Line #50 Main/AttractMode


1	%%%
2	%%
3	%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!
4	%%
5	%%%
6
7	->''"Hey, hey, hey! Ready to have some fun? I got some kicking music, and I'm ready to see you drive! Get those coins out of your pocket, throw 'em in the machine, and let's get started! CRAZY TAXI!"''
8	-->-- '''Announcer''', ''VideoGame/CrazyTaxi''
9
10	An UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame that isn't being played goes into "attract mode" (sometimes called "advertise mode", "demo mode" or "game over mode"[[note]] The third name came about because "GameOver" was often displayed during attract modes[[/note]]), which is intended to attract passersby to play the game.
11
12	Typical attract modes show several of the following elements:
13	* The game being played by itself (with varying degrees of skill)
14	* {{Cutscene}}s showing the game's {{Backstory}}
15	* Character descriptions
16	* [[SexSells Attractive women]]
17	* Lists of high scores
18	* Tutorials explaining how to play the game
19	* An [[UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications AAMA content rating]]
20	* A table of values for ScoringPoints (often including at least one "mystery" value in games of the ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders'' era)
21	* [[Every10000Points "Extra life at N,000 points"]] (in arcade games, the value of N often depended on the owner-adjustable difficulty switches)
22	* The occasional [[PublicServiceAnnouncement [=PSA=]]] exhortation [[DrugsAreBad not to use drugs]]
23
24	{{Pinball}} games will also have attract modes similar to those in video games. Typical versions will play music; flash the playfield lights in a choreographed sequence; play animations on the alphanumeric display, dot-matrix display, or monitor; and display various scores, including the top scores and the most recent score. The last of these eventually led to pinball competitions, as the attract mode provided an easy way to determine a player's score after it has ended. Said competitions caused pinball attract modes to evolve with them: In more recent machines, pressing either flipper button during the attract mode will skip the display to whatever it will display next or go straight to the scores, depending on the manufacturer.
25
26	Arcade games with an attract mode will almost always have blinking text on the screen telling the player to "Insert Coin". Or they may have "Game Over" meaning that at the moment, the game is unplayable. Of course.
27
28	Attract modes still appear in many console games today, to persuade customers in retail stores to buy the game, the console or both, although the attract mode often consists merely of playing the opening FMV again if the game is left idle at the title screen too long.
29
30	Attract modes that specifically show gameplay or plot elements are {{Precap}}s. Compare AutoPilotTutorial, when the game demonstrates the tutorial for you, blocking any other interaction.
31	----
32	!!Examples:
33	[[foldercontrol]]
34
35	[[AC:Video Game Examples]]
36
37	[[folder:Action]]
38	* If ''VideoGame/PowerBomberman'' is left idle on the title screen for a while, the game will play a series of short demos. While some elements are predetermined, the combatant's actions are made up by the AI on the spot.
39	[[/folder]]
40
41	[[folder:Action-Adventure]]
42	* Booting up ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' treats players with an expository cutscene before reaching the title screen. Said cutscene is even named "Attract Mode."
43	* Leaving the start screen on ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' games idle for a time usually brings up something. In the two original NES games, players were treated to a scrolling explanation (famously misspelled, in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'') of the game's plot. ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' features an attract mode with a lengthy montage of cutscenes and game action set to some of the game's best music. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' also has one that shows brief scenes of the Fire Temple, the Spirit Temple, or the Forest Temple.
44	* The Sega Genesis version of ''VideoGame/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'' had demos set in arenas with random characters, showcasing how the hunters and dinosaurs are hostile [[MeleeATrois not just to the player but also to each other.]] One cheat code allows the player to view one battle after another, as it's actually rather fun to watch and bet on who will win. Of note is that the ''Stegosaurus'' is [[DemonicSpiders the top dog among the characters]] and that sometimes the demos feature an infant version of it [[DummiedOut that isn't ever used in the proper levels.]]
45	* Stay on the title screen for too long in ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'', and the opening cutscene will play.
46	** When the game was first being shown off at events like Spaceworld and E3, all of the trailers and previews incorporated a shot of Luigi outside the mansion, looking as though he was depressed or possessed by a ghost. [[PopCultureUrbanLegends Thought to have been the original Game Over screen]], it turned out that it was just a cutscene to entice players to check out the game.
