30 Years, 30 Games: Day 30!

[o2william]

Day 16: UFO!



You had to know that any game list done by a guy with “O2” in his forum handle would contain an Odyssey2 game or two, right? UFO! makes my list not only because it’s one of the best O2 games around, but because it was the source of my very first beatdown.

Many Odyssey2 games keep track of the current high score and allow the top scorer to type in his name for all to see. It would be a cool feature if the data wasn’t erased every time you power off the machine. Even in the early ‘80s, I don’t think my friends and I bothered to type in our names very often. But there was one time when I got the idea that Ryan, Bryan and I should have a high score contest, entering our names to keep track of who was in the lead. We’d even have a tape recorder running in the background to keep a record of the proceedings.

The game I chose was UFO, because I was the best at it. It was pretty cheap of me actually… the O2 console belonged to me, so I had logged the most play time with the game and I figured I would run away with the victory. Bryan wasn’t that great at videogames in general, and even though Ryan was better, I was sure my UFO experience would carry the day.

You know what happens next. The contest started, my turn came up… and I choked. I died almost instantly, scoring something like 5 points. (As in most Odyssey2 games, UFO only gives you one life, so a single mistake can really cost you.) I don’t remember the exact rules of the contest, but I do know we each received two tries. And the second time through, I scored… 12. Twelve. On the cassette tape, you can hear Ryan gloating that at least I had beaten my old record. Frustration is evident in my voice as I retort, "Will you be quiet?!" Like I said, beatdown.

I don’t remember Byan’s score, but I know it was better than mine. Ryan scored 80, which was a really high UFO score for our collective skill level at the time. He won. My fiendish plot to be the winner had backfired. It was a powerful lesson in humiliation. Sometimes I’m tempted to think I’m hot stuff when it comes to videogames, but then I remember that experience and remember that there’s always somebody better.

Got your own tales of videogame humiliation? Share the pain!

[The-Bavis]

My wife and are the only ones to have played much on my copy of Dr. Mario on the N64. So, our point tally saved on the cartridge is pretty much me vs. her. I think she has 55+ and I have about 4 wins. She is amazed that I am still willing to play against her.

[squidblatt]

I get a lesson in humiliation every time I compete against someone in a video game.

[Rogmeister]

I haven't been commenting but did want to let you know that I am still enjoying your video game tales...especially the ones on arcade games (and also some of the home games like Yar's Revenge). Dig Dug happens to be the arcade game I got my most points ever on...I was never a great gamer so I considered it a fair accomplishment that I scored nearly a half-million points on that one. Of course, I have a home version of it...I'll have to pull that one out again sometime soon...

[ozyr]

You had to know that any game list done by a guy with “O2” in his forum handle would contain an Odyssey2 game or two, right? UFO! makes my list not only because it’s one of the best O2 games around, but because it was the source of my very first beatdown.


Got your own tales of videogame humiliation? Share the pain!

Kind of figured that some O2 games would sneak in there! Imagine that...

As for humiliations, about the only thing I can thing of is the Odyssey2 game, P.T. Barnum's Acrobats. Back in the 80's, my sister used to play the Odssey2 also (not as much as I did, or course). She was not very good at it, but for some reason, she totally kicked butt at Acrobats! I kept track of the scores in a spreedsheet (which I still have), and her scores are 'so' much higher than mine. I find it embarassing because she is not a video game player, as a whole. But them, this follows my video game theory - in that every person is 'really good' at playing at least one video game. I've bumped into this 'good at one game' thing so often, it's engrained in my brain.

P.S. My sister kicked my butt at Pick Axe Pete too, but I beat her score a few years ago, and did even better in the last month! I even called her to let her know...

[o2william]

Day 17: Section Z and Gauntlet



Why two games today you ask? And why these two? Other than the fact that both are NES ports of arcade games, they have little in common. However, I can’t think of one without the other because of one fateful weekend.

At the height of the 8-bit era (1989 or so), my friend Warren and I were NES freaks. We “played Nintendo” pretty much all day every day, when we could get away with it. We prided ourselves on beating every NES game we owned (legitimately if possible, but we weren’t averse to the use of an occasional cheat code if necessary). But Gauntlet and Section Z confounded us. We just couldn’t beat them. Section Z gave us a particularly hard time, so much so that we called Capcom’s hint line for help on how to beat one of the bosses (Capcom’s advice: “Keep shooting.” Gee, thanks). One day we made it very far into the game but just couldn’t find the correct route to reach the last level. After that defeat, the game was basically declared anathema and we decided to never bother with it again.

