• Top 11 Video Game Endings

  

  Written by Zeromage 103 Comments
  Last Updated:: November 13, 2008

  The Video Game Ending. It’s what every gamer seeks when playing the game. Gamers spend hours trying to conquer a game just to be able to see the resolution of their whole adventure or lack thereof. Sometimes tragedy strikes in the ending of the game, alluding to a subsequent game in the series. Sometimes the ending of a game just plain sucks like the end of Ghost’s n’ Goblins. Bad endings can ruin the experience of a whole game, which we will cover in a future list. For now though, we’ll go through the games with the best endings video game history. Making the choices were hard, and objectivity in these cases is always treading the line of subjectivity. Nevertheless, these are the endings that stood out the most for us.

  11. Ninja Gaiden

  The classic Ninja Gaiden game had to have a classic ending. After all, you were fighting to find and save your father. This was not going to be any mediocre ending. Unfortunately for Ryu, he would not be able to save his father as his destiny was too tied to the “Demon Statue” as the Demon world was exploding before both of their eyes. Like a true hero, Ryu’s father tells his son to “save the girl and escape with his own life”. Ryu has become a man and no longer needs the assistance of his soon to be missed father. Besides this touching scene between father and son comes some “behind closed door” scenes between Irene and Ryu involving some kissing, and…well that’s it for an 80’s 8-bit ending! Ryu and Irene watch the perfect sunset go down as the gamer unwinds in what was one of the most difficult games for the 8-bit era. With a great story to the ending and one of the most aesthetically pleasing sunsets in gaming history, Ninja Gaiden deserves its place on this list.

  10. Contra

  The first time in gaming history where an island blows up, Contra gave the gamer the ending he wanted when playing this apparently unbeatable game (without the code of course). With seconds left, and the island about to detonate, you would see the protagonists fly off of the island in a little 8-bit helicopter just in time. The satisfaction that came over the gamer here was immense, considering how long and difficult the journey was. Seeing the island destroyed raised emotions of victory more than any other game for the NES. The simple dialog after the destruction of the island is not very thoughtful, but this still doesn’t take away from one of the most powerful endings for the NES console.

  9. Chrono Trigger

  Chrono Trigger had multiple endings. To fully enjoy the game, you had to complete the whole conquest rather than just completing the game halfway and watching Lavos destroy the shit out of the world. Going into the heart of the beast of Lavos and destroying him with all the characters you meet throughout the entire history of the Chrono Trigger world would give you the best endings. Whatever ending you obtained through beating it fully would show still and moving pictures of all the grand lands in the Chorno Trigger history from the rustic elegance of the prehistoric age to the dismal and lugubrious themes of the meta-contemporary dark ages. Trying to go through all the endings of this game is not for this description though. Among many great endings are Frog fighting Magus one final time on top of Magus’s castle with one of them (we don’t know which) standing on top with there cape breezing in the air. Whatever ending you get, you will be satisfied after your long journey (except the easy one of not really completing the game and watching the world be destroyed).

  8. Secret of Mana

  Secret of Mana was one of the greatest videos games of all time (which is in the top 10 our “top 100 greatest games of all time list“) and it wouldn’t disappoint with a monumental ending that showed off the prestige of all the lands in the game. After the tragic and Homeric dialogue between the characters at the end of the game was a repetition of all the areas in the game. They were shown with clarity and an aesthetic placidity not fully grasped when playing the game itself, mostly because of the fact that you were busy destroying the enemies and not looking at the landscapes. Getting to look over the massive ice land and the towering forest areas was a more than pleasant ending to a video game that took the gamers mental and emotional energy. Revisiting all the old towns gave the gamer a sense of nostalgia knowing they have finished one of the greatest games of all time.

  7. Final Fantasy 7

  The ending to Final Fantasy 7 can be summed up in one word; “Epic”. It’s not a coincidence that many of the selections in this list are RPG’s. When playing these massive games, it was only logical for there to be massive endings, and this was epitomized most noticeably in Final Fantasy 7. The ending to this game was aesthetically jaw-dropping for its day. Cloud’s flying through stars, the planet is being saved through colors as serene as an Aurora Borealis, and all the characters in the game are sitting watching in pure serenity. More than any other video game ending before, Final Fantasy 7 can be seen as the most “artful” experience for the video gamer. What the ending of Final Fantasy 7 showed more than anything was how great graphics could actually be utilized to create beauty rather than just mirror-image reality.