47	* The attract mode in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' had, besides showing off the game, a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Jnua9YjL4 title screen theme]] that did not play anywhere else (a snippet of it appears before the credits).
48	In ''VideoGame/NewHorizons'', waiting long enough in the main menu triggers a trailer from Black Sails.
49	* ''VideoGame/StarWarsEpisodeIJediPowerBattles'' had a pretty cool one where the different Jedi show off their powers.
50	* ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' has several sets of demos, the initial ones just showing normal gameplay but progressing far enough into the game would unlock demos that actually show various tips and tricks, most of them being obscure stuff you wouldn't think of doing such as the [[ChargedAttack charge beam]]-powerbomb combos and fancy ways to use the [[SuperSpeed Speed Booster]].
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Arcade]]
54	* After idling on the title screen of ''[[http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/domo/default.php Domo-Kun's Angry Smashfest]]'' long enough, a scene will play out depicting evens that happen before the beginning of the game (you still have to press buttons to advance the text, though).
55	* The official Arcade version of ''[[WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph Fix-It Felix Jr.]]'' had an attract mode that shows why Ralph is wrecking the building, as well as an explanation of the game's mechanics.
56	* ''VideoGame/GliderPRO'', if left too long on the title screen, will start an automated playthrough of Demo House.
57	* The ancient Creator/HudsonSoft game ''Itasundorious'' (also known as ''Driller Tanks'') had a minute-long sequence completely explaining the player's and enemies' powers.
58	* Not all classic coin-ops had gameplay demo sequences. The attract mode of ''VideoGame/TheTowerOfDruaga'' consists entirely of the title screen, the high score table, the title screen again, the OpeningNarration, the title screen again, etc.
59	** Other examples are ''Baby VideoGame/PacMan'' (justified since it's part [physical] pinball machine), ''VideoGame/SpyHunterII'' (not to be confused with the sequel to the remake), and ''Xenophobe''.
60	** Yet another example is ''VideoGame/CommandoCapcom'', which just has a title screen, high score screen, and a screen that shows the main character Super Joe, plus how many points it takes to get an extra life[[note]]Which, in most other games, is usually only displayed during the "waiting for start" screen (which is shown after putting in a coin, but before actually starting the game).[[/note]]
61	* Both the ''World's Largest VideoGame/PacMan'', and ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders Frenzy'' use a large dot-based display. Much like some pinball machines mentioned later on, they allow arcades to input custom messages that usually advertise the arcade, and/or whatever promotions might be going on.
62	* ''VideoGame/TimeCrisis'' doesn't just display gameplay and instructions for its attract mode: it also has opening sequences styled after {{Trailers}} for action films.
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Beat 'Em Up]]
66	* The ''VideoGame/{{Asterix}}'' UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame had a tutorial illustrating all of Asterix's and Obelix's moves and the controls for them, and a slides of a few of the Gauls.
67	* The ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'' arcade game had profiles of Pimple, Rash and Zitz, a bunch of short gameplay videos, and a high score table titled "Greatest Grave Fillers."
68	* The arcade version of ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesTurtlesInTime'' had the famous song "Pizza Power" from the Coming Out of Their Shells Tour.
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Eastern RPG]]
72	* Most console [=RPGs=] will have some sort of story-related sequence play out while waiting for the player to press Start. Some examples which aren't just the opening sequence which would automatically play when you start the game.
73	** Creator/NipponIchi games either show story-related cutscenes or cycle through clips of gameplay demonstrating some of the more interesting moves available.
74	%%* Add ''VideoGame/AtelierSeries'' to this list.
75	* ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII'' actually inserts plot hooks into its attract mode, giving all of the party members a scene showing what they were doing before the events of the game, followed by a brief battle. Notably, Jean dies in his battle.
76	* ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' has one that shows some events that [[TrailersAlwaysLie don't actually happen in the game, and with characters that you can't have at the points displayed]], and has ''[[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic The Dream That Time Dreams]]'' play. Except for one obscure [[MultipleEndings alternate ending]], [[LongSongShortScene this is the only time it plays]].
77	* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'''s montage of events from various time eras accompanied by the game's eponymous theme song.
