The 2022 Backlog Challenge

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

16 hours ago, Lynda Monica said:

I'm not going to consider the game beaten, but I did make a serious effort to finish. For the sake of my well being though, I quit.

Sometimes I feel content knowing I saw 90%+ of a game's content, even if the end eludes me.  I got to experience what the game has to offer, and that's good enough.

Also, it looks like the rest of your list is generally considered a notch or two (or three) higher than Lost World, so you've got that going for you.

[Kguillemette | 1,544]

Tales of Graces f is *finally* done. I know this is one of the higher ranked Tales of games out there, but I personally can't recommend it. I think the main reason I dug it so early on is the really heavy inspiration it took from FF7, which is far and away one of my favorite RPGs. It really dragged on for way too long though and likable characters just became annoying or fotgettable. The best part of any Tales Game, and my main draw to the series is the gameplay. The gameplay of your typical Tales game is a mini hack and slash session inserted into a series of RPG dungeons based around a central puzzle. The story progresses along a linear completion of those dungeons while you upgrade equipment and manage resources in typical JRPG fashion. Very addictive and fun. It can completely enhance even the most clichéd of storyline into something special. This is the game where they seem to have moved away from that formula. In ToGf, the combat isn't hack and slashing(think Secret of Mana), dungeons are just straight lines with minimal puzzle solving with the whole purpose being moving from point A to B, and resource management replaced with weird and unfun crafting mechanics called dualizing and Eleth mixing. I easily recommend skipping this entry. 

 

[Floating Platforms | 720]

I finished Battle of Olympus tonight

This is a game that I loved as a kid, but never got too far in.  Playing it now, I can certainly understand why.  I played this blind, taking notes as I went, and I think I got everything except for one of the health bar upgrades.  I got stuck several times, though and there were a few instances where I wasn't totally sure which path was best because they all seemed equally above my abilities/items.  The biggest knock against it is that the combat is way too picky.  It also suffers from Castlevania knock back and that makes for a lethal combination when your attack attempt is slightly too high or too low or too early or too late and then get tossed into a pit.  Grinding for olives (money) was a bit obnoxious at times as well.  The last level also made me rage a tiny bit, especially earlier on when it showed that going in the "wrong" door (impossible to know beforehand) will force you to do the whole thing again or exit to another town altogether.  Progress was slow and methodical and there were far too may false paths considering the nasty enemy placement.  Still, with all my complaining, I do enjoy this game a lot but I loved the concept of it a bit more than the eventual execution.

[Lago | 221]

I've been doing this myself this year.  Didn't make a list at the start of the year but just trying to focus on playing more than collecting.  2022 is almost over.  How did that happen already?  I definitely want in on this next year!  Will it be a continuation of this thread or will I need to watch out for a new one?

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

13 hours ago, Floating Platforms said:

I finished Battle of Olympus tonight

This is a game that I loved as a kid, but never got too far in.  Playing it now, I can certainly understand why.  I played this blind, taking notes as I went, and I think I got everything except for one of the health bar upgrades.  I got stuck several times, though and there were a few instances where I wasn't totally sure which path was best because they all seemed equally above my abilities/items.  The biggest knock against it is that the combat is way too picky.  It also suffers from Castlevania knock back and that makes for a lethal combination when your attack attempt is slightly too high or too low or too early or too late and then get tossed into a pit.  Grinding for olives (money) was a bit obnoxious at times as well.  The last level also made me rage a tiny bit, especially earlier on when it showed that going in the "wrong" door (impossible to know beforehand) will force you to do the whole thing again or exit to another town altogether.  Progress was slow and methodical and there were far too may false paths considering the nasty enemy placement.  Still, with all my complaining, I do enjoy this game a lot but I loved the concept of it a bit more than the eventual execution.

I never played much of this one but I always thought it looked cool. I could definitely see it qualifying as a hidden gem.

1 hour ago, Lago said:

I've been doing this myself this year.  Didn't make a list at the start of the year but just trying to focus on playing more than collecting.  2022 is almost over.  How did that happen already?  I definitely want in on this next year!  Will it be a continuation of this thread or will I need to watch out for a new one?

