Hello everyone and welcome to the final round of the 2012 NintendoAge Weekly Contest Tournament.  Round 2 had some exciting matchups and some excellent scores and now we are down to our 3 finalists: rdrunner, guillavoie, and dev(2).  All the participants know the rules, but they will be posted again here for reference and for all of NA to follow and enjoy.  The same basic rules of the weekly contests will apply for all the games played in the tournament.  Your user name must be in the picture for your score to be valid.  The entire TV screen, or computer monitor if you are playing on an emulator, MUST be in the picture for the score to be valid.  No partial screenshots will be considered or accepted.  Also, the use of turbo controllers is forbidden, as well as any cheat codes or save states if playing on an emulator.

All three participants are now guaranteed a prize.  But whichprize they win remains to be seen.  Here are their rankings from the start of the tournament:

1. rdrunner
2. guillavoie
5. dev(2)

In the event of a three-way tie in this matchup, a special rule in the game I choose will be the tiebreaker.

All year I have been choosing which games everyone was going to play for the contests.  Now it's time for the participants to decide.  That's right, they are going to choose which games they want to play throughout the tournament.  The concept is simple:  Each person chooses a game they want to challenge their opponent to.  You can't challenge each other to the same game and the games must be from different genres.  There will also be a twist.  I will also be choosing a game for each matchup.  The genre of the game I choose will be a different genre from the game you and your opponent choose.  The finals will be a best of three matchup.  Confused?  Here's an example:

1. rdrunner chooses Adventure Island
2. guillavoie chooses Arch Rivals
5. dev(2) chooses Mario Bros.
I choose Legendary Wings

The three finalists will play those 4 games against each other in the finals.  Whoever scores the highest on each game by the end of the finals is the winner of that game.  Another example: guillavoie scores highest on Arch Rivals, dev(2) scores highest on Legendary Wings, & rdrunner scores highest on Adventure Island and Mario Bros.  rdrunner would be the winner of the tournament.  To determine 2nd and 3rd place, whoever has scored higher than the other is the second place finisher. Ex. guillavoie scores higher on Arch Rivals, Adventure Island, and Mario Bros than dev(2).  guillavoie would finish in second place.

You may not play a game you have already played so far in the tournament.  Also, your opponent may not challenge you to a game you already played (ex. rdrunner played Clu Clu Land in round 1 and Dig Dug 2 in round 2.  He may not choose either game or be challenged to either game in the finals).  Participants should have their game choice submitted in the public contest thread on NA by Tuesday night, December 4.  Choose your game wisely.  Once you have chosen it, you may not choose another one.  If you don't choose a game by Tuesday night, I will choose one for you.  The list of games and the rules for the games being played in the tournament are located below.

PRIZES!!!

Yes, I will be giving away prizes for the contest.  The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners of the tournament will receive a prize and one random participant who is eliminated in round 2 will receive a participation prize.  All prizes are going to be coming from retrousb.com.  Here are the prizes the participants are playing for:

1st Place: Battle Kid & Nomolos: Storming the Catsle
2nd Place: Gradius 2
3rd Place: I'm Kid Dracula
Round 1 Participation Prize for one random eliminated participant: Mario Fridge Magnets (won by dra6oon)
Round 2 Participation Prize for one random eliminated participant: Zelda Fridge Magnets (won by Megamanfan)

Good luck to everyone in the tournament and I hope you all have fun

The Finals

1. rdrunner vs. 2. guillavoie vs. 5. dev(2)
rdrunner chooses: Galaga
guillavoie chooses: Ice Hockey
dev(2) chooses: Donkey Kong
bimmy_lee chooses: Ghosts n' Goblins

TOURNAMENT GAMES AND RULES

Abadox
 

• Play until Life 0
• No point racking
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shoot ‘Em Up

 
Adventure Island

• Play until Game Over
• Take your picture on the title screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Arch Rivals

• 1 player only
• Pick whichever team name and color you want for your team and the computer
• Pick whichever player you want
• Play only the first two quarters of a game
• Greatest differential between your score and the computer wins
• Ex: You 55 CPU 35 = score of 20
• Ex. You 35 CPU 35 = score of -20
• GENRE: Sports

