What is the hardest NES game you beat without resorting to cheats or a walkthrough?

[Austin]

On 9/21/2021 at 9:41 PM, thegoldenband said:

Anyway, I'd say maybe Double Dragon III? I beat that back in the day without assistance of any kind. Some people seem to think it's hard, though I think it's fairly easy until the end.

Double Dragon III has one of the hardest final bosses for me. I just cannot do it consistently (which is why I've yet to revisit it as a video walkthrough, ha). The final stage itself also has a few BS moments as well, and getting yourself setup to not get infinitely juggled in a corner (or knocked into a spike pit) is inconsistent due to sluggish movement.

On 9/21/2021 at 3:02 PM, JumbleJag said:

That game is brutally difficult, I couldn't complete it as a kid and there's no chance I can do it in my forties.

I have heard a lot of people say this, but I bet you'd be surprised. I have found I am much better as an adult than I ever was as a kid. As adults we have the benefit of [hopefully] having restraint, thinking about what we are doing and actually learning from our mistakes. Not to mention the decades of other gaming experiences since we were kids that will have an effect on how we approach situations in games. And with something like Battletoads, it does come down to mostly memorization and timing (there are only a tiny handful of actually-random encounters that require on-the-fly thinking). It's just a matter if one wants to actually put the time in to learn it. I'm not saying it will be easy (or even fun), but I do think you and others probably deserve more credit than you give yourselves.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Austin

[+Gemintronic]

Technically a fail.  I got to the last boss monster in Athena and could withstand hours of battle. 

 

Turns out there were hidden items in various levels that you must pick up or else the final boss was straight up INVINCIBLE!!!@67632ryrth3hy

[mbd39]

I didn't beat Battletoads and other tough games until in my late 30s and 40s. I'm much better at games now than I was as a kid.

 

[Razzie.P]

1 hour ago, mbd39 said:

 I'm much better at games now than I was as a kid.

 

Some here.  The only real advantage I had as a kid was much more free time to play, which helped with the memorization needed for a lot of those games

[+thegoldenband]

4 hours ago, Austin said:

Double Dragon III has one of the hardest final bosses for me. I just cannot do it consistently (which is why I've yet to revisit it as a video walkthrough, ha). The final stage itself also has a few BS moments as well, and getting yourself setup to not get infinitely juggled in a corner (or knocked into a spike pit) is inconsistent due to sluggish movement.

I think something happens in the last stage that makes the game start eating inputs, as over and over again I've found that I'm not pulling off spin kicks, get a GAME OVER, and then have no trouble pulling them off as soon as I restart. I had thought that it was just nerves or overeager button-mashing, but I suspect it's an actual game engine problem.

 

BTW I'm better than ever at games too. I can thrash games now that completely stymied me as a teenager. The trick, at least for me, is using a CRT, or some sort of zero-lag setup; anything involving any degree of lag makes me feel like I've completely lost my skills.

[NE146]

Reason a lot of times these days people have a harder time beating Battletoads, or Mike Tyson for that matter is they're playing it on an emulator. Obviously with the various types of lag that can happen, it makes it harder to navigate the speeder bike levels or Mike Tyson's initial punches, etc.

Edited September 24, 2021 by NE146

[sn8k]

On 8/10/2021 at 8:32 PM, 4300 said:

I beat Ninja Gaiden last year.  Only took me 30 years.  And I honestly never want to play it again. 

Excellent..... now you can spend the next 30 years on part 2....and your prize?

 

Part 3.

[7800Knight]

I beat the first Castlevania, after repeatedly struggling against Dracula.

 

I also beat Mega Man 1.  Yes, the game with the disappearing blocks and those tricky platforms on Gutsman's stage.

 

It was NOT easy.

[TheSmango]

Ninja Gaiden 1 & 2

 

I got to the final Palace in Zelda II a few years ago and got stuck... Still never tried beating it since I should do that.

 

Contra

 

[Draxxon]

As a young kid when the system was new, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out and Karnov were the hardest ones that I beat. I beat all the Castlevanias and Mega Mans. I Never did beat Zelda 2, only until later. On emulators and with save states.