  6. Super Metroid

  What I consider to be the ending of Super Metroid is actually playable. I consider the moment you enter Tourian in Super Metroid to be the official ending of Super Metroid. The Metroid’s are easy to destroy and your packed with loads of energy and weapons at this point (You had to be to defeat Ridely). The whole scene of watching the baby metroid you saved kill the nucleus form of Mother Brain is one of the more emotional moments for the Super Nintendo medium. Escaping Tourian and saving your friends on the way is an incredibly unique addition to an already ingenious game. Of course, if you beat Super Metroid in the good time, you not only get to see Samus with her helmet off, but with her whole suit off making any gamer interested in efficiency when completing the game.

  5. Deus Ex

  Deus Ex had multiple endings that were all smart and philosophically effective. Would you let an independent minded AI take control over all your thoughts, beliefs, hopes and actions? What about the Illuminati ending though? With this ending, you could theoretically cure everyone infected with the virus and influence culture for the betterment of humanity. What was in control? The free will of humanity or a purely logical machine? The parallels between the Deus Ex ending and Matrix the movie are obvious and all the better for it, since Matrix was one of the more unique philosophical moments in a modern movie medium that’s completely lacking in substance. Which ending would happen to you? JC’s ending might even be a reflection of who you are as a person.

  4. Star Fox (SNES)

  The Star Fox ending was great for many different reasons. First off, it had one of the best ending soundtracks for the SNES era. The voice acting was beyond superb for the mere 16-bit technology. Polygrams blasting up in front of other polygrams and Fox McCloud calmly flying off into the serene clouds was a perfectly satisfying ending to one of the great games for the SNES. The ending is long and goes through all the levels like many of the great endings on this list. It also goes through all the ships as an added bonus. The ships all have their own stats from their specific weapons to their sizes. You watch your fleet rise into space with perfect symmetry on par with the great Star Wars movies (the old ones, not the new ones!). A Star Wars quality ending for a video game? What else could you ask for?

  3. Mega Man 3

  The Mega Man series never skimped on their endings, although they always showed the demise of Dr. Wily “once and for all”, over and over again. This was not so in Mega Man 3 where we meet a new mysterious character who is added into the Mega Man fold. Out of nowhere comes the one and only Protoman. Protoman’s true identity is revealed. Just when it looks like Mega Man is down and out from the crumbling castle of Dr. Wily’s; in comes Protoman to knock out the block that is crushing Mega Man. What happened to Dr. Wily? Does Protoman ask this or Mega Man? Whoever asks this question further adds to the mystery of this simple yet entertaining ending. After this Homeric ending comes a conversation between Dr.Light and Mega Man regarding who brought Mega Man back to Dr. Lights base. The final scene of the game shows Mega man running in front of an incandescent grassy background with the bosses being shown on the bottom half of the screen with their “stats”. Mystery, great dialogue and superb backgrounds (even if just 8-bit) make for one of the greatest endings in video game history.

  2. Metal Gear Solid

  The Metal Gear series showed a depth not seen in adventure games with the ending of Metal Gear Solid. The intricacy of the story line throughout the game doesn’t come to a simple resolution, showing off the developer’s smart taste for Dionysian tragedy. We find out Snake is inferior to Liquid. We find out that Snake only has a certain amount of time before FoxDie kills him. The destiny of Ocelot is one of the most surprising moments in video game history. By Metal Gear Solid not giving a firm foundation to the ending of the game, they created a further suspense for the subsequent games that were obviously to come. Great games usually breed great endings and Metal Gear Solid was no exception. This story line was like a best selling detective novel. Please, more of this.

