The best game you never completed...

[Luco]

Have you ever had a game that you enjoyed playing, but for one reason or another didn't finish?

I have never finished a Command & Conquer game despite being a fan of the series since the very beginning.

I also sank many hours into Super Mario RPG on the SNES, helluva game but I've still never seen the last boss...

Anyone else do this?

[bigred]

Any of the Assassin's Creeds.

[BennyLaRue]

Any of the Assassin's Creeds.

You have a weak constitution.

[bigred]

Bioshock

[eugmac]

I think I suck at video games, and I haven't finished a whole ton of these. Golden Eye for N64 comes to mind. I didn't even beat Mario Bros on NES.

[rong]

I think I suck at video games, and I haven't finished a whole ton of these. Golden Eye for N64 comes to mind. I didn't even beat Mario Bros on NES.

I miss dual wielding AR33s.

[Deanglow]

Don't think I ever played Ocarina of Time all the way through

[spoonitnow]

I've never finished Final Fantasy on the NES. I've finished it on the remakes, though.

[Penneywize]

I've never finished Final Fantasy on the NES. I've finished it on the remakes, though.

It's worth going back and finishing it. I did that something like 3-4 years ago and wasn't disappointed. A decent 12-20 hours of gameplay depending on how much you grind.

[Lukie]

It's worth going back and finishing it. I did that something like 3-4 years ago and wasn't disappointed. A decent 12-20 hours of gameplay depending on how much you grind.

Not even that much.. maybe 5 hours or so for a casual play through, less than half that if you use an emulator with frame skip.

FF1 for NES is probably my all-time favorite game, not even really sure why considering how slow, boring, and broken the game is lol, but I have always loved it. It has been a while but I have probably beaten it like 100 times over the years

best party: fighter/fighter/red mage/red mage, with honorable mentions going to fighter/fighter/red mage/white mage and fighter/fighter/fighter/red mage

I could play it again/post a more complete route if anyone is interested, but with FFRR it looks something like this: roast garland at level 1, pirates at level 2, lit/ice spam sharks/kyzokus/ogres/creeps etc maybe grab cardia gold and go to marsh cave around lvl 4-5. Beat wizards, house outside astos's castle and ice spam him. do all the side quest stuff, grab chests in elfland, coneria, and cardia. load up for earth cave at lvl 6-7. Save fir2 to avoid getting stunlocked by undead and that's about it.

After earth cave go to castle of ordeals by boat, grab zeus gauntlet, heal staff, ice sword, and gold bracelet and your party becomes a wrecking machine. battle counting helps tremendously at many spots but none moreso than CoO... although by no means is it necessary in a casual playthrough. You can grind a few levels off Zombie dragons and then do the same off eyes in the ice cave once your fighters have >300 hp.

The game can comfortably be completed with these parties at level 18 or thereabouts.


Anyway back on track, one game I never actually got around to beating was Zelda 2. The final dungeon on that game is absolutely ridiculous, and to clear the entire thing AND beat shadow link as intended might make it the hardest dungeon ever.. like harder than the infamous battletoads level. There is a glitchy way to beat shadow link though which makes the game much easier to complete, maybe one of these days when I have some time I'll get around to doing that.

[Galapogos]

There is a glitchy way to beat shadow link though which makes the game much easier to complete, maybe one of these days when I have some time I'll get around to doing that.

I forget what the so-called glitch was. But I remember knowing some trick and beating shadow Link with it made it very doable. I actually don't even remember that game being that hard.

Of course, there's plenty of games I feel like that about and any time I load up a ROM to play one for old-time's sake I get my ass handed to me. I can't believe how hard NES games were.

[Penneywize]

Not even that much.. maybe 5 hours or so for a casual play through, less than half that if you use an emulator with frame skip.

