30 Days of Video Games

[Indigo Rush]

.....does this mean there's a bonus day?

[Jeffhog]

.....does this mean there's a bonus day?

Maybe only for those who collected 50 rings completed all 30 Days on time?

[Ducktor Naldush]

This game has two peculiarities:

1)It's my most recent purchased game

2)It's also the game that made me realize that I don't care anymore about Pokemon games.

Sad but true. After beating the game I was left...well...empty. I mean: I defeated the Elite Four and then...complete nothingness. I didn't even care about completing the pokedex. The art style for the human characters was really good, though.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Azure Nald

[Carbo]

BONUS ROUND - Favorite Ending from a Video Game and Final Thoughts on 30 Days of Video Games

For everyone who has participated in all of the 30 days, there won't be any extra badges. This is merely one last chance to catch up if you're but a sliver away from reaching a cap.

Since we've had so much fun with this little event we figured we'd give it one more encore, and give you the opportunity to end this one on a high note.

More than half of you have already done all of the days, yet let's see if most of you are ready to do one more for the crowd.

[Cola]

OH BOY, A BONUS STAGE

Favorite Game Ending, huh? Well, um...

I dunno, actually. I'll have to just slap down one of my favorites, then.

OH I KNOW

SUPER MARIO GALAXY -THE END

The ending of Super Mario Galaxy has gotta be one fo the best endings I've had the pleasure of experiencing. It starts out happy, but then shit goes down the tube, and the whole universe gets sucked into a black hole, and the lumas sacrifice themselves and sad music plays and BAWWWW

EVEN MARIO CRIES

And then shit happens, and WELCOME NEW GALAXY

It's truly a high note to end a spectacular game on, and it ties into Rosalina's backstory pretty well.

As for the 30 days? It's a great way for people to share their opinions and views on a game, and a way for us to know each other a bit better.

[Sean]

Bonus day: Favorite video game ending

Everything about Viewtiful Joe is perfect. And it's only fitting that it has the perfect ending.

Everybody loves a happy ending, and Viewtiful Joe makes the best of it. It has the heart-wrenching backstory from the sympathetic villain. It has the reconciliation of a father and his daughter. It has the audience cheering for you for your efforts. It has a self-referential sequel hook that actually makes sense within the context of the game. It has the ex-damsel in distress now becoming your kick-ass assistant in battle. Every moment is accompanied with its unique music, and

of

is a

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0BrZHA0KEs. The whole game is an incredibly satisfying tribute to heroes and action movies, so why should the ending be any different? I fucking love it.

But oh man - that's not even getting to the credits itself. And not once have I ever doubted that Viewtiful Joe has the greatest credits music in all of gaming. There's no better way to kick it off than a remix of Joe's main theme, and after that it gets so good that it's enough to make you shed Kenshiro tears. If I had to pick one word to describe this credits music, it would have to be heroic. And this works because Viewtiful Joe does something to you, the player, after completing it.

It makes YOU feel like the hero.

YOU defeat the bosses. YOU save the girl. YOU ride on the cool rollercoaster thing.

This is obviously punctuated by Joe himself being an average you-know-what, but there couldn't have been a better protagonist. Joe is genre savvy, and he knows how to use his powers as soon as he gets them. He's a bit of a show-off, but he'll ultimately do the right thing, and he won't back down because to him, the prospect of becoming a hero, the one thing he loves more than anything, is worth every ounce of trouble he goes through. And hell, is this not what so many of us want to do when watching a movie, reading a comic, or playing a game? Unlike other protagonists, Joe is no reluctant hero - he takes on the challenge with full force. Joe is what many of us would be if we were offered the opportunity to become a true hero (and weren't lazy about getting off our asses).

The credits itself being the award seems like such a silly thing on paper, but believe me, I remember this aspect of Viewtiful Joe after finishing it more than I ever did of the secret characters I unlocked afterward. Game is amazing.

Final thoughts on 30 days of video games

Shit sucked.

But seriously

A lot of the choices I made in this topic, I wasn't even consciously aware of them before posting. After looking through each and every one of them, there is not a single one I regret mentioning. And I was legitimately interested in reading as many responses by other people as possible. Sometimes I was surprised, other times I was disappointed, and that warm feeling you get when another person mentions a choice that you considered but had to choose another. It sure was fun having to write essays on vidya every day, but I really enjoyed myself anyway. I imagine I will be referencing this topic several times for days to come, not just to retrospectively analyze my choices but to get a glimpse of other people's tastes as well. Fun times.

