History Awesome / VideoGameLevelsGToM

** Coconut Mall, which is outright hilarious and even features the Miis in the audience... and driving obstacles near the end. It was well liked so much that it got included in 7. It even lets you go up and down escalators.

* For the many kids that wanted more than anything to grow up to ''be'' a Ghostbuster, there is a lot of awesome to be had in ''VideoGame/GhostbustersTheVideoGame''. The second level, where you're making your way through the streets of New York to confront [[spoiler: The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man]], is particularly good. The whole gang is there, and there's a good chunk of fighting actual ghosts (as opposed to just "shooting up" creatures, as quite a bit of the game features). You can use your Ghost Trap throughout, but the start of the level introduces an awesome roof-mounted trap on the Ecto-1. Made even more awesome by being able to "slam" your hapless ghostly foes into it.

*** After you finish the previous part, you solve a quite easy puzzle, and then have a pause ''right'' before the final boss[[spoiler:es]] where you fight groups mooks that have only moderate HP and can easily level up using the [[http://goldensun.wikia.com/wiki/Random_Number_Generator Random Number Generator]] trick. The great thing? They're weak to EVERY SINGLE ELEMENT, so you can just unleash Djinni after Djinni until they all die, and you'll get tons of experience every battle.

** ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTony The Ballad of Gay Tony]]'', apparently having listened to demands for a return to the over-the-top missions of past games, went all-out with craziness. Hijacking an APC armed with an explosive cannon, flying [[BlingBlingBang a gold-plated attack helicopter]] and using it to shoot down ''other'' helicopters, and finally [[spoiler:Yusuf's BigDamnHeroes GunshipRescue]] during the finale.

** Another fan favorite is "Bury the Hatchet," on top of the SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic, [[spoiler: TheReveal for Trevor about what ''actually'' happened to Brad, and when playing it as Michael getting a voice over flashback to him breaking the news to Amanda, which is implied to be the start of their marriage going downhill. It's emotional, to say the least.]]

*** "The Paleto Score": When the gang needs to knock over a small-town bank, the bank gets surrounded by the CorruptHick [[CorruptCop Cops]]. Seeing it's too late for flight, the gang decides to fight: [[spoiler: by walking out of the bank wearing Bomb Suits. Michael and your gunman come out sporting [[MoreDakka Heavy Machine Guns]], and Trevor comes out hefting [[GatlingGood a freaking Minigun]]! So they tear up the police men... and the police cars... and the police choppers... and then Army Fort Zancudo sends soldiers, Crusaders, and Rhino tanks. [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome The gang kills all of them, too.]]]]
*** "The Bureau Raid": To clean the records on CorruptCop [[spoiler: Steve Haines]], the gang has to break into the FIB building. There are two options. First Option: [[spoiler: Pull the largest BavarianFireDrill in history: first by having Michael plant firebombs posing as a janitor, then the crew charges into the building as firefighters to grab the data drive, having to eventually [[BattleAmongstTheFlames have a shootout with FIB agents in the flames]], and rappelling down an elevator shaft while dodging falling blocks of concrete]]. Second Option: [[spoiler: [[DynamicEntry Skydive onto the roof of the FIB building]], [[HoldTheLine hold off FIB goons]] while doing HollywoodHacking on the computer, before rappelling down the side of the building, and having your BadassDriver get you out of there in an ambulance to slip past the police]].
*** "[[ImpossibleThief The Big Score]]": "[[BavarianFireDrill Subtle]]" or "[[DynamicEntry Obvious]]." Either way: you get to steal [[spoiler: four tons of gold]], and you do it in a badass way.
** ''Lamar Down'', where [[TooDumbToLive Lamar gets tricked into a Balla ambush]] at a sawmill in Blaine County. All three protagonists join together to save him, with Michael providing sniper cover while Franklin and Trevor go in and massacre the Ballas while searching for Lamar. This mission becomes even more awesome should you choose [[spoiler: Ending C]].
** All of the [[RuleOfThree three]] final endings, but the best is [[spoiler: Ending C. Franklin, Michael, and Trevor join forces to take out everyone who have ever wronged them. Franklin kills Mr. Cheng, Michael assasinates Stretch, and Trevor Snipes Haines. Trevor than heads up to 'ol [[AssholeVictim Devin Weston's]] and brings him and his luxury car out to a peninsula in Blaine County, where after a "TheReasonYouSuck"Speech, they all shove Devin off the cliff, eliminating everyone that caused their problems.]]

** ... Heh, and then there's always the motocycle mission in the aftermath of the bad deal with the Russian Mafia. [[spoiler:When the car carrier '''[[ShoutOut leaps]]''' [[ShoutOut off the bridge]] [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay at you]]...]] Terribly fun to play over again too.

** The one where you break into {{Area 51}} and steal [[spoiler:a jetpack]].
*** Especially since you dont know what you are going to steal. [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Imagine running down that long stairwell and then staring at that thing floating in midair in front of you, grabbing it, then realizing]] [[spoiler: it's a JETPACK!]]

