Which is the toughest of The Big Three?

[SoulBlazer]

Just saw this video on YouTube for getting a TKO on Tyson in Punch out:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPWKlpbGtHE

 

I wish it was as easy as the player makes it seeem!

[NE146]

 

[The Usotsuki]

I still slam my gamepad down when I lose a game.

[TheGameCollector]

 

I took that controller, and "I threw it on the ground" cause you know, "you can't trust the system" and stuff.

 

Doing such as a kid turned into just cussing and yelling like the Angry Video Game Nerd as an adult.

[Lord Thag]

Hmm.

 

Gradius ... no way. I can still beat that on one life twenty years later. It's tough at first, but it's really not all that hard.

 

I also repeatedly beat 'Iron' Mike into pixilated oblivion.

 

Ghosts n Goblins, now there's a pain in the ass. I beat it, but it's a slog. Tough, but more long and repetative than anything once you get the hang of it. The engrish ending was a letdown.

 

Ninja Gaiden .. I've beaten that back in the day, but it's a beast. Not easy by ANY stretch of the imagination.

 

Battletoads was really tough too. Didn't like it much truth be told, so I didn't put the time into it like I did the others.

 

You want a really nasty game? Try beating Magician Lord on the Neo. Or King of the Monsters 2. Yowza.

[Arkhan]

GnG, simply because its hard due to the game mechanics being clunky and busted.

 

Battle Toads isn't hard if you memorize the Turbo Tunnel, and Ninja Gaiden's only hard if you suck.

[BillyHW]

Yes, Ninja Gaiden is only hard if you suck.

[atarilovesyou]

I think Gradius is a game where you pretty much MUST finish it on one life; cause if you die on the later levels, your peashooter and slow-ass ship will just get owned to oblivion. In fact, that's the only way I got my high score on that one as well...one man, one death, much lamentation.

[Cybergoth]

GnG, simply because its hard due to the game mechanics being clunky and busted.

 

Also the NES version is unfair as hell. E.g. there's a spot in the second stage, when you accidently jump there, it'll drop the torch weapon right onto the ladder to the exit

[LidLikesIntellivision]

I didn' play punchout enogh so I got stuck in Tyson. I'm picking it again! Let's see what I can today

 

Never played GnG before, I'm going to check this one! It's always good to have a new nes game to play

 

I loved Battletoads played many times, it took a long time to master the game. Then I could finish it passing all the levels whenever I wanted

Battletoads is the best nes game, IMO. The challenge is great but it's also very fun to play.

[Mingy Jongo]

The only one of those I haven't beaten is Battletoads, so that gets my vote.

[StanJr]

Battletoads is the obvious choice. Hard as balls, limited continues and hard as balls.

 

GnG has unlimited continues, so no matter how hard it is, you will eventually wear it down and beat it. Eventually. And once you do, you'll be able to run through it over and over with much less trouble.

 

Ninja Gaiden is tough and has limited continues, but is no where near as evil as Battletoads.

 

But Ikari Warriors is the hardest NES game ever, so says me: http://electricfrankfurter.blogspot.com/2011/07/top-30-hardest-nes-games-ever.html

[sqoon]

Ghosts 'n' Goblins was just depressing and demoralizing after a while, and making you play through the game twice is garbage, especially if you have to hang on a certain weapon to complete the game (I assume there are other opportunities to acquire it, but it's still an oppressive win condition).

 

Agree.

 

I never played Ninja Gaiden or Battletoads, but can vouch for GnG being demoralizing and oppressive. I only made it to the later stages of this game about twice that I can remember, and finally called it quits on this one. Better things to do in life than be oppressed by a video game.

[Arkhan]

Battletoads is the obvious choice. Hard as balls, limited continues and hard as balls.

It's a learnable game. Memorize the turbo tunnel, and the game gets easier.

 

 

GnG has unlimited continues, so no matter how hard it is, you will eventually wear it down and beat it. Eventually. And once you do, you'll be able to run through it over and over with much less trouble.

I can run through Daimakaimura on SGX and Ghouls n Ghosts for Genesis ad infinitum. I beat the NES GnG once. I still can't do it again. It's a clunky, disastrous piece of shit.

 

 

But Ikari Warriors is the hardest NES game ever, so says me: http://electricfrank...games-ever.html

 

lol, what? I beat that game repeatedly when I was like 8 years old dude.

[+thegoldenband]

But Ikari Warriors is the hardest NES game ever, so says me: http://electricfrank...games-ever.html

 

lol, what? I beat that game repeatedly when I was like 8 years old dude.

 

Now do it without the ABBA continue cheat!

 

I agree with StanJr, that game is pretty much impossible without the code. Actually, a lot of run 'n' guns have the same problem, IMHO: they're overly difficult without continues, and mindlessly easy -- "So easy, an 8-year-old can beat it!" -- with unlimited continues, whether they're available legitimately or through a cheat code.