78	* The ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series has these examples:
79	** The DS rerelease of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' features an ''awesome'' FMV introducing nearly all the characters, and making use of both screens (occasionally by having credits on one screen, action on the other, and also having action going on both screens, such as the shot of the Tower of Babil.) It also [[TrailersAlwaysSpoil spoils certain plot-points in the game]].
80	** The Platform/GameBoyAdvance remakes of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' feature one of the main themes from the game playing while a brief explanation of the story is shown.
81	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'''s "Overture" illustrating the weapons of the main characters in black and white.
82	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' contains brief cuts of other [=FMVs=] in the game as well as a sweeping view of the world map which isn't seen anywhere else. Similarly, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'''s attract mode mainly consists of cuts from existing [=FMVs=].
83	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'''s homage to ''FF 8'' involves a gorgeous piano melody illustrating monochrome examples of weapons belonging to various dresspheres, with the main characters suggested nearby but never shown.
84	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' plays the trailer for the current expansion, accompanied by opening credits.
85	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' (the original release) has no less than three or four totally separate [=FMVs=] that cycle around, ranging from story introduction to gameplay footage to just cool stuff.
86	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyMysticQuest'' just shows the protagonist exploring various regions, several of them [[InterfaceSpoiler from quite late in the story]]. The developers even named him "[=DemoPlay=]" for the attract mode.
87	* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' games have class slideshows, showing off combat animations for each class along with short flavor text blurbs and a side table detailing how each class rates in each stat. ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' focuses especially on showing off specific characters, and adds some dialogue and map shots.
88	** The latter actually contained ''over 40'' possible scenes, progressively unlocked by the player completing multiple playthroughs or ending with a better rank. Most notably, some confirm important plot points that are only suggested in the actual story, such as Lewyn [[spoiler:dying at the end of the first generation and being resurrected by Forseti]].
89	* Both ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'' and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' feature orchestral remixes of their main themes accompanying a few verses of poetry and quick cuts of scenes that take place within the game.
90	* ''[[VideoGame/MetalSaga Metal Saga: Sejin no Kusari]]'' features a fully-animated anime-style opening sequence set to a guitar-shredding, synthesizer-slamming power metal tune that sounds like it came straight out of a {{Music/Dragonforce}} concert, and doubles as the game's "Boss Battle" music.
91	* ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'' has a fast-paced, horrifying montage with FMV cuts interspersed with scientific DNA technobabble (similar to ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'').
92	* ''VideoGame/Persona3'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hdrMSFz4ks here]]) and ''VideoGame/Persona4'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnPNL8fV-XM here]]) alternate between a short animated music video and a montage of gameplay and cutscene highlights playing over a second song. (The FES remake of ''Persona 3'' has its own montage, separate from the original.)
93	* ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate'' actually has an important plot point hidden away in the attract mode.
94	* The ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'' generally has anime cutscenes with fast-paced (often vocal) music. Sometimes it's the only anime cutscene other than the ending. Similarly with ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile''.
95	* ''VideoGame/VagrantStory'', in an interesting take, shows an FMV that features a dancer playing Mullenkamp, the deity of one of the factions in the game. It's notable in that it's the only FMV in the entire game, and features practically nothing about the game itself. Leave the game unattended a while longer, and it will show the meeting at the [=VKP=] Headquarters where Ashley first gets his assignment.
96	* ''VideoGame/VandalHearts'' has an absolutely ''berserk'' free-for-all between characters from all over the game, all between Levels 27-29 (in a game where ''20'' is quite high). It ends after several minutes with [[WarmUpBoss Dumas]] casting [[EndOfTheWorldSpecial Plasma Wave]].
97	* The ''VideoGame/WildArms'' series also uses anime cutscenes set to some song. Later games alternate this with some random battle demonstrations, but the [[VideoGame/WildArms1 first game]] actually showed a very plot-related in-game cutscene of some backstory... that you never see anywhere else. The [[VideoGame/WildArms1 remake]] kept this.
98	* ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}} 2'''s haunting vocal melody played while a mysterious device is being assembled. It's the ES Asher having its Vessel of Anima being installed (or rather, the ES Asher being built around the Vessel of Anima).