** Hands down, "End of the Line" is the most satisfying ending mission to any ''GTA'' game before or since. You smash into a barricaded crack compound using a SWAT riot tank, running down about a dozen enemy gang members in the process, then storm your way through four floors packed to the brim with assault rifle-toting Mooks, culminating in the long-awaited showdown between CJ and [[spoiler:[[FaceHeelTurn Big Smoke]]]]. Once you've taken care of him, [[spoiler:[[BigBad Tenpenny]]]] sets the place ablaze, forcing you to make your way back ''out'' of the compound, putting out fires while contending with ''even more'' mooks until you escape JustInTime as the compound gets [[StuffBlowingUp blown to Kingdom Come]]. Then you chase [[spoiler:Tenpenny's]] getaway fire truck going full tilt throughout most of Los Santos while Sweet clings onto it for dear life and rioters firebomb your car from all directions. Once you've finally got Sweet safe in your car, he takes over the driving while you fend off just about every faction in the city chasing you down. It all concludes when the fire truck drives ''off a bridge'' onto [[WhereItAllBegan Grove Street]], where [[spoiler:Tenpenny]] is left to die from his injuries (or, more likely, to be torn apart by the rioters who want him dead). And remember, this all takes place in ''one mission''. Needless to say, the JustForFun/HolyShitQuotient is high on this one.
* ''Vice City'' had lots of missions like that. There is a mission where you have to protect a yacht from homicidal French agents and an attack helicopter. There are RC missions that always involve bombs. And there's the last mission -- the one that is ''just'' like the ending of ''Film/{{Scarface 1983}}''. You know... [[spoiler: minus the focus dying]].

*** Did we mention you can vaporize enemies? Because you can ''vaporize enemies.'' Quite possibly the funnest part of the game--you go from this moment of horror when [[spoiler:all your weapons are vaporized]] to childlike glee as you discover what you can now do.

** [[spoiler:Mitigated by said flashlight functioning as a weapon on its own by directing the ActionGirl's gunfire. Especially a lie as you have a little bit more than a flashlight, in the form of occasional road flares. Are zombies converted to a light source as well as gaining flame sprites while stumbling around? Of course!]]

** To sum it up, you've got an antlion army against three vortigaunts, ThoseTwoGuys, and Gordon. [[spoiler:It doesn't end well for the antlions, and for once Gordon's not the one saving everyone]].

** The final level, "The Maw". Warthog run through the [[spoiler: ''Pillar of Autumn'' that is about to explode, taking Alpha Halo with it]], all set to the main Halo theme. It's exactly what you expect.

** "ONI: Sword Base", "Tip of the Spear", "The Package", and ''especially'' "Long Night Of Solace" and [[spoiler: "The Pillar Of Autumn"]]. [[spoiler: "Lone Wolf"]] counts too, but not so much in terms of gameplay as [[TearJerker sheer]] [[BittersweetEnding emotional]] [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome impact]].

** "New Alexandria" is a truly fantastic level. Still reeling a bit after [[spoiler: Jorge's death in "Long Night of Solace"]], the player gets into a Falcon (with a pair of AIs manning the rocket launchers who are actually ''competant''!) and provides air support for several ODST units throughout the city. This includes racing to 3 buildings, one of which is deserted and incredibly eery (until the Drone Swarm shows up), one is a gauntlet with lots of cover for awesome gunfights with Elites and Brutes, and the 3rd has you take on six, count 'em, ''six hunters''. After that you need to fly over with your falcon to take out a bunch of anti-air turrets around the central tower. Did we mention that these locations are a good distance apart and as you move between them you shoot down a total of about 3 dozen Banshees and a handful of Phantoms? Epic.

** "Midnight"; in the beginning of the level, you [[spoiler:fly a Broadsword fighter and battle your way through the corridors of the Didact's ship, while he courses through slipspace and then battles the fleet of Earth.]] The sheer epicness of the level, combined with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCrL76vGpNA equally epic music]], makes you truly feel like a hero.

* Tom Clancy's HAWX. Your PMC [[spoiler: takes an offer from some foreign powers and attacks America. What do you do? Take your 3 man squad and SAVE WASHINGTON D.C. The next level is your squad SAVING AIR FORCE ONE. The final level is an extended dogfight against some of the best planes in the game, and ends with you destroying a nuke that was about to blow up LA. And, the campaign to reclaim the eastern US starts with you flying stealth bombing runs over enemy installations while having to dodge missiles and fly in a narrow "don't get shot" pipe.]]

** "Curtains Down": ''The'' assasination of the game. First of, the [[SceneryPorn gorgeous]] opera house interior (as pointed out by an in-game tourist guide) and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic bombastic music]] played during the rehersals which you ''have'' to listen through in order to [[spoiler: murder him undetected on-set]]. Secondly, you can get a bit melodramatic by killing a performer at his number's climax (he literally ''begs'' to be shot at that point!) and [[FallingChandelierOfDoom dropping a chandelier]] on his partner. Thirdly, framing the kill as an Accident by [[spoiler: switching the prop gun with a real one]] seeps of DramaticIrony as the play they're rehearsing is the final act of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tosca#Act_3 Tosca]].

** The final mission, set in a medical facility in Hokkaido, is beloved for its challenge factor and positively grisly ways to deal with the opponents. [[spoiler:Putting on over on that {{Jerkass}} Soders was awesome as well.]]