[SuperStingray]

The first thing that amazes me about Ghost Trick is how it takes insane plot twists and trite plot devices like amnesia and makes them work. The truth was bizarre, but it wasn't forced; everything since the beginning makes sense because of it. Even the tutorial character who didn't see since the first chapters is explained. The whole ride is absolutely fantastic, but the ending revelations are not only mind blowing, but conclusive. Very few games have been able to make me this invested in its cast members, and because of that, discovering the true identity of Sissel and the fate of Yomiel is among the most powerful moments I've ever experienced in a game and one of the few instances a one has actually made me cry. And the results of reversing that fate just made me smile.

Runners up: Super Mario 64, Metroid Prime 2, Halo Reach, Bioshock 2 ("middle" ending)

---

This whole thing was a blast. I kinda learned a lot about myself by deconstructing my experiences during my gaming career. And as a future game designer, I'm glad I took the opportunity.

Now about my badges...

Edited February 15, 2012 by SuperStingray

[Tori Himemiya]

Bonus Day Favorite Video Game Ending:

Now THIS is a bang. But I'll be a litte creative and go with something I haven't said yet.

Soul Nomad's Demon Path endings.

Now there's the regular story where the player and his/her friends goes off and fights evil but there's also the infamous Demon Path where you go do a lot evil things. And a lot is an understatement.

But once you reach the climax all the characters who would had been your friends finally take a stand against Revya and tries to beat him/her up. But the demon path can end two ways depending on you win or lose. Losing is the above vid which is rather bittersweet. It was nice to see that everyone was willing to give the kid a second chance and Revya gets to spend a lot of time with Danette who sacrificed herself to stop Revya. Like I said bittersweet. But then if you win....

You get this rather twisted ending where Revya is nothing but pure evil. Its a bit distrubing especially since you knew these characters well and now they're all dead and you as Revya is going to make things worst. But this is the big bang literally.

Runner Ups:

Earthbound: The ending was beautiful but I thought it would be nice to go with something different.

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness: The good one in particular since it was a nice ending

Odin Sphere: Everything dies

I'll be honest and say I did love the 30 Days. It was fun and it was nice to learn about what our members love about video games. It was great and I say we should do something like this again.

[Emmett L. Brown]

I really enjoyed 30 days. Not just for the chance to vent my faves and opinions, but also for the chance to hear about some truly excellent games that I've passed by or never even heard of. I think everybody did a terrific job.

As for my favourite ending, it's easily the ending of Final Fantasy VI. A twenty minute ending sequence was unheard of for a SNES game, and this one was so good that even among the modern day releases I can barely find a single game that measures up to it. More than just an ending, it's practically FFVI: The Musical, as we get a medley of all fourteen character themes (okay, thirteen. Sabin and Edgar have to share), along with comedy, tragedy, the conclusion of character arcs, and promise of further growth. All that before the credits. Then during and after the credits we get a montage of people and places throughout the world regaining their hope while the flore and fauna make a comeback, demonstrating to the viewer that YES, the world will survive. Kefka's nihilistic worldview is proven wrong at last.

It's just such a great emotional rollercoaster. It's got everything I could want in an ending. The most satisfying conclusion to any video game I can think of.

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

Okay, let's end things with a bang! My favorite ending is...

Sonic and the Black Knight

I really love this ending. Not only is it genuinely touching with Sonic comforting Merlina and giving her a nice speech, but the reveal at the very end and Sonic's reaction to it is just hilarious. The music really contributes a lot to the feel of this ending. Live Live is such a beautiful song and it really gives you a feeling of positivity despite the ending's bittersweet nature. The Sonic and Amy part after the credits is also pretty cute.

This has been A LOT of fun. It's been great trying to think of something for every day's category and remembering some of these games and gaming moments along the way. (That and I get to show some more love for SatBK, which is always a plus.) Overall, I'd say that it was definitely a success and I wouldn't mind doing this type of thing again sometime.

Edited February 15, 2012 by chaoscontrol14

[null]

Day ★ - Favorite Ending from a Video Game

EarthBound - Super Nintendo Entertainment System - 1995

It really isn't the ending itself that's so spectacular, but it is bittersweet on it's own merit. It's the fact that there was a lot of extra effort put into the post-game; you can talk to nearly every single NPC that you've encountered after beating Giygas and every one of them will say or be doing something that they didn't during the game. The video description has a good list of a fraction of them:

If you get the book "Overcoming Shyness" back from the Tendas...

...then you can return it to the Onett Library for an intangible, yet substantial reward!

If you missed the chance to buy the house in Onett before, you can do so now. There's a Photo Man location inside.

People you met earlier on your adventure may have moved on with their lives. Frank Fly is now working at the Burger Shop.

Geldegarde Monotoli gives back his building to Enrich Flavor and takes a job as an elevator man.

Aloysius Minch, Pokey's father, drowns his sorrows in iced cappuchinos at Jackie's Cafe.

Out in Happy Happy Village, Mr. Carpainter hangs out with a cow and pontificates on the value of freedom.

