What are you playing?

[Crabtree]

I have been playing World of Tanks. Mostly grinding through my Bishop SPG, but also working toward the KV-2.

[Nixuelle]

I knew somewhat where to go based on previous knowledge, but did look up where to go in the later stages.  It does somewhat ruin the effect, as that really was what the game was designed around.  It's quite fascinating reading the lore and game play hints in old issues of Nintendo Power from the eighties.

Seeing what Nintendo Power had to say about it would be very interesting, indeed!  Thinking back on the state of games in the 80s, particularly ones with very cryptic secrets that were required to be discovered to finish the game (Dragon Warrior, Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest, Zelda, etc.), I feel it was probably a marketing strategy by Nintendo to intentionally make aspects of the games nearly impossible to figure out without the aid of Nintendo Power and other Nintendo sponsored game guides of the time.  Given that the internet wasn't available to freely provide this information as it is today, Nintendo certainly made a lot of additional revenue on these guides.

My siblings and I had a box of old NES guidebooks, Nintendo Power issues, and the like from 80s tucked away in my parents' attic.  Might be worth dredging it out the next time I visit my parents for an extended stay...certainly would be nostalgic, at the very least!

[PrincessHotcakes]

I remember that one forest area in the southwest of the original Zelda map where it would not let you progress unless you went in a specific combination of cardinal directions on the same repeating screen.  We actually resorting to CALLING Nintendo (remember this was back when long distance calling was serious business and cost a lot more) to get the combination... then a few months later my dad somehow lost it.

[Nixuelle]

Back on topic...!

In my free time (of which there has been very little for the past several weeks), I have been booting up the old Castlevania games on various emulators, and attempting to finish them in legit play throughs (no save states, no frame slowdown, or other various emulator benefits).  Thus far I managed to finish Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, an amazing game for the PC Engine (TurboGraphix16) that was, sadly, never released outside of Japan (probably the best 'linear-style' Castlevania), and Super Castlevania 4 for the SNES.  Both were quite challenging, but certainly doable.

At present, I'm trying to beat the original Castlevania and Castlevania 3 (both for the NES).  Each of these games is far harder than the two I mentioned above, with CV3 being, arguably, the hardest in the series. As for the original Castlevania, I am stuck on Stage 5 and the Death boss battle, and in Castlevania 3 I've not even reached the point where you enter the castle yet (stuck on the stage before it).  Quite challenging, heh heh!

[Virmir]

The NES Castlevanias are high on my list when I get my arms back!

Having just finished it, Dragon Warrior 3 was definitely my favorite in the series so far (having played 1, 3, 7, and 8 ).

Next on the no-arms disability list is Final Fantasy 2 on the NES.  Playing a fan translation on my flash cartridge.  Never played this one before!

[Nixuelle]

@Virmir: With regards to the Dragon Warrior (Quest?) series, I'd read that some of the later installments (7, 8, etc.) were several hundred hours long (according to my old, old copies of Electronic Gaming Monthly).  Is this true for just a playthrough of the main story quest, or did those numbers mean for completion of all possible side-quest content?  If the prior, I'm not sure I could keep my interest in a single game story for a 200-300 hour playthrough, hah hah!

Also, in respect to Final Fantasy II, I would actually recommend you skip it and instead give a fan translation of the original Final Fantasy III (on NES -- not the FF3 [actually FF6] that was released on the SNES in the USA) a try instead.  Generally, I felt FFII was lacking in both playability and story -- the system of leveling up everything as individual skills by doing the actions in battle was not well implemented and required some very serious grinding.  FFIII, on the other hand, had a story that was, surprisingly, okay, and a very fun job system similar to FF5. ;) I have a great fan-translated ROM if you would like to give it a try.

[Virmir]

Yes, Dragon Warrior 7 took me some eight months to complete, and is the longest game I've ever played by far.  That's the main game only.  I'm not sure how much extra there is in terms of side quests, but I don't think a whole lot.  I didn't bother, he he he.  8 is decent sized and nowhere near as long.

I actually played through most of FF3 years ago and it is quite excellent, indeed!  I intend to go through it again and beat it soon.  I was aware of the infamy of FF2 and that is one of the reasons I wanted to check it out, he he he.  I'm actually enjoying it in a primitive piece of history sort of way.  It is definitely a very broken game, at least towards the beginning.  My party is actually way overpowered, he he he. 

[Xiezhai31]

I've beaten DW7 twice. If you know what you are doing its very possible to beat the game in  under 100 hours(Read get Sword Dance and Hustle Dance ASAP they break the game hard). I love the game and I would really like that 3DS remake too Square Enix. *cough cough*

Anyway here's my backlog. Discuss. http://www.backloggery.com/acynder

Skies of Arcadia and Codename S.T.E.A.M are fun, Yakuza 1 has a good story but kind of dated battle mechanics(Still fun though.) Thracia 776 is great but can be hard if you don't know what you are doing. And I don't why I gave Symphony of the Night a break. Its a good game but it hasn't grabbed me yet.

[plazmastorm]

I've been trying to get into CS:GO recently. I've had ups and downs, but it's a slow climb through the ranks for me.

[Virmir]

A few weeks ago I started playing the unreleased prototype of Earthbound on the NES (the prequel to the SNES one).  It's pretty hilarious and fun!

[EmperorDJ]

Fighting games are popular on the ship. So naturally all I've been playing with the rest of the shipmates have usually been MK X or some Street Fighter 4 (the latest one)

Good fun while sailing.

[Howler]

Recently playing Endless Legend and CS:GO

[William Swiftfoot]

Mostly playing Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm. Also play League of Legends: Dominion and MechWarrior Online from time to time.

[Generic Meatbag #14]

The Black Mesa Steam release has been taking my attention lately. The amount of polish the weapons have received over the mod release is both amazing and refreshing.

[Talcott]

Finishing a link to the past, after my save file was tragically deleted.