History Main / MultipleEndings

* In ''TodayIDie'', the protagonist can free herself from a metaphorical depression on her own, or with the help of a young man. Although they're both happy endings, people tend to find one more appealing than the other.

* ''KamenRiderRyuki'' has the ending to the TV series, the film EPISODE FINAL and 13 Riders, a televised special which was an alternate retelling of the whole series which had viewers vote on the ending. [[spoiler:Subverted, since all the endings save for the TV series presumably ends with a timeloop back to square one]].

* At the end of the original ''{{Half-Life}}'', the player has a choice: [[spoiler:join the G-Man or die.]] Each choice has its own Game Over screen and consequences.

* ''Film/{{Terminator 2|Judgement Day}}: The Arcade Game'': Which ending the player receives depends on whether all the equipment in the [=CyberDyne=] building is completely destroyed. If the player fails to destroy the equipment, research at [=CyberDyne=] would still continue, and Judgment Day may possibly still happen.

* ''VideoGame/RockmanExhaust'' has two endings by mistake. Beating the final boss normally has the game [[NoEnding reset after Wily starts begging.]] Entering an invisible boss gate during the fight, however, leads you to a MinusWorld version of the fight with a glitched boss that stays on the right side of the screen. Killing ''this'' boss leads to another ending where Mega Man falls through the floor (presumably due to a programming error), and the projector simply falls endlessly. See [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ww_6821.png here.]]

* ''VideoGame/CannonSpike'' has, besides the two characters, guest characters from games. The hidden ones and VideoGame/MegaMan from the series of the same name and BB Hood from Darkstalkers 3. Each character has a ending as does 2P mode, but BB Hood's endings in 2P mode is somewhat different; beat the game with one of the two players playing as BB Hood, and BB Hood will beat up the other character and [[spoiler: boot him/her down the Life Saving tube,]] and the ending plays as if it was 1P mode. If Mega Man is selected, then BB Hood, BB Hood does not beat up Mega Man.

* ''Terminator 2: The Arcade Game'': Which ending the player receives depends on whether all the equipment in the [=CyberDyne=] building is completely destroyed. If the player fails to destroy the equipment, research at [=CyberDyne=] would still continue, and Judgment Day may possibly still happen.

* The ''Film/LittleShopOfHorrors'' Director's Cut Blu-Ray allows viewers to choose whether Audrey II eats Audrey and Seymour, then takes over the world (as seen in test screenings), or Audrey and Seymour survive, then the latter blows Audrey II up (as seen during the original theatrical release).

* ''FanFic/{{Cupcakes}}'' has many many ''many'' alternate endings, usually to make it LighterAndSofter than it originally is. To note though, that the story only has ''one'' ending.

* Right before the end of the Two-Face themed issue of ''[[{{Batman}} Joker's Asylum]]'', Joker breaks the fourth wall, demands the reader get a coin and flip it to determine a character's fate: Heads: The character happily reunites with his wife. Tails: He ends up killing himself. Panels are presented for both endings, though, as the Joker explains, only the coin flip determines what "really" happened.

MultipleEndings are the most commonly seen form of StoryBranching in video games, used primarily to increase their ReplayValue, especially {{role playing game}}s, SurvivalHorror, and {{dating sim}}s. Different strategies or levels of skill in play will result in different endings, rather than all leading to a single predetermined conclusion. Generally, multiple playthroughs are necessary to see all the content, and possibly to unravel certain mysteries. What determines the ending usually involves the choices the game gives in the prompt, whether one completes the HundredPercentCompletion, other character's RelationshipValues towards you (including the AllianceMeter), and/or how high the player got the KarmaMeter. Sometimes there are dual-optimal endings depending on which side they chose to be on. (These can include the Forces of Evil!) The most diverse examples are found in {{Dating Sim}}s, including but not limited to:

* The ''Standard End'', which usually involves the least effort by the player. This is usually very short or unfulfilling, such as a blank staff roll, if the game is trying to push HundredPercentCompletion on you.

