Anyone ever beat Contra without the Konami code?

I remember finishing the correct path through the desert maze by complete accident while looking at a hand drawn map with my cousin. The ooooo ahhhhh effect was real.

[-]

aburningcaldera@reddit

Still never made it through Kung Fu but only once did Contra.

[-]

armchair_viking@reddit

I tried playing all the way through it using an emulator and save states, and it was still so hard that I gave up on it.

[-]

eastmemphisguy@reddit

You just have to grind forever in the first stage and understand the levelling up system. For some reason, the game chose not to display this info on screen. https://youtu.be/CCbqjSFg3xY

[-]

ThePerfectSnare@reddit

There was a code for Kid Icarus?!

To this day, I haven't beaten it, but I remember he was a really annoying character on Captain N: The Game Master.

[-]

KeyserSoze311@reddit

And that’s saying something, because all the characters on Captain N were annoying.

[-]

pbecotte@reddit

Yeah, didn't know that one had a code. Don't remember if I ever beat it, so probably not.

[-]

hellbound-poptart@reddit

One of my first NES games. I had sheets of save codes scattered eeverywhere. Never beat it.

[-]

thebiglerm@reddit

I beat kid icarus with the code and I still thought it was tough

[-]

spazz720@reddit

007-373-5963

still remember it after all these years

[-]

geologymule@reddit

I have said for years if I ever get Alzheimer’s, this will be the last thing I remember. It is hardwired into my skull.

[-]

Sufficient-Quote-431@reddit

Mike Tyson cheat code. good stuff

I randomly said this number about a year ago and couldn’t remember where I knew it from

[-]

Confident-Ad-2726@reddit

I could win Tyson on one life…not every time, but a few

[-]

Ok-Brick6831@reddit

Mike Tyson was tough. You had to get past those first lightning uppercuts that would take you down.

[-]

jrsu37@reddit

1:30 then he switched to crosses that only took 1/4 your health bar.

[-]

It’s really hard to remember on the spot what happens in the game, but it’s funny how when I sat down and played the game, I had the feel for most of the lower boxers. I can not get past Soda Popinski now. I think that’s just me having a slower reaction time now. I know what I need to do, I just don’t seem to be able to do it.

I’m sure I stand no chance of beating Tyson at this point. You had to have a perfectly timed dodge when he flashed showing the uppercut was coming. I remember it took me soooooo long to finally do that. And the once I got past those uppercuts, all of a sudden I had a fighting chance.

[-]

jrsu37@reddit

Soda had the Tyson uppercut and he would do it non stop till you hit his body at just the right moment. Then you got five star jabs, or one select button uppercut, then back to Jab block jab.

I always thought Soda and Sandman were harder than Mike. After round 1 at least.

[-]

DarthWeber@reddit

I beat contra without the code, after using the code so many times before. I was able to learn the patterns I guess.

[-]

RockyDennis23@reddit

I think I beat it a couple times with 27 or more lives left from the code before I realized I could beat it without the code. Cant even beat it with the code nowadays.

[-]

Lauuson@reddit

I beat Tyson without any codes. I could do it regularly when I read a kid. I haven't been able to do that in 30 years though.

[-]

Tacotek@reddit

Kid Icarus was a nightmare. Never got close to beating it. Almost beat that fuckin tmnt game though.

[-]

RoastedPickledGoose@reddit

I’ve beaten Kid Icarus, I’ve beaten TMNT, I’ve beaten all the NES Mega Man games. I haven’t ever been able to beat Tyson in Punch-Out, and the Battletoads hyper tunnel is one I could never get past no matter how many times I tried.

[-]

RaygunMarksman@reddit

All of that is the same for me, though we did beat Battletoads.

[-]

superhex12345@reddit

Yes it was. I never really even got that far without the code

[-]

EricRShelton@reddit

I beat Tyson once in my 20s and never attempted it again. lol

[-]

AppropriateTouching@reddit

Kid Icarus was some fucking bullshit.

[-]

Deesmateen@reddit

I beat Mike Tyson once as a 20 something year old. Was late at night and had no one to celebrate with but my 8yo inner child

[-]

Shigglyboo@reddit

There was a code? I just wrote down the ending thing and then started from there.

