30 Days of Video Games

[JezMM]

Nice to see so much Launch Base love. Despite all the legit reasons people are posting, what I really love is that it's a final stage that is all chipper and summery. It's just so... different. And different is cool.

[Kamicciolo]

Day #6 - Kami's Natural Wonderland where "Ninjasharks are shot on sight" favourite level/stage/area from a video game

For my favourite stage/area/level/place I'm gonna have to go with one which King Dedede's battle arena from Kirby Super Star/Ultra.

Perhaps a bit simpler or more plain than most choices, but I really enjoy this stage (...helped by the music >_>). The area is a basic boxing ring (with Dedede's old symbol dotted around) that's pretty closed in, whilst a crowd of most of the game's minor enemies are roaring down from their seats (and we even get a few Mario cameos), as Kirby is forced to battle his arch-en...riv..., forced to battle Dedede in what essentially seems like a death match. For being such a plain stage it manages to work suitably well for the battle that takes place.

The stage also features a return in Super Star Ultra, in the Revenge of the King mode, where it has a fancy upgrade of having an electric cage surrounding the ceiling (meaning you can't hover right over attacks), whilst Dedede fights you as the suped up Masked Dedede (with new Dedede Hammer), all while a lone Waddle Dee watches on. Pretty neat changes I must say :V.

Runners up

Fountain of Dreams (SSBM) - This was always my go-to stage whenever playing Melee. The stage is just so beautifully designed, which combined with the music creates a serene scene which almost contrasts the chaos that takes place there.

Emerald Coast - Always a favourite of mine. It just looks like it'd be so much fun to actually run through a place like that, across the board-walks, through the jungley parts, and so on. It's also a nice starting stage to kick off Sonic Adventure with, easing into the game quite nicely. (though admittedly I take a fancy to most of the greenery stages ).

Luigi's Mansion - From the actual game with that title :V. A pretty hefty part of what makes Luigi's Mansion so fun is just how big and intricate the layout of mansion is, with its number of secret treasures and hidden money ghosts just waiting to to be found, captured and robbed blind in one swift blow (or suck, in this case). The entire mansion really does help the game achieve some horror vibes...but in a rather kid-friendly way :V).

Assorted Eggman Bases/Bowser Castles - As both the Mario and Sonic series are pretty much my top favourite series (and I'm pretty fond of the villains of both), I've grown quite fond of the numerous base/castle/fortress/hideaways/treehouses that appear as the pretty much final stage of each game. What I generally enjoy is the intense feeling throughout these stages (...you could say helped, by some of the stronger/more annoying enemies from the game) as you travel through to confront the villain head on. I also like how the stages are a bit thematic to the two characters (which made the last area in the Adventure Tours particularly sweet to see :3).

[Covskin]

There could be a few contenders, but let's go for a pretty infamous one.

Psychonauts is a great game, with no two levels the same. The Milkman Conspiracy though stands out above the rest. It features a basic puzzle mechanic that harkens back to Tim Schafer's adventure game past, the asthetic is completely mental but what really makes this level shine is its characters. The secret agents are freaking hilarious, and the whole idea of The Milkman Conspiracy is sublime humour.

You mention Psychonauts to anyone, and they will mention this level.

[Solly]

When I think of my favorite areas in a game, the ones that leave the biggest impression on me are the ones I've spent a lot of time in. Peach's Castle from Super Mario 64 and Hyrule Field from the Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time both spring to mind.

I really enjoy the whimsy of the castle grounds. It has an odd decor, but there's a lot to see and explore, and no single Mario game has been able to create a hub as good as this. The Galaxy hubs were small and there wasn't much to do, and while Mario Sunshine's Delfino Plaza was big, it couldn't match the charm that Peach's castle had. There are also a lot of secret stages to find within the castle walls, so you're encouraged to discover things for yourself.

Hyrule Field is also pretty awesome.

Admittedly it hasn't aged that well- people may consider it to be barren and empty compared to the Great Sea and other such Zelda overworlds, and I can agree to that, but like in Mario 64, there were some secrets to find, and it was never an inconvenience to traverse.

I still remember being creeped the fuck out by Stalchildren once the sun set and I was on my way to the Castle Town. Of course, they weren't hard enemies at all but I was pretty young at the time.

And this place has awesome music.

[Danj86]

Another trick choice...but I think I'll have to pick...