* The ''True End'', the primary plot ending of a game that has multiple endings. In many {{Dating Sim}}s, this ending may not be achievable if other endings are not achieved yet. It basically forces the player to finish the game with the "Good End", in order to unlock the path of the true story. When it is still locked, trying to get the "True End" usually results in the "Standard End" or "Bad End" below. The "True End" usually reveals most if not everything that happened in the other storylines, while some events remain mysterious even when "Good End" is achieved.
* The ''Good+/Best End'', where all the available content is opened up or shown.

* The longer and genuinely ''Bad End'', where the more devoted but failed gamer is rewarded with a more prolonged, depressive, or outright disturbing endings. See ItsAWonderfulFailure. The phrase '''BAD END''' itself is an IrisOut-type meme, well-recognized in modern parody. [[EarnYourBadEnding Bad Ends are, paradoxically, sought out]] in certain dodgier videogames.
* The ''Joke End'' perhaps the rarest of all, some games contain joke endings which are usually the most difficult to obtain, generally requiring the player to use some MacGuffin or play in a totally nonstandard way.

There are several endings but only one is declared canon by later installments.

* ''VideoGame/CaveStory'' has an obvious, early bad ending, triggered if you accept a character's offer to run away rather than stay to fight the BigBad. Defeating the BigBad gives a rather bittersweet standard ending [[spoiler:where the threat to the world is averted, but the floating island crashes, killing everyone who was still in it]]. But if you complete the sidequest to save Curly (whose requirements are [[GuideDangit hard to figure out without a guide]] and very easily LostForever), enter the BonusLevelOfHell and defeat the TrueFinalBoss, then you get the good ending [[spoiler:in which you save the island from crashing, and the QuirkyMinibossSquad finds redemption]]. Also, for both the standard and good endings, the credits (and the art that's displayed during them) vary depending on your in-game accomplishments. The bad ending gets no credits.

** In several games, an interesting variety is that the standard ending is the easiest one to get, the one that takes a bit of work is the Bad ending, and the best is the GoldenEnding. ''[[CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest Simon's Quest]]'', ''HarmonyOfDissonance'', and the [[CastlevaniaSorrow Sorrow series]] used this.
*** Simon's Quest deserves special mention. The "standard" ending (finish in 8-16 days) says unequivocally that Simon died, but hinted that a new hero would eventually carry on the fight against Dracula. The "beginner" ending (over 16 days, an ''extremely'' slow time) says that the curse was destroyed, but hints strongly that the Belmont bloodline was as well, plus the screen is black and white. In the "best" ending (under 8 days), the curse is broken, and Simon survives and is hailed as a hero...but in the very last shot, Dracula's hand emerges from his grave. Since all three, based on future events, are accurate to some extent, it's highly arguable as to which, if any, is the "correct" one, although Konami clearly at least ''intended'' for the best ending to be it.

** Others just have a bad ending and a good ending. Usually, trying to get the good ending opens up another boss battle, if not more areas to explore. Sometimes the bad ending cuts the game off halfway. The requirments can be not taking too long (''{{Castlevania64}}//[[CastlevaniaLegacyOfDarkness Legacy Of Darkness]]''), getting all the {{Plot Coupon}}s required (''[[CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia Order Of Ecclesia]]''), or finding a certain item and using it at the right point. (''[[CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin Portrait Of Ruin]]'' and ''[[CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight Symphony Of The Night]]'').
*** Apparently, there was supposed to be another Bad End for ''Symphony'', judging from some DummiedOut dialogue found by hacking the game, in which Maria would've been possessed by a Demon.
** ''[[CastlevaniaBloodlines Bloodlines]]'' had two segmented endings, one for each character that got longer depending on difficulty.

** ''SpiritTracks'' also has three different endings, depending on Link's answer to Zelda's question about what he wants to become after the adventure, which the player had to chose before the final battle. Choosing "Warrior" gives the player a scene where Zelda watched Link training in the countyard (and apparently hurting himself in the process), "Train Engineer" causes a similar scene, where Zelda watched him driving by the Castle and pulling the steem whistle. When answered that he's not sure, Link apparently leaves Hyrule after the game, leaving Zelda behind with nothing but a picture showing the two of them on the Spirit Train.

** ''Hunters'' had a standard good and bad endings. You get the bad ending if you beat the final boss without shooting the symbols on the wall, and ending shows the area exploding with Samus stuck inside, then the words "The End?" appears after the credits. If you were able to figure out what the cryptic messages throughout the game meant and used it during the final boss fight, there would be a second part to the fight, and beating the boss there gets you the good ending where Samus escapes.

