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By Sal Basile May 28, 2010 |
Space is filled with many rarities. Distant stars, unknown planets
and hidden wonders. The most majestic thing about space, of course, are the sci-fi explosions that litter its corners. Sure, its not possible for sound or smoke to travel in the vacuum of space, but do we really need to think about that when we're being entertained?
And remember: where there are climactic explosions, there are spoilers. You've been warned.
Very early in the game, a necromorph enemy is caught in an escape pod by Zach Hammond, your Senior Security Officer. Without a second thought, Hammond propels the escape pod into the abyss of space.
Later, when Issac, the player, restores communication capabilities, a message can be heard from a ship close by that can rescue the doomed crew. “This is the USM Valor. We have retrieved your escape pod and are en route to your location.”
Surprise, the necromorph infected everyone, causing the Valor to slam into the ship you’re trying to get off. Big sparkles ensue.
343 Guilty Spark was a douchebag. His superior robot brain caused him to come to the conclusion that the only way to destroy the flood was to destroy all sentient life in the universe. Not cool, dude.
To stop the flood, Guilty Spark, and Halo, Master Chief thinks of a new plan: trigger a huge explosion, yo.
Master Chief makes the fusion reactor of his ship meltdown, causing a near nuclear explosion that rips Halo into pieces, destroys the flood, and lights up the night sky. Romantic.
No Star Wars game has recreated that time Ben Kenobi desperately bargained with Luke to use the force to land a proton torpedo into the small, exposed, thermal exhaust port of the Death Star quite like Rogue Leader.
Break-neck speed down the trench, you pull up your targeting computer, but something holds you back. A familiar voice rings out, “use the force, Luke.” At this point you are Luke Skywalker and the entire galaxy really does need you right now.
“Luke you switched off your targeting computer. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, dude. Nothing’s wrong. I’m just about to go FORCE on this Death Star.”
The first few seconds of Mass Effect 2 sets the tone for the rest of the game: desperation. The ship that you spent your entire Spectre life on from the first game gets ripped to shreds by enemy lasers. On top of that, Commander Shepard is sent hurling through space, if only to be brought back to life to seek vengeance for his beloved ship.
Getting spaced is super lame.
After destroying what seemed to be an endless swarm of enemy ships, missles, and war ships, the Starfox team finally breaks through the last line of defense with the last level, Venom, in sight. Out of desperation, the Area 6 General, who didn’t matter enough to get an actual name, proclaims, “deploy 'it’ now!”
"It" turns out to be a boss unlike any other encountered up to this point. A shape-shifting robot with tentacles and a terrifying OMG LAZER cannon. Once Slippy analyzes this rascal, however, Fox and his team make short work of this metallic beast, resulting in an explosion that encompasses the heroes in a blinding light of victory.
Mission accomplished.
The final battle between the robot, bug Lord, Mizar, ends with his destruction, but does not stop the asteroid that is on a crash course with Earth. With no options left, our heroes believe all is lost, but Floyd, the brave robot that left Mizar’s army, steps up to the occasion.
Floyd volunteers for a suicide run into the core of the asteroid to detonate a massive bomb that will save Earth. The heroes try to find some other way but soon realize Floyd is their only hope.
In an epic final mission, Floyd traverses the caves of the asteroid that lead to the core. Once there, the robot winces his cute little robot eyes before an explosion destroys the asteroid, saving Earth.
During the “light side” story arc, the former dark Lord, Darth Revan, confronts his former apprentice, Darth Malak, in a classic epic lightsaber battle between light and dark. While this battle rages, the Republic fleet is enroute to the Star Forge to destroy it, which would leave the Sith in ruin.
After Revan defeats Malak, he rejoins his crew to find out the Star Forge is about to be destroyed with them still on it. They make a dash for their ship as the Republic fleet bombards the galactic base. Admiral Dodonna proclaims the Republic has won, but Vandar asks at what cost, believing Revan and his crew are still aboard.
An explosion lights up the galaxy as the Star Forge is destroyed, and our heroes are seen escaping the destruction.
Samus is given immense power from her Metroid buddy, who has grown to gigantic proportions, to destroy Mother Brain, the monster that controls all of the Space Pirate systems. Just as the sweet Metroid is done giving Samus the kiss of power, the Mother Brain kills it. Out of commitment to her mission, and revenge for her giant brain-sucking friend, Samus destroys the Mother Brain, triggering the self-destruct sequence of the planet.
Samus makes her way through the ruins of the base, and forests of the planet, and reaches her ship just in time to make it out of blast range.
So long, sweet Metroid.
Space Invaders had a simple premise and no end. Stop the invading aliens from touching down on your planet, by any means necessary.
Although seeing those terrestrial scum pop in an explosion of pixels was satisfying, timing a bullet to weave in and out of the aliens at the right time to hit the exposed mothership was sure to make anyone burst out in excitement.
Let's Scramble!
All space combat lovers remember Wing Commander. What they remember more is trying to fly for the first time. You take out your fighter with Spirit, a fellow pilot who's honor is apparently "to obey".
Once you get the hang of Wing Commander flying is a breeze, but that first time out in space against enemy ships sure was a pain. That is, until you finally destroyed a ship, which resulted in an unbridled amount of happiness.
