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Retro games with the DARKEST outcomes

Jack Human

207,128 views

Not every retro game's ending saw your pixelated hero living happily ever after. From Atari to PS1, I've collected some of the strangest, darkest and most demoralizing game endings I've experienced... so far.

Featured games include Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (PS1), Mega Man X5 (PS1), Missile Command (Atari 5200), Countdown (Atari 800), Ghost Manor (Atari 2600), Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES), Alien 3 (NES), Monster Party (NES), Wizards & Warriors III (NES), Rolo to the Rescue (Genesis), Flood (Amiga), Ultima IX: Ascension (PC), Ultima VII: The Black Gate (PC).

Thanks again to those who permitted use of their clips in this video. Check out their channels too:

‪@erifellen‬
‪@RetroPixelLizard‬
@Darkleon_TVGM
‪@BippoErnesti‬
‪@RandomisedGamingYouTube‬
‪@Ermacgerd‬
‪@LetsPlat‬
‪@AL82RetrogamingLongplays‬
‪@longplayarchive‬
‪@world-of-longplays‬

20 Comments

@heavymetalelf 6 months ago

I clicked because of shadowgate in the thumbnail 😭

@DanglyWeenus-s5u 6 months ago

If you beat Double Dragon with a second player, you find out Jimmy was the villain the whole time.

@PinochleSundae 6 months ago

Diablo had one of the darkest endings, the hero doesn't die, but but becomes permanently possessed, something arguably worse than death.

@andrewrichards190 6 months ago

That Goofy Yaahahooie while Ripley is falling into the metal almost killed me

@SonicDestroyer12 6 months ago

Splatterhouse 3 deserves some mention as well, as its endings change depending on how quickly you go through the game. Only in the best ending do both Rick's wife and son survive; anything less and either or both of them could be lost, even though you technically "won" the game.

@buddythecat4675 6 months ago

Another one is Dragon Warrior on NES. For a laugh, at the end, I responded "yes" to join the Dragonlord, and I seem to remember the text going red and him laughing......and erasing the game. I seem to recall that there was no way to continue from the last place that you saved at, that the game taught you a lesson about even joking around about joining the evil. Man, that was traumatic. Now with save states, you just go back, but it was a real crisis for me then.

@TheStarTrekApologist 6 months ago

Strider for the NES had a pretty dark ending. You are called back when your friend Kain is abducted. Your mission to kill him so of course you save him. Just to have to fight him. Then your friend Shena dies then Kain dies. You fight the main villain. With everyone you knew dead you turn down an offer to come back to the Striders and walk off alone.

@SusieUndertale 6 months ago

the super deadpan delivery really elevates this

@Grinnar 6 months ago

The Splatterhouse series is pretty dark even with the good endings.

@Palparepa 6 months ago

In Terranigma for the SNES, after you beat the game you win a final day in your native village before your existence ends. Fun.

@supermariosunshine64 7 months ago

My type of humor. Can't wait to see more from you, you have something special going!

@BaronGrackle 6 months ago

Darkwing Duck on the NES ends with Darkwing driving the Ratcatcher (his motorcycle) through the night, until he hits a bump and gets ejected. The screen freezes as he's soaring through the air, with "THE END" written. Hilarious!! Of course, since he's not wearing his helmet, this is exactly how he dies in the episode "Dead Duck" of the television show. The show wiggled out of it by saying it was all a dream.

It's not meant to be a dark outcome. But if you were a diehard fan of the show, it can get you thinking!

@Sinistralx 6 months ago

Super Metroid. If I don't save those animals, I don't get off the damn planet myself. Forget naked Samus, I need to see that one little Sprite that flying away from that planet to know those little bums got away safe.

@matthewjaniss4103 6 months ago (edited)

For me it was Lufia 2. I cried so hard at the end of the game. And yes it is a JRPG but at the time, having the primary characters die was near unheard of. This was 94, yeah party members may have died at this time, but killing off the two main characters, who were married and have a newborn waiting for them, that was ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING. It was 1994, it was incredibly rare for the trope of the hero dying.

@shinkaibara1025 2 months ago

I don't know why the algorithm recommended this video, but it was really a pleasant find. I like your deadpan humor and while certainly not being the most polished youtuber when it comes to editing and video quality, the writing is funny and relatable . It's funny to see referenced not just AVGN but even Spoony, that surely was a blast from the past and seems to fit the kind of video you produce. Hope you get lots more subscribers and that you'll keep doing these reviews! Cheers.

@ExpendableSith 3 months ago

Subscribed for the Spoony reference alone. Good job, man, looking forward to more

@PoppaBoogaloo 6 months ago

I’ve been waiting for a channel like this produces comfy content. Subbed.

@comchia4306 6 months ago (edited)

I think Wing Commander III has my darkest losing ending. Two no-win stages, followed by Earth being incinerated, with your only choice being how Mark Hamill dies? Yeah, I'm gonna go for the winning ending.

Jason Bernard does some excellent acting in those scenes, though, really driving the bleakness of the situation.

@djmolnar 6 months ago

Dragon Lord. The whole game is a pursuit of immortality, and when you finally beat the other warlords, your "immortality" is getting turned into a statue. Not having a statue of you made, you physically get turned into a statue.