On a Mission

[Mako Crab]

About a month ago I started on a personal quest to go back through my library of video games and pull out all the ones I had never finished or never started. It all began with Super Castlevania 4 on the SNES. I had wanted this game forever, and when I finally got it for my b-day last June, I played it maybe once or twice and then just let it sit there collecting dust. Well no more! A month ago and brushed the cobwebs off and slammed that cart into my aging SNES and proceeded to cut a swath through the undead hordes at Dracula's command! I fought that game for 2 days and finally beat it on Sept 11th. Tough game, but not so tough that I wanted to rip my hair out.

Since then I've been slowly but surely working my way through my other un-finished games. I started next with Super Mario Bros. Allstars: The Lost Levels on the SNES and on Sept. 13th finally beat this monster. I remembered that game for being sadistically hard, and it got worse with each level. Levels 7-3 all the way through to 8-4 were pure pain. Thank god they included the option to continue, or I would've murdered the cartridge. This is literally the penultimate example of a game where you get a few inches further in the level each time. I heard the "lose a life" tune so much, that it's stuck in my head now. Still, it's a really good feeling that I beat this monster of a game without the use of strategy guides or watching someone on youtube do it. This is the most brutal platformer game I've ever played, and I beat it all on my own with no help. Feels good.

After beating Lost Levels, I decided that I needed to get as far away from platformers as possible. So currently I'm working on Final Fantasy 9 for the PS1. Currently I'm on the last disc (4 of 4) and ready to go into the final battles. I've been methodically leveling my guys up, building their abilities, buying all the best gear, etc. etc. Usually this is the boring part of a RPG for me, but for some reason I've really enjoyed it here. I think I really prefer FF9's method for team building as opposed to the sphere grid of FFX. I've sunk about 50 hours into this game and all my guys are right around level 50 or so. We've been knocking down bosses like they were nothing. I plan on having it beaten sometime before the weekend.

After that, I think it may be time to switch back to something a bit faster paced. Here's the list of games I have yet to finish from my collection.

SNES:
Super Mario Allstars: The Lost Levels- DONE
Super Castlevania 4- DONE

Playstation:
Chrono Cross (haven't even started)
Final Fantasy 9- DONE

PS2:
Devil May Cry- DONE
Final Fantasy X-2
Test Drive- DONE
Tokobots Plus- DONE
Viewtiful Joe 2- DONE
Phantasy Star 2- DONE

Nintendo DS:
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass DONE
Zelda: Spirit Tracks DONE

A lot of RPGs on the list. The slower pace of most RPGs causes me to lose interest, and I know that's why there's so many I never finished. I think that since it's October and Halloween's coming up, maybe I'll give DMC a go.

[andersonh1]

About a month ago I started on a personal quest to go back through my library of video games and pull out all the ones I had never finished or never started.

I should do that myself. I've got a PC rather than a game system, but I've got plenty of games that I've started but never finished. But who has the time?

I figure if I've played any given game and gotten some enjoyment out of it, then it was worth the purchase whether I finished it or not.

[Onslaught Six]

About a month ago I started on a personal quest to go back through my library of video games and pull out all the ones I had never finished or never started. It all began with Super Castlevania 4 on the SNES. I had wanted this game forever, and when I finally got it for my b-day last June, I played it maybe once or twice and then just let it sit there collecting dust. Well no more! A month ago and brushed the cobwebs off and slammed that cart into my aging SNES and proceeded to cut a swath through the undead hordes at Dracula's command! I fought that game for 2 days and finally beat it on Sept 11th. Tough game, but not so tough that I wanted to rip my hair out.

I've been going through Symphony of the Night on my 360, myself. Damn fine game. I'm determined to finish the Inverted Castle and unlock Richter.

Since then I've been slowly but surely working my way through my other un-finished games. I started next with Super Mario Bros. Allstars: The Lost Levels on the SNES and on Sept. 13th finally beat this monster. I remembered that game for being sadistically hard, and it got worse with each level. Levels 7-3 all the way through to 8-4 were pure pain. Thank god they included the option to continue, or I would've murdered the cartridge. This is literally the penultimate example of a game where you get a few inches further in the level each time. I heard the "lose a life" tune so much, that it's stuck in my head now. Still, it's a really good feeling that I beat this monster of a game without the use of strategy guides or watching someone on youtube do it. This is the most brutal platformer game I've ever played, and I beat it all on my own with no help. Feels good.

He thinks Lost Levels ends on 8-4! Hate to break it to you, buddy, but there's five more worlds: 9, A, B, C, and D.

Chrono Trigger (haven't even started)

Protip: Don't. The Playstation port is terrible, the load times are atrocious. Hunt it down for the SNES, use an emulator, or get the DS port. Seriously, you'll thank me later.

A lot of RPGs on the list. The slower pace of most RPGs causes me to lose interest, and I know that's why there's so many I never finished. I think that since it's October and Halloween's coming up, maybe I'll give DMC a go.

I'm also trying to finish Mass Effect. Damn good RPG, there.

[Mako Crab]

I've been going through Symphony of the Night on my 360, myself. Damn fine game. I'm determined to finish the Inverted Castle and unlock Richter.

I love that game. Have it for the PS1 and it's quite possibly the single best Castlevania of all time. I thought all you had to do to unlock Richter was enter his name before you start a new game.

