Using Twin Galaxies’ bounty system, perfectpacman.com is offering recognition for a series of unique gaming challenges. These are designed to offer recognition to an unlimited number of gamers who achieve qualifying runs through a given timeframe, while also offering a special prize to those who beat the challenge most effectively by a given metric. No money is involved in these PPMDC bounties; this site has no ads and generates no revenue. These challenges are strictly a fun community venture. The current batch of PPMDC bounties runs through the end of September 2024, to be followed by a write-up featuring the winners in October. See each bounty page for challenge-specific rules, and scroll below for global PPMDC bounty rules and prizing guidelines.
CURRENT PPMDC BOUNTIES
Galaga: Clear the first six stages without missing a shot
All those missiles you’re firing in Galaga are costing someone money, and the bean-counters are calling. Can you get to the second bonus stage without missing a shot?
Super Mario Bros. 3: Collect maximum anchors without dying
It’s the Maximum Anchorage Challenge! Collect all six anchors in SMB3, and do it without dying.
THE COMPLETE UNABRIDGED LIST OF ALL VIDEO GAME PLAYERS OF THE CENTURY
The domain perfectpacman.com has an established 20-year history of granting the title “Video Game Player of the Century”. Unfortunately, this domain’s previous owner was a lying douche who used that opportunity to falsely give the title to himself in a shameless act of self-promotion. However, current site ownership believes this domain’s legacy is an opportunity to give back to the community. These PPMDC bounty challenges give all legitimate players a fair chance to claim this historic title for themselves. Only true champions need apply.
(Note: Current Twin Galaxies is not awarding the “Video Game Player of the Century” title through these bounties. This is a perfectpacman.com venture, using the TG bounty system for external adjudication.)
🏆 David Race 🏆
VIDEO GAME PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
Perfect clear of first 8 boards of Pac-Man in under 9 minutes, 51 seconds
🏆 OOO 🏆
VIDEO GAME PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
12,700 points on Donkey Kong without using the jump button
Seven pass-throughs on Pac-Man
Three pass-throughs on Ms. Pac-Man
🏆 Gamebuster 🏆
VIDEO GAME PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
Defeated the 10000/10000 Minecraft challenge in 40:59.733
🏆 LAH16 🏆
VIDEO GAME PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
Cleared Final Fantasy 7’s Midgar without using materia in 2:07:44
🏆 Evan04 🏆
VIDEO GAME PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
Scored 122,100 in the Robotron “Broken Arrow” challenge
🏆 Sawneyrath11 🏆
VIDEO GAME PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
Defeated Kirby Super Star’s Arena without using a buddy and without healing in under 4:25
🏆 Mitchflowerpower 🏆
VIDEO GAME PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
Completed a perfect score of 201 on damageless Super Mario Bros. 3
🏆 Aranea 🏆
VIDEO GAME PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
Completed Metroid Dread with minimum items and without taking damage
PPMDC BOUNTY RULES
In tiny text because most of this is boring, but technically necessary. TL;DR: I won’t print bad things. Be honest and reasonable. Use common sense.
All performances must be fully recorded, and must adhere to general TGSAP rules and community expectations, including those particular to the platform and emulation being used. The platform being used must be specified (SNES, PSX, Wii Virtual Console, etc.), and emulation used (aside from that inferred by platform) must also be disclosed. (You don’t have to tell me the Virtual Console is emulation, unless you were actually emulating the Virtual Console itself, but you do have to say if you’re playing using a typical SNES emulator.)
No major glitches aside from any specified in the bounty description. “Major glitches” will ultimately be defined solely at the discretion of ersatz_cats, but feel free to ask if you want clarification on a specific bug/glitch/exploit/feature, or honestly, just use common sense.
It is requested that submissions for these bounties be achieved on or after the date the bounties are posted, rather than using one’s historical achievements which would happen to qualify. This is to ensure competitive integrity, with everyone being given the same timeframe for attempts. Also, some bounties have also been deliberately simplified (such as perfect through the first eight boards of Pac-Man) in the hopes of encouraging more players to attempt the greater challenge. Obviously, players who have achieved these bounties in the past can still submit with a new performance which would qualify. The reason this is not a requirement for the adjudication of these bounties at TG is because, per TGSAP rules, that would also require proof-of-date as part of each submission, which would be hella tedious, and the TG credibility score system would discourage TG users from voting on submissions lacking such proof. I don’t want every person submitting to have to photograph themselves holding up the day’s newspaper or whatever. Submitting old runs or significant misrepresentation of dates may result in disqualification from recognition for current and future PPMDC bounties. Please just be honest.