FF1 for NES is probably my all-time favorite game, not even really sure why considering how slow, boring, and broken the game is lol, but I have always loved it. It has been a while but I have probably beaten it like 100 times over the years

best party: fighter/fighter/red mage/red mage, with honorable mentions going to fighter/fighter/red mage/white mage and fighter/fighter/fighter/red mage

I could play it again/post a more complete route if anyone is interested, but with FFRR it looks something like this: roast garland at level 1, pirates at level 2, lit/ice spam sharks/kyzokus/ogres/creeps etc maybe grab cardia gold and go to marsh cave around lvl 4-5. Beat wizards, house outside astos's castle and ice spam him. do all the side quest stuff, grab chests in elfland, coneria, and cardia. load up for earth cave at lvl 6-7. Save fir2 to avoid getting stunlocked by undead and that's about it.

After earth cave go to castle of ordeals by boat, grab zeus gauntlet, heal staff, ice sword, and gold bracelet and your party becomes a wrecking machine. battle counting helps tremendously at many spots but none moreso than CoO... although by no means is it necessary in a casual playthrough. You can grind a few levels off Zombie dragons and then do the same off eyes in the ice cave once your fighters have >300 hp.

The game can comfortably be completed with these parties at level 18 or thereabouts.


Anyway back on track, one game I never actually got around to beating was Zelda 2. The final dungeon on that game is absolutely ridiculous, and to clear the entire thing AND beat shadow link as intended might make it the hardest dungeon ever.. like harder than the infamous battletoads level. There is a glitchy way to beat shadow link though which makes the game much easier to complete, maybe one of these days when I have some time I'll get around to doing that.

Just to be a baus I made a Thief/Thief/Redmage/Redmage group that did pretty well. Everyone can take hits, but no one soaks up like a Fighter would. Anyway, I took a rather slow playthrough, reading the dialog and exploring etc. I didn't know the walkthrough back in '08 when I finally finished it.

As for Zelda 2 -- Another game I strongly recommend replaying. It's actually (and I'll probably get lynched for this, but...) my favourite of the entire Link series. It's got RPG elements and enough action / epicness to keep you going.

The last dungeon is truly a bitch though. I did have to use a walkthrough to get to the final boss. The flying thunder hawk is easy enough with the up-thrust, but shadow link is just unpossible. The glitch is to duck in the back corner and constantly throw strikes. He'll eventually walk into you enough to die.

[rong]

Don't think I ever played Ocarina of Time all the way through

This. I even went back years later (maybe 5yrs ago) to the shitty graphics and tried again, it was still awesome and I still got stuck, even with the internet.

[Stacks]

This. I even went back years later (maybe 5yrs ago) to the shitty graphics and tried again, it was still awesome and I still got stuck, even with the internet.

Let me guess, you got stuck on the water temple level? I remember that shit not being fun. But I did beat OoT. Don't think I ever finished Majora's Mask though.

[rong]

Let me guess, you got stuck on the water temple level? I remember that shit not being fun. But I did beat OoT. Don't think I ever finished Majora's Mask though.

I can't remember, but I reemember thinking that a decision I had ade earlier in the game meant I couldn't do something, but I can't remember what and I don't remember a water level at all.

[Galapogos]

This. I even went back years later (maybe 5yrs ago) to the shitty graphics and tried again, it was still awesome and I still got stuck, even with the internet.

Always get stuck on that fucking water level. I've played that game at 3 different points in my life and it always ends there.

I don't think it's impossible to finish, but by that point I'm kind of done with the game and I could care less.

[jyms]

I don't think I have rolled the credits on any of the newer consoles. Last game I remeber finishing was Shining Force on Sega

[MadMojoMonkey]

Pre-NES:
Pitfall, Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Galaga, Galaxia, Centipede, Frogger, Metal Gear, Street Fighter, Joust
NES:
Donkey Kong, Gohsts 'n Goblins, Castlevania, Rygar, R.C. Pro-Am, Faxanadu, Paperboy
...
This is taking entirely too much time and it's not really bringing back "good" memories, not that they are "bad" memories, either.
...
I remember when I used to enjoy reminiscing... those were the days.


