I have decided that there are two types of games: those that never end, and those with a definite ending.  

Of the former type: there is always another board to play on Pac Man. The blocks always eventually reach the top in Tetris.  No matter how far I got (Act 3 on Ms. Pac Man, the medium-sized rocket on Tetris) I always eventually "lost" the game.  Game Over.

Of the latter type: Super Mario Brothers, and everything that comes out these days it seems.  Super Mario and TMNT (on easy) are the only games I can recall ever having "beaten."  I saved the princess, yes I did. 

I bring this up because my present problem, and a problem I now realize that I have had for YEARS is playing games that HAVE an ending, I just can't BEAT (or reach) the ending.  Games of this class historically included Double Dragon II (stuck on the haunted house bit) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (past the dam I had no hope).  Now, I have added Halo 2 to this rank.  The development of self-esteen and mastery supposedly involved in video games comes to a crashing halt for me at this point.

Am now playing Metroid 2 on the Gamecube.  Thank FSM for online walkthoughs and guides.  We'll see...