Line #18 NightmareFuel/SuperSmashBrosMelee


1	[[quoteright:480:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gigabowser.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:480:[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Long live the king...]]]]
3
4	''Melee'' is notably the first Smash Bros. game with a T-rating, and between the hard-hitting sound effects, intense gameplay, relatively serious tone and [[NightmareFuel considerable amount of scares]], it DEFINITELY earns it.
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6	* [[http://www.ssbwiki.com/File:PeachAllStarMode.jpg This]] image appears when you clear All-Star Mode with Peach, making her look unusually sinister.
7	* The Brinstar Depths stage is a giant piece of space debris that could be spun around by Kraid, who looms out of the lava in the background. Plus, not only is the stage creepy in that Kraid [[JumpScare emerges out of nowhere and roars]] at the players -- which made many think that [[BackgroundBoss he was going to outright attack them]] -- but the music is chilling; being a sinister, atmospheric remake of [[VideoGame/Metroid1 Kraid's own lair theme]].
8	* This game introduces Crazy Hand, the more sinister "left hand" counterpart of Master Hand. While fighting Master Hand is not entirely unlike one's action figures trying to kill one's hand, Crazy Hand is much creepier; since he idles erratically, [[LaughingMad giggles like a lunatic]], and has a few [[CastingAShadow oddly creepy attacks]]. It doesn't help that he's tough to take out considering he turns the fight with Master Hand into a DualBoss.
9	** There's one little detail about fighting Crazy Hand in Classic Mode that makes it even worse - Instead of being around from the start of the fight, he shows up when Master Hand is at half health. Just imagine meeting the criteria to fight him for the first time without knowing about him, getting Master Hand down to half health, and then the game suddenly pauses -- followed by Crazy Hand showing up out of ''nowhere'', cackling madly, and attacking. If you're not expecting it, shivers will run down your spine.
10	* The Challenger Approaching sequences. Unlocking any character by succeeding in certain criteria -- which would often be completely unknown to newer players -- will trigger it. Without warning, you cut right from the mode you were playing to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CEimh5Dy3c a very loud and deep warning siren,]] a silhouette of the new character on a trippy wireframe background, and a jarring “A NEW FOE HAS APPEARED!” prompt. [[JumpScare The suddenness and mood shift]] is bound to give any young kid or easily-disturbed adults night terrors. What really makes said sequence so bad, however, is the contrast between it and the version from [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros64 the last game]]. While the screen in the former gave the impression of ''“Congratulations! You get the chance to unlock a new fighter! Good luck!”'', this one seems to be saying, ''“Something horrible is heading your way, and you need to get out of there '''RIGHT NOW'''"''.
11	** Much like the Metal Mario fight, this is especially worse if you end up reaching Luigi through either one of two conditions: the first is by beating the first half of Adventure Mode Stage 1 with a 2 in the seconds part of the timer, then beating Luigi and Peach in less than a minute before rounding out Adventure Mode. The second condition is by enduring 800 V.S. Matches. What will you be greeted by once either condition is fulfilled? [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kovG3vE96FM Luigi doing]] [[AssKickingPose a pose right out of]] ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]''... and that isn't an exaggeration.
12	* Giga Bowser's introduction in Melee. Just after getting to the end of Adventure Mode and beating Giant Bowser, Bowser's trophy suddenly lurches back on stage with a loud thud, is struck by lightning, and then crumbles apart; revealing a colossal, far more vicious-looking, SNKBoss version of the Koopa King, who is ''much'' stronger and immune to grabs. And his transformation ends with a silent roar, complete with GlowingEyesOfDoom that freezes in frame (which is the current page image) while the actual fight starts loading.
13	** There's also something unnerving about the cutscene that plays when you beat him. With Giant Bowser, you see Bowser's trophy [[DisneyVillainDeath tumble off into the black abyss.]] With Giga Bowser, you get the same cutscene [[FromBadToWorse except]] now it ends with the trophy ''[[LiterallyShatteredLives smashing into dust on the floor]]''. The fact that you can ''barely'' hear the sound of it breaking adds to it.
14	** Like Crazy Hand, Giga Bowser comes out of ''nowhere'', with the only indication that you'll fight him is the results screen saying "Stage Clear" instead of "Game Clear" if you've met the conditions, which is easy to miss. It can be startling to think you've beaten Adventure Mode as usual, only for the cutscene to play and the game to continue out of nowhere, with you having to fight this... ''monster''.
