There's a level in Parodius 2 (Sega Saturn - its probably the same on Playstation) - its a fast scrolling level through a zig-zag section and the William Tell Overture kicks in at the start of the level - when I first experienced it I just couldn't believe I could get to play a game like it at home....

F-Zero X while its a ugly child - introduced two great changes - the energy bar that was depleted by collisions and use of the turbo boost - and also highlighting where your rival is in the overall standings - it produced some brilliant panicky bits when getting to the business end of a cup. Genius. Still hard to beat F-Zero X or GX with its big aggressive 30 vehicle pack and where the hell is the latest installment?

The first time you play WarioWare and your hands are trying to keep up with your brain which is trying to keep up with the game - you'll never get that feeling back again.

The sheer joy of Mario 64 (remember realising I could tip-toe past the sleeping snapper plants) and now Galaxy which is just bigger and better.

First time I played Doom 2 with PC speakers and heard the arachnotrons getting closer.

The first time I spotted a 2600 set up in a shop with Combat running - me, my bro and 2 cousins played it until we were chucked out

TheDJR wrote:

Chrono Cross Swapping bodies with Lynx, it was like the JRPG version of Face/Off and completely unexpected.

And looks stunning. Don't know I could play it from start to finish these days (even though I do have a new copy), but I hammered that game when it came out.

Some great shouts throughout this thread:

Bioshock: I'd actually go the plastic surgeon section early on. Amaze.

Journey: the money shot level at the end is pretty amazing.

Dark Souls: While I agree with Jon re the trip down through blighty, the two things that stick out for me are 1. The first shortcut with the lift back down to firelink and the ladder to the first burg bonfire. Sums up the brilliant way they connect things throughout the game perfectly. 2. Seems weird to mention a cut scene, but the reveal of AL is IMMENSE. Certainly shook what I thought I knew about the game.

Also, brilliant shout from IR re BFBC2. That map is amazing, and pretty much covers all that is incredible about the game. In fact, the way those MP levels are structured is all about what Jon is talking about with his OP. The pay off of a new area after each cap is just brilliant. Heck, in a way, these levels would make for pretty cool SP levels, for the most part, and then they get taken to another level by being MP. Really wish this style of MP was implemented by more games. Halo Reach tried it's hand with Invasion, and it's quite good, but it's no Rush mode. I mentioned in the halo thread that I'd be over the moon with a Halo MP game that went the whole (wart)hog on Rush mode/Invasion.

SotC: I think my most memorable moments from this game were finding the areas that felt soooo isolated and huge. The desert in particular. Discovering the little canyon with the bull in it. Some of the plains in the lower section. Lovely game.

From halo:

Halo 2 Delta Halo: There's a run of levels in the middle that are as good as anything in the series. Looks amazing, plays amazing, hogs, tanks, the kitchen sink. Played this section to death.

ODST Lost Platoon: Still the best firefight map bungie ever did. Hogtastic.

Halo 3 The Ark and The Covenant: Delta halo on steriods. Everything that is good about SP/co-op halo.

With shout outs to various MP maps over the series that have been home to many great moments: Lockout, Midship, The Pit, Valhala etc.

Prince of Persia SoT: The only game I can think of, ever, that has done "now we take all your gear to make it hard for the final bit" well. That last section climbing the tower with no rewind etc is AMAZING.

MGS3 the entire ending section from the bike chase to the boss battle. Still one of the best endings to a game I've experienced.

COD4: Flying in the big herculeas plane blowing the crap out of the enemy as they close in on your men. It looked so like the footage you see on the news and it was done in such a slick way that it was convincing. One wrong shot and it was mission over.

Also the sniper mission in COD4 was heart pounding from start to finish.

Facewon wrote:

SotC: I think my most memorable moments from this game were finding the areas that felt soooo isolated and huge. The desert in particular. Discovering the little canyon with the bull in it. Some of the plains in the lower section. Lovely game.

This. I also have very fond memories of lots of bits in Halo CE, but in particular when you first land on Halo (Installation 04 or whatever it is) as people have mentioned, and the final countdown rush to extraction. Exhilarating.

Just playing MGS3 again. This thing is so masterfully directed it's amazing. I don't even care that I'm only watching cutscenes.

I really can't wait for 3 after playing Revelations for a few hours at my Dad's. If they can tweak the controls and getcthecsetting right, it might end up being a generation favourite for me.

I'm glad to see Prince of Persia: Sands of Time getting some mentions.  I really think it should be up there as one of THE all time greats, such a perfectly well rounded package.  Since others have mentioned the amazing gameplay, i'll go for the cool narrative, with the prince narrating and explaining away your deaths "no no, that's not how it happened", but particularly the 'twist' towards the end that links you to the very start of the game...

I'll always remember driving along that bit of track on Gran Turismo where the trees grow over the road and the sun comes through - beautiful

Is that the bit with the plague babies?

Goldeneye

We used to play a custom game mode we affectionately titled FAT BOY! Whereby one player played as Valentin but with a maximum health handicap, and everyone else had to co-operate and do their best to take that fat bastard down. Had to play on Facility and use the Golden Gun weapons set, and incidentally the Golden Gun was the only weapon FAT BOY! was allowed to use. Would often end up with FAT BOY! hiding in the toilet area clutching the Golden Gun with his stubby, chubby fingers, fighting a constant barrage of people barging in and trying to mine his ass. Was hilarious.

Grab yo' pickaxe.

Tempy wrote:

After last night I'm going to say the descent into the Northern Crater probably deserves a mention as one of the best finales to a game. It's a great mix of atmosphere, music, tough combat and a great climax to your 40 hour odd long chase of Sephiroth. FFVII might be too fondly remembered by a large portion of people but the last area was magic, for a 13 year old kid the bizarre and trippy backgrounds were really memorable.

The opening of FFVII will always stick out for me, in a time where anything vaguely cinematic in a game was still amazing. The way it went from cutscene to action, like the train pulling into the station at the start, and then that shot where the camera pans out from Aeris all the way up through the city and into the clouds and then the title appears. Loads of game have done it since, but then it was so cutting edge.

Chase HQ (amiga 500). First time I completed it, was a Sunday morning and it was the first time i'd completed level 3, I just was playing out of my skin and went on to complete it. I remember not wanting to turn off the ending screen. I ran around the house calling my sisters to come and see (who couldn't give a fuck).

Tetris; First t-spin. I was always a good tetris player when I was young but didn't get into competitive play until about 4 years ago. I didn't understand why people would do t-spins instead of tetris'. When I realised that it was worth more points etc I started figuring out set ups. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing "back to back t-spin" pop up with the sound when you interlink the T.

Mario 64: The first steps, tip toeing as I gently leaned forwards on the analogue stick.

Halo 3 pretty much had me draw dropping as i'd not played the first two so the cut scenes were like O_O

I'm with Stormy on Halo1. Walking out of the crashed escape pod for the first time was stunning. The quietness, beauty and draw-distance blew me away. It was escapism of the highest order, and it's unlikely I'll ever feel like that playing a game again.

retro74 wrote:

I'll always remember driving along that bit of track on Gran Turismo where the trees grow over the road and the sun comes through - beautiful

Trial Mountain, it is indeed lovely and made even more stunning in 3D...