Game Masters and Game Amateurs Are One And the Same

When Neopians talk about gaming, you usually hear a variety having to do with gold trophies, score resets, and avatars along with the occasional, "I think I'm better than you at (insert game here)" in the Game Challenge Room. Some people even find it easier than others to win their Neopian income at the Game Challenge Room over restocking and other various ways to make neopoints. Now, is this you? Well, it could be. Over the 4 years I have been playing Neopets, I have found that games either come easy to the specific player or not so much. For those that struggle you can hear them ranting and raving, "Ohh!! I was this close to getting that avatar!!" or, "Doh! Why did I have to lose there!!! I would have had a trophy!" Then there are those fortunate few that feel all games are one and the same just resulting in a lookup full of trophies that make the rest of us think, "How? How did he get all those?" The answer is simple. One step at a time.

When it comes to playing a game for a trophy (whether or not you are interested in the avatar makes no difference), it all starts with one game, one goal, and possibly one guide. With all the guides that can possibly be found on Neopets, one must remember: they can be very helpful or the exact opposite. And one must be careful in choosing what information is helpful and what information is ridiculously false. When you begin to play, the controls are always the first vital thing to understand; don't be lazy: read them! It doesn't hurt and you might learn something. I have actually run into multiple Neopians who never knew that space bar on Volcano Run was used to slow you down or was the "brake" in the game. Hence reading the rules is definitely a good thing.

The next item on the list when it comes to conquering a game is just another simple question. "Are there any helpful tips that show strategies that would make it easier for me to play this game?" The answer to that question for most games is, "Yes! Definitely!" You just have to look around. Strategy for many games can come from all different directions from many different people. For example: For beating games like Cellblock, Sewage Surfer, Extreme Potato Counter, Neoquest 1 & 2, etc. can actually become simple with just you, the average Neopian, taking the time to read. When I first started to play, I thought these games were beyond me. My friend called me a quitter. He also made me look bad because he had all the trophies I wanted. All he ended up having to do was push me into the game room with a few guides and my journey had begun. It can be the same for you. You just have to take the time to read through the guides.

For those of you that repeatedly say, "I have spent hours playing and still can't get a score higher than _____!!" I understand your frustration; one reason could be because of the timing you picked to submit your score. If you got the bright idea to try for a trophy towards the end of the month when all the scores are ridiculously high, expect to fail miserably. A simple solution to resolve this is to just try waiting for the first of the month. As hard as waiting sometimes can be, practice your patience by doing something else to keep you busy till the end of the month. For those that do not know, The Neopets Team usually gives out trophies at X:XX AM NST, this being what many Neopians call the "First of the Month Game Rush!" (You didn't think I would actually tell you, did you?) If you wait till the first of the month, the chances of you getting your score on the high score list becomes extremely more probable. With any luck, you will be given the chance to feel proud and be able to show-off a screen shot of your name on the high score list (without editing in your name and cheating yourself of your own accomplishment).

Another solution (also number three on the list) is to find secret words that give extra effects that help you out during game play. An example of this can be found in the following games: Oh, I'm so sorry. I can't list them. You will have to find them on your own, but believe me, they do exist and they do help! xD

I found for many games where it helped me to set goals at various point markers in order to know if my game play was going well. If when game play starts, you don't receive above the point marker you personally set, or you know you could get more on that specific level, many master gamers would ask the questionl, "Why not just start over?" The answer to that question is you probably should. Wasting time to keep playing with a poor point spread over a game will never get you the trophy or avatar, and will just make you discouraged. Don't worry; just hang in there. You will get that dream trophy or that dream game avatar eventually!

Another trick to any game is the concept everyone seems to hate: practicing through repetition to create your own strategy. From my own experience, it sometimes takes a few days to pick up on the tricks of the trade towards any game, but once learned, I am usually on my way to a gold trophy and with any luck you will be too!

In conclusion if you take the time to:

1: Learn every control in the game,

2: Find at least one helpful guide,

3: Pick the beginning of the month to send your score,

4: Start the game over if the point to level ratio is low,

5: Check if there are any secret words for extra help in the game and

6: Practice, Practice and YEP! More practice.

You could very well be on your way to a gold trophy to show off on your lookup or that avatar you always wanted.

I hope you have learned a thing or two about the tricks to gaming, and hopefully your trophy collection will be growing after reading this article!