15	* Zooming in on Daisy's trophy from the back in early versions of ''Melee'' reveals [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAL0_Oigmpg a glitchy, deformed eye on the back of her head.]]
16	* When you earn a trophy in the Lottery, and it happens to be something like the [[NightmareFace Moon]] from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' or something equally terrifying. Given that all trophies quickly pop up in the middle of the screen when earned, it could also double as a JumpScare.
17	* As mentioned in the 64 folder, Metal Mario, especially how he's introduced. He falls from the sky head-first and lands on the Battlefield stage still stiffly head-first before falling over... and then [[AnimationBump extremely fluidly]] stands up to face the player while ominous music plays. It's even worse if you've unlocked Luigi, since ''Metal Luigi'' will join in on the fight if you have, doubling the creepiness factor.
18	* The music for [[https://youtu.be/yPJgTT7BSKQ?si=Jj-Afy6CtQLW20UY Flat Zone,]] is rather unsettling and downright alien; giving the impression of [[EldritchLocation a place that almost]] ''[[EldritchLocation shouldn't]]'' [[EldritchLocation be]]. Especially so if you've never heard of the ''VideoGame/GameAndWatch'' series and you're doing the unlock battle for Mr. Game & Watch, which can easily leave you wondering just [[HumanoidAbomination who or]] '''[[HumanoidAbomination what]]''' [[HumanoidAbomination he's supposed to be]].
19	* While most of the North American chants in this game aren't terribly scary, just rather bored sounding, a few are rather creepy. Take the chants for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6m0xU2ekSQ?t=2s Yoshi]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8QfeKqnuok&index=5&list=PLj9UDSRB4bpl9DpQpy0ZMeC99IWVKbTU6 Falco]] for example. [[HellIsThatNoise It sounds like a group of spirits in a haunted place calling to them.]]
20	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nosw1wHTdnQ&index=8&list=PLj9UDSRB4bpl9DpQpy0ZMeC99IWVKbTU6 Ganondorf's one]] is suitably off-putting, while the crowd saying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KhqcgzePUE&list=PLj9UDSRB4bpl9DpQpy0ZMeC99IWVKbTU6&index=9 "Ness, Ness, Ness!"]] can also be eerie [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldo8I4ThYuo if you know what the reference is.]]
21	* The Special Movie has an eerie moment where [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask the Majora's Mask trophy]] inches towards the screen, slowly rotating, just like in that game's intro.
22	* The Great Bay level has the infamous Moon in the background leering above the stage. If the battle goes on long enough, you actually get to see the Moon begin to fall towards Termina. Granted the Giants push it back into the sky, but it's still quite disturbing; especially if you don't know about the game.
23	* When Mewtwo wins in the Western versions of the game, it makes one of two noises; a sinister laugh or an unsettling zombie-like growl. In the Japanese versions, Mewtwo not only maintains the monstrous growl, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaqfC8KDKEs but can also speak,]] much like in [[Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie its various movie appearances]]. It does so in [[VoiceOfTheLegion a deep, raspy and distorted voice]] that really emphasises it being an unnatural and ''very'' powerful creature.
24	-->'''Mewtwo:''' Watashi wa makeru wake niwa ikanai![[note]][[BadassBoast I cannot lose!]][[/note]]
25	-->'''Mewtwo:''' Watashi wa naze koko ni iru no ka...? [[note]]Why am I here...?[[/note]]
26	-->'''Mewtwo:''' Orakana. [[note]][[YouFool Foolish]].[[/note]]
27	* While most of the game's [[TwinkleInTheSky Star KO yells]] tend to err on the side of comedic, [[DeathWail Zelda's loud, shrill scream]] as she's sent flying sounds [[HellIsThatNoise surprisingly painful and realistic]], to the point it can be an effective JumpScare if unexpected. Notably, while Zelda maintained the same voice actress[[note]]Jun Mizusawa[[/note]] as in ''Melee'' across the next two games, her Star KO yell had to be toned down to something less agonized for those appearances.
28	* The stage "Poke Floats" feels a bit...off-putting. Namely the fact your fighting on top of pokemon models designed as the titular floats with nothing but a background of clouds.

Context NightmareFuel / SuperSmashBrosMelee