EDIT: I mostly play RPG's and have spent most of my video game related time in the last 5 years playing either poker or Morrowind / Oblivion (my gear is too weak to handle Skyrim). While these games are technically "beatable", there is no reason to stop playing once this is accomplished.

[KoRnholio]

NES:
Gohsts 'n Goblins, Faxanadu, Paperboy

Yeah fuck those games GnG especially was savagely hard.

I'll add to the NES list: Dragon Warrior 1, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 (fuck that van level!)

[bikes]

Rome Total War as Egypt.

[Sasquach991]

Gunship for Amiga 500

[Penneywize]

Rome Total War as Egypt.

RTW fan eh? I never finished it as Egypt either but I thought because of the benefit of the wonders (pyramids or sphynx or whatever it was) you'd get increased loyalty from conquered cities, making the game easier to finish than with other civs.

Loved that game though.

By the way they've announced Rome Total War 2.

[bikes]

RTW fan eh? I never finished it as Egypt either but I thought because of the benefit of the wonders (pyramids or sphynx or whatever it was) you'd get increased loyalty from conquered cities, making the game easier to finish than with other civs.

Loved that game though.

By the way they've announced Rome Total War 2.

every total war just not rtw.


fucking egypt i cannot get used to horse archers and no heavy calv so i get wrecked every time.

[BennyLaRue]

God of War II

Boss at the end is retarded.

[boost]

Battletoads, ldo.

But seriously, I don't finished most games. I played through a good chunk of HL and HL2 and then just kinda stopped, but eventually went back and played through both. With those two it was for sure worth it. I think I played HL2 all the way through a second time actually.

[swiggidy]

Battletoads, ldo.

My first thought. Some NES games were ridiculous hard.

"Finishing" a game now is harder to define. I beat Halo on the first 3 difficulties, but gave up on the next to last level on the hardest setting, so did I fail?

What else came to mind were games like Grand Theft Auto (3, 4, and 5) where I "beat" the story (which is easy), but only got to 80% complete where the last 20% was insane.

[MadMojoMonkey]

On that point, I played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 for hours and hours.

There was at least 1 rail that I could not reach in the bonus level.

[BankItDrew]

Earthbound for the SNES still haunts me.

LOVED IT. Amazing RPG. However, nearing the end of the game, it went like this:

I skim through the game pretty fast, not really concerned with lvl'ing up. To beat the game, you have to take a spaceship up to the moon and defeat the end boss. So, I get to the moon, save the game cause I'm all "omg i think i'm almost done!", then die vs the end boss. No big deal right? No. I'm stuck on the moon, can't get back to Earth, and barely have enough juice to begin a fight, let alone finish it, sort of like a death loop. *Game is thrown across room*

[flomo]

Life

[rong]

Just googled the water temple. I'm pretty sure I passed that level.

[spoonitnow]

What screws most people up on the Water Temple is that there's a key hidden under the lift in the tall center room imo

[rong]

If I got the double length hookshot does that mean I must have passed it? I def had that.

Man, I might dig that thing out again, I loved that game.

[spoonitnow]

If I got the double length hookshot does that mean I must have passed it? I def had that.

Man, I might dig that thing out again, I loved that game.

You get the longer hookshot in the Water Temple, I believe.

[jyms]

I barely remember it, not sure where I stopped. Funny that I just started playing twilight princess on the weekend with my kid. He loves those type of games.

[kingnat]

Master Blaster, Castlevania, Ghost N' Goblins, Goldeneye.

I would crush Goldeneye back in the day, but couldn't beat the final Temple level on the top difficulty... so tilting.

[swiggidy]

I would crush Goldeneye back in the day, but couldn't beat the final Temple level on the top difficulty... so tilting.

It's because you're old, don't feel bad.

[pantherhound]

It's because you're old, don't feel bad.

