Top 5 Video Game Title Screens

Video game title screens? Yeah. Video game title screens. They may not be the most important part of the game, but they do leave a lasting impression. Though, a lot of work still goes into making them. So, here are my top 5 video game title screens.

5: Wave Race 64



Wave Race 64 was one of the first of two games I owned for the N64 that my brother and I saved up for. Needless to say, it was one of the most amazing experiences ever. 3D graphics, y’all! After years and years of only having the original Nintendo Entertainment System, the Nintendo 64 blew us away with polygons. Wave Race 64 is an amazing intro, not just for its 3D graphics and its place in my heart, but because of its presentation. The sound of the beach calls out as the camera races over clear water to quick cuts of the racers on their jetski. The speed, the colors, that music -- it all combines to set the stage for the entire game. Sure, it’s just a racing game, but there’s a lot of personality to it that makes it one of the best.

4. Metroid Prime



The Nintendo Gamecube was always something of a mystery to me. Its clean, almost alien, design intrigued me, and the thin light at the close of the lid made it look like some of the awesome power within was escaping. The title screen to Metroid Prime only served to reinforce these notions of its alien design. The first sounds that are heard sound like electricity through the cracking of thin ice on a lake crossed with the reception of a foreign transmission. Followed by the thunderous drums that lead into the almost Doctor Whovian high pitched whistle, this song sets the eerie tone for Metroid Prime. As you navigate through the menus, it becomes clear that the camera is swimming through the fluids inside of a Metroid, the iconic creature for which the series is named.

3. Halo



Halo made the Xbox. This is the game that you had to have, otherwise your Xbox was just a box. Halo had the most amazing multiplayer that could make for the best nights. Halo also had signature music that even my mom recognizes. Composed by Marty O’Donnel, the music from Halo went in a different direction than one might expect from a sci-fi action game. O’Donnel wanted to create a contrast between what the player was seeing and what the player was hearing. The style of Gregorian chant may not have been what most would have thought to work; yet it became the most iconic thirty seconds of turning on your Xbox.

2. The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker



The Windwaker has always been one of my favorite Zelda games, mostly because it was overlooked by most people, and vastly underappreciated. It also had a wonderful intro theme. The intro sets the tone for Windwaker; opening up with a shot of the bright sun, then sweeping into little Outset Island where our journey begins. Quickly, it cuts to our hero, Link, standing atop a cliff, looking out into the vast endlessness of the ocean. The camera follows his gaze and sets down perfectly to make like the title is floating on the water, waiting for you to climb aboard.

1. Mega Man II



This is one of the most iconic video game themes of all time. Setting the stage with an establishing shot of the future, and describing the events of the previous games, this theme sets up the players for the events to come. The song starts out with a peaceful, yet somber, tone as the game sets the stage in text. The score picks up in pace and energy as the camera begins to climb, symbolizing the champion that will rise to the challenge of Dr. Wily and his evil robot masters. Then suddenly, FLASH! MEGA MAN II appears on screen and there atop the skyscraper stands Mega Man, with his hair heroically blowing in the wind as he overlooks the future and what is at stake. This is Mega Man II, and you understand it from just the intro theme. Plus, it’s just darn catchy.

There you have it. My top 5 video game title screens. I had fun writing this and putting the list together. Tell me in the comments what your favorite video game title screen is.