* The final level of Homeworld. You're the last people from your planet left. You've just wiped out multiple enemy fleets coming from multiple directions, more are still coming and you're running out of ships. It zooms out to a cutscene and seriously depressing classical music starts playing, as[[spoiler: a huge fleet starts to hyperspace in right on top of you. You're left thinking "Well, shit, this is it". Then they finish appearing and turn out to be some allies from earlier in the game. And you go on to spread ion cannony death to your foes.]]
** What about [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZQBv0WRJBI the last level]] of Homeworld 2? The Vaygr are about to overrun the last of Hiigara's defenses. Then [[spoiler:Sajuuk arrives. If not for the Planet Killers showing up in the middle of the battle, it would be over '''very''' quickly since Sajuuk can one-shot-kill nearly everything and is nigh indestructible]].

* Everything after the point where [[spoiler:you die]] in ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'' just kicks ''so much arse'' (although the part where you fight hundreds of little cannibal monsters is pretty damned awesome too).
** Plenty of great sequences before that, too. The Arena, battling through the burning ruins of [[spoiler:Two Rivers]], infiltrating Necropolis and the Lotus Assassin fortress, performing in the play in the Imperial City, the philosophical duel with Sir Roderick, visiting the forest spirit...the list goes on and on.

** The Stadium and Palace ruins. For one, these levels avert ChaosArchitecture and despite the massive destruction you're still able to recognize the landmarks (or what remained from them) from previous game, such as stadium garages or the segments [[ThatOneLevel where you raced Erol]]. Playing through levels is fun as well, as during the Stadium ruins you frequently encounter Dark Eco vents allowing you to abuse Jak's SuperMode with impunity while wiping out tons of Metal Heads, and for the Palace ruins you're given Ram Rod, a bulldozer of a buggy that has infinite speed boost and can break through massive walls as you make your way towards your objective. [[spoiler:And you're accompanied by Damas, who joins you after you traverse the Stadium. The end of the sequence is massive TearJerker as well, when he is sadly killed]].

** Mission 91 is also awesome. Roxas basically goes, "Screw this, I'm outta here!" and you run through the castle fighting Nobodies. And then you fight [[spoiler:the game's semi-BigBad, Saix.]] And THEN you get one of those awesome FMV cutscenes.
** Day 357 (Tears)? True, it's a major TearJerker, but it brings to a close an unknown chapter in Roxas' life, and by the end of it, you should be ready to storm the Organization XIII headquarters. [[spoiler:Xion's final words to Roxas]], perfectly set the mood for the aforementioned final chapter. And the boss fight itself is awesome, too.

* ''Coded'' has its version of Hollow Bastion. Let's see here: four different gameplay styles and three genres (shooter, platformer, action RPG), a two stage fight with [[spoiler:Pete]], two battles (one three parts) with[[spoiler:Data Riku]], then a whirlwind tour of the other worlds in the game. After that we get a fight with [[spoiler:Dragon Maleficent]] which is easy but oh so cool.

** And don't forget [[Film/TronLegacy The Grid]]. If one were to [[TearJerker/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance not cry]] ([[spoiler:especially after completing it as Sora]]), they would notice the awesome SceneryPorn, a lot of [[GrindBoots Flomotion grind rails]] and the chance to reprogram some Rectifiers, doors, and even ''the Black Guards'' (a perfect payback for all the crimes Clu committed, I'd say). Oh, and Riku even gets to play on a Light Cycle!

* The Quarter Moon Murders, the last Homicide case. You've already solved five homicide case, but you feel that something's up and the individual cases are all actually connected, and you've been charging inncocent men. In this case you are led around LA [[spoiler:by the actual killer in the previous five cases]] using clips from Prometheus Unbound to determine the next landmark you need to go to. The end has you [[spoiler: uncovering the real killer: Garett Mason, a seemingly innocuous bartender you questioned four cases ago]]

* Avernus Cathedral in ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain: Defiance''. Finally meeting vampire Turel, the one brother that escaped you in Raziels first game. Finally getting Raziels TK upgraded to Kains level. Encountering Mortanius, who hasn't been seen since the first game. And then, [[Series/DoctorWho aaaaaaaand then]] Raziel and Kain finally battle it out to the death ''and'' you control one then the other and finally [[spoiler: Raziel rips Kains heart out of his chest and flings him into hell]]. And there's ''still'' a good two hours of game left.

** In ''Cold Steel IV'', [[spoiler:The Black Workshop]] is seen as one of the best levels in the game due to [[spoiler:Rean ''permanently'' in his SuperpoweredEvil which means he has permanent buffs on him and is immune to status effects throughout ''the entire level'' and is playable for the first time in awhile, a plethora of boss fights, Rean being a legitimately tough boss fight in contrast to the rest of the game because he still has all of those stat buffs when he was playable, and capping it off with a DualBoss fight between Osborne and Arianrhod with Rean, who managed to snap out of his cursed self, leading the charge.]]

* The Palace of Winds from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap''. Also from the same game, the final dungeon, [[spoiler:Dark Hyrule Castle]].

*** And all this time you have this drama, all this build-up, and you're ready to [[spoiler:save their poor prisoner, one of the elders]] '''and Link blushes in arousal at Twinrova'''.
** The Forest Temple in ''Ocarina of Time''. The music, the atmosphere, the Stalfos fights, hunting the Poes, the outdoors bits, getting the bow, the level design, the twisting corridors, the Wallmasters...bloody hell it's epic. And to top it all off, the boss is [[spoiler:a Phantom version of Ganon. GANON.]]