  1. Zelda Link to the Past

  After apparently destroying Gannon for good (as in every Zelda game) Link is faced with the essence of the Triforce. The essence of the Triforce grants the wisher anything they want in their heart and mind. Finally Link gets a reward for all his hard work in a wish that he can only make. With Link’s Golden Heart, the light world is restored to its former glory. The King returns to his castle. The lonely bully makes a friend and your uncle recovers from his ailing sickness. The light world not only extirpates any remnants of the dark world, but becomes a heavenly abode for all that reside in it. The similarities between the ending of Link to the Past and other artistic renditions of religious art are obvious. Link to the Past though captures this inspiration in a guilt-free way where self-interest is lost to the golden heart. We at Old-Wizard believe in Zelda Link to the Past. In a certain sense, its our religion and the ending of the game confirms our belief in the heart that went into it.

  
  

103 Comments

1. #1 lucas says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 4:21 pm

   yes. portal certainly belongs on this list.
2. #2 Rodrigo says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 4:25 pm

   SMS’s Phantasy Star also has got a great ending!
3. #3 Rob says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 4:36 pm

   It is a good list but FFVI is deffinitly missing. and on a side note maybe not for this list but for other list it has been left out of and list to come Lufia:And the fortress of doom is another one of the great rpgs
4. #4 TheMountain says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 4:42 pm

   Hey Evil Detective. Please define for me what a “work of literature is”. Also look at the Greek USES of a word before applying it to a general category called “literature”. But first, please enlighten me on the TRUE defenition of literature and what you’re circumscribing it to with your complusive need for authority.
5. #5 wiggin says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 5:00 pm

   Every game fits the same mold over and over and over again. The reason we see so many nintendo, snes, and psx titles on this list is that they pioneered the type of ending they’re on the list for.
   Contra is on there because the island blew up. That’s OW’s reason for it being on the list (besides the sense of reward for completing one of the hardest games ever). Super Metroid had a planet blow up!!!! “How come it’s not on the list for having a planet blow up!?!?!?!?!?” Because we already saw that ending in contra, and we watched it a million times more in the subsequent video games that followed.
   The problem with today’s gamers is that they think that every thing they personally have experienced is SOOO much greater than someone else’s experience. If contra’s cool because the island blew up, shouldn’t super metroid just take it’s place because the whole planet blew up? The person who has only played SM says yes. The person who has played both games says no.

   Rant aside: I can’t tell if it was just me being about 10 at the time, or if it really was a good ending, but I’ve always thought that the ending cinematic to Legend of Dragoon was one of the best endings I’ve ever seen.It was around 10 min of CG finishing one of the most epic battles to date. All of this is of course marred by a sub par JRPG experience, but story-wise it is in my top 10.
6. #6 Zeromage says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 5:13 pm

   Wiggins: Nice comment. Good to see a well thought out response.
7. #7 Ryan says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 5:33 pm

   You missed Earthbound/mother 2
8. #8 Surgical Precision says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 5:37 pm

   I know I’ve already commented on Link to the Past but honestly if you absolutely just had to of made a Zelda title your #1 pick then why it? (No your reason really didn’t cut it for me… Sorry)

   Wind Waker’s ending is without question the best the series has ever seen to date… Hell even if you couldn’t stand the game it still managed to deeply satisfy…

   But even then if you must insist on not giving anything that’s newer then two console generations old it’s dues… OoT still is a better pick then LttP for the best Zelda ending…

   It basically meets all your criteria for why you loved LttP’s ending so much only this time around it actually involved characters that you got to know better then a passing acquaintance “on your way to save the day”… (Which as I expand earlier never really ended up happening in LttP)

   Not to mention if you want to go the Super Metroid route and say the whole final battles / collapsing tower thing is part of the ending, well then simply put there is no question that OoT is the better of the two… (Seeing as LttP’s final battle was jokinglly easily)
9. #9 Scooter says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 5:48 pm

   Wolfestein 3D wins the crown for me. Fighting Hitler (who is sporting a robotic suit with chainguns) is the best ending in videogame history.
10. #10 Parker S says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    Ok… You’re pulling at my heartstrings here. When I saw that final screen from LttP I teared up a little.

