Bug Hunt

Recently I beat the Alien vs Predator arcade game for the first time.

It is an unusual thing to include an arcade game in the list of games I've beaten. This is due to arcade games being of short experiences (of 1-2 hours max) compared to that of modern games (hours of double/triple digits).
But in the end, Alien vs Predator has aged remarkably well. I recall being enthused about this game when I was a kid and I find, as a adult, it still kicks arse. It's one of the best brawlers of it's day, possibly ever, and a shining example of how to handle a licensed game (if only modern game developers took notice).

Funny thing: As is my understanding, this game was based on a Alien vs Predator movie that never got made. Needles to say, I'm sure glad we got the game.

A duel at dawn

Does anyone remember an arcade game called Air Duel? No? I do. I remember seeing it in the arcades during the early nineties. Although the game itself was kinda rubbish, the intro itself made something of an impression:

Somehow the image of a giant machine - that looks like it was ripped out of Akira - was fascinating to me. What was it? What did it do? Did it cause the apocalypse that the game's setting is based around? And what was with the rolling doors at the start? Was this machine kept somewhere? Who activated it?
Of course the game itself is a vertically scrolling shooter - one that left little impression on me. But I don't care for a helicopter and a jet fighter battling side by side (?!). I want to know more about this machine! If anything what little is revealed of it in the intro is enough to justify it's own separate game!

And all that just from the title screen.

EDIT:
Since writing my original post I did some research into Air Duel and found out that the machine featured in the title screen is indeed the final boss of the game (to the surprise of absolutely no one).
Thus this revelation does answer some of the questions in my original post but in a way it does seem like a total waste. With such a provocative design presented in such a manner one would do a bit more with it. Therefore the remaining questions still stand.

As it still stands this title screen really needs it's own game

Arcade Fire

Inspired by this week's edition of Good Game, I thought I might take the time to talk about some of my favorite arcade games. I played a lot of arcades during my youth and have fond memories of them all - some of which I still play today. So without a further ado....

Mighty Bombjack
Growing up in the eighties I always viewed Arcade Machines with some degree of awestruck reverence. Whereas I was used to playing games on the Commodore 64, Arcade machines were something else: They were technologically superior, they attracted players of all ages and it was games being played in public! I recall seeing them in certain locations and seeing them always sent a rush of excitement through my young mind.
They say you always remember the very first arcade you play and in my case it was the Mighty Bombjack. Of course it wasn't anything special in it's day but, as the saying goes, ya gotta start somewhere...


Aero Fighters  (Sonic Wings)
It was during the early nineties that my interest in arcade machines racked up - most likely to me growing aware of something called consoles. Seeing how gaming was expanding into something beyond what I thought I knew, I made it a point to check out an arcade game the instant I saw it. Now whilst there were several genres available, the one that interested me the most was the horizontally scrolling shooters. For some reason there was appeal of controlling a war machine and going around blowing the shit out of anything dumb enough to stand in the way with spectacular spread shot and homing missiles.
For this reason I do recall Aero Fighters quite fondly. Sure it was a tough game to play but I recall being nine years old and playing this game a lot - not to mention just how exciting it was, playing an arcade game with my own money.
And admittedly, at the time I thought the intro was kinda cool too:



Street Fighter 2
Whilst I gave the shooters more attention than any other arcade genre, there was however the fighters - they were there and they couldn't be ignored. And no roundup of arcade games would be complete with mentioning Street Fighter 2. History has decreed that arcade games were in something of slump before Street Fighter2 came along and breathed new life into them. From the outset I'd heard of Street Fighter 2 and people spoke of it in awe-struck tones, as if they'd just discovered the Holy Grail. I myself only got to see it through my brother playing it and I was quite impressed with what I saw. He used Blanka a lot and I recall seeing how the electric attack inspired a unique skeleton - and through watching him play I picked up a lot. Of course, it would be years before I got to play it myself and it was a damn fun game. Indeed, SF2 was a big deal I remember a lot of excitement when Super/the New Challengers showed up. And I still play SF2 to this day and even now I'm impressed by how many people also played it when they were kids.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Well I loved the cartoon back in the day and seeing an arcade game based on it was sweet as. Of course, part of the appeal was the whole 4 player and that was pretty cool too. Of course I never saw four people playing it at once (although it may have been a bit hard to see the screen when four people are crowded the machine) this is definitely a high point in my arcade game history.

Vendetta
I'll always have a soft spot for this game. Beat-em-ups were definitely popular back in the early nineties and this was one of the stand outs. Yes it was Konami trying to replicate the four-player style that made TMNT a hit but Vendetta was special to me largely through showing a sense of humor rarely seen in a beat-em-up. Aside from the player characters resembling Mike Tyson, Hulk Hogan, Jean Claude Van Damme and Mr.T, there is heaps of character interaction, weapons, and slapstick to make this one of the finest games of it's day. The fact that this hasn't appeared on XBLA is a travesty but you know what? I'll take this over XMen Arcade any day.