[-]

Theredsoxman@reddit

Kid Icarus has the only reverse difficulty curve in video game history

First level is the hardest

[-]

The_Fell_Opian@reddit

Returnal would like a word.

[-]

akirbydrinks@reddit

Have beaten Tyson and Contra without codes. I wonder what skills in life i could have accomplished with all of those hours elsewhere.

[-]

jesusmansuperpowers@reddit

I did beat Tyson, but not Contra despite trying a lot. I blame my little brother.

[-]

CharismaticAlbino@reddit

I could beat Mike Tyson without the code, it was just learning patterns.

[-]

thebiglerm@reddit

Took me years to beat Tyson i finally did it

[-]

lmstr@reddit

I eventually could beat Mike Tyson after hours of practice. Even harder was to play through, get to him and beat him, which I think I may have accomplished once or twice in my life pre-emulator and state-saves 😉

[-]

daemon-haunted@reddit

I spent 14 straight hrs as a kid at my friend's house trying to beat Mike in Punchout and we did it! We still talk about it to this day.

Contra was a pain and we never made it....

[-]

superhex12345@reddit

I bet you do. That's an accomplishment!

[-]

---username_--@reddit

With the Konami code, I ran through the game 3 times and had about 40 lives when I stopped.

I still can't operate an iPhone though.

[-]

cranialvoid@reddit

My brother and I beat it on two player mode once. We let someone borrow that game and we never got it back.

[-]

DwarfVader@reddit

Twice... but still shamed by my father who beat the original LoZ with his toes... no joke, he beat it putting the controller on a foot stool and playing with his toes. (He's missing most of his left index finger, and felt he couldn't hold the NES controller well enough.)

The man is in his 70's now... and he doesn't remember even playing the game, let alone beating it with his toes.

[-]

BenignAtrocities@reddit

No. I think the only games I beat in nes were Super Mario 3 and Zelda, admittedly Zelda was on an emulator later. Oh, and Tetris of course, but everyone did that.

[-]

CottaBird@reddit

Nope. I was only able to beat it with Game Genie, actually. Unlimited lives.

[-]

Absentmindedgenius@reddit

I've seen a video, but it was 2 guys playing real safe and going inch by inch. I wouldn't have the patience for that.

[-]

KeyserSoze311@reddit

Yes, I have beaten it with a single life.

[-]

BallsDeepMofo@reddit

gif

[-]

Unfadable1@reddit

Salaries

[-]

Top-Call128@reddit

Same! Doable…although that was in the good ol days. Today I may need the Konami code 2x

[-]

dropdeadred@reddit

I did it once as well! I think I was 14, with the original square Nintendo controller. But I tell everyone of my accomplishments, it’s a big deal haha

[-]

EsotericAbstractIdea@reddit

I saw a speed run of this game. It was 12 minutes long. I was surprised to see it was just a straight playthrough on a single life. No bug exploits

[-]

b1gd4ddychubb5@reddit

Me too! It took a while, if I got hit I would reset and start over.

[-]

Eziekiel23_20@reddit

And Super C, and Contra 3 on medium difficulty. C3 on hard can kiss my ass.

[-]

KeyserSoze311@reddit

I’ve beaten C3 on hard, but definitely not with a single life.

[-]

ForceGhost47@reddit

gif

[-]

KeyserSoze311@reddit

gif

[-]

Hipcatjack@reddit

same. welllll *2 lives the xenomorph at the end got me once.

[-]

Koalashart1@reddit

That is truly impressive

[-]

Searchlights@reddit

I did too but I never tried to play without inputting the code just in case.

[-]

ti3kings@reddit

Knew a guy in college that could do this. Legendary

[-]

tattooed_pariah@reddit

Didn't have a lot of money growing up.. for like 7 years, the ONLY games i had for my NES were SMB/duck hunt and contra.

I played contra almost every day, i think my best run through was start to finish complete in just over 25 minutes without dying. It was basically muscle memory from playing too much..

[-]

bluebrews@reddit

Yes and no continues (and no cheating or save states). Got the retro achievement to remember it by hahaha.