    Best. Game. Ever.
11. #11 lester says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 6:13 pm

    shadow of collosus
12. #12 Harold Bloom says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 6:37 pm

    If any of you think there’s a video game that attains the quality of great literature, you need to read more books.
13. #13 waasys says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 6:44 pm

    Yeah, Metal Gear Solid’s ending was really nice. Sometimes I wonder how important is the ending of a game, even if you played it for hours and really enjoyed, bad ending can make you feel dissapointed.
14. #14 ArronC says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 7:29 pm

    Where is Mass Effect?

    It is THE MOST cinematic, touching, and well-written video game I have ever experienced.
15. #15 peet says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 7:32 pm

    Anyone remember the ending to fallout 1?

    You return to the vault after having gone through hell to save the population but upon your return you are exiled from the vault cos the people fear what you may have become and refuse to accept you back dooming you to wander the nuclear wastes for the rest of your life.

    The best ending ever. Plays on humanities fears and bigotry.
16. #16 Writhel says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 7:57 pm

    Final Fantasy X and FF Crisis Core have great endings. I guess almost every FF-game has good endings.

    Longing for FFXIII! To bad we haft to wait another two years for the X360-version to finish.

    PS: Douse anyone know when/if FF13 Versus is coming 2009?
17. #17 Bill says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 8:01 pm

    Just another case of, “Hey lets list a bunch of old games and talk about how they’re so much better than all the games out today”, move along.
18. #18 Laurus Nobilis says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 8:09 pm

    I loved Syberia I and II, so probably that is why I loved their ending too. But if I have to pick a title from this list, that would be Deus Ex.
19. #19 GaryLoganYorkPaFindMeIfYouDontLikeMyViews says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 8:40 pm

    This is prolly the dumbest thing Ive ever seen. I wnt argue what belogns on that list and what dosent. I just think its a stupid list to even make. How about compiling a list of games that ripped each other off. Bet ya cant make only a top ten for that.
20. #20 GaryLoganYorkPaFindMeIfYouDontLikeMyViews says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 8:42 pm

    “GaryLoganYorkPaFindMeIfYouDontLikeMyViews Your comment is being moderated. We are currently destroying the illusion of free speech to which you hold so dear…we are in control.”

    Is part of that a hatebreed song??? (” ,)
21. #21 Surgical Precision says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 8:58 pm

    @ Harold Bloom

    Obviously they are few and far between (Maybe even only a handful) but they do exist…

    While I’d be lying out my ass to say there is any game out there that is as consistently good as most quality books are written from start to finish, I can name two that are in many ways more complicated and give you as much “food for thought” as the best si-fi novels you could find to date…

    Chrono Trigger and it’s sequel Chrono Cross…

    The plot in CT never really gets too heavy and really go’s along at a slow but enjoyable pace right up until the games end with only one major twist thrown in towards the end for good measure, But CC on the other hand takes the opposite approach to an almost extreme level…

    Not only does the whole game playout like one giant spiraling twist after another, It actually go’s the extra insane length of explaining away as scientifically accurately as possible just how everything had gotten as messed up as it was by all the time travelling and dimensional hopping between the two games…

    Effectively they where stuck in a paradox because of the events of between the two games… Though that’s a insanity striped down explanation of a ridiculously complicated series of events… (And even stranger loopholes that both time and space had to jump through to make everything work)
22. #22 Jesus says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 10:06 pm

    Every list here is the same.
    Nintendo wins in some way, Nintendo dominates the list in some way. Where were you when Nintendo was dying during the PS era?
23. #23 Johivin says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 10:53 pm

    Where is Pong? Pong had the best ending EVER! It showed how we are all pawns in the game of life, getting knocked back and forth. ……………….

    Seriously though people, this is someone’s opinion. Why are you making threats and hatefilled comments over someone’s opinions? The fact comes down to the point that these are based on a single or a small group’s opinions. Some people have good memories of the older games. In an age where the production values for games are through the roof, these were high quality games of the time.

    In my opinion the new games lack the story telling quality that many older games had in large supply. Yes, you now have more choices in the games. Yes, the visual quality has improved. But the overall ability to tell the story has faltered. It’s like comparing the Star Wars movies, new and old. The original trilogy is miles above the new movies in the manner of storytelling.

