Levels or maps you couldn't wait to play

[Flicky]

Have you ever bought a new game and seen a later level or map (via screenshots, trailers, strategy guides, attract mode, etc.) and been excited to reach it? If so, when you did eventually reach it, was it as great as it looked?

I had two occasions where this happened - the first was Swoopy Salvo in Donkey Kong Country 3. Saw it in a Nintendo magazine (think it was part of a strategy guide) and, with how much I loved birds, I couldn't wait to get into it, since the only other time I'd seen a Swoopy was in Springin' Spiders (I think). Sadly, it involved completing bonus coins, and I wasn't too good at those back then, so it took some time before I eventually reached it. And when I did.... I was underwhelmed, honestly. It was a very difficult level, but not as fun as I was hoping for.

The other was Click Clock Wood in Banjo-Kazooie. Like a lot of players, I found the area with the missing Jiggy pad early on, and I could tell just by the area that I wanted to play that level asap. Didn't actually think it would be the last regular level in the game. Getting the pad activated and completing the actual jigsaw felt like it took forever, and I still remember how hyped I was to finally reach it. This level remains one of my favourite levels in any game, everything about it was perfect. The only level that comes close to my love for this one would be Mad Monster Mansion.

How about everyone else?

 

[Belle T]

I wasn't aware that it wasn't an individual level at the time, but the commercials showcasing the Hover Nozzle in Super Mario Sunshine really made the game appear much more fun than it eventually ended up being.

Also not a level per se, but the image of Cloud holding the deceased body of Aerith in promotional material for the original Final Fantasy VII was also one that always stuck with me. It always looked really beautiful to me (reminder: this was the late 90's), and I couldn't wait to see it in context. Unfortunately, I had it spoiled to me rather quickly by a less than courteous friend (reminder: this was before it became one of the most famous scenes in video game history), and I didn't reach it until much later. So it didn't have quite the same impact that it might have had at the time. I still ended up enjoying the game a lot, and the impact of the story is felt in other ways. Just not for that particular moment.

 

[Drawdler]

Monstrous Isles in Skylanders was pretty great. I hated the game when it came out and when I got to that level it was the one that clicked. I really like the game now, still think it has a lot of problems but I always look forward to that level no matter what. It’s iconic, has cool visuals and brings back good memories.

Whenever I play Spyro 2- Autumn Plains homeworkd is absolutely the peak of the game so I look forward to it everytime, it sucks the game is so inconsistent in quality. Hell Winter Tundra home is pretty good and Spyro 3 has its own levels I look forward to when I play it. But Autumn Plains really stands out.

Electron Avenue in CTRNF. That level sold me on getting the game. No further explanation needed.

I was curious to see how nuts Food Run would be in Crash 4 and how it would feel in context, I think that’s the level name, the Crash/Coco level in Snaxx Dimension. Yeah that level was nuts for sure and I liked how that whole world felt celebratory (and then the twist that it wasn’t actually the final world. When the game came out I did NOT expect a world based on the original Cortex Island. It was insane, real treat there.)

Not the same but playing specific characters… Raven in Guilty Gear. He absolutely fits me like a glove. With no exaggeration my favorite fictional character ever and playing him was perfect too. Of all the fighting games I played definitely the standout.