* In ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'', Skulldozer takes the cake. You're running away from a giant bicycle-wheeled, bull skull-headed mechanical beast surrounded in red fog, piloted by [[spoiler: [[WomanScorned an insane zombie bride who thinks she's been jilted]]]]. Blazing guitar plays in the background, and it's downright ''awesome.''

* From a story standpoint, the [[spoiler: medieval]] chapter. Every other chapter in the game up to this point takes on a different genre, and while they're all entertaining and diverse, they stick steadfastly to the cliches of their genre and of [=RPGs=] as a whole, featuring a perfect and powerful hero who overcomes the odds to defeat a despicable villain. [[spoiler: One might expect the medieval chapter, itself an RPG cliche, to follow suit. Instead, it's the gut-wrenchingly emotional tale where the seemingly-perfect hero loses everything he loved, fails to save the princess as he set out to do, and ultimately becomes the Demon Lord Odio whose evil plagues every other chapter]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Magicka}}'' has a lot of fun levels but the biggest standout is Chapter 6: Return Of The Wizard. The entire level is set at the literal edge of the world. You have to navigate your way through a series of prominences and floating islands jutting out into an empty sky, which makes not only for [[SceneryPorn amazing visuals]] but also for great level design, as you have to navigate moving floating islands, islands that [[InterfaceScrew spin around as they move]], and at one point having to cross one island that spins ''vertically''. The main enemies in this Chapter are [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Daemons]], who have the most unique design and abilities of any enemy in the game, and are just really fun (and hard) to fight. All this while "[[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic At World's End]]" plays. The level occasionally has [[GameBreakingBug Game-Breaking Bugs]] near the end, but if you can struggle through that you get to fight [[spoiler:[[BestBossEver Grimnir]]]].

** Chapter 11: Raiders Of The Lost Ruins is an interesting example in that it is probably the hardest level in the game, but if played well it can also be the most fun. The level introduces a whole bunch of very tough enemies not seen before this point, forcing you to come up with new strategies on the fly. It's a MarathonLevel that takes you through a multiple very different environments, is probably the most open-ended level of the game (if you use Invisibility, you can pretty much skip most of the combat), takes you through a section [[LethalLavaLand full of lava]] that you have to freeze to walk over infested with fire-spitting lizards, is home to some of the best items in the game, and ends in another epic boss fight, this time with [[spoiler:Fafnir]].
** Finally, Chapter 12: At The Mountains Of Madness. It's effectively a BossBonanza disguised as a level, and it's one that pits you against three of the best (and [[ThatOneBoss hardest]]) bosses in the game: [[spoiler:[[MemeticBadass Vlad]]]], [[spoiler:[[BigBad Grimnir]]]], and [[spoiler:[[EldritchAbomination Assatur]]]]. In a row. Awesome.

** It also shows [[spoiler: where item boxes come from.]]

* Arcade's World in ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance''. It starts up with you (and the characters) duped into thinking it's Dr. Doom's castle, but smash the stone pillars and you reveal brightly coloured spirals, as well as carnival music some other oddities. When the rug is pulled about halfway in, the players pursue Arcade through a funfair called ''Murderworld'', fight Shocker and Rhino, participate in life-size games of Space Invaders and Pitfall, and run over infinitely spawning clowns in a bumper car. Then they fight Arcade in a giant robot. All of this in a stage with brilliant fairground music and visuals. ...And then you beat him, and he promptly ends the fun by revealing that whilst he led you on, [[spoiler: Nightcrawler has been captured and imprisoned in Mephisto's realm.]]
** Additionally, ''Ultimate Alliance'' had the balls to [[spoiler: force the player to choose who out of Jean Grey and Nightcrawler got to live, before casually killing off the other character for the rest of the game.]]
*** Well, [[spoiler: unless you got Magneto on DLC and had him in your party.]]
-->[[spoiler: '''Magneto''': Calm yourself, X-Men. These cages may come from another dimension, but they are still made of metal.]]