Bad Dudes

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• To get your score, press continue or start a new game and immediately take your picture.  Your score will be in the High Score spot.
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Beat 'Em Up

 
Bases Loaded

• Start a game in Pennant Mode
• Play as whichever team you choose
• You must play a whole game
• Greatest differential between your score and the computer wins
• Ex: You 7 CPU 2 = score of 5
• Ex: You 2 CPU 7 = score of -5
• GENRE: Sports

 
Batman Returns

• Play until Game Over
• No point racking allowed
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Beat ‘Em Up

 
Battletoads

• 1 player only
• Play until Life 0
• If more than one person maxes out the score, the earliest stage where the score was maxed out takes precedence
• Intentionally killing yourself and re-collecting a 1-up to point rack is forbidden
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Beat ‘Em Up

 
Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle

• 1 life only
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Puzzle

 
Castlevania

• Play until Life 0
• No looping of the game allowed
• If you beat the game, take your picture when the game starts over
• If you roll the score, take a picture just before and just after you roll it
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Clu Clu Land

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• Take your picture on the Title Screen
• If you loop the score, take a picture right before the score loops and right after
• If the score stops (maxes out) and both players max the score, then the earliest stage where the score is maxed out takes precendence
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Puzzle

 
Dig Dug 2

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Arcade

 
Donkey Kong

• Play on 1 Player, Game B
• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Arcade

 
Double Dragon 2

• Play on Supreme Master
• Play until Life 0
• No point racking
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Beat ‘Em Up

 
Dr. Mario

• 1 player only
• Play on Virus Level 0, Speed Hi
• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Puzzle

 
Duck Tales

• Play on Hard difficulty
• Play until Life 0
• Highest score (most cash) wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Galaga

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shoot ‘Em Up

 
Ghosts n’ Goblins

• Play until Game Over
• Take your picture on the Title Screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

Guerrilla War

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• Press Select to see your score
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shooter/Shoot 'Em Up

 
Ice Climber

• 1 player only
• Start on Mountain 1
• Play until Game Over
• Take your picture on the Title Screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Ice Hockey

• 1 player only
• Choose USA as your team and Canada as the CPU team
• Play on Speed 3, Time 7
• Choose whichever size players you want
• Play a whole game and at the end, take a picture of the score
• Greatest differential between goals for and goals against wins
• Ex: USA 10 Canada 5 = score of 5
• Ex: USA 5 Canada 10 = score of -5
• GENRE: Sports

Karnov

• Play until Game Over
• To get your score, select Game Over, start a new game, and take a picture of the screen prior to the start of Stage 1.  Your score will be in the High Score spot (If you miss taking the picture, reset your NES and your score will remain in the High Score spot)
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Kickle Cubicle

• 1 life only
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Puzzle

 
Kung Fu

• Play on Mode A
• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Beat ‘Em Up

 
Legendary Wings

• Play until Game Over
• Take your picture on the Game Over screen (Be quick)
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shoot ‘Em Up

 
Life Force

• Play until Life 0
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shoot ‘Em Up

 
Mario Bros.

• Play until Game Over
• To get your score, start a new game and take a picture. Your score will be the high score
• No point racking
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Arcade

 
Mendel Palace

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• Play the stages in any order
• To get your score, continue your game after getting a Game Over and take your picture on the stage select screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Puzzle

 
Metal Storm

• Play until Game Over
• Take your picture on the Game Over screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out/Punch-Out

• Fight Glass Joe, Von Kaiser, Don Flamenco (Major Circuit), Piston Honda (World Circuit), Super Macho Man, and Mike Tyson
• Password for Don Flamenco: 005 737 5423
• Password for Piston Honda: 032 730 8442
• Password for Super Macho Man: 267 853 7538
• Password for Mike Tyson: 007 373 5963
• Get the highest score you can against each boxer
• Take your picture after you defeat each boxer or if you lose to the boxer (be quick)
• You cannot win by decision against any boxer except Mike Tyson
• Add up all of your scores to get your final score
• Highest score wins
• In the event of a tie, defeating the boxer will take precedence over losing to the boxer.  If it’s Mike Tyson, winning by TKO or KO takes precedence over winning by decision.  Fastest times will take precedence in the event of a tie when defeating the boxer
• GENRE: Sports

