Lave's Sunday Traditional Game Club II

phamtq

Lave's Sunday Traditional Game Club - of Great Repute II

For the busy Penny Arcade Gentlepeople*

Contents:

• 1st post - this helpful guide
• 2nd post - this weekend's game
• 3rd post - previous games & future games

Why?

Lave: So I've been going back and forth between quitting the forums due to wasted time when I should be working - or even playing games, rather than just posting about them (Which is why I'm now Lave II). When it hit me. Most threads here make me want to pump hours upon hours (which I don't have) into games (I've yet to buy). This thread will replace this hype/buy/play/post huge time sink with a hype/buy/play/post much smaller time sink.

Of course thats only If anyone wants to join in - but hey at least it's not a poll thread.

And to be honest this thread is probably aimed at the older gentleman, who's time poor, and money adequate. A Gentleman's* Club if you will.

phamtq: I've decided to take up the mantle that Lave has graciously decided to pass on. Did I bite off more than I can chew? Time will tell.

Get to the point! What is it?

• It's like a Book Club - but for "Classic" games.
• Every first week of the month I select a game for the NES, SNES, or Sega Genesis
• We play a game and participate in a moderated discussion

Rules

• It isn't a [game on] thread
• It isn't a thread for on-line games.
• This isn't a thread for the "latest and best" games.
• It is a thread for 2D games.
• It is a thread for (re)discovering interesting missed classics and taking chances.
• If your response connects to some important part of the story use the spoiler option.

IMPORTANT POINT
I think it would be great if this thread gave us a chance to play all those obscure classics most of us missed, and then have a chance to talk about em as a community. Giving them that hype that makes new releases so enjoyable. Obviously this leads us towards games that are more easily pirated/emulated. Whilst I don't condone that action - if you are going to join the club by playing via the E word AT LEAST DON'T FUCKING MENTION IT.

* Now with 50% more political correctness!

phamtq

Game: We Katamari
Prize: None
Week: 01/06/09 - 01/20/08

phamtq

PAST AND FUTURE WEEKS GAMES II - WITH SCORES

Week 02: We Katamari

[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/57/We_♥_Katamari.gif/250px-We_♥_Katamari.gif[/IMG]

Again by popular demand, we are going slightly against tradition and trying out out our first "modern" game. Let's get rolling then (/bad pun)!

The goals for this week are:

• Biggest Katamari
• Fastest time to beat the racecar level
• Biggest Bear/Cow in the Cowbear level (tiebreaker being total Katamari size)

Week 01: Super Mario Bros. 3



By popular demand (seven votes) the club has decided on this wonderful classic. This is the game that introduced the series to many of its now landmark features. Run, jump, and kill turtles to glory!

The goals for this week are:

• Highest score
• Farthest played (The number of locations completed not counting Mushroom houses, Hammer Bros locations, etc...)
• Highest score for very first level

Scores:

Highest Score:
1. Tails Corra: 542,160
2. BurtleBoy: 425,410
3. Frem: 345,370

Highest Score for 1st Level:
1. Tails Corra: 19,160
2. Burtleboy: 16,350

Farthest Play:

Well, I F'd up one this one. Sorry guys. I didn't think this one through and it ended up where everyone took the meaning differently. I should have stated what I meant for farthest played. I should have probably made the criteria a lot more clear.

You can play Super Mario Bros. 3 on a lot of system including

• NES (Original version)
• SNES (Part of Super Mario All-Stars)
• Gameboy Advanced (Super Mario Advanced 4)
• Wii (Virtual Console)
• Arcade (Available on a Playchoice-10 system)

Picking the first game was a hard decision. When you’re on your first outing it hits you that the people who have been a part of this longer than you have certain expectations and you pray you don’t disappoint. There was this fine line of deciding whether to go with a known classic first or a game few people have played because, after all, discovery is part of the club.

There was also this concern that if people couldn’t play this first week, they might forget to check and see if they could join next week which is understandable considering that this club exists because other things occur in our lives.

