I think I will be playing this game for Halloween this year

Congrats taking Jason down. I just beat this game for the first time recently also, and it was WAY easier once I learned to force Jason to fight you outside in the streets whenever possible. This game used to freak me out as a kid with the moody music, faceless children, and that jump scare thing that happens when Jason pops out in a cabin. Although the game mechanics are a little flawed, I think this is a seriously underrated game. I feel like what the developers were trying to accomplish was REALLY ambitious for the time, and certain things just didn't pan out, probably because of technical limitations at the time. On a side note...I can't wait for the new game to come out!

This is one of my favourite NES games ever. It still holds up today, and scared the shit out of me as a kid. Some of the creepiest chiptune music ever, too. I haven't played it in quite a while and could only ever beat it with a Game Genie, but I'm confident that if I tried it again I could probably beat it with a little practice. Absolute classic game. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn't your friend, and is not to be trusted.

I made a youtube video a little while back beating this game. I show how to beat up jason inside the cabin on Day 3. Fun stuff, take a look if any of you are playing this and having difficulty on day 3. BTW, this is Part 2, I have a link to Part 1 near the beginning of my video. Still a very fun game. ^>^

Obligatory

My friend had this game when we were kids, and we would play it just about every weekend, but we never came close to beating it. Maybe I will make it a goal to finally finish it before Halloween!

I've played and beaten this game so many times in so many different ways now. Definitely playing it on Halloween this year.

Also, awesome avatar, ihavethatpma.

I've never beaten this game. But after reading this thread, I really feel the urge to give it a go! A definite gem of a game that doesn't deserve the bad rap the internet gives it.

I really feel like any old NES game that isn't a cut-and-dry straight forward platformer, gets a bad rap because newer players don't have the patience to uncover the strategies and mechanics of the game.

Sleepaway camp hahaa!!!! 

It is one I have played a lot to and have never beaten, I will give it another go though it has been a very long time.

 

I knew YOU would recognize the image, Toxie, lol.

Give it a shot, man! The key is getting a rhythm, memorizing the item locations, and getting at LEAST the knife for as many counselors as possible.

I can beat this game with minimial trouble while only having the torch for Mark.

Try and stay out of the cabins on the third day, as Jason is pretty much impossible to deal with. Simply go to the cabin he's in, and walk right back outside. You'll fight him on the path and can kick some serious ass with the torch! You're foriced to fight Jason in the cabin on the lake; there's no escape from that one.

You can skip to other cabins by pressing start inside any small cabin, and then choose where on the map to "warp" to. People who never knew this are pretty much screwed, lol.

Is the manual important at all for this one or should I draw a map?

I have the game CIB as I am a huge F13 fan as well so it fits both collections.

I would like to stay away from using guides on the internet as much as possible.

 

You might want to draw your own map if you're not going to use the internet when you get stuck.

I figured.....once I beat Dragon Warrior IV I will probably pick it up which is hopefully soon....damn grinding.
 

Got to Day 3 and Jason defeated me. Turbo-mode double swings are a PITA to get the timing down on.

He will absolutely wreck you on Day 3 if you fight him in the cabins. The trick is to enter the cabin he's in, wait for the counselor to say "Thank you!", and then turn right around and go back outside. You'll then fight Jason on the trail instead, where he's infinitely easier to deal with.

This does not work for the cabin on the lake, though. You're pretty much screwed there, lol.

Right on, I didn't know that! I was wondering what you guys were talking about with the "lure him outside" bit. But yeah, he's worse than Tyson in the cabins. 
 

On day 3, DON'T FIGHT JASON INSIDE THE CABINS! If you still have some spare kids, just let him kill them and fight him outside with your torch. I actually beat this one, really fun game

This would be hilarious if taken out of context.
 

I never understood this game until a couple of weeks ago when my 11 year old buddy explained it to me.

Yes, he's ridiculous in the cabins on Day 3 - even with the torch.

You can spare kids every now and then as a trade-off to power up counselors. The kids in the cabin on the lake can deal with it on Day 3 (as long as there's plenty left), lol.

Inspired by this thread, I beat Friday the 13th today, for the first time in 20 years. The "quick torch" technique helps a lot. Crissy got the pitchfork but got caught out by Jason with low health, so Mark had to finish the job with the torch + sweater.

Congrats!

The gameplay starts to really grow on you once you get good at remembering how to trigger what you need. When you do it right, by Day 3 you're hunting Jason.

My record is something like 15 minutes.