NES Knockout HSC Round 4 - Cobra Triangle

[CGQuarterly]

This season, the NES HSC is going to participate in the AA-wide knockout competition. See the rules here:

 

http://www.atariage....t-announcement/

 

If you get knocked out, you can still compete in the NES HSC, but your score will not count towards the knockout tournament. So I'll be posting 2 sets of results for each round.

 

This round's game was picked by asponge.

 

Title: Cobra Triangle

Developer: Rare

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: July, 1989 (US)

 

http://youtu.be/PWshFqnMjZM

 

Rules:

 

This round will end on Sunday, February 26th.

 

Tips:

 

Scores so far:

 

1. asponge 831,600 +9

2. atarilovesyou 449,600 +6

3. Sonic R 241,100 +3

4. cparsley 91,850 +1

5. roadrunner 35,250 +1

6. jblenkle 29,700 +1

 

Current standings:

 

1. Sonic R 22

2. asponge 19

3. atarilovesyou 12

4(t). Austin 9

4(t). cparsley 9

6. bigbee99 5

7. roadrunner 4

8(t). LarcenTyler 3

8(t). jblenkle 3

10(t). classicgamer_27330 1

10(t). Jibbajaba 1

 

Players still alive in the knockout:

 

Sonic R

asponge

cparsley

bigbee99

LarcenTyler

Austin

Jibbajaba

roadrunner

Edited February 27, 2012 by Jibbajaba

[atarilovesyou]

AWESOME, I got this one...friggin' hard game, but it's awesome, one of my first way back when!

[asponge]

I'll start it off with 337,750.

 

[CGQuarterly]

I went to like 4 stores yesterday looking for this game and couldn't find it anywhere.

 

Chris

[atarilovesyou]

Damn the purple iceberg level, it's really just bad design. I seem to remember the trick is to have a force charged up for the cheap levels, like the waterfalls and purple iceberg levels. I'll put up a screen shot after a few more games.

 

edit: Purple iceberg level, you are the devil. Waterfall levels?...yep, you're the devil too. But at least you can game your way outta the waterfalls, you have NO chance of purple iceberg unless you have at least 3 lives minimum (you'll need every one!) and some luck....or Force. Cheapooooo, but dang, I am really getting back into playing this game! The HSC is a great way to get into my games, so I thank whoever is in charge of updating this page.

Edited February 22, 2012 by atarilovesyou

[asponge]

edit: Purple iceberg level, you are the devil. Waterfall levels?...yep, you're the devil too. But at least you can game your way outta the waterfalls, you have NO chance of purple iceberg unless you have at least 3 lives minimum (you'll need every one!) and some luck....or Force.

 

Yeah, that purple iceberg level is the worst. It's starts of reasonably enough, but especially just before the finish line, the icebergs are moving ridiculously fast. I can't get through there without losing at least one life.

 

The first waterfall level is easy once you get the timing down. After the first jump you need to let off the gas for just a second so that you don't hit the whirlpool. Do the same for the second jump, but with less of a pause. Then just keep the gas down for the remainder of the jumps and you should miss all of the other whirlpools. Otherwise, yes this level is very unforgiving. If you miss just once, it's really hard to get through without losing all of your lives. I remember getting to the second waterfall stage only a few times so I really don't remember if the same timing trick works or not.

[roadrunner]

35,250

[bigbee99]

Cool. Been a while since I played this one.

[atarilovesyou]

edit: Purple iceberg level, you are the devil. Waterfall levels?...yep, you're the devil too. But at least you can game your way outta the waterfalls, you have NO chance of purple iceberg unless you have at least 3 lives minimum (you'll need every one!) and some luck....or Force.

 

Yeah, that purple iceberg level is the worst. It's starts of reasonably enough, but especially just before the finish line, the icebergs are moving ridiculously fast. I can't get through there without losing at least one life.

 

The first waterfall level is easy once you get the timing down. After the first jump you need to let off the gas for just a second so that you don't hit the whirlpool. Do the same for the second jump, but with less of a pause. Then just keep the gas down for the remainder of the jumps and you should miss all of the other whirlpools. Otherwise, yes this level is very unforgiving. If you miss just once, it's really hard to get through without losing all of your lives. I remember getting to the second waterfall stage only a few times so I really don't remember if the same timing trick works or not.