Lier X. Agerate is still in his basement where you left him, but he has a few choice words for you about saving the world.

Hotel newspapers all over the world will mark your successes.

The Lost Underworld rock will actually say this as soon as you've finished Magicant, but it's easier to reach without all those dinosaurs hanging around. After it stops talking, it'll refuse any further attempts at conversation.

Many of the Tendas have new dialogue, as well.

You can still collect any photo locations that you've missed, too, although you'll only have Ness present.

The Stoic Club's door is closed to you now. Perhaps it's for the best.

You aren't told about any of this in the game, which may seem like a dick move, but you don't really benefit from any of it. The developers could have settled for a linear ending, but the fact that they went the extra mile to pull this off shows that they really enjoyed working on this game.

Final Thoughts on 30 Days of Video Games

Shit's gay. It was pretty neato. I did my own variation on Facebook about a year ago to rival "30 Days of Anime", but it was more "Favorite genre" oriented, which might have limited people who aren't jack-of-all-trades gamers if it was public. This one is better suited for any type of gamer.

[Serperior]

I couldn't end this without mentioning this game for the billionth time.

Okami did have a really nice ending though. After a long and perilous journey, Amaterasu has finally been restored to her former glory, the world has been rid of evil for all eternity until Okamiden, peace and prosperity has finally returned to the land of Nippon and all of Amaterasu's troubles are finally over.

OR ARE THEY?!

Nope, the ending, much like earlier in the game, tells you that the best is still yet to come, and that you still have many, even greater adventures ahead of you in the Celestial Plain. I really liked how they were able to sequel bait without making it feel forced, instead managing to make it work with the already established story. Seeing Waka finally not being a massive douche finally having his faith restored in you was really nice as well, and as I mentioned in one of the earlier days, seeing Issun finally embracing his responsibility here rather than running away from it was some really nice character development. Okami's credits (Not shown above) deserve a mention as well, as they have a really well done 'The game in summary' feeling to them as well, showing various cutscenes from throughout the game and showing Amaterasu walking through areas reminiscent of the various environments you traverse throughout Okami. Both the ending itself and the credits (On the PS2 version anyway) both have really good songs accompanying them, the latter of which I find very memorable despite it being in a language I don't understand.

This really makes me wish Okami got the sequel that this ending was on about....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oNNYm4PMnQ

I couldn't find a video with the english version of the ending, so here's the music instead.

Pokémon Black/White's ending was another one I really enjoyed. Watching Ghetsis get what was coming to him even though you find out that he gets out of it shortly after after all that he had done, like making a child spend their entire life devoting themself to a false cause, decieving even his own team about their goals, and tricking people into releasing their Pokémon for false reasons, felt really satisfying, and for once beating the head of the antagonist team actually felt really good rather than a "Ok, I've beat this guy, can I go and get my eighth badge already?" sort of feeling. He was just such a despicable character that beating him felt good. Seeing N realise the faults in what he was doing and realising that the Pokémon world wasn't as cruel and heartless as he thought it was was also a really nice part of the ending, as was seeing that he wanted to make ammends for all of the wrongs that he had done. This is also another ending that had really nice music, part of which can be heard above.

As for closing thoughts, this has been a lot of fun. Some of these days really got me thinking about aspects of the games that I've played that I wouldn't have really thought about otherwise, and making comparisons between them as well. It was also fun reading what others had to say on the same subjects, and it was a nice way to let us get more familiar with each other.

It also made me realise how small the amount of games I play is, considering a good number of my posts were about the same set of games over and over.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Serperior

[Your Vest Friend]

30 Days has been a real challenge on those days where I was exhausted from Uni work and just wanted to fall asleep, but it has been worth it, if only to see people's reactions to your views on things not normally considered.

As for my favourite video game ending, I'll end where I began;

Sonic 2

For all the other endings I enjoy for their comedy and interaction, this one wins for the simple principles behind it. You've spent your time going through the levels, kicking robot ass, flown up into space by gripping onto a rocket and fought off the giant space station and its deadly bosses with no rings. Your reward for all that; some minimalist stills showing calm befalling South Island, and a relaxing song as Sonic and Tails fly away to their next adventure, before the credits roll. It may not be classed as an epic ending in modern standards, but it's certainly memorable.

Edited February 15, 2012 by VEDJ-F

[Bria]

DAY EXTRA: WHOA SHIT, BONUS STAGE TIME

Favorite Ending of a Video Game

Ok, totally putting this in Spoiler Tags. If you've recently bought Tales of the Abyss, don't you effing look.