If the last two years are any indication, I'm sure @Reed Rothchild will have a new thread for 2023 ready on January 1st.

These threads have definitely helped me to move my focus to playing rather than just collecting.

Edited August 21, 2022 by DoctorEncore

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

Correct @DoctorEncore.  @Lago the 2023 thread will go up in December which gives you time to curate a list.  We'll go live on Jan. 1st.

[MegaMan52 | 2,450]

Beat Tiny Toon Adventures 2.

Rented the game once in 1994. I remember the game being too hard, especially the Roller Coaster level. I don't think I was able to beat even one level.

Now as an adult, most of the levels aren't too difficult but they have their moments. I think the Roller Coaster level is still hard, and the Fun House can also be difficult.

The Bumper Cars level isn't "hard", but can be a bit frustrating thanks to all the bumpers. Everytime you hit a bumper, the screen flashes which can get a little annoying (especially in round 2, in which you're likely to hit the bumpers more often). Plucky doesn't always go in the direction you want him to, and the bumpers can push you all over the place which wastes time (you're given two minutes to beat all three rounds). If you hit the bumpers a few times, a power up appears which prevents you from being pushed back far but it doesn't last very long. In round 2, there's a rat at the bottom part of the level who is constantly being pushed by bumpers. Pushing this rat out of the area is a bit awkward, because the bumpers are constantly pushing you around too. But once the rats are near the hole, it's not too difficult to push them in and win the level.

The Train level is one of my favorites. It's neither frustrating or too easy, and the controls are responsive. Also, aside from Buster, Hamton is the only other character in the game that fights a boss so that's another reason why this level is one of my favorites.

The Log Ride level is, in my opinion, the easiest level in the game. There's not much about it that's hard, except near the end where you have to ride a lift and avoid birds and pillars. I remember not being able to get past that part when I was a kid, but it's not too difficult for me now (it is a little hard not to take one hit though). Despite being called the "High Speed" Log Ride, it's pretty easy and chill compared to the other levels.

The Roller Coaster level is not only hard, but even more frustrating than the Bumper Cars level. You have to know what's up ahead, and be ready to either duck or flip over the Roller Coaster and hang onto it. The enemies aren't hard to avoid, it's the obstacles and the Roller Coaster's speed that make this level hard. At the last part of the level, you're suppose to duck, flip over the Roller Coaster, and then flip it right back up really fast to make it to the end. During one of my attempts, I got to the last part and the game tricked me into thinking I needed to flip over the Roller Coaster first...so of course, I had to start the level over from the beginning again. After several tries, I finally beat it. This level is the reason why I put off beating this game for so many years. I got to say, though, the music fits the level perfectly. Pretty wacky.

The Haunted House, as expected, is pretty difficult especially if you haven't played the game in a while. This is the only level in the game that is like the first Tiny Toon Adventures in that it is pure platforming. Some gaps at the beginning are really wide. Buster has a somersault kick move that looks kind of cool, but can be both annoying and useful. Oddly, while most of the game has good control, the controls are a bit worse in this level. When you do the somersault kick, Buster keeps moving in whatever direction he's going even if you press the other direction on the Control Pad. This can make you fall down the holes if you're not careful. The level is a maze, so unless you've played through this level several times you're not going to know where to go. But after going through it a few times, it's not difficult to remember which doors to enter. Also, if you fall down a hole or lose all your energy, the game allows you to keep re-entering the level. You don't have to worry about running out of tickets, it's just a matter of having four gold tickets which you win after beating the other levels. Unlike the first Tiny Toon Adventures, the game doesn't send you back to the beginning of a level if Elmyra touches you. Touching her doesn't drain Buster's energy either (even though he acts hurt). Anyway, Montana Max is actually pretty easy to beat. You have to run and keep up with him, but kicking his bombs back at him isn't hard. Even if a bomb lands on the ground, you can still kick it out of the way. 

Even though the Roller Coaster and Fun House levels are hard, I think the first Tiny Toon Adventures is a bit harder. It's also longer, and I think I like it a bit more overall. But I do appreciate the gameplay variety in Tiny Toon Adventures 2.