When I was a kid and asked for a new game on NES (or even rent one), my parents would ask If I had beaten all the ones I owned yet. That really motivated me to master whatever games I had that sucked or were hard. It wasn't so much a rule or goal that they set, but just something they would say when I wanted a new game and they didn't want to buy a new game. Basically it backfired on them.
 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Draxxon

[James Vontor]

Final Fantasy II in japanese. Eventually I beat long ago. But everything I thought was obvious wasn't and aI ran around blind for hours.

 

I played English version much later I think on Playstation? Level Systems still don't make sense and game has moments where you have to go is not clear.

[+jeremiahjt]

It is honestly hard to remember which games you beat with no help and which games you used help. I am pretty sure I beat all three Super Mario Bros. games without help, but everybody played those back then so it is possible I got some help from a friend.

 

My sister and I played through Dragon Warrior together the first time, so that does not count. I do remember we could not find the Stones of Sunlight after looking for hours. I happened to sit by someone on the bus who overheard me telling a friend about my troubles and he told me where they were.

 

I am pretty sure I beat Mega Man and Metal Gear without any help back in the day, but not 100% sure. I do remember using passwords from a password book for Metal Gear, but not any gameplay hints.

[KidGameR186496]

Here are some of the more difficult NES games I've beaten prior to reaching my 25 years old at the top of my head:

- Summer Carnival '92: Recca

- Battletoads (multiple times)

- Ghosts 'n' Goblins (both loops)

- Gradius (without the Konami code)

- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

- Micro Machines (later races get pretty brutal)

- Contra and Super C (finished the first game without the Konami code and without dying even once in one instance. Don't know in which mental state I was when I did that)

- Ninja Gaiden trilogy (managed to beat the first game without using continues once)

- Castlevania I and III (I've yet to beat Castlevania II from start to finish)

- Batman and Batman: Return of the Joker

- Silver Surfer

- Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!

- The Adventures of Bayou Billy

- Kung-Fu

- Startropics

- Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight

- Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II

- Mega Man 1

- Air Fortress (I've yet to finish the second loop)

[+thegoldenband]

25 minutes ago, KidGameR186496 said:

- Air Fortress (I've yet to finish the second loop)

Air Fortress! That's one I did 100% on my own as far as I recall. Did both loops too. Love that game.

[nester]

Contra, Rygar, Ninja Gaiden I and II, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, Bionic Commando, and Dragon Warrior III come to mind as being tough. I’ve never beat Mega Man without the Elec Man pause trick so that probably doesn’t count

[esplonky]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:41 PM, thegoldenband said:

I've beaten a ton of tough NES games without cheats, but without a walkthrough is tougher, especially if we include watching videos (YouTube or otherwise). And I grew up with Nintendo Power and the Official Nintendo Player's Guide, after all, plus that famous Secret Video Game Tricks, Codes, & Strategies VHS tape, so a ton of games were covered. If zero spoilers is the standard, I've seldom beaten a tough game without some kind of outside info, if only to confirm that I've got the right idea.

 

Anyway, I'd say maybe Double Dragon III? I beat that back in the day without assistance of any kind. Some people seem to think it's hard, though I think it's fairly easy until the end.

 

Black-box Tennis on Level 5 is pretty tough too, especially if you win both matches.

 

Firehawk and Skull & Crossbones come to mind, if you count unlicensed games.

 

If we throw in Famicom games, I think I did all 50 levels of Nuts & Milk without checking a walkthrough. I did use savestate practice, though, which isn't a big deal since the game has a built-in stage select anyway (but you don't see the ending if you use it). Same for Chack'n Pop.

 

BTW I came close to doing X-Men as a kid, but never quite beat Magneto. I did figure out the "unsolvable" label puzzle on my own; no idea why it stymies so many people.

Skull & Crossbones is definitely a tough one

https://www.speedrun.com/skull_and_crossbones/run/yd9j47xz

[+thegoldenband]

33 minutes ago, esplonky said:

Skull & Crossbones is definitely a tough one

https://www.speedrun.com/skull_and_crossbones/run/yd9j47xz

Nice run! I really like Skull & Crossbones. I found that going to Level 4, 5, or 6 first (don't remember which -- I think it was 5?) helped me immensely in beating the game, and I have to remember to do that every time I pick it back up after a long time away. Interesting that you don't use that strategy, and go to Level 1 first.