Bowser's Castle levels

Lava based levels are always fun for me as they provide an extra challenge, that being, not being burned to a crisp. But Bowser's Castle always has more than that.

Once you hear the menacing music and the big bad@$$ door that opens where his mouth would be, you know your in for a challenge. A very epic challenge. Bowser always provides more then you bargained for when you enter his domain. It's the reason why he's such an awesome villain.

After avoiding fireballs, crossing lava pits, jumping over lava monsters, dodging magikoopa attacks and trying not to get squashed by those thwomps. The true test comes in the form of taking on the Koopa King himself. Whether your dropping him in his own lava pit, throwing robots into his Clown Car, grabbing him by the tail and tossing him into bombs, destroying his bathtub, using his mass against him or just running for your life. Your always guaranteed an epic and fun experience.

[#EndyGate]

Halberd - Kirby Super Star (Ultra)

I don't know why, but I just loved the idea of kirby stealthily (though at the same time obviously) prouling around Meta Knight's imperial battleship in order to save dreamland. The levels were fun yet challenging, and the bosses that occured in it were also quite nice, such as the Heavy Lobster and Meta Knight himself. Though what I liked most about it is how it gave Meta Knight a bit of development, to the point where he is a compotent villain.

Music Plant - Sonic Advance 2

Aw, how this stage made my childhood, it's so colorful and abstract that I can't help but to love it. The in level gimmicks weren't too much of a bother like in some stages, and overall I just adore the concept of traveling through a gauntlet constructed of musical instruments

[Soniman]

Day 6-Favorite Area/Stage/Level in a Video Game

Hydrocity Zone - Sonic 3

Found this picture on Stadium, by JoelChan. Thanks for making an awesome stage look even more awesome.

Hydrocity Zone is without a doubt, the best stage in Sonic history. The music, the level design, the aesthetics, it's all perfect. I love the fact that Act I is all chill and calm and then Act 2 rolls around and the music starts to ramp up, and the level becomes a lot more hectic and urgent. I find great irony in the fact that Sonic levels are known for their unfair water levels (Labyrinth Zone comes to mind) yet this has just the right amount of water that it's not annoying. Their are plenty of secrets to find and plenty of paths to take, I STILL don't think I found all there is to be found in this level, that's wen you know you have an excellently designed Sonic stage. I also love how Sonic can run on water in this one, and that there is basically a "fast" path and a more slower "water" path, having choice is awesome.

Did I mention that the music is fantastic? No? Then let me remind you.

Ikana Canyon - Majora's Mask

This is my second choice, there's just something about this area and the story behind it that has me really interested. This area is also the home of fantastic battles, bosses, minibosses, and general mooks. Not to mention one of the best Dungeons in a Zelda game. The entire history of the area is tragic, a bloody history between warring kingdoms and ancient tribes, it's literally a land of the dead, it's up to the hero, Link, to cleanse the evil surrounding the land and finally put the spirits to rest. I also need to mention the Music Box House, the only place which has actual living inhabitants, a scientist and his daughter Pamela, when you get to the house you see that it's surrounded by the Mummies due to the Well going dry and the Music Box House lossing the energy needed to ward of the mummies. Long story short if you bring the water back to the well go inside the house, and heal Pamela's mummified father, you get treated to one of the most heartwarming scenes in video game history.

The fight with Igos Du Ikana is incredibly epic, and once you learn the Elgey of Emptiness things take an even darker turn when you get some fucking unsettling statues of yourself.

And finally, I have to again state that Stone Tower Temple is one of the most expertly designed Dungeons in Zelda history, the "upside down" gimmick is very unique and adds an extra layer of depth to it. Also, that music is awesome.

And that's why Ikana Canyon is awesome folks, and why (of many reasons) Majora's Mask is so great.

Zanarkand Ruins - Final Fantasy X

Final choice, I know FFX is not a lot of people's favorite FF (mostly due to Tidus, who I really saw no issue with), but I just had to put this here since this area if fucking beautiful. It's quite sombre actually, at the beginning of FFX you start out in a fully alive Zanarkand, and by the end, through all the shit you go through, you reach the exact area where you started, but instead of being full of life, it is now a ruined city, filled with spirits from the past. My favorite aspect of this stage is how the music (which is beautiful I might add) plays fully through the area, and isnt affected by the random encounters, so the mood is consistent. Love this area, love the game.