Edited August 23, 2022 by MegaMan52

[fox | 1,667]

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

Killer 7.  Did I mention this was a strange game?

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

10 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Killer 7.  Did I mention this was a strange game?

I'd be all over this game if they released a remaster. It sounds like the PC port is decent, although I don't game there much. Thoughts so far?

[Sumez | 2,963]

Just play the PS2 version  It's still fine

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

2 hours ago, DoctorEncore said:

I'd be all over this game if they released a remaster. It sounds like the PC port is decent, although I don't game there much. Thoughts so far?

That was the ending. I beat it.

It is very much a "cult" game.  Probably one of the cultiest I've ever played.  Gameplay is very unorthodox, and very much... uh, maybe not what most people would call exceedingly strong.  The puzzles are 90% easily solved because the map tells you explicitly what to do, or completely unintuitive.

The story, art style, and overall uniqueness of the game (think of a less silly No More Heroes) are the main draws.  And even then, it's pretty out there.  Like something from the mind of David Lynch.

[MegaMan52 | 2,450]

Beat The Flintstones: the Rescue of Dino & Hoppy. 

This was one of several NES games I rented in 1994. I'm not sure how far I got then. I sort of remember the ice and jungle levels, but don't remember if I got to the castle level. The castle seems familiar, but it's possible that I might be thinking of another game I played all those years ago.

While I've played this game numerous times over the years, I put off beating it because of the castle level. There is a section in the level with rising lava. I always thought you needed to talk to Gazoo and use Fred's fly ability to get through this section, but the ability seems to wear off too quickly even if you have lots of coins. Turns out you don't need the fly ability in this area and just need to jump and climb, though Fred is a little slow (it takes him two or three seconds to pull himself up when grabbing a ledge). 

While the game does have the Flintstones theme music, I don't remember most of the level music in the show. Which is fine; I don't mind that the game has original music. But I do appreciate that the water level has music from some of the shows episodes (from season 3 or 4 I believe).

The boss on the seventh level seemed nearly impossible. I constantly threw Stone Axes but the boss always seems to get too close and I took damage. I then realized you can jump up to the roof, wait until the boss moves where you were, and then drop down on the other side and continue throwing Stone Axes. Once I figured that out, it wasn't too difficult. 

On the last level (which takes place in the future and George Jetson makes a cameo), I had to continue several times. Near the end of the level (before you reach Dr. Butler), there is an area with several small platforms. One platform appears to be just barely out of reach. It is possible to grab onto it, but unless your timing is basically perfect you'll likely miss it. I was worried that using the fly ability would use up too many coins, since I needed to save some coins for the battle against Dr. Butler. So, I jumped...and didn't make it. So I had to continue and start the level from the beginning, Unfortunately, if you continue, you lose most of your coins and start with only ten coins. There is a section where you need to (or probably should) call Gazoo and use the jump and fly abilities to avoid some fire. Unfortunately, the fly ability isn't useful with only ten coins so if you continued then you have no choice but to walk on the fire and take damage. This isn't too big of a deal since there are more power ups later in the level that refill your energy, but it's still inconvenient. Before reaching the section with the small platforms again, I had to farm for coins both because I thought I needed them for the final battle and also because I decided that I wanted to use the fly ability to reach that one platform that's almost out of reach. So I got to the platform and used the fly ability, and was surprised to see that it didn't use up many coins. As soon as I got to the boss, I realized I didn't need very many coins. Fred's Club does a lot of damage, as long as you charge up. I used a few Stone Axes, but Dr. Butler was surprisingly easy to defeat by mostly just using Fred's Club.

Anyway, I finally beat the game. There isn't much of an ending, but that doesn't really matter because the game itself is good and I think it is still fun after all these years.

Edited August 26, 2022 by MegaMan52

[MegaMan52 | 2,450]

11 hours ago, DoctorEncore said:

I'd be all over this game if they released a remaster. It sounds like the PC port is decent, although I don't game there much. Thoughts so far?

As strange as the game is, I recommend giving it a chance. Go ahead and get the PC version, or buy the GameCube version if you have a GameCube.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

Played a bit of Maximo for the first time in 15 years, and oof.  I forgot about all of the anti-quality of life features they intentionally put in.  Kinda unsure if I'd ready for that sort of aggravation right now...