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Fighting Game]]
102	* Some games in the ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' series allowed you to move a joystick or press a button to show certain high score lists during attract mode. Very nice if you wanted to see whether someone had beaten your best score without waiting around. The arcade version of ''Ultimate MK 3'' had a fake character, a [[StealthPun purple ninja named "Rain"]], appear in attract mode, although he became playable in the home versions and later games.
103	** Each ''MK'' arcade game also used its attract mode to tell its story through numerous stills and character bios.
104	* ''[[VideoGame/SoulEdge ...to GO!! to SHINE!!]]''
105	** "Transcending history and the world, a tale of souls and swords eternally retold." (title screen without intro)
106	** "The heroes finally meet under the star of destiny." (gameplay demo)
107	* ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' games have extremely flashy intro sequences showing its characters in action. ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroesVsStreetFighter'' ups the ante with a LargeHamAnnouncer.
108	--> ''Are you ready, True Believes? Capcom and Marvel have joined forces once again to bring you...IT'S '''MARVEL SUPER HEROES VS. STREET FIGHTER!'''''
109	* Every ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' game, if left idle at the title screen for long enough, will eventually display a short video of the games' basic mechanics, called "How to Play." At other times, it will show the first 15 to 20 seconds of a 4-player match played by the CPU. For the sake of convenience, from ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' and onward, "How to Play" can be viewed from an in-game menu at any time.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:First-Person Shooter]]
113	* ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' has a particularly [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLTTXjxlZSU chilling one]].
114	* The early ''{{VideoGame/Doom}}'' games would cycle through three or four gameplay demos which would always end in the player getting killed. However, ''VideoGame/FinalDoom'' crashes after the first loop. As well as this, any GameMod that replaces the maps featured but not the demos would have the player [[ArtificialStupidity running into walls and shooting randomly]].
115	* ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein 3D}}'' and its sequel ''Spear of Destiny'' had attract modes cycling between demos ending with player death or timing out. The Spear add-on packs would break the hard coded demo loops due to map diffrences not matching the script.
116	* All three games in the ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'' trilogy had a few gameplay demos back in the day that would start running if a person opened the game and left it for long enough without selecting a command. They were not included in the now far more commonly seen[[note]]since the originals require classic Mac hardware or emulation to run[[/note]] Aleph One ports, however. A few of the more ambitious {{Game Mod}}s for the classic trilogy also included their own.
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	[[folder:Hack and Slash]]
120	* Left to its own devices, the main menu of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1'' plays some helpful demos of Dante's moves in combat, as well as a story trailer.
121	* The game for ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings: The Return of the King'' has one of these, an amazingly cinematic trailer-esque sequence set to the movie's main theme music.
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:Platform Game]]
125	* ''VideoGame/AstroMarineCorps'' showed the menu and high scores list while panning back and forth over the first level background.
126	* The later ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' games 4-6 had attract modes with demos and a hidden level demo as a high score table.
127	* The Game Gear port of ''Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade'' used the same demo data from the Master System version despite the modified controls, which led to them not playing out properly.
128	* ''VideoGame/KillerQueen'' has an elaborate one consisting of animation featuring the game's sprites and ''live-action'' footage of teams of people playing the game.
129	* ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure'' shows a brief gameplay tutorial if you linger on the title screen, then swaps to a reel explaining the game's backstory, which is otherwise AllThereInTheManual. The remake, ''Nightmare in Dream Land'', also has the story reel, but not the tutorial.
130	* ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'', a game made up of several sub-games, will play a series of story sequences explaining the plot of each of the sub-games if you let it sit at the title sequence long enough. What most people don't realize is that letting the game cycle through these scenes twice will play an extra scene that acts as a prologue to the final sub-game, "Milky Way Wishes". Since many players are unlikely to ever find this scene, the final boss appears to be a GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere. Each sub-game shows its plot on its own sub-title screen as well, though, and ''Super Star Ultra'' amended this by making the cutscenes play automatically the first time you start each game.
131	* Some ''Franchise/MegaMan'' games feature this when waiting at the title screen if players wait long enough at their respective title screen.
132	** ''VideoGame/MegaMan7'' and ''VideoGame/MegaMan8'' features a demo of a few stages by waiting at the title screen.
