How often do you "complete" your games?

[Gloves | 11,761]

I'm playing through Yoshi's Story on SNES and at the end of each level you get a grade from 0-100 based on how many stars, red coins, and flowers you finish the level with. Prior to this I played through Super Mario World which has many secrets and hidden levels, and tracks that progress on the save select screen. 

Got me wondering how often you all take the time to get the 100%, especially on these older games. It can feel pretty good knowing you have a cart with a "complete" save on it that you've earned yourself, but also often time consuming. I myself spent a number of years chasing platinum trophies and 100%s on PlayStation games for trophies. 

How often do you all complete your games? Do you feel it's worth your time to do so? Or do you feel you've gotten enough out of your games by simply reaching the end? 

[Bubbapauls | 250]

Depends on the reward for doing all that.  I’m pretty sure you get extra bonus levels in Yoshi’s Island if you 100% a world. That is something that makes it worth it to me.  
 

It also depends how much I’m enjoying the game. If I really like a game I’ll usually 100% it if it isn’t really time consuming.

[Tanooki | 4,930]

Rarely and often I go between that sickening me to no end, to being satisfied because of the type of game it is, but usually the first one.  Years ago, when time was easier not with a wife and kid, and other bs going on I could comfortably not feel tired once the kiddo was in bed to pound out 3+ hours on a game.  I can't do it anymore, yet I still wish I could have a lot more stuff, but I'll never use it.  Worse I have many that are unfinished or I just can't even get to, so it makes it even worse.  Basically you'll find as I'm intending at some point here to setup a gaming/non-gaming sales thread as others have, I get rid of a lot of stuff because I can't make the fair time to enjoy it.  I'd rather things go to those who will be happy having the game and using it than me collecting a dust bunny farm.

Last year I know I completed Ghostbusters and Diablo on the Switch, put up some nice high scores on a few other non-ending type titles, and some random other non-switch titles between the pc, pc engine, virtual boy I did either of those 2 choices too that pleased me, but there were far too many more I did not.

Sadly I'm sitting on 2 untouched Switch games (Umihara Kawase and Collection of Mana), and have most others I stopped cold on for no good reason (Mega Man 11, Octopath, Yoshi, Skyrim, Pokemon Lets Go Pikachu to name a few and that's only Switch so it's an issue.

 

When I do really finish one up, my idea of completion and satisfaction is seeing the end, seeing the high score easily topped.  I don't need to go through 50% more BS to see every dumb item, NPC, hidden treasure, three dozen pointless side quests, or the rest as it's just filler for those who want extra who stick to one game for months at a time by choice or budget.

[Link | 2,708]

I’ve never cared about 100%ing games. Only getting to the end, and playing the fun parts. But getting every single special tchotcke, not for me. 

I just realized maybe it’s because it wasn’t a thing when I was a kid. I only encountered it with Donkey Kong Country, which I barely played because I largely stopped playing video games at that time.

Now I’m curious about a cross-reference of age with attitude against warp zones. I’m 40.

Edited January 13, 2020 by Link

[BortLicensePlate | 652]

Depends on how much I like the game. I'm working on 100%ing the end is nigh, because I enjoyed the game a lot and am not bored of it yet. But if I dont end up liking a game that much I wont bother. 

[ALTQQ | 87]

When I was in high school I'd try my best to 100% any tapes I had because I didnt have many. Then after high school it was just beat the tape. now the challenge is start the tape in general. I think I beat likes 2 snes tapes in 2019 and that's about it.

[fcgamer | 4,719]

When I was younger I'd try more often to finish all of these aspects, especially if it earned you something cool like a new car or playable character, new stages, etc.

These days I don't think I have as much patience for this sort of thing, and certainly not the time.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,510]

Back in the day?  All the time.  I had no choice.  When you receive one new game over a 1-6 month period, you play the shit out of it.

 

Now, rarely.  I'm close to the end of FFXII, and the instant I hit the credits I'm moving on.  Not because I wouldn't have fun going after the last hunts, or whatever lurking super bosses, but because I could probably get through 2-3 other games in that time, and I have a lot of games I know I'll have a great time with waiting for me.