The prize for completing a PPMDC bounty is to be featured in a future piece celebrating each of the winners. This recognition is given to every player who submits a valid run. Along with your recognition, you can submit your thoughts on this challenge or on any appropriate gaming topic to be published as well. The definition of what constitutes “appropriate gaming topic” will be at ersatz_cats’ sole discretion. Obviously, bigotry is not allowed, nor is using this recognition system to harass another non-consenting gamer. Be reasonable and use common sense. There is no particular limit to the length of these comments, but I reserve the right to trim the published version down if necessary. Winners will be recognized by their name and/or username as displayed at Twin Galaxies, unless otherwise requested. Again, offensive names as defined at ersatz_cats’ sole discretion will not be allowed. Also, if for whatever strange reason you want to participate in the competition on the TG site but don’t want recognition here at PPMDC, please send me a direct message at TG or post a public comment at TG explicitly saying that you are declining PPMDC recognition. Otherwise, per TG rules, I am obligated to fulfill the terms of the bounty. Vague suggestions to this end may not result in the outcome you desire.
In addition to write-up recognition, all players who submit valid runs will be named Video Game Player of the Century, and will be added to the ongoing list of all such winners. Yes, there can be many Video Game Players of the Century, because why not? The given “Century” is whatever 100-year span the player desires. Don’t worry, our Video Game Players of the Century are fully verified; any liars and cheaters who may have attempted to claim that title in the past are forbidden from our list. Note that this prize used to be restricted to a “top billing” judged by a competitive metric, hence why not all bounty players from previous challenges have been added to the list. That approach made more sense for challenges using a lower barrier to entry, but current bounty challenges use higher participation thresholds, allowing all verified runners a valid claim to the title. As with the recognition prize, if for any reason you do not wish to have your name and accomplishment on the list, you can contact me, ersatz_cats, and request removal at any time. But really, why would you do that?
Swag strats are always encouraged, and will also be featured in any eventual write-up. These include self-imposed additional challenges – we are, after all, challenge gamers. Don’t be afraid to point these strats out, either in your TG submission or to me directly in DM, as I may not always notice otherwise.
PAST PPMDC BOUNTIES
A full perfect score on Pac-Man sounds daunting. But what’s not nearly as daunting is simply getting perfect through the first eight boards!
Final Fantasy 6: Fewest steps to beat Kefka at Narshe
Beat Kefka in Narshe while taking only 3,255 (or fewer?) steps! Emulator tools including save states, fast forwards, pauses, and frame advance are ALLOWED.
The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time: Get as far as you can without taking damage
How far can you get in Ocarina of Time without taking damage? Progress will be measured in Gold Skulltula tokens acquired. Major glitches are ALLOWED.
Super Mario Bros. 2: Beat the game with 254 extra lives
Even a mere button-masher can max out their spare lives in SMB2. But can you successfully beat the game with all those extra lives intact?
Donkey Kong: Highest score without using the jump button
How high can you get… when you can’t even jump? Score as many points as you can in original Donkey Kong without using the jump button.
Minecraft: Return home from a 10000/10000 teleport
Fire up Minecraft, and blindly teleport yourself to a distant land. Can you survive the long voyage home?
Super Metroid: Get as far as you can on Zebes without taking damage
How far can you get on Planet Zebes in Super Metroid without taking damage? Progress will be measured in missile packs acquired. Major glitches are ALLOWED.
Dragon Quest 3: Get to Romaly without using the Fight command
All magic, all the time. Fire up this classic RPG, and make the voyage to Romaly without using any physical attacks.
Robotron 2084: The ‘Broken Arrow’ challenge
How many points can you score on original Robotron, when one of the cardinal directions on one of your controls is disabled?
The Legend of Zelda (NES): Swordless and deathless – First quest
The Legend of Zelda (NES): Swordless and deathless – Second quest
Complete the original Legend of Zelda, all the way up to Ganon’s room, without acquiring any swords, and without dying. (That includes no Up+A.)
Mega Man X: Get as far as you can without taking damage
How far can you get in Mega Man X without taking damage? Progress will be measured in number of stages cleared.
Final Fantasy 7: Escape Midgar without using materia
Materia may be the lifeblood of the planet. But can you survive Midgar relying only on your weapons, your items, and your wits?
Super Mario Bros. 3: Clear as many stages as you can without taking damage
Who among you can clear World 1 on SMB3 without ever taking damage?
Missile Command: Highest score without using “Delta Base”
Can you stave off nuclear annihilation when your center base refuses to follow orders?
Kirby Super Star: Clear the Arena without a helper and without healing
Can you clear Arena mode on Kirby Super Star without healing, and without any buddies to help you along the way?
Phantasy Star: Acquire the Shortcake using only your default equipment
When you’re hungry for some Shortcake, and all you have are 1,000 Mesetas and your default gear.
NES Tetris: Score the most points while clearing only triples
NES Tetris: Clear the most lines while clearing only triples
The pros can clear four-line Tetrises all day. But for this challenge, we’re looking for who can get the furthest clearing exactly three lines at a time.
Pac-Man: Perform the most ghost pass-throughs in a single game
Ms. Pac-Man: Perform the most ghost pass-throughs in a single game
Did you know you can pass Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man right through the ghosts? We’re looking for the player who can do it the most in one game.
Hundreds of players clear the “Four Job Fiesta” challenge every year. But can you do so without using any ability more than once?
Metroid Dread: Get as far as you can without taking damage
Like Samus, the damageless challenge returns! How far can you get in Metroid Dread without getting hurt?