Gauntlet was different. It was still fun to play even though we couldn’t figure out how to get to all the “?” rooms (necessary to reach the last level), so we kept at it. One weekend, we decided to methodically go through the game from the beginning, mapping our progress, restarting when we took the wrong route, conserving bombs and keys whenever possible, and rigorously writing down passwords in a notebook. Eventually we reached the last world of the game, and the meticulousness continued. We learned the correct route to take. We mapped out all the exits. We figured out where to use bombs for maximum effect. We noticed that if you inch forward a pixel at a time, you can “freeze” enemies at the sides of the screen and shoot them with no danger. And eventually, we did the unthinkable -- we beat Gauntlet!

The story might end right there, but we got to thinking… we’d beaten one unbeatable game, why not go for two? So we dug out Warren’s Section Z cart, and rather quickly made it back to the point where we’d been stuck before. After the success we had with Gauntlet, I was careful to map out all of the Section Z levels. Eventually we realized that the path to the last level was actually hidden, so we carefully searched (using the maps again) until we found it. After that, it was just a matter of time before we beat L-Brain and, for the second time in one weekend, conquered the unconquerable.

That weekend is still my single greatest gaming achievement. Of course, I had Warren’s help, but beating games with a friend is more fun than doing it alone anyway. Did you ever have a day or weekend when you were “in the zone” like that? It’s a great feeling!

[o2william]

Day 18: Scramble



I didn't go to the movies very often as a kid since the nearest movie theater was about an hour's drive away from my house. But whenever I did make it to the fantabulous Cinema 6, I always had a good time watching the big screen, eating popcorn, and playing this noisy shooting game that frustrated the hell out of me. The game was Scramble, and if memory serves, the cabinet at the Cinema 6 was a cocktail model. Man, I couldn't get enough of that game! Something about those Mystery Bases and Fuel Tanks really grabbed me. Maybe it was the bright colors, maybe it was the cool geometric shapes. Maybe I just liked blowing stuff up. Either way, I always made sure to play a few games of Scramble before whatever movie I was there to see began.

I had time to do this because I completely sucked at Scramble. It seems strange to me now, but I just couldn't get the game's timing down. Rockets would hit me when I thought they'd miss. My bombs would miss their targets when I was sure they'd hit. It was ridiculous. I never realized that the terrain eventually changed, because I never made it far. I wanted to love Scramble, but it answered my affection with nothing but hostility. I used to dream about being good at the game, about being able to zip around rockets and nail Mystery Bases with precision. But alas, the Scramble machine disappeared from the theater before I got the chance.

Games like Scramble make me extremely thankful for the incredible accessibility of today. Now, a quick Scramble session is as close as my Game Boy Advance or MAME on my PC. Thanks to them, I've been able to realize my dream of actually being sort of halfway decent at the game! As nostalgic as I sometimes get for the past, there's plenty to love about the present.

[syd]

Gauntlet is an AMAZING two player game! My cousin and I played that thing for like 5 hours straight until around 5am one morning and we still couldn't beat it. It's great how you can play a game like that for so long and still not get bored of it. I still give it a try every now and then, but it's a pain that you've got to get to all of the ? rooms to finish the game.

[Flack]

William, if you ever get bored some weekend, head on over. I've got a Scramble arcade cabinet in my garage. Oh yeah, it's next to my Gauntlet II.

Bring quarters.

[o2william]

Day 19: Castlevania



Few games are as dear to me as Castlevania. I know I’m not the only one who feels that way. It was one of those games that you just knew was going to be good even before you played it. My friend Warren first heard about it from some kid he went to school with. Based solely on Warren’s description of his schoolmate’s description of Castlevania, I decided I’d love the game. I even sent away for the Castlevania poster Konami offered, sight unseen. We waited impatiently for the promised day when Warren was able to borrow his friend’s copy.

