My Favorite Video Game Endings

My favorite ending from a video game comes from this title. The strength of this ending lies in the sad and strange feeling that it leaves on you after defeating all the colossi. It makes you wonder, even if your mission was successful, what was the price paid for it? While the credits are rolling, the player can see the remnants of all the colossi, lifeless, while sad music plays, adding to the emotions brought by your cuestionable choices during the game. It is a really powerful ending and my favorite from all games.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukjtnuFmD_w

Chrono Trigger has various endings, depending on the set of actions you take during the game, and while many are great, my favorite is the "Floating Away" ending. Compared to other endings on the game, this is a totally happy ending in which Crono and Marle accidentally float away in some balloons, while the credits roll and they watch the town fair's fireworks. The greatness of this endings comes from the feeling of accomplishment, along with the music featured on it, making you feel like you have got the best ending on the game.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC4M8B6oJuE

After all the frightening and tragic events that occurred during the game, the "Mary's letter" ending is a perfect finale for James' story, as it finishes with a letter from James' deceased wife, explaining her feelings related to their tragic story. After that, the ending shows James leaving the town with Laura, the little girl you found during the game, which makes you feel like there is still hope after all for the protagonist, despite all the events of the game.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEacfO0ztX4

While the Metal Gear series features many great endings, my favorite comes from Metal Gear Solid 3, in which after defeating The Boss you get to see a cutscene in which Naked Snake considers his previous mentor's actions and notices the fact that the nation will see her as a traitor and won't know the truth about what she really wanted to accomplish for the world. It is an ending that leaves you worried about the events to happen in future installments of the series, expanding the lore in incredible manner.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm7lhCY2fck

Terranigma is a Super Nintendo game, that sadly is not a very well known game. It is a shame because it features a sweet ending that may leave some gamers in tears. After defeating Dark Gaia and saving the world, the protagonist is turned into a bird so he can go and watch over the world. As the credits roll you can see humanity's progress, but after this scene the bird will arrive to a house, knocking so he can see again his best friend during the game. It is a sweet ending because after all the events of the story we can finally see the two friends reunited again.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GWScEnVqKk

After you have successfully defeated Whitley, and GlaDOS has recovered control of the facility, she surprisingly allows you to finally escape. What really makes this ending great, though, is that as you leave the facility on the elevator, you can see an opera dedicated to you, sung by many robots. As you reach the end, though, you hear a sound coming from the facility, and when the protagonist turns back you can see a nod to the first game, in which the Companion Cube appears to have "survived" and is given back to you. It is a very funny ending for a great game, and after the credits roll you get to see Whitley trying to apologise for its actions, making it even more funny.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=usyYqJf0rfk

I was considering putting Final Fantasy 7's ending on the list (which is also great), but I decided on this, though, as it gives a very pleasing closure for all the characters recruited during the game, showing their distinct fates and finishing the main story in an epic note, as you can see the protagonist turning again in her Esper form, flying away victoriously.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v6G2_JLghE

After the sad events in the final fight, Mother 3 ends with an ancient dragon destroying the island, home of all characters in the game. After that, the screen goes black and you doubt for a moment if all its ihabitants were destroyed, but suddenly they start talking and making curious comments about what has happened. Even if their fate is left ambiguous, this ending makes you feel as if a new opportunity has been given for the characters, making it a hopeful ending as it finishes with the title's logo carved in wood, instead of metal, representing the transformation of the world to a more pure state, related to nature.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c0TUPV3ZZI

The Legend of Zelda series has many great endings, but my favorite comes from Ocarina of Time, in which, after defeating Ganon and saving the world from a terrible future, Link returns in time and gives Navi (his fairy) the opportunity to be free. After that, Link returns to Zelda's castle and they reunite again.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge8zd1ZR-hc

After revealing all the secrets and twists of the story, the game ends on a triumphant and sweet note, as the fate of all the characters you have encountered is revealed. It is an ending that puts a smile on your face and makes you think about the story even after it has finished.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ_70wffGGo

Being a game about memories and wishes, the ending for To the Moon couldn't be more appropiate, as it shows a fabricated dream in which the character we have helped during the story is given a final opportunity to enjoy his dream of being with his wife and brother. It is a very emotional ending and it gives the story a perfect closure.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUFLrr2yK88

The Stanley Parable toys with the notion of various endings, making joke of narrators and satirizing the nature of control on video games. Among its various endings, my favorite is the "Countdown Ending", in which the character is subject to a terrible fate in which all his world will be destroyed after he decided to disobey the narrator. The only thing you can do in this ending is watch as the countdown reaches to zero, making you wondering if you really are in control of the story or if the narrator is.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-aMhZVQdHI

Showing a time in which the famous Mario and Luigi duo were just babies, Yoshi's Island ends with a scene in which the two babies are finally reunited with their parents. What I really like about this ending is that during the credits you can watch their journey home along with calm music and an amazing sight of the night. After they get home a message is presented, saying "new heroes are born", marking the start of the Super Mario series.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV8PCuLQ-v0

Even if it may seem a little bit simple for today's standards, I really like Castlevania 4 ending, as it proves that you only need the appropriate music and mood to make you feel like all your efforts finishing the game were worth it. As you finally defeat Dracula, the hero watches as he leaves the castle. The credits roll and you feel like you accomplished something great.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr6x1AyZZnc

Undertale features many endings, but the most satisfying is the True Pacifist ending, in which you have to decide if you go home or if you stay with the monsters of the underworld. Deciding to stay makes you experience a very happy ending, as you see all the friends you have made along the way enjoying their lives. It is a really nice way of finishing the game and one of the most satisfying endings on a videogame.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz88fxhwMnE