Highscore Challenge - Super Mario Brothers [NES] - WINNER REVEALED

[Dat Matt]

Greetings Nerds and Nerdettes. As fellow nerds I'm sure we all have one thing in common, a love of video games. You know what I like? Pointless competitions! As such I am running the first in a series of "Highscore Challenge" events. Each member is encouraged to play a certain game once a month and try to achieve the highest score possible.

This month on Highscore challenge we are playing Super Mario Brothers for the Nintendo Entertainment System!


http://selectstart.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/super_mario_bros.jpg

The challenge will run for 1 week starting at 10pm GMT on the 1st of May, and ending at 10pm GMT on the 15th of May. The player with the highest submitted score at the end of the week wins and is crowned EoFF's Super Mario Brothers champion!

Here are the rules:

1. Players need to submit a photo of their score and submit it into this thread. You can submit a photo of your score at any point in the game, Scores will be updated on the scoreboard below, so try and one up the top scorer!

2. The game can be played on any format. My entry is being submitted via 3DS for example.

That's it really. When scores are submitted I will update the thread and the below score sheet with the scores. Highest score at the end of the game wins. Now for some extras:

Prize:
As this is the first in the series of challenges, I am offering a prize to first place. The winner of the Super Mario Brothers High Score challenge will win this adorable http://i.imgur.com/EaNZNxv.jpg I will PM the winner when the competition is over to confirm address details and send him on his way!

Live Skype Challenge:
Our good friend Jiro has offered to host a Live Run of the game on skype. Players will play the game live with other players via skype and compete to see who can get the best score simultaneously. A date is unconfirmed, however Saturday/Sunday is probably our best bet. If you would like to join Jiro in playing Super Mario Brothers live with other EoFF members, PM Jiro directly with your screen name, and make a post showing your interested in the thread. Players who wish to join in will still need to post a picture of their score In the thread for it to be counted.

That is it. Have fun trying to achieve the Highest score you possibly can! If you have any questions or I've missed something, let me know and I'll try to sort it out.


High scores:



Name
Score


Bubba
1,200,350


Mercen-X
730,750


Mercen-X
501,250


Pike
309,800


Endless
193,700


Scotty_ffgamer
145,700


Endless
138,600


Mario
100,000


Luigi
90,000


Pike
88,500

[Dat Matt]

To start of the competition, I have had a crack at the game. It turns out I'm rubbish and could only achieve a pitiful score.

http://i.imgur.com/Zn9qhT1.jpg

[Shauna]

When I get my DS charged I will play until I have a whole one more point than you. :3

[Dat Matt]

I died on world 1-3. I doubt that my score will be the high score.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I'll get my NES fired up sometime soon and give it a go!

[Mercen-X]

I died on world 1-3. I doubt that my score will be the high score.

Thus, I call ye a quitter.

[Dat Matt]

Indeed. A terrible score gavene a frame of reference for the table though

[Jiro]

So folks: anyone interested in live playing?!

[Flying Mullet]

This high score is easy to game. :(


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-DNt_erbL4

[Dat Matt]

You don't get points for lives. You'll just be able to play for longer using that trick.

[Flying Mullet]

That method gives you a lot of points too.

[Dat Matt]

21,900 points each time you do it to be exact. Thank you for bringing it to the attention of the thread flying mullet, now everyone is going to do it.

I don't encourage the use of this exploit, but it will be pretty easy to spot if someone does use it. Besides, I have a contingency plan in the case of a tie breaker which is likely now that is in the open that there is a points exploit. Something much harder than the current challenge.

[Dat Matt]

That us a the half way mark, and the NPC scores are still in the lead!

I wonder how I'll ship the prize to a fictitious character...

[Pike]

Ooh I didn't realize the deadline was so soon. I'll try to get a score in at some point.

[Dat Matt]

I'm considering extending the event by a week. Would like to see my own name knocked off the board at least.

[Shauna]

Yeah, extend the deadline. No harm in an extra week. But don't have it much longer than that. :3

[Endless]

53960

[Dat Matt]

Oh my glob, an entry!?

http://cdn0.dailydot.com/uploaded/images/original/2014/1/7/its-happening-ron-paul-gif.gif

I'll update the score sheet when I get back from work. Out of curiosity is that the super Mario deluxe version of the game?

[Endless]

It is, I got it for free from Nintendo when they did a promo for the launch of Nintendo Network for the 3ds.

[Dat Matt]

I got the same game via that promotion. I wasn't aware it had a copy of the original Mario Brothers for the NES on it though. I just had a go at it there and the fact that the Camera Zooms in is really annoying. I had to take leaps of faith on world 1-3 because I couldn't see the overworld.

Scores are updated though. 138,600 is the score to beat.

[Dat Matt]

After some discussion, I've amended the rules so that people can enter several entries. I'm tempted to not amend scores so endless, our only entrant can submit more scores if someone where to beat his score.

8 Days to go until submissions close. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on proceedings so far. *Crickets noise*

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I'm still doing this! Just haven't had much of a chance thanks to work. I have my NES all set up and ready to go. I was going to do it today, but had to stay late at work, but hopefully tomorrow I can get an entry in!

