History Main / BonusStage

* In UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball, the "extra point" and "two-point conversion" come after a major score, and failure usually has no consequence other than not getting the extra points. However, in extreme cases, [[EpicFail it's possible for the other team to score]]. Much the same applies to a conversion in RugbyUnion.

* A [[TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames classic example]] is the Challenge Stages of ''{{Galaga}}''.

* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' and its sequels have loads of secret areas filled with goodies, some of which behave more like part of a normal level and some of which behave more like levels in their own right.
* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'' has hidden rooms that contain many bananas, banana coins, and balloons. Collecting everything reveals a Puzzle Piece necessary for OneHundredPercentCompletion. Falling off does not result in death.

* The first ''Franchise/CrashBandicoot'' has bonus stages that are gotten to by collecting three of certain items. The later games have one on each level(the page image is from the [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped third game]]), which you just have to step on a pad to get to. Some levels have a second pad that only appears if you get that far without dying, or have the corresponding colored Gem in your hands, which leads to a more-dangerous-than-normal-play Death Stage.

** ''[[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries SonicRush]]'' did the same thing, but only for Sonic's story - Blaze got a Sol Emerald automatically after every boss fight. The Chaos Emeralds AND the Sol Emeralds were both necessary to access the final stage in this case.

* The first ''Franchise/CrashBandicoot'' has bonus stages that are gotten to by collecting three of certain items. The later games have one on each level, which you just have to step on a pad to get to. Some levels have a second pad that only appears if you get that far without dying, or have the corresponding colored Gem in your hands, which leads to a more-dangerous-than-normal-play Death Stage.

* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' had the Troves of the Treasure King, a single player instance focused on the player looting as many chests as possible before a timer ran out. While there were enemies to fight it was better to ignore all but the final mini-boss as they dropped little loot and tended to call others over, wasting even more time. It could only be accessed using a key which characters could only loot once per week.

* ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' has Greed's Domain, reached either via Kanai's Cube or rarely when killing a [[MetalSlime Treasure Goblin]]. The zone not only contains two additional Treasure Goblins and the boss Greed but also breakable items which spawn massive amounts of gold. A good run can easily net ''millions'' of gold.

** The ''Battletoads'' ArcadeGame had a ''Street Fighter II''-like timed stage after the third level to demolish a Rat Fighter like the one from ''Battletoads and Double Dragon''.

** In the 8-bit (MasterSystem and GameGear) game, the Chaos Emeralds were hidden in the levels but collecting enough rings gave you access to the bonus stage full of rings, extra lives and one continue per stage.

* ''VideoGame/CarriesOrderUp" sends you to a bonus stage every four rounds, where you have a limited time to collect coins to raise your score and earn extra lives without fear of bumping into customers.

* In Disney/WreckItRalph, two bonus stages in their respective games are plot points.

* ''SpiralKnights'' periodically and randomly inserts bonus stages into their dungeons. These levels are full of money, items, [[ExperiencePoints Heat]] and [[GreenRocks Minerals]], with no enemies to attack.

* Between nights in ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys4'' you get "Fun with Plushtrap", a minigame where you have to try and use your flashlight to make Plushtrap stop moving on a particular spot. Succeed, and you skip two hours on the next night. Fail, and you either get a screen stating "Too bad" or Plushtrap jumpscares you.

[[folder: Non-Video Game ]]

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' has, in addition to coin rooms, a MiniGame where Mario must hit various cycling blocks and try to get 3 shapes in a row to win [[OneUp 1-Ups]]. It is accessed by accumulating 100 stars via breaking the tape at the end of the main levels (they're absent in Ghost Houses, Fortresses and Castles).

** In the 8-bit (MasterSystem and GameGear) game, the Chaos Emeralds were hidden in the levels but collecting enough rings gave
you access to the bonus stage full of rings, extra lives and one continue per stage.

** In the first 16-bit ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' game, collecting enough rings during a level would unlock a bonus stage (Special Stages) at the end of the level where you could try to win a Chaos Emerald. In later 16-bit era games, these areas would become accessible during the levels rather than after them, and would later be accompanied by additional types of bonus stage (called oddly enough, Bonus Stages) that didn't contain Chaos Emeralds but did contain power-ups and the like, but these were still treated as separate stages rather than as parts of the stage you came from; your score would be tallied at the end of them just like at the end of any other stage.
** In the 8-bit (MasterSystem and GameGear) game, the Chaos Emeralds were hidden in the levels but collecting enough rings gave you access to the bonus stage full of rings, extra lives and one continue per stage.

* ''Manga/{{Gon}}'' for the SuperFamicom has three of these: "Gon Eats Apples," "Gon Makes a Sculpture," and "Gon Steps on a Crocodile."

!!Examples

* In AmericanFootball, the "extra point" and "two-point conversion" qualify. They come after a major score, and failure usually has no consequence other than not getting the extra points. However, in extreme cases, [[EpicFail it's possible for the other team to score]]. Much the same applies to a conversion in RugbyUnion.