Raiden 2
I had a soft spot for shooters and I think this was the best of the lot. Somehow it did everything right with the power-ups, bomb varieties, inventive bosses and detail with graphics. I still enjoy this one my Playstation and I believe I'll still be enjoying it years later.

Darkstalkers
I never played Street Fighter 2 that much during my youth but I do recall playing Darkstalkers quite a bit. It was a fun beat-em-up and I really enjoyed the creativity gone into it with a fighting roster made up of b-grade movie monsters getting stuck into each other. But really I should go ahead and admit it: It was all because of Morrigan Aensland. But then again what guy wasn't sold over?

Alien vs Predator
Forget the lame movies: This game was the shit! Predators? In a beat-em-up? With the Aliens? And shooting sections? And Arnie's character from Predator 1 thrown in for good measure?! HELL YES! So there was a whole lot going for this game and I particularly enjoyed how the shooting sections were integrated into a beat-em-up (which was something unique at the time). The graphics were mind-blowing to behold and it was indeed intense to be continually swamped by hordes of the aliens. Not much else I can say except this was one of the finest arcades I've ever played & someone should get this on the XBLA and NOW.

Daytona USA
Well what can I say? Everyone played this in it's day and no doubt still play it now. It was, and still is, a great game to play against friends and goes to show that if an arcade game is designed well enough it can have incredible lasting power. And you haven't played a game of Daytona USA with seven other people you haven't lived.

Virtua Cop 2
I never thought much of the 'gun' games during my time in the arcades but this was an exception. Not sure why though: Maybe it was the graphics, maybe it was the presentation or maybe it simply damn fun to play.
But whatever the reason, this is another game I still play when I get the chance and shooting the crims never gets old. I've even tried playing it with both guns in each hand! So yeah Virtua Cop 2 is great fun and I liked it a lot.

Metal Slug
Yet another game I still enjoy playing to this day. Just when I thought that games were getting too serious and someone should make something humorous, along comes Metal Slug. Everything about this game is class: The stupidly big guns, the absurd voice announcements and the delightful graphics that are still fun to watch even now. A lot of care and attention to detail went into this game and it shows - it makes even a compelling game years later. And, in a rare case, the sequels took a winning formula and made it even better!

So there you go. Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Now whilst people may say the arcades may be something of an anachronism I however maintain that if an arcade game is fun, is well designed and can be enjoyed with more than one person then the game will have staying power - which is impressive seeing that video games tend to have a limited lifespan and are often outclassed by technological superior successors. And if I'm still willing to spare the change for the likes of Virtua Cop 2 and Daytona USA then something must've worked better than originally hoped for.
Until next time...

Out of Time

Here's a blast from the past - The intro to Time Crisis 2:



I remember seeing this when I was in high school and honestly? I thought the set up was dumb. So some nutter wants to launch a nuclear satellite to take over the world or some bollocks? And these two dudes are going through exotic locals and blowing dudes away to stop him?
Yes that scenario was a steal from the James Bond movies but really, that franchise has been repeating itself for yonks. It makes me wonder why the makers of Time Crisis didn't try something different.

See, when I first saw that intro, I immediately thought: Wouldn't it be cool if it was one big misunderstanding? Think about it! The player gets to the end of the game and the rug is pulled out from under them: The satellite network was actually beneficial to the Earth, The villain turned out to be a noble benefactor, the damsel-in-distress wasn't in any kind of danger and the intelligence was misled. Thus the two agents, not to mention YOU the player, have come across as incompetents who just ruined everything for no better reason.

Mind you, games these days force a player has to consider their actions, challenge the player's perceptions and lead them on only to turn around and break convention.
Maybe I was thinking way ahead of my time....

Eternal Arcadia

In this modern age, it's fair to say that the arcade machines are pretty much antiqued: It's hard to compete with home consoles which boast DLC and online gaming.
Still, whenever I have the chance, I like to spare the chnage to play the odd game of Virtua Cop 2. Sure I have memorized a lot of areas where/when the baddies show up but it's still loads of fun. I don't mind looking at graphics from the mid-nineties - in fact I actually find a lot of mid-nineties arcade graphics look a lot better than some fifth-generation console games.

Of course arcades may be dead but they are still around in the form of arcade parlors (Galactic Circus in Melbourne's Crown Casino comes to mind) and, in Japan, public places where they generate a decent revenue (train stations being one such example). It does present something that not many games have:

Staying power.

As I mentioned above, I'm still keen to have a shot at Virtua Cop 2. And Daytona USA is still heaps of fun to play with a group of people (8-way game FTW!). Thus, it becomes clear why arcade games persist: If it's a good game, people will continue to play it. This is what Nintendo realized with the virtual console and may also explain why old games are being revamped in HD.
Many of the games I see in my local arcade are pushing fifteen years which is an absurdly long amount of time in an industry where major developments happen in third of that time. Granted, I have seen some innovative things being done to arcade games elsewhere - like Namco & Nintendo joining forces to present Mario Kart as an arcade game - but as said, if a game works well then people will keep playing it until the end of time.