Tales of the Abyss ending

Now if your favorite character was Luke or Asch, you may have been slightly devistated by the ending. Luke and party are in Eldrant, a floating replica of the isle of Hod which was destroyed several years before the game began. They must make it to the end where Van awaits so Luke may free Lorelei (sentient being of the Seventh Fonon. Basically some sort of Soundwave energy). Luke accidently runs into Asch, who is stuck in one of the trapped rooms in which one person must stay behind to keep the doors open long enough. Asch gives Luke the Sword/Key of Lorelei to free the Sentient being and then buys him some time by fighting off some replicated knights. Asch then gets stabbed in three different sections of his torso, gives Luke one final message via mental link, and then dies while releasing the last of his fonons to merge with Luke (Who is also dying due to fonon separation). They get to Van, beat him, and then Luke pretty much sacrifices himself to release Lorelei, all the while showing off a sort of fading cutscene in which Luke catches Asch and suddenly fades while holding him, catching some sort of explosive reaction. After the nice little animated cutscene, the credits begin rolling.

Afterwards, we're shown Tear singing in Tataroo Valley, one of the first places you went with Luke and Tear at the beginning. Suddenly, as everyone else begins to leave, Tear stops and glances behind her. A figure is seen walking towards them. Is it Luke? Is it Asch? WE NEVER KNOW! This is where all of the fan theories go crazy. Me? I figure it's Luke in Asch's body, considering when Luke faded, he was still mentally aware while Asch was dead, however his body was still intact (Well...mostly). Luke/Asch leaves a message saying that 'he promised someone'. Now, Asch made a promise to both Luke and Natalia to not die, while Luke made a promise to return--so this can also be taken either way, however they show Tear reacting and not Natalia (who liked Asch), the wind picks up and reveals the Key of Lorelei strapped sideways with the hilt facing the left side, the way Luke attached his sheathe as he is left handed. I really like how slightly emotional and open-ended it is here to create all of the theories that accompany this scene. Probably my favorite ending in any video game I've played before.

I'd say Wind Waker gets a mention, though, as we see a nice and silent scene as Link and the pirates pull away with a sort of tear jerking moment as Aryl and Link's grandmother wave them off.

As for thoughts on this, I'd have to say I really did enjoy myself. I got to really sit and think about all of the different sort of games I played, watched, or remember. Some I may have over mentioned, but hey...I like them that much. It's also nice to see other people play games I've either never played or have only played sparingly, just to be like 'Oh hey, they've played that also?'. I can see this thread introducing some games to other people, myself included, since I wouldn't mind trying out a game or two that's probably been mentioned. Again, thanks for this fun opportunity of sharing a month-long event full of gaming memories.

[JezMM]

I uhh, don't really have anything meaningful to say about the 30 days. It was fun! Good job Carbo and everyone else. Here's my fave ending.

Super Mario 64

This ending couldn't be more perfect. Mario gets a kiss, he does the level complete animation with truly epic timing, and that knowing look of thanks to the player was just brilliant. Top it all off with the most gorgeously CG rendered cake I have ever seen. Oh, and the music is truly the icing on the cake... as well as the... actual icing on the actual cake of course.

Honourable Mentions

Zelda: Majora's Mask - Very heartwarming, and the credits montage was gorgeous too, though slightly bittersweet, since Link never did achieve what his original reason for setting out on adventure was.

BioShock (Good Ending) - Already gushed about this on tearjerker day. Just... so very heartwarming after a whole game of situations full of utter despair.

Half-Life 2: Episode Two - Just... that cliffhanger. Amazing.

EDIT: Portal 2 - Totally forgot this, was sitting here for ages thinking "I'm sure there's one more I wanted to mention" before giving up, but was reminded by posts below. Yes, just... so good. A satisfying conclusion for Chell's trials, and wonderful music to go with it. I wish they could have done it using in-game graphics because admittedly I noticed the switch to FMV which sorta took me out of the moment, but aside from that... yeah, perfect.

And, a nostalgic shout-out to these two as well:

Edited February 15, 2012 by JezMM

[Indigo Rush]

I have to say that the 30 Days of Video Games has been a really awesome and thought-provoking experience. It introduced me to some game series that I never would have expressed interest in before had they not been brought up here. Some of the posts have been really well thought out and help me remember why these forums are awesome. I was very glad to be able to contribute to this awesome event.

And now for my favorite ending...

Sonic Adventure 2 isn't exactly a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, and a lot of the cutscenes and writing is pretty mediocre. I'm not going to try to pull the "it was good for it's time" card here, but even in light of the games shortcomings, it was still able to provide a fairly cohesive story. In terms of overall emotional scope, I consider it to be the most "well-done" story in the series so far.

All of this is in my opinion of course, and I'm totally okay with people citing other Sonic games as their example of having the better story. Hey, that's what makes us human. We're made with different tastes and styles, and if we were all the same, it'd be pretty darn boring around here. That being said, I have quite a personal statement to make about the ending of Sonic Adventure 2.

