Still around halfway there on what I still hope is a full run of the Ultimate Beastmaster Gaming Edition, based on the Netflix reality show produced by Sylvester Stallone, The Ultimate Beastmaster, where competitors from around the world tackle the most vicious of challenge courses, the Beast.
In our gaming edition, there are no coins, rupees or souls to be won, but there is a certain kind of prestige, where one characters steps out of the ruins of the Beast, confident they are the Ultimate Gaming Beastmaster.
New challengers for this week are: Bigby Wolf (Wolf Among Us), Diddy Kong (Donkey Kong Country), Batman (Batman Arkham), Rayman (Rayman), Lu Xun (Dynasty Warriors), Dante (Devil May Cry), Nero (Devil May Cry), Agent (Crackdown), Samus Aran (Metroid), Alucard (Castlevania), Revan (Star Wars) and Master Chief (Halo). These new contestants, like those last week, come with sponsors: Drakulus, GamersUnitedGG, OverThinkerY and Hurricane Thought Process
For the competitors, I took note of their skills from across all their videogame appearances, including crossovers such as Super Smash Bros. and other such games, matching these skills to the ones required to best the four levels of The Beast. I also took note of their individual styles, their restrictions and sometimes even clothing. Unlike competitors on The Ultimate Beastmaster, video game competitors bring their own clothing to the table, though they’re forbidden from using the many tools of their trade. Since this episode features the first competitors from fighting and point & click adventure game series, some conversion rules were necessary.
In addition to the above factors, body type, hair, fur, or any other realistic elements were also taken into consideration, as well as the characters’ overall level of athleticism.
For the Beast, the skills required are:
- Climbing: Vertical movement while hanging.
- Ledge Shimmying: Horizontal movement while hanging.
- Running.
- Jumping.
In addition to this, there are advanced skills such as Wall Climbing and Rope Swinging which grant the competitors an edge.
Below are examples of skill sets:
Batman Skill Set: Running, Jumping, Climbing, Ledge Shimmying. Batman Restrictions: Short jump distance. Batman advantages: Fast climbing, shimmying, running, rope swinging, peak physical condition. Tools: Too many to count. None allowed.
Diddy Kong Skill Set: Running, Jumping, Climbing, Ledge Shimmying. Diddy Restrictions: Short stature. Diddy advantages: Incredible agility, wall climbing, rope swinging, prehensile tail. Tools: Jetpack & Guns, none allowed.
Having this in mind, I ran Batman and his competitors through the course, noting the obstacles completed, the ones failed, whether they’d go for point thrusters or not and noting the final results. Below is an example of this, Batman’s Level 1 run:
Note, starting this week, the highlighted run will include the point breakdown!
Batman – Level 1:
Batman, his cape, belt and gloves removed, bolts up Bite Force (5), swiftly climbs the chain (5) and heads to the Grinder, the gears just the right distance for his jumps (3 x 5 = 15). Moving onto Faceplant, Batman has no trouble clearing this obstacle (5) and the chain it faces (5), landing on the first of the Energy Coils. Knowing the value of the point thrusters, he leaps for the thruster’s coil and barely reaches it (5). He presses the thruster (10). The jump back is harder though, same distance but the coil is higher. Taking a couple of steps as a running start Batman leaps and grabs onto the pipe holding the coil, using his strong grip to pull himself up, though taking a considerable hit to his midsection, nothing new for the Dark Knight.
Knowing his weakness with jumping distances, Batman focuses on jumping just far enough to grip the next coil, though he knows the continued hit will have an impact in the future, but he clears the obstacle (2 x 5 = 10). He makes quick work of the Deadbolts (4 x 5 = 20) and even takes the point thruster (10) and one swing and a jump later and he’s on the Mag-Wall, where his fast climbing and shimmying speed means he completely crushes it, even taking the point thruster (3 x 5 = 15 + 10)
Course Points 85. Thrusters: 3, 30 points. Level 1 Score: 115. Time: 4 minutes. Condition: Injury, effectiveness reduction on other levels.
For the sake of brevity, considering the amount of competitors going through the levels, below are the rankings at the end of each level. Twelve (12) competitors start the competitions, then the top eight (8) make it to Level 2. After that it’s the top five (5) who make it to level 3 and the last two then advance to Level 4.
