History Main / UnendingEndCard

** ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'' has {{multiple endings}}. The bad ending automatically sends you back to the title screen once it's done, letting you try again, but the good ending sticks you on an animated shot of Pop Star with its rings restored.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'': The Japanese version of the game stays on the ending screen until the game is reset. The US version instead lets you return to the title screen by pressing Start, [[NewGamePlus with an inventory entirely full of P-Wings.]]

In most cases, this is likely done deliberately. Maybe the developers assumed that the player would just shut the system off upon beating the game anyway, so they don't bother to program a way out of these screens. Aside from that, most older games expected you to shut down or reset the console frequently to begin with (most cartridge-based consoles do it instantaneously). You won't need to worry about losing your progress if said game has an {{Autosave}} feature, as it will recognize that you have beaten the final boss. For games without autosave, you'd better make sure to save if you decide you want to play that file again, especially if you haven't saved in hours since reaching the end. Otherwise, you may find yourself resetting back to more than the near end.

In most cases, this is likely done deliberately. Maybe the developers assumed that the player would just shut the system off upon beating the game anyway, so they don't bother to program a way out of these screens. You won't need to worry about losing your progress if said game has an {{Autosave}} feature, as it will recognize that you have beaten the final boss. For games without an {{Autosave}} feature, you'd better make sure to save if you decide you want to play that file again, especially if you haven't saved in hours since reaching the end. Otherwise, you may find yourself resetting back to more than the near end.

** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' has an end card that you have to reset the game to get rid of. That little text at the bottom right of the panning galactic sky shot that says "There's more"? [[UnreliableNarrator Yeah, no there isn't.]][[note]]This is referring to the unlockable you get after the mode that triggers the card.[[/note]]

** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' has an end card that you have to reset the game to get rid of. That little text at the bottom right of the panning galactic sky shot that says "There's more"? [[UnreliableNarrator Yeah, no there isn't.]][[note]]This is almost certainly referring to the unlockable you get after the mode that triggers the card.[[/note]]

** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' has an end card that you have to reset the game to get rid of. That little text at the bottom right of the panning galactic sky shot that says "There's more"? [[UnreliableNarrator Yeah, no there isn't.]]

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'': At the end of the credits parade, Geno's true form ascends to the repaired Star Road before writing "The End" in the foreground. After a moment on the screen, the colors will shift and play a music box rendition of the Ground theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' until the game is reset. This is no longer the case in the Nintendo Switch remake; after the "The End" card, you're allowed to save your game and continue into the PostEndGameContent.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'': At the end of the credits parade, Geno's true form ascends to the repaired Star Road before writing "The End" in the foreground. After a moment on the screen, the colors will shift and play a music box rendition of the Ground theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' until the game is reset.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' ends with a shot of the Goddesses' statues seen in Zelda's throne. There's no way to resume gameplay or manually return to the title screen.

* While ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' isn't an example, most [[VideoGame/MinecraftAdventureMaps adventure maps]] for the game don't let you restart once you've reached the ending, forcing you to delete and redownload the world to play again. Only a few maps, such as ''Diversity 3'', will automatically reset and let you play another time.

* Clearing ''VideoGame/PanelDePon'' on Easy informs the player that [[EasyModeMockery they're not getting any cool secrets for this]] and instructs them to hit Reset and try on a harder difficulty. The harder difficulties also have unending end cards -- Normal ends with a credit roll, while Hard and Super Hard add a TheEnd screen. The localized version, ''Tetris Attack'', removed this trope (you can hit A instead to go back to the title) but left in the text referring to it.

* ''VideoGame/PaperMario64'': At the end of the credits, Mario and Peach watch the fireworks from his house and the caption "The End" appears. With that, the screen is stuck on the scene until the game is reset.
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/ShiningForceII'', where the TheEnd screen only looks unending; wait long enough and you'll access a secret battle with almost every boss in the game, after which you're returned to the Sega logo.

** The Japanese version of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' stays on the ending screen until the game is reset. The US version instead lets you return to the title screen by pressing Start, [[NewGamePlus with an inventory entirely full of P-Wings.]]

* ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand'' provides you a code to play the harder Extra Mode upon completing the game. You will have to reset the Game Boy to play it. After beating extra mode, it's back at this screen with a different code granting you access to config mode. Again, you have to reset the system.

* ''VideoGame/MegaMan3'', ''VideoGame/MegaMan4'', ''VideoGame/MegaMan5'', and ''VideoGame/MegaMan7'' all do this, leaving the player on the "Presented by Capcom" screen.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' up to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' just shows a never-ending field of stars after the credits finish up.