[Dat Matt]

Woop woop. I figured that people would have different schedules. So I extended the deadline. I also updated votvso that you can have various entries to be fair to earlier entrants.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I was able to get a quick game in before work today!

54138

Edit: I wasn't quick enough with my camera to get it at the game over screen and was worried I'd lose my score. I forgot it keeps the score from your last game up there at the beginning screen before you start a new game. That was a relief.

[Bubba]

Why have I only just seen this thread??!!!

I used to play this non-stop as a kid and I'm pretty sure I can annihilate the current scores. I'll whip out my SNES (I'll be playing the Mario Allstars copy as my Wii is temperamental) when I get home and proceed to teach you all a lesson in how to play Super Mario Bros.

[Slothy]

I predicted the coming of Bubba in the planning thread for this event. Just pointing that out. Prepare to get schooled kids.

[Dat Matt]

Scotty has taken the lead! Submit more entries to beat that score!

I have heard tales of your scores bubba. Please be gentle on these poor souls.

[Pike]

lol I am terrible

54139

[Dat Matt]

Scored better than Princess Toadstool. That vixen with her scores and her always getting kidnapped.

[Crop]

Glad this got extended. I'll dust off the old SNES and All Stars over the weekend. Time to go to school.

[Endless]

54146

[Dat Matt]

IT'S ON!

Endless takes the lead again. Who will be the first to break 200K?

[Bubba]

Might just be my best run yet! It's much easier on the old SNES controller as opposed to using the Wii pads.

[Shauna]

well trout

[Dat Matt]

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbqt2hSZB11qifhb9o2_500.gif

Well the Gauntlet has been thrown down by Bubba. With an Earth Shattering 1,200,350.

While It is impressive, it is possible to beat this score. Any challengers willing to accept the task?

[Flying Mullet]

Ha ha ha, shit just got real.

[Bubba]

I should point out as well that I didn't use Flying Mullet's trick with the koopa shell. I don't even think it's possible on the SNES Mario Allstars version.

[Dat Matt]

I've seen some runs regarding the scores that did not use the shell trick and attempted for the highest score possible. Your score was within the score range, so I knew you didn't use the trick.

Forum user finds one weird trick to get high scores on Mario. Bowswer hates him!

[Pike]

Well I'm in second place at least

54153

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I was just playing again to see if I could do better. I was doing really well through the first three worlds until I was killed by a turtle when I jumped on it. It wasn't one of those jumping on the shell and having it bounce back and hit me moments. No, I jumped on the head of a turtle and just died. I was sad.

[Slothy]

Might just be my best run yet! It's much easier on the old SNES controller as opposed to using the Wii pads.

I warned them going into this.

[Flying Mullet]

The original NES version can't go over 1,000,000 points so anyone without access to a later version of the game will be unable to beat Bubba. :(

[The Man]

I should probably try this. Is emulation frowned upon? I don't know if I actually have a system I can play this on without buying it again.

[Pike]

Well I've been playing on ZSNES so I would say emulators are probably okay! (If they aren't then my scores are for naught :( )

[Dat Matt]

I didn't specify that it had to be on any particular format. Emulation should be fine.

How long did it take you to rack up that score bubba. Just for reference

[Bubba]

It was about 30-40 mins I think. I obviously didn't use any warp pipes. Played all 32 levels to get as high a score as possible. I could probably have done it faster but I died a few times on some of the middle levels.

EDIT: No, I reckon longer actually. About 45 mins.

[Shauna]

The original NES version can't go over 1,000,000 points so anyone without access to a later version of the game will be unable to beat Bubba. :(

That is... difficult to deal with! D: How do you plan on making this okay, Mr Shauna?!

[Dat Matt]

If one were to play on the nes version, and they maxed put their score at 999,999 which should be the Max, I would consider it a draw with bubbas score. At that point those with joint first would be entered into a second, more grueling challenge for expert players.

That is if course if people play the new version and make it to 999,999. I hope it happens. It should be interesting to test my tie breakers.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

Since I'm playing the NES version, I'll do my best. I've never actually beat the game though, haha. At least, I've never beaten it going through every single level.

[Bubba]

I'm happy to accept a tie if anyone reaches 999'999 on the NES version :D

I hope this doesn't come across as patronising but here are a few tips which really helped me bump up my scores.

- Collect as many coins as you can as they're worth 200 points each
- Collect every power-up as they're worth 1000 points
- Always end every (non-castle) level with last timer digit on '6' It gives you six fireworks which equates to 3000 points. If you start your run and jump when the timer has a '0' at the end this should land you with a '6' every time
- Also, it goes without saying that you need to get the top of the flag on every level for 5000 points. Combined with the fireworks, every flag at the end of a level should get you 8000 points in total.
- Try (if you can!) to have your fire power when you reach the Bowsers in the castles. Five hits with your fireballs and he's history and gives you 5000 points.
- Probably the biggest points earner though, every time you come across a turtle, jump on him, knock him forward and you usually take out a horde of enemies. Taking out just 7 enemies will net you about 20'000 points a time. Hell, even
just kicking a koopa shell is worth 500 points. Just watch the bounce back off walls!