This. I can't believe how hard some of the games from my youth seem now that I've revisited them. I tried Mario Bros 3 again recently and I can't even steer Mario through the very first levels without continually falling down pits and on flytraps and whatnot.

Does anyone remember Nightbreed on the Amiga? That game was actually designed to be totally impossible, I'm sure of it.

[a500lbgorilla]

This. I can't believe how hard some of the games from my youth seem now that I've revisited them. I tried Mario Bros 3 again recently and I can't even steer Mario through the very first levels without continually falling down pits and on flytraps and whatnot.

How much did you play? Everyone sucks at any game until they practice at it. Games are just colorful opportunities to practice playing with the controls.

[kingnat]

Master Blaster, Castlevania, Ghost N' Goblins

Thinking about this, if my kids played these games the way I played them... that is, playing for hours and hours, and rage-restarting if I happened to die within the first 10-15 minutes. I'm not sure how i'd react. I think I'd discourage their behavior, but is it desirable for kids to be persistent at something even if it's just a video game? Is it reasonable that experience might transfer over to meaningful learning in a different context when they are trying to learn how to do challenging mathematics, for instance?

[aubreymcfate]

Thinking about this, if my kids played these games the way I played them... that is, playing for hours and hours, and rage-restarting if I happened to die within the first 10-15 minutes. I'm not sure how i'd react. I think I'd discourage their behavior, but is it desirable for kids to be persistent at something even if it's just a video game? Is it reasonable that experience might transfer over to meaningful learning in a different context when they are trying to learn how to do challenging mathematics, for instance?

So, this is actually something I think about quite often. I think that some video games absolutely have an "educational" value, particularly RPGs which are all about strategy rather than motor control. Another thing about RPGs is that they sort of teach you how to properly investigate a world with different personalities and dynamics. I know that the emphasis on character and story in retro RPGs have shaped the minds of those young gamers based on how they reminisce on them now (myself included).

Even platformers and action games... I mean, it is a skill, for sure. You practice and you get better. You develop hand-eye coordination, learn to think quickly on the spot, etc. I don't think it's that unlike learning a musical instrument, at least in the technical aspects.

Obviously moderation is key and all that.

Do you play games with your kids? You might feel better about it if you share the experience with them. I wish I had that with my parents. My boyfriend grew up playing games with his father and he cherishes those memories.

[a500lbgorilla]

FF3, I guess. I got to the opera part but RPGs are hard to play after you put them down for even like a week because its impossible to remember wtf you were doing.

[drmcboy]

Wizardry I

[Hawk]

I still haven't played more than a few minutes of Oblivion because I insist on finishing Morrowind first.

I'll get around to Skyrim in 2025.

[MadMojoMonkey]

I still haven't played more than a few minutes of Oblivion because I insist on finishing Morrowind first.

I'll get around to Skyrim in 2025.

I modded Morrowind for months. Great game, and amazing mods to update the graphics and gameplay. Tamriel Rebuilt is just an awesome undertaking by a gaming community.

Tell me you're not using mods on Morrowind and I'll hook you up with some links that will blow your mind.

I'm actually in the process of waiting for my fiancee' to finish her Oblivion character so I can start modding Oblivion, now... just add'ons first.. CS later.

[BooG690]

Earthbound.

[KoRnholio]

Bionic Commando for nes was also a bastardly last boss. I seem to recall finally beating it though back in the day.

[kingnat]

Xenogears.

[bigred]

Xenogears.

Hahahahah yeah. That game just went on forever. Never came close to finishing it.

[Lukie]

Now that I think about it, Final Fantasy 7.

[rpm]

dont play video games anymore. but i used to as a youngster. only ever got serious about two games as far as missions go. beating goldeneye on all levels and unlocking all the cheats or whatever it was where you gotta finish levels on certain difficulties in under certain times. did that one. never did manage to collect all 120(?) stars on mario 64 though.