The only thing I would change about the ending of Sonic Adventure 2 would be a shot at the end showing Eggman's robots saving Shadow at the last minute, unbeknownst to the rest of the cast. This is more for the sake of future installments, but with that out of the way, I want to focus on all the things I love and appreciate about the ending.

The thing about the ending of SA2 (from the big Chaos Control finale to the credit roll) is that it really wrapped things up while providing a sense of justice and atonement. With Prof. Gerald's misdeeds being brought to justice, it seems that his initial innocence lived on through Maria, which lived on through Shadow, and was fully realized when he gave his life to protect the planet.

Now, at this point we all know that Shadow survived and his overall disposition is rather jaded, but we didn't know that back then. The last we saw of Shadow wasn't a brooding emotional wreck or an angsty tool, but someone who finally let his emotions out in a realistic way, someone who did whatever it took to fulfull the wishes of his lost best friend and creator. In spite of all of the damage he's done prior, it feels like he's finally brought a sense of atonement upon himself, and it's kind of interesting to see that in a Sonic game.

After Shadow's supposed death and the salvation of the Ark, the world rejoices, unaware of the death of a hero.

"He was who he was. A brave and heroic hedgehog who gave his life to save the planet. Shadow the Hedgehog..."

Complete selflessness and retribution. How I miss that Shadow.

But it didn't end there, we got to see the aftermath. Sonic and friends' reactions were relatively somber. Of all the Sonic games that have ever existed, this one is the most somber and bittersweet. You could try and argue Sonic 2006, but the fact is that none of the emotions stick around; time is erased and they have almost no memory of what happened. They can't really reflect on what happened or how it affects them individually. With the departure of Shadow, everyone has time to reflect and think about the future.

Knuckles and Rouge, though they don't really look sad, kind of reflect some sort of impact on them from Shadow's death. Rouge in particular puts her love for jewels aside and says she's thinking about something more important. Probably Shadow. But she also says she's outright going to give up theivery. Woah.

Tails and Eggman, despite being bitter rivals the entire game, take the time to talk about things. Eggman actually opens up about his feelings a bit in regards to his grandfather, to have Tails comfort him (with a rather passive statement, but still). It's kind of a shame that they cut a line from the game, where Eggman says that this incident has motivated him to try even harder at conquering the world.

As for Sonic, he doesn't really say anything about it, but even with the limited presentation values of the cutscenes, we know that Sonic is really contemplating about the entire thing. "Creator... the ultimate life form..." That's literally all he has to say about it. What's going on in his head? I don't think we'll ever know. He then seemingly goes back to his cheery and snarky self, "Let's go home, to the planet as cool and blue as me!"

...but then he ends with "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog," bringing everything full circle. The game then ends with a shot of the Ark eclipsing behind the Earth, with the game's theme "Live and Learn" playing.

Wow.

That's an ending.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Indigo Montoya

[Senator NinjaShark]

Day Numbero Bonus- Ninja's Bonustaculer "30 Days of Insulting Kami, WORTH IT!", Favourite Game Ending(s) and Final Thoughts on the 30 Days of Video Games Topic Ever!

Favourite Endings First, More Portal 2 spoilers, you know the Drill.

I've thought a Good bit on what to Put as my Favourite Ending, and I think this is about the one choice I would be fully satisfayed with.

it all Starts with Wheatley, your Ally turned Evil, getting his comeuppance and getting rightfully Thrown Into Space, thanks to a Portal being Placed under him and another one being Placed on the Moon itself.

You could call this a real....."Lunacy" BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAheheheheh.....heh.. *sigh*thatjokesbeendonebythegamealready

but anyway, after this Chell and GLaDOS have a final one sided conversation with each other, in where GLaDOS shows Her soft side, and mentions how she Learned something about herself...before Finally deleting Caroline, who got her Brain uploaded into GLaDOS a Long time ago, and thus removeing Her last bit of Humanity (altough she may not have done so)and letting Chell finally go.

and then Come the Turrets...and Start singing.

all of this makes Portal 2's ending so Outstanding, everything Ends on a High Note (except for Whatley, who feels sorry) and this is what makes the Ending worthwhile. It makes you feel good and rewards you with an Awesome Ending Sequence, and I wouldn't have it any Other way.

Final Honorable Mentions:

Okami: this is in my Opinion a Classic Game Ending. Good Defeats Evil, Ammy and Waka return to the Celestial Plains and begin Rebuilding the World to a Happier Future, Issun himself Promises to do his Job as Celestial Envoy and....yeah, Just about everything Hints at a Sequel...wich never Happened FUCK

Ghost Trick: The Beauty behind this ending is how Heartwarming it is, it's hard for me to fully describe it but...the Only other way this ending could get any better is if Puppies were involved, Inspector Jow (who was framed for Murder) is Free, his previously dead wife is Alive (and so are certain Other characters via alternate timeline boogaloo stuff) and it's Just overall Beautiful.