He thinks Lost Levels ends on 8-4! Hate to break it to you, buddy, but there's five more worlds: 9, A, B, C, and D.

No, I know about those. But for the time being, I'm happy. I rescued the Princess and kicked Bowser's ass. As far as I'm concerned, it's done. For now.

Chrono Trigger (haven't even started)

Protip: Don't. The Playstation port is terrible, the load times are atrocious. Hunt it down for the SNES, use an emulator, or get the DS port. Seriously, you'll thank me later.

So I've heard. Ah, I just realized I made a typo. I meant to say I have Chrono Cross, not Trigger. Is Cross any good?

I'm also trying to finish Mass Effect. Damn good RPG, there.

Yeah, I have a friend that's addicted to it. I'll have to check it out one day if I ever get a 360. I've heard nothing but good things.

I should do that myself. I've got a PC rather than a game system, but I've got plenty of games that I've started but never finished. But who has the time?

I figure if I've played any given game and gotten some enjoyment out of it, then it was worth the purchase whether I finished it or not.

Yeah, real life tends to interrupt too often. I've been cutting out a ton of my TV watching time to do this, so it's working out okay. I get where you're coming from and that's cool too. Nothing says everyone has to be alike when it comes to how they play games. Some games, even ones that I've finished, I'll pop in again just to mess around. Back when I had just the demo disc of Metal Gear Solid on PS1, the only playable level was the snowy helicopter pad at the start of the game. I would mess around in that one little area for hours and never get tired of it.

[138 Scourge]

I'm just learning a little bit about the whole gaming thing. I've got a handful of games now, there's some I can tell you I'm never going to finish or even properly start.

But hell, most of 'em I got with the system in exchange for a burrito, so no biggie if I don't get to 'em.

But like, "Black". I'm never likely to play too much more of that. Stupid thing's crazy hard, and the time it takes to start playing the friggin' thing makes it seem hardly worth the effort.

[Onslaught Six]

I've been going through Symphony of the Night on my 360, myself. Damn fine game. I'm determined to finish the Inverted Castle and unlock Richter.

I love that game. Have it for the PS1 and it's quite possibly the single best Castlevania of all time. I thought all you had to do to unlock Richter was enter his name before you start a new game.

Nope, that's after you beat the inverted castle. (I know because I tried just doing that and it didn't work.)

No, I know about those. But for the time being, I'm happy. I rescued the Princess and kicked Bowser's ass. As far as I'm concerned, it's done. For now.

Ah, but if you fireball Bowser in 8-4, it shows he's just a lowly clone minion like the rest.

So I've heard. Ah, I just realized I made a typo. I meant to say I have Chrono Cross, not Trigger. Is Cross any good?

Never played, probably because it has little enough to do with the original game, and the bits that do cross over with it make no sense if you haven't played the original. Chrono Trigger's a masterpiece, though. Literally the best of Square and Enix when they were at the top of their game.

Yeah, I have a friend that's addicted to it. I'll have to check it out one day if I ever get a 360. I've heard nothing but good things.

There's also a PC version, if you've got a good enough rig. Right now is probably the best time to get a 360--the old Arcades are dirt cheap now. It's what pushed me.

[BWprowl]

I meant to say I have Chrono Cross, not Trigger. Is Cross any good?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and more yes. Chrono Cross is one of my favorite RPGs of all time. It's absolutely beautiful, graphics, music, story, everything. And the battle system is awesome and you can kick some serious ass once you get the hang of it. For the record, I never played through Chrono Trigger, and I still loved Cross, so you don't need to worry about playing one to play the other. A warning though: It's rather long. It took me over sixty hours to get through it the first time, and I didn't even do many of the myriad of side-quests or extra character recruitments.

I'm working my way through Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations right now. Ace Attorney is one of my favorite game series ever, and I'm ashamed of how long it's taken me to get around to this one. I'm tearing through it now though.

Also finally got a working Dreamcast emulator so I could play Project Justice. That was elating. Blasted through all the story modes in a coupla days to unlock all the characters, and now my friends and I have been throwing down on it for fun whenever we're hanging out together. This is probably my favorite fighting game ever, and I've played a *lot* of fighting games.

I'm gonna take another shot at Knights in the Nightmare once I'm done with Edgeworth.

[Shockwave]

I'm currently stuck on WFC. But I'll probably start playing something else here soon enough. If I were on the same mission, I'd have a lot of games to finish.

PS1
the Oddworld games.

I dunno, that's a pretty poor start to the list so I'll have to finish it later.

Shockwave
-Maybe this kind of ADD is exactly why some games remained unfinished...

[Mako Crab]

I'm saved right before the final battle with Kuja and Necron. Final Fantasy 9 is getting beat tonight.

*edit*

Okay, on my first try I beat Trance Kuja and was holding my own against Necron. Sadly, the whole crew got wiped out. Well, try, try again.

[Mako Crab]

Just beat Final Fantasy 9 and I did it without auto-reflect or shock!!! Half my team was dead and the other half was suffering all kinds of status ailments. I didn't think I was going to survive when suddenly the boss started crumbling. Hehehe. Epic game. Epic ending. Love it.

I've had this game for 10 years and only just now beat it. Feels good to finally finish it. So then, what next? What's on the list?