The 4th Wall

[Flyboy Fox]

Team Rocket have always been rather notorious for breaking the fourth wall. I've caught them on a few occasions making a comment about it was their episode to shine, and such. XP

You know us as Team Rocket and we fight for what is wrong

We're tired of our motto so we thought we'd try a song!

Jessie! James! The speed of light, prepare to fight!

Meowth, that's right!

I am the handsome one

I'm the gorgeous one

Looking good is lots of fun

We get some things wrong but we keep rolling along

We want to capture Pikachu, we hope to do it soon

And when we do we'll be the new stars of this... cartooooon!

XD I can't believe I still remember that whole thing. I also remember an episode with Jessie and James commenting on how even the writers didn't know how they escaped from their own trap and caught up with the Twerps so fast ^^;

[Reverest]

Ever seen Drawn Together? Now that's a show where the fourth wall gets constantly broken XD

I saw one in Chwoder very recently, in the episode "Gazpacho Stands Up" where Gazpacho notices the CN screen bug and says he has tried to remove it but he couldn't.

Yeah they do stuff like that too. When Chowder was explaining what happened in the episode to Gazpacho once he told Chowder to rewind the episode so he could see it, as Chowder did rewind it.

[Strong Bad]

Breaking of the 4th wall can be awesome when done right. For example, in Banjo-Tooie, Kazooie mentions that something bad is about to happen because the music changed.

Then it can be completely bombed like in most cartoons. D:

[Eileanach]

Some of these I remember but only very vaguely.

I always remember in Spaceballs when the bad guy finds a copy of the tape of the film to find out where the good guys are.

And of course the Looney Tunes favourite Duck Amuck was also a big massive blast to the fourth wall.

I think there is a fine line between what is a good use of the fourth wall and what is not.

[Blue Blood]

Paper Mario TTYD has a really nice incident of it. At one point one of the main villains in the game is following Mario about in a really bad disguise. So after a while he turns to the screen and is like "Look, I know YOU know who I am, but keep it away from Mario" then one of Mario's partners will comment "Who was he talking to?". Simple way of doing it but it always made me chuckle.

I'm not sure if it does or doesn't count as breaking the fourth wall, but when characters in fiction make fun of said fiction it's quite funny. For one, when Abe and Marge's mother start going out in the Simpsons, Homer get all worried that becuase he and Marge could end up as siblings that their children will be mutants with five fingers and tan coloured skin. I also love Chips comment in Unleashed "Sonic! You're not naked, are you?".

Edited April 21, 2009 by Blue Blood

[CreamyBagel]

The Lion King 3 also did this when the characters were watching the movie in the cinema throughout the film.

[Ryan Brown]

Team Rocket have always been rather notorious for breaking the fourth wall. I've caught them on a few occasions making a comment about it was their episode to shine, and such. XP

Agreed, though I can't remember if it was exclusive to the dub. Wouldn't surprise me, though.

Also, if there's one game company that doesn't bother with a 4th wall to start with, it's Rare. None of their games use it in any way whatsoever. You can't go more that 5 minutes (tops) into a Rare game without that damn wall being demolished, never to be repaired. Most Sierra adventure games do this, too particularly when you die in 'em.

Edited April 21, 2009 by Ryan Brown

[Blue Blood]

Also, if there's one game company that doesn't bother with a 4th wall to start with, it's Rare. None of their games use it in any way whatsoever. You can't go more that 5 minutes (tops) into a Rare game without that damn wall being demolished, never to be repaired. Most Sierra adventure games do this, too particularly when you die in 'em.

At least in BK:N&B this happens far too often for my liking and so the humour of it is lost. A shame really, because the technique is one that really has to be forced down your gullet and out of your rear before it gets old.

Do you remember all those shows back in the ninties, like 'Saved by the Bell' and 'Clarissa Explains it All', that used it as a normal convention? While it was an overused concept somewhat, at least it was usually done tastefully. The first season of 'Sex and the City' also had it with Carrie directly talking to the audience and even interviewing randoms on the street who would give their opinions. It was kind of not right for the program so in later series they scrapped and just had Carrie reading out an important part of her column. I started watching from about midway through so when I finally saw the earlier episodes I didn't like the monologue. My Mum on the other hand watched it from the beginning and disliked the fact that they got rid of it.