Super Mario Galaxy 2: the Thing that Puts this Game here, are the Credits. It's a revisit of Various Locations you've been over the course of the Game, set to a Wondeful Score, and Involving a Suddenly Very, very Tiny Bowser possibly getting Jumped on by Mario.

Not to mention the Image of the Baby Luma finally being reunited with it's Mother Rosalina, and lastly, the

Closing Thoughts:

this has been an Overall very enjoyable Topic for Me. It was Interesting seeing Peoples choices on the Various Days, and their thoughts on them, and it was also very nice seeing People checking out the Various games mentioned here. I would certanly like something simliar in the future.

now with that, I do think I deserve another Achivement for this, one sec...

and to end this Post now with the thing every Post should be Closed with, with Opera! Hit it Boys!

[Cobalt_Bolt]

Bonus Stage and Closing Thoughts on Video Games. My favorite ending in video games was rather hard to choose as there were some that were quite memorable to not so much. Ladies and Gents I give to you:

This ending is still my favorite out of all the games played over the years. It shows how Shadow's sacrifice affected everyone on different levels. The music just seems to amplify the emotions that the characters are going through in dealing with Shadow's self-sacrifice in order to save the planet from being destroyed.

My Final thoughts on the 30 days of Video Games. I am glad in that this topic was started in that it allowed me to show what kind of games I've experienced over the years from the first game ever played to the best ending in a game. It also exposed me to other genres that my fellow posters have played and want to play for myself when possible. All in all this topic was a fun one and have taken something away from it.

[gato]

Dayum! I wanted to do a bonus day of my own...

Oh well let's see what I can do.

Bonus Day - Best Ending

This one is quite easy for me...

Starcraft (BroodWar)

Back in the day you usually played with the good guys, the ones that no matter what would happen to them they would just never give up and they would emerge victorious at the end, so this ending was quite a shocker for me...

It's not that Kerrigan (the queen bitch of the universe) won what was shocking... But the way she utterly curbstomped anything that crossed in her path.

Let's pick things up:

- First we have Fenix, valiant hero of the Protoss Khalai caste, who was overrun by a swarm of monsters and devoured until there was nothing left.

- Arcuturs Mengsk, until this point the most magnificent bastard of the series was left with nothing but some ashes of his formerly glorious empire, he tried to get revenge at the last moment forming a desperate alliance with the UED and some Protoss but saying that didn't go well would be an understatement.

- The proud and Mighty UED who planned to conquer the whole sector was destroyed, their pathetic excuse for an admiral called DuGalle send them crashing towards their deaths and did everything he had in his hands to make their defeat as crushing as possible, you can see at the attached video this guy ending up committing suicide because he didn't want to face the consequences of his acts... The only thing that could grant him some relief is the fact that Kerrigan let them escape... But she never told them how much time gave them so yeah, the whole fleet was wiped out a no life was spared (and we don't know if DuGalle's final message reached it's destination)

- Jim Raynor was forced to watch most of his friends die at the hands of what once was a beloved one, he pains at watching Kerrigan becoming that power hungry monstrosity and promises her that he will be the one to kill her.

- The Khalai Protoss lot their home world, they were left without nothing and were forced to flee to the world where the dreaded Dark Templar lived, then one of their leaders started a revolt because he believed some of the Dark Templar were influenced by the Zerg... At the end he got killed and so did many of his men. Maybe the worst thing of this... Is that he was right!

- The Dark Templar hero Zeratul might be one who suffered the most out of this, after trying to help the Khalai they start a revolt forcing him to witness yet another bloody conflict between brothers... After this their matriarch get's abducted by Kerrigan and she forces him to kill the new overmind so she can rule the Zerg, he relictantly agrees and after acomplishing his part of the deal Kerrigan free's the matriarch... Only that she doesn't want to leave, it turns out that Kerrigan corrupted her and used her as a pawn to make the Dark Templar do her bidding (she might even ordered her caste to attack the revolting Khalai), unable to see his matriarch like this Zeratul is forced to kill her (liberating her from Kerrigan's control in the process).

Saddened for what he just did decides to turn back home and think a little but then he picks up a distress signal coming from a dark moon, he goes there and what he witness there is a pretty soul crushing revelation... A Protoss/Zerg hybrid.

Duran: "Magnificent, isn't it?"

Zeratul: "What? Who are you?"

Duran: "I've had many names throughout the millennia, young prodigal. You would know me best as Samir Duran."

Zeratul: "Kerrigan's consort! Is this part of her twisted schemes?"

Duran: "No. Young Kerrigan could not have engineered this grand experiment. Although her rebirth into the Zerg Swarm has sped up my progress, I can assure you that this endeavor is quite beyond her narrow understanding."

Zeratul: "If you are not her pawn, then what are you?"