[rpm]

actually i used to have GTAIII binges whenever i had serious shit i had to do, like exams. loved playing those games but never gave it enough time to complete the story. that's probably my favourite game though. and i never finished it.

[Jack Sawyer]

FF3, FF7 & Tron 2 afaicr

[JKDS]

I dont think i ever made it through Banjo Kazooie.

Also, fuck sonic the hedgehog. Impossible

[boost]

I'm pretty sure I've never beat earthworm jim. Not only was it a fantastic game, but even moreso it was a phenomenaly imaginative world, on the bizarre level of awesomeness home to TMNT, Bone, and so on...

[Luco]

Yeah loved the first EJ (except the water level ldo). I can still remember the cheat codes for the SNES version, including the 'many faces' gag

[oskar]

Black Mesa
Amazingly well done remake of the original Halflife. I haven't finished the original either.

[a500lbgorilla]

James Pond 2. Game was crazy.

[kiwiMark]

A few expansions, notably Brood War. I always tell myself I should totally play the original through again before I start the expansion and then am over the franchise/game/genre/whatever by the time the expansion ranks up the difficulty to where I'd need to be committed to keep going.

[eugmac]

Kiwi, did you really talk about Starcraft single-player campaign as if it's something worth beating, or anything close to being difficult?

Don't know if srs.

[jackvance]

Kiwi, did you really talk about Starcraft single-player campaign as if it's something worth beating, or anything close to being difficult?

Don't know if srs.

For me it's always been about how fast I can complete the campaign. But sc is about online play not vs PC.

[Juked07]

Robot unicorn attack?

[Luco]

Bump because I finally completed Super Mario RPG last week

[surviva316]

I'm a huge Zelda fan, but I've only finished like...a small handful of them. This is mostly because of platform issues, but also because I could never get into the NES games (sorry world; I'm sure if I just putzed around for long enough and got to a dungeon and stuff, then I'd probably start to like the world, but whatever).

Anyway, I do have a Wii. Is it worth buying a GameCube controller and playing any of the GameCube Zelda games? Also, is Twilight Princess any good? Skyward Sword is too pricy for me for now....I'm a cheapy, I'll play it in like 5 years if I get word that it's good.

[Luco]

I'm a huge Zelda fan, but I've only finished like...a small handful of them. This is mostly because of platform issues, but also because I could never get into the NES games (sorry world; I'm sure if I just putzed around for long enough and got to a dungeon and stuff, then I'd probably start to like the world, but whatever).

Anyway, I do have a Wii. Is it worth buying a GameCube controller and playing any of the GameCube Zelda games? Also, is Twilight Princess any good? Skyward Sword is too pricy for me for now....I'm a cheapy, I'll play it in like 5 years if I get word that it's good.

It's funny, I've owned a copy of the Wind waker for about 4 years and never played more than 30 minutes of it. Twilight princess I really enjoyed but can't really remember any of it off the top of my head (except that it takes 3-4 hours to start getting 'good'). Skyward sword is still in it's shrink wrap.

I'm moving wind waker to the top of the list, will play it right after The Last of Us.

[ChipEaterMan]

http://www.meetandfuckgames.com/demo...swf?id=2129806

I can't pass level 4

[aubreymcfate]

@luco Super Mario RPG is such a great game. Booster's Tower has the best music ever, lol. Now I want to replay that game...

@surviva Wind Waker for the GameCube is definitely worth it. It's a really solid game, and if you've played Ocarina of Time there's a fun throwback in the storyline.

Have you played Majora's Mask? I hear mixed opinions about it, but personally, not only is it my favorite Zelda game, it might be my favorite video game hands down. It's definitely the darkest of the series, but also has, I think, the most soul. Such a beautiful game. Fun as fuck too. And great replay value. I could go on forever about MM.

Twilight princess was fun too - definitely got a lot of enjoyment out of that game.

[Luco]

@luco Super Mario RPG is such a great game. Booster's Tower has the best music ever, lol. Now I want to replay that game...

