Your biggest classic gaming accomplishments

[topspot123]

It's no secret that video games and how we play changes over the years.  Games have gotten easier and I might have lost a bit of my edge since the 8-bit days.  But I was thinking about how and what I used to play.  Would I still be capable of beating some of the games from my youth?  Probably not.  This would be due to my changing skill set and also having such an abundance of choice in what I play, there is less motivation to 'power through' a game.  So here are a couple of my gaming accomplishments from the past that I expect I will never complete again.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link  http://vgcollect.com/item/5375 I beat this game with the help of the NES Game Atlas http://vgcollect.com/item/18069.  This was pre-internet.  I prefer not using a guide, but I don't feel that the design of this game (mostly the dungeons) is intuitive enough without a guide, and I've never liked mapping out games IRL.  After school I had a routine.  I would spend one night only grinding, and the next night tackling a dungeon.  I beat Shadow Link after several attempts with only swordplay, not knowing the crouchy-stabby trick.

Hyper Lode Runner http://vgcollect.com/item/14199  Beat every level.  I don't believe I would have the patience to figure out some of the digging puzzles now.

Boxxle http://vgcollect.com/item/14077  I didn't really care for this game or beat it, but while I owned it I cracked the passwords.  No big deal, only four digits, but I filled out a memo pad with all of the possible passwords.

So what are some of your classic gaming accomplishments?  It could be the hardest game you've beaten, or just a part of a game.  When was the last time you beat an 8-bit classic for the first time?

[burningdoom]

For me it's probably beating Super Mario Bros.: Lost Levels with no Game Overs and no warping.

That game is punishingly hard. The Japanese weren't exaggerating when they thought it might be too hard for the average U.S. gamer. And this was during the era of "NES hard".

[topspot123]

For me it's probably beating Super Mario Bros.: Lost Levels with no Game Overs and no warping.

That game is punishingly hard. The Japanese weren't exaggerating when they thought it might be too hard for the average U.S. game. And this was during the era of "NES hard".

Perfect example.  I beat this game without warping on Super Mario All Stars (with the bonus levels), but have been unable to beat it on the Wii Virtual Console. 

[turf]

Mine would probably be my speed running of Super Mario Bros.  I'm not close to the world record yet, but I'm chipping away at my time.  I still need to figure out a way to skin over a minute off my time.  I may not get down to 5 min this year.  I can't pull off the glitches you have to use. 

Other than that, I would say... I've finished all of the Mega Mans (Mega Men?), Castlevania, Contra (no code), and Bucky O'Hare.  Those are all really hard games.

I don't know, I'm just rambling.

[burningdoom]

Bucky 'O Hare is maddenly difficult. I had a whole lot more patience as a kid, because I did manage to beat it then (after many, many tries). I recently tried and completely gave up in anger at the elevator level with all the spikes and falling rocks (aboard the Toad's ship).

[htimreimer]

this is not the oldest game but its about 5 generations old and the game is called western outlaw, this game barely playable due to it being so broken and if the glitches don't get you, the bad game design will and i know it a budget game but i have played higher quality budget game's then this, anyway,the point is that beat western outlaw but it wasn't easy  do you it being bad in every way possible

[scott]

As a kid?

Prolly beating Mega Man 2 without any cheats. I played that game for months on end as a kid and was super addicted to it and eventually finished it. (one of the rare cases of me actually beating a NES game when I was younger) I played it a few months ago and was having a hell of a time in Quick Man's stage, to the point of frustration.

As an adult?

I've beaten Castlevania countless times, even managed a few deathless runs.

If we're counting GBA games, I'm pretty proud of myself for beating Mega Man Zero 1 and 2. Zero 1 seemed more difficult and the end boss whipped my ass for weeks. I played that again when I got the DS collection and couldn't barely get passed Aztec Falcon.

[campercarl]

Donkey Kong 64 - 101%
Super Mario Bros - Same as Turf, as in I'm getting better times (12min I think)
Sonic The Hedgehog - All chaos emeralds collected
Donkey Kong Arcade - Cleared so many times I've lost count
The Quest of Ki - Clear (Inspired to do this by Arino)

[sin2beta]

I actually think I've gotten better at games. As a kid I could not get very far in Comix Zone. Now I can beat it regularly since I am able to recognize the puzzles. I feel like I can beat most any game in any way given the patience.

Now as a kid I was pretty good at Day Dreamin' Davey. This is a feat I will never accomplish again because the game is probably horrible.

[pacpix]

The two that come to mind for me are Wizardry and my 105% run through Donkey Kong Country 3.  Now my biggest accomplishments are actually staying focused long enough to finish a game 

[MJMaranan]

Never finished Double Dragon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles but I enjoyed playing Billy Lee and Leonardo since blue is my favorite color.  Donatello was a close second because of his bo staff.

Finished Contra with the Konami Code.

Especially enjoyed playing these games with my elder brother playing.

Played Mega Man and if I remember correctly, I defeated two bosses.

[bobster]

I actually think I've gotten better at games. As a kid I could not get very far in Comix Zone. Now I can beat it regularly since I am able to recognize the puzzles. I feel like I can beat most any game in any way given the patience.

Now as a kid I was pretty good at Day Dreamin' Davey. This is a feat I will never accomplish again because the game is probably horrible.

God I loved Day Dreamin' Davey as a kid. Watching the AVGN episode of it, it looks terrible. I'd probably suck at it now.

[zenimus]

Over the weekend I legitimately beat Life Force for NES for the first time. For my whole life, I've never managed to do it until now!

Snake Rattle n Roll continues to destroy me though.

[jellysauce]

my biggest accomplishments are beating smb lost levels, beating castelvania, street fighter 2010, and recently ninja gaiden.

The two that come to mind for me are Wizardry and my 105% run through Donkey Kong Country 3.  Now my biggest accomplishments are actually staying focused long enough to finish a game 

i got 101% in dkc
102% in dkc2
and 103%% in dkc3. what is this 105% shenanigans?

[pacpix]

If you use the HARDR code you can get a 104% and the TUFST allows for 105%.   The HARDR mode hardly changes anything at all, but TUFST is frustratingly difficult.
Here is a quote that explains the changes.

c) The code that has to be entered before starting a new game

HARDR
=> Among the 132 DK barrels of the game, 29 DK barrels will be removed (for the location of those removed DK barrels, see below). The effect will be permanent. After the whole game completion the score will be 104% instead of 103% (the 104th percent is added in the same time as the 103rd one when you visit the mama bird with all 15 banana birds).

=> The code won't work at all if not entered before starting a new game.


d) The code that have different effects if entered before starting a new game or before continuing a saved game

TUFST
=> If entered before continuing a saved game, all halfway barrels will be removed and replaced by a banana bunch. The effect will be temporary.
=> If entered before starting a new game, all halfway barrels will be removed and replaced by a banana bunch AND all DK barrels except 4 of them (for the locations of those 4 barrels, see below) will be removed.
The effects will be permanent. After the whole game completion, the score will be 105% instead of 103% (the 104th et 105th percents are added in the same time as the 103rd one when you visit the mama bird with all 15 banana birds).

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