A Winner Is You! (2012)

[Melf]

I finished 45 games in 2011, one more than 2010 and six more than 2009. I don't know if I'll be able to top this though.

[Melf]

First game completed and on the first day of the year!

#1.

Definitely my game of the year for 2011. Aside from the frame rate dropping to single digits and the occasional glitches - all examples of Bethesda's inability to code worth a shit - this game was simply amazing. 175 hours to get the platinum trophy, and I can't wait for DLC!

[goldenband]

I beat 50 games in 2011, counting SMS ESWAT twice (one for each version of the ROM) and not counting Star Odyssey (where my save game got corrupted after I reached the final boss, but before I defeated him). I'd hoped to make 52, but so it goes.

Since the old thread is locked, here's an Academy Award-style look back at my 2011 in review, if y'all will forgive my self-indulgence:

- Most demanding victory: Tie between Marble Madness (Mega Drive/JPN) and Pitfall (Intellivision).

- Least demanding victory: Wonder Dog for Sega CD, or maybe Star Wars Chess for the same system. Both games were pathetically easy to beat; I didn't even use the password system in Wonder Dog.

- Longest: Shining in the Darkness took nearly 40 hours to complete.

- Shortest: I beat Toys: Let The Toy Wars Begin for SNES within an hour, since I already knew the Genesis version by heart.

- Best game: Has to be Marble Madness. Flawless port.

- Worst game: Shadow: War of Succession for 3DO. Utter garbage with no redeeming qualities.

- Most frustrating: I was an unpleasant person to be around when I was trying to beat Sol-Feace on Mania, banging my head for hours against the wall of the Level 6 boss. Ironically, after a long break from the game, victory came within an hour of picking it back up.

- Most repetitive: Did I really need to play every level of Motocross Championship (32X) with every bike, on every difficulty? Really?

- Most satisfying: Pitfall, Sol-Feace, and Marble Madness come close, but when I first started playing Championship Tennis for Intellivision, I could hardly imagine ever winning a set. Winning in straight sets on the highest difficulty level felt like tossing the ring into Mt. Doom. I mean, without changing my mind and getting my finger bitten off by Estelle Getty, that is.

And here are my near-misses and "someone else would've counted this"-es of 2011, with an eye towards finishing at least some of these off in 2012:

- Beat Granada up to Hard (need to beat it on Mania)
- Beat Zoom on the first loop (should really beat the second loop too, and I hope that's the last one because this game isn't really any fun)
- Beat Shaq-Fu on Normal (need to beat Expert)
- Beat Streets of Rage on Normal in co-op mode
- Beat Star Wars: Rebel Assault for Sega CD on Normal (need to beat Hard, but it looks pretty grim)
- Beat Metal Head 32X on Normal (need to beat Hard)
- Beat USCF Chess for Intellivision on all difficulties but the highest (game kept crashing on the top difficulty)
- Beat Quest for the Key of Night Shade for TRS-80 Model I on difficulty #1 (I think anything higher is just about impossible)
- Beat Street Fighter II: Turbo for SNES on 7-star difficulty

[QuickSciFi]

1. Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure


I started this one on the 1st of January so that it would be my first game of the year, but went to a friend's birthday party (which was awesome). I really wanted to beat this one on the first, but the 2nd is not too far-off, I guess. :. 'Started with a great game, and a Genesis one at that. 'Can't wait to see how many games I beat this year. If there's a gaming-related resolution I should go by, it should be to at least beat more games than last year. Here we go 2012. Oh joy!

This game was very satisfying. Even though it's less-known than others of the sort, you could definitely taste the Konami in it. I wonder if McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure is just as good (Treasure--the video game dev company--franchise-game parallel here). It could do with slightly better controls, I noticed. For instance, that multiple wall jump people talk about is BS. It's like no one wants to share the secret or something. There's no way it's as simple as "pressing against the wall and continue pressing the jump button". You slide right down or jump too far-off the wall that you need to start again. Oh well, at least it's "optional". You really only need the "single" wall jump to get through the game anyways. This was a surprisingly good game overall. I remember giving it a try a few months back when I first purchased it and was amazed how good it was. It goes to show I may still have more good games on the Genesis to discover. Sega Genesis ftw!

P.S.> About that final boss: Don't run too fast with Elvira. You will smack against a wall/step and you're dead. You must stop running as soon as Buster is going too fast and try jumping back and forth to evade her. You still gain ground by doing thus, so it's good.

[MrMatthews]

Just completed my first game of the year! (I think I'll try numbering my conquests for 2012)

1. Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap: Terrific little game unexpectedly delivered free by Nintendo as part of of their apologetic 3DS Ambassador program. I completed the game in about 18 hours, which is rather brief considering that it took me about twice that time to get through Ocarina of Time. All in all, a very clever, fun game developed by Capcom, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to any Zelda fan who hasn't already played through it.

[The Jackal]

@Quickscifi: Funny, I've been rewatching the series since yesterday. The MD game is a great little platformer, too. You might want to hunt down Tiny Toons: Acme All-Stars as well, good, fun sports game, little hard to find though.