[Jeffhog]

Day 6 - Favorite Level / Area / Stage in a Video Game.

This one's tough... o_o" There's no way I would be able to single out one specific environment.

But, if I have to choose...

Crisis City - Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)/Sonic Generations

Say what you will about '06, but Crisis City was one of the greatest things to have ever come out of it. At least in concept.

The level theme was the very last thing I would've expected in any given Sonic game - an apocalyptic city reduced to lava, fire, and ruins filled to the brim with monsters.

When I first got to this zone in NextGen, I was in awe. It was against the status quo of the series (in a good sense, unlike most of the game). It was tense, suspenseful, a constant sense of urgency and an environment where survival is all that matters. No one else can survive here but you, in a world where everything is out to kill you.

Go time, bitches.

You grind rails of old, rusted bridges, you hop from pieces of highways and vehicles carried across strong winds in burning skies, and you run away from a fiery tornado carrying a car.

And the music? It was already GORGEOUS to begin with.

The only letdown was the shoddy gameplay and the controls during the High Speed section.

Now, with Sonic Generations breathing new life into this level, I wondered how Crisis City can welcome two entirely different gameplay styles. I was NOT disappointed.

Classic Crisis City was a blast. Exploring one of my all time favourite levels through the 2D route I've grown to love is a pure joy! Climbing up buildings and making use of the flying platforms for the higher routes was neat, especially with the deadly scenery! And do I even have to mention the Trollpost?

Modern Crisis City, however, was the one that did the zone justice. The original stage was already amazing, but its remake was drop dead BEAUTIFUL. I think I actually shed a tear or two when I first played...

For one, it wasn't a trainwreck with the controls. This was practically how Crisis City was MEANT to be played.

For two, the music. It complimented both the level and gameplay style, and it was a real rush! THEM VIOLINS. ;A;

For three, badass! Sonic's so badass, he runs TOWARD the car and debris flinging tornado!

Crisis City is a badass level, no other way around it.

Honorable mentions go to Rainbow Road from Mario Kart Wii, Wario Colosseum from Mario Kart Double Dash, Spagonia/Rooftop Run from Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Generations, Eggmanland from Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Generations, and all of Skyward Sword.

Edited January 22, 2012 by VizardJeffhog

[Carbo]

Fucking Glitzville.

This area in Paper Mario 2 had so little, yet accomplished so much. This was essentially a battle royale where you had to work your way up in a streak of increasingly harder battles and get up to the top rank. But it soon turns out that nothing's like it seems, when fighters and champions begin to randomly disappear, ominous text messages are sent to Mario, including death threats and myths surrounding the Glitzpit begin to circulate.

What made this stage so awesome was the fact that it kind of juggled the typical Paper Mario stage progression an inch. Instead of forging your path inbetween goals and puzzles, the extent to this was playing the waiting game and fighting, all without knowing what's next to come, the suspense only growing tighter. The higher you started making your way up, the more threatening and imposing the atmosphere became. The dialogue being handed around by your fellow fighters certainly didn't help, and only rarely would you go out of your way to go against the pit rules in order to search for clues and such.

It was almost like a little mystery thriller story where you can't trust no one but yourself, and perhaps that creepy person who's sending you directions on what to do.

[The Tenth Doctor]

Favourite video game place? Why I'm going to be quite original and say

Arkham City. Simply this city is so big yet not so big to overwhelm. The atmosphere is well pulled off. A creepy place where its every man for himself. If you don't go into one of the big crowds, your dead. Also, there is so much to find in the city, Bruce Wayne's parents death spot, Scarecrow shots and lots lots more. This City is a Batman fans dream.

[JezMM]

Oh man I forgot how damn amazing Glitz Pit was (especially when they subverted what I honestly thought was gonna be a straight up marathon of battles - they did that again to similar cool effect in Super Paper Mario actually too).

I also now have to give a serious shout-out the Excess Express in Chapter 6. Damn what a cool stage that was! Had an overarching detective story during Day 1, Day 2 had an adorably snug little mini dungeon (I loved that it only had ambience inside too, no music - really added to giving it a unique atmosphere in an otherwise standard chirpy music-all-the-time Mario game) - I do also have a bit of an action-adventure fetish for "dungeon" segments that take place in domesticated, even if abandoned, envioronments like that if you know what I mean. The boss on day 3 was a little forgettable but the build-up to it was damn cool (something terrifying to imagine in non-Paper Mario style about how every time you walked past a window it was totally smothered by the Smorgs). And then finally, I loved loved loved, that the macguffin wasn't just given to you after the boss all standard like. You completed your intended mission, got to chillax in Poshley heights at your leisure (damn that's a nice place), and picked up your reward in your own time, in a very satisfying way thanks to the almost sabotage at the end that you knowingly overcome through the detective penguin's cunning.