In the end I decided it was best to go with the popular vote for this week. That’s not to say I’ll be heading in that direction every time although I will always count how many people pick a particular game. Perhaps we could agree to some kind of schedule for the month like well known classics first week, second week lesser known games, third week slightly more modern games, and some kind of online multiplayer game on the final week to buck the trend.

So enjoy this first week and send me a message or post in the thread with your concerns and questions.

From Lave Lave's Sunday Traditional Game Club I

PAST WEEKS
Week 3: Super Mario Land

Jam Warrior wrote: »

if we've played the lesser known Sonic for the technically weaker system I feel we should at some point play the lesser known Mario for the technically weaker system.

Talking Mario Land yo.



Hi I'm Daisy! etc

Yes, were sticking with a platforming theme for this week. The often forgotten 1989 hit Super Mario Land. The first true portable mario game.

Firstly it's superb.
Secondly my none gamer girlfriend as a kid would play and complete this game once a day. I bow before her power (and we will be borrowing the cart of her for this.)
Thirdly this game was HUGE in the UK.
A remix by the Ambassadors of Funk made #8 in the UK charts in 1992.
YOU SHOULD SERIOUSLY WATCH THIS![/quote]

Challenges - TBA

Lave II wrote: »

Week 2: Metal Slug 3!
BE A ZOMBIE - VOMIT DEATH BLOOD!

SHOOT A BUS TYPE THING!


Seriously the Metal Slug series is a masterpiece of Pixel art. It's beautiful. And it's more fun than going on an adventure through time with Bill and Ted to fill your phone booth with multiple Scarlet Johansons from throughout time and space then letting nature take it's course...

By which I mean have sex with them all.

But not Bill and Ted.

Well not Ted

It's a 2D beautiful shoot fest. It's well worth picking up the anthologies on Wii/PS2/PSP though they all have some flaws with loading/menus etc. But the games themselves are fine I'm told. If you can't afford that you can get a wriggle on and buy just the third game for <£5.

Metal Slug 3 from £1.95 2nd Hand - PS2
From £2.50 2nd hand for Xbox

If people don't get the game delivered till monday or whatever. let me know and I'll run the competition till wednesday.

The Challenge's
No practicing! 60min time limit to do with as you will.

1) Hi-score challenge on level 1.
2) How far can you get (including the second challenge if your that good)
3) Score at game over. (yeah it's basically 2) again but I'm still interested).
4) How far you got on your first life

If you complete the game - a rough time would be nice too.



WEEK TWO: 19th-20th May: Metal Slug 3

CHOOSE NORMAL DIFFICULTY IN OPTIONS!

1) 3 Lives Run* - How far can you get on 3 lives? This should be your first challenge after turning the game on. How far can you get? This part should only take a few minutes. Ten tops .

2) Mission 1: Top Score Challenge. Whats the highest score you can get for the whole of Mission 1.

3) 5 Credit run. To ensure all versions can play this challenge - you have 5 credits (of 3 lives each) to get as far as you can. If you complete it within 5 credits then a) your amazing and b) well rate it by how many credits/lives you have left.

*UPDATE: This is more a novelty run. I suspect it will be mainly things like. "Barely past the first screen" "End of Level Boss" and so on. And a place for the hardcore to shine. 2) and 3) are the more serious challenges - though in principle you could win both 1) and 3) in the same go if you made it too the end...

Results! Thanks to the Awesome Jam Warror!

