I rescued the P.O.W.'s! I'm a hero

[leapinlew]

Finally... after years of failed attempts to rescue the P.O.W.'s in Rush'n Attack... I did it. They were so happy I rescued them that they sent me on another mission through the same town.

Anyone else finally beat "that game" thats been festering in the back of their head since they were a kid? A game you just didn't have the resources to beat when you were a kid? Back then I was short on money and long on time. Now... I'm short on both.

[vrf]

I recently beat the first Castlevania via PocketNES on a GBA. I really don't think I could have done it without save-state. (Games were hard back then, and I wasn't the best at those pattern-types.)

[Fozzy The Bear]

I beat defender recently..... well, got very high score at least, after playing one game for four hours solid. I could never have done that back in the 80's, I'd never have been able to afford to be good enough to do it back then.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[MYX]

It never was never really plagued by it, but my daughter and I kicked butt all the way through the Simpsons.

[MYX]

I beat defender recently..... well, got very high score at least, after playing one game for four hours solid. I could never have done that back in the 80's, I'd never have been able to afford to be good enough to do it back then.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

You played Defender for 4 hours? 

Ghaw, I would think you were mentally blown afterwards.

[kelemvor]

I beat Ikari Warriors at the ice cream shop that had an arcade machine in it once.  Was really fun.  Only other games I ever got really addicted to were TMNT and Arkanoid that I can think of offhand.

[Fozzy The Bear]

You played Defender for 4 hours? 

Ghaw, I would think you were mentally blown afterwards.

No... but I was busting for the bathroom, which is what stopped me. I forgot to hit the pause 

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[SithMaster]

First of all i like the title.

Second games were harder back in the day and that was good.  I dont like using save states but i do in metroid zero mission or did until i beat it.  I beat buckyohare 4 player and gijoe 4 player during the past summer and it was brutual.  i probably spent about 20 dollars in quarters to beat the final boss on both.

[Hockeyboy]

Finally beat both Dragon's Lairs. 

Back in the day I could complete Space Ace and Cliff Hanger on one quarter. Just a little bit of notoriety in the local arcade...

[ZekeMyers14]

It's unlikely that this should be bragged about...

...but I conquered Level 100 of KLAX, after about $1.2 billion of 'quarters'...

I had dreams about it for weeks, and won't ever try that again.  Reminded me of Tetris Syndrome.  Very scary.

[More Cowbell]

I recently beat Legendary Wings for the NES. I played that as a kid and was never able to beat it. I've started playing the MAME version but it just isn't as good in my opinion. I'm still trying to beat Dragon's Lair. Stupid lava monsters get me every time!

[clockwork]

I beat Rush'n Attack back when I was a teen in the 80s. I think that was the only arcade game I ever beat. Once my cab is built, I plan to go back and beat Rygar, Gladiator, and Ikari Warriors, for starters. 

[davieboynj]

Rush 'n' Attack (along with Rygar and Contra) is one of those rare games where the NES version kicks the snot out of the arcade version.  IMHO...

Rush 'n' Attack is specifically disappointing because of the lack of a 2p simultaneous mode.

[clockwork]

Rush 'n' Attack (along with Rygar and Contra) is one of those rare games where the NES version kicks the snot out of the arcade version.  IMHO...

You really think so? I thought the NES Rush'n Attack was visually better, though the authentic version I play because it brings back my fond memories (although in MAME the one called Green Beret is the one that matches the Rush'n Attack I played at the arcade). The NES Rygar looked terrible to me.

[More Cowbell]

Rush 'n' Attack (along with Rygar and Contra) is one of those rare games where the NES version kicks the snot out of the arcade version.  IMHO...

Rush 'n' Attack is specifically disappointing because of the lack of a 2p simultaneous mode.

Same goes in my opinion for Contra.

[ahofle]

Same here with Dragon's Lair.  Although that was a couple years ago and I can't seem to get past the very last sequence in the dragon's lair anymore.    Does anyone remember the moves for that room?

[ChadTower]

On the other side, it bugs me more than 15 years later that I have never beaten Ninja Gaiden.

[MYX]

On the other side, it bugs me more than 15 years later that I have never beaten Ninja Gaiden.

Well get to it man.

[ChadTower]

Wish I could find a truly reliable NES to do it.  I have a stack of about 10 of them and a stack of 10 replacement connectors... none of them are 100% reliable, replaced connector or not.

Now, do they have to be, no, but being an electronics guy, I seem to have developed an irrationally high intolerance for blinky NES units.