 
Ms. Pac-Man

• 1 player only
• Set Pac Booster to Off
• Play on Normal
• Set Maze Selection to Arcade
• Start on Level 1
• Play until Game Over
• To get your score, start a new game, pause the game and press Up on the directional pad
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Arcade

 
Ninja Gaiden 2

• 1 life only
• No farming for extra lives allowed
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War

• Play until Game Over
• No point racking
• If you score less than 20,000 points, be ready to take your picture at the Game Over screen (it doesn’t stay up long)
• If you score more than 20,000 points, start a new game to get your score
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Beat ‘Em Up

Palamedes

• 1 player only
• Start on Level 5
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Puzzle

 
Q-Bert

• 1 player only
• Choose whichever control setup you want
• Play until Life 0
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Arcade

 
Qix

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins

Rad Racer

• Choose whichever car you want
• Play until Game Over (Be quick with your picture on the Game Over screen, the screen that shows the map of the course)
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Sports

 
Rampage

• 1 life only
• Play as whichever character you choose
• Take your picture after your life bar runs out
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Arcade

 
Rollerball

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Arcade

 
Side Pocket

• Choose 1 Player Pocket Game
• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Sports

 
Silver Surfer

• Play until Life 0
• Play the stages in any order you want
• No point racking (You may kill enemies that are a threat during boss fights)
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shoot ‘Em Up

 
Ski or Die

• Play in Compete Mode (Register your name on the clipboard)
• You must play Downhill Blitz, Snowboard Half-Pipe, Snowball Blast, and Inner-Tube Thrash
• Add all four scores together to get your final score
• Take a picture of all four scores on the High Scores menu
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Sports

 
Smash TV

• 1 player only
• Choose whichever controller setup you want
• Play until Game Over
• Be quick taking your picture on the Game Over screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Snoopy Silly Sports Spectacular

• Pick 1 Player Total Game
• Play until Game Over or until all events are cleared
• Be ready to take your picture.  The screen does not stay up for long
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Sports

Starship Hector

• Play a 5 Minute match
• Play until Game Over or the match is up
• Take your picture on the High Score screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shooter/Shoot 'Em Up

 
Stinger

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• To get your score, continue after you get a Game Over and your score will display before the level starts (be quick when taking your picture)
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shoot ‘Em Up

 
Super Mario Bros. 3

• 1 life only
• You are not allowed to re-enter the Sky Tower in World 5
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Target: Renegade

• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Beat ‘Em Up

 
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3

• 1 life only
• Play as whichever turtle you choose
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Beat ‘Em Up

 
Tetris

• Play on Type B
• Select Level 9, Height 5
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Puzzle

Thunder & Lightning

• 1 player only
• Play until Game Over
• Take your picture on the Title Screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Arcade

Tiny Toon Adventures

• 1 life only
• If you are caught my Elmyra, your attempt is over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Action/Platformer

 
Twin Cobra

• Play Until Game Over
• Take your picture on the Game Over screen or Title Screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shoot ‘Em Up

 
Xevious

• Play until Game Over
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Shoot ‘Em Up

 
Yoshi

• 1 player only
• Play on Game Type A
• Start on Level 1
• Set Speed to High
• Play until Game Over
• Take your picture on the High Score screen
• Highest score wins
• GENRE: Puzzle

 
Action/Platformer
Adventure Island
Castlevania
Duck Tales
Ghost n’ Goblins
Ice Climber
Karnov
Metal Storm
Ninja Gaiden 2
Smash TV
Super Mario Bros. 3
Tiny Toon Adventures
 
Arcade
Dig Dug 2
Donkey Kong
Mario Bros.
Ms. Pac-Man
Q-Bert
Qix
Rampage
Rollerball
Thunder & Lightning
 