The day arrived, and we weren’t disappointed, although the game turned out to be much harder than we expected. That was partly due to the fact that we didn’t have a manual, so we didn’t figure out how to use the special weapons for quite some time. We couldn’t even get past the Phantom Bat for several hours! Once we hit on the magical Up+B combination, however, we finally started to make headway. Nevertheless, the Mummy Men stopped us for a good while. We played late into the night. I remember falling asleep, then Warren waking me up to tell me he’d beaten the Mummies, then falling asleep again, then waking up again to see the end of Frankenstein’s monster’s level. Frankie and Igor impeded our progress for a long time, but eventually we muscled our way onward.

But then we faced Death, literally. The Grim Reaper killed us, repeatedly and rather unapologetically, I might add. He held us back for weeks. Warren’s friend let us keep his cart for a surprisingly long while, but we used most of that time just trying to beat Death. I have such vivid memories of playing through Death’s level over and over while eating Chef Boyardee Pepperoni Pizza. I still crave that pizza when I play that level! Warren was the one who finally beat Death (while I was away from the TV getting some M&Ms -- funny how I still remember that).

It was exciting almost beyond words to reach a new stage of Castlevania, which by that time had easily become our favorite game. We played until we reached Dracula himself, who welcomed us with several quick deaths. We were stymied again, so close to the end -- and what was worse, Warren’s friend moved away and we had to give the cart back! In an unfortunate twist of fate, this happened during the period before Castlevania II was released, when the first game was out of print. We couldn’t buy our own copies, and were forced to leave the battle unresolved, the Count victorious.

When Castlevania finally became available again, we each set out to buy it. Warren got his first, receiving it as a gift. I had to cash in a $50 savings bond I’d had since age 6, but it was worth it. Warren was the first to beat the Count; he’d been mentally planning his battle strategy for months and was able to defeat Drac almost right away. It took me slightly longer, but soon I tasted victory as well. I’ve been a Castlevania fan ever since.

Castlevania lovers of the world, unite!

[syd]

I remember first playing Castlevania in a grocery store. It was one of those arcade machines where you put in a quarter and choose a game out of around 25 to play for like 3-5mins. I think it was called an NES-25 or something like that. Either way I always played Castlevania on that thing but never had much time to get too far in it! I forgot the name of it for many years until the wonders of emulation jogged my memory. I've been addicted to the Castlevania series ever since!

[8-Bit Master]

Castlevania is probably the game series that is closest to my heart as well. I personally own most of the games in the series and have beaten all of the ones that I own. The original Castlevania is an incredibly tough game to beat. The final three bosses (Frankenstein, Death, Drac) are all extremely tough fights. Using the holy water makes the job a little easier, but it still doesn't make them cakewalks by a long shot. The original CV is probably one of the most frustrating games in the NES library that remains fun.

The Castlevania that I have the most childhood memories of is Simon's Quest. I bought it off of my brother's friend whom I also got Excitebike, Chip 'n Dale, and Cobra Triangle from. It took me a good while to finish that one because of how nonsensical some of the written dialogue is. It really does make the game more difficult, however it is by far the easiest NES CV game.

[Dr. Morbis]

I first played Castlevania on a Playchoice-10. I was so enthralled that I got the game a short while later (after a good deal of begging ). It also holds a special place for me because my first and best gaming partner moved away when I was 13. On our last day together we decided to beat Dracula. This was seemingly an impossible task at the time, as neither of us had even beaten the Reaper.

Anyway, long story short, we beat Dracula after about 100 failed attempts, and he left on a bus for Victoria a short while later. I never saw or heard from him again. I always think of him when I play through this game.

[Nature Boy]

You know, when I had Section Z on my NES back in the day I had no idea it was an arcade game. I don't think I *ever* saw it in arcades. Loved it to death though - it was one of the first games I re-acquired when I re-acquired the console

And Scramble. Well, it's another of those classic arcade machines that gets lots of play when I fire up MAME. Like you, I'm a *lot* better at it these days than I was back then. I just have to guess that 2 button gaming took time to get used to for those of us raised on just the one button

[o2william]

Day 20: Journey Escape



If you aren’t old enough to remember the early 1980s, then you don’t know about the awesome power once wielded by Journey. Steve Perry and the boys belted out one Top 40 hit after another and drove legions of fans into wild frenzies, despite (and I mean this with all due respect) being five of the doofiest-looking guys you’ve ever seen. Their digitized faces starred in a goofy arcade game, and they also inspired this rather uninspired Atari 2600 title from Data Age. And Journey Escape inspired my lifelong obsession with game music.