If you wish to know how a specific character’s run went to understand their score, let me know and I’ll relate their experience in the comments.
Course breakdown:
Level 1 – Bite Force, 5 points. Chain to Grinder, 5 points. Grinder, 5 points each, 15 total. Faceplant, 5 points. Chain to Coil, 5 points. Energy Coils, 5 points each, 15 total. Deadbolts, 5 points each, 20 total. Mag-Wall, 5 points each section, 15 total. 3 Point Thrusters, 10 points each. Max Points, 115.
Level 2 – Spinal Ascent, 5 points each, 25 total. Spinal Descent, 5 points. Stomach Churn, 5 points each, 15 total. Digestive Track, 5 points. Jump from Digestive Track, 5 points. Dreadmills, 5 points each, 10 points total. Jump to Chain Reaction, 5 points. Chain Reaction, 5 points each, 20 total. Vertibrace, 5 points each, 25 total. 4 Point Thrusters, 10 points each. Max Points, 155.
Level 3 – Ejector, 5 points. Prism Strike, 5 points each, 10 total. Coil Crawl, 5 points each, 15 total. Hangman, 5 points each, 75 total. Pipeline, 5 points. Wall, 5 points. 4 Point Thrusters, 10 points each. Max Points, 155.
Level 4 – Individual points ignored. Reaching the top is worth 200. If no competitor reaches, then furthest along competitor wins.
Level 1 – Max Points 115 – Rankings. Ties broken by faster times.
- Diddy Kong – 115 points.
- Nero – 115 points.
- Batman – 115 points.
- Revan – 110 points.
- Alucard – 105 points.
- Samus – 100 points.
- Dante – 95 points.
- Bigby Wolf – 95 points.
- Master Chief – 90 points.
- Rayman – 75 points.
- Lu Xun – 70 points.
- Agent – 60 points.
Level 2 – Max Points 155 – Rankings. Ties broken by faster times. Scores are cumulative. Now including Level Score between parentheses.
- Nero (155) – 270 points.
- Revan (155) – 265 points.
- Diddy Kong (145) – 260 points.
- Alucard (155) – 260 points.
- Batman (135) – 250 points.
- Samus (145) – 245 points.
- Dante (100) – 195 points.
- Bigby Wolf (55) – 150 points.
Level 3 – Max Points 155 – Rankings. Ties broken by faster times. Scores are cumulative. Now including Level Score between parentheses.
- Nero (155) – 425 points
- Revan (155) – 420 points.
- Diddy Kong (155) – 415 points.
- Batman (145) – 395 points.
- Alucard (145) – 395 points.
Level 4 – Winner – Revan, sponsored by Drakulus
On this level and week we have a strange competition, a former Jedi Knight, part-time Sith Lord and all-time Galactic Badass vs the man with the weird, overpowered and slightly cheat-y arm.
First up is Ricochet and both competitors start out strong, with Revan Force Jumping up to Full Tilt, and using his Force Speed to make it across despite his lack of shimmying expertise. On his side of the level, Nero’s Devil Bringer pulls him up to Full Tilt and then pulls him across, clearing the obstacle just on the edge of being considered of skipping it.
But it’s Motherboard that Revan picks up a lead, his modest climbing speed boosted to incredible levels by his Force Speed. Since the wall requires the use of the pegs to move, Devil Bringer’s ability is slightly restricted, the accuracy needed to push the pegs into the wall slowing down Nero’s progress.
On Sky Hook, Revan’s own skills become restricted while Nero thrives, catching up to his Force Sensitive competitor.
This is it, the finale, both men on Ventilator, where once again the obstacle limits the effectiveness of Nero’s Devil bringer. Without anything to grasp to pull himself up, Nero has to climb the old-fashioned way, while Revan’s Force Speed not only gives him an edge but his Force Jump gives him a head start.
So in the competition of unfair advantages, Force Powers trump weird mystical arms!
The new Beastmaster to join the others in the finale is Revan!
That’s it for this week then, we’ll see you on the next edition of The Ultimate Beastmaster – Gaming Edition!