WarpRattler's Gaming Challenge

[WarpRattler]

Alright, so here's the deal: I'm challenging you guys to excel at video games. Different game each time, with a time limit determined according to the difficulty of the task at hand. There are no prizes beyond recognition of your abilities as a gamer; honestly, if your only reason to participate in a test of skill is a prize, you should probably reexamine why you play video games in the first place.

With some exceptions, I will be participating along with anyone who takes the challenge. And unless otherwise specified, it is not a race to see who can do it first, or to see who can do it best. The goal is to just do it.

The first task is this: starting from level one, complete Cleopatra Fortune in a single credit. The challenge will end at 11:00 PM CDT on June 29th, giving you a week to complete the task and present proof that you have done so.

Acceptable versions are the original PCB (and by association playing in MAME), any version of Taito Legends 2 (available on the PC or PS2 in the US), or Taito Memories Joukan (Japan-only PS2 game, so don't worry about it). The Dreamcast and PlayStation versions are prohibited.

[bobman37]

I would very happily participate if Lizard Dude was running this. Warp will just pick random shoot em ups that maybe two people here have heard of, on top of making the challenge something he's done already.

[WarpRattler]

You'll note that I've been doing these in #tmk for some time, and while those have all been shmups (with the exception of Final Fight, which is still ongoing because no one wants to put in the time to 1CC it and I set no time limit), they've all been games for which I hadn't completed the task myself.

Also, way to do your research - Cleopatra Fortune is a puzzle game.

[Turtlekid1]

Gotten to level 25 so far.  It helps that it's a lot like Tetris.

[WarpRattler]

Yeah, Cleopatra Fortune is relatively easy compared to the stuff you were playing in #tmk. I cleared it in six days, playing a few runs every day.

Keep in mind that lines made entirely of a single type of piece (gem, sarcophagus, block, or mummy) will clear, and that while the presence of gravity may tempt you to build for chains, chains aren't viable in survival runs; rather, build for perfects. The game will throw easy perfect setups for you for the first five levels or so, so take advantage of that. Also keep in mind that a pyramid block, which clears all blocks of the same type as the one you land it on, will appear at levels 10, 40, 70, and the very end of 99.

[WarpRattler]

Two days left. And Turtlekid is the only one of you who's even tried. Pathetic. I challenge you guys to an easy game (well, easy compared to what's coming after it), and one of you plays it.

I've already got the next game decided. It will be a game that I have never played, and will not play until the time of the challenge. Details and versions allowed (because there are quite a few versions of it) will be posted on Tuesday.

[Glorb]

It requires too much effort for simple bragging rights.

[Kuromatsu]

I really really really suck at puzzle games. I looked at a gameplay video of it and my mind just blew up due to incomprehension.

[Turtlekid1]

It requires too much effort for simple bragging rights.

It's not about the bragging rights.  It's about playing games that you may find fun but wouldn't have discovered otherwise.  For me, anyway.

[Weegee]

My gaming axiom prevents me from thinking that way; thank goodness.

[Chupperson Weird]

You mean your statement that is 100% false?

[WarpRattler]

Chupperson, it clearly doesn't matter to him whether it's false or not. It's just an excuse for him to go "LA LA LA I'M NOT LISTENING" whenever someone suggests he play video games.

Or, in other words, it's just an excuse for him to be a complete idiot.

[WarpRattler]

Alright, time's up! Turtlekid gets an honorable mention for being the only one who tried. Too bad he didn't do better.

Well, the next game is far more mainstream and more easily accessible on systems you people own, so here we go.

The game is Space Harrier. Yes, I have never played Space Harrier. I am ashamed, but am rectifying this.

The challenge: clear Space Harrier on a single credit. The time limit is two weeks; the challenge will end on July 13th at 11:00 PM CDT.

Because I haven't played the game myself to be able to gauge the difficulty, if no one clears the game within the first two weeks, there'll be a two-week extension. After that, we'll probably go on to something else.

Acceptable versions are the PCB (or MAME), the arcade version on the Virtual Console, the version in either Shenmue game, or the arcade version on Sega Ages 2500 Vol. 20: Space Harrier Complete Collection (Japan-only, so don't worry about it). No home port aside from the ones listed will be acceptable.

EDIT: Struck one port from the list because apparently it's actually a remake. And fixed another thing.

[WarpRattler]

Oh yeah, uh, I completely forgot about this. Because I was busy with real life, and Space Harrier totally isn't as much fun as Night Striker anyway. New game instead.

The game is Tetris The Absolute The Grand Master 2 Plus, Death mode. MAME, PCB, or Texmaster 2009 (sudden mode). Whoever has reached the highest level by the end wins; the challenge ends on Thursday, July 29, at 11:00 PM CDT.

I'm horrible at Death mode, so should anyone else actually play this time, it should be pretty close.

[Kuromatsu]

I suppose I'll post my score here.