Beat ‘Em Up
Bad Dudes
Batman Returns
Battletoads
Double Dragon 2
Kung Fu
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
Target: Renegade
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3
 
Puzzle
Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle
Clu Clu Land
Dr. Mario
Kickle Cubicle
Mendel Palace
Palamedes
Tetris
Yoshi
 
Shooter/Shoot ‘Em Up
Abadox
Galaga
Guerrilla War
Legendary Wings
Life Force
Silver Surfer
Starship Hector
Stinger
Twin Cobra
Xevious
 
Sports
Arch Rivals
Bases Loaded
Ice Hockey
Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out/Punch-Out
Rad Racer
Side Pocket
Ski or Die
Snoopy’s Silly Sports Spectacular

Okay, let's get ready for this final!

First pick goes to Tom, so I'll wait and choose right after him.

This is going to be fun to watch. Good luck guys!

In the meantime im looking for a chink in guillavoie's armor.

Starting off the shootout at high noon (well, Central time anyway), I choose Galaga!

I'll make my country proud of me and choose Ice Hockey.

Good luck to you all. We shall meet again next tournment Mwahahahahha

Good luck to the finalists!

Lets get some gaming on! Good luck to all

Well now you need to figure out a way to broadcast your game play in chat. I'd like to see you play a bit of this.

^^^As would I. Perhaps you could post a video for us afterward? Pretty please

Time to make some tactical choices.

I choose Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle.

Maybe after this week?  It will take a while to get the stream up and running.  I don't have a lot of time to play this week and need all I can get!

I was afraid someone would pick this.  This game is so easy that Twin Galaxies refused to track it!  Not sure how it will play out with a 1 life only rule though.

Okay, rules questions:

It's possible to select any level you've already played simply by pressing up/down on the controller during the level display screen.  There's no rule for this listed, but I assume that it is not allowed?

There are a few places where collecting a "no carrot" sign takes you to a secret stage.  However, collecting the sign also kills you (the idea being that clearing the secret stage gives you a 3up, so it's a risk-reward for a normal game).  Since this is a 1 life only game, does this count as a death for our purposes?

If you beat the last level, the game loops back to stage 1 with no increased difficulty.  Should we keep playing from here or is the game over after we beat it?

Hahaha

Like i said it's a tactical choice.

Bugs Bunny Crazy castle should be one play through each stages and game ends when you beat it once.

To clear up Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle:

• You must start from stage 1
• You may not go to the secret stage
• 1 loop only

Ok guys, your fourth challenge is gonna be Ghosts n' Goblins. Good luck   In the case of a tiebreaker (ex. a 2-2-0 outcome), whoever has the lowest score on Ghosts n' Goblins will be the winner.

I'm concerned that lowest score on Ghosts 'n Goblins will not work very well for the tiebreaker.  With the time crunch we're all under, it's highly likely that a couple of us will post zeroes for our scores.  What happens if the tiebreaker ties like that?

I have a couple of possible solutions (merely suggestions):

--As much as this would be hard on us, pick a fifth game.  The only possible tie is 2-2-1.  If that happens, the extra game can be used as the tiebreaker.

--Make Ghosts and Goblins a tiebreaker game ONLY.  The game doesn't count unless there's a 1-1-1 tie.  Highest score wins.

I like this option.  Since you guys will be under a time crunch with your games, Ghosts n' Goblins will serve as a tie breaker if there is a 1-1-1 tie.  Make the other three games a priority, but still make time for Ghosts n' Goblins

Three announcements about the finals:

1. Due to a death in guillavoie's family and busy schedules by the competitors, I am going to extend the finals by one week. Instead of ending this Sunday, December 9, the finals will now end on Sunday, December 16.

2. I am allowing dev(2) to change his choice of Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle since all competitors feel another game will make for better competition.

3. Leeching of 1-ups will be forbidden in Ghosts 'n Goblins. You may collect the 1-ups only once.

Sounds good. Okay dev, what's your new game?

Donkey kong

How does that sound to you ?

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