 

There aren't that many that achieve a good balance between punishing sloppy play and creating an engaging gaming experience devoid of cheap shots. (Which makes Contra all the more impressive; it's fun with 30 lives, and still fun with just 3.)

[Arkhan]

theres a continue cheat?

 

 

I know others locally that can beat it without a continue cheat.

 

 

 

Apparently, this guy can do it too, and he documented it.

 

I've also finished Guerilla War without continuing. and other run and gun games that are often deemed hard.

 

Plus, its not really a "cheat". The games are arcade games that were designed to eat quarters. Continuing is like having a pocket full of quarters.

 

The idea is to eventually only need ONE quarter.

 

duh.

[Arkhan]

edit: weird doublepost.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Arkhan

[+thegoldenband]

Oh, I don't doubt that there are people who can beat Ikari Warriors with one credit. I've beaten other run-'n'-guns without continuing -- Rambo II for SMS, which is very similar to Ikari Warriors, comes to mind. And I can imagine doing the same with Guerrilla War.

 

But one crucial difference is that the characters in Guerrilla War are actually responsive, and move very quickly. In Ikari Warriors, your character is slow as mud, and turns around like a student driver practicing a three-point turn, so you can't rely on reflexes. And the game penalizes you if you try to take things slow, since random grenades start coming in from offscreen.

 

So the key is memorization, but the stages are ungodly long and repetitive. I personally think that much memorization is a waste of time when there are other, better games waiting to be played. It sort of exemplifies the worst of the 1980s style of Japanese gaming; maybe you had time for that when you were eight years old, but I don't consider it a good use of my time.

 

This is one of the rare occasions where the SMS soundly thumps the NES, in that Rambo II is a much better game, IMHO; even though it has some of the same vices, the stages are shorter, and there's at least some room for improvisation and fun. I love a challenge, and I've beaten some hard-ass games, but if it's not fun, what's the point?

[sqoon]

I love a challenge, and I've beaten some hard-ass games, but if it's not fun, what's the point?

 

This is exactly why I never revisited GnG. It wasn't fun only getting to the later stages once or twice, let alone getting to the end boss stage. I too have beaten some tough ones, but beating myself in the head over and over tires me out after a while.

[NE146]

I always say if you like Ghosts and Goblins but it's too frustrating, just play Ghouls and Ghosts on the Genesis (or wherever). All the fun but only a quarter of the frustration.

 

Battletoads is the obvious choice. Hard as balls, limited continues and hard as balls.

It's a learnable game. Memorize the turbo tunnel, and the game gets easier.

 

You know.. i played Battletoads again in an emulator using savestates, and I STILL couldn't pass the tunnels at the end even though I knew exactly what was coming up (i.e. memorization was not a factor). i guess my reflexes just suck now.

[atarilovesyou]

theres a continue cheat? I know others locally that can beat it without a continue cheat.

Apparently, this guy can do it too, and he documented it. I've also finished Guerilla War without continuing. and other run and gun games that are often deemed hard. Plus, its not really a "cheat". The games are arcade games that were designed to eat quarters. Continuing is like having a pocket full of quarters. The idea is to eventually only need ONE quarter. duh.

 

I pity the fool who spent an hour of his life beating this game; it takes an hour! And that ending, that horrible, HORRIBLE ending! Indeed, there are many better ways to spend your time than playing this turd. Hats off to whoever this was, cause if you can stomach this crap for an hour, you're probably the most patient person on earth.

[atarilovesyou]

Regarding the much lamented turbo tunnel level of Battletoads:

 

Is it really that difficult? I remember it was pretty insane way back when, but even then we figured it out after a few plays. You just have to rely on timing, not your eyes (especially that last super-quick part). For those who think that level is hard...egad, that's nothing!...as I said: this game will teach you the meaning of pain.

[Arkhan]

I always thought the turbo tunnel was kind of easy after the first few tries. Knowing whats coming helps

 

you still have to resist the urge to move too fast for something,

 

and you also have to move just enough to clear stuff. I've watched people who know the pattern but move too much so they have no time to go where they need to, and miss the jumps/slam into walls

[toptenmaterial]

I have never played Battletoads of G&G.

 

I have Ninja Gaiden downloaded on the Wii, and it is very, very hard. I cannot beat it, at least not yet.

 

Castlevania has been mentioned a few times, and that one is brutal. Never made it passed Frankenstien.

 

Zelda 1 & 2 I can easily beat, no sweat. Same with Mario 3. I beat Mario 2 as a kid, but can't today. I

finally beat Mario 1 for the first time recently (the final hammer bro is a bitch).

 

Wii has some decent platformers of high difficulty: Rayman Origins, New SMB and especially

DK Country Returns. The Punchout remake is also pretty tough.

Edited April 26, 2012 by toptenmaterial

[StanJr]

Compared to the big three on this list, Castlevania is Mega Man 2. Keep the Holy Water and nothing will stand in your way.