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

2/3 of the way through the year:

@Philosoraptor 146/20
@Sumez 21/47
@MegaMan52 18/64
@ifightdragons 17/35
@Renmauzo 14/18
@DoctorEncore 13/31
@Floating Platforms 12/32
@twiztor 11/13
@fox 11/25
@CasualCart 10/10
@Reed Rothchild 10/15
@Foochie776 5/16
@Jeevan 4/10
@Gloves 4/13
@peg 4/19
@FireHazard51 4/22
@RH 3/7
@Brickman 3/12
@darkchylde28 3/14
@ScaryD 3/16
@Kguillemette 3/17
@MagusSmurf 3/25
@Jicsan 2/12
@monkeybut625 2/12
@killerkobra 2/13
@Webhead123 2/14
@Lynda Monica 2/15 0/5
@Californication 2/22
@Splain 1/6
@Murray 1/10
@cj_robot 1/12
@Matchbook 1/17
@0xDEAFC0DE 1/42
@FenrirZero 0/2
@drxandy 0/2
@G-type 0/3
@SailorScoutMandy 0/6
@spacepup 0/11
@Jaden 0/21
@ThePhleo 0/???
@Mr. CIB DNF

[Floating Platforms | 720]

Dang...not even half way there with my goal. I should have several more to add in September though. Nearly done with both of the remaining switch games. I have 30 hours in Chrono Trigger with a road trip coming. I'm taking my sweet time with Control (70% of main game trophies, 60% of game chapters, haven't started the DLC) and Great Ace Attorney (keep falling asleep while playing late at night), but I might get them done and that will get me over the half way mark.

I expected I would have more large chunks of time to play over the weekends and more late night time, but that hasn't panned out so much this year.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

@Floating Platforms Even if you only get halfway there, it's a commendable effort.  Plenty of games checked off the list.

I've got 5 games left, but it is feasible I don't complete any of them.  I retired Metal Warriors because I just couldn't quite clear the final boss, but I saw the whole game so I'm at peace with it. 

I retired Batman (more of a hiatus) because I got tired of leaving my system on for days, attempting the final boss/level.  Again, saw the whole game, so I can be at peace with it.

I started Slaughterhouse 3, and because it's so short I'll probably get it eventually, but the work is intermittent.  Hard to attempt the same level 5 times in a row without wanting to pause.

Contra Hard Corps is another where I'm near the end of the game,but then I don't play it for a month, and the memorization starts to erode.

Maximo is probably going to be retired (again), for now.  Since your mistakes permanently cost you, I probably have to start over anyway.

So, 5 games left, with not clear route at the moment for completing any of them.

[Splain | 2,571]

I'm pretty high up the list for having completed one game

Hollow Knight was this year?? I sank a lot of time into that one, if I ever take out the final boss in that one, it probably won't be this year. (hopefully someday. It's going to bug me forever.) (hah, bug joke)

I'm a few hours into Okami.

[Lynda Monica | 350]

Unfortunately I figured out why I was having such a hard time with Sonic Lost World. It's not the game's fault after all, but rather it's because the control stick on my Wii U Game Pad is busted, and when I press right on it, it will stay pressing right even after letting go. It'll only do that for a second, but it's enough to make the controls imprecise. That's the actual reason the sand slide in Sonic Lost World wasn't working, and since the game can't be played with any other controller, I have to replace my Game Pad in order to finish.

I'll fall behind a bit because of that, since I likely won't be able to replace it until half way through September.

I've had a pretty rough first year in this thread, but next year I'll know what to do.

[Webhead123 | 678]

The saddest part is that I've started 4 of the other games on my list, some months ago, but for various reasons haven't finished them yet.

DuckTales has continued to frustrate me. I know I'll end up with one good afternoon where I'll just plow through the whole thing in one go...but so far, something about it just eludes me.

I started Grim Fandango (a fantastic game) but I did so at a time when I was coming down off of a long stretch of adventure games and I think I needed a break. I'm a couple hours in and I will go back to it. Just haven't made the circle yet.

