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The 8-bit death montage

5:07 PM on 02.27.2007   |   Hamza CTZ Aziz


The above video is a quick compilation of death scenes from popular Nintendo games. Before seeing this, I really didn't care how my character died in games. But now I'm much more appreciative developers take that extra step and make deaths scenes oh so pretty.

What do you guys and gals think are some of the best death scenes in gaming?

(Bonus: Can you name all of the characters in the video?)  








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Hamza Aziz, Destructoid's Community Director, has been here since day one. He was born when a tiger coughed up a hairball into a pool of ooze. He was one of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles before budget cuts. Hamza works as a previews editor and manages a team in San Francisco. To date he has given away tens of thousands of dollars in prizes to readers. What a dick. Actually, Hamza is as kind as he is hairy. Likes Super Mario RPG, Halo, iPhone, Videogame cover bands, Super Nintendo Meet the rest of the team



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33 comments | showing # 1 to 33
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BFeld13's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:18
BFeld13
Elite Beat Agents

Because nothing is worse than losing the rhythm and messing up your moves.
BluDesign's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:19
BluDesign
There was entirely too much drama in death in early video games.

I mean, who spins in circles when they die? Normally you're hooked up to some sort of a machine or you just drop. Nope, Solid Snake, Kickle Cubicle, Mappy, et al. All spinners. Way over dramatized. How did we ever convince ourselves that this was realistic or lifelike with poorly done death scenes like those?

When I'm about to go when I die, I'm going to have it written in my will that my casket must spin horizontally 7-8 times before they toss it into the ground. Then we'll match up the experience for comparison to a non-spinning casket.
DannyMcGeek's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:21
DannyMcGeek
A bit beyond this gen, but I always liked the animation in the first Turok when a guy got shot in the neck.
momiji58's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:21
momiji58
Character/Game:
1. Ms. Pacman
2. Digdug
3. -
4. -
5. Excitebike
6. Mappyland
7. Link
8. -
9. -
10. Burgertime
11. -
12. -
13. Metal Gear
14. Jumpman
15. Bionic Commando
16. Arkanoid
17. -
18. Moon-something (very familiar)
19. -
20. Asteroid
21. -
22. -
23. -
24. Balloon Fight
25. Pit
26. Mario Brothers
27. -
28. Pacman

Topher Cantler's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:21
Topher Cantler
My own should be pretty impressive. Guess we'll see.
momiji58's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:23
momiji58
<sputter> <sputter> <gasp>... AAARRGGHHH!
Joseph Leray's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:30
Joseph Leray
@momiji -- I think Kid Icarus is in there somewhere.
mandlebaum123's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:31
mandlebaum123
1. Ms. Pacman
2. Digdug
3. q-bert
4. -
5. Excitebike
6. Mappyland
7. Link
8. Frogger
9. -
10. Burgertime
11. Ghost N goblins
12. Mr. Do
13. Metal Gear
14. Jumpman
15. Bionic Commando
16. Arkanoid
17. -
18. Moon-Patrol
19. -
20. Asteroid
21. Defender
22. Galaga
23. -
24. Balloon Fight
25. Pit
26. Mario Brothers
27. Missle Command
28. Pacman

Those shumps are tough. Whats the penguin?
mandlebaum123's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:34
mandlebaum123
Clearly I copied momijis list and added the ones I knew. I knew all the one she pointed out.

And Pit is the name of the character in kid icarus
DrEvilbones's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:49
DrEvilbones
Not exactly a death scene I guess, but easily the best game over screen ever:
<img src="http://www.mobygames.com/images/i/48/39/331239.jpeg" />
Also involves things spinning.
(from Goemon's Great Adventure on N64)
DrEvilbones's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 17:50
DrEvilbones
urg, bbcode sucks...
Jordan Devore's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 18:16
Jordan Devore
Where's yo head at?
broham's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 18:19
broham
That frogger death has some bass.
masterledz's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 18:36
masterledz
# 19 is Galaxian
's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 19:51
Neil
This would make a better gif.
Seifersythe's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 20:08
Seifersythe
Where the hell is megaman?!
SuperDave's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 23:20
SuperDave
@Seifersythe

For real!

And the first thing I thought is where the hell is Mario? Who can forget that classic music? Plus you have to love the way he looks at you with the "Home Alone look" before he falls off the screen.

BLOOP! Dun dun de dun dun deh dun dun dun dun.
van's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 01:48
van
4. - the nameless(?) guy from Donkey Kong 3

9. - Pengo

17. ?

23. - ?



van's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 01:55
van
wait a minute...
the guy's name from DK 3 was apparently "Stanley the Bugman".

from wikipedia: "Not much is known about him, but he is said to be the cousin or friend of Mario."
"...he did appear as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee..."
Burnt Meatloaf's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 04:08
Burnt Meatloaf
Most humiliating death: Outrun.

Car flips over multiple times, passengers are thrown from vehicle, and... your girlfriend slaps you upside the head. Ouch!
momiji58's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 08:29
momiji58
Of course I'm a bit biased on this, but any type of death in the Sims and Sims 2, especially if you do it intentionally.

Like the pool ladder accident.. XD
teknohed's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 11:08
teknohed
I'd say the best death scene is Dragon's Lair's Dirk the Daring melting into a skeleton and then crumbling to the floor all the while smirking at you with a "you really suck at this game, you know that?" expression on his big dumb face.
Aaron Mxy Yost's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 11:40
Aaron Mxy Yost
So much death...
thetitan's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 12:05
thetitan
great, but now I am reminiscing.
lordgrunk's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 12:46
lordgrunk
17. centipede
flaakmonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 13:47
flaakmonkey
where Clash at Demonhead? that had a great death sequence.
Nobody's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 21:31
Nobody
There are 29 death scenes, not 28. The list from 17 onwards (after Arkanoid) should read:

17. Centipede
18. Moon Patrol
19. Galaxian
20. Asteroids
21. Defender
22. Galaga
23. Scramble
24. Gyruss
25. Balloon Fight
26. Pit
27. Mario Brothers
28. Missile Command
29. Pacman
momiji58's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/28/2007 23:06
momiji58
Nobody's right there ARE 29 deaths... O.o
bmdubya's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/03/2007 00:44
bmdubya
I think the best death scene in a game is the decapitation in Resident Evil 4 when you get attacked by the people with chain saws. The first time it scared the shit out of me. But after that it was entertainment. Not saying I like watching people getting their heads cut off, but it was interesting in RE4.
anomalous underdog's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/15/2007 15:05
anomalous underdog
@bmdubya: it was even more surprising when that alien head (i think its called ganado 2nd stage) ate leon's the first time it happened to me. i was waiting for it to get close since i was using a shotgun. next thing i know my head was missing.

Fony's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/19/2007 16:50
Fony
Jesus, that one minute brought back so much anger and pissyness... KHAAAAAN!!
ridley80's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/20/2007 19:56
ridley80
Oh man, best death was in Metal Gear Solid. You would die and you hear Meryl or someone scream "SNAKE!!! SNAAAAAAKKKEEE!!"
If you played the japanese version you would hear "SNAAKU! SNAAAKU!!!" Epic.
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