We play video games for different reasons. Some of us like to beat the new releases as quickly as possible to trade them in and get something else. Others aren’t content to simply beat a game; side quests and hidden worlds need to be explored as well. So in the interest of getting to know each other a little better, I thought I’d share a few of my greatest triumphs in my gaming history with everyone at Gamervision, in no particular order. Beating Toe Jam & Earl Even though this is an older game, I only accomplished this a few months ago, thanks to my Wii’s Virtual Console. I also didn’t do it alone; I had help from my lovely former roommate, who is responsible for introducing me to this game in the first place. Still, anyone who has played this game knows how frustrating finding all of those spaceship pieces can be. I was so proud of getting Toe Jam and Earl back to Funkotron, I even took a picture. Completing Guitar Hero II on hard… twice. Yes, that says hard, not expert, but that’s still nothing to sneeze at. I finished the PS2 version months ago, and then later ended up getting it on 360, where I made my way through again. Even with all the extra songs, it was a lot easier the second time around. Now, if I could just get past Freya on expert… Getting every ending in Maniac Mansion. (If you’re thinking How many times is she going to mention Maniac Mansion? brace yourselves, because I never get tired of talking about this game.) Fans of the game know that it can be very unforgiving. You can easily make a wrong move several hours in that will totally screw you, forcing you to start all over again. Playable characters can be put in a dungeon or even killed off. Beating it once is hard enough. But beating it multiple times with every possible player combination? That took years. Keep in mind that before the days of online walkthroughs, you had to figure it all out for yourself, and like most point-and-click games, not every solution was the most logical. It took a lot of patience (not to mention a great love of the game) to keep going back for more. Beating Final Fantasy IX… before my brother. My youngest brother is the definition of hardcore gamer. He practically majored in Halo. As I mentioned once before, he was the one who introduced me to Final Fantasy in the first place, and he has always been better and faster than me at every game. When Final Fantasy VIII came out, he was done with it before I was even on the third disc. That’s why it was such a big deal for me when I beat the ninth installment in the long-running RPG series before he did. Some players aren’t fans of this game because of the cartoony look they gave to the characters, but I personally loved it, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Defeating the Reaper (Persona 3) This is my most recent achievement, as I finally finished off the game after 105 hours of play time. The Reaper is not the final boss; in fact, he’s completely optional. The threat of Death exists throughout the entire game, and if you’re unlucky enough to cross paths with him at a lower level, you’re doomed. However, when I knew the end was near, I decided to give it a shot. It was a long battle, but I was triumphant in the end. My reward? A handful of experience and 5 million yen. Score! Of course, I could go on for days about my favorite moments in gaming, even though my own personal favorite feats may seem insignificant to the next gamer. So what I want to know is, what are YOUR favorite gaming moments?