#gold mode

(For Fighting Game Examples: GG1 has Justice, Testament and Bailen, but they can't be used in Arcade Mode and in Power Stone on Dreamcast and PSP, Final Valgus can't be used for Arcade Mode either.)

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds - Super Sonic Thoughts Poll

In the context of what you’re asking, I think it largely depends on the direction the game devs want to go with a game.

BlazBlue, for alternative example, has Unlimited Boss Style Characters, and these were ALL Online playable, though restricted to Lobby Matches outside of Ranked, with Lobby Specific Rules enabled.

In other words, it’s okay AND ACCEPTABLE to run exhibition matches with Boss Characters in an online setting. That in and of itself is perfectly fine. Even Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R permits the use of Gold, Classic, and EX settings in casual online lobbies when the setting is enabled.

But Ranked is more competitive in nature and adheres to stricter rules of risk and reward, and the points system applies to a player’s earned skill rank, meaning they have to earn it fairly.

Even Smash Bros. Ultimate restricts the use of Items and Stages for competitive and tournament level matches. This eliminates a lot of the meta “noise” that interferes with highly focused and trained skill level play.

Dipswitch modes in Street Fighter and Marvel Versus games also have similar rules you can adjust for online multiplayer, such as the Juggernaut Assist buff setting in Marvel Versus Capcom 2. Some are very specific, though it’s largely about replicating the experience some versions of various games had in previous patch versions. A key motivation for this is preservation of nostalgia, like Slash and Bust characters in Samurai Shodown, or Aggressor Mode in Mortal Kombat Trilogy.

Bosses by their nature can be very unbalanced and absurdly powerful, but there is also a unique feature in fighting games that allows for Boss versus Boss gameplay, which ups the ante in the game’s back and forth meta: pushing a character’s potential to their theoretical limits!

Even TAS (Tool Assisted) gameplay can script out a fight to theoretically bring the best plays out of both characters, though most TAS videos are actually proof of how much meta knowledge the person scripting the fight actually has about the game!

We now have Replay Playback features in Guilty Gear that let players replay their greatest mistakes and see if they can’t train themselves to never make the same mistake ever again! Other games have Rewind and Save States as well!

It's been a while since someone asked a question like this.

Also, the results vary from version to version of the game, but... from what I recall (if someone can confirm this):

Depending on what you unlocked first will determine what gets unlocked every 2 hours of play (in more recent ports, I believe content will gradually unlock every 1 hour, except for hidden characters).

EXs and Colors get unlocked sequentially first (Gold colors are the last colors to unlock), then Extra Menu/Modes, then Hidden Characters and their colors... Voice Actor Interviews are the VERY LAST thing to unlock, and many gallery illustrations can NOT be unlocked through Time Release.

If you genuinely plan on unlocking everything through this method, it would be easier to simply play through Survival Mode and Mission and Story Modes for a while, because the game will prioritize the extra content you haven't unlocked via Time Release based on how much you've actually unlocked so far.

That said, even calculating the entire time it would take is somewhere between 30-50 hours of gameplay if you just were to let the game idle. 72 hours at the longest from what I remember...

For me personally, to speed-run through and unlock everything, I usually start with Mission Mode first, unlock Justice, and play Survival Mode to get as far as I can or just beat Survival Mode and get most everything.

After that, just go back and finish more Missions in Mission Mode to unlock the Extra Menu or clear some routes in Story Mode/Arcade Mode.

...And of course, if you just have the PC or PS2 version, you could just as well import a game save file.

So, I started digging around for Color Mod tutorials for uMod on Steam, and came across the Unused Palettes from Xrd Sign courtesy of Friedslick6 over at Nexus Mods.

https://www.nexusmods.com/guiltygearxrd/mods/6/?

Gold Colors were pretty obviously used as Boss versions of characters in both Survival and Mission Modes in older Guilty Gear games, that much I get.

Darkside Colors (also in this case Elphelt Valentine’s boss form) were also pretty common for having Full Tension as trash characters throughout Survival Mode.