Not quite as original in concept as Chapter 3, but fantastically unique and varied, like an absoloute buffet of bite-size chunks of my favourite aspects of Paper Mario gameplay. Love it.

Edited January 21, 2012 by JezMM

[krazystitch]

My favorite area in a video game..if this selection doesn't count, I'll edit the post, but..it would definitely have to be..

Rapture from the Bioshock series

"I chose....Rapture!" This place is freakin' beautiful. Bioshock is one of the few games that was just an ongoing dose on incredibly eyecandy no matter where you went or what you did. Everything looked and was modeled in such an absolutely incredible aspect. Plus, look, just think about it..it's an UNDERWATER CITY, THAT'S FREAKIN' COOL! Plus, I like the whole backstory they were able to make for this place throughout both stories. The fact that a man tried building up a perfect civilization like this for people to live in and not worry about being discriminated or about the government, and the whole thing actually ended up going to ruin anyways. The atmosphere this game gives to a place like Rapture is absolutely unlike anything else. Rapture will always be a beautiful place that will stay in an important part of my memory. The best place I've ever had the chance to experience in a video game.

[Rinzler]

Bowser's Galaxy Generator/Bowser's Galaxy Reactor

There was really no other choice for me. Both of these are absolutely fantstic as well as extremely difficult. To top off the amazing level you then fight the most epic Bowser bosses in any Mario game. Just listen to their music:

[Bria]

Day 6: Favorite Level/Area

Definitely going to have to post several here.

Valley of Avalar

Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon

When I first saw this series, I was extremely iffy. I didn't care for the re-designs and the LotR plotline they gave Spyro, but I somehow managed to enjoy the game, especially the third installment of the series. Valley of Avalar has very calming music along with rather pretty backdrops with sun rays through trees, flower fields with petals, butterflies, and bees that float around, waterfalls, and just really eye pleasing scenery.

Dino Jungle

Kirby's Epic Yarn

This one was hard. I really loved this game and the level designs, specifically Water Land. Dino Jungle is my favorite level next to Fossil Reef, but I just love the colors, the fabric designs, and of course the dinosaurs are adorable in this.I really love when you unfurl the waterfalls and little crystals appeared from them. Snow Land also has some absolutely beautiful backgrounds.

Sky Sanctuary

Sonic Generations

I loved the level in Sonic and Knuckles/3&K, and seeing it brought to HD was rather breathtaking. This level is beautiful with foliage, parrots, aqueducts, fountains, and the glowing etchwork on the buildings. I really love how this level was re-designed, both in Modern and Classic.

Icecap Zone

Sonic 3/3&K

I had to include another Sonic level. I just really love the way this place looks. The ice caverns fade various blue colors, the psuedo-3D effects they gave some of the spinning colored spires was rather pretty, and the outside of the caverns are also very nice to look at, especially with the snow falling, the glaciers in the background, the ice loops, and the bridges that glitter when you run over them.

And that's just a few of plenty other places I love. Other places include Grand Chokmah from Tales of the Abyss, Altamira in Tales of Symphonia, Mystic Cave Zone in Sonic 2, Floria Waterfalls in Skyward Sword, Gelato Beach in Super Mario Sunshine, and many more.

[gato]

Day 6 - Favourite Level/Area/Stage:

This is a hard one, and it's just harder because right now I'm really fangasming about something else...

Oh well, I'll try...

...

Yup, it's hard to come up with just one, but I guess I'll go with this one:

Sonic Unleashed - Eggmanland.

I'm well aware that this is an odd choice, but Eggmanland has so many positive points for me... It's pretty much my ideal final stage.

Evil in stage form!

