Friday, December 7, 2012

Wall of Shame: Unfinished Games

I like to think that I'm fairly good at a number of varying video game genres, or generally speaking, I like to think that I'm generally good at video games.  I've been playing them for about 25 years pretty consistently.  The point being, that in most cases, I'm able to start and finish a video game.  However, there always seems to be a handful of games that I'm unable to finish for any particular reason.  Despite being able to go through the game, learning the necessary moves and techniques in order to reach the final stage/boss/encounter, I cannot, for the life of me, seem to finish the game.  This has happened on more than one occasion which has lead me to create a list.  This list, albeit an incomplete one, we will now refer to, as my WALL OF SHAME!

Diddy Kong Racing  (N64)

Now I know a lot of people reading this are most likely scoffing at both the game itself, as well as the fact that I can't beat it.  I will also surmise that everyone who is scoffing, has never played Diddy Kong Racing.  Yes it is a "kids" game in the same vain as Mario Kart, but I assure you, the game itself is pretty difficult.  In DKR, you not only have to get 1st place in each race in order to advance, but then do the same courses in reverse and collect hidden coins in the level (which are usually off the main path) and still get first.  I did all this.  The Kid can attest to this.  I cannot however, pass the final stage/boss, WizPig.

In the final stage, you have to race a giant WizPig who is running/flying along the course and can easily stomp on you, which will flatten your car, ensuring that you will not beat WizPig.  You also have to hit every single boost/zippers and not land in any of the water on the course or you will fail.  This person actually makes it look easy:

God of War: Chains of Olympus  (PSP)
Now I'm not going to give away who the final boss of this game is, as finding out is part of the storyline and I thought, "Huh, I'd never thought of that.  That's pretty cool," so I'd rather not ruin it for someone who's never played the game before and is looking to; yes, even for a game that's four years old.

The game itself isn't overly difficult having played through on the "normal" difficulty level.  There were some areas and bosses that took a couple of run throughs in order to figure out the right/best way to complete something.  Then comes the final boss.  Like in Disney's Mulan, you use tactics and tricks from previously in the story to overthrow the villain.  However, that did not seem to be the case with me.

After numerous battles, I broke and looked up on Gamefaqs how to defeat the final boss.  Apparently, you need to use the Gauntlets of Zeus.  Funny, I sparsely used them in the game, instead favoring the traditional Blades of Chaos.  I got that I needed to use the Sun Shield, but not using the Blades of Chaos seemed, a bit odd.  So then I went back, and still failed to defeat the boss.  I've tried on even more attempts and have been unable to finish the game.  I've been tempted to play the game on "Easy" just so I can see how the game ends, but the thought of going through the entire game again was a bit daunting.  Maybe that says something against the replay value.

Two games that I'm going to give special mention to are Mike Tyson's Punch-Out! for the boxer Soda Popinski, whom I cannot beat on a regular basis although I can consistently get to him.  Yes, I know the trick about blocking when he goes to upper cut, which confuses him, then you punch him in the stomach to get a star; then you do the same thing, but then super punch him and it knocks him out.  Yes, I know about that.  I just apparently suck at executing that maneuver.  And don't get me started on fighting Mike Tyson/Mr. Dream (obviously using the code to get to him/them/it).  The second goes to Kefka from Dissidia: Final Fantasy, specifically when doing Terra's storyline.  I don't know what it is about fighting Kefka with Terra (both are heavy magic users compared to say, the Light Warrior from Final Fantasy I, who is based more around physical attacks).


So there.  Now along with a slough of NES games, I feel like I've given plenty of fodder for people/villains/arch-enemies who want to challenge me to some sort of saving the world video game play off.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian
We Are All Doomed.

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