* Each chapter of ''CorpseParty: Blood Covered'' has a few "Wrong End"s and a single "True End". Only by reaching the latter can the player continue on to the next chapter. The fact that these are called "True End"s rather than "''Good'' End"s gives you an idea of [[NightmareFuel the general]] [[FromBadToWorse tone of things]].

** The third (and most NightmareFuel-eriffic) has [[spoiler:possessed!Katie calmly enter the bedroom with the knife. She locks the door and looks at the camera, [[SlasherSmile a smile on her face.]] She then slits her throat and falls down dead.]]

** And finally, [[AWinnerIsYou Wallace]]'s ending... is a single picture of Wallace sitting on Gideon's throne, holding a glass of wine, confetti fluttering down, and no added text to give any sort of context to the situation.

* ''TheLittlePrince'' has an in-universe example where the author realizes that he [[spoiler: has made the sheep's muzzle impossible to wear]] and therefore there are two possible outcomes for the little prince's rose; either [[spoiler: the sheep eats the rose]] or it does not. The author notes that the world appears to change depending on what he thinks has happened.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

*** I just saw that. Wasn't expecting it. [[NightmareFuel Yikes!]] [[http://www.vgmuseum.com/end/arcade/a/blostohel.htm]]

* VideoGame/JojosBizarreAdventureHeritageForTheFuture is a fighting game so everyone has an ending (Young Joseph and Shadow Dio didn't in JJV) but Avdol and Mariah have two different endings depending on what option the player picked, reminiscent of [[StreetFighterII Chun-Li]] and [[VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes Thanos']] endings...although only problem is, you have to choose between one tarot card from 2 face down cards.
** For Avdol, if he draws The World, its implied Dio somehow came BackFromTheDead, whereas if he draws The Magician, he decides to reopen his shop.
** For Mariah, whatever card the player gets determines [[BreakingTheFourthWall what Mariah thinks of the player.]] If they draw The World, she tells them the're not as good as Dio is, but if they draw Bast, she wonders if they really are more attractive than him.

* The horror game ''Gyossait'' has two possible endings, depending on whether or not you used the gun to kill anything during the game.

** If you sent for Empress Gravelyn, [[spoiler:she finishes Vordred off with the weapon he had made from Noxus' skull. Upon learning that Artix is the Champion of Darkness, Gravelyn offers to make Artix the champion of her undead army, with her slaying Artix to become the Champion herself if he should refuse. Artix refuses, as he is a Paladin of Swordhaven and servant of Good King Alteon. Gravelyn renews her vow to finish what her father started when Drakath falls before handing the Noxus Head Staff off to you]].
** If you sent for Lady Vayle, [[spoiler:she protects you from Vordred's final attack before challenging Artix in vengeance for her brother. Artix refuses to fight Vayle, but states that she needs to talk to someone first. A sad scene then ensues where the spirit orb of Vayle's long-lost brother, who she became a necromancer to try to bring back, explains to her that what she did was wrong and that he thanks you and Artix for allowing him the chance to redeem himself. Vayle is moved to tears by this, but she's not forgiving Artix anytime soon -- her life's work was ruined by him, and she angrily states that the next time they meet, they will be mortal enemies]].

!!!"Good Ending" redirects here. If you were looking for the manga series commonly known by that name, you'll find it under ''Manga/GEGoodEnding''.

* ''{{Stalker}}: Shadow of Chernobyl'' has a least 7 endings. 5 are "false" early endings obtained by interacting with the "wish maker", often by players who had not fully interpreted the game plot, which wish/hallucination you get is based on your interactions and status in the game (in order of precedence):

** Tiberium Wars may have very well broken the mold, as the story and timeline of each side is [[BigWords intricately interwoven to form something that's relatively coherent.]]

* ''{{Pikmin}}'' has three endings: The Good End where you complete the primary objective and escape the planet with the three Pikmin Onions in tow, a Good+ End where a number of differently-colored Onions join the mix, and a somewhat disturbing but strangely cute Bad End where the main character dies and the Pikmin bring him back as one of their own.