VGC Top Ten - Best Game Over Screens - News
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 22 August 2009 / 173,370 Views
Welcome to another edition of VGC Top Ten. Today, we’ll cover one of those things a gamer never wants to see. No, we’re not talking about frame drops, random encounters or a broken camera. We’re talking about the dreaded Game Over screens. Maliciously waiting for any mistake to jump on you and tease you with their messages while you lament yourself, they have been an integral part of gaming since the first games were made. Most of the times, they would simply show a “Game Over” screen that’s just plainly boring. But, every now and then, there’s a game that does more than that, a game so twisted that it enjoys picking on you for your fail. Or maybe it feels sorry for you and wants you to have a good laugh, even in defeat. We picked the ones that, in our opinion, are the 10 best ever game over screens, ten screens that go a bit further than just tell you that you lost.
So, without further ado, let the top 10 begin
10. Friday the 13th (NES)
We start our top 10 with a game based on a horror movie. Surprisingly (or not, given that it comes from a 8-bit console, where the scaring possibilities were rather limited) it doesn’t try to scare you, but it makes you feel bad. So, not only you died (as you would in any game), but your friends died TOO! Do you feel guility? You’re responsible for their death! Now, go back and make sure you don’t lose again!
9. Teleroboxer (Virtual Boy)
As if the player’s self-esteem wasn’t already low for owning a Virtual Boy (headaches included in the price), this game makes him feel even worse. We wonder if anyone wants to try again after being told that in red flashing letters trying to make you blind. At least, the game’s considerate enough to tell you exactly why you lost.
8. Ninja Gaiden (Arcade)
This one is both gorely awesome and a great marketing tactic. If you’re scared and don’t want to see Ryu’s horrible death (something you don’t see, anyways), then put those quarters quickly in the machine and hit Start! But, should you be courageous (or sadistic) enough, you can watch the saw going down and down, and then imagine Ryu’s innards being scattered all over the place. Still, the presumed gore in this scene is enough to make it reach 8th place.
7. Mortal Kombat 4 (PC/PSX/N64)
Similar to Ninja Gaiden, but here you don’t have to imagine anything. Subtlety was never one of Mortal Kombat’s strengths, anyway. Should you chicken, you can always continue (or close your eyes, we guess), but should you be brave (or out of continues), you’ll witness how your character is turned into a shish-kebab. At least the game comforts you in that you weren’t the only one, given the amount of blood scattered before you hit the floor
6. Chrono Cross (PSX)
Much more subtle than the last two, I always found this one to be brilliant. It doesn’t tell you a “Game Over”, but rather it shows you that your failure is what was bound to happen. “Fate has no forgiveness for those who dare stand against it”, this message will get into your mind if you lose a couple of times in a row, making you think that, maybe, in the end, it is impossible. Or maybe it’ll create in you an irresistible desire to challenge fate. What’s assured is that this is not a game over screen that goes unnoticed
5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)
What a better way to prove your failure than to show you the destruction of the entire world? Not many, we can guess. Yes, the Armageddon can be prevented with a simple ocarina tune (a bit anticlimactic, isn’t it) but it’s still nice to see that your actions lead to more than just your death. And of course, the teasing “You’ve met with a terrible fate, haven’t you” in the end is more than encouraging to get better.
4. Metal Gear Solid (PSX/PC)
The Colonel’s famous scream couldn’t possibly be left out of this top ten. Kojima surely knows how to make his games climatic, and the game over screen is no exception. With a very suspenseful music in the background, your death can trigger a couple of different lamentations, from any of your colleagues like Mei Ling. But there’s no other scream that more famous than the Colonel’s SNAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!, and that’s why it lands in 4th position.
3. Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64)
Conker’s not your typical game, and thus, it can’t have your typical game over screens. Famous for its “mature” theme, its game over shows you exactly what happens when your nemesis captures you. And, to be honest, given that the players wants to beat him and thwart his plans, why can’t the nemesis have some fun when it’s you the one who loses?
2. We Love Katamari (PS2) - (skip to 0:45)
An oddity here, a game over screen where you’re in full control of your character, either the Prince or any of his cousins. For your failure, you are reprimanded by your father in very serious terms, but what makes this scene awesome is that he shoots lasers to you from his eyes. Will you try to dodge them, or will you let them hit you, just for kicks? Up to you to decide, but you can’t deny how good this screen is.
1.Total Distortion (PC)
If Still Alive is a measure in credit roll songs, then this one has to be for game over songs too. Totally ridiculous, over-the-top and drawn out, but hilarious and original, it’s a song you have to listen to at least once. Teasing you in every possible way, the song doesn’t hold back anything, and that’s why it gets the recognition as the best game over screen ever. And, by the way, if the song didn’t make you realize, you are dead.
More Articles
One that always stuck with me was Super Empire Strikes Back; it always sucked to have Yoda come on and say "That is why you FAIL."