Metal Slug 3

Challenge 1 - 3 Life Run
1. SPI - 3rd level boss
2. Burtletoy/Lave/Jam Warrior - 2nd level, 6 aliens
3. TM2 Rampage - 2nd level, 2 helicopters
4. mattclem/Krylon666 - 2nd level, 5 helicopters
5. Centipeed - 1st level boat
6. 3vilOn3 - 1st level bridge

Challenge 2 - High Score in Mission 1
1. Krylon666 - 661850
2. SPI - 658540
3. Jam Warrior - 644830
4. Lave - 445950
5. Burtletoy - 418360
6. TM2 Rampage - 352830
7. mattclem - 336970
8. 3vilOn3 - 64333
9. Centipeed - 41595

Challenge 3 - 5 Credit run
1. SPI - Level 4 boss
2. Lave/mattclem/Burtletoy/TM2 Rampage - 3rd level lifts (it's all a bit unclear who got further than who here)
3. Jam Warrior - 3rd level just out the water
4. Krylon666 - 3rd level subs
5. 3vilOn3 - 2nd level boss, 2nd part (monoliths)
6. Centipeed - 1st level (I think) submariney bit

In conclusion, a clear winner is SPI.

WEEK ONE: Sunday 13th May: Sonic the Hedgehog (8bit)

Sonic the Hedgehog
Format: Master System

Why it should be this weeks game:
It's probably the most under appreciated Sonic game. The Master System's lack of power meant that the developers couldn't make a mindless "hold-right-go-fast" game, and instead had to make a focused, tight game, with a huge focus on the level design. The Music on the Sky level is so good that as a kid I dubbed it onto a cassette tape and played it on my walkman ALL THE TIME.
Aims
1) I remember Sega Power running a competition to see how quick you could complete the first level . I discovered there was a secret trick on the ramp that helped. I actually beat the winner of that competition - but my mum wouldn't develop the camera film I used to photograph the tv as proof. So this gives me a second chance to win.
2) Hi-score challenge
3) How far can you get?

TSR's extreme bonus challenge: In Sonic the Hedgehog 1 for the Sega Master System/Game gear, it's possible to get an extra life just prior to the final boss in Sky Zone Act 3. Post a screenshot of yourself getting the hidden extra life (hint: I use the word "hidden" loosely) and explain how you did it.

Lave II wrote: »

Results - Sonic the Hedgehog - 8bit

1st Act Speed Run
1) 19s Area & Lave
3) 20s Jam Warrior
4) 22 secs Ben0207
4) 26s Mr Grinch

Hi Score Challenge
1) 317,500 LewieP
2) 202,600 mattclem
3) 134,700 Lave
4) 124,000 Mr Grinch

How Far Challenge
1) Completed - All chaos emeralds - 48:30s - Ben0207
1) Completed - 49 mins - (5 Chaos Emeralds) - Jam Warrior
1) Completed (5 Chaos Emeralds) - 51m21s - LewieP
1) Completed (2 Chaos Emeralds) - 55mins - mattclem
5) Sky Brain - Mr Grinch
6) Labyrinth Act 3 - Lave
7) Labyrinth Act 2 - area
Note: I really didn't think so many people would complete it! But the challenge stated how far you could get, not how quickly, or with how many choas emeralds - so whilst I include a break down for fun, this game has multiple first place people. I don't want to narrow it down more than that - and I'm super boss etc. Otherwise the concept of "who won the prize" may make it messy.

As ruler of the thread I declare that LewieP can dish presents out however he likes (or not at all), and anyone who that annoys is a big stupid doodoo head.

As owner and organiser - I don't think it's proper for me to be able to get prizes so I exclude myself.

FUTURE WEEKS

Lave II wrote: »

Week 5: Another World
(aka Out of this World)
NB: This weekend we are playing Streets of Rage. This is just to give you time to get the week afters game
Wikipedia Page
Formats: Fucking everything.

Be Lester Knight Chaykin. Go on an adventure. Die, and then Die again. And the die. And then die. And then work out what to do. And then die. A brilliant game by a brilliant frenchman - Eric Chahi.


(Beautiful large picture version here)

Interesting Fact: The only text present in the game are the words "Another World."

How to play: Born in the 80's? Then you own a copy. If not there are multiple choices including a Hi-Res offical remake for Win XP by Eric Chahi himself. It's supposed to be beautiful - but I've haven't windows to see. Demo and Full game HERE.

Is the GBA port ok to talk about?