* The final level of ''VideoGame/MassEffect1''. [[spoiler:It ''starts'' with you and your squad being flung halfway across the galaxy and flying out of a mass relay gate in your APC, right onto the heads of several MechaMooks. From there, you proceed to run up the central tower of the Citadel, tearing your way through hundreds of enemies, while half the military forces of the ''entire galaxy'' are battling a robotic EldritchAbomination (no, that is not an oxymoron) in the background. You can send enemies into orbit during the space walk segment, and it culminates in either one or two extremely well-done boss battles, depending on how many points are in your persuasion skill.]] Oh, and there's SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic, just for kicks.
** ''Virmire''. Starts off with pretty much nothing but nonstop destruction in the Mako, followed by launching a three-person assault on the most heavily-defended geth base this side of the Terminus Systems, and that is while you can hear the raging battle in the background as Captain Kirrahae's salarians HoldTheLine. Not to mention the confrontation with Sovereign, the fight against Saren, and most heart-wrenchingly of all [[spoiler: having to choose between Ashley and Kaidan. And no, picking the one you want Shepard to get it on with doesn't make it any less heart-wrenching.]]
* The infamous and much-touted "SuicideMission" of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2''. Considering it is essentially what the ''entire game'' is building up to, it ''better'' be worth it, and by god is it ''intense''. From the initial run through the Omega-4 Relay to the furious assault upon the [[spoiler:Collector Base]] itself, with all the firefights and interesting gimmicks being thrown at you, having you on the edge of your seat the entire time because you are on pins and needles about whether ''all your decisions'' throughout the game were enough to have your team make it through -- and make no mistake, if you didn't do enough, they ''will'' die. And then the final boss comes. [[spoiler:It's a monstrous (thankfully not even close to being finished) construct that turns out to be a ''human Reaper'', built out of, and feeding off of, all the human colonies that were abducted. Shepard then proceeds to [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu Punch Out Cthulhu for the second time in their career]].]] And even ''after'' all of that, [[spoiler:if you didn't do things right, Shepard ''themself'' will die]]! It's rare for a game to spend its entirety building up to one intense mission, but it all paid off in the end. Unless, you know, you lost your favorite party members.
** Let's just think about the amount of work that went into programming ''this one level''. It is possible to lose party members ''during the approach'', meaning there are several scenarios programmed before you even start the mission proper. Then you can lose party members at pretty much any point during scripted events, even if they're [[spoiler:not the person you chose specifically -- it's possible, for instance, for one of your squadmates to die during the biotic barrier segment]]. Then you find [[spoiler:the Normandy's crew, which may or may not still be alive depending on how quickly you went through the Omega-4 relay after they were captured]]. Then you can send someone back [[spoiler:to escort the crew back to the ship]], who may or may not make it; then, before the final battle, party members can die [[HoldTheLine holding the line]]. And then, after the final boss, you might still lose party members [[spoiler:or even Shepard]]. Think about this for a minute: it is possible for eleven squadmates to die at any of six or seven points during the mission. ''How much work must have gone INTO that?!'' There's a reason this mission is so talked up on all the promotional material for this game: Bioware is very proud of it, and with all the work they've done on it, they ''should'' be.

* The ''Lair of the Shadow Broker'' DLC is noteworthy in how impressively deep and cinematic it is, as well as having some incredibly awesome levels. When you're [[spoiler: fighting across the hull of a super-advanced airship in the middle of the mother of all lightning storms with one of your old squadmates to track down and assassinate one of the most powerful individuals in the galaxy]], you ''know'' you've got an awesome level.

* The Citadel siege in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', especially if [[spoiler: Thane is still alive]].
* The entire goddamn Tuchanka campaign in ''3'' if you [[spoiler: decide to cure the genophage.]] This ends with you [[spoiler:siccing the largest Thresher Maw in existence on a Reaper. The Thresher Maw wins.]]
* The Rannoch campaign. It starts with you infiltrating a Geth dreadnought, running along the length of the main gun, destroying the drive core, and then escaping as the quarian fleet blasts the hell out of it. From then, it only seeks to ramp things up more and more, eventually culminating in Shepard [[spoiler:going head-to-head with a ''Reaper destroyer'', armed only with a targeting laser for the quarian fleet]]. And if you've made all the right choices, [[spoiler:you can get the geth and quarians to finally settle their differences, working together to rebuild Rannoch and help defeat the Reapers]]. Although be warned that if you ''didn't'' do things right, things get very traumatic, very fast, especially if you [[spoiler: side with the geth]].

* Even the London level, which can be seen as a DisappointingLastLevel for some, works as an example of this trope. After getting [[NukeEm the Cain]], killing six [[TheJuggernaut Brutes]] and several [[BossInMookClothing Banshees]] on foot, killing ''another'' Reaper, and the final charge against [[spoiler: [[BigBad Harbinger]]]], it honestly feels like the Reapers are throwing everything they have at you, and it's still not enough.
* The Grissom Academy sidequest early in the third game: particularly, there's the part where you [[spoiler: commandeer a Cerberus mech and start blasting away at their officers wave by wave.]]
* The Archives in the ''Citadel'' DLC. For once, Shepard decides to bring along their entire crew rather than just two people. This leads to some of the biggest, most hectic firefights in the entire franchise, with bullets flying in every direction. The crew's [[CasualDangerDialogue banter]] throughout the entire level is hilarious and emphasizes what a group of badasses you're working with. Finally, the level ends on one of the funniest moments of the franchise, where the villain, [[spoiler:a clone of Shepard]], [[BorrowedCatchphrase steals "I should go"]] and Shepard begins asking, "DoIReallySoundLikeThat"
** The next level, retaking the ''Normandy'' from [[spoiler: your clone]] in an intense MirrorMatch. Particularly when the enemy is forced to launch one of the shuttles, meaning you spend the rest of the fight with the landing bay door open, the entire ship swerving from side to side as you mow down {{Mooks}}.

* The DreamSequence first level of ''[[VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo Path of Neo]]'', where you have almost all of your abilities. You go up from the security {{Mooks}} to the police and up, all the way to a Agent, a Vampire and, of course, [[spoiler:Agent Smith.]]

* The next VirtualTrainingSimulation is set during winter with tons of ice and snow. You have to defeat all the people and at the end you have to defeat [[spoiler:Three swordmaster demons.]] At the end of the level, after the fight there's this awesome cutscene of Neo StaringThroughTheSword and then he barely swings the sword...''everything'' behind him falls down.

* Also the GatlingGood helicopter level, you get to shoot even more of everything, including [[spoiler:Agents]] and other helicopters before finally, '''really''', saving Morpheus.
* Another really awesome level, the one near the end in the congress-type building with the waves of [[spoiler:Smiths]] and ''all'' you have is a [[ImprovisedWeapon flag-pole.]]