That Majora's Mask ending is seriously one of the creepiest things I've ever seen - that laugh at the end - spine-tingling...
avid thats how it ends in all the Civ games
I like Bangai-O's naked boy and KKK combo.
http://handheldwii.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/bangai-o-2.jpg
[url="http://www.ghdhairsales.co.uk/"]GHD Hair[/url] Straighteners Sale, Cheap GHD Straightners Store in UK. Large of discounted [url="http://www.ukghdstore.co.uk/GHD-IV-MK4-Kiss.html"]GHD MK4 Kiss[/url] are provided in our GHD MK4 UK store. The GHD Kiss Hair Straighteners are all highest quality and lowest price. Save 50%. GHD MK4 Gold, [url="http://www.ghdhairsales.co.uk/GHD-IV-MK4-Gold.html"]GHD MK4 Gold[/url] Hair Straighteners On Sale. Large of discounted [url="http://www.ghdhairsales.co.uk/GHD-IV-MK4-Gold.html"]GHD MK4 Gold[/url] are provided in our GHD MK4 UK store. The GHD Gold Hair Straighteners are all highest quality and lowest price. Save 50% The [url="http://www.ghdhairsales.co.uk/GHD-IV-MK4-Black.html"]GHD MK4 Black[/url] Hair Straighteners are all highest quality and lowest price. Save 50%. When 2009 Christmas day comes, [url="http://www.uschristmasgifts.com" title="christmas gift"]Christmas Gifts[/url] store provide variety christmas gifts for different recipient.
Nobody remember the CIV game over? Your civ just become old history for the ones that remained, with the archs fiding the ruins of your cities. Should be in the top 10...
6 = lame
Good pick for #1 though
That last one was great! Super song!!!
No Donkey Kong Country 1/2?
this list fails, where is the classic Resident evil screen "you're dead"
Metal Gear Solid 444444444444444444444444444, yes, FOUR
have the best "game over"
Silent Hill 3 had some interesting game over screens.
I was hoping to see Sonic CD's ending on here for the USA version, though it wasn't featured on youtube. When you die it takes you to a GAME OVER screen where you hear people just laughing at you... LAUGHING AT YOU.... at your complete and utter failure.
No total destruction of a planet (Intellivision Star Strike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPB3H_a234s&feature=PlayList&p=2CCCB4B76C0A3432&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=34
Mike from Morgantown
YOU ARE WORTHLESS AND WEAK BIATH!!!
I both loved and hated on Super Empire Strikes Back when Yoda would say "That is why you fail."
Scarface - "You fucked up!"
Resident Evil 2 with the zombies eating you and the demonic voice "Game Over!"
What about GT4? A big "FAIL" stick on the screen and that stupid song. Got me nightmares :D should be one of the worst.
Just saw the Game Over Yeaaaaaaaaaah. Hahaha That should've been #1 or #2. But I prefer as #1 though. EPIC LULZ!
The one I hate the most is Wipeout. U get in 2nd place & they say "bad luck". That really pisses me off.
dang, that song is now stuck in my head. YOU ARE DEAD! DEAD! DEAD!
silent hill 3 had an awesome game over screen, that weird monster showing up and draging your body out.
Resident Evil 4 has the best game over ever, occurring when you get your head chainsawed off.
yup
Did you have to listen to #1 every time you died?
Personally I'd say Frankenstein's monster for the atari 2600 belongs on the top game over screens, jump to about 4:08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn599TMtfVM
Zoey: Game over man! Game over!
as soon as i saw the title, i thought 'ninja gaiden arcade' but then i thought itd never make the list
glad i was wrong as a child in the arcade that was crazy
Majora's Mask Game over= Awesomeness
I prefer the MGS2 game over than the MGS one. The music was deadly...
Edit: OMG that #1 is stupid... I feel myself getting close to retardation as I go deeper into the minute of the song. :(
I see you didnt put "Game Over YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" in there :-(
Good list anyway :-)
i know alotta awesome game over screens, but that number 1 made me forget about all of them xD
Epicly awesome.
I want the last song to be played at my funeral.
You guys should do " Best ending credits" top 10...or maybe it was already made?
The last one is hilarious, Mortal Kombat 4 rulz!
Metal Gear that gives me the creeps, i hated dying just because of that sound
Where is Super Mario Bros i think that was pretty cool
And there is also Resident Evil YOU ARE DEAD!
Ahhhh beautiful Chrono Cross.
Is it sad that I played and finished 7 of those games?
Some of the death comments in the old adventure series like leisure suit larry and space quest could have made this list.
Personally, I've always loved the Banjo-Kazooie one, but this is still a good list. I like the Conker one.
If someone can find alien III on SNES, I think it can enter this list.
i didnt like number 6 either. Everything else is AWESOME...specially Number 1 and 2.
BTW, Conker Bad Fur Day has another Game Over scene, and it appears when you died drowned.
Also, i was expecting screens from final fight, but its okey, Ninja Gaiden was cool enough.
I didnt like #6... and the snake doesn't do it for me. Everything else was cool xD
You are dead! Dead! Dead!
Man that song is trying to make a point.
Total Distortion haha never seen that before
lol at #1 and ElGefe's name in the Chrono Cross video!
Wow, I can't believe you didn't mention any Amiga Death screens from Psygnosis
Shadow of the Beast I,II,III
Awesome
Ork
Agony
I call fail on this list
Ohhh I have a lot to look froward to when I get We love Katamari...
