So if you haven't heard the news, even our horse athletes are now accused of doing performance enhancing drugs. Yup even Big Brown. There's rumors in Boulder that guys playing rec league softball and ultimate frisbee (as well as running/cycling events) are using HGH, as highlighted in a recent article in the Denver Post. Even a recently buffed-up Tiger Woods has had some speculation, especially with his classic knee injury that is often seen with using certain bulking up drugs (see: Barry Bonds). I suppose there's an innate Darwinistic need to be better than one's peers, even in events where the prize may be nothing more than a cheap plastic trophy and a gift certificate for Denny's. The weird thing about performance enhancing drugs is that well, they seem to actually work (though at a certain price). And as much as we condemn those who get caught, who wouldn't want an easy-to-use edge over their professional competitors (some reports even state HGH really has no harmful effects)? If there was a pill that made someone, say, an awesome systems administrator or an elite secretary, would people do it? Of course they would because that's what people do. I'm not saying you or I would (obviously, since I own no world records, I'm not on the juice) but when you raise the stakes, it's easy to see why athletes, human and beast, find a way to get pumped up. Poor Big Brown though; the guy only wants to run around, sire a few colts and eat oats.
Changing gears, I've been noodling around with my "NES COMPLETION PROJECT" again. My goal is to document playing through my entire NES collection, even the games I haven't touched in 15 years. Hey, you don't live forever and I may never get to them again, so why not? All of this started last September when I played through Faxanadu. I've been working hard at the office, getting a ton of exercise from the mountains, frisbee and biking so I feel I've earned a few hours of NES time at night. Plus, outside of sports I don't really watch TV anyway. And I just got done reading a throng of cerebral books so I need something else to help me unwind at night.
Anyhow, this week I got through Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos without too much trouble. It's quite a bit easier than the first one, though the first form of the final boss is still a pain in the brain (I had to consult my cousin's NG 2 guide for some pointers). But I made it through in one sitting and it's still a fun game that holds up well over time.
The same can't be said for the next game I put in the NES, The Goonies II. I remember liking it back in the day, especially the password feature and the Goonies inspired game tunes. The action sequences and exploration aspects are still fine but the first-person room exploration scenes are dreadfully boring and tedious. Basically, you have to use the clumsy menu to HIT every wall in every room, then use your hammer in the same fashion in hopes of finding secret items or hidden doors. It really slows the pace of the game and makes keeping track of where you are quite confusing. I love making my own game maps and all that but for now, Goonies II goes on the back burner for something more exciting. So, I turn to two games I know I can play through in one sitting with relative ease: Ninja Gaiden and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! Even though they have a reputation for being difficult, they are short enough to get to the tough parts easily and most of the sequences for victory are permanently burned into my brain.