The stage is pure, unadulterated evil, the whole thing tries to kill you and tests all the skills you've learned in the game (and you better learned them by this point because if you didn't you just sent Sonic to a world of pain), the massive QTE's (often rage inducing for most of us) the massive amounts of enemies you will have to deal with the Werehog, the puzzles, the really hard platforming... The stage possess a difficulty level that I haven't experienced since I was a little kid and I was playing Scrap Brain Zone (I was older when I got to play Metropolis so it didn't had the same effect). Players shudder at the mention of Eggmanland! (for many different reasons)

This is what hell must look like for some people.

I've mentioned Scrap Brain before and I feel Eggmanland shares another great point with it, the ambiance, the stage itself looks beautiful and threatening at levels that I haven't seen since that Sonic1 level, the music is freaking perfect (one of my favourite tracks of the whole series!), the Day version gives a sense of constant danger (and it fits since the whole thing trying to kill you!), the night version is "badass" in music form (and some anon on the internet gave me the little mental image of a shirtless Eggman playing that song on the top of this stage )

Woooo Woooo Woooooo (Oh Unleashed! You so crazeh!)

So yeah, Eggmanland is a stage that puts your skills and patience to the test, it's marathonic size might be annoying for some but I personally loved that (I wouldn't complain if it were divided in acts though), the music and ambiance are perfect examples of what I consider the ideal (Sonic) final level... Eggman's heart and soul brainchild indeed. (goes to show you how crazy the doc is )

Honourable mentions: Starcraft secret mission - Dark Origin (for the little bomb it dropped at us), Sonic 1 - Scrap Brain Zone (second best final stage of the series), Sonic Advance 3 - Chaos Angel Zone (3rd), Half Life: Counter-Strike - fy_iceworld (little square of doom), Phantasy Star Online - Forest 1 and 2 (the beginning of an epic adventure!).

I wish I could have made a better post but it's hard to find stuff from this stage, also, as I've said before, I'm fangasming over other things right now. >_>

Edited January 21, 2012 by 502 Bad gatoway

[Rawpowered]

This was probably the hardest one so far. After ALOT of thought I decided that it should be:

I love all the Banjo Kazooie stages. By this one just felt the best to me. I loved every single moment in this stage. Fighting Mr. Croc as a Croc, the memory game with Tiptup, fighting the horde of frogs The Golden Crocs you had to shoot eggs into. The stage itself was really well designed too. And the music was my favourite in the game. I wish I could say more, maybe this is why today was a harder choice, for me anyway.

Also a very honourable mention is the Shadows of the Damned level "The Big Boner". Between the shooting sections with your gun called The Big Boner you find a gigantic stripper with her wonderful breasts on display, she lays down and becomes a bridge, meaning you can literally walk all over her. I'd post screenshots but I'm pretty sure I'll be banned if I do =P

[Senator NinjaShark]

Day Numbero Number between 5 and 7 - Ninja's Paradise of Heavenly Supremeness, "No Kami's Allowed", Favourite Arena(s)/stage(s)/Level(s) Ever!

-Favourite Arena!

Bayonettas Colosseum

Bayonetta is by far one of my favourite Games in recent years. The Boss fight against Fortitudo being among one of my favourite fights in the game Itself, taking Place in a ruined colosseum, where you and a Giant Two Headed Dragon duke it out until one of you is dead.

whilst the setting, Music, Fight itself and Atmosphere is Great by it's own, I admit the main reason I picked it is because you get to MOTHERFUCKING SUPLEX THE DAMN DRAGON!

God Bless the Suplex.

-Favourite Stage!

Hyrule Temple

this one has always been my favourite stage in the Smash Bros series as a whole, due to it's design, Music and Size, making for alot of good spots on it to duke it out (personally, I always liked fighting on that small roof on the far left there)

-Favourite Level!

Glitz Pit

Glitz Pit, to Me, is the Highlight of Paper Mario 2. For one I am a bit of a Pro Wrestling fan so I like how it all resembled a Typical episode of Raw/Smackdown/whatever Wrestling show you prefer (if any)

Furthermore, there is the whole Story around it too, all about the Behind the scenes Mysteries, the ominous messages, the characters and of course the Fights leading up to it. it also Helped that it was the level that Introduced the Yoshi Party Member, who was one of my favourites in the game.

Edited January 22, 2012 by Mr. NinjaShark

[Chibinuva]

Seems like I missed yesterday's post. Well even if I don't get the badge for all 30 days, I'm posting it anyways, if you don't mind.