[Ryan Brown]

At least in BK:N&B this happens far too often for my liking and so the humour of it is lost. A shame really, because the technique is one that really has to be forced down your gullet and out of your rear before it gets old.

Do you remember all those shows back in the ninties, like 'Saved by the Bell' and 'Clarissa Explains it All', that used it as a normal convention? While it was an overused concept somewhat, at least it was usually done tastefully. The first season of 'Sex and the City' also had it with Carrie directly talking to the audience and even interviewing randoms on the street who would give their opinions. It was kind of not right for the program so in later series they scrapped and just had Carrie reading out an important part of her column. I started watching from about midway through so when I finally saw the earlier episodes I didn't like the monologue. My Mum on the other hand watched it from the beginning and disliked the fact that they got rid of it.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off didn't even bother having a 4th wall. Ferris has nearly always chatting it up to the audience.

[7Force]

The only one I can think of is the intro and ending to Hotel Mario where in the opening Mario & Luigi ask for your help and for you to check out the enclosed instruction book and the ending where they thank the player.

[Flyboy Fox]

Video games are interactive, so it makes more sense for them to break the fourth wall - that is, it's not necessary, but it doesn't feel as forced or awkward, and it's more easily accepted.

TV shows/cartoons have to be a lot more careful as there isn't the existing assumption that the audience is 'actively' involved.

[Blue Blood]

Video games are interactive, so it makes more sense for them to break the fourth wall - that is, it's not necessary, but it doesn't feel as forced or awkward, and it's more easily accepted.

TV shows/cartoons have to be a lot more careful as there isn't the existing assumption that the audience is 'actively' involved.

Ah, but it's not quite like that. Letr's say your playing Hotel Mario.

"We gotta save the Princess!" "And you gotta help us!"

In incidents like that the player is actually suposed to be part of the game. Whereas say in one of the Paper Mario examples that's been mentioned it's there simply to be comical. There's games being interactive, and there's players being involved in the game. They're seperate things. Not entirely seperate, especially when you get to RPGs and other such games where the protagonist may be silent when others talk, but I still think there's quite a divide.

Edited April 21, 2009 by Blue Blood

[Eileanach]

I like it in games when games actually identify the player as someone who is part of the game. The fourth wall breaking in a game is actually pretty nice to experience. I doubt I would like it all the time mind you.

[Flyboy Fox]

Ah, but it's not quite like that. Letr's say your playing Hotel Mario.

"We gotta save the Princess!" "And you gotta help us!"

In incidents like that the player is actually suposed to be part of the game. Whereas say in one of the Paper Mario examples that's been mentioned it's there simply to be comical. There's games being interactive, and there's players being involved in the game. They're seperate things. Not entirely seperate, especially when you get to RPGs and other such games where the protagonist may be silent when others talk, but I still think there's quite a divide.

I still feel that it's just more intuitive/less surprising when it's in a game, simply because you are part of the experience, whether or not you are playing as 'you' or as a character. The line is just a little more blurred. In the end, you can talk about what -you- did in the game, where as you can't do that with a TV show. So, the fourth wall breakage just seems... well... maybe not more natural, but perhaps just less unnatural.

[Blue Blood]

I still feel that it's just more intuitive/less surprising when it's in a game, simply because you are part of the experience, whether or not you are playing as 'you' or as a character. The line is just a little more blurred. In the end, you can talk about what -you- did in the game, where as you can't do that with a TV show. So, the fourth wall breakage just seems... well... maybe not more natural, but perhaps just less unnatural.

You'll find 4th wall breaking in TV stuffs for random lulz quite often, whereas in a game it can be that or actual immersment, like in a book. And because you're taking part more in a game than you do in a TV show the 4th wall is still there, but is perhaps more of a garden fence than the walls of a castle. I think saying more or less the same sort of thing.

[Crystal Kingfisher]

The end of Sonic Chronicles broke the fourth wall and didn't bother to put it back up. I thought it was funny.

I never finished Sonic Chronicles (didn't like it that much), but that sounds pretty funny.

[CreamyBagel]

Excel Saga does it all the time with the mangaka giving permission for the episode to be made into a certain genre:

"I Rikdo Koshi hereby give permission for the Excel Saga anime to be made into a ....." and Excel addresses the audience directly during the next episode previews.

[SABRINA]

Somebody might have already mentioned this but:

In Paper Mario Thousand Year Door. There were a lot of scenes where People would say:

HEY YOU! Yeah you in front of the TV, I'm talking to you! And everyone else in the game would be like

"What's he talkin about?"