[profholt82]

Just completed my first game of the year! (I think I'll try numbering my conquests for 2012)

1. Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap: Terrific little game unexpectedly delivered free by Nintendo as part of of their apologetic 3DS Ambassador program. I completed the game in about 18 hours, which is rather brief considering that it took me about twice that time to get through Ocarina of Time. All in all, a very clever, fun game developed by Capcom, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to any Zelda fan who hasn't already played through it.

+1, I played through it a few years ago and it is definitely one of my favorite Zelda games of all time. It has a fun factor that no other Zelda game really meets IMO.

[Devil N]

I'm glad I decided at the start of 2011 that I wouldn't be counting my finished games anymore, because last year's final tally would probably have left me completely depressed. I've played plenty of games, but finished? If I had to take a guess, I think the number remains stuck in the single digits. Anyway, I don't mind too much. Other things in my life require attention too and if that means lessening on the games, then so be it.

[MrMatthews]

It has a fun factor that no other Zelda game really meets IMO.

I think that's the "Capcom Factor." Best sprite animation of any Zelda game, or any Nintendo game, for that matter. Keiji "Mega Man" Inafune produced this game, I think he really needs to go work for Nintendo now.

But anyway...

2. Mega Man 6. This game is totally unappreciated. I think it's one of the best games of the original NES series, just after 2 & 3.

[gamevet]

First game completed and on the first day of the year!

#1.

Definitely my game of the year for 2011. Aside from the frame rate dropping to single digits and the occasional glitches - all examples of Bethesda's inability to code worth a shit - this game was simply amazing. 175 hours to get the platinum trophy, and I can't wait for DLC!

I was wondering how long it took you to complete that. I noticed your Platinum trophy while checking out your progress tonight.

I'm only about 59% complete with 110 hours played. I just completed the main story tonight though.

[AD2101]

I think I'll try keeping track of my conquests here this year, so here goes nothing.
1. TMNT: The Hyperstone Heist First haul and also first beaten game of the year. I'm normally pretty bad at beat 'em ups, so I was pleasantly surprised I ran out of credits only once before beating this game. I had a lot of fun with it, and it will hopefully be the first of many Genesis games I beat this year (Looking at you Zombies Ate My Neighbors)!

[M4R14NO94]

Starting out 2012 with...

Operation Wolf (PC, from Taito Legends): Finished the first loop

Plus, I unlocked the Explorer's Club and Chopper Commandos patches on Activision Anthology (PC)

[QuickSciFi]

2. Wario Land: Shake it! - Nintendo Wii


The graphics were amazing. It's such a shame Nintendo had to mess the gameplay up with their gimmickry (and it WAS a gimmick). I could understand the use of motion controls if the gameplay would improve, but the addition of motion controls here felt forced and unnecessary. I'd compare the use of gimmickry on this one to Dawn of Sorrow on the DS. It was minimalistic, but an unnecessary pain in the ass in some areas. The game could've done without it altogether. Unlike games like Phantom Hourglass on the DS, which actually improved the hardcore element of the gameplay with its respective technology, Wario Land: Shake it! could've actually fared better with the use of action buttons ONLY. Luckily, as mentioned, the use of motion controls was minimalistic, so the game could be enjoyed as any side-scrolling platformer and, even, one of the few games I could personally enjoy on the Wii.

Besides the obvious, one bone I have to pick with this one is the requisite to downright "purchase" the stages in order to proceed. It was very unrewarding being forced to replay lesser stages just to crank-up the wallet and purchase that next area map. It's not exactly the first game that implements something like this, but it is the first game I play which does this in such an unsatisfying manner. I do feel a bit biased now, though; as my friend recently shed some new light on the Wario games I could never really pin point: Wario is a hard guy to like. He's a bully, as he says, and I agree with him. He's not your average anti-hero, he's just a despicable fattened Mario, and that's the way Nintendo likes it. Once more, the graphics were amazing, and having had to swallow my pride and take the motion gimmick with the hardcore element, I'd go as far as saying that this game was fun as well.

[Melf]

I was wondering how long it took you to complete that. I noticed your Platinum trophy while checking out your progress tonight.

I'm only about 59% complete with 110 hours played. I just completed the main story tonight though.

I've been playing it so long and enjoying it so much, that I'm tempted to keep playing so I can finish up all the side quests I have left. This game is just so darn awesome.

#2.

Moonwalker arcade.jpg

I finally got this running on my modded Xbox and passed with a friend. It's really repetitive and nothing is really impressive. I think Sega made a wise decision to make the Genesis version different, and that game is much better than this is.

[MrMatthews]

Besides the obvious, one bone I have to pick with this one is the requisite to downright "purchase" the stages in order to proceed. It was very unrewarding being forced to replay lesser stages just to crank-up the wallet and purchase that next area map. It's not exactly the first game that implements something like this, but it is the first game I play which does this in such an unsatisfying manner. I do feel a bit biased now, though; as my friend recently shed some new light on the Wario games I could never really pin point: Wario is a hard guy to like. He's a bully, as he says, and I agree with him. He's not your average anti-hero, he's just a despicable fattened Mario, and that's the way Nintendo likes it. Once more, the graphics were amazing, and having had to swallow my pride and take the motion gimmick with the hardcore element, I'd go as far as saying that this game was fun as well.

I attempted to complete the game a while back, and once I beat the Shake King and realized I still had a dozen or so stages to "purchase," I just said fuck it and started playing something else. Did you 100% it?