 

By the way, I've beaten much tougher NES games -- I'd call Skull & Crossbones a 4/10 or 5/10 difficulty, whereas a game like Dragon's Lair is closer to 8 or 9/10. But if we're talking exclusively games where I had zero access to a walkthrough, that limits things drastically (even if the challenge was a question of 99% reflexes and the walkthrough didn't help much if at all).

 

I've been working on Sky Kid, for which I've technically glanced at some info pages (not really walkthroughs) and videos. That game is ferociously difficult and strategy guides wouldn't really help. When I beat it, it'll be my new title holder...

[Parkeexant]

Mine is Ninja Gaiden III:The Ancient Ship of Doom. Hard to deal

[Frozone212]

You are all going to laugh but, Monopoly

AI had all the good properties and I still won.

[electricmastro]

How many people here have beaten these games without a guide?:

 

Ghosts 'n Goblins
Dragon's Lair
Silver Surfer
Battletoads
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Ninja Gaiden
Back to the Future II & III
Spelunker
Deadly Towers
Die Hard

[ChildOfCv]

2 hours ago, Frozone212 said:

You are all going to laugh but, Monopoly

AI had all the good properties and I still won.

I remember an old Win16 port of Monopoly.  If the computer had 3 of a property and you had the other, you could fool it into accepting a trade of your 1 for its 3.  

[Tanooki]

On 4/25/2022 at 5:40 PM, electricmastro said:

How many people here have beaten these games without a guide?:

 

Ghosts 'n Goblins
Dragon's Lair
Silver Surfer
Battletoads
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Ninja Gaiden
Back to the Future II & III
Spelunker
Deadly Towers
Die Hard

GnG, SS, BT, NG1 I have, the others I've never owned or attempted.  And today no I couldn't do those.  I'm talking pre-2000 when I last put a solid memorable effort into it.

[electricmastro]

4 minutes ago, Tanooki said:

GnG, SS, BT, NG1 I have, the others I've never owned or attempted.  And today no I couldn't do those.  I'm talking pre-2000 when I last put a solid memorable effort into it.

Battletoads seems like it really demands a big and dedicated session more intense than school tests. lol

[Tanooki]

3 minutes ago, electricmastro said:

Battletoads seems like it really demands a big and dedicated session more intense than school tests. lol

Actually and I think various people won't agree with me, the game isn't that hard on the whole.  The problem with the game are just 2-3 specific stages which really shit the bed on difficulty because they rely on both obscene fast responses but also rote memorization...the two turbo tunnels because you have to get to a point to move before it prompts you but not only where but how hard to hold the jump button in cases too for gaps.  And then the other is the weird one with the snakes, it's not as intense but if you forget which way they bend it's over badly for you quite quickly.  NG1 isn't that bad either, it's mostly the birds, the birds everyone curses but once you get them down the rest of the game doesn't rely on cheap placement of insta-death pit kills.  SS is a nightmare because its a 1 shot deal shooter and the vertical stages are too cramped and you're huge with a very nitpicky pixel tight hitbox (horizontal stages are fairly easy compared.)  GnG...no explanation needed, that one is legit the worst.

 

You didn't mention TMNT1 it's a nightmare in itself as well.

[+wongojack]

I was 10 years old in 1986, and The NES beat me down and made me want to quit playing consoles.  I quit A LOT of games on the NES.  Dragon Warrior was a bore and TMNT is to the NES what Pac-Man was to the 2600 (for me).  After that I kinda lost interest, but somewhere along the way, I beat Zelda, Metroid and Bionic Commando.  Bionic Commando was definitely without any help at all, but there were magazines and other tips for Z & M.  I also definitely defeated all the teams in the original Tecmo Bowl which isn't very hard, but I did it with multiple teams and played all the different matchups endlessly.

 

One interesting story is that I definitely did NOT beat Metal Gear without hints and help.  I even called the 1-900 hint line at one point only to find out that I had to grind and increase my rank to enter a certain area of the game.  F-You Konami.

 

For whatever reason, playing as a plumber jumping on turtles never really appealed to me.  I certainly played the original Super Mario Brothers a lot when I was at friends' houses, but I can't say I ever got through world 8.  Never played the sequels bitd.

 

A game I rented and loved and then bought for myself was the Adventures of Lolo, but I didn't have an adult brain back then, so I didn't finish that one until much later.  I agree with the others who think games are easier now.  Having an adult sense of patience and an advanced ability to problem solve is a huge advantage over tween-me.