The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past & The Dark World
Link to the Past is often regarded as the perfect realization of what a Legend of Zelda game is meant to be. An open-ish map of Hyrule with hidden, superfluous items that completely change the way the game is played. This, combined with some of the finest dungeon designs the series has ever seen, turns out to create a Zelda game that turns the typical narrative-constraints of the franchise on its head, while simultaneously feeling fresh and familiar.
You, the Hero, descendant of the Knights of Hyrule, have won the three symbols of virtue, navigated the perils of the Lost Woods, and acquired the Blade of Evil’s Bane – the Master Sword. For a moment, you believe that you finally have a leg-up on the evil wizard known as Agahnim. Then you get a distress call from Princess Zelda herself! Agahnim’s soldiers have broken into the Sanctuary and captured Zelda, locking her away inside Hyrule Castle. This is it – the final dungeon… or so you think.
After surviving the onslaught of brain-washed soldiers, you’re finally face-to-face with Aghanim, whom you believe to be your final test before you can save the day and let the credits roll. As you land the killing blow, you suddenly find it odd that the nefarious pig-man known as Ganon was nowhere to be seen. As a last ditch effort, Agahnim opens a portal, trapping you at the top of a pyramid in a strange new land known as the Dark World. Once the surprise settles in, you smile, for your adventure has truly begun.
Pokemon Gold/Silver & The Kanto Region
Pokemon Masters everywhere will fondly look back on their time with Gold and Silver. You’ve marched through the dark Victory Road, defeating a countless number of trainers who wished to stand in your way. The only thing left to conquer was the Indigo Plateau, the Elite Four.
Your will proves stronger than Will and his psychic Pokemon. You squish Koga and his bug Pokemon. You prove mind over matter against Bruno and his fighting Pokemon. And your light shines brighter than Karen and her dark Pokemon. Before you claim victory, your rival rears their ugly head again so that you can stomp ’em back down to reality. At last, you are the champion of Johto and the credits roll…
You resume your game and find yourself with a phone call from Professor Elm with some urgent news. You hightail it back to his labratory and he rewards you with the S.S. ticket. You board your ship and embark towards a new yet familiar adventure. You disembark at Vermilion City and you realize why this name sounds so familiar – because you’ve played through this area before in Pokemon Blue/Red/Yellow. What new adventures await in the region of Kanto and beyond?
Fun Fact: The addition of Kanto is all thanks to Satoru Iwata, who helped GameFreak compress the game enough for them to fit the entirety of the original Pokemon game in this sequel.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night & The Inverted Castle
You’ve trekked through every inch of Dracula’s Castle, slaying horrific nightmare creatures and abominations along the way. Transformed into a wolf, mist, and bat, and now you begin your ascent up a long flight of stairs. Step-by-step you mentally prepare for the battle ahead. You check your equipment and step into the throne room, ready to fight Dracula.
Richter Belmont? Why is he planning the resurrection of Dracula?! Players face off against the series hero, and are met with the normal ending.
However, more astute players who’ve happened across the holy glasses will notice something different about this end-game boss. A weird green orb floating around Richter. You focus your attacks on the orb, careful to keep Richter alive, until it finally shatters and reveals the true mastermind behind the resurrection of Dracula.
It’s revealed that a mysterious stranger known as Shaft has possessed Richter, and upon his defeat, he retreats to a castle. Stepping into a portal, the player is transported to a mirror image of Dracula’s Castle – if that mirror was turned upside down. The rest of the game is filled with awkward geography, brutal new enemies, and the true ending – if you can survive.
Resident Evil 2 & The Zapping System
Resident Evil 2 is a long, scary game. The sound of hollow footsteps in the police station alone are enough to make the hair on anyone’s neck stand-up. As players continue through the final moments of Raccoon City, as either rookie cop Leon or Claire, a woman in search of her brother, they’re met with all sorts of pulse-pounding moments of terror.
Yet, somehow, you manage to survive an epic battle between a mutated Birkin and a train destined for destruction. You sigh with relief and you’re met with a screen informing you of the “zapping” system.
The zapping system is an uncharacteristically cute name for something in a Resident Evil game, but for fans, it’s one of the greatest innovations that no other Resident Evil game has made use of – yet. The system allows players to see the game from the other character’s perspective. So, if you chose Claire at the beginning (canon), you can now see what horrors Leon was facing during that same time. But this comes with an added challenge: actions taken in the first playthrough will directly affect the second. So hopefully you left some weapons behind for Leon to use.
Chrono Trigger & New Game +
Chrono Trigger is an epic romp through time that sees players travel the spectrum of existence. One moment you’re roaming the open plains alongside dinosaurs in a prehistoric era, the next, you’re exploring the dilapidated ruins of a future where mankind failed to thwart the alien parasite known as Lavos. But Chrono Trigger differentiates itself in the annals of Japanese role-playing games by making the end-game immediately available.
In a game about manipulating time to benefit mankind, it only makes sense to allow the player to beat the game when they choose. But, alas, ambitious players may attempt to challenge the behemoth Lavos as early as the End of Time, a realm that exists (as you probably guessed) outside time, and are immediately massacred.
This early futile attempt at finishing the game serves two purposes. By forcing players to engage the final boss before they’re ready, they catch a glimpse at the terrifying power he wields. But lastly, and most importantly, it plants the seed of a promise – one day you will be strong enough to fight Lavos.
Upon intentionally completing the game, players are given a chance to start a new game +. This allows them to keep their items, stats, and techniques as they replay the game. Remember when you foolishly thought you could prematurely tackle Lavos? Now you can. In fact, you wipe the floor with him.
But why play through the game again just to beat it earlier? Because of the multiple endings of course! Chrono Trigger further incentivizes continuous playthroughs in an attempt to see one of twelve possible endings (the Nintendo DS re-release added a thirteenth ending). Those endings could be achieved through a combination of key choices throughout the entirety of the game such as: fighting or sparing Magus, when you fight Lavos, or resurrecting a certain somebody from the dead, etc. Ironically, Chrono Trigger could easily be played ’till the End of Time.
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