[CCM]

Shortly after finishing my MAME cab, I spent countless hours getting all the world records on Track and Field.  My hard drive has since died, taking my hard-earned records with it   

[scottyfryer]

Wish I could find a truly reliable NES to do it. 

If you check ebay you can find 3rd party top loading nes's now.  by by blinking light.  Or buy a usb nes joystick and use and emulator.

[ChadTower]

I've always put off picking up a top loader but I might do it soon.  I had been hoping to find one in my yard sale travels but that's one of the only consoles I never did find.  The third party systems are crap, IMO, all based on a NeoFami-on-a-chip that is basically an emulator in a single package.  The only one of those I'd consider would be the NEX beacuse it would also give those fantastic 2.4GHz controllers.

And I have yet to find an NES emulator that is good enough to use to beat Ninja Gaiden.  They all have just enough delay that the NES games that require absolutely perfect timing (like NG or Mike Tyson's Punchout) become impossible to complete.

[MameMaster!]

leapinlew...you've been RETROBLASTED.com 

[ark_ader]

I took some time off work, and clocked asteroids.  When I was 12 (showing my age) I would panic every time my last rock vaporised after trolling for UFOs, and be crowded with all those big rocks.  Now its a walk in the park, and kind of boring....  My next mission is to finish Ms. Pacman.

The Dragon's Lair's last room the lair itself is quite easy.  L - L- L (princess sequence) D - D - R - SWORD or R - SWORD - L - SWORD = Dead Dragon and then Dirk has to get busy to make all those kids featured in DL2.

I just changed my 8-way to a 4-way for Ms. Pacman now all I need is a Quarter....  I have my Sega Card....

*Did anyone notice that Pacman is not in the online spell checker?  What is Parkman?

[DarkBubble]

If you check ebay you can find 3rd party top loading nes's now.  by by blinking light.

The Famiclones aren't always accurate.  Some games won't work correctly.  Still, they're nice to have if you've got no other choice.  Avoid the NEX though.  It costs twice as much as the YOBO and isn't perfect itself.  They advertised 100% NES and Famicom compatibility, but it turned out to be the same old NES-on-a-chip tech.

[Zero_Hour]

Congrats leapinlew. Rush 'n' Attack was always a favorite of mine in the arcades, which is strange because I absolutely sucked at it. I may have to go back to it and see just how infuriating it still is for me.

Your thread got me to thinking how many arcade games I ever actually "beat", as in one credit wins. I came up with these:
Shinobi - The only arcade game I could guarantee I would have the top score on at the Mall arcade I frequented in my teens.
Mach 3's Bombing Mission - Never could do anything worth squat on the fighter mission.
Space Ace - Still my favorite Laser Disc Game
Super Mario Brothers - The VS. Cab version, not the NES (which I never owned or played), all 8 worlds, no warps.

Rygar is definitely one I would like to tackle, should I ever get that cab built....

[ppilot]

I'm still working on Scramble and it has what?  Like five stages?  Probably would take all of about 3 minutes to finish?  One time I got past 'that spot' (you all know the spot I'm talking about) by accident, and promptly hit a wall, I was so excited.

[emerica]

Congrats on Rush-n-Attack. That was one of those games that would frustrate the hell out of me. Still frustrates me to this day. Looks like I'm heading to the basement tonight for some Rush-n-Attack madness.

The only game I ever beat, or at least can remember beating on a quarter was 720. It was at a fair on long island. I think the dp switches were set different than the machine at the local arcade because I was never able to beat the game again.

[ChadTower]

The Famiclones aren't always accurate.  Some games won't work correctly.  Still, they're nice to have if you've got no other choice.  Avoid the NEX though.  It costs twice as much as the YOBO and isn't perfect itself.  They advertised 100% NES and Famicom compatibility, but it turned out to be the same old NES-on-a-chip tech.

You can buy the NEX at retail and return it if you're not happy with it... plus, is does have those wireless controllers that get such great reviews.  Not perfect but much better than the really crappy NeoFami clones.  That case looks really cool, too.

I'm tempted to take a NEX, adapt the wireless receiver onto a regular NES motherboard, transplant the NEX cartridge connector and put the whole thing into the sleek looking NEX case.

[shardian]

The only game I ever beat, or at least can remember beating on a quarter was 720. It was at a fair on long island. I think the dp switches were set different than the machine at the local arcade because I was never able to beat the game again.

Considering that game was meant to be a quarter cruncher with the timer and all, that is quite an accomplishment.

[ChadTower]

A lot of those quarter crunchers were designed to be impossible to beat on a single quarter.  Literally could not be done.