Now there's a thought to ponder: Would we still be playing Starcraft if Blizzard didn't keep pumping out updates for it on a regular basis?

10 Best Intros of the 4th Generation

It would seem that concocting an introduction to a video game is no easy task: You have to grab the viewer's attention immediately or else they won't give you the time of day. Indeed, with the lack of restriction that modern consoles offer in processing power, many games have bowled people over with a ferocious rush of an intro - and suck enough people in only to realise that less effort went into the game design itself.

Not for me though: The best intros for me came from the 16-bit era: 1990-1995. You know, a time when games knew they were games as opposed to movies. A time when developers embraced their limitations and acted smart in order to get their point across. You may bitch about me being old but for me, intros of the 16-bit era offered more atmosphere, more grabbing of the attention and more establishment of drama than many of their more recent contemporaries.

So for today, I present my list of the 10 best intros of the 16-bit era. These may be old games but they are memorable for a reason: They all worked in some way that they managed to grab my attention and urged me to take up the game controller in hand.

So here we go:

10 - Shining Force 2 (Megadrive)

And the list commences with a burglary that goes horribly wrong.
The key purpose of an introductory sequence in any game is to set up a setting and introduce both important characters and key elements. And Shining Force 2 pulls this off with flair: some key characters are established (not least of which Slade), drama and a sense of quest are both set up and a general mood of spookiness is maintained throughout - in the form of the lightening flashes, the weird music and the eventual appearance of the demonic figure. Indeed, the strongest element at work here is the suspense and the gradual sense of approaching calamity.
In this list, this introduction is the longest - and could very well be the longest introduction ever of the 16-bit era. It may seem nothing special to someone from the current area where ultra-long introductory sequences are commonplace but less has been said in eight minutes. In Shining Force 2, we see something so simple that eventually triggers a massive adventure. Every quest has to start somewhere.....


9 - Darkstalkers (Arcade)

Erm..... Morrigan.....
Seriously though, Attract Modes are integral to Arcade games: You need a decent intro to make yourself stand out from the other arcades alongside and make sure it is the gamer's money going into you - not the others. So what does Darkstalkers do? Offer up a topless chick. Well, as they say, sex does indeed sell: One can only how many people would've been sold over seeing Morrigan's curves.
Other than that, there are some nuggets of interest that maintain attention throughout the intro: I like the title appearing over the thunder effects, the panning shot of the genuine freak-show of fighters, the title's eventual appearance with the descending text, the movements of Morrigan's gaze and, of course, the silhouetted Dimitri.
So in the end, this intro won me over with some rather subtle use of imagery. And Morrigan.


8 - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (TurboGraphix)

The Castlevania games have a reputation for building a degree of spookiness onto the player - you are, after all, traversing through a haunted castle so anything less simply would not have done at all. And the intro to Rondo of Blood establishes this spookiness right from the word go: We see a bunch of knights sacrificing a maiden which subsequently resurrects Dracula. I downloaded Rondo of Blood for the Virtual Console and I was surprised to see such a macabre intro - I never knew one such existed in the 16-bit era.
Indeed, a sense of unease is established with the toiling bell and the narration making it clear that people are rejecting peace and prosperity in favor of chaos - even to a point of going to an effort to end the peaceful age.
Of course, as made clear in the translated video above, the translation is peculiar and the German narration sounds ridiculous in it's sternness. But in the terms of spookiness, unease, drama and general macabre, you can't go past this.


7 - Chaos Engine (Amiga)

Sometimes, simplicity works best. Through text and minimal imagery, this intro introduces the characters who make up the game: Thus we meet a monster and learn just how big a threat it poses. We also meet six gun-totting mercenaries, all geared up to take on the titular baddie. And...that's pretty much it.
The reason why this intro works is that it establishes the six selectable with a portrait and passage of text. And within the confines of these two elements, the mercenaries certainly show plenty of character - we may not be presented with much more in the way of information about these dudes but what there is, is indeed enough. Perhaps maybe modern game developers should take note? Indeed, I for one would like to see how these six mercenaries would last in a current-generation game where fully-realised scripts and voice acting are the norm....
So yes, I like this intro for the way it introduces it's cast - the accompanying music, provided by the late great Richard Joseph, is a treat too.