133	** ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'', ''[[VideoGame/MegaManX5 X5]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/MegaManX6 X6]]'' will also play a brief gameplay demo when "Press Start" is flashing at the title screen.
134	** ''VideoGame/MegaManNetworkTransmission'' will play a brief demo of the Net on Fire, Outer Net, and Garden Comp 2 stages after waiting at the title screen. The Japanese version of the game will sometimes play a short clip of the anime adaptation's opening credits, which was taken out of the international release.
135	* The ''VideoGame/{{N}}'' games have prerecorded demos of the player character going through a random level, although the odds of it actually reaching the end of a level without dying are slim to none. In ''N++'', it actually uses deaths that have happened to you as you play the game.
136	* The gameplay demo for ''Ninja Kid II''[[note]]also called Rad Action and JT 104[[/note]] shows [[ArtificialStupidity the main character running into one of the first enemies in the level]].
137	* The attract mode of ''VideoGame/{{Rastan}}'' covered the ExcusePlot in a few short blurbs and had a list showing what every item in the game did.
138	* The demos in ''[[VideoGame/{{Shinobi}} The Revenge of Shinobi]]'' were set up to have lame gameplay for Joe to die at some point. Since they are affected by the difficulty settings, you could have Joe killed in just a few seconds or cause him to survive and stay idle with nothing to do, which leads to the game becoming stuck on the demo until you press start.
139	* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1'''s idle mode was somewhat controllable. In some versions of the game, holding A, B and C would prevent Sonic from being able to jump. Most notable during the Green Hill Zone Act 1 section, as Sonic would run straight into the game's first enemy and die.
140	** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'' also had demos you could control with a specific button combination. Normally, the demos would end after a set number of button presses, but one of the demo stages was actually beatable in that amount. Doing so would crash the game.
141	** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2'' also allowed player input, namely moving around on the title screen, playing and even beating the level that was generated.
142	* ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' opens with an expository cutscene before the title screen.
143	* The title screen of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' shows Mario running through an apparently generic stage. [[spoiler:That's the fifth level of the Special World, "Groovy".]] Poorly made [[GameMod ROM hacks]] are notorious for {{Game Breaking Bug}}s caused by allowing Mario to die during this sequence.
144	[[/folder]]
145
146	[[folder:Puzzle Game]]
147	* The NES port of ''VideoGame/{{Arkanoid}}'' would show demo play from different levels, up to level 23. A bug enabled you to trick the game into thinking the GameOver screen from these demos were real, enabling you to use a continue and start the game at level 23.
148	* ''Equinox'' has its attract mode designed for demo kiosks at retailers. How can you tell? Because it includes an advertisement for the game.
149	* The original ''VideoGame/LodeRunner'' had a demo of three levels of gameplay (which were actually levels 12, 31 and 11).
150	* ''VideoGame/MarbleBlastGold'', if left on the title screen long enough, will launch into a playthrough of Advanced Level 40 ("Ordeal") that ends halfway through.
151	* ''Skweek'' didn't have one that played automatically, but selecting "About Skweek" would bring up the title character's demonstration of the game's features.
152	* ''VideoGame/Zookeeper1983'' would show the usual demos of the game being played -- and, if the controls were jiggled enough, had a chance of letting you play for free for a brief time.
153	* The unreleased ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' game for Platform/GameBoyColor has two sequences in rotation when idling on the title screen. The first sequence is a cutscene that establishes the basic premise of the game, and the second sequence is a gameplay demo with Chef explaining each character's abilities and how the game's mechanics work.
154	[[/folder]]
155
156	[[folder:Racing Game]]
157	* ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' games have always had several attract modes, playing in sequence if you left the title screen undisturbed.
158	** The original SNES game had modes showcasing two-player Grand Prix, Time Trial, Battle Mode and one-player Grand Prix.
159	** The Wii version even has Mario and Luigi demonstrating how to race with the included Wii Wheel like they are the players in the real world before going to a more traditional in game attract mode.
160	* ''VideoGame/SegaRally'' would cycle through three courses during the attract mode, and this applies to its sequel. In both games, there's a screen saying that the vehicles in Sega Rally are the cars that participated in the World Rally Championship (although some in the sequel were in the Formula 2 Kit Car category).
