66 replies to this topic

[BillyHW]

I love good video game endings! I feel robbed of my money when a game offers up a lame ending after all that hard work. And I have to admit, I don't quite understand games like Pac-Man that have no ending and just go on forever where the only goal is amassing "points". I need a reward.

So what are your picks for best (and worst) video game endings? Please post a YouTube video of it if you can find it. Here are my picks:

BEST:

1. Final Fantasy II (IV in Japan). I finished this game so many times just to re-watch the ending. It's an incredible well-written story. Epic symphonic music. I remember timing it and I think it came out to something like 45 minutes long from start to finish. Amazing.

2. Double Dragon. http://www.overthink...o-game-history/

WORST:

1. Super Mario Bros. 2. I wish my memories of this ending were just a dream.

[goldenegg]

I love the ending of Wonder Boy 3: The Dragon's Trap on the SMS, mainly for the music.

Worst ending is Altered Beast on the Genesis. It would have been fine if they kept the whole ending from the arcade game, but all you get is a crappy picture and massive text for the credits. They also completely miss out on the 'twist' of the original.

[high voltage]

Best: Pitfall 2 (VCS)
Worst: Taboo (NES)

OP: You don't understand games like Pac-Man? Points were the reward. Did you miss out visiting arcades?

Edited by high voltage, Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:19 PM.

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Worst, hands down, Draken: Order of the Flame
You spend the whole game flying a dragon trying to find your brother. Guess how it ends?


Best? That one's tricky.
Would I be too much of an Atari fanboy if I said the ending of Adventure?

[BillyHW]

high voltage, on Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:15 PM, said:

Best: Pitfall 2 (VCS)
Worst: Taboo (NES)

OP: You don't understand games like Pac-Man? Points were the reward. Did you miss out visiting arcades?

Just a little bit before my time. My first great arcade experiences were Wonder Boy and Gauntlet and then a bit later, Double Dragon. I was too young for the Space Invaders era. The point for me in those games was reaching the next level and seeing a part of the game I'd never seen before. That was part of the adventure. I never understood why NES and SNES games even bothered to count points because they just didn't matter to me. Finishing the game and saying that you saw the ending mattered to me.

The medal system in Abobo's Big Adventure however intrigues me, and it really kept me interested in the game. That's points done right.

[NightSprinter]

Karnov on the NES. After all that hell you go through, it just gives you "Congratulations. The End". Really? No, really?..

[7800Lover]

How about Monster Party on the NES? The game starts off with a kid named Mark being recruited by a dragon named Bert to fight monsters. When you beat the game, Bert gives Mark a princess as a reward. When Mark gets back to Earth, the princess turns into a horrible monster...Mark screams - and then he wakes up. It was all a dream. Bert then shows up and the game starts all over again. It was neverending!

How about Veigues Tactical Gladiator on the TG-16/PC Engine? When you beat the game...your character ended up dying anyways!

[A_Locomotive]

7800Lover, on Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:36 PM, said:

How about Veigues Tactical Gladiator on the TG-16/PC Engine? When you beat the game...your character ended up dying anyways!

Its possible to beat that game?! I can never get behind the 3rd area, there are so many things that hit you that are seemingly impossible to dodge.

[Austin]

Best (off the top of my head): Final Fantasy III/VI

Worst: There's probably too many to name, especially from the NES days, haha.

[fiddlepaddle]

I hate it when games end. I want a challenge that continues indefinitely and allows me to continue improving against my previous best. I feel cheated if the game "runs out". It's like when your favorite TV series ends after 10 seasons and you still want more. I don't get it when somebody wants their exciting fun game to be over.

[Skarrj]

Worst by far is karnov. That was one brutal game and had with the most bs ending ever.

The most emotional ending for me was halo reach, noble six was a bad ass mofo to the end.

Dragon warrior may have been my fav, because you could go evil and end the game.

Edited by Skarrj, Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:21 PM.

[SoulBlazer]

The Ninja Gaiden games on the NES had some very good endings, with happy messages in the first two and a good send off for the series in the third one.

Mega Man 2 also has a weird, but satsifying, ending to it.

[bomberpunk]

best: (PSX) Klonoa Door To Phantomile - it literally rips your heart out and smashes it on the floor and then craps on it.
worst: (NES) Karnov - beat it and you'll see.

[bomberpunk]

NightSprinter, on Thu Jan 19, 2012 5:58 PM, said:

Karnov on the NES. After all that hell you go through, it just gives you "Congratulations. The End". Really? No, really?..

i just saw this.

[Bloodreign]

To be fair Karnov got quite a lot clipped out of it when it came from the Famicom to NES, the opening and ending stories all got cut out as they dealt with God giving Karnov a chance to redeem himself by fighting evils. Thank Nintendo's family friendly image on the game having no ending at all.