Duran: "I am a servant of a far greater power. A power that has slept for countless ages. And is reflected in the creature within that cell."

Zeratul: "Have you any conception of what you've created here? Do you have any idea what this... this Hybridis capable of?!"

Duran: "Of course I do. This creature is the completion of a cycle. Its role in the cosmic order was preordained when the stars were young. Behold the culmination of your history!"

Zeratul: "All I behold is an abomination."

Duran: "Your violence, young prodigal, is typical. As is your inability to comprehend the greater scheme of things. You can destroy all of the specimens here. It will do you no good. For I have seeded the Hybrid on many, many worlds. You will never find them all before they awaken... And when they do... your universe will be changed... forever."

So not only Kerrigan wins and pretty much annihilates everything she had in her path, but there is something bigger out there, waiting for the right moment to unleash it's fury and consume the whole sector...

Now if that's not a downer ending I don't know what it is.

And that's why I picked this one.

DLC that was in the disk but I had to pay for it anyway - Most time spend in a forum game.

Ahhh forum games... Nice little time wasting activities that don't require a high end PC or console to enjoy, they mostly require imagination, some free time and a community who is willing to play with you. (that came out wrong didn't it?)

I must say I used to play a lot of games from this genre back in the day, but it was mostly because they were spamfest where we said whatever we wanted to (I actualy still enjoy these activities... That I'm afraid can't do in this particular board), so when I saw the opportunity to play one of these games that actually required some thought (but still seemed accessible enough for me) I decided to take the challenge and see how far I can go...

And it's like this that I present you my choice for this final category:

SSMB - 30 Days of Gaming.

30 Days of Gaming is a great real-time MMORPG title released for pretty much every browser platform in existence, the game's story is about a mysterious organisation called SSMB, which summons all the gamers of the world to test them in a series of challenges (or missions) with the promise of a mysterious artifact called "badge" as a prize... The game's main objective would be to beat as many missions as possible to acquire the ultimate badge of vidya which proves to the world how cool you are.

The player engages in these challenges as... Themselves (hence the RPG part)! but you don't really have to show how much of a loser handsome you are to the world, the game lets you create an avatar that acts as your persona, despite some engine limitations there is actually a wide range for customization for your avatar, so how you look like is pretty limited only for your imagination.

The game is quite entertaining and can be played for both casual and hardcore gamers alike, the casuals can enjoy a simple ride and aim for the 5 days badge but the most dedicated of gamers out there will obviosuly aim for the 30 days one.

those who aim for the ultimate badge better beware though, because it's quite the task! Every single challenge will require all of your concentration to be cleared, a not so well thought move will most likely cost you a mission failed screen that will cost you your 30 Days, in this regard the game can be quite unforgiving (despite the extensive 24 hour per mission time limit) but you shouldn't consider yourself hardcore if you can't stand a little challenge should you? (actually, I've heard of some self proclaimed casuals who managed to beat the whole thing just by taking their times with the missions).

Randomized banners grant that you will never go to the same place, there is always something new to explore!

The graphics in the screens might not look as impressive as other titles in the market (due to the developers intent of making the game as accessible as possible) but don't let that fool you... Everything in the game (except the avatars and some bosses) is blue or a different tone of it, the monotone yet clean, sleek and artistic look of the game is something that should be seen in motion to be understood.

The soundtrack is also another of the high points of these game, no matter what genre of music you like there is most likely something for you here to enjoy, and even if you don't there is always the custom soundtrack option.

The always controvertial "Like Bar".

Even if collecting the badges is the main objective there is always something else to do, while playing you will meet other gamers (remember it's also an MMO) and you can do many things together, there are guilds and many other side activities you can execute with friends or on your own. (though let me tell you, the real fun is in playing with your buddies)

Maybe the most interesting feature about the community play is the "Like Bar". Sometimes accomplishing a mission in a specific way or performing certain actions will grant you likes from the community, this likes will increase the like bar and as a consequence increases your Epeen stat, Epeen is a hidden stat that allow you to perform all kind of crazy, risky moves (that wouldn't be available without it) that could earn you even more likes or send you crashing straight with one of the game bosses (or an even worse fate that could end depleting all of your Epeen points)... This is a quite addictive and interesting mechanic that had to be constantly tested and balanced before release after some users started to report some like (and the now scrapped dislike) abuses... I must say from my experience that I didn't really get to see any of that so I guess the developers thankfully managed to fix most of this bar's issues.

Brigades and/or teems are what other games would call a guild, this game actually allows you to take part of as many brigades as you want.

So yeah, this game has an engaging story, a challenging (and sometimes unfair) set of missions to play, an interesting artistic direction, an amazing soundtrack, an overall awesome and (most important) active community of players willing to join you in the fun, and last but not least, some really interesting gameplay mechanics...