161	* ''Manga/WanganMidnight Maximum Tune 3DX+'' has a song during the attract mode called "Stay Where You Are" where a female singer repeats the title over and over. Guess what the game wants you to do.
162	[[/folder]]
163
164	[[folder:Rhythm Game]]
165	* The earlier Japanese installments of ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution'' used attract mode to advertise ''Dancemania'' albums that the games sourced its licensed songs from. This was part of a deal Konami had with EMI Music Japan, which mandated it to [[ProductPlacement put ads of the albums]] in exchange for licensing their songs for free. The deal was terminated sometime in 2006, after which Konami had to be selective as it no longer had carte blanche regarding licensed songs. The deal did not apply in Western games, however, hence why the ads never appeared in their attract mode.
166	* ''VideoGame/{{DJMAX}} Technika 2'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYEu5c7Hlr0 one of the more interactive examples]]; during the Attract Mode, most of the time there are buttons that allow you to cycle among the tutorial, the score rankings, and the song preview. The former two are [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin straightforward enough]], but song preview allows you to select a song to play briefly, so you can hear what it sounds like before starting a game.
167	* Both ''VideoGame/GuitarHero'' and ''VideoGame/RockBand'' would have random songs being performed if left at the title screen for too long.
168	** ''Guitar Hero 5'' takes it a step further and has the attract mode be "Party Mode", which takes random on-disc or DLC songs (no customs, including Neversoft's) and has the currently set up band onstage performing them while allowing people to jump in and out at will on any instrument without worrying about failing. Additionally, anyone playing can pause without interrupting the song and switch difficulty or handedness, or even request a song change (which is one of the few actions that ''does'' stop playback).
169	** ''Rock Band 2'', on the other hand, loops between two songs: "Let There Be Rock" and the "Hello There" video.
170	* The games that comprise the ''VideoGame/PrettySeries'' will show the top scoring game from that day to attract players.
171	* Leave any of the three iNiS [[Platform/NintendoDS DS]] rhythm games (the ''VideoGame/OsuTatakaeOuendan'' duology and ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'') idle on the title screen or main menu and a demo of the first phase of an early level will play on medium difficulty. Tapping the touch screen during the demo will restart the opening logo sequence and take you back to the title screen.
172	* ''VideoGame/JustDance'' had one that showed some of the routines that you could dance to. Just Dance 2023 Edition removed this attract mode.
173	[[/folder]]
174
175	[[folder:Shoot 'Em Up]]
176	* In ''VideoGame/{{Berzerk}}'', one of the earliest uses of a voice chip in arcade games is apparent when the game says, "Coin detected in pocket," during the attract mode.
177	* ''Blaze On'' has an attract mode showing off the abilities of the TFF-001 Garland and all of the units it can absorb.
178	* ''VideoGame/{{Bosconian}}'', in between the title screen and a short gameplay demo, has a "Score Table" in which the fighter turns to shoot each type of enemy ship as it appears.
179	* The arcade game ''VideoGame/{{Galaga}}'' had an attract mode that, due to a bug, you could actually control. Taking too long to beat it would reset the machine.
180	* ''[[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} Salamander 2]]'' also has an interactive attract mode, though it's implemented on purpose.
181	* ''VideoGame/{{Sinistar}}'' does more than simply try to attract players — it actually ''taunts'' them, using its HC-55516 voice synthesizer chip. Phrases such as "Beware, I live!" and "Run, coward! I am Sinistar!" were frequently heard in arcades whose managers didn't shut off the voice during the attract sequence. It wasn't a cheap game to own for most arcade owners.
182	* ''VideoGame/Starship1'': The ship flies through space as planets and asteroids go by while it waits for someone to insert a coin.
183	* The ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' games do the standard "showing off how the game is played" thing. Why isn't entirely clear, considering that you're not going to find them in an arcade and there are not a whole lot of tricks to show.
184	[[/folder]]
185
186	[[folder:Simulation Game]]
187	* Later ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' games would feature a video sequence if left alone at the title screen. Most of the time it's just a trailer for the game itself. Notable examples:
188	** ''Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies'' includes an electronica-based remix of the game's credits theme, "Blue Skies," interspersed with shots of seagulls and the game's F-22 mascot plane. If the player has completed the game or otherwise returned to the title screen after playing for a while, the Raptor will be replaced by the last plane the player used.