* Returning to Shadow Moses island in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots''. And then you get to drive [[spoiler: METAL GEAR REX.]]

* The final level of ''VideoGame/MetalSlug 3'' - [[spoiler:You initiate a midair assault on Morden's troops but after you make it to him and finish him off in the same way as in the first game, he turns out to be a disguised alien and your current character is taken hostage by the aliens. You then continue playing as their counterpart, get shot off into space to storm the Martian mothership, fighting clones of your previously kidnapped teammate, eventually being joined by Morden's troops which you've fought in the first half of the game - including Allen O'Neil - and after your teammate is rescued the machine that was creating the clones stats pumping out the [[ZombieApocalypse harder zombified versions of that character]]; all this eventually culminates in destroying the mothership, but then you still have to fight the giant alien leader as it's falling to Earth]].
** [[spoiler: Not to mention the fact that it's longer than every other level in the game combined. Jesus CHRIST.]]
* ''VideoGame/MetalSlug 4'': The final level involves an enemy base infiltration complete with rappelling down and killing enemies along the way, you even get the tank and wreak havoc, scientists that shoot bullets that revert your character into a monkey which gives you INFINITE Machine gun ammo, and a face off with Allen O'Neil near the end [[spoiler: by the way, he's now a robot]]. All while playing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGsuEY5XVhs this]] music.

** And yet this level is an EscortMission. But it's all made up for when [[spoiler: An enemy that served as the first boss back at the start and later a mid-boss since you upgraded in power can now be [[SugarWiki/MomentofAwesome destroyed in one well-aimed hit!]] ]]

** The final segment of ''Metroid: Zero Mission''. A little earlier in the game, Samus was been shot down, and lost her power suit (and the area is swarming with Space Pirates that can kill her in only one or two hits.) However, after sneaking through the Space Pirates' ship... she gets it back. Better than before. Cue dramatic music, as the unstoppable Samus Aran goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge through the Space Pirate mothership...at least until you enter an unassuming door at the very top of the ship. The door locks behind you, and a giant ''something'' comes scraping and grinding out of the darkness...[[spoiler:it's a humongous robotic Ridley! The final ''final'' boss of the game!]]

*** He deserves it! After all, if you do what he says and [[spoiler: you drop the outer shield to his home]], he just [[spoiler: throws away the book anyway!]] Bastard!

** The whole game is massive SceneryPorn, but nothing matches when you pull a simple lever in the organist's chair and discover [[spoiler: what you thought were mountain peaks rising above a cloud cover are actually huge, disconnected planetary fragments ''orbiting'' a magnetic core, and you are now dangling between the two like an insignificant speck with a panoramic view.]]

* ''GT Sport'' is showing that despite the mixed reception towards the new tracks for ''5'' and ''6'', PD haven't lost their touch and came back strong with new tracks such as Blue Moon Bay, a fast, difficult tri-oval a la Pocono, the tight and snaking Tokyo Expressway, and Dragon Trail - Seaside, regarded by many as the single best track PD has made in years with its [[SceneryPorn gorgeous coastline scenery]] and quick, flowing layout. Autodromo Lago Maggiore has also gotten the thumbs-up from many players with its varied, tortuous layout.

** [=GCN=] Baby Park returns, and it's managed to become[[UpToEleven even zanier]]. Having seven laps, twelve racers, 2-4 items per lap, and 200cc speed creates the game's most chaotic experience, bound to bring laughter all over.

** The whole stage is awesome. It starts with a single minecart ride that lets you avoid all the bats on the top and mows through a couple of ostriches before abruptly ending. Right after that you take a leap down and are either chased by or chasing a bulldozer mechaniloid that clears out a straight path through the chaotic terrain and can kill you in one hit, before it falls into a pit of spikes, but it is 'very' satisfying to kill it before then. A little ahead of that and we have another mine cart ride , another drop with another bull dozer enemy and the final minecart ride, which mows through a dozen of enemies and trails a bunch of bird enemies that start smoking, flying lower and crashing when killed, especially with a full powered shot clearing through all of them. At the end of the tunne, the minecart ride bursts out in the open, finally outside of those dingy mines and flying above [[SceneryPorn a waterfall leading into a lake surrounded by forests.]] You jump off and land on a wall or cliff as the birds fly past and enjoy the view some more before heading in for the boss.

* ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'' is one of the very few ''Mega Man'' games that almost completely avoids DisappointingLastLevel, and thus should be remembered for that alone. In particular is the first fortress level, which starts outside the fortress in the rain with appropriately gloomy music, then once you enter the fortress you must fight the first phaze of the level boss, the Weapons Gallery, three pods using weapons of past Robot Masters and weak to weapons that somewhat mimic their original weaknesses. Once you win, the level's true, and kickass, theme kicks in, and you know you're in for something special. The very final level gets a spot here, too, due to the unique setup (you're on the cieling of a space station) and probably one of the best Wily Pod bosses in the series.
* ''VideoGame/MegaMan2''. Dr. Wily's Castle, and its incredibly SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic.

* ''VideoGame/MegaMan8'', Tengu Man's stage. Just the Rush Jet segments where you're flying and gunning down enemies while getting power-ups that let you either upgrade Rush to shoot with you or call in backup from Auto, Eddie, and Beat. It's also probably the first stage you'll play after the intro since both the stage and Tengu Man himself are rather easy.