6 - Jungle Strike (Megadrive)

Intros need to establish a sense of drama in order to grab the player's attention and to provide them with a sense of purpose for the action ahead. And this is shining example of that principle.
Two dudes blow up an island in the Pacific and immediately afterwards state their intent for revenge on the US: one for his father's death and the other for interference on their drug trading. Thus we meet the bad guys and learn their motivations - who are, of course, pissed off enough to use nuclear weapons upon Uncle Sam. Further drama is established through then cutting to a news broadcast and finally settling on the player character swinging into action. Thus, we see a chain of events which explains everything - all held together with some great music which furthers the sense of urgency. I however like the imagery which are made to resemble that of a comic book. I also like the laid-back attitude of the player character responding to things as they unfold before him.
See? This is how it's done: In a few short minutes we meet the bad guys, we see what they are capable of, we see what has inspired them to do what they are doing, we see the effects and then we meet the player character and see just what type of character he is. No in medias res, no unnecessary padding, no complexity and nothing coming all out at once. See? Simplicity works for a reason!


5 - Alien vs Predator (Arcade)

Again, an arcade game providing an attract sequence that demands attention - and again, provided by Capcom no less. Immediately, the first thing that grabs attention is the music: A theme that suggests the mood of the game without a single image: Impending doom, invasion from an unstoppable foe and unexpected help from what could be the lesser of two evils. Indeed, I remember being a kid and hanging around the cabinet just for the music itself.
The images also work great: I like the changes of perspective going from lunar orbit, to a computer screen before ending to a battlefield. I also like seeing the hordes of Aliens, the sense that the two marines are the only opposition left standing and the sudden arrival of the Predators.
Indeed, what makes this intro work is the drama of encountering an unstoppable foe who outnumbers you a hundred times over and, generally, being part of a battlefield where the main combatants are two intruders to your planet leaving you, the human cyborgs, caught in the middle. In fact the use of the sentence 'A Living Hell' on it's own, says a lot.
And the fact that I was willing to use so much coinage on this game in my teen years suggests the mission of the attract mode, a well and truly successful one.


4 - Super Metroid (SNES)

Whilst the pre-game set up of Super Metroid with Samus' narration is an impressive sequence by itself, the part I will forever remember is the title screen. In such a short space of time, we see three corpses - one clearly being a child - and the Metroid linked up to a machine, being the only light source in an otherwise darkened room. As a result, a sense of drama is established in the most subtle of ways: we the audience are left wondering who are (or were) these people? What happened to them? What is the Metroid doing there? Throw in some extremely creepy music and we have a degree of interest triggered within the player and just what awaits them ahead. Its a triumph of subtlety - and the best bit of all is the pay off: In the first location, Samus encounters the machine but this time, the Metroid is missing.
Super Metroid may be best remembered as a game of subtle moments and a sense of unease - but the most memorable moment of all is when all of these are established masterfully at the very beginning. No wonder many modern game developers keep looking to Super Metroid for inspiration.


3 - Final Fantasy 6 (SNES)

The first five Final Fantasy games (hurrah for alliteration!) had a deceptive undercurrent: It all looked bright and cheerful ate first glance but underneath there lurked some sinister elements: Somber musical pieces, as many sad endings as happy endings and permanent deaths of party characters. Thus, the sixth Final Fantasy immediately announces it's intentions from the start: Through a dramatic organ and a drab colour palette, it becomes clear that the seriousness has come to the front and the colourful back-drops of the past have been placed aside. It is interesting how such a change in mood can be pulled off so well - indeed, one can only wonder the sense of surprise on one who'd been weened on FF4. Indeed, seeing as FF is a game series that provides variations on a theme, when they do something completely different it is worth sitting up and taking notice.
And that's not the only FF convention turned on it's head: In the expository text that follows, we see magic, one of the FF hallmarks, has been discarded and technology has taken it's place. Further drama is established with certain people wanting recover the forgotten art of magic and the potential threat of repeating a previous calamity. No doubt about it, FF6 certainly adds a lot of conflict right off the bat.
However, the most memorable aspect is the credits sequence, where we see a trio of mechs advancing through the snow, accompanied by a haunting rendition of Terra's theme. This is indeed, one of most memorable images of the 16-bit era and, I for one, certainly had it burned into my mind the first time I saw it. I guess it must be one of those videos where everything clicks together to produce a solid whole - I can't really describe why it's so memorable: I guess it's one of those perfect moments that everyone has to see it for themselves.
All in all, the march sequence is truly a shining example of how music and imagery can join forces to produce something that could only be described as unforgettable.


2 - Terranigma (SNES)

Whilst the US got Chrono Trigger, the UK, Europe and Australia had to settle for Terranigma. A forgotten gem yes but what an introductory sequence! In terms of presentation, this one leaps ahead of the rest. It utilizes some stunning graphics and a great choice of music, ranging from the heartbeat at the beginning to the restrained music throughout. Everything is handled in a subtle manner (an alien concept to many JRPGs) and the effort gone into it shows. The text is also compelling describing a planet from birth and the trials and tribulations of the people on it, accompanied by the brilliant use of time passing on a pocket watch. Also of particular interest is the use of Biblical motifs - which of course leads to my favourite moment: The watch ticks to twelve o'clock, the hands fall off and a numbers shift to make way for a Thirteenth hour.
Some say JRPG's are all bombast and lack subtlety but then they decide to do things differently, it succeeds with flying colours.
Terranigma may be disregarded as some to be a poor cousin to Chrono Trigger - but it sure has a lot going for it with it's use of history, it's glorious music and it's ideas. All of these are brought together to bring the finest introduction ever on the SNES.