[-]

SalamanderFull3952@reddit

Yes and 20 years ago i beat it with out dieing. There was a game rewards bounty site i sent in a video and was suppose to get some money never got the reward. NES version arcade version struggled with

[-]

ethan_prime@reddit

Many times. But I got good at the game because I played with the Konami code with friends constantly. Eventually you don’t need the code.

[-]

aburningcaldera@reddit

Once and once only with no witnesses. Before phones and video. I hadn’t learned and I don’t even think it was out with Konami or that cheat device you plugged your carts into. I obsessed over contra. One night at 1:30am my parents were awakened to joyous screams.

[-]

chaosperfect@reddit

I'm almost positive that it's scientifically impossible.

[-]

BrontosaurusB@reddit

Yes. But I started by playing with the code. After enough play throughs I could do it without. But in that era I only had like 3 games so it was easy to lock into one until you master it. Same deal for TMNT Manhattan Project, eventually didn’t need the code.

[-]

babaganoosh30@reddit

I never beat the first one without the code, but i did beat Super C.

[-]

HighTideB5@reddit

I played a lot of video games growing up. I reached adulthood, and the proliferation of social media proved to me that I was really a below-average video game player.

[-]

Confident-Ad-2726@reddit

I have a mini NES we got from Japan with a lot of preloaded old games, including Contra. It’s sooooo much more difficult than I remember(and the cheat code doesn’t work on this version)

[-]

SpikeDawgIII@reddit

Of course. Game Genie was better than the Konami code.

[-]

Archaeo-Frog@reddit

Hahahaha … no

[-]

Melollevo70@reddit

I beat Alien Wars without a code. Took me 30 years

[-]

limelight022@reddit

Yep. I can beat Contra and Super C without extra lives code.

[-]

metalmachineZ@reddit

That was reserved for the elite.

[-]

TheSilver2na@reddit

Once.

[-]

ThinkFree@reddit

I could but I need to farm lives in Waterfalls. Otherwise I usually lose my lives in Energy Zone.

[-]

Hungry-Highway-4030@reddit

Started with 3 lives and won multiple times. You had to have some kind of flex playing against your friends

[-]

Xandania@reddit

Beaten with a gameshark - does that count?

[-]

oniaddict@reddit

I was shit at Contra. My friend growing up had memorized all the patterns and could solo beat it without the Konami code. I wasn't suprized that he was diagnosed with Asperger's in his 30's.

He was also the one who taught me to land on the carrier in Top Gun.

[-]

unicorn-beard@reddit

Lies, it wasn't possible to land on the carrier in Top Gun or re-fuel.

[-]

ChickenArise@reddit

Top Gun 😨

[-]

TheFuckingHippoGuy@reddit

gif

[-]

unicorn-beard@reddit

I never beat it even with the code 😔

[-]

Funandgeeky@reddit

I managed it. Especially because I didn’t know the code worked on Contra until after I beat it. Took a long time but I did beat it fair and square.

[-]

Puzzled-Professor-89@reddit

My next door neighbor and I beat it without dying once. I didn’t have many games growing up.

[-]

StillhasaWiiU@reddit

yeah. i didn't know about the code. i had to just get good at it.

[-]

smokeshack@reddit

Yep, last week. If you can beat it with the Konami code, you're 80% of the way there.

[-]

Sad-Structure2364@reddit

⬆️⬇️⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️⬅️➡️BA

Start!

[-]

Background-Action-19@reddit

Not the original, but I beat Super C many times. Not sure how coparable the difficulty is.

[-]

hohgmr83@reddit

I just got it, I never played it so no. Even though I have had an NES since I was a kid.

[-]

TeeTownRaggie@reddit

yup

[-]

tehSchultz@reddit

gif

[-]

bwrusso@reddit

Not only is it beatable, but we got into an argument of whether it was beatable without dying once. I bet it wasn't, after a few months I was proved wrong.

[-]

ineedanewhobbee@reddit

Up

[-]

Tacotek@reddit

Up

[-]

BeerFunky@reddit

Down

[-]

Platt_Mallar@reddit

Down

[-]

NatoTheLastRedditer@reddit

left

[-]

peerdaddy1@reddit

Right

[-]

1OptimisticPrime@reddit

B+A

[-]

mcnotarysd@reddit

Select (because I play with friends)

[-]

boner79@reddit

Start

[-]

bridge1999@reddit

Select start

[-]

boner79@reddit

Yes, but I always played using NES Advantage for turbo shooting with Spread gun which wasn't really fair.

