Best Videogame Openings (1 Viewer)

[Morgan Jolley]

Yesterday, my brother, his friend, and I were playing Super Smash Bros. Melee. We turned it on and the opening video started to play. My brother had never seen it before and was surprised. He watched it and thought it was pretty cool, so we started talking about the best videogame openings. I figured this would be a great topic for the HTF, so here it is.

By opening, I mean either a sequence that starts when you turn the console on OR a gameplay sequence.

Some of my favorites are...

Final Fantasy VII-X

Fear Effect

Chrono Cross

Resident Evil 2

Parasite Eve

Metal Gear Solid 2

Tekken 3

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Japanese Nintendo 64)

So what are yours?

 

[Romier S]

Resident Evil Code Veronica (Still gets my blood pumping!)
Metal Gear Solid 2 (You cant help but get excited once Snake jumps off the bridge)
Devil May Cry (Short, sweet and perfect to get you in the mood to play. Lets Rock Baby!

)
Jet Set Radio Future (Understand the Concept of Love. nothing more needs said.)
I can think of a ton more but these are my more recent ones.

 

[Kelley_B]

Quake 2

Half-Life

Tony Hawk Pro Skater(series)

WipEout XL

Jet Set Radio Future

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Soul Edge (Blade)
I am pleased as punch I have the full version of that song

 

[Derrik Draven]

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (Apple II+)
ICO (PS2)
MGS2 (PS2)
Superman (Atari 2600)
Blood Omen Legacy of Kain (PSOne)
Shockwave (3DO)

 

[Andre F]

I'd vote for MGS2...

-Andre F

 

[Michael_Shisler]

Legacy of Kane: Soul Reaver,...to cool.

 

[felix_suwarno]

philosoma, metalgear 2.

PHILOSOMA!!!

 

[Steve Y]

Zero Wing for the MegaDrive.
I also second Superman for the Atari 2600. The bridge blowing up and all the criminals flying off the screen... and Lex Luthor in that heli-pack...
I thought the intro to E.G.G. (Dreamcast) was pretty original. Not the usual "hip agents/soldiers and explosions" CGI intro. Almost anime-style.
How about Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode... what a shock when that copter explodes! And then the white noise of planes landing at some airport... ahh, good times.
~Steve

 

[Iain Lambert]

Here is a random top 4 for the moment; if I think of any other greats I'll post again.

4) wip3out (PS) - Totally superb work from The Designers Republic as always. wipEout 2097 was pretty cool as well.

3) Cannon Fodder (Amiga) - Everybody sing, "War: Never Been So Much Fun!"

2) Half-Life (PC) - Wonderful lolling you into security, before going totally freaky in a strangely disturbing way.

1) Mario64 (N64) - The first 10 minutes of gameplay on this are probably the greatest I've ever had gaming.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I was thinking more about this and thought I should say that if you haven't seen the MGS2 opening, you really should try to find it. There are in actuality 3 openings (the "before the main title screen" opening, the "first thing you see when you start a new game" opening, and a "start of the second section of the game" opening; all 3 are pretty good). If anyone can find a link to the first two openings (the DNA/snake one and the jump/bridge one) then please post them.

 

[Nathan A]

Bad Dudes for NES. if anyone happens to still have a copy, check it out and you'll see what i mean...

 

[Dean DeMass]

Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2)

Resident Evil: Code Veronica (DC/PS2)

Jet Set Radio Future (X-Box)

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (PC)

Super Smash Bros: Melee (GC)

Blood Omen: The Legacy of Kain (PSX)

-Dean-

 

[Joel Mack]

My all-time favorite game opening is/was Mechwarrior 2 on the PC.
Still gives me chills...

 

[Nathan A]

alright, aside from Bad Dudes, Panzer Dragoon Saga is certainly near the top of the list.

 

[John Spencer]

Wild Arms for Playstation. I had that whistling tune stuck in my head for-ever during and after that game. Not the greatest game, but I've always loved the intro.
Fallout/Fallout2 for PC. Just really cool mood-setters for both games. They have a Dr. Strangelove feel to them that I like.
Final Fantasy 7 for Playstation. Mainly a "for-its-time" pick, but I still love the opening sequence for how it blew me away when I first played it.
Luigi's Mansion for Gamecube. Disgustingly simple game, lovely opening. Terrible ending, btw.

 

[Joe michaels]

Quake 3 has a pretty cool opening with Sarge running from enemies and then jumping over them suicdal and de-rezing. Then the reversed type Quake 3 text slowly starts to cover the a=in game stuff.

 

[Paul Richardson]

Another vote for Half-Life. What a way to start a FPS...just a mundane train trip into work...and slowly things start to go bad. Works wonderfully at involving you into the story.

 

[Joseph Young]

The most awe-inspiring, theme-rich, beautifully executed opening for any videogame...
Fighting Force 2!! It made me weep..
j/k
Seriously, Ghosts and Goblins and Shenmue are both pretty good.
Joseph

 

[Trevor_J]

How about a vote for Shenmue.