[Dat Matt]

I've updated the front sheet to include my Pikes current score. I've now been knocked off the leaderboards!

I wonder if we'll get enough entries to knock off the NPC entries.

[Bubba]

That leaderboard looks pretty good! Who the hell is Buuba though?

[Dat Matt]

Some dude. You don't know him.

[Bubba]

Some dude. You don't know him.

Cool. Fair play to him, that will be some score to beat! What a legend.

[Crop]

So on my first go I just got the second highest score, but just to clarify if I post it I can still play again right? I messed up majorly throughout and I think I can at least double my score, even if I can't quite beat out Bubba's.

[Dat Matt]

You can submit as many score's as you like. So long as they are posted in the thread. Accepting all entries n such.

[Mercen-X]

Good grief.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/Mercen-X/th_mb_zps166e2acd.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/Mercen-X/media/mb_zps166e2acd.jpg.html)

[Dat Matt]

How on earth did you get 500k points and 70 coins on world 1-1?

[LocoColt04]

This (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-02-21-man-completes-super-mario-bros-with-the-lowest-possible-score) deserves a prize as well.

[Dat Matt]

Drat, you just spoiled the tiebreaker round.

[LocoColt04]

Oh seven hells, I didn't know!~

[Bubba]

I'm gonna have to try that low score run anyway. That was crazy!

I loved how he hopped up and down a bunch of times after making that impossible jump on 8-1 :lol:

[Dat Matt]

It's adorable. If someone achieves the 999,999 score required for a draw, there is a modified version of that run in have in mind for a tie breaker. The variation revolves around the scoring vs number of levels cleared so the actual gameplay part isn't affected. Give it a shot bubba, let's us know how you do.

[Dat Matt]

So only 4 days left to submit your entries! Bubba is still in the lead but his score still can be topped. I've seen it happen before!

Also Mercen-X, can you like, explain why you have 501k points on world 1-1 or am I just seeing everything wrong and you're actual score was 1250? Mercen-X, plz. I just can't understand how...

[Mercen-X]

When you game over, you're top score is displayed over a demo reel. I wasn't fast enough to get the pic during play.

[Dat Matt]

Oh Question answered. I thought I was going mad.

Does the high score not also play during on the title screen?

[Mercen-X]

Yeah, but it takes me a bit to get my camera ready cause the score will come out all blurred and then the demo starts to play. Anyway, I got another one.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/Mercen-X/th_730750_zps3e779e68.jpg (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/Mercen-X/730750_zps3e779e68.jpg)
FYI, this is the fifth score I've posted and replaced via edits (it's gradually increasing).

Why is it that some of the 1up Mushrooms don't show up on every playthrough? Is that a game glitch or is my game just bad?

[Bubba]

I'm not sure if it's a glitch or not but it's the same in my game. I know where all the extra lives are but sometimes they just don't appear.

Good score though!

[Mercen-X]

Er... as of 9:30pm yesterday, that pic depicts a score of 730750.

Anyway, yeah, due the fact that the 1-Up Mushroom on 8-2 appears no matter many times you die, I convinced myself I could rack up a decent score on 1-1 just by playing for a couple of hours. However, the 1-1 can only be obtained once.

[Dat Matt]

You should, like, not delete previous posts with better scores. Makes it really difficult for me to track your scores as there is no backup for the leaderboard in the thread. I've amended your top score to reflect this one, as the 592k score has been replaced, but if the scores aren't visable in the thread I wont be able to register them on the front page.

That aside, only 2 days left folks, and not one has managed to match Bubba's score yet. Are we to see a last minute winner or is the score just off the charts?!

[Mercen-X]

Yeah, I always check the first page to check if you changed it before I do my change. I don't want to have a huge list of Mercen-X's scores so I wanted to just have the highest I could get. Of course, sometimes changes occur within minutes of each other. I recently got 712k and this time I reached the final Bowser but without fireballs, I didn't stand a chance as I don't have proper timing. I had never reached the end of Mario before.

[Dat Matt]

So today is the day. <14 hours until a winnerbis crowned. Is there to be a last minute upset?

Voting closes at 10pm GMT so get your scores in before then!

[Crop]

I got lazy, then busy, then lazy again. I would have only come third anyway.

[Dat Matt]

And that's time. Submissions are now closed.

And the winner is Bubba with a whopping 1,200,350 point! A score so high that it doesn't even register on the original copies of the game! Should out to Mecen-X with second place of 730,750 and to Pike Coming in 4th with 309,800. Higher scores that I could ever hope to muster with my pitiful retro gaming techniques.

Thanks to everyone for participating in the first instalment of the EoFF Highscore Challenge. As this is our first run I would encourage any feedback for future Highscore challenges.

[Jiro]

Congratulations to all the winners! What a crazy performance. That low score run was also hella fun to watch.

[Mercen-X]

I finally beat the game, but I had used the stage bypasses because I just wanted to see the ending. Damn that every time I do a straight run, I can't seem to survive Stage 3 with my firepower intact.