It's pretty satisfying for sure. Even though my score is dook,I'm still very happy to say I legitimately beat the game.

Gunning for that 170!

Damn, I was so close to 170k on my last run. Still my highest score ever. I don't have to sweat my score anymore because that's already pretty good.

I just can't do that last bit. Best I've done is 60 seconds left at the start of the last level, but the level is just... really damn hard lol.

Yeah. It takes a lot of practice to get through that last bit smoothly. It's the stuff of nightmares.



 

What I did was just not go too fast then pause for a minute when I got to a safe spot then cautiously proceeded to the next area. 


167k? Awesome! If everyone who's amazing at this game plays it's a top 8 score. If they don't,probably top 3-5 I'm guessing.

Thanks. I'm already happy with that score.

When playing for high score you have to try to get through that entire last section fast. You can barely hesitate. It's stressful.



 

Yeah speed and getting it the first time pays off in spades. I can usually just blast through the early races with speed but those later races I usually screw up at least once somewhere.

That awesome feeling when you have the best run you've ever had and the pictures are all blurry so you try to make adjustments and bump the nes.....

I don't think I've played this game since I rented it shortly after it was released. O.o This should be interesting.... (i.e. tragic) hahahahaha

176,420
174,220

I was actually struggling to get over 160k today. I finally made it to the ultimate race with 99 seconds and didn't choke on the last section. If only I could have been a few seconds faster I would have had over 170k.

The ultimate race is where speed is most important for your score. Even a few seconds is a big score difference. And I don't think it's possible to get a wand on that stage.

 

Nice score. Yeah I'll also be working on breaking 170k this week. I've come close.

 

Here's my participation / place holder score.

53,660
42,510
20,230

I beat the last level! But I died 20 times so my score only came to 65k. :S

I'll keep trying and submit an actually half-decent score if I can muster one up.

86,820
40,230

First bimmy poetry of the year! YES!
Who would of thought that somebody, someday would make up a rap song about Marble Madness?

This will most likely be my best this week. mbd39, unless The Tall Man or Gui post a score I think you got this.
Also to all of you folks that beat this game... how the eff do you beat the Ultimate Race?


 

Looks like I stand corrected.
Swift and Caleb47 ruined my RC Pro-AM dreams of my first gold medal 3 years ago too.
 

To your question, practice. I played on an emulator, saved at the last level, then played it over and over for like 20 minutes. I then hoped on the NES and beat it first try. Once you know the moves and timing it's doable.

The trick to the last section is to practice until your thumb feels like it's going to fall off, and then practice some more.

I don't think that you even need save states to practice this game because it's so freaking short.


 

 With no save states because like you said the game is so short that it's easy to get reps in.
I agree with that. I've been playing it on my modded nes mini.

In regard to a wand in the final stage, I've never seen one trigger there.  That being said, I've crossed the line at the silly race and the wand animation started, the screen transitioned and as soon as the last race started the animation for the wand finished.  So as far as my meandering experience goes, it can happen if it triggers at the end of the last level (once you're across the finish).

On my last run I made it to the ultimate race with 90 seconds left, and I didn't get help from any wands. I'm getting there. I'd like to be able to get there with 99 seconds every time.

It helps when you get a good pattern with the hammers in the aerial stage and just speed past them.

Score updated on page 1. everyones pictures are so much clearer than mine. i dunno what else to do at this point. played on the tube tv on the nes on the avs with and without scanlines. guess i'll set up some mood lighting.

menu screen so crisp. scoreboard so bad. 

Earlier today I got a wand as I loaded onto the catapult in the aerial stage and it froze my marble. The timer kept going and my score was increasing as if I were progressing but the marble was just stuck there on the catapult until time ran out. Bummer and pretty crappy.

Maybe there's a reason for this. But sometimes when I'm taking the piston path in the aerial race, when I do that last jump, it looks like my marble landed correctly but the screen doesn't scroll and I die anyway. The marble turns to dust and gets swept up. I'm not sure if it's a glitch or if I'm screwing up the jump somehow. Since this was programmed by Rare then I'm assuming glitch.