And my favourite intro of the 16-bit era is....

1 - Moonstone (Amiga)

So what makes a memorable intro? Awesome visuals? Unforgettable music? The establishment of what must be done in the game itself? The setting being built up? Or the creation of unease towards the viewer? How about a combination of all of them?
Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner: May I introduce Moonstone. A game from the Commodore Amiga that never went any further. Maybe it was the blood and gore that predated the sensation caused by Mortal Kombat. Maybe it was made in a place that wasn't the US or Japan. Or maybe the game wasn't that remarkable. Whatever: The intro itself was enough to make the game. Indeed, I remember being twelve years old and thinking this was actually quite a freaky intro - In fact at the time, I never thought it possible that someone was actually doing this type of thing. Moonstone is a game that has a sense of dread lurking throughout and this intro encapsulates it perfectly. Throw in a perfect mix of graphics, unsettling music (again provided by Richard Joseph)and impending doom and you've got a winner.
So many memorable moments, I don't know where to start: the music that comes creeping in, the pan down from the moon to the forest floor, the sudden clash of multiple drums, the druid's chanting, the knight's hand moving with nervousness and the concluding piece of text where the target in spelled in a single, capitalized word. It's amazing to think the developers accomplished so much with such, by today's standards, limited hardware. I don't know how many times I've seen this intro but it still works everytime.
I recall the first time I played Moonstone: I was blown away by the intro but never got any further due to my A1200 frowning upon A500 technology. It was only many years later that I managed to play the game but, with high expectations brought by the intro, I came away disappointed. Still, at least there's always the above video.....

So that's my list of best 16-bit intros - artifacts from an era where people know what they wanted to get across and did it using the tools at their disposal.
So what I do think of modern game intros? Not much I'm afraid: If the serial Unskippable is anything to go by, they just keep growing increasingly ridiculous: It's all about the spectacle, where generating gamer interest is through flashy graphics and creating confusion - interest that ultimately leads to mockery.
Some people got it right the first time - now it's a matter of time before we suddenly remember how it's done properly.

XBLA Wish List

Seeing as the XBLA likes to dust off old arcades games and put them up for offer, I present a list of suggestions I would like to see put up for purchase.
I played these games when I was a kid and love to see them on XBLA - Probably may never happen but we can always dream....

Vendetta
A beat-em-up made by Konami made in 1991. Whilst the four-way beat-em-up was popularized by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I do remember this one quite fondly. What made this one stand out was the wide variety of weapons, which indeed made the game heaps more fun. Also noteworthy is the sense of humor that was quite lacking in the genre. I mean come on, where else can you have Mike Tyson, Hulk Hogan, Jean Claude Van-Damme and Mr. T all banding together to beat up some punks?! Sure the presence of the gay dudes that dry hump the player characters may cause some offense but I will gladly pay for the censored US version of Vendetta for, if anything, to just play the damn thing again.

Golden Axe 2: Revenge of Death Adder
Well the original Golden Axe found it's way onto XBLA so why not it's follow up? Without question the high point of the entire series, RoDA takes what works in GA and improves it on many levels. Better graphics, more beasties to ride, more foes to crush, gorgeous environments, magic combos, multiple paths, and even catapults! Again, having this not follow it's older brother onto XBLA is just mind-boggling. And considering that was never released for a home console in it's day, this is hands down one game that needs a second chance.

Alien vs Predator
Developed by Capcom in 1994, this is one game I played at every opportunity and enjoyed every minute of it. Take two marines (one of them being Arnie's character from the first predator movie) and two Predators and go kill some Alien arse. Some detailed graphics, great music, and the mind-bending opportunity to mow down so many xenomorph scum at once is indeed an attractive package. Plus, seeing as there exists crummy movies and crummy games based on the AvP concept, I would certainly welcome this, the best of the lot, to the XBLA.

Sunset Riders
Well seeing as westerns are enjoying a resurgence (in the form of Call of Juraez and Red Dead Redemption) it would make sense to see this game on the XBLA. Again this is four-way game - and console games are really more fun when played with a group of people (you only need to look at Castle Crashers for proof). But, unlike the three listed above, this is a shooter and has lot's of personality to boot. Humorous moments are filled with the game which are hilarious to watch and it's fun to see how much inspiration is drawn from old Western movies. Indeed, special mention must be made of the game's willingness to not take itself seriously and comes out heaps more fun because of it.