The Simpsons Game. THE WHOLE SIMPSONS GAME was a joke on the 4th wall in and of itself.

It's about the simpsons characters being stuck in a shitty game (even though I gotta say it was pretty good).LOL

and there were bastardized versions of mario and sonic in it. both of which look 60 years old. This isn't my work BTW. lemme clear that up

Here is an unedited youtube clip I made where mario ACTUALLY DOES says something similar to a Youtube Poop line

Lotsa Spaghetti

note: If somebody wants me to take the artwork down, I will

Edited April 22, 2009 by Sailor Popeye

[Thirsty Pocket]

In the DS Game, Contact, there is no fourth wall.

There is a Professor who speaks to the player directly, and tells him that he is the one controlling the main character. You and the character are seperate entities entirely.

And, at the very end of the game, the main character becomes aware that you are contorlling him, and tries to throw rocks at you. You tap him to defeat him.

[Tornado]

I remember an episode of Ed, Edd n Eddy where Eddy says something like "Put you in the pokey" and Edd replies "Wrong show Eddy"

That's nothing. There was one episode where the Eds spent the whole thing literally deconstructing the cartoon world they lived in. Like studying the shows' art style by removing outlines from characters (who would then turn into blobs), and discussing how there never seemed to be any parents around. My favorite part was when Sarah began yelling that they had removed Jimmy's character outline, to which Eddy responded by erasing her mouth.

I also always liked how the Austin Powers movies did it, such as in the second movie where Austin begins thinking aloud about the time travel subplot and gets completely confused, to which Basil told Austin not to worry about it and to just enjoy himself. Then he looked directly into the camera and said "that goes for you to." Or the subtitle scene from the third movie.

I'm also reminded of the various Muppet movies, as well as the Garfield cartoon and the original TMNT show.

NIS games are also pretty common in this. Or the memorable scene in Snatcher where

Metal Gear admonishes you for complaining that the explosion of the factory was too loud, as you should have turned the volume down on the TV.

Of course, Snatcher is a Kojima game, so any of their even being a 4th wall should be thrown out anyways.

Also, Deadpool rocks.

Edited April 22, 2009 by Tornado

[Reverest]

I just remembered in Paper Mario 2: The Thousand Year Door, one of the bad guys disguised himself as a pirate and said to the camera "I know you know who I am, but no telling Mario! Or Else!" I was laughing for a bit.

[Candescence]

Some FMV games back in the day such as Double Switch removed the fourth wall for the sake of immersion. Shame it isn't done more often.

Also, when you call The Boss at the beginning of MGS3, Snake notes that he can't smell, as it's a game - so The Boss just says you'll have to rely on your instincts as a gamer.

[Crystal Kingfisher]

Or the memorable scene in Snatcher where

Metal Gear admonishes you for complaining that the explosion of the factory was too loud, as you should have turned the volume down on the TV.

Of course, Snatcher is a Kojima game, so any of their even being a 4th wall should be thrown out anyways.

I haven't played Snatcher, but that sounds pretty funny. Kojima has a great since of humor.

[GameFarnsworth940]

I just remembered that Wayne's World (the movie. Im not sure about the skits) constantly breaks the forth wall. If you watch it, you can count the massive amount of times the wall is broken. It's almost as if it were a real wall, it would have been fully demolished by the half-way point.

[Carbo]

Billy & Mandy had for me the best 4th Walls. Rare made amazing 4th walls, I particularly loved those in Conker since the characters actually talked instead of speaking gibberish like in Banjo or whatever, making it far more lively. They also only appeared about three times throughout the game totally unexpected which is the best things about them, like Conker telling the bouncer on Rock Solid that he knows everything since he's king, asking if he saw the intro of the game which was the present time (since Bad Fur Day's gameplay takes place in the past that leads up to the events of Conker becoming the king).

The best 4th Wall of any kind I've seen is the final boss of Conker's Bad Fur Day. BFD being a parody game all up to that point decided to take the piss out of 4th walls by practically doing a parody off of the 4th wall itself after you defeated the final boss, contacting the programmers while the game is frozen and bargaining with them to help him give him weapons and stuff necessary to finish off Heinrich once and for all. Absolutely did not see that coming, at all. The game freezing was the most uncalled for thing I ever saw and at that point I actually thought that my game locked up.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Carbo