Answer: Yes

The other has the rights back to the game and in doing so says this:

GBA version
Unofficially adapted in 2004 by Cyril Corgordan alias Foxy by creating a reverse engineering of the Atari ST version. I decided in the first place to ban its release in order to make a potential business, but specially authorised its distribution later, in 2005. It required a GBA emulator or a GBA with a Flash cartridge. It was a version for hobbyists. Cyril currently works in the Magic Production company and his C code was the stepping stone for the port of the Symbian mobile version.

Get it here: http://www.foxysofts.com/index.php?l=content/gba/anworld.inc

The 60min CHALLENGES.

With no levels it will be hard to describe how far you got nevertheless.
1) Number of deaths it took to complete it (probably best to get a tick sheet out).
or
2) How far you got (roughly) and how many lives it took you to get there.

These challenges may be refined.

Burtletoy

I still go with my recommendations of playing either Katamari Damacy or We Katamari, despite not really being 'classic' games they still lend themselves easily to sub-1 hour playtimes and are easy to score both with time limits for hitting the origional goal and for overall size achievements.

cj iwakura

Rez.

Peripherals optional.

Katamari would also be good. Maybe the 'collect x amount of y' levels.

KrunkMcGrunk

Diablo II!

Mr_Grinch

Woah, where did this come from again? I get even more Sundays free now so I'm in

Previously we kept it to oldish games, but I'm up for anything really!

phamtq

To kick this thing off right, I'm putting up three (3) $10 Amazon gift cards to the best players in each category. So every weekend player should sign up!

Carry The Zero

I have zero suggestions, but I am totally in on this.

phamtq

Anyone have any suggestions as to how we can tell who actually scored what they scored? I know we're all older and mature and stuff but any suggestions?

KrunkMcGrunk

You could have people take a picture of their score on their screen with a digital camera. Maybe have them put some kind of identifier in the picture (for instance Slash000 always puts his hat in the pictures he takes).

Mr_Grinch

previously we did it entirely on trust, most people aren't going to flat out lie. I took some pictures on my phone of some of the scores I got. Weren't always the easiest to see, especially on the original gameboy but it worked well enough.

RainbowDespair

cj iwakura wrote: »

Rez.

I'd say to wait on Rez until the XBLA version comes out. It shouldn't be too long of a wait (it was recently included in a Next 10 games scheduled to appear on XBLA list).

SirUltimos

Megaman X!

Xagarath

I support Rez or We Love Katamari as suggestions.
Or Gradius V.

Mr_Grinch

The original Donkey Kong

Crazybear

Deal me in. I am pretty much down for whatever, and if needs be I can pick it up down the street at my local game store.

I think we should go with the trust idea instead of the camera because we will have a bunch of screen shots in the thread, and I don't have a digital camera.

Noray

Streets of Rage 2. It's on XBLA, VC, plus it's awesome and everyone should play it. Challenge like highest score on Hardcore without using savestates. It would be great!

Lave II

I heartily endorse this thread! :oops:

Last time with prizes we went entirely on trust. And seemed to work out fine. Though I think we did have a system that, if the prize giver didn't know you, you didn't get a prize. It's prob best to ask LewieP. Also the prizes weren't announced till the winner received them - which probably put off scavengers.

I don't think prizes are essential by any means though.

I'll help all I can, but I do go internet dark from the 20th till about the 10th of Jan. Which is actually scary....

phamtq

I'm opening up suggestions and voting today and tomorrow until midnight. Then I'll pick the game along with my reasoning for the choice. From there we'll select a week that works well for all of us and I'll officially (re)start the club.

If people didn't need to verify before than we'll continue to do it that way. We might need to change it later but for right now it's a small group of honest people.

PS: Thanks for all the help Lave. Hope you have time to play.

chamberlain

This is a great idea.

I'm for anything that is on xbox live arcade. Easy to get, not to expensive, and to verify scores we can just add people to friends lists.

ChewyWaffles

Hey, sounds like a great idea. I'm down with it!