Best Game Endings

Endings sure are a crucial point for gamers aren’t they? Seeing as people are willing to invest so many hours of their life in a game, it thus becomes a cardinal sin for games to have endings that are inconclusive or end on a cliff-hanger. Does anyone want to spend so many hours of their life only to arrive at a sloppy ending? Or a blank screen with ‘Game Over’ or, worse yet, ‘To be Continued’? Of course not! Thus it becomes apparent that to have a crummy ending is seen as a betrayal – betrayal to the player from investing so much time and reaping so much enjoyment.
And in some cases, a betrayal beyond forgivable.
We’ve all heard the story before: Someone plays a game and enjoys it a lot. They get to the ending, which turns out to be one big anticlimax, and the gamer gets mad. Within seconds, so many hours of fun and enjoyment are erased instantly and the gamer starts venting their disgust to some internet blog or message board.
To me, an ending needs to provide a proper resolution to the hard effort put into the game. It needs to convey a sense of achievement - or even something that sticks in the player’s mind – to really make all the hours worth it. So today, I’m going to talk about some of my favourite endings to a game and how they made an impression on me.

So here we go:

11. Ninja Warriors

And we start with an ending (badumtish) that certainly leaves a substantial impression. For those not in the know, Ninja Warriors was an arcade game from the late eighties (although the above video is from the SNES conversion), where the player controls a robot ninja assassin dispatched by revolutionaries to kill a corrupt politician. At the end of the game, the ninjas confront their target when suddenly they explode taking the politician’s mansion with them. It turns out the mission was a suicide one – thus enabling the revolutionaries to seize control and end up doing an even worse job than their predecessor.
This ending works on two levels: Firstly, it is thought-provoking in its handling of it’s themes of terrorism (perhaps more so in this modern, post-9/11 age we live in). Secondly, it is the notion that not all endings are happy ones. Sure it means all the player’s efforts were ultimately for naught but that doesn’t mean the player won’t walk away with something to ponder. I like games that challenge the relationship between game and the person playing it – and whilst this move has become popular in recent years, Ninja Warriors may just well have been a pioneer.
Audacious maybe but Ninja Warriors is still a worthy way to start off this list.


10. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

One of the most well-realised stories ever in the history of video gaming yields the cleverest of endings. Allegedly, Jordan Mechner was inspired by Tales of Arabian Nights in development of the original Prince of Persia – so it’s interesting to see the ideology of stories being carried over into Sands of Time.
The narrative of SoT is guided by the voice of the Prince himself, explaining things as they happen to an unseen audience. As the story progresses, the gamer is constantly wondering just who this audience is – and the urgency that the prince narrates with adds to this mystique. Indeed, it is an interesting motivator to keep playing just to find out who the Prince is telling this story to.
And when this audience is finally revealed, not to mention HOW the prince got there himself, is truly a moment even I did not see coming. And that for me represents a mark of exceptional storytelling: keeping the audience in suspense without breaking step once. Indeed, SoT makes it look so effortless you can’t help but wonder if other game developers were looking and taking notes.
Granted I haven’t included this revelation in the video above (actually I couldn’t find it but really maybe it’s something one has to see for themselves) but, as the ending indicates, I do like the ideology of stories that SoT has. A story is a narrative device, being told by the Prince, to someone who, as the above video indicates, is left in a state of disbelief. It’s a clever idea and the fact that it’s conveyed successfully throughout the whole game is an achievement in itself.


9. Skies of Arcadia

And here we have the very first JRPG in this list – and there’s more to come.
RPGs have got to be the most time-demanding game genre ever: After accomplishing so many quests, levelling up and building up characters in wealth and combat prowess, an RPG really needs to have a killer ending. So many RPG’s have been condemned for a lame ending, so it is interesting to see how that the developers handle the task of providing a decent pay-off. Some do a half-arsed job whilst others really put in an effort not shown by any other genre.
So what does Skies of Arcadia offer up? Well, after so many hours gone into the game, the gamer is treated to a cinematic displaying a sense of victory: The adversary is defeated, the heroes have won and the player is treated to a sense of accomplishment. Okay so the outcome of the efforts of Vyse, Fina and Aika was probably never in doubt but dammit, if any game ending did convey a sense of accomplishment then Skies of Arcadia does so in spades!
The real treat however is the end credits sequence which presents a montage revealing what everyone got up to following the events of the game. Granted this may not have been the first JRPG to do this but for me, it’s the one that does it best.


8. Super Mario Bros 3

I remember seeing this one when I was a kid: Mario defeats Bowser and runs to the rescue of Princess Peach – only to be informed that the Princess is in ANOTHER castle….. before Peach reveals she was only kidding.
Why does this ending work for me? Two reasons: The first is the idea that Mario is an everyman. He doesn’t look in any way the heroic type – he’s just a regular guy. And yet he still goes on fantastic adventures and manages to save the day (and a princess!). Indeed, it is that everyman quality that may attribute to his continuing popularity. And for me, the Super Mario bros. 3 ending exemplifies that quality more than it’s SMB1 and, quite possibly, even more that it’s successors.
The other reason is the joke Peach plays. While it’s a nice surprise to see Nintendo poking fun at their own franchise, one can only wonder how the player, after so many hours spent playing the game, reacted. What may have started as screams of disbelief and frustration eventually gave way to either a huge sigh of relief or shouts of “FUCK YOU BITCH!!”
Seriously though, this is an ending that, again, exemplifies the connection between the player and the game. And this is one ending which may have inspired a reaction – it may not have been the best one but it’s still one nonetheless. And not many games can lay claim to such a feat.