[shardian]

A lot of those quarter crunchers were designed to be impossible to beat on a single quarter.  Literally could not be done.

That's kind of what I was inferring.

[leapinlew]

A lot of those quarter crunchers were designed to be impossible to beat on a single quarter.  Literally could not be done.

I used to think that about Gauntlet. I loved that game. I've read recently of people playing forever on a quarter.
http://www.zwackery.net/my_collection.htm

[ChadTower]

Gauntlet had an ending, didn't it?  I know the NES version did.

[MustardTent]

...
Anyone else finally beat "that game" thats been festering in the back of their head since they were a kid? A game you just didn't have the resources to beat when you were a kid? Back then I was short on money and long on time. Now... I'm short on both.

Good timing.  I just beat Zelda on the NES for the first time about 2 weeks ago.  I just never had the patience when I was younger to beat it.  Now I'm struggling to decide whether or not it is worth it to finish the second quest.

[shardian]

...
Anyone else finally beat "that game" thats been festering in the back of their head since they were a kid? A game you just didn't have the resources to beat when you were a kid? Back then I was short on money and long on time. Now... I'm short on both.

Good timing.  I just beat Zelda on the NES for the first time about 2 weeks ago.  I just never had the patience when I was younger to beat it.  Now I'm struggling to decide whether or not it is worth it to finish the second quest.

I tried that on the emulator, but I lost patience in Ganon's cave. I have beat part 2 though! And I did beat links awakening for the gameboy all on my own. That one was my favorite. Amazing gameplay, graphics, and story for an original gameboy game.

[ChadTower]

Heh, it was requisite for everyone at my middle school to beat all of the Zelda games.  You just weren't cool if you hadn't.  Those blue knights on level 5 or 6 of Zelda 1 took like a month to beat... I HATED those things.  By far the hardest part of the game.

[MustardTent]

Perhaps you have forgotten the dreaded wizzrobes...

[mvolke1]

Gauntlet had an ending, didn't it?  I know the NES version did.

If Guantlet has an ending, I have no patients to get there. It goes on FOREVER! Frankly, I think it gets really boring after a while. All you do is hit one button, or hold it down, and walk through the boards. It was a great concept and game in its time. It just doesn't hold my interest today.

[ChadTower]

If Guantlet has an ending, I have no patients to get there.

Well, there's no doctor char for one thing.  The closest I think is the wizard.   

I know the NES version has 100 levels.  I used to always get to about 97 and couldn't get past all the Deaths.

[ahofle]

If Guantlet has an ending, I have no patients to get there.

Well, there's no doctor char for one thing.  The closest I think is the wizard.   

LMAO 

One thing I finally achieved in MAME that I never did in the arcades was to enter the 'secret room' in Gauntlet 2.  I still have no idea what I did to get there, nor have I ever done it again. 

[Texasmame]

I beat defender recently..... well, got very high score at least, after playing one game for four hours solid. I could never have done that back in the 80's, I'd never have been able to afford to be good enough to do it back then.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

Wellllll. . . how high can you get?   

[leapinlew]

Next game on the list:

Marble Madness

This is a very hard game for me to finish.

[clockwork]

Oh, Marble Madness. I'm going to have to try that one. I think I played it very briefly once.

[emerica]

love marble madness even though I can't get past the fourth stage. 

[MYX]

Went after Double Dragon this week. I was all about getting the girl back. After about an hour, I looked at the thugs I had been whompin on and said, ya know guys...You can have her. So much for chivalry.

I remember enjoying that game much more way back when. It is just nothing but button mashing. It did not seem like a skill game at all. the faster you could hit the buttons, the better you did. Sort of like Track and field (a game I despise).


As to Marble Madness. I love that game. But yeah, the 4th is a killer. Can't say I have ever been past it.
Back in high school, my friend Jason could get all the way through the dang thing (the whole game). But then again he had practice. He had it on the amiga and played it endlessly. 

[Le Chuck]

Thread from the dead!

This weekend I slaughtered the Lygar with the rad help of the Indoran Gods on Rygar!   

Have an itch to work through a couple of other classics on the NES.  Who's with me!1!111!1!!!. 

[popsicle]

Castlevania on NES made me rage quit a while back.  That 2nd last stage!!! 

[leapinlew]

Castlevania on NES made me rage quit a while back.  That 2nd last stage!!! 

Agreed! Will NOT be playing Castlevania anytime soon!

[yotsuya]

My brother and I could never beat the final boss on Silkworm. I should call him up....