Day 5: Your Favorite Multiplayer Game/Component in a Game

I for one, love the multiplayer in this game. While I don't normally play FPSes, I usually play them for the multiplayer and this game delivers. Particularly the fact that there's a ton of content. You've got the regular multiplayer, which consists of death matches. However, there are a ton of variations on the core multiplayer, be it Gun Game (switching to a new weapon each time you kill someone,) Capture the Flag, or Infection (one person is infected and has a special weapon to kill other people with, trying to infect them all, while the other people try to kill those who are infected and keep from being infected themselves.) Then there's the Spec Ops, which consists of co-op multiplayer. And this is split into two sections: Survival and Missions. Survival: This consists of you and your friend trying to survive hordes of enemies, buying things like predator missiles and body armor to survive. (for those who have played Black Ops or World at War, it's kind of like zombies.) Then there are the missions, which consist of different specific tasks you have to complete, ranging from using stealth to take out your enemies and rescue the president's daughter, to having one person detonating IEDs on the ground, with the other person providing you cover from above with a sniper rifle. The variety in the missions is amazing, and the co-op is handled really well.

Honorable mentions: Portal 2, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Halo Reach.

Day 6: Favorite Leve/Area from a Video Game

Icecap Zone

Sonic 3/3&K

I had to include another Sonic level. I just really love the way this place looks. The ice caverns fade various blue colors, the psuedo-3D effects they gave some of the spinning colored spires was rather pretty, and the outside of the caverns are also very nice to look at, especially with the snow falling, the glaciers in the background, the ice loops, and the bridges that glitter when you run over them.

[Gregzilla]

Day 6 - Favorite Level/Area

Picking favorite games is hard enough, but picking favorite areas from those games is nearly impossible. I'll have to go with the two that came to mind first.

Lost World from Sonic Adventure - There's just something about this stage. Just......something. I think the aesthetics really push this level near the top of my favorites. Something about temples with rushing water just evokes this feeling of peace within me (except Ocarina of Time, of course). On top of that, it has some truly memorable moments, such as the gravity-defying wall panels, platforming in the dark, seeing a high view of the ruins from a little outside pathway, the waterfall, and, of course, the flaming boulder chase. The music is brilliant and nostalgic as well. It was just so cool to go into the Mystic Ruins after being in the area for so long in the game, seeing what it was like on the inside. I wish more Sonic games and levels had this weight and epicness to them. Overall it's one of the many reasons SA1 is one of my favorite Sonic games, moreso than SA2.

Maridia from Super Metroid - Another level with water? Well, despite water levels having a crap reputation among gamers (mostly for good reason), Maridia stands above the rest for many reasons. One thing I love is that you get to enjoy the underwater environment's beauty without being hindered by slow movement. The gameplay physics are exactly the same as the other areas (if you have the Gravity Suit, which you should). And it just so happens to be a brilliantly designed labyrinthine landscape, with tons of items to collect, interesting variation in visuals, and delightfully creepy and emotional music. Some parts may frustrate, such as the quicksand pits, but this is still easily one of the best levels in a game, and probably the best water level ever.

Runners Up:

Majora's Mask areas - I have not beaten this game yet, so I cannot really pick favorites. I'm currently at the point where I need to find 7 Zora eggs, which is looking to be tedious (and possibly guide-worthy). But nearly everything from Clock Town, to the Woodfall area, to Snowhead, and both Temples I've beaten are fantastically designed. They are so fun to traverse that I didn't mind repeating tasks several times in them (which was often considering I sucked at the game at first).

Several Sonic stages - It'd take to long to go into detail, so I'll just name a bunch of good ones: Speed Highway (SA1), Lava Reef, Hydrocity, Carnival Night (S3&K), Pyramid Cave (SA2), Mystic Cave (Sth2), Rooftop Run Modern (SG), Green Hill (Sth1).

Cave of Bad Dreams from Rayman 2 - I've been in a Rayman mood lately, and this level succeeds in being dark and wonderous at the same time, on top of being pure platforming goodness. The boss fight at the end was a bit annoying, but this level is still pretty damn cool.

Stage 1 from Rocket Knight Adventures - This game is just amazing, and the first level showcases nearly everything awesome it has to offer. Starts out with some basic side-scrolling platforming action, then a fight on a flimsy bridge against a pig in a tank, than falling down a waterfall and into a side-scrolling shooter section where you fight a robotic sea serpent, then a burning castle escape culminating in a fight against a robotic centipede bursting in through the walls of a small room. If that description doesn't explain itself for how awesome this game is, I don't know what to tell you.