[-]

DirtyBirdDawg@reddit

Not only did I beat it without the code, I also beat it without dying. I used an NES Advantage, which apparently lived up to its name.

[-]

trainwreckhappening@reddit

I didn't learn about it until I was a grown ass adult

[-]

OKStormknight@reddit

Absolutely. Just took time to work it.

[-]

FriedBreakfast@reddit

I couldn't even beat it WITH the Konami code

[-]

codebygloom@reddit

Yes, and none of my friends cared, lol.

[-]

Piccoroz@reddit

Pretty much "dont lose the spreader" runs.

[-]

EvilLeprechaun29@reddit

Not only that, I beat it without dying. Twice. I also didn’t finish college, lol.

[-]

Firehawke_R@reddit

I've counterstopped it without using the Konami code. Takes about five and a half loops of the game.

[-]

BulkyRaccoon548@reddit

Sure. In the arcade with a shitload of quarters. And then on NES with a game genie.

[-]

weberm70@reddit

Yes, I eventually stopped putting the code in because it was unnecessary. These days I doubt thirty lives would be enough.

[-]

AppropriateTouching@reddit

Nope!

[-]

ScoopiTheDruid@reddit

Technically no, but I did beat it with 28 lives left after using the code once.

[-]

Babyspiker@reddit

This is my experience. Once I used to code, I rarely died. The confidence makes you better.

[-]

ForceGhost47@reddit

Damn. 27 lives left for me. You win

[-]

Mail_Order_Lutefisk@reddit

I’ll accept it. My son is 10 and infatuated with some game called Geometry Dash. He’s also gotten into the classics so we have been playing a lot of Contra on 2 player. Level 8 is beyond my skill set by a mile but I think my boy is gonna be able to beat it over the summer.

[-]

maringue@reddit

Cotnra wasn't that hard. But you want to talk PTSD inducing horrors?

[-]

Notredamus1@reddit

Yes. It wasn't that hard, you just have to be more cautious.

[-]

IceSmiley@reddit

I've not even had sex without Konami code!

[-]

jbahill75@reddit

Contra was hard, but Forgotten Worlds was harder

[-]

YOU_TALK_TOO_MUCH420@reddit

I beat The GOONIES with no code.

[-]

YOU_TALK_TOO_MUCH420@reddit

Nope. Up up down down all day lol😁

[-]

bosco9@reddit

I could do it back then (on the NES) but there's no way I'd be able to now

[-]

asault2@reddit

No but I've realized that original hardware and a CRT make a huge difference, at least for me, on getting that "feel" needed to play like back in the day. I used to think i was just too old for Punchout and Contra but after a couple tries on OG rig, it all came back

[-]

parlayandsurvive2@reddit

Yes. Did it on the first life. Also that same day beat super Mario bros and wizards and warriors, a pretty epic day in gaming

[-]

madlibs13@reddit

I've made it to the 4th stage once w/out the code

[-]

sin667@reddit

I did like once but had more fun with the code.

You know the score freezes after like 9 times through? It was fun to do that.

[-]

eulynn34@reddit

I used to do no-death runs before school every day when I was in Jr. High

I can still beat it now without the code, I just did a no-death run a couple weeks ago

[-]

alberthere@reddit

Nope. Personal best is using up 9 of those lives. I remember celebrating, “like a cat!” when I did it. Lol

[-]

DaveinOakland@reddit

No, and without seeing it I think anyone claiming to have is full of shit.

[-]

hvc101fc@reddit

Its doable. You just need patience

[-]

HighScorsese@reddit

Used to beat it with no damage. Last year I tried and was only able to pull of a no continue run. But I’ve not used the Konami code to beat Contra in at least 20 years at this point

[-]

Born-Tip-1578@reddit

There was a period of time I only owned this and Mario that came with my NES. I played the game so much I knew every bad guy and every bulletin they would shoot. I think I could have done the first couple levels blind folded or at least very distracted.