I played Journey Escape before I knew the musical group even existed. A friend of a friend had it, and via a circuitous route of temporary trades it eventually found its way to me. In those days I’d have happily played any new game for hours on end, but I actually liked Journey Escape. It was a decent enough twitch game, and it had a character in it that resembled Kool-Aid Man, which made it OK in my book. But the tinny, off-key, repeats-after-four-measures music is what really made the game for me.

Game music was pretty rudimentary back then, but Journey Escape at least made an attempt at musical complexity. The game’s two tunes had both a lead and a beat track. The theme that played between rounds, an off-key rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” had tonal qualities that sounded vaguely like chords. It seems weak nowadays, but I’d never heard game music that rich before, not back then.

Laugh if you must, but I was captivated. Journey Escape actually helped spark my burgeoning musical interest. I learned to play keyboards, and went on to join a band where I did some live performances and studio work. I’ve even composed a few tunes for shareware games. (Honestly, I might well have done those things without Journey Escape’s influence… but who can say for sure?)

An amusing side note to this story is that I didn’t know the group Journey when I first played the game, and I didn’t even realize the game was supposed to be based on a band at all. Imagine my surprise when I turned on the radio one day and heard “Don’t Stop Believin’” (or as I knew it, “That music from that Journey game!”) coming out of the speaker. I’m not ashamed to say I’ve been a Journey fan ever since. Yeah, that's right... I like Journey -- you got a problem with that? :P

I imagine most of us on these boards have our favorite in-game tunes, but are there any games you enjoy primarily because of the music?

[Sanriostar]

Embrace your inner Mullett! \^_^/
Journey is on the heavy rotation list when I just decide to have an ad-hoc '80s party for one': 80's music, retro arcade comps on the modern systems or MAME, and a cheap pizza and some beer from the local grocery.

To properly embrace your inner Mullett, the following must be played:

'Best of's from:
Journey
Pat Benatar
Rick Springfield
Motels
The Cars

Specific albums:
Def Leppard: Pyromainia
Berlin: Pleasure Victim
J Giles Band: Freeze Frame
Van Halen: 1984

While there are a few groups that mix into New Wave territory, all these can be considered good and proper Mullett rock. And don't play any arcade games past 1984; it ruins the ambiance.

[Flack]

Pretty much all those albums (and tons more) are sitting on the MP3 Jukebox I have in my arcade. Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1989 ...

It's amazing in MAME how simple that stupid Journey game seems, and yet how bad I am at it.

When I think of arcade music, Atari's games come to mind. Some of my favorite arcade tunes came from Super Sprint, 720, and Paperboy.

[The-Bavis]

My only musical comment is that we used to always think that one of the NES Dr. Mario tunes sounded Like MC Hammer's "Pray". You know, "you've got to pray just to make it today; pray!"

It's kind of a stretch, but several of us had the same thought independently.

[Khelavaster]

To properly embrace your inner Mullett, the following must be played:

[snippage]

Specific albums:
Berlin: Pleasure Victim

Dude. Berlin is so NOT mullet rock. Essential Eighties, sure, but not mullet rock.

<rerail>Never loved a game because of its soundtrack, but I can think of one I loathed for this reason. Commodore 64 Pooyan. Ugh.</rerail>

[NintendoMan]

Day 19: Castlevania

Castlevania lovers of the world, unite!

Alright, this is the first game on your list so far that I also love, and have memories of playing.
I really can't remember too much of the early days of playing this game except for that is was really freaking hard for me! Most people when they are young that are really into video games have that one friend that was basically GREAT at almost everygame, somehow. Well, I had 2 of them, and can remember one of them pretty much easily beating it in only a couple of days, or something like that.

It was unbelievable for me, to see that. When to this day I have still never beaten the game. (Yeah, it's pathetic I know!) And I do currently own the game and do plan on beating it someday. I have never gotten into the current Castlevania's, well at least the GBA versions. I have always wondered why though? Maybe because Simon Belmont isn't the main character? I really can't figure out why I don't like the current Castlevania though, they just seem so different. I do kinda like the N64 versions though. I remember buying Castlevania 64 the DAY it was released at the local FuncoLand.