I beat that game...?

[Schlep]

Out of curiosity, at what point do you feel that you've beaten a game? Once you've played through to the end? Unlocked all of the secrets? The previous two and gotten all the high scores?

For myself, I've always played through a game to the end and have rarely played to unlock all secrets etc unless it was a game I completely adored (maybe 10-20 games in my life). I feel that once I've played through to the end and seen the story through that there's not a whole lot of need to go back and play through it again to see an alternate ending, get more costumes, etc. Am I the odd one out on this?

[burgundy]

I'm very forgiving on this. In my book, if you see the credits (if the game has them) or beat the recognized last boss/challenge, you beat the game.

[Sl1p]

In a game like JSR, when I've unlocked all the characters (PUPPPYYY!!!) and got all the other hidden crap, then I say I've beaten it. Nay, I say I've owned it

...

In a game like Jet Moto 2, when I go through all the tracks once on the circuit mode (Forgot the real name), then I give it the last middle finger, high kick my tv, and then fling the CD across the room because I hated that game....

...

I have emotional problems thanks to trying to get through that game

[amerlop]

When I finish it I finish, regardless of scores or secrets...scmups are the exception, sometimes, if they have credits and such but those are usually games I play again and again. I don't spend hours getting all the classes and secrets in FFT or DW7

[Richter]

Playing it to the ending is beating it.

[Zerodash]

IT often depends on the genere of the game. The average fighting game can be finished in a matter of hours (sometimes miniutes). Those are games that are all about replaying- and not neccessarily for unlocking new features either.

Action/Adventure/Platform games often take a more sizeable investment of time. Finishing those types of games is more of a closure. Hence, the game can be said to be "beaten" even if there are secrets to be found.

Unlocking all features and finding all secrets comes after you beat the game. That's called "completing" a game.

[cigsthecat]

I'll talk about shooters, since I'm finding myself increasingly disinterested in anything else. (well except 2D platformers, 2D action and run n' gun)

The more you play, the better you get. I'm not at the point where I'm good enough to really "master" most of the shooters I play, but I imagine someday I'll slowly start putting some tallies on the wall. I'd say 1upping a shooter is the goal; 1up the loop and you're a god. So for now I'm just content to play and play and play. Someday I'll beat them.

[Lordmrw]

Once, I've seen the ending and credits, I consider the game over and done with. All the extras and bonuses are just that; bonuses.

[Mode7]

I'll play the living snot out of most anything, but for shooters I don't consider them 'beaten' until I can take them out on a single credit, as every good shooter is meant to be played.

[piku]

When the credits roll the game's beaten.

Whether or not it's good decides if I continue playing.