Only time I would use the cheat code is if friends were over and they wanted to play and we were just messing around.

[-]

xAlice_Liddell@reddit

Pretty sure the arcade game didn’t allow the code.

[-]

Ok-Suggestion-7965@reddit

My friend and I would play this all the time and beat it. We would put in the life code but most of the time wouldn’t need to use the extra lives. We played it a bunch. Contra, Tecmo SuperBowl and Baseball Stars were our games we played to most

[-]

Jarvicious@reddit

Contra was my game. I used to beat it and end up with more lives than I started with.

[-]

DHammer79@reddit

I needed the code when I was playing solo. If I was playing 2 player I could beat it with out the code. It was my cousins game so I had limited access.

[-]

Deusface@reddit

Yes, when I was a kid. Not sure if I could beat it now without the code. If I remember correctly, I'd end the game with 7 to 10 lives

[-]

everythingsasandwich@reddit

Oh hell yes. we only had about 5 games and this was one. Looped this for literal years before we got more games. Could beat it in about 20 minutes, no code. All muscle memory. One of my favorite NES titles

[-]

bio4m@reddit

Yes, in 2 player.

When we got the game myself and my brother didn't know about the code. It was borrowed from a friend and we had to give it back in a week so we just got good at it. Basically we'd play it after school until our mother yelled at us and then all weekend

The last level was a massive slog but we had all the enemy positions and patterns memorised by the end

We did the same for Blue Shadow (was called Shadow of the Ninja in some countries).

We did know about the code when we got Super Contra, still love all those games

[-]

stjoeturtle@reddit

Same. Always played (and beat) with my sister. We not only had it memorized but we also each had our timed moves to help each other/the team make it through each level. Beat Super together too. We only had like 4-5 NES games so, it got a lot of attention. Those were some good times.

[-]

bio4m@reddit

Haha yeah that was the way back then 😄 Everyone had a handful of games and we all traded at school. It really sucked when someone had a game you wanted to play but they didn't want to play any of yours

[-]

napkin41@reddit

Nnnnnnope! As an adult I’d like to try. As a kid I just ran in and got shot left and right.

[-]

GrapeDoots@reddit

I did when I was a kid ... BUT ... there was a spot in the first level where you could just stand there and if you had a machine gun you could just keep shooting up and the enemies would keep coming and you could score a ton of points and extra lives. So I would get in that position, put books on the correct buttons, and then go do something else for an hour or so, and come back to 10-15 lives. So still cheating, but not technically the co tra code.

[-]

BulimicMosquitos@reddit

Got to the last boss on one life, and of course die with only a few shots left to go. Never made an attempt after that.

[-]

JohnnyWeapon@reddit

I became obsessed with doing it. It took me months but I still remember doing it to this day.

[-]

_TenDropChris@reddit

I couldn't beat it WITH the code.

[-]

Sufficient-Quote-431@reddit

What do you think we are living gods?

What time you see that stuff is on YouTube?

[-]

Ok_Ball_788@reddit

I could beat it in one guy; I would reset the game every time I died until I could do it.

[-]

Urugeth@reddit

I did. But it was after a ton ton ton of times with the code. Got good enough I could do it in the three lives, but only after beating it like 200 times with it. Certainly not a one off type thing hahaha

[-]

MapleToque@reddit

Yes. But only with two players.

[-]

CantFindMyWallet@reddit

I did. I never had a deathless run. My all-time best was one death, fucking snow field.

[-]

kenthels@reddit

Sorry to be that guy but I think thats the arcade screen . One of the few cases that nes version is better then arcade.

[-]

JFull0305@reddit

Yep. My Dad and I had a rule of bear it first, them go back through with codes/cheats. We both played it and beat the game together. Great times.

[-]

noonesaidityet@reddit

Nope. But I sure as hell kept trying. I love this game.

[-]

OneRub3234@reddit

gif

[-]

LifePedalEnjoyer@reddit

Here's a vid showing how to spam spread shot and stand in a couple of safe spaces to finish the game in one life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCdmXWIWsYg

[-]

LotharOfHillPeople3@reddit

Yeah it's easier than you think it would be. I beat it without the code and there was lots of games I couldn't beat

[-]

fednandlers@reddit

Yes. Played it countless times with the code. Learned it well enough to go thru with no continues. …a long time ago.

