You have 30 minutes...

[bob]

...to play a video game. What do you pull off the shelf?  I often find myself in this situation where i have just a few minutes to kill and dont have the time to get into something serious. My go-to is usually a pew-pew-pew, or a beat-em-up. Something that you can just dive right into and i dont care if i need to just turn it off. Blazing Lazers, Air Zonk, or sega cd Final Fight seem to get the most "quick play". Or, dare i say it, madden 03 on PS2. Its the best one.

Where do you turn for a quick fix?

[seieienbu]

If I've got a little bit of time to kill and I'm alone, I'll either play a shooter or a puzzle game on whatever console I have hooked up to my monitor at that moment. 

If I'm with a friend we'll either play a few rounds of a fighting game or generally a vs sports/racing title.  Sometimes we still play a puzzle game but generally not.

[jtucci31]

I don't and wish I did. I'm bad at that

[o.pwuaioc]

Shooters are definitely my go-to for 30 minutes, but a handful of other games fit the bill, chiefly Road Rash 2/Road Redemption, Ninja Gaiden, Ninja Spirit, Flicky, Frogger, or nearly any Atari 2600 game.

[bob]

If I've got a little bit of time to kill and I'm alone, I'll either play a shooter or a puzzle game on whatever console I have hooked up to my monitor at that moment. 

If I'm with a friend we'll either play a few rounds of a fighting game or generally a vs sports/racing title.  Sometimes we still play a puzzle game but generally not.

Good call with a racer.  I do go to Chase HQ quite a bit.

/games/chase.jpg

[grolt]

For me it is usually a racer on the Saturn - either SEGA Rally, Daytona USA or a level in my favorite game, NiGHTS. Really easy to just pick up and play any of those games.

[LostFlunky]

Well it is definitely not going to be the PS3 - every time I turn it on there are 30 minutes of updates...

Almost everything I will play is going to be a quick fix - I just can't have a marathon anymore, too busy...

That said- shooters, pinball sims, and racers all rule the day.  Arcade style is what I am all about.

Lately - Air Zonk, Devils Crush, Gate of Thunder, Pinball Arcade, Mr Driller, Mario Kart 8. 

I call these games QUUMPS  (Quick-Em-Ups) - don't know why the M and U are reversed - they just are...

[LostFlunky]

For me it is usually a racer on the Saturn - either SEGA Rally, Daytona USA or a level in my favorite game, NiGHTS. Really easy to just pick up and play any of those games.

Wow... are you.... ...me?

My comment above about the PS3 always having a long update process was because I have both Daytona and NiGHTS on my PS3 and every time I want to play them, I have to wait too long and just end up turning it off...

[sirhcman]

Good call with a racer.  I do go to Chase HQ quite a bit.

/games/chase.jpg[/img]

Fix the aspect ratio!

30 minute fix = Battletoads (NES)

[o.pwuaioc]

Just realized, why is this in Console Sales?

[bob]

Just realized, why is this in Console Sales?

shit...ha...meant to put it in console chat.  oops.

[crazydean]

I don't and wish I did. I'm bad at that

This sounds about right.

[grolt]

For me it is usually a racer on the Saturn - either SEGA Rally, Daytona USA or a level in my favorite game, NiGHTS. Really easy to just pick up and play any of those games.

Wow... are you.... ...me?

My comment above about the PS3 always having a long update process was because I have both Daytona and NiGHTS on my PS3 and every time I want to play them, I have to wait too long and just end up turning it off...

Haha...must be a Canadian thing. Love the ports for Daytona and NiGHTS on my XBOX, but yeah, same thing, the mandatory updates are so annoying. That's always the best part about retro games - flick the switch and sit down and you're ready to go.

[esteban]

Timeball
Tricky Kick
Hatris
Spin Pair

[CrackTiger]

Aeroblasters

[slinkyturd]

Hitman Blood Money is always a good one for me to play for a level or two.

[ClodBusted]

Super Mario Bros. on NES or the All-Stars port of it. Shouldn't be too hard to beat the game within half an hour.

[NecroPhile]

Hatris, Atlantean, Santatlantean, or the 2/5 minute modes in Soldier Blade, Super Star Soldier, etc.

[bob]

Hatris, Atlantean, Santatlantean, or the 2/5 minute modes in Soldier Blade, Super Star Soldier, etc.

(thanks for moving)

[seieienbu]

Good call with a racer.  I do go to Chase HQ quite a bit.

/games/chase.jpg[/img]

Fix the aspect ratio!

30 minute fix = Battletoads (NES)

I don't think I could play Battletoads for a half hour.  Every time I've played the game lately I get to either the elevator level or the...uh...big wheel level?  Something tells me it's called the "clinger winger" or something similar but that just seems too ridiculous for words. 

Whatever, Battletoads seems like a game that I'd have to cut short if I had to quit in a half hour...

[sirhcman]

Whatever, Battletoads seems like a game that I'd have to cut short if I had to quit in a half hour...

If you warp you should be able to pound it out at around 30 minutes (give or take)

Clinger Winger is the big wheel level, pretty easy as long as you aren't playing on a lcd and introducing lag into the mix.

[seieienbu]

I've beaten it two times in my youth and once as an adult.  You must be a good deal quicker than me if you're beating it in a half hour!

 

[Psycho Punch]

If you warp you should be able to pound it out at around 30 minutes (give or take)

"PCEFX member discovers 1 weird trick to beat battletoads... the secret RARE doesn't want you to know!"

[wildfruit]

Advance wars is a great game for a short play. Turn the battle animations off to save even more time!

[TR0N]

Salamander
Metal Slug
Outrun
Magical Drop 3

[deadly_duck]

Usually I see how far I can get in Castlevania 3, but I will also knock out some Windjammers or PuyoPuyo

[reno5]

Beat few dungeon in Dungeon Explorer.

[DragonmasterDan]

Outrun
Tetris Attack
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out
Super Mario Kart
NBA Jam

[jtucci31]

Salamander
Metal Slug
Outrun
Magical Drop 3

I just got Magical Drop 3 from BlueBMW recently. I've definitely played this in short half hour spurts. I change my answer. This is a great game!

[DeshDildo]

I'll usually pop in Contra, Sunset Riders or Danny Sullivan.  If I'm really feeling froggy and want to take out aggression I'll pop in any Grand Theft Auto and just cause some mayhem.

[glazball]

For a quick fix, I usually play either Pinball Arcade or Pac-Man Championship Edition DX.

[xcrement5x]

Lots of Sonic.  I'll try and do a puzzler or a platformer many times, or I am trying to get better at shooters since they seem like good pick up and play games.

[GreatBlue Swirlof99]

Some Crazy Taxi, Mario kart 64, or maybe SEGA rally 2!

[roflmao]

Lately is's been Devil's Crush, Super Raiden, Double Dungeons as far as Obey goes for 30-minute fixes. Non-obey, Burnout 2 for the OG Xbox. Crash mode is so much fun!

[blueraven]

Cadash. I would play the shit out of Cadash. As the Ninja.

[WoodyXP]

Image Fight is usually my go-to if I only have 15-30 minutes.  It's enough to get the blood going.

[Sparky]

Dragon Spirit.

[PukeSter]

For the Turbo? Super Dodgeball, Override, Vigilante are short but fun and easy games.

Usually, I'll play a quick round of ______ Warriors (Musou)

[PunkCryborg]

I don't get much time to sit down and play games on consoles right now. If I get a little time to myself I fire up a cab and play a shoot em up for like 30 min before work or after everyone goes to sleep. Usually a shoot em up