this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2026
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How were you meant to complete games that had no save system? (feddit.uk)
submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by smeg@feddit.uk to c/retrogaming@lemmy.world
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Most of the games I played back in the day had some way of resuming your progress at a later date, whether that was an actual save system, a password system, or even a hidden warp zone. What were you supposed to do for longer games that had no way at all of resuming your progress after switching the console off? Get good enough at the start of it that you could play the game faster and eventually complete it in one go, or just leave the console on overnight and continue the next day?

(and yes, my Mega Drive is currently sitting powered on because I couldn't think of a better way to keep my progress)

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[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 11 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

You were definitely supposed to start from the beginning each time you played, and you'd get a little further each time you played. You'd know the earlier levels by the back of your hand.

Your final run might be just an hour or two, but it was the product of many more hours of practice.

I don't think games ever expected people to keep their consoles on overnight. Games of that length had saves or passwords.

Even for games that had unlimited continues, you were often expected to select "No" on the continue screen eventually. You'd restart with your new knowledge and get to the same point with more power ups, more lives, etc...and you'd use your newly-gained knowledge and skills to get more of those resources in the earlier level, making the later levels easier.