7. Terranigma

Whilst Australia may have missed out on Chrono Trigger, we instead had to settle for Terranigma. Okay so it may not compare on a level of complexity to Chrono Trigger but Terranigma can boast some great ideas being put to work.
The player controls a guy named Arc who lives in a village that seems to know largely little of the outside world. But through a series of misadventures, Arc eventually discovers an empty world and is thus charged with the task of resurrecting it. He does this through bringing life back to it and furthering scientific progress for it’s human inhabitants. However as the game goes on, the game puts forth some ideas on existence that’s kind of unexpected in a game of the 16-bit era.
As stated before, any game that can make a player think is a winner in my book. And no way is this exemplified with the ending: His task done, Arc is then left with one last day to spend on the mortal plane. This is indeed a challenging prospect that one wouldn’t find in a video game: What would you do if you had one last day upon this earth? How would you spend it? How would the thought of having made a difference weigh upon you’re mind? These are challenging ideas and for a game to convey them is indeed an achievement in itself.
In particular, I love that concluding dream sequence – I can’t really explain it as it's something that really needs to be seen to be comprehended. but, for me, it’s one of those moments of perfection that few games can match.


6. Chrono Cross

Okay so I’m cheating here seeing as I’ve never played this game (as it was never released here in Australia) and I’m relying on someone else’s assessment of it but this ending video is a gem indeed.
As the above link suggests, Chrono Cross is game aimed at breaking down the borderline between player and game. Throughout the game itself, there are key moments which suggest the player is having a more interactive role in the proceedings than what is usually associated in a video game. This eventually reaches its pinnacle at the end when the character of Schala speaks through a passage of text directly at the player. This is then followed by the ending cinematic which includes live action footage of an actress, representing Schala, searching for the player (ie YOU).
Quite disturbing yes but I take my hat off to the makers who seem to be keen on trying something different, intent on challenging the gamer’s perceptions and say something unexpected and unique – particularly in a medium which is usually associated with killing lot’s of dudes, buxom chicks and young men who look more girly than the females who control them.
Fortune, it would appear, truly does favour the brave.


5. Shadow of the Colossus





One of the big ones (pun most certainly intended). No other game has left me with a mixed reaction to this ending. With this ending, the rug is pulled under the player’s feet: Suspicions are confirmed and suddenly Wander’s quest is nowhere near as noble as one was originally led to believe.
Of course, at first I was annoyed that the hard effort I put into playing the game had, ultimately, all come to naught. But when I look back at it now, my view has softened - somewhat. You see, I can now appreciate the game for being able to challenge my perceptions and direct me into a quest that, upon closer examination, has me asking questions of a morale nature far more effectively than the Mass Effect series. In addition, the fact that not all endings are happy ones hits really hard in this cinematic.
Really though, I have no idea whether I should praise or condemn this ending but there is no need: If a game has inspired such a divisive opinion then it must have made quite an impression – indeed the type that some games can dream about. If game triggered a debate and a closer look, then it must’ve been a pretty damn good one.


4. Final Fantasy X

A mark of a great game is one that elicits an emotional reaction – and in that field, you can’t go wrong with this. Final Fantasy X may have had it’s fair share of emotional moments but the apex of it all comes in the form of the ending.
One thing I’ve enjoyed with the Final Fantasy games is that, unlike a lot of RPGs, their approach to story-telling is that not all endings are happy ones. Sure some good may have been done come at the end, but the protagonists can’t really save everyone. Which now brings me to Final Fantasy X and, in particular, the doomed romance between Tidus and Yuna. At the end, Spira may be saved but one of the main protagonists has fallen: One who didn’t really belong in Spira’s world and who made a lasting impression on the one who was supposed to die. Some say, the romance was kinda uninspiring but I give credit to Square to take a chance with this ending: It wasn’t a happy ending and it’s indeed interesting to see a romance that doesn’t work out. Sure Mario may keep saving Princess Peach from Bowser's constant clutches but no such thing seems to happen on Spira’s world.
Plus I have to admit, there is always the emotional punch of seeing Yuna running to Tidus and subsequently through him. This is then followed by those three words uttered by Yuna showing more emotion (or at least her voice actress) than she ever did in the entire game. It is a moment like this that still hits hard on my cold jaded heart.
Of course, this is all ruined with the advent of FFX2 but still, for a game to break the rules and convey such emotion, this is a shining example.