Conker was fun...until I hit the typical collect-a-thon gate-keeping part where I was going to have to back track to gather more doodads. I friggin' hate that about these kinds of games and it almost instantly sapped my enthusiasm to press on.

Super Mario 3D Land is going well. Just took a break and about ready to finish it up.

Edited August 27, 2022 by Webhead123

[Kguillemette | 1,544]

Well then. I'll have to knock out some small games to jump out the bottom half!

[Floating Platforms | 720]

9 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Even if you only get halfway there, it's a commendable effort.  Plenty of games checked off the list.

I've got 5 games left, but it is feasible I don't complete any of them.

Very true. If I didn't publicly commit through this thread, I doubt I would have touched a lot of these games. It's a great excuse to get some non-Game Boy backlog gaming done.  I'm hoping to get closer to 75% finished at this point. Some of the stuff I haven't tackled isn't that long.

If there's one thing I've learned about myself while doing the Beat Every Game Boy Game project is that I'm better off forcing myself to keep playing and trying until the game is done.  Before, I had a really nasty habit of starting games, getting close to the end and then stopping because I wanted to switch things up and start what I wanted to play next. I would tell myself "I'll finish [that first game] soon" but then months would pass as I got absorbed in the "next" game and then would forget everything about the original game.

Even now, the urge is great to play around on the PS3 to explore random games for what I could add to next year's thread, but I need to stay the course and keep making progress on the ones I'm currently enjoying.

[twiztor | 851]

On 8/27/2022 at 12:02 AM, Reed Rothchild said:

2/3 of the way through the year:

@twiztor 11/13

i'm actually at 12/13. guess i forgot to update after i beat Sonic Mania back on 7/27. i posted in this thread but forgot to hit my original post too. i've rectified that now.

this is probably where i end the year. i've given Holy Diver a few runs and can't find a way to beat the stage 4 boss. liked the game and its Castlevania-like play, but didn't love it enough to keep grinding and 'git gud'.

[Sumez | 2,963]

Aw man, I miss Reed's saucy remakrs on that list.
Anyway, I'm done with a bunch of responsibilities, and free to play Backlog games again.

Bionic Commando (GB) - Beaten 25/8

I've heard talks for a long time about how the GB version of Bionic Commando is one of those gems that doesn't get the attention it deserves. I guess this probably left me expecting a little more than what was reasonable, because this game is exactly the type of game that made me mostly disinterested in the Game Boy as a whole back then - a watered down version of the NES game.

Of course, it would be unfair to just leave it at that. As far as "watered down" conversions go, Bionic Commando is definitely one of the better ones! It's very enjoyable, and if you liked the NES game you will absolutely like this. The flipside is that on the other hand this game really doesn't do anything the NES one didn't.
So if you were hoping for a forgotten sequel, this isn't it. The stages aren't the same as the NES game, but they share most of the same defining characteristics, and serve the same purpose in the overall structure. The later ones are better at breaking out and feeling more original, but especially early on it's pretty much like playing the same game.

Like "the original" Bionic Commando (both the arcade game and the NES one honestly, but mostly the latter), your grappling hook is at the core of the game design. It feels awkward and limited at first, but the more you play the game, the more intuitive it will become, as you get more used to the consequences of timing your fire and release differently. Due to the stages being set up basically the same way, the Game Boy version replicates the same feeling of gradually requiring the hook more and more as the player's familiarity increases, to the point where you will be doing nothing but swinging along over deadly pits by the end.

To be honest - outside of missing a few of the enemies and gimmicks of the NES game, the only place where the Game Boy's Bionic Commando really suffers compared to its big brother is, as you might expect, the limited screen resolution. It is only an issue at certain spots, but pretty much all the most frustrating swings in the game are caused by the absurdly short amount of time you have to react to terrain scrolling into view, as you're swinging ahead and tossing your character into leaps of blind faith. It also causes a common situation where enemies on a ledge you need to reach, refuse to spawn until the moment when you are swinging up there, planting yourself right in their face. It's a small blemish on an otherwise fine game, but probably enough to always prefer Bionic Commando on the NES.