    A game of the new genre that has a fairly good story is Advanced Wars: Days of Ruin. Even if it is short, the story holds many of the same ideals as the older games.
24. #24 brodyhill says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 11:09 pm

    Article should be renamed:

    Top 11 Video Game Endings – By an author who’s beaten 20 games in his whole life.

    Contra? Are you kidding me!? Does anyone even know the relation between the red and blue guy in co-op mode? Brothers? Partners?

    This selection = fail
25. #25 JackBurton says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 12:04 am

    wow that list sucked, where’s God of War, FF3, FF8, Metal Gear Solid 3…i love 8-bit systems and all, but come on!
26. #26 saioke says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 1:23 am

    seriously… you people need to stop complaining and crying like a bunch of emo kids with a lot of time on your hands.

    everyone has a right to have a opinion. you don’t like it, move out of the country.
27. #27 WOWFAIL says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 2:57 am

    WOW YOU FUCKING SUCK, GANNONBANNED RETARD
28. #28 Faded Barbarian says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 5:48 am

    Imho, System Shock 2 has the best ending of any game I’ve played. I found it very surreal and satisfying.
29. #29 Freddy Gorman says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 10:29 am

    half life wins for weirdest boss fight ever!
30. #30 Ty says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 10:43 am

    Zelda Link to the Past is definitely my favorite, nice list.
31. #31 Malice says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 1:43 pm

    You forgot Call of duty 5 ending! Nobody expected germans to lose >.<
32. #32 Soup says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 9:41 pm

    list failed, no silent hill 2. lost all credibility at that point. possibly one of the worsts lists ever compiled.
33. #33 Osama says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 6:00 am

    Decent list. As usual, too Nintendo-centric. Bioshock’s ending should be up there. Top notch!
34. #34 LN says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 7:25 am

    I wonder why this article is about old games only?!
35. #35 GinnyN says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    For me… Mother 3, Super Paper Mario and Yoshi’s Island just because almost ruined my whole childhood…

    Cool list ^^!
36. #36 Zeonic Freak says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 9:30 pm

    Why are most of these games, by Nintendo.

    Oh right, i know where im at now, the biggest gathering of Nintendo Fanboy readers, my god…
37. #37 KotOREffecT says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 8:11 am

    What?! No Mass Effect? You kiddin me? That game had one of if not the most massive epic endings ever.. Right before the end everything is just epic, the last fight, the confrontations. Not to mention the graphics and music hits so well… Did I mention the epic music?… And then bam! The ending is just magic! You should really check out the ending for it. It will leave you in awe…

    Mass Effect

    Ending

    Epic

    Go check it out for yourself or you fail at life…
38. #38 Gyb says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    @peet: It was explained in Fallout 2 that the Overseer feared the Vault-Dweller would know the true purpose of underground vaults and start a rebellion.
39. #39 UP2IP2 says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:22 am

    MY LIST OF BEST EnDINGS
    1.MGS4
    2.KINGDOM HEARTS 2
    3 CONKER BAD FUR DAY
    4.FALLOUT 1
    5.Scarface TWIY (not realy but it was funny tho)
    6.COD WOW
    8.COD4
    9.ZONE THE ENDERS 1
    thats all folks
40. #40 d5o says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    If you have never played Infamous that game belongs on this list. I have never had a game’s ending give me goosebumps but this game did it.
41. #41 Faisal says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 12:54 pm

    lovely collection but missed few
42. #42 Captain Raccoon says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 11:06 pm

    Haha…blowing up an island! such a great ending.
43. #43 Does Not Give A Crap says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 1:23 am

    final fantasy should be first then secret of mana second
44. #44 dave says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 4:51 pm

    sorry but i personaly think that number 1 should be the end of legace of the damned campaign in warcaft 3 the frozen throne i mean when arthas merges with ner’zul and then you hear ner’zul say now we are one it is full of win
45. #45 Journeythroughhell says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 5:57 pm

    Are you serious? Contra? Over Call Of Duty? Over GTA 4?
46. #46 Cleru says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 12:04 pm

    Well Summon Night just as awesom in GBA though