I lost my crown and I want it back

First amazement, then anger. That’s how it went when I saw that my Robocop world record had been beaten. Why amazement? Well, obviously I knew my record wasn’t unbeatable but to be taken down so quickly after I earned it? Sucko. I only had that top spot for a little over a month. Then anger. But it was a good competitive anger because I now have a retro rival and it’s on.

I’m not a terribly competitive person, generally speaking. I don’t think there are many legitamately earned awards out there but I think things like individual scores are ones to be proud of. It’s not everyday you earn a world record…and it’s not everyday you lose one either. Now I know how the guy I beat felt, but in the end I know it’s all for a fun purpose - a video game, and a fringe game at that.

I’ve never been one to practice for anything either. I might do a little warm up so I know what’s going on but I usually just walk into things cold. I try to have everything planned out in my head and then I just mimic what I see. This time I’m going to have to practice. My new retro rival, Antonio R. Filho, beat my score by a good 10,000 points, which is not a small number. Robocop is all about getting the most points in the time limit you have per level. I thought I ran a pretty tight game. Apparently not as tight as it could been. Of course, looking at Filho’s rap sheet, he has a few other records on some tougher games, so at least losing this guy doesn’t look like a complete fluke.

So I hit the tapes. I watched my Robocop run to see where time is left on the clock and where I could kill a few more baddies to up the points by just enough to edge him out. This time I’m not looking for a blow out, I’m looking to get enough to earn that top spot back. On my Wii, on my DS, and on the real deck, Robocop is going to follow me around until I can beat that score reliably, then I record it, then I regain my crown.

Stay out of trouble.