A Flash animation made by Double Helix and Super Flash Bros. Originally it was just a simple movie filled with silly jokes about the "Future of Video Gaming", and soon spanned four episodes (If you include the Christmas Special). Practically teeming with video game jokes set in the years they were created (2004-2005), the Decline of Video Gaming was a well-received Flash cartoon on Newgrounds. Most of them end with a rant about "Some Video Games Are So Bad", and really likes to harp on the nonsensicals in video games.
Decline of Video Gaming
, the first episode, was set in the distant future of 2059 AD, where most video game series have been simplified and/or have started to feel more realistic. The characters introduced in this one were Dim, a long-haired guy who complained about video games; Dan, a jacket-wearing brunet guy who complained about video games, and JT, a scruffy-haired guy in a black shirt who complained about video games. Needless to say, they complained about video games. It was the most simple of the series, because it was less plot-related, and more just made to harp on video games.
Decline of Video Gaming 2 had more plot than the first. The three characters, Dim, Dan and JT, are invited to e3 (Electronically Exaggerated Entertainment Show), so that the three evil game developers, Konami, Capcom and Square Enix, can kill them. This one really fleshes out the characters, giving them actual personalities and mannerisms. It had more video game jokes, more references and a new character: Tom, the other member of Double Helix/Super Flash Bros.
A Decline Christmas was a Christmas special, with nicer animation and more holiday jokes. It had no real plot, much like Decline of Video Gaming.
Decline of Video Gaming 3 was the final "episode" in the series, and featured the cast going to Japan to visit an arcade. Eventually they were kidnapped and brought to an odd Japanese game show, to compete against a few minor characters from the second episode. It had more video game jokes and references, and the expected rant at the end of the game. You might recognize a lot of the characters, such as Hideo Kojima and Ken Kutagari. This ended the series, much to the dismay of the many fans of the groups.
Decline of Video Gaming provides examples of:
- 20 Minutes into the Future: The first installment. The Flash video was meant to be a parody of what was then the current state of video games, so it's pretty tongue-in-cheek.
- Art Evolution: There was a major improvement in the animation quality between the first and second installments.
- Bag of Spilling: Decline 3 parodies Metroid's tendency to do this. Specifically, Samus trips and drops her power-ups down a drain.
- Big Bad Duumvirate: The developers of Square Enix, Capcom and Konami.
- Character Name and the Noun Phrase: A joke at the Zelda series's expense uses one of these: "The Legend of Zelda and the Lampshade of No Real Significance".
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: The head of Square Enix, Capcom and Konami.
- Curse Cut Short: After dissing the DS, they try to criticize the PSP in the opening to Decline 3. After failing to find any faults, Dim angrily throws the console, triggering its safety parachute."Oh for fu—" (title theme plays)
- Dramatic Thunder: Crosses with Sorry, I Left the BGM On in Decline 2 — The head of Square Enix triggers it involuntarily whenever he indulges in Evil Laughter, and the Head of Capcom points out it's part of their Surround Sound system Evil Edition.
- Disproportionate Retribution: So what was the head of Square Enix, the head of Capcom and the head of Konami's reason for throwing Hideo Kojima in jail? For making Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
- The fact that they are going after three men for simply criticizing their video games could count.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: The first entry took place 20 Minutes into the Future, with the main characters entering a game store that sold not-yet-existent sequels. Every subsequent episode simply took place in the modern day, with commentary on recently released games instead.
- Every Episode Ending: Each installment (Barring the Christmas Episode) ends with Dim saying that he'd have more fun doing something boring than play any terrible games.
- Facepalm: "That'll teach you... for SITTING IN A CHIMNEY! Sheesh..."
- Fridge Logic: In Universe on Spiderman's natural fear of newspapers.Jameson: Okay Parker, I want this on my desk by Mond-Peter: Aaah! Don't hit me!
- Funny Background Event: One scene in Decline 2 features a ninja trying to flirt with a girl.
- Fun with Acronyms: In Decline 2, Dim, Dan, and JT are given free tickets to E3 from the Gaming Ordinators National Association of Developing Systems.Dim: Wow.. Hey, wait a minute! That spells go-
JT: Will you guys shut up!? I'm trying to watch TV! - A Good, Old-Fashioned Paint Watching: "Dry like you mean it!"
- Groin Attack: World's Funniest Tornadoes
- Hilarious Outtakes: Well, one in Decline 1.
- I Will Show You X!: "I'll give you [PC World Employee] stamping down on prices!"
- I Am Very British: The stinger for Episode 2 has the cast of Double Helix and Super Flash Bros acting very British in self-parody (complete with a disclaimer on the top saying that they're English and making fun of themselves), talking about winning the World Wars and eating tea and scones. Tom then remarks that they were all very drunk before Dim remarked that they've actually been drinking Ribena.
- Man on Fire: Tom is lit on fire once an episode (since Episode 2). The first time was by a misfired Fire Spell from Square Enix, next when Tom fell down a chimney into a fireplace, and in the final one, he goes through the episode barely escaping the flames, until the end, when it is heavily implied that he is burned at the stake.
- Lampshaded during the final episode, where Tom lists off how many times he's almost been lit on fire. It's 31 times, to be exact. Twenty-eight of them were Noodle Incidents.
- "We'd have more fun watching Tom burn."
- Poke the Poodle: The Capcom head's idea of "psychological warfare" is to give the protagonists threatening phone calls in hopes of scaring them away. It barely works.
- Ridiculous Future Sequelisation: The Final Fantasy title shown has so many Roman numerals in the title the box spans damn near the entire store.
- Running Gag:
- "Ohmygodimonfire!"
- "We'd have more fun watching [X Y]!"
- Take That!: To paraphrase the third episode, "The fact that the guys love video games doesn't mean they can't be cruel".
- Time for Plan B: Tranq darts in Decline 3.Head of Konami: Why is plan B always the better one?
- Shout-Out:
- Among others, Evil Robot Usses
- Final Fantasy X in Canada, South Park style.
- Who Writes This Crap?!: From the first one: Devil May Cry 4: Who wrote this crap?!