** Let us not forget the final level of ''The Lost Age'', Mars Lighthouse. Epic music plays in the background as you wander through the ice-filled structure and go head to head with some difficult--but not too difficult--and well conceived puzzles; after fighting the [[BigBadDuumvirate main villains]] '' who have been transformed into dragons'', the lighthouse rejuvenates and, at the peak, amidst a blizzard, you have an ''epic'' confrontation in one of the few examples of a GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools that actually works!]] In addition, we've also got Crossbone Isle, the BonusLevel from the first game. It has a very spooky atmosphere, not helped by the fact that there are no random encounters, though you do find a (usually challenging) miniboss guarding the door to each level. It also features the hardest puzzles in the game, many of which are throwbacks to puzzles you solved previously in the main story, [[UpToEleven except this time the kid gloves are off.]] As you reach the bottom of the cavern, you find a scary abandoned ship, where you go head to head with [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deadbeard]], one of the most awesome and challenging [[BonusBoss Bonus Bosses]] ever.

** The Swamp Palace. Despite the name implying that it's a [[BubblegloopSwamp different kind of level]], it's more akin to a ''water park'' (complete with blue and mostly harmless water), secret passages and possibly the easiest boss in the game. The ''Link Between Worlds'' version takes this [[UpToEleven up to eleven]] by actually putting Link onto passages of water that allows the player to slide across the level.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'''s Rainbow Road. All of design is aimed towards making Rainbow Road the epic final stage. It features devilishly thin stretches without guardrails and partrolled by invincible Thwomps, whom you can't even touch safely. These obstacles, plus the aggressive computer racers, make this Rainbow Road the most intense race in all of Mario Kart.

* ''VideoGame/MarioKart64'' has Bowser's Castle with that badass UrbanLegendofZelda and goosebump inducing CherubicChoir, and that awesome courtyard. But the best track ever invented was [=DK's=] Jungle Parkway with its frickin' cool river jump and those coconuts that the natives threw, and best of all the river is beautiful.

** And finally the Rainbow Road had an SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic theme with beautiful neon lights in the background, chain chomps everywhere and the biggest shortcut ever made!

** In Battle Mode, Block Fort is often cited as ''the'' classic battle map of the 3D games. With no gimmicks or bottomless pits, it's simply a square with four giant block forts with bridges and ramps running between them. However the excellent use of the level geometry lets you rain shells down on unlucky players stuck in the alleyways, or have frantic jousting matches on the bridges, where the loser often gets sent flying back down to the ground.

* Creator/{{Egoraptor}} makes a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FpigqfcvlM compelling argument]] for the ''opening level'' of ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' for being one of the best levels in the game, if only for the fact that it teaches you the games controls without any kind of onscreen prompt.

* The first Sigma stage, also of ''VideoGame/MegaManX''. Bouncy springs all over the place.

** There's also the secret Vile level. It's a broken down, abondoned factory, and after you beat Vile, a bomb is set and you're treated to a surprisingly fun TimedMission.

* Fangames have some of these as well, like [[BrutalBonusLevel Yoku Man's stage]] in ''VideoGame/MegaManUnlimited''. This level is the ultimate mindgame, with the infamous disappearing block platform puzzles taken UpToEleven, and new mechanics involving disappearing and reappearing death spikes and blocks that transform into enemies, as well as a maze to start off the second half which has never been attempted in an official Mega Man game. Also, it has some of the [[AwesomeMusic/MegaMan best music]] in a Mega Man game that incorporates the disappearing block sound effect to further mess with your head.

* ''VideoGame/MegaMan9'' deserves this with quite a few stages, but a mention must be made for the Endless Stage, which is a single level that has you travel through 42 randomly chosen rooms. And did we mention that you [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin traverse these rooms repeatedly on a single life]] and the game records how many screens you traverse through each run? And just so were're clear... '''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kxkSMHGol4 FORTY]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFSXRbppXsU TWO]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMHUhnuuSbo ROOMS]].'''

[[/folder]]

[[/folder]]

** Let us not forget the final level of ''The Lost Age'', Mars Lighthouse. Epic music plays in the background as you wander through the ice-filled structure and go head to head with some difficult--but not too difficult--and well conceived puzzles; after fighting the [[BigBadDuumvirate main villains]] ''[[InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons who have been transformed into dragons]]'', the lighthouse rejuvenates and, at the peak, amidst a blizzard, you have an ''epic'' confrontation in one of the few examples of a GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools that actually works!]] In addition, we've also got Crossbone Isle, the BonusLevel from the first game. It has a very spooky atmosphere, not helped by the fact that there are no random encounters, though you do find a (usually challenging) miniboss guarding the door to each level. It also features the hardest puzzles in the game, many of which are throwbacks to puzzles you solved previously in the main story, [[UpToEleven except this time the kid gloves are off.]] As you reach the bottom of the cavern, you find a scary abandoned ship, where you go head to head with [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deadbeard]], one of the most awesome and challenging [[BonusBoss Bonus Bosses]] ever.

