What's the longest time between buying and completing?

[NekoFever]

Probably Link to the Past. First played it when it came out in 1992 and finished it (GBA version) a couple of months ago. For some reason I found it very easy that time but it was nightmarish the first time I played it. I guess I'm just used to that kind of thing now.

This post is dedicated to all those poor games that I'll never finish, no matter how much time passes. Let's have a moment of silence...

[MarioMark]

Mine is wind waker. Only finished it a couple of months back and that's after getting it on US release!

Must finish the extra level on Pikmin 2 before I get my Wii though

[EvilBoris]

It took me 2 years to finish sam and max due to not being able to unscrew a fish.

Damn pixel perfect clicking

[dazzx]

Secret of Mana, got to final battle ( i think) originally, never finished it, just bought a snes & SoM hope to finally complete it

[JazzFunk]

Also played Zelda: TWW and Zelda:OOT to nearish completion, and never finished either. I do intend to got back to Ocarina, though, sometime within the next 24 months. As for Wind Waker...erm...maybe (????????????)

I've still got three year old 'well into it' saves of Everblue and Summoner 2 sitting in my PS2 memory card. I really enjoyed them at the time (especially Everblue) and don't know why I stopped!

Trouble is, I can't actually 'truly' play them now as I've forgotten what's happened/what I'm supposed to be doing etc. and I'm not sure I can invest the time in them, given the amount of other good games I've accumulated over the years since. Aaaargh!

[Valken]

Skies of Arcadia springs to mind. Got it on release, played it to almost completion then some exams came up and it got shelved. I've tried coming back to it several times now but the random battles drive me nuts.

One of these days I'll finish it (or download a movie of the ending).

[stevosowl]

If you will suspend you views for a short time and allow me to use an arcade game, it was 20 years between starting Green Beret and actually finishing it on my Cab!

owl

[Wools]

I still havent completed Metroid Prime and that is one of my most favourite games ever made.

Honourable mentions go to Sonic & Knuckles as I always got stuck just past that Ghost Level, Super Mario World as that led me to frustration and Half Life as I've played it on PC when I got my new Laptop and PS2 but I could not work out how to teleport or kill the final boss.

But the game that has taken the longest to complete is Alex Kidd in Miracle World. The first game I ever owned and I've been thrawted in every way to finally complete it as a kid. I now own it in Emulated form and should really see it through, for old times sake.

I' realised half way through typing that, that this thread is about completing as well. Sorry.

[JazzFunk]

I realised half way through typing that, that this thread is about completing as well. Sorry.

Yeah - you're right(!)

Ok then, mine must be Everybody's Golf - started it in 1999, finished it in early 2004 when I was supposed to be playing Super Mario Sunshine. Now, that reminds me, I need to return to that.

So many good games started and left unfinished, so little time to revisit them and festoon them with the attention they deserve.

[NekoFever]

It took me 2 years to finish sam and max due to not being able to unscrew a fish.

Damn pixel perfect clicking

Quite possibly a contender for the weirdest post ever made...

[briareos_kerensky]

Probably Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the NES. The one with the bomb disarming stage and jump issues that Angry Nintendo Nerd "reviewed" a while ago. Back in the day I was able to clear the bomb stage with relative ease, but a jump in the stage after often ate up all my turtles and so I left it unfinished. My very first unfinished game ever.
About longest completing time...mhmmm...Turok 2 I think. I bought the game and got struck in level 5; I waited something like 18 months before replaying the game and completing it.

[JazzFunk]

^Yep, Turok 2! Horrible, soulless game, took me almost 2 years to finish that, too. Had to finish it because I bought the expansion pack solely to play that one game, but I wish I'd never bothered.