 

I seem to remember the patterns on the waterfalls, cause back in the day I remember just using Force and hammering the gas the whole way...at least, it worked on one of the waterfall levels, can't even remember with all the forks in the road you can take. I forgot how vicious this game can be! Purple iceberg level though is just plain dumb. I almost wanna go on youtube to see if somebody has 'figured it out', but with old school games, I don't look for any tricks...I just imagine trying to beat the game on my own, but there is ONE big trick I remembered years back for this game which you probably already know about. Without it, powering up is very difficult. I don't wanna spoil anything for those who don't know but it's pretty easy to figure out.

[cparsley]

Maybe someday my spelling of my name will be fixed lol (probably not today)

[asponge]

Purple iceberg level though is just plain dumb. I almost wanna go on youtube to see if somebody has 'figured it out', but with old school games, I don't look for any tricks...I just imagine trying to beat the game on my own,

 

You just have to disregard the clock and take your time with it. I find myself constantly tapping the B button the whole way through. Getting the timing right when going through the "closing gate" icebergs (or whatever you want to call them), is where I have the hardest time. The river current always throws me off.

 

but there is ONE big trick I remembered years back for this game which you probably already know about. Without it, powering up is very difficult. I don't wanna spoil anything for those who don't know but it's pretty easy to figure out.

 

It took me a minute to remember what you're referring to. I forgot about that trick, which makes sense because as I've played this week I kept thinking that I wasn't as powered-up as a normally am at a certain point in the game. I just figured I was rusty.

 

However, I think that move would go against one of the HSC rules. The rule states that you cannot puposefully die at the end of a level just so that you can repeat it again. Normally that is to discourage point pressing, and in this case we're talking about re-collecting power-ups, so I'm not sure what side of the line this falls on. Chris would have to make that call.

[CGQuarterly]

Maybe someday my spelling of my name will be fixed lol (probably not today)

 

FIXED! Sorry about that. It happens to me a lot as well. Usually "Jibbajabba" (4 b's instead of three) or "jibbajaba" (not capitalized). I try to do my best to get everyones' names exactly as-entered since I'm picky about my own, but yours I mistyped the first time, and then propagated the error through copy-and-paste.

 

Chris

[atarilovesyou]

Purple iceberg level though is just plain dumb. I almost wanna go on youtube to see if somebody has 'figured it out', but with old school games, I don't look for any tricks...I just imagine trying to beat the game on my own,

 

You just have to disregard the clock and take your time with it. I find myself constantly tapping the B button the whole way through. Getting the timing right when going through the "closing gate" icebergs (or whatever you want to call them), is where I have the hardest time. The river current always throws me off.

 

but there is ONE big trick I remembered years back for this game which you probably already know about. Without it, powering up is very difficult. I don't wanna spoil anything for those who don't know but it's pretty easy to figure out.

 

It took me a minute to remember what you're referring to. I forgot about that trick, which makes sense because as I've played this week I kept thinking that I wasn't as powered-up as a normally am at a certain point in the game. I just figured I was rusty.

 

However, I think that move would go against one of the HSC rules. The rule states that you cannot puposefully die at the end of a level just so that you can repeat it again. Normally that is to discourage point pressing, and in this case we're talking about re-collecting power-ups, so I'm not sure what side of the line this falls on. Chris would have to make that call.

 

I guess I didn't read the rules quite so closely, I figured it just included codes and cheats...kinda like the Ninja Gaiden 'trick' that allows you to use magic without burning through the spin attack (by holding down when jumping and attacking).

 

The cheat we're talking about could be used not for powering up, as I did, but to post a crazy high score without leaving the first level, lol.

 

If I broke a rule, which now i'm pretty sure I did, then my score is null because I used that method to boost up to full...but, it still takes some time to do, so I figured it wasn't an outright cheat.

 

So I'll post up a new score reflecting no level one booster trick...time to get to work!

