Topic: Do you use guides?

Only when things stop being fun. I love Xenoblade but it is terrible trying to do a decent handful of the quests without a guide and playing the game at 12 AM frequently meant I didn't have too much patience for more than half of the puzzle rooms in Virtue's Last Reward. And then there was that final mission in ME2...I checked ahead of time just to be safe. I cheated because I cared about the characters too much.

But other than that, I honestly can't remember the last time I used a guide.

I usually don't use guides. But if this counts as a guide, I look up maps to orient myself.
Especially if it's a game where random enemies appear. Pretty annoying if you get lost. lol

Only when I'm stuck.

Depends. Puzzle games? Not a chance. What's the point? When I spend hours or days stuck on something stupid, though, then I will consult a guide.

The original Metroid I just wasn't able to beat without looking up a guide (online).

I also used the official Nintendo Power guide on my second playthrough of Fire Emblem: the Sacred Stones (just to be sure I acquired every character), but I didn't use it during my first run.

Other than that, I own the Zelda: Spirit Tracks guide, but it's just for collecting purposes.

Never have, but I've thought about it. Sometimes I just let my kid and his friend get past a level, then I play until I get frustrated.

Depends on the game and how badly I get stuck. I like to try most of the game without a game if possible, but if I ever take more than a few hours on a level, I'll then turn to GameFAQs or the like to get to the next part of the game and stop wasting any more time.

Only if I'm absolutely stumped.

Exactly this. My only exception is (please don't hate me) Professor Layton games. Oddly enough, I play Layton games for the story and conversations and such, not the actual puzzles. On occassion I'll try out a puzzle, but most of the time I'm so invested in the story I just want to speed through the puzzles to get to the next part.

I haven't player Twilight Princess in months because I was stumped. A case like that is the only time I'll use a guide.