189	** ''Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War'' has a more action-packed thriller-type trailer, emphasizing mysterious plot points and the use of cinematic CGI cutscenes (in contrast to ''Ace Combat 4'' which used hand-drawn stills for their cutscenes) and wrapping up with the game's RealSongThemeTune "Blurry" by Puddle of Mudd.
190	** ''Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation'' also makes use of the game's cutscenes, but puts emphasis on the game's several B-plots alongside gameplay footage.
191	* The ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' games show a random villager in the town walking around, interacting with the world like normal. Bizarrely, in the first game, ''very'' rarely the attract mode will be somewhat different--it'll be [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3a00_TP9wk a villager frantically cutting down trees]].
192	[[/folder]]
193
194	[[folder:Sports Game]]
195	* Madden games pick two random teams (that are not historical teams or NFL Europe teams), and pits them head to head in a full CPU-controlled game, using the current settings.
196	* ''VideoGame/TropicalAngel'': There's a demo mode that shows the regular gameplay that ends in a failure.
197	[[/folder]]
198
199	[[folder:Survival Horror]]
200	* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace1'' has an attract mode that showcases [[TheManyDeathsOfYou the many ways you can die in the game]].
201	* It's not only coin-op arcade games that do this. Console games, too, will have attract modes that activate if idle, for use in video game stores. ''VideoGame/GhostHunter'''s attract mode features the voice of Michael Gambon booming out, "There are thousands of ghost stories... into some intrude the living."
202	* The very original ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'' features the ShakyPOVCam of... ''[[TheUndead something]]'' as it sneaks up on Chris and ends with screaming and a spatter of blood. Of course this was before the series was a franchise, and to find out what had attacked him you had to start playing.
203	[[/folder]]
204
205	[[folder:Tactical Action and Strategy]]
206	* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'' games alternate between replaying the opening movie and gameplay footage. Generally not very exciting footage, for some reason.
207	* Some ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' titles have a sequence of Mecha performing their signature moves with theme songs playing.
208	[[/folder]]
209
210	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
211	* ''VisualNovel/LuxPain'' has an anime-style animated opening sequence, complete with Japanese vocals, that introduces the main characters and the ''silent'' plot. Not bad for a Platform/NintendoDS game.
212	[[/folder]]
213
214	[[AC:Non-Video Game Examples]]
215
216	[[folder:Pinball]]
217	* Some alphanumeric[[note]]That is, pinball machines with alphanumeric displays. These were made beginning in the mid-1980s.[[/note]]-era and later pinball machines allow the arcade owner (or operator) to input custom messages, usually advertising the arcade itself[[note]]Or whatever place the arcade is located at[[/note]], or various promotions. The Pinball Arcade versions do this by advertising the collection's website (even on machines that were made before the internet was a thing). The real-life tables followed suit soon afterward by displaying the social media names of the operators, causing the bizarre phenomenon of a pinball machine from before the breakup of the Soviet Union showing the operator's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
218	* Creator/DataEast's ''Pinball/SecretService'' was renown for its "karaoke" attract mode; it would play the chorus from "Nobody Does It Better" (from ''Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe'') while displaying the lyrics.
219	* In a number of [[DigitalPinballTables virtual]] LicensedPinballTables featured in ''VideoGame/ZenPinball'', the attract mode may also play a famous, introductory quote from the licensed property in question. For example, one might hear Samuel Hayden introduce himself and talk of working together to resolve problems before a session on the ''[[VideoGame/DoomZenStudios DOOM]]'' table starts. Or in the ''VideoGame/{{Aliens\|ZenStudios}}'' pinball table, you might hear the famous dialogue between Ellen Ripley and Carter Burke over whether he's really going to destroy the Xenomorphs.
220	* ''Pinball/RickAndMorty'' occasionally plays an excerpt from [[WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty original series]]' "Interdimensional Cable" episodes during its attract mode.