Lave II

phamtq wrote: »

I'm opening up suggestions and voting today and tomorrow until midnight. Then I'll pick the game along with my reasoning for the choice. From there we'll select a week that works well for all of us and I'll officially (re)start the club.

If people didn't need to verify before than we'll continue to do it that way. We might need to change it later but for right now it's a small group of honest people.

PS: Thanks for all the help Lave. Hope you have time to play.

It's a pleasure, thanks for keeping my name it, and the love alive!

LewieP

I really enjoyed this last time, anything that gets me to play Sonic 1 (8bit) is a good thing.

I can probably rustle up a few prizes if any UK folk win, since USA Amazon vouchers can't be used in the UK, but as Lave said, prizes are a nice little bonus, but not essential.

I only have my DS and my Wii with me right now, and am on my old PC, so any games that come up that can be played on Wii/DS/old PC I will be very much up for. I will find the cheapest place (in the UK) to get any game we decide to do in this thread incase anyone needs to buy it.

We did Metal Slug 3 before, but I just got Metal Slug Anthology, and would like to vote for any of the others (maybe not 1/2 since I have played a tonne of those in the past)

AaronKI

I went along with this back when the original thread was around, even though I didn't post at the time. I'm glad to see that it's making a return.

How about Shinobi III for the Genesis? It's also on the Virtual Console (NA, UK, and AU) and in the Sega Genesis Collection for the PS2/PSP.

DeathPrawn

Sounds like an awesome idea (again)!

A couple of suggestions:
- One of the NES Marios
- Space Invaders
- Geometry Wars (is the 360 version similar enough to the Wii/DS version for equal comparison?)

Xagarath

The Wii geometry wars hasn;t hit the Uk yet, or I'd support it.

Xenogears of Bore

Xagarath wrote: »

The Wii geometry wars hasn;t hit the Uk yet, or I'd support it.

This is a good counterbalance to my view as I only support games that haven't come out in Europe. :P

-SPI-

Hey, kickass. This was loads of fun the first time around, good to see it back again.

Vulpine

Now it's on Xbox Live Arcade (and since I have my treasured Amiga version)...

Sensible World of Soccer! You pick two teams, one player and one CPU, best scoreline wins?

GUTS

I only have my DS and my Wii with me right now, and am on my old PC, so any games that come up that can be played on Wii/DS/old PC I will be very much up for. I will find the cheapest place (in the UK) to get any game we decide to do in this thread incase anyone needs to buy it.

Yes, include us PC gamers too. Dont we deserve any love?!

area

I am well up for this again.

GUTS wrote: »

I only have my DS and my Wii with me right now, and am on my old PC, so any games that come up that can be played on Wii/DS/old PC I will be very much up for. I will find the cheapest place (in the UK) to get any game we decide to do in this thread incase anyone needs to buy it.

Yes, include us PC gamers too. Dont we deserve any love?!

I think the problem with PC games is that they rarely lend themselves well to score-attack-esque scenarios, which is what fits best into an hour. I'm willing to be proved wrong, though.

A couple of suggestions (AKA games I want to have an excuse to play in the immediate future):

NiGHTS - in honour of the sequel being released
Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels - spreading the love/hate after Gilder's amazing Lets Play a couple of months ago

LewieP

I just got Super Mario Bros. 3 on the VC, it's one the few games that my sister will sit and play for ages. How about a 'no-warp' speed run on that.

Mr_Grinch

SMB3 is good with me too, never actually played it much!

Xagarath

I am not very good at SMB3, but could be persuaded to show how not very good.

area

I'll fourth SMB3, then.

Vulpine

I doff my cap to SMB3. Fifth'd.

LewieP

I have democratic influence!

It is all going according to plan

cj iwakura

I don't own a copy of SMB3. Ah well.

You win this round, Nintendo.

AaronKI

I can also get behind SMB3.

phamtq

I'll edit the posts and announce which game we'll be playing tomorrow. Stay tuned and thanks for all the suggestions!