** "Curtains Down": ''The'' assasination of the game. First of, the [[SceneryPorn gorgeous]] opera house interior (as pointed out by an in-game tourist guide) and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic bombastic music]] played during the rehersals which you ''have'' to listen through in order to [[spoiler: murder him undetected on-set]]. Secondly, you can get a bit melodramatic by killing a performer at his number's climax (he literally ''begs'' to be shot at that point!) and [[DroppingChandelierOfDoom dropping a chandelier]] on his partner. Thirdly, framing the kill as an Accident by [[spoiler: switching the prop gun with a real one]] seeps of DramaticIrony as the play they're rehearsing is the final act of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tosca#Act_3 Tosca]].

** The first full mission (and second overall), "The Finish Line" which takes place at a Miami auto track and corporate HQ. Fans loved its unusual location, decor, and the numeroud delightful ways to screw with your targets.

** This is around the time Gordon Freeman TookALevelInBadass. His feats have been impressive up until this point, evading and destroying United States Marines, all manner of alien horrors, and maneuvering through more traps and puzzles than you can shake a stick at, but here, he goes head to head with the Marines' best-taking on multiple attack helicopters, armored personnel carriers, and ''main battle tanks''. In particular, getting the rocket launcher and ''finally'' taking down the Apache that's been attacking you throughout the level might count as a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome. Assuming you didn't just blow it out of the sky the first time you saw it with that gauss cannon you picked up in the last chapter...
*** However, those who didn't actually find the gauss cannon (and it's easy for beginners to miss) had a... [[ThatOneLevel different experience with Surface Tension.]]

* ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'' is one of the very few ''Mega Man'' games that almost completely avoids DisappointingLastLevel, and thus should be remembered for that alone. In particular is the first fortress level, which starts outside the fortress in the rain with appropriately gloomy music, then once you enter the fortress you must fight the first phaze of the level boss, the Weapons Gallery, three pods using weapons of past Robot Masters and weak to weapons that somewhat mimic their original weaknesses. Once you win, the levels true, and kickass, theme kicks in, and you know you're in for something special. The very final level gets a spot here, too, due to the unique setup (you're on the cieling of a space station) and probably one of the best Wily Pod bosses in the series.

** ''VideoGame/MegaMan2''. Dr. Wily's Castle, and its incredibly SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManX'', armored Armadillo, last mine cart ride.
*** The whole stage is awesome. It starts with a single minecart ride that lets you avoid all the bats on the top and mows through a couple of ostriches before abruptly ending. Right after that you take a leap down and are either chased by or chasing a bulldozer mechaniloid that clears out a straight path through the chaotic terrain and can kill you in one hit, before it falls into a pit of spikes, but it is 'very' satisfying to kill it before then. A little ahead of that and we have another mine cart ride , another drop with another bull dozer enemy and the final minecart ride, which mows through a dozen of enemies and trails a bunch of bird enemies that start smoking, flying lower and crashing when killed, especially with a full powered shot clearing through all of them. At the end of the tunne, the minecart ride bursts out in the open, finally outside of those dingy mines and flying above [[SceneryPorn a waterfall leading into a lake surrounded by forests.]] You jump off and land on a wall or cliff as the birds fly past and enjoy the view some more before heading in for the boss.
*** Sometimes while on the last minecart, the game slows down because of all the stuff that's going on. It looks more the game goes into an uber-dramatic slo motion sequence that adds to the awesomeness.
** The opening level of ''VideoGame/MegaManZero 2''. After a year of fighting, Zero walks through a desert, wrapped in a damaged cloak. Suddenly, a never ending wave of Neo Arcadian 'bots shows up. Cue cloak throw. Cue [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic Departure]]. Cue "Let's go...". Cue a weakened, damaged Zero tearing through hundreds of enemies and destroying a huge scorpion mech. Cue Zero ''not giving up'', even though he ''knows'' he can't continue. Best level in the game!
** Creator/{{Egoraptor}} makes a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FpigqfcvlM compelling argument]] for the ''opening level'' of ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' for being one of the best levels in the game, if only for the fact that it teaches you the games controls without any kind of onscreen prompt.

** Launch Octopus' stage, which treats you to very fun jump physics and quite a lot of bosses. A submarine boss, then an optional attack on a battleship, which opens a way to a secret area to fight a sea serpent boss that you can climb on and attack the head with and find a Heart Tank, then you go up and fight a harder submarine and another sea serpent before finally taking on the boss.
** The first Sigma stage. Bouncy springs all over the place.

* ''Twilight Princess'' also has the Temple of Time. Yes, ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime The]]'' Temple of Time, complete with, initially, the familiar choir-sung version of the Song of Time playing. Thrusting the Master Sword back into its pedestal reveals that the Temple of Time is a full-blown ''dungeon'' this time around, with cool puzzles, cool music (not the Song of Time, but still awesome and fitting), Darknut. GIANT SPIDERS. And to top it all off, just when you think you've beaten the biggest of those spiders, it gets back up. Epic rematch? Well, no, but would you settle for a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} instead?

** Coconut Mall, which is outright hilarious and even features the Miis in the audience... or driving obstacles near the end.

** Orange's stage is also awesome starting with a climb then a fight ont the cruiser followed an early fight with [[Thedragon gragon]] before finally fighting Orange himself.

** The Colosso Finals is a very unique and entertaining segment, consisting of a mini TournamentArc with a series of races and fights against [[DuelBoss duel bosses]], with the player having the choice to give Isaac an edge by using psynergy from the rest of the party, who are among the audience, to alter the course right before the match begins.