But that's not why I chose it for this category, the game posses massive amounts of content, the challenges will take you the impressive amount of 30 days to complete, and that's only the "main quest" so I'm not counting any fo the extras or DLC this great piece of software has... It can be a little taxing at times but I don't regret any single second spent with this game.

Honorable mentions: the pony topic. :V

[Solly]

LET'S MAKE THIS SHIT 31 DAYS. BONUS ROUND HERE WE GO. BEST ENDING.

A Link to the Past has a great ending.

After pushing through a really tough final dungeon, you fight Ganon for the first time since the original Legend of Zelda. After slaying him again, you've liberated both the Sacred Realm and your own world, and the Triforce is now yours for the taking. What will you do with its power?

You'll make a wish. You'll wish for your uncle to come back. You'll wish for the flute-playing boy to return from his horrific death. You'll wish for vultures to rule the desert (?????). You'll wish for the bully in the dark realm to make a friend. It's a simple, 16-bit Zelda game with a fairly thin plot, but you start to realize how big the game really was and what you were really doing all this time. I love this ending. The music is really awesome too.

Bonus Honorable Mention

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations

I'll bring your magnificent vengeance into fruition, just as you want it!

After the case looked like it was shut, an important clue points to Godot being the true killer of Misty Fey, and Maya, who's being framed for it, won't speak up because she's trying to protect him. But you can't let him get away with that. You can't let Maya take the blame for something she didn't do. Even if Godot was well-intentioned, you have to end it to save Maya. He can't run from the truth. Hell, at first I felt bad knowing he was the killer because I like him so much that I didn't want to see Wright take him down, but at the same time you're saving him too.

Finally after pulling out your last piece of evidence, Godot finally accepts you and you earn his respect. It's so perfect.

And there we have it. This story is happy end.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Solly

[Danj86]

Huh??

What a ridiculous suggestion. There's no such thing as a favourite video game ending. It means the game is over, no more fun... *whimper*

But if you demand it...okay...

Having just completed it, (the main levels, at least) I feel I'd like to do a shout out for the ending of...

Rayman Origins

This picture has nothing to do with the ending. It just amuses me.

There isn't really much there in story terms for Rayman Origins, but there is bits that I enjoyed. Like how the adventure appeared to start because of, basically, angry neighbours who where tired of the noise coming from Rayman and the gang. Snoring, snacking and more snoring. It was there bad luck that the neighbours happened to be an army of Darktoons.

Opening

But onto the part that this post requested...

While chasing the main baddies flying ship, somewhere in the clouds. Mr. baddy enters what appears to be a flying fortress, still being chased. He stubbles into the main power room with a massive bulb like thing inside. And barely manages to stop his ship from crashing into it...but he did crack it. That crack turns into a bigger crack, which then turns into another bigger one until...

KABOOM!!

Oh no! Rayman and co. was in that thing?! Is this the end of Rayman?

...

Wait, no it isn't...he and his friends are falling to their doom. Is this the end of Rayman??

CRASH!!

Oh...no, their okay. In fact they appear to have landed in the exact same place the adventure started at. There's a brief pause...and they all start snoring, snacking and snoring all over again.

Ending

The thing about that ending is that you need to see the beginning to fully understand the gag. I liked it. ^-^

[Meow]

Favourite Ending:

The ending to Zero 4. I know its super sappy, but it just stuck out to me as being very different in tone compared to the rest of the series. I guess because there was sort of that air of peace for once. My favourite part though is the very end with Zero's helmet just kinda being shown off, because it implies he could still be out there somewhere (because lets face it Zero never dies lol). Either way it felt like a nice conclusion to the series to me.

Edited February 15, 2012 by DesertPunk

[Conando]

OH NO BONUS DAY. Must quickly pull something out of my memory banks!

Super Mario 64's Ending Credits

Yeah, the ending is just like any other Mario game. Mario saves the Princess, gets a kiss and a cake. But, those credits are glorious. The music, and how it goes through every world of the game is amazing. A lot of this is nostalgia but, I can't help it. I love this ending! That music is like the perfect credits music. Everyone I know loves the ending to Super Mario 64, and it's easy to see why.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Crow T. Robot

[buba]

Bonus Day - Favourite Ending

Batman Arkham City

I really like this ending.

It is that joker had to die but hey, how do we know what Rocksteady is planning?

The end is very sad like I said and shows that Batman would still have stuck to his principles of trying to save everyone and Joker ironically brought upon his own death by stabbing Batman. Joker finds the situation ironically funny and dies with a smile on his face, then Batman carries him out of Arkham City while his grunts and Harley look shocked and she falls down crying.

[Indigo Rush]

Brigades and/or teems are what other games would call a guild, this game actually allows you to take part of as many brigades as you want.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Indigo Rush