But the mystery is the THIRD unused color set... which I think I’ll dub “Chaos Bedman” (after Happy Chaos)... is it a color exclusive to Bedman?

We’ve been told throughout Story Mode that Bedman has only thus far used 8% percent of his power... so is this some form of Nightmare super-powered version?

November 9th is CHAOS NEVER DIES! Day (a new GG Holiday we observe)!

This is for @behemothbear as he requested.

Guilty Gear X ---Appears as "GG Mode", features a "Prototype" of Robo-Ky.

Guilty Gear X Plus ---A button Code must be pressed to select 'variants' of characters, though they are undeveloped. Gold and Darkside Mode were finally playable in this mode after being unlocked.

Guilty Gear X Advance Edition ---Had several unique variants, including classic GG1 move animations. ---GG Petit1+2 had GG1 Millia as well.

Guilty Gear XX ---Revised EX Mode further, and it was now an actual menu toggle in Character Select. This is the last time we see "Prototype Robo-Ky", with old moves.

Guilty Gear XX #Reload ---No immediate changes other than Robo-Ky getting revised and obtaining an EX Mode that was based on his old Prototype variant, but weaker.

Guilty Gear Isuka ---Based off #Reload, so, outside of exclusive characters and "Kakusei Mode" Sol and Ky, no changes. A.B.A. debuted in this game. Justice and Kliff were removed from the game Roster.

Guilty Gear XX Slash ---EX Mode characters seem "relatively unchanged" but because of the new moves added in Slash in to Accent Core, they were still incomplete. Consider these versions a "Prototype" of Accent Core's EX Mode. Features a #Reload Mode so players can play #R characters. EX A.B.A. Had no Instant Kill at this point. EX Order Sol was a prototype and very weak.

Guilty Gear XX Accent Core ---EX Characters are still "weak" and Undeveloped since Slash, and rather than feeling like an EX Mode, they were hybrids between EX and normal characters. Consider this a "Prototype" of the final build. Justice and Kliff are missing.

Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus ---FINALLY!  Every character's EX Mode gets an overhaul, and are completely restructured!  Everything about the changes made to each EX character actually appears "cohesive" and not simply a patchwork of old animations. Justice and Kliff are added, but lack an EX Mode (since they were never given any, not even since GGXPlus) In addition, EX Gold Characters each get an exclusive feature unique to them (for example, Gold EX Jam had an auto-parry). ---It should be noted Anji Mito got the most "changes" because of his diverse Normal Attacks. ---GG Generations Mode and Extra Menu are added. ---Variants of Arcade and M.O.M. could be played either as EX Arcade Mode, Gold Arcade Mode, or Gold EX Arcade Mode/M.O.M. Mode, EX Mission Mode, and Gold Survival Mode (Classic Survival Mode without stat buffs or equips)

Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R ---A few moves from EX mode were added to “Normal” Plus R characters to "buff" them, but they weren't very strong either way. ---Because of the rebalance changes in Plus R, many EX Characters were no longer as "powerful" as they were in previous EX Mode incarnations because of the nerfs and unusual buffs... though these ideas would later be scrapped for Guilty Gear Xrd. ---Justice got the short end of the stick, as even her Gold and Darkside Modes got severely nerfed because of her unusual nerfs, though this should have been adjusted exclusively for her Gold form but wasn't.  Her Darkside Mode could still abuse Omega Shift, but it wouldn't be practical, however.

Guilty Gear Xrd: Sign ---Because of a "glitch", it was exposed that Gold and Darkside colors were still in development, though outside of Arcade Boss character Ramlethal, nothing is apparent.  The colors were powerless DLC in Revelator, but the Darkside Color was tweaked with Red Glow effects. ---Darkside Elphelt Valentine retained her “appearance” in Story Mode as the “final boss” you never actually fight. ---In M.O.M. Mode, two bosses in the form of Sin Kiske and Elphelt Valentine can be defeated for an exorbitant amount of W$, though they aren't very overpowered, just very strong builds.

Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator ---Various Arcade Episodes reveal "Boss" versions of other characters besides Ramlethal, though they are only tweaked in terms of Speed, Tension Gain, and one or two enhanced Overdrives. ---At the end of M.O.M. Mode, two ridiculously powerful Level 140 Superbosses of Sol and Ky can be fought for rare abilities called "Mark of the Hero" and "True Mark of the Hero", featuring Permanent Dragon Install, a "Homing Gunflame" that wrecks your defense, Super Auto-Guard, Super Stun, and a "Homing Sacred Edge".  I've only seen a few Japanese players beat them using odd methods, but it's unclear what True Mark of the Hero does as an ability. Because M.O.M. Medal costs triple after level 120, it's almost impossible to get decent stats to fight these bosses.

The Dark Souls of Score Attacks:

Gold EX Arcade Mode / Gold EX M.O.M. Mode / Gold Survival Mode

(Only playable once you unlock all Gold Characters and EX characters in the game. You can also unlock EX Mission Mode to make clearing Missions easier, while Gold Survival Mode is "Classic Survival Mode" with no Items.)

The BlazBlue equivalent of this is Unlimited Mars Mode, which is basically a Boss Rush Arcade Mode.

GG: Justice

GGX: Dizzy

GGX2 and GGAC: I-No

GG Xrd SIGN: Ramlethal

GG Xrd Revelator/Rev 2: Jack-O'

GG StrIVe: Nagoriyuki

I didn't play Guilty Gear or Guilty Gear X and X2, but from Accent Core up to StrIVe, I-No and Ramlethal are challenging opponents, Jack-O's a cakewalk and Nagoriyuki... he deserves to be forced into Elphelt's shinnagins for all his BS "Shishirayuki" crap!

(I like Nagoriyuki, but seriously, whoever though it was a good idea to bring SNK Boss Syndrome back into StrIVe needs a good slap in the face! However, if it's Daisuke's idea... just good stern constructive criticism will do.)

You haven't? SHAME ON YOU. GO PLAY THEM NOW.

They're on Emulator.

And that's Shizuriyuki... by the way.

As for my first impressions:

Justice was challenging in GG1, but not nearly as tough as she was in later games, especially in Mission Mode...

In fact, I was mad that you couldn't play as Justice in the original Arcade Mode of Guilty Gear 1.

Thankfully they fixed it for Survival Mode in later games.

Dizzy in GGX has a special place in my heart.

I wouldn't call her a "boss" so much as a "phenomenon".

It's kinda like meeting a beautiful girl you like for the first time.

Yeah she's powerful, yeah she's dangerous, yeah she can destroy you... but that's part of the AWE of SHE.

As for I-No... hmm... I don't remember having a hard time with her... not even against Megalomania... wonder why?

Hmm... oh well, she was, a boss I guess... In Mission mode she was tougher because you had to defeat her with only air combos.

I kinda wish her God Form was a boss in Strive, come to think on it...

Ramlethal was a boss in Xrd Sign, but... all she really had going for her was the Explode move and an "armored" Calvados... honestly her boss form in Strive is a lot harder to fight against.

And to be more honest, Elphelt in M.O.M. mode as a boss was even harder... I'm not even kidding.

I have to wonder if Elphelt will get a boss form in Strive?

Jack-O'... hmm... in Revelator she wasn't much of a boss... yeah she had a few strong servants but, it wasn't much to note... I think the only thing she had was her Calvados Bomb attack that did extra waves of hits and damage, but that was only when she had Tension.

I'd argue a boss form in Strive would be much harder.

And let's not forget Valentine in GG2 Overture... she was way tougher (though you had Izuna and Dr. P as backup during the fight... would be nice to fight her again one day...).

Err..... to say nothing of "Boss Jack-O", which I came up with...

Honestly, Nagoriyuki in Strive was a challenge but... honestly Gold Slayer is more of a challenge, simply because one mistake will fill his Lifebar back up because of his Vampire powers... and he has Nagoriyuki's dash speed to boot, so he can easily cross you up as well.

I played a lot of bosses over the years, even tinkered with some of my own... but honestly it's a hobby of mine to make boss mods or at least tinker with them whenever I get the chance.