEW* Metal Gear - NES (February 27)

Obviously, my focus so far this year has not been on beating-completing-whatever. That's one argument that's never gonna be settled.

Another game that I gave up on the past is finally finished. I didn't have a lot of time to do it (and I probably would have emulated one of the other ports instead), but since my focus is the NES lately anyway, it was good to play what probably isn't the greatest port of this game around.

So many bosses! An "unexpected" plot twist, and so many spelling errors. That's all I can really say about it. Time to go back to the NES some more.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I've never beaten a Punch-Out game.

I don't even own any...

[prfsnl_gmr]

I've never beaten a Punch-Out game.

I don't even own any...

Get them. They are all great (and the sublime Wii version is quite inexpensive).

[Luke]

I've never beaten a Punch-Out game.

I don't even own any...

They're all terrific. Play them a few times a year I do.

[graffix_13]

"Beating" a game is, IMO, the equivalent of "reading" a book or "watching" a film. If you make it to the ending sequence, if you read every word, and if you remain conscious until the credits, you have "beaten" a game, "read" a book, and "watched" a movie. You may not have "appreciated" or "completed" any of them, but you have, IMO, fulfilled the most basic requirement for eventual appreciation or completion.

This is how I feel. Although I definitely see both sides of the argument for "beating" a shmup and a beat-em-up.

So, in that sense, shmups are really one of most easiest games to "beat" since you can technically credit-feed until you see the end credits. But the other hand, true mastery (1CC) for shmups/fighting games is one of, if not THE hardest. That is, of course, if you consider credit feeding "beating" the game.

All in all a good debate and at the end of the day it's all subjective.

(Dun, I'm surprised you didn't call me out when I had Ketsui listed under games beaten )

[dunpeal2064]

It was a light ribbing that went much further than I expected

I think its awesome that anyone plays a Cave game, in any way.

I don't think a 1cc of a shmup is complete mastery though. I still think you could clear the first loop of Ketsui with a little practice

Now, clearing the first loop, the hidden 2nd loop, and killing Doom... yeah, thats mastery. I am nowhere near that level.

So yeah... if credit feeding is what you want from the game, I am gravy with that. If yo credit feed because you think you could never 1cc the game, that is where I want to show that these games are actually not uber reflex difficulty games, and a "casual" (ugh) gamer can clear something like the first loop of Ketsui, or Mushi Futari Original.

I'll do what Bone did though, and refrain from posing until I beat a game.