221	* Most Creator/DataEast pinball tables from TheNineties have an option to advertise the company's next game during the AttractMode. ''Pinball/WWFRoyalRumble'' instead uses it for a CreditsGag, promoting ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwyo9QqOYiY Deathball 2000]]'' - a fictional pinball machine that doubles as a ShoutOut to [[https://images.pinside.com/3/f0/3f05edf87c11fc75897efb5d11e42e40d7d3c7c4/resized/large/3f05edf87c11fc75897efb5d11e42e40d7d3c7c4.png this]] ''Magazine/WeeklyWorldNews'' article.
222	[[/folder]]
223
224	[[folder:The Kiddie Ride]]
225	* Coin-operated kiddie rides joined the bandwagon since the early 1990s. Many rides made in Japan and Italy would play a snippet of the song that it would play while running (which may or may not be accompanied with speech inviting kids to ride the thing). Those made in the United Kingdom play back speech snippets (which, among other things, invites any passing kids to play with it and explains the type of coins accepted by the ride, as most rides originating from the country are multi-coin capable, as well as the vendor's service phone number), but music sample is optional and not all rides play it. Some are just plain illogical (the interactive van series of rides by R.G. Mitchells are often cited by parents as scary, due them playing, of all things, an EvilLaugh snippet as their attract sound). Certain new Chinese-made rides are starting to have an attract mode, too, which has nothing to do with whatever music the ride actually plays. Many new lower-end rides, however, do not have an attract mode at all.
226	[[/folder]]
227
228	[[folder:Other]]
229	* Platform/Atari8BitComputers (the 400 and 800 and later variants) had what was commonly called "attract mode" built in. In truth, this feature was more akin to a primitive screensaver, simply cycling the color palette after about nine minutes of no input, in order to avoid screen burn. (This, of course, didn't preclude games from including a "real" attract mode).
230	* Movie example, or rather a [[ShowWithinAShow game-within-a-movie example]]: [[Film/TheLastStarfighter "Greetings Starfighter!]] You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada!" (Especially noteworthy in that the movie also shows the game's '''glitched''' Attract Mode, when the machine goes nuts [[spoiler:in response to detecting either Centauri or an alien assassin in the vicinity.]])
231	* One brand of fresh orange juice dispenser, for an unknown reason, will occasionally play music videos of Music/MichaelJackson songs on its screen. If someone pays for a glass of orange juice, it will also start up a randomly chosen Michael Jackson music video as the oranges are juiced and the cup slowly fills up.
232	* Some automated teller machines will display ads for the bank's services in attract mode. If the user can select a language, sometimes one of the attract mode screens will display "Se habla español", or display several flag icons for countries corresponding to the languages the ATM knows.
233	* Some railroad ticket vending machines will display ads for cheap tickets, monthly passes, or other special offers from the railroad in attract mode. Like an ATM, the vending machine may have a screen with several flag icons, to indicate that it can operate in multiple languages.
234	* An arcade machine possessed by the anomaly in ''Film/MaximumOverdrive'' uses an attract mode to kill a victim, flashing abstract colors that are potentially hypnotic to lure him into playing it and then electrocuting him as soon as he touches the cabinet. One could call it a ([[Series/CSIMiami sunglasses]]) ''Film/FatalAttraction''.
235	* The Japanese ''Franchise/HelloKitty'' popcorn vending machine plays Creator/MegumiHayashibara's theme for the character as this, accompanied by Kitty telling you to buy popcorn. Creator/{{Sanrio}} [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft0HLoOsIF4 even created an official dance routine as seen on Hello Kitty's official vlogging channel]].
236	* In ''WebVideo/{{Petscop}}'', the titular fictional game has an Attract Mode where gameplay footage is shown with a flashing "DEMO" alert if the game is left alone. Some footage of the Demo Mode is shown amidst Paul's actual gameplay. While at first it seems to be typical sample gameplay, Paul eventually finds out that not only are the movements of the demo player based on prior actual interactions ([[spoiler:including those of other players from long before him]]), but the locations in the Demo mode are arranged slightly differently than those in the normal game. In the first major example of this being abused in Episode 14, Paul finds out a door in The House is closed in the regular game but open in the Demo mode version. So he tries to walk his character through it in the game proper despite it being closed, and later waits for the Attract Mode to start and see what otherwise inaccessible room he entered in the corresponding Demo footage based on his button presses.
237	[[/folder]]
238
239

Context Main / AttractMode