[cparsley]

For the 2nd straight week, a game I can't do via VirtualNES.... grrrr!!!

[jblenkle]

Cobra Triangle - 29,700

 

[CGQuarterly]

Parsley, just use a NES emulator. If you need the ROM, I can send it to you.

 

And yeah, don't cheat, people. That includes camping and whatnot. Atarilovesyou, what you did is in a grey area, but certainly unsportsmanlike.

 

Chris

[atarilovesyou]

Parsley, just use a NES emulator. If you need the ROM, I can send it to you.

 

And yeah, don't cheat, people. That includes camping and whatnot. Atarilovesyou, what you did is in a grey area, but certainly unsportsmanlike.

 

Chris

 

I'll remove these scores, and post new ones. Definitely didn't mean to break any rules (unfortunately, I didn't even read them first), won't happen again.

[CGQuarterly]

No worries.

 

Chris

[cparsley]

Parsley, just use a NES emulator. If you need the ROM, I can send it to you.

 

And yeah, don't cheat, people. That includes camping and whatnot. Atarilovesyou, what you did is in a grey area, but certainly unsportsmanlike.

 

Chris

 

Please do so I can do this in the last 24hrs before we out

[atarilovesyou]

New score, without camping: 231,800

 

Thanks for the waterfall tip though, I don't know how you figured that one out but it worked (after dying...a lot)...this game is still tough as nails, and I can't get past the purple haze of the purple waterfalls. I'm going to try mapping out different routes, see which one is the 'easiest' route (ie, the one that doesn't hit you with purple haze soonest).

 

As far as powerups go, speed and firepower are key (and the turbo), then work on missles and maybe a force. Since it's only a few levels where you can effectively boost up, take advantage of memorizing the powerups in the ramp level (the free men are most important thought, that's all that will work on the purple level...maybe a force too).

 

You should be powered up by the end of the second long race, the yellow route with the big shortcup jumps.

Just don't go into any boss battles with a lousy gun, you'll pay.

 

I really did forget how awesome this game was...I'm sure I beat it once way back when, but it must have been a feat! They really crammed a lot of gaming action in one title...it was one of my first games (Cobra Triangle, Ninja Gaiden and...FESTERS QUEST, which I didn't really mind much because I liked the overhead scenes from Blaster Master...plus, there was no AVGN at the time to complain about it, lol....we didn't have The Addams Family where I grew up, so all these characters were completely new to me as well).

 

Much like Battletoads, this game is tough but what a marvellous game for its (or any) time!

[asponge]

I had another opportunity to take a stab at this. Here's a decent improvement:

 

420,850

 

[Sonic R]

put in a few plays tonight...

 

241,100

 

 

wasted lives on the waterfall jumping stage

I should have more time this weekend to post improved scores...

[Sonic R]

a few tricks for some extra points:

 

keep pressing fire as your boat sets into the water at the start of every stage... you'll usually net a 1000 points.

 

when crossing the finish line, hold down left or right, as in to turn your boat... you will hop over the finish line and for every 360 spin, you will net a 1000 points... I can get several thousand points this way!

[atarilovesyou]

Tricky bits: getting the bonus life in the target stages...I'm almost at the point where getting the homing missiles during that stage is a bad idea...they never seem to work in a pinch. And sometimes your boat rotates faster in some parts than others...tough, and you'll need those lives.

 

The 1000 points when your boat starts a stage: I find this works best by sound. As soon as you hear the splash, start firing. Usually works, and 1000 pts is worth it.

 

Know what's NOT worth it?...saving the kids in the 'protect the swimmers' levels! LOL...I don't know if they're kids but it gives me a more urgent feel. You only get a few hundred points, and if you somehow save em all, a free life (I've only done this on the first play of this level. After that, it's pretty much impossible once the enemy boats take multiple hits and the UFO fires those missiles faster than snot). I just do my best until they swamp you, then let one boat drag a swimmer out of the zone, and go pick him up. Then, just circle the zone with hard angle turns, firing the whole time. If you're lucky, you'll make it. All the firepower won't help unless you're moving because of the UFO missiles that freeze you.

[cparsley]

Died at the kids in the pool damn UFOs