Of course sometimes I find the game too fun to quit.  Super Mario Odyssey being a great recent example.  And most SNES games have so little side stuff that I call a beat a completion, because I know I'm done with it and I saw everything.  And I did whore out on xbox gamescore for awhile back in the day.  It was just so satisfying knocking out a list, as long as goals were fun.

For me, beating a game is like finishing a movie or book.  I get closure.  Doing the extra shit is like watching all of the included bonus shit and listening to all of the commentaries.  You only do it if you're seriously nerding out on something.

[phart010 | 1,705]

3 hours ago, Gloves said:

I'm playing through Yoshi's Story on SNES and at the end of each level you get a grade from 0-100 based on how many stars, red coins, and flowers you finish the level with. Prior to this I played through Super Mario World which has many secrets and hidden levels, and tracks that progress on the save select screen. 

Got me wondering how often you all take the time to get the 100%, especially on these older games. It can feel pretty good knowing you have a cart with a "complete" save on it that you've earned yourself, but also often time consuming. I myself spent a number of years chasing platinum trophies and 100%s on PlayStation games for trophies. 

How often do you all complete your games? Do you feel it's worth your time to do so? Or do you feel you've gotten enough out of your games by simply reaching the end? 

Yoshi island is a tough one to 100%. I only ever got 100% on the first world. Then beat the special stages but couldn’t 100% them.. then I quit...

Still wondering what kind of special stages there are in the other worlds. Ah well

[ErickRPG | 42]

I wouldn't say 100%.  But I do fairly thoroughly play the games.  For example in M&L Paper Jam I make sure to earn all of the "avoid 5x in a row" against all enemies.  Since I've changed my collection strategy to just buying games I will play right away.  I have more games I've beaten sitting on my shelves as opposed to games I "want to beat".

[Nugfish | 652]

I usually feel like I have to which means I  get burnt out and dont finish it. I think that is one of the reasons I enjoy retro games more than modern games: 100%ing SMW or Mario 64 is much less time consuming than 100%ing Mario Odyssey. 

[DoctorEncore | 3,690]

I used to be an absolute completionist and I went to crazy lengths to do and see everything in every single game I played. Nowadays, I never start a game with a goal of 100% completion because it's just not realistic with work and family life. In fact, I've gotten to this awesome place where I'm totally comfortable only doing the things I consider fun or rewarding when I play. So if a game is truly amazing and I'm lost in its world, I may actually end up with 100%. If a game is anything less, then I'm totally happy skipping the filler bullshit. Leaving 50 unexplored points of interest on a map doesn't even phase me anymore.

For Celeste, I did everything except the golden strawberries and walked away pleased. For Red Dead 2, I left a ton of boring stuff undone. Same for Far Cry 5 and it's tedious side quests. I'm finishing up Outer Worlds right now and will probably end up in the 85-90% range because most of the content is fantastic.

So basically, I do what I want. And if that means I get the bad or neutral ending, I just head over to YouTube and watch the endings I missed. Technology is great.

Edited January 13, 2020 by DoctorEncore

[Sumez | 2,933]

Stuff like getting all the stars in Super Mario 64, sure! That's fun to do. It's a part of playing the entire game.

But the "100%" concept in most modern games just means running around doing the same thing over and over again, it's a grind. I'm rarely ever doing it.
I'm actually trying to go for all the spirits in Smash Bros Ultimate right now, and it's the dumbest thing ever, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[jonebone | 1,307]

As an adult?  Absolutely never.

As a kid? I tried my damnest!  Sometimes I could sometimes I couldn't.

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

Depends on how much I like the game and how much is involved. Games that included pointless fetch quests that are tedious I will skip even if I really like the game. If it's not too bad and gives you some sweet unlockables I am definitely more likely to 100%. Aren't many games these days worth getting 100% though... they just fill them with really pointless stuff to make the game seem bigger than it is. I remember getting platinum on a number of PS games and feeling zero satisfaction because of how dumb some of the achievements were.

[DarkTone | 984]

Rarely. Was thinking about this the other day. Beat sonic mania a while back, but didnt get the good ending. Doesnt bother me but maybe I'll go back and finish it. I do this with a lot of my game. 

