Tetrium wrote on 2021-09-15, 12:33:
The very first game that came to mind was Zuma (which to my big surprise can still be gotten on steam). I remember I was so dang proud of myself when I finally managed to beat that final level! xD
Ah, Zuma! Brings back so many memories. I played the Zuma Deluxe PC version, which back then you could order it on a CD directly from PopCap. It would come in a slim DVD case with a personalized CD label that had your name and address on it. I still keep it as a collectable.
I got introduced to the game by my friend, and both of us were hooked on it for a while. But he could never get through World 9, and eventually gave up, whereas I persisted. It took me a long time to beat World 12, after dying so many times on 12-7. When I eventually beat it, I had 2 lives left to beat 13-1. I knew that the game does not save, and if I die I will have to start over from World 12 again, so I was quite nervous. However, on my second attempt, I got a rather lucky run of the balls. It takes ages to get to "Zuma" on 13-1, but if you do, it pushes the chain sooo far back, that you are quite likely to win at that point. Much like you, I was ecstatic. 😀
Of course, I later figured out a few things that made the game easier. The most important of which is that you should start on world 1, and play through (the game saves your progress automatically). If you are reasonably good, you will accumulate tons of extra lives, which will increase your chances on surviving the tough world 9 and beyond, compared to starting directly on that world, with only 2 spare lives.
Of course, I never got as good at it as some of the pros, but a couple of years ago, I actually went back, and beat the entire game without losing a single life. Attached is the screenshot of the final tally.
I felt on such a roll, that I immediately started a game of Iron Frog in Zuma's Revenge (the mode which allows no deaths), only to get to the last level (insanely hard), and die after Zuma. That was an Epic Fail. I don't think I played much Zuma since. 😜
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