It really took a determined effort to finally get to the end, it's surprisingly big for a SNES game. But love and pride brought me back and I finally got to show smithy who's boss!

[aubreymcfate]

It really took a determined effort to finally get to the end, it's surprisingly big for a SNES game. But love and pride brought me back and I finally got to show smithy who's boss!

It's not that surprising. SNES is console to some of the greatest RPGs, all of which are fairly expansive games: Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Dragon Quest, Fire Emblem, Breath of Fire, Terranigma, etc etc.

SNES is so great. I rarely play from my actual console anymore though, lol. I either emulate or buy through my PSP. But playing from the console has its charm.

[surviva316]

Have you played Majora's Mask? I hear mixed opinions about it, but personally, not only is it my favorite Zelda game, it might be my favorite video game hands down. It's definitely the darkest of the series, but also has, I think, the most soul. Such a beautiful game. Fun as fuck too. And great replay value. I could go on forever about MM.

I really liked Majora's Mask. Honestly, I think the only complain anyone has about it is that it's too short, not about the game itself (it also doesn't help that it immediately followed Ocarina of Time). I'd rather have too little of a good thing than too much of a mediocre thing, though.

I also think the hats is a legitimately enjoyable and difficult side quest that adds to the playtime of the game. And that's coming from someone who could not give the vaguest of shits for side quests. Like, "Excuse me, would you like to spend several hours of your life racing ostriches?" "No, that's quite alright, I think I'll focus on destroying this guy who's trying to destroy the universe."

[aubreymcfate]

I really liked Majora's Mask. Honestly, I think the only complain anyone has about it is that it's too short, not about the game itself (it also doesn't help that it immediately followed Ocarina of Time). I'd rather have too little of a good thing than too much of a mediocre thing, though.

I also think the hats is a legitimately enjoyable and difficult side quest that adds to the playtime of the game. And that's coming from someone who could not give the vaguest of shits for side quests. Like, "Excuse me, would you like to spend several hours of your life racing ostriches?" "No, that's quite alright, I think I'll focus on destroying this guy who's trying to destroy the universe."

Hahaha. I actually love side quests! But that's really interesting that you normally don't and still liked MM.

The thing with MM is that the side quests are the spirit of the game; it's all about helping people. So they are definitely more substantial than your usual ostrich racing sidequests.

Honestly, if you make it a point to get every mask, it's not a short game. I think filling up the Bomber's Notebook is half of the game itself (the other half being the usual dungeons). Plus, if you collect them all you get the badass motherfucker Fierce Deity mask. Only downside to that is it makes the final fight pitifully easy, but whatever.

I love the characters in that game too. Especially the mailman lol. That guy needs to be the main character in some existential novel. Dude's crazy.

[surviva316]

Note to self: Start an indie band called tepid epiphany.

[surviva316]

Just wasted so much time skimming through the timeline of Zelda. Now I want to play all the games and be able to read that beginning to end and be like "Oh, that's pretty cool how they all tie together." Maybe it's not worth it for such a tepid epiphany.

[aubreymcfate]

Lol the timeline is bs I think. I mean it is and it isn't. I don't think they made each game with a timeline in mind. There is a rough one but there are internal inconsistencies. Still cool though.

[Luco]

Lol the timeline is bs I think. I mean it is and it isn't. I don't think they made each game with a timeline in mind. There is a rough one but there are internal inconsistencies. Still cool though.

Yup.

I already hate your band surviva

[surviva316]

Lol the timeline is bs I think. I mean it is and it isn't. I don't think they made each game with a timeline in mind. There is a rough one but there are internal inconsistencies. Still cool though.

Yeah, saying that the time travel in Ocarina of Time split the timeline into several branches, some of which explain how Ganon is still alive in future games, is cool in a way but also kinda seems like a convenient way of being like, "Now we can get away with having anything happen, and just retrofit it into the storyline by saying it was part of an alternate universe."