[-]

D34N2@reddit

I beat the first level.

[-]

throwaway1102293384@reddit

I can beat both Contra and Super C without the code

[-]

AlongTheWay_85@reddit

Same. Pretty sure I could almost play the first few levels by music timing alone. I didn’t even know about the code until I was in my 30s.

[-]

johntwilker@reddit

You could beat Contra?

[-]

theglatmachine@reddit

I don't think I beat it without the code when playing on the actual NES. Also not sure I ever really tried when I was a kid. I have beaten the game lately on emulator without the code (no save states or other cheats).

[-]

ClingTurtle@reddit

As an adult I remembered that I always used the code as a kid but often finished the game without hardly dying. So I gave it a go and sure enough beat it without the code. Like the whole game was still in my muscle memory.

Spread is a hell of a gun.

[-]

bridge1999@reddit

Rapid Spread love that combo

[-]

kulneke@reddit

gif

[-]

dasflikko@reddit

Yes.

[-]

MydniteSon@reddit

Yes

[-]

wpotman@reddit

I did indeed. It’s not too hard if you’re cautious and play without a second player.

[-]

tgold77@reddit

In my neighborhood, you learned to beat it with two and the 30 lives. Then alone with 30. Then without the code. Then finally… alone without dying. We all did it and thought that was normal.

[-]

realperson5647856286@reddit

Yes! I played it all the way through so many damn times I memorized all the patterns. The only way I could have done that is with a LOT of trial and error with the cheat, though

[-]

blanksix@reddit

Once.

Technically, all times, but I had a game genie and that's even more cheaty. But I beat it once without all that, and I almost wanted to burn it after I was done. Still have it, though

[-]

Orbital_Vagabond@reddit

That is the most gibberish sentence I've ever read or heard and I have a four year old.

[-]

blackfog@reddit

Yeah, all the time coop but never solo. Even did no death runs

[-]

HikingTom51@reddit

I did. Arcade version too. Took a lot of practice.

[-]

CharismaticAlbino@reddit

Shit, I couldn't beat the 1st boss WITH the code lol I was awful at that game. Much to my cousins delight

[-]

H3llm0nt@reddit

In high school, the marching band would have cookouts in the parking lot after Saturday rehearsals. One of the drummers had a pickup truck with a small CRT and NES hooked up in the bed. We all crowded around and watched the drum major beat Contra on three lives. It was absolutely magical. Never managed to do it myself but I’ll never forget watching that happen.

[-]

boogs34@reddit

Without the code? No way. But yes with the code

[-]

dumbass_sempervirens@reddit

No, but we once duct taped a guy to a flagpole because he was so drunk he used all our lives. We had seen it in movies and were just looking for an excuse.

We ran and hid when the campus cop (Officer Tony) came by, and he walked away to "call for backup" and we came back and cut him down while Tony looked the other way and took him back to the dorms. Gave him lots of water.

We did buy him pizza the next two nights.

No one got in trouble, it really was just like the movies.

[-]

LH99@reddit

I beat it without dying. Played the shit out of that game. One of my first for the NES

[-]

KnowNothing_JonSnoo@reddit

When I was in my twenties, me and a friend finished it three times in a row without the code.

Fun fact, when you restart the game after finishing it, it's harder than the last time. We got caught on the 4th run.

[-]

GravyPainter@reddit

I never beat this fucking game even woth the cheat

[-]

T-Bombie@reddit

One summer my cousin and I made it our mission to beat Contra 2 player without either of us losing a life. Took some tries but we finally did it!

[-]

notmyfault@reddit

Guys, what? If you can beat it with 50 lives you can beat it with 3 (more than that bc you pick up lives as you go). There is no randomization . Every dude, every bullet is always the same. I bet if you really dedicated a couple of hours to it you would do better than you think.

[-]

Same_Bug5069@reddit (OP)

This is inspiring. I will make you proud and regain my honor!

[-]

danosmokesalot@reddit

For real, me and my friend would start with three guys and end with 6. We had a pattern and beat it without dying multiple times.