[hypernova]

NES Battletoads.

No, I didn't beat it.  That's just an exercise in frustration.  You're better off banging your head against the wall.  You'll have less of a headache.

The speeder hovercraft level was bad enough.  Then later on, even if you got past it, you'd still have the speeder unicycle thing near the end.  You have to know those levels by heart to survive.

[DaveMMR]

I just spent today tackling a couple of Gradius titles (Gradius on the NES and Gradius III on the SNES).  I was always terrible at those games but today I must have hit a zone because I made it to the fifth stage (whatever the lava stage was) of Gradius III without dying once.  Of course, I finally got killed and proceeded to lose my remained ships in quick succession since I couldn't power up enough to make it through the gauntlet of fireballs unscathed. But 200k points - not bad when I usually average around 50-60k.

In addition, we often try to power through Solomon's Key but I can't play too far into that game without whipping the cart across the room in anger. 

[lostboy4480]

The only arcade game I ever managed to finish on 1 credit was Robocop.  They had it at the Hotel in Spain that we were at and I was playing it daily.  Loved that game. 

I tried it on my cab a few weeks ago, played it all the way through, but used a load on continues.

I also have  now finally played every round of Bubble Bobble (Best game ever made) but wouldn't even begin to try that with a single credit.

[jimfath]

Gauntlet had an ending, didn't it?  I know the NES version did.

The arcade version did not have an ending. Once you got past a certain level the boards repeated the same mazes with different colors and textures. I've seen people say they heard there was an ending but these same people said that about Spy Hunter. "Dude, the driver gets out of the car at the end. I swear!"

[nakeworks]

After so many years you can add my name to the list of people who have beaten the first Zelda.  I actually beat Metroid as a kid (took forever).  Now my goal is to beat the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  That seen with the dam and the bombs always got me.  Pathetic, I know.  How bad is it that I haven't beat Ghosts n Ghouls?  It's on the list.  I also want to go back and finish Earthworm Jim.

[emphatic]

Rygar is such a great accomplishment to finish. I never got past stage 8 in the arcades as a kid (stupid age restriction never gave me the needed quality time with it as well)

Didn't beat it until 15 years later when I'd finished my MAME cabinet. Now I can beat it pretty much every credit, playing the PCB unless I die on stages 12-13 because 13 is damn hard without the powerups. I recommend the Japanese version as it has a 1UP hidden on stage fourteen. Also, learn to jump away when the enemies start to pile up.

My most recent accomplishment is getting the Ketsui clear.

[Barry Barcrest]

The only game i completed in the arcade was Power Drift, was pretty awesome feeling though. There was a group of shady looking older lads all gathered around watching me. I thought i was going to be mugged after the game but they just congratulated me on beating it. I didn't come 1st in ever race though so i didn't get to race as afterburner, actually i have never seen that stage, i should try for it in mame.

[nakeworks]

The only one I ever beat in an actual arcade was Street Fighter II CE.  When they changed it to where Guile could throw sonic booms in the air.  Man, I just filled up the screen with those things and  never got touched.  Cheap, I know.

[jimfath]

I can still remember the literal cold sweats I had from trying to beat the NES Ninja Gaiden. I wanted to beat it so badly. Never did. TMNT (nes) was also impossible for me but the game was so ---smurfy--- I wasn't too tore up about it.

How about the 8 hours spent beating IKARI warriors to have the least fulfilling ending ever? Between that and 1942, I'm surprised I kept playing games.

[Gray_Area]

The arcade version did not have an ending. Once you got past a certain level the boards repeated the same mazes with different colors and textures. I've seen people say they heard there was an ending but these same people said that about Spy Hunter. "Dude, the driver gets out of the car at the end. I swear!"

HMH HMH HMH HMH. That's like before there was cable in our neighborhood, and the local guff was there were naked girls on Benny Hill! If you just stayed up late enough!!

Gauntless doesn't use the same mazes, but the same mazes flipped over. Something like that.

I also have  now finally played every round of Bubble Bobble (Best game ever made) but wouldn't even begin to try that with a single credit.

There's something about Bubble Bobble for me that just seems fake and then boring using continues.

Between that and 1942, I'm surprised I kept playing games.

1942 is all about the journey.


I've finished Pole Position on tournament settings. Not that hard, though hard enough.

[Thenasty]

back in the old arcade days, I have never beaten a single game (due to, I suck at it and low on funds). 

And now, because of MAME, I have beaten plenty of games not for my skill had improved but for UNLIMITED FUNDS to continue (I just need to know how the game ended) the game.