Edited by Bloodreign, Fri Jan 20, 2012 2:03 AM.

[Cynicaster]

BillyHW, on Thu Jan 19, 2012 1:43 PM, said:

And I have to admit, I don't quite understand games like Pac-Man that have no ending and just go on forever where the only goal is amassing "points". I need a reward.

I’m pretty much of the exact opposite opinion when it comes to reward. For many, myself included, video games are no fun without competition, and this is where going for high scores comes into play. Using your Pac-Man example, I can challenge a trash talking friend to a Pac-Man smack down and have a great time. How do you do something similar with God of War? “Hey, I bet I can unlock more medals than you on God of War!” Um, no.

Competition makes it more fun because it makes it more social and interactive, and score gives you a way of actually measuring your skill (as opposed to simply measuring your patience, like most games designed to be “finished”). To me, it’s like the difference between playing a game of tennis against a friend and playing on your own by hitting the ball against a wall.

When I was a kid and the NES was new, yeah, I was all about seeing the endings of games too. In retrospect, I can see the only reason why “endings” were of any interest back then was because the good ones involved big colorful graphics and sometimes bits of additional story, etc. These pretty features were very intriguing to a kid who cut his teeth on Atari 2600 games. But nowadays, you spend half your time sitting there watching stupid cut-scenes anyway—full of pretty graphics and sound—so the endings lose much of their novelty.

[Cafeman]

I can't remember a whole lotta game endings. I don't play many RPGs or story-driven games, and I didn't beat a lot of games I started over the years.

Best: Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Genesis) -- the game that kept on giving back in '91. I loved the music and credits overtop Sonic running around happy animals. Didn't expect a platformer to have an 'ending' like that, back in the day, and it is a nice payoff for completing the game.
Nights into Dreams (Sega Saturn) -- sweet and emotional nice ending where the 2 kids not only defeat their problems with courage, but meet each other in real life for the first time and share a special moment in the dreamworld too. The music gets me.

Worst: Both GigaWing games (DC) have unusually weird and unsatisfying "ending" stories. Good art, nonsensical downer text. I just shake my head - at least the gameplay is awesome.

[Emehr]

I like the endings to Star Fox and Super Metroid. I've also defeated the vile Red Falcon and considered myself a hero on many occasions. I just considered it, mind you. I didn't actually believe it or let it go to my head or anything.

[Sonic R]

Cynicaster, on Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:58 AM, said:

BillyHW, on Thu Jan 19, 2012 1:43 PM, said:

And I have to admit, I don't quite understand games like Pac-Man that have no ending and just go on forever where the only goal is amassing "points". I need a reward.

I’m pretty much of the exact opposite opinion when it comes to reward. For many, myself included, video games are no fun without competition, and this is where going for high scores comes into play. Using your Pac-Man example, I can challenge a trash talking friend to a Pac-Man smack down and have a great time. How do you do something similar with God of War? “Hey, I bet I can unlock more medals than you on God of War!” Um, no.

Competition makes it more fun because it makes it more social and interactive, and score gives you a way of actually measuring your skill (as opposed to simply measuring your patience, like most games designed to be “finished”). To me, it’s like the difference between playing a game of tennis against a friend and playing on your own by hitting the ball against a wall.

I had to quote this...

I share these very feelings! score based games offer limitless fun and replayability! not only can I compete with friends, or other players, I can challenge myself... my progress is measured by improved scores, and scores can ALWAYS be worked on and improved!

games can be played together, and it doesn't have to be at the same time... I can achieve a score, and present the challenge to my friends and they can attempt to beat it. also, tips and strategies can be exchanged and shared and new ways to play to score better or exploit a scoring system can be discovered.

these games never have to 'end' and they can be enjoyed for a lifetime

so if you 'don't get' an "endless" scorebased game like Pac-Man, then maybe you have no competitive fire, or you do not enjoy a challenge... these types of games when you play, you develop skills and such, and always walk away with something of value... and on the next play, you get to do it again and again, for a lifetime!

Edited by Sonic R, Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:29 AM.

[Rex Dart]

So skills can't be improved if a game doesn't list numbers up top?

[Sonic R]

I cannot know? can they?

[Skarrj]

So you guys would rather see something like halo keep a highscore instead of having an ending?

[Skarrj]

Skarrj, on Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:42 PM, said:

So you guys would rather see something like halo keep a highscore instead of having an ending?

i guess that why there is a firefight mode

[7800Lover]

Anyone remember the ending when you beat Shinobi? You got a "Game Over" - the exact same ending if the foes kill you in the game!

[godslabrat]

BillyHW, on Thu Jan 19, 2012 1:43 PM, said:

1. Super Mario Bros. 2. I wish my memories of this ending were just a dream.

Wow. You're totally entitled to your opinion, but I have to disagree on this one.