[-]

TaquitoLaw@reddit

Yeah man, played A LOT

[-]

OG_Cryptkeeper@reddit

Yeah. I do a 3 life run whenever I have a rough day.

I can always beat it with 3 lives, but I try to do it without dying at all.

[-]

MegaRadCoolDad@reddit

I did after a lot of practice with 30 lives

[-]

Difficult_Phase1798@reddit

Probably impossible

[-]

1OptimisticPrime@reddit

I'm about to pull it out, and see if it will fire up, without blue screen, I got a youngin' to play with and steal all my guys.

[-]

OskeyBug@reddit

I did it with Rush'n Attack but not this one

[-]

knighthawk0811@reddit

i think i did. i do remember using the code and then beating it 7 times in a row in one day. i think that was my first experience with being "in the zone"

[-]

SensitiveArtist@reddit

Plenty of times. My brother and i played it so much we could beat it on one life

[-]

crapnapkins@reddit

I owned the game so eventually yes. But it was a LONG time

[-]

1OptimisticPrime@reddit

I beat it 4 times in a row with ONE guy, and had also entered the code. I have a method of using my nail on the ] A/B pad, so even if I just had the standard weapon I could take down the snow tanks. (basically running your nail over the button fast as fuck). I was absolutely trying to keep going, but my dad made me shut it off. I don't know if he let me take a picture. He felt so bad when I explained it to him the next day, he sat with a video camera; although I wasn't as successful. I had beat it 2x with ONE guy before, but 4x was my anomaly.

Beating Castlevania was hard as fuck

Beating Ninja Gaiden hard as fuck

Beating TMNT was hard as fuck, with an entirely broken level...

Mike Tyson 007-373-5963... he's so hard I still immediately remember the code.

But other than Tetris, Beating OG Super Mario with ONE guy is probably my other favorite 8bit feat.

[-]

buckfutten@reddit

You tellin me you can get through Waterfall without it?

[-]

jackfaire@reddit

When I was a kid no one knew what the code was. We'd heard it existed but thought it a myth.

[-]

adamroadmusic@reddit

No but I did beat Super C without getting hit back in the day. One of my best gaming achievements up there with completing ambulance missions in GTA III, which is by far the hardest thing I've ever done in a videogame.

[-]

OneManGang2001@reddit

Game Genie grants all your video game wishes!

[-]

Flowers_By_Irene_69@reddit

I beat it without dying. Really. (In 2006-ish). As a kid I couldn’t beat it without continues (2-player). Rapid spread. First time I got to the last boss without dying, one of those scorpion things killed me. Then I got to him again without dying and beat it (without dying). It was kind of a thing me and my friends were all trying to do at the time. A couple of my friends beat it 2-player without dying. One of my friends beat it with rapid fire only (as well as laser only, and rapid fireball only).

[-]

factoid_@reddit

Many times, actually. But not until I played it when I was way older on an emulator. Not because I used the emulator to cheat or add lives...I played it straight...but because emulators make it really easy to replay just the level you want to practice over and over.

The hard part of running a game like Contra is to practice the late levels you have to play the whole game first.

Once I could use save states to practice it became pretty easy to get good at the parts I was struggling with, learn all the patterns and then run the game normally.

I did the same thing with Punch Out. I've beaten that game all the way through, no cheats...but I practiced using an emulator until I could beat all the guys no problem.

[-]

lecoqmako@reddit

It’s been about seven years since I last played, but I can still beat the game on the first life with the first sweeper gun (the best of the guns).

[-]

TheMeticulousNinja@reddit

No. That game was hard as fuck

[-]

ThotThroughTheHeart@reddit

Yes, and I only rented the game. I had to use the 30 lives cheat at first, but every enemy is always at the exact same place so the difficulty drops off quick as you memorize the levels. First I could beat it on 30, then I could beat it without the cheat, and then I could just play indefnitely without losing a life. The game's difficulty is really overrated, there were so many much harder NES games.

[-]

Infamous_Tie5605@reddit

yep, but not as good as this

[-]

RitchieViolence@reddit

Hell yeah I did!

*he did not*

[-]

ckglle3lle@reddit

I don't think I even made it to level 3

[-]

Tetris_Pete@reddit

Aw hell no.