Edited January 21, 2012 by Gregzilla14

[null]

Day 6 - Favorite Level/Area/Stage in a Video Game

Hollow Bastion - Kingdom Hearts - Sony PlayStation 2 - 2002

During a first-time playthrough, it's hard to believe that this isn't the final world in the game, with it's surreal imagery coupled with the fact that it isn't even a Disney related world compared to the last nine you've been visiting, it's tough-as-nails enemies with high defenses, and it's bone-chilling music.

It's strange that I chose this world because it was the most frustrating part of the game for me. Perhaps that was the beauty of it; the stage you spend most of your hours of the game on while struggling with every encounter you face, hating every second of it and wishing you were out of there already. And six years later you recognize and appreciate how challenging it was, and now you're making the bold claim that it is your favorite stage of all time.

Runner-Ups: Sky Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) and Magicant (EarthBound)

Edited January 21, 2012 by Ricky

[#AR]

Favorite level/stage/area...

damn this one's hard...

Well, I have a couple...

THE SPACE COLONY ARK (Sonic Series)

For one, there's a freakin' cannon in it, so that's cool.

Also, I enjoyed a couple of the stages that took place here (Lost Colony, Final Rush/Chase for example), and I loved trying to stop it from crashing into the Earth in SA2

THE CRUISE SHIP (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3)

Awesome freakin' level. Very large, and you can pull awesome combos around the whole ship! Also, there's nothin better than impressing bikini babes to get more points XD

SHIBUYA (The World Ends with You)

Being (obviously) based off of a real area in Japan, Shibuya was beautifully recreated in this game. The area is essential to the plot for many reasons (mainly character-wise, but I'm not going to go too in-depth into it for those who haven't played it). Also, since Shibuya is a trendy place, they implement that into the game perfectly, with certain brand names being stronger in certain areas, depending on how it stands with the trends.

[PSI Wind]

More Okami love from me~

Ryoshima Coast (Both the North and South areas, mostly North though) is the biggest area in Okami combined, and MAN is it a treat! The north side has an entire Ocean that you can explore either with Orca or RUNNING ON THE WATER ITSELF WITH THE WATER TABLET! Just running on the Water makes it feel so epic. Both areas are full of life, architecture from it's past either still standing or crumbled up and animals abound. The Cat Call Tower is one of the tallest things I've seen in a Video Game that you can climb because it's so damn long! And the music.....GOOD GOD, THE MUSIC!

Best track in the game. Period.

[Victory Defender]

Day 6

My favorite stage is Warioware, Inc. from Super Smash Bros Brawl.

The game itself was fun. This stage just added a fun gimmick. You had to fight naturally. You have your average floor, four platforms, and the edges. After some time though, you are given the task to play mini-games as well as fight at the same time. It's tedious because if you don't complete the task, you are then punished by damage. Furthuermore, if you fail the task, you do not get the power-up while your opponents do. It was fun to juggle the mini-game and fight.

[Nintendoga]

Day 6 Peach's Castle (Mario 64)

Yep, the art museum in Mario 64 is my favorite place.

It's so fun to run around in Peach's Castle and find many secret levels and such. The fact that it's such a big place to explore, is fun too. To me, this is what a hub world should be, an atompospheric place where you feel alone and yet excited at the same time, never wondering what will be inside the Catsle walls as you run around looking for more paintings.

The music's really great too....that's all I can really say about this.

[Indigo Rush]

Alright everyone, listen up.

Do you know what the best level is?

No, not the best level in one game...

...the best level in ANY GAME.

THAT'S RIGHT.

Now that's what I call an awesome level motif.

Well, what is it about snow levels that you like so much, Indigo.

WELL PEONS, LET ME TELL YOU.

3 REASONS:

1. THE FACT THAT IT HAS SNOW, WHICH IS INSTANTLY AWESOME.

2. THE FACT THAT IT CHANGES UP GAMEPLAY WITH SLIPPERY SLOPES AND SNOWBOARDS.

3. CHECK

THAT

I

YOU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa11tMeCqNE LINK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzxHzfvA1sI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABdHQDZ-j54 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm3oGbx8uwo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGkFbgKWSzg

*falls over*

Edited January 21, 2012 by Indigo Rush