[rdrunner | 422]

Depends on how much fun I'm having. Honestly, isn't that all that matters?

100%, side quests, achievements etc , they're all just extra things to do in a game, other than meeting the main goal.

Going thru a perfect example of this right now playing Rayman Origins. The choices I have for each stage are: just reach the end, find all the hidden stuff, get the medal, and/or get the time trial trophy. Sometimes I go for everything, but currently it's more fun just to play through. If I have time later (unlikely), I can always come back and do more.

Oh and achievements are annoying. Most of the games are impossible for me to "complete" because they require multiplayer and I refuse to pay for an Xbox gold subscription.

Edited January 13, 2020 by rdrunner
Grammar

[arnpoly | 198]

I complete games fairly often, particularly with retro games.  I find the older I get the less interested I am in completing everything in a game on newer games.  Even then I'm probably close to 50/50 on whether I go for 100%.

[ifightdragons | 234]

I always had to 100 % the mainline Zelda games, every one of them.
And then BotW came out, and I couldn't even be bothered to finish it.

The kinstone fusion in Minish Cap got tedious very quick.

Edited January 13, 2020 by ifightdragons

[MuNKeY | 241]

Seems the only game I can remember going out of my way to 100% complete was Castlevania SotN on ps1 and Battle Garegga on ps4 otherwise just beating the game is enough for me to move along and that is getting to be a rare thing in itself with the modern games anyway.

[spacepup | 2,404]

I try to focus more on just having fun, for me, when I'm playing games now.  This has evolved into me trying to take a more zen / live in the moment type approach to gaming.

The several-years-ago-me would be playing an RPG, and get asked a question with multiple options.  I'd pause the game, look up a bunch of information, in order to make sure that I selected the answer that would give me the best outcome, the best equipment, etc. etc.  Or maybe I'd try to read some tips before the game, for skippable items, to make sure I wouldn't miss anything. I realized over time that I was losing out on the immersive experience of just playing the game and having fun.  So now, rather than worrying about what I might miss, I just focus on having fun with what I have, and playing the game more naturally.

I sort of apply this same mentality to the concept of 100%ing a game.  I'll play a game as long as I'm having fun with it.  Sometimes, that means me exploring every nook and cranny to see the full game world.  But sometimes, that is me doing some quests here and there, but ultimately focusing on the main game.  Usually it's some sort of balance in the middle.  

I don't care about points, I don't care about trophies, and I don't care about being on some leaderboard, or having any gaming accomplishments.  Other people love that stuff and that's great.  But I just like playing the games for myself and having a good time.  And if I tried to 100% games, I'd end up burning myself out, missing out on a lot of other games, and I think I wouldn't be as happy with my gaming experiences.

[ErickRPG | 42]

10 hours ago, Nugfish said:

I usually feel like I have to which means I  get burnt out and dont finish it. I think that is one of the reasons I enjoy retro games more than modern games: 100%ing SMW or Mario 64 is much less time consuming than 100%ing Mario Odyssey. 

Yeah me too.  Several years ago I stopped being so OCD about that and now I actually finish games.  Way more than I used to.  I am still thorough, I just don't have to 100% perfect it.

[Silent Hill | 276]

I seem to only really 100% platforming games anymore. Most recently, POI and New Super Lucky's Tale (though I'm still working on the bonus levels which are accessible after beating the main game)

[DefaultGen | 5,399]

Almost never since the N64. I have too many games to play and lots of "100%" content is kind of filler-y. Even Mario games, my favorite franchise, I don't get all the coins and stuff. I'm lazy.

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

11 hours ago, Nugfish said:

I usually feel like I have to which means I  get burnt out and dont finish it. I think that is one of the reasons I enjoy retro games more than modern games: 100%ing SMW or Mario 64 is much less time consuming than 100%ing Mario Odyssey. 

Odyssey was severely watered down due to the vast number of moons. Most of them involved zero skill and a lot were tedious fetch quests for the sake of it. That game is so frustrating to me as it has superb mechanics, looks great, but suffers so badly on challenge and reward that it isn't even fun. The more I think about the game the more disappointed I am with it. When you 100% SMW and 64 you actually feel like you've accomplished something where Odyssey just felt like a time sink collect-a-thon.