The Perfect Game Experience That Still Gives Me Chills 20 Years Later

by

Video games are a special form of art because they blend what players do with the creator’s vision. They have a powerful ability to evoke emotions, often more effectively than books, plays, comics, movies, or TV shows. The interactive nature of games creates a deep sense of immersion, making the player feel genuinely invested in the hero’s success.

Few things capture the heart of gaming quite like extra lives. Whether a game gives you a limited number or lets you respawn endlessly, the concept of multiple lives is a cornerstone of the experience. That’s why achieving a perfect game – something I almost did nearly twenty years ago – remains such a powerful memory for many gamers.

Why We Have Multiple Lives In Games

Most video games don’t end after just one mistake because game designers want to encourage players to explore and take risks. Instantly ending a game after a single misstep would be incredibly frustrating. Giving players multiple lives has been a common practice since the very beginning of video game design. Classic games like Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong helped establish this idea. It creates a challenge where players can learn from their failures without being completely discouraged.

Games often struggle to address the fact that players can respawn without lessening the excitement. While some games, like Hades and Deathloop, build dying into the story, most treat respawns as if they don’t actually happen within the game’s world. This makes it especially satisfying when a player completes an entire game without respawning at all – it means they’ve truly become immersed in the experience. It’s a great accomplishment in any game, but it’s particularly remarkable after spending many hours on a long, single-player adventure.

A Perfect Run Sticks With You

I’ve completed several games perfectly, but my first time playing Kingdom Hearts 2 stands out as a particularly great memory. Originally released in Japan on December 22, 2005, Kingdom Hearts 2 built on the success of the first game, which blended Disney and Final Fantasy elements. It improved the action-based RPG gameplay and created more detailed and engaging worlds. The game featured a variety of challenges, from familiar Disney villains to unique boss fights against Organization XIII. The battle against a thousand Heartless is still considered one of the most impressive action sequences in gaming, and the entire adventure felt appropriately epic and impactful.

I completed the game on my first try without ever dying, and maintaining that streak became my main focus. This was especially true during the fight with Xaldin at Beast’s Castle. Sora has a special, faster form when he’s almost defeated, but it also makes him more vulnerable. I used this form to skillfully avoid Xaldin’s attacks, giving me time to recover and continue fighting. The battle was incredibly intense and captivating – a truly immersive experience, especially considering the game’s quirky nature, like teaming up with characters such as Jack Skellington and Tron.

Why A Perfect Game Feels So Good

I’ll never forget the first time I flawlessly completed a difficult section in Kingdom Hearts II back in 2006. As a teenager, I was amazed with each passing hour that I managed to keep Sora alive through such challenging gameplay. It perfectly captured what I love about story-driven games – the feeling that the hero can overcome impossible challenges and achieve a perfect victory. I’ve replayed it a few times, but the original experience, especially with the increasingly over-the-top boss battles, remains vivid. It truly made me feel connected to Sora and completely absorbed in the game’s world.

There’s this unique feeling you only get from gaming – that thrill of taking a risk, knowing it might totally fail, but also could be amazing. That perfect playthrough? You just can’t get it anywhere else. It demands as much skill and effort from me as the game does. It still makes me super nostalgic for rushing home from school to fire up the PS2, desperate to see if Sora would win his next battle. That feeling is what gaming is all about, and it’s exactly why I love it so much.

Read More

2025-12-20 19:13