3. Ico

On second thought, forget what I said about Final Fantasy X: When it comes to eliciting an emotional response from the gamer, nothing can hope to match the ending that is Ico. Much like Team Ico’s other game, the afore-mentioned Shadow of the Colossus, there is no sense of a happy ending as it becomes clear that the player’s efforts have ultimately come to naught – except for leaving an emotional resonance that most games can only dream about.
There are so many magic moments in this ending that I don’t know where to start: The symbolism of Ico’s horns coming off, the Queen/Witch’s dying taunt, the realisation that Yorda can’t escape the castle even when the way out is finally open, the collapse of a seemingly ancient castle, the indication that Yorda and Ico belong in separate worlds and, of course, the slow creeping in of ‘You Were There’.
Funny thing is all of these aren’t really spelled out for the viewer: they are just presented for the viewer to draw their own conclusions. As a result, the mind works in the fashion that the designer intended and an emotion connection is built up. It is an effective method and one that works a treat.
Like FFX, the ending of Ico did indeed leave an impression on my cold jaded heart. And for a video game to do this is a feat indeed – enough to secure it in the third position in this list. What could top it? Funny you should say that…..


2. Metal Gear Solid

For me, Metal Gear Solid is a character driven game done right: Among the many achievements this game accomplished, paramount among them was the idea of taking a character and building a world around him for which to inhabit.
That being said, Metal Gear Solid is a game that deceived me: At the start, it is established that Snake is sneaking into Shadow Moses Island to thwart some terrorists who pose a considerable threat through being in the possession of nuclear warheads.
However, like many games on this list, by the end, the game has switched gears and revealed its true intentions: Metal Gear Solid isn’t about sneaking into a base, beating up some bad guys and eventually destroying a giant mech – no it represents a personal odyssey for Snake. It’s about him starting out with emptiness in his life only to come out the other side with a sense of meaning. It is indeed a relief to see Snake, through all his trials and tribulations come out the other side with a much better outlook on life. Of course, a feel-good/life affirming ending may have done many times before but here it works well – perhaps because, unlike a book or a movie, a video game demands participation from the player. Thus, there is the sense that Snake got to where he ended up with the player’s assistance. It is impressive, in the terms of story telling, to see Snake decide to make every day of his remaining time on earth count. What's even more impressive is this revelation is conveyed through to make an impression onto the player.
Of course, this ending is made redundant with the puzzling presence of the Metal Gear Solid’s 2 and 4 (why would Snake go back into combat after deciding to make every remaining day of his life count?!) but still it’s not everyday you see a life-affirming ending in video game.
And that’s why it works so well.

And my number 1 ending to a video game is…..

1. Final Fantasy IX

In this list, I’ve described various reasons to why certain endings work: Some challenge my perceptions as a gamer. Some give me something to think about. Some present situations designed to inspire an emotional response. Some present me with character and make me wanting to go with them on their adventures every step of the way.
But in the end, what I ultimately want is the sense that I achieved something: The sense that the many hours I put into the game have amounted to something grandiose. I want a payoff that was worth the effort. Step forward: Final Fantasy IX.
So why this one? Firstly length: The RPG demands the greatest investment of time than any other game – having an ending that stretches out for over half an hour is a perfect counter-weight to the many hours spent playing the game.
Secondly, throughout the ending, we get to see the character’s lives afterwards. Each of the key characters have their own cinematic which shows what they had gotten up to since the adventure ended. Whilst not all of them may be happy (Freya’s comes to mind), it is a credit to the designers for showing us that life does indeed go on (something that, I wish, would happen more often).
The real treat however is in the video shown above where Garnet and Zidane are finally reunited. Of course, it is a bit annoying that it isn’t really explained HOW Zidane managed to get back to Alexandria but it is interesting to see what Garnet’s character eventually developed into (note the moment when she loses the Alexander pendant). Indeed, I particularly love the moment when she throws away her tiara before charging into Zidane’s arms: Sometimes little things can mean so much.
Also pleasing is seeing the crowd, with Zidane and Garnet’s former comrades, bursting into applause. It is as if that after the grim undertones of 6, 7 and 8, Square just decided “Bugger this, let’s just do a happy ending’. It may not have been their intent but even if it was, it works a treat. A sweet relief maybe but there is the thought that, after so many dark themes lurking within the Final Fantasy games, if Square can put their mind to it a happy ending can work out well.
Some may dismiss the tried and tested notion of ‘And they all lived happily ever after’ but what would they know?
More to the point why would I care?

So that’s my thoughts on what makes a good ending. A diverse list but all work in different ways: I like having my perceptions as a gamer challenged. I tip my hat to a game designer for presenting something to think about. I love a sense of accomplishment whilst other times I just love a happy ending.
Really games should be self-contained stories with a properly defined beginning, middle and an end. And whilst many games can start of great they can fumble with the other two. But whereas people don't remember the middle of a game, it's the ending that can prove most critical. Having said that, I've just written out eleven different endings that work in different ways so really there is no excuse.
Until next time....