Agree about high scores.

I'd like to see some progression style weeks to reward different people's play styles.

A low score, progression would be too easy to fake in Ninja Gaiden. Both high and low score need the same skillset to do well in either instance, just high score is wildly harder to fake. Unless you want to make recording all submitted scores mandatory

Good point, I hadn't even thought of that. It would be too easy for someone to play halfway through the game, lose all of their lives on purpose, continue to wipe out their score and then play through the last levels normally while still making it appear like a legit low score. As much as I find point pressing tedious, there's no way a low score contest would work with this game.

Yeah. As much as I don't like high score and would prefer more speedy runs, it really is the only way that makes sense and is fair to everyone. The only place I have a hard time point pressing is 2-1, as the wrong mistake will ruin a great run.

I was just using the respawing dog creature right before the exit on 2-1. I'm guessing there's a more profitable area that I'm missing?

Nope, that's the one. I just tend to screw up and get hit as I spawn them very fast (usually 88-91k when leaving 2-1).

Here's a speedrun of a guy no deathing the game in 12 and a half minutes. I can't even imagine the amount of practice it takes to get this good:

Indeed guys, low score/further progression doesn't make much sense with Ninja Gaiden, and since the remaining clock is giving points, it would involved waiting for it to drop down before killing the boss, that's as unfunny as it can gets.

On the other hand, getting a high score at Ninja Gaiden demand to be good at progressing through the game. It's one thing to camp and press points, but you still need to blast through the level the best you can.

When practicing to get a high score, try to identify the spots you'll press points in every area the clock is resetting. Master your point pressing in each spots, and note how much time you need to get to the end of each segment after the point pressing session. Once you got everything noted, you can also practice going through the game without the point pressing, in order to get comfortable with the game before going for the big runs. What I was doing is to try to rush through the game, and stops at my point pressing spots but only to do a few repetitions (not the maximum noted). This helps to practice rushing through the game while memorizing everything. Cause on one hand, you don't want to screw up your point pressing techniques, but you also want to breeze through the levels easily.

The infinite continue in the game is very helpful to practice the harder levels too.

Impressive work so far, dra600n.  Looking forward to seeing how much farther you can take it.

I'm going to have to take some time off from the contests for a while so I'm going to have to tap out early on this one. Good luck and go get that million!

Edit: I'll still try to at least post a participation score the rest of the way, but I likely won't have the time to put in every week to do much more.

Hopefully you can come back strong at some point.

Thanks, I appreciate it. Similar to Santa last week, I've had some personal stuff come up that needs my attention more than the contests and I don't really know what the timetable is. Hopefully, I can still participate on a limited basis, but I'm not really sure at this point.

Definitely understandable, we'll continue our fued at a later date.

I think I'll give this challenge a try.

It's dangerous to go alone,take this. (hands over nes controller)

updated score; marginal improvement. keep up the great work guys

UPDATE: 428900

Top ten won't be the same without you two.

I have a new found hatred for the bats and birds in this game I keep making stupid mistakes or backtracking errors and end up having a bat,bird,or some other asshole knock me back into a pit.

What I don't get...most enemies take off 1 point of energy per hit,but the birds take off three? Getting attacked by a sword,1 point of damage....getting run into by a bird,3 points of damage. Ummm....what?

Anyway,I refuse to post anything until I can get that million or at least super close. And speaking of super close,I can feel I'm very close to putting everything together for a great run.

This week's contest is the perfect excuse to flex my Ninja Gaiden skills!

I'm right there with you.  I love competing in the contests but I just don't have a lot of time right now to dive into the games like I did before.  Maybe we can coordinate our return with Santa and take the leaderboards by storm! 

been playing casually all week, not going to compete near the top this week but have to put something together to post this weekend

Updated my score to 501k.

I share the same hatred as you my friend. I called those birds an MF so many times last night I'm surprised PETA didn't show up.

My thing was I decided to try a couple new techniques and since I hadn't practiced it beforehand I got served a dish of defeat. Can't wait to play again tonight.

The plan is to get up a score early in the week the rest of the way so I at least get a participation point. Since I'm currently in 2nd place on the overall leaderboard I should still be able to lock up a tournament spot. Hopefully we will all be good to go by the beginning of the second half so you, me and Caleb47 can dust off our Double Dragon 2 gold carts and have an epic triple threat title match!