Top 10 Most Satisfying Video Games Moments Ever
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VOICE OVER: Peter DeGiglio
WRITTEN BY: Garrett Alden
There's no better feeling when it comes to gaming! For this list, we'll be looking at recurring moments and actions in video games that bring the most enjoyment to players. Our countdown includes Clearing the Screen “Tetris” franchise (1984-), BFG9000/Super Shotgun “Doom” franchise (1993-), Winning Standoffs “Ghost of Tsushima” (2020), Finding Diamonds “Minecraft” (2011) and more!
Script written by Garrett Alden
Top 10 Most Satisfying Moments in Video Games
Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 most satisfying moments in video games.
For this list, we’ll be looking at recurring moments and actions in video games that bring the most enjoyment to players.
If there’s a satisfying moment that you’re unsatisfied didn’t make our list, share it in the comments!
#10: Clearing the Screen
“Tetris” franchise (1984-)
Tetris is one of the most widely played and copied puzzle games ever made. The goal of aligning blocks in a row to make them disappear is a simple one, but also an extremely satisfying one to see in action. However, along with the immensely catchy music, another thing that’ll get a player’s heart rate up is seeing their screens fill with blocks and be unable to clear them away. So, when you’re starting to panic at the increasing number of blocks, nothing soothes your soul quite like finding that one block you need to wipe it all away and start fresh.
#9: BFG9000/Super Shotgun
“Doom” franchise (1993-)
Wading through the various devil spawn that have attacked Mars and its moons is no easy task for Doom Guy—or the players controlling him. So, when Doom Guy and the player get the chance to use a powerful gun to blow through demons that once gave them so much trouble? Well, revenge is a dish best served at the end of a gun barrel. Whether players are using the super shotgun, with its satisfying sounds and constant reloading, or shooting green plasma that obliterates every foe in its path with the BFG9000, these two guns are tons of fun.
#8: Winning Standoffs
“Ghost of Tsushima” (2020)
Combat in a lot of action games can start to feel samey, but “Ghost of Tsushima” manages to stand out through this awesome mechanic – standoffs. Instead of running up and button mashing until your foe is dead, you can choose to do the honorable thing and challenge them to a duel. Then, a cinematic standoff ensues like the conclusion of a samurai movie, and you must use precise timing to strike and kill your opponent. And while getting it wrong can be disappointing and frustrating, when you get it right, the slow-mo kill strike never fails to make you feel like a total badass.
Tsushima https://youtu.be/LFZL4hx9EwY?t=85
#7: Getting an S Rank
Various
Everyone likes knowing they did well, and video games often give letter grades to indicate how successful the player is at a given task. However, those familiar with the American education system will probably be confused that a lot of games, particularly from Japan, don’t have the highest rank as “A.” Instead it’s an “S.” To achieve an S rank in a game usually requires completing a level or a challenge with absolute perfection, and often within a certain time limit too. The “S” may as well stand for “skill,” because if you get it, you know you’ve got it. Get it?
#6: Beating Hades For the First Time
“Hades” (2020)
Now we can hear you asking: “Beat the game ‘Hades,’ or the boss of the same name?” …Yes! “Hades” is a hack and slash, roguelike game, which—for all you newbies out there—means that the action is fast and furious, and if you die, you basically reset…though with some added perks. This makes for a punishing difficulty and numerous runs as you try to defeat the Greek god of the Underworld. To borrow from another Greek myth, playing this game can feel like you’re Sisyphus, pushing a boulder up a hill for eternity. But, unlike him, you actually can achieve victory – and when you do, it’s like drinking ambrosia!
Sisyphus https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/sisyphus
#5: Defeating a Boss
“Soulsborne” franchise (2011-)
FromSoftware has created some of the most popular action RPGs of the last decade. These include the “Souls” franchise, as well as games like “Bloodborne” and “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.” They’re all notoriously difficult to beat, and will involve the player dying a lot! Progression in the games is usually built around defeating bosses, and although the regular enemies are often enough to make your life flash before your eyes multiple times, bosses are on another level entirely. Finding their patterns is a matter of trial and a whole lot of error. When you do finally overcome these frequently monstrous bosses, you’ll be praising the sun and everything else that you managed to survive…for once.
Sekiro https://youtu.be/yBUYh2l-GbY?t=52
#4: Finding Diamonds
“Minecraft” (2011)
Diamonds are a gamer’s best friend. When mining for materials in “Minecraft,” players find plenty of materials to craft new things with. However, the most useful material is easily diamond, given that it can be used to make some of the most important items. These include the most durable armor and pickaxes—which are useful against tough enemies and in digging up hard material like obsidian. It’s also usually the most difficult to find, often spawning deep underground, necessitating prolonged mining sessions. Locating diamond is, well, like striking gold in the real world. Striking gold in “Minecraft” is just… not that big of a deal.
#3: Spiking Opponents
“Super Smash Bros.” franchise (1999-)
Hitting your opponents off the stage in a “Super Smash Bros.” game is kind of the whole point. Sometimes they can recover though, by jumping or otherwise propelling themselves back on-stage. You can interrupt this effort, however, and smash them downwards into the pit below by using a smash attack that hits downwards. This technique is usually called spiking, or meteor smashing. Technically, only “Melee” has “true” spiking, but whatever you call it the action is almost literally dunking on your opponent. Although most games allow the possibility to recover from these hits, the timing can be tricky. Regardless, there is a certain juvenile glee in watching your foe’s hopes get dashed.
Melee https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/melee
#2: Catching a Legendary Pokémon
“Pokémon” franchise (1996-)
While we considered discussing shiny Pokémon, not everyone’s into collecting them and every shiny is a winner. Legendary Pokémon, meanwhile, are on every trainer’s must-have list. Legendary Pokémon are usually on the box art and tend to be some of the most powerful and/or plot important ones in the games. Fighting one can be challenging enough, but getting one inside a Pokeball and making it join your team is just about the highest level of satisfaction one can achieve in the game. Even if you decide to forego the headache and just throw a Master Ball at it, capturing an incredibly strong Pokémon still feels “the very best.” Well, almost.
Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Triple Jump, “Super Mario 64” (1996)
There’s a Rhythm to His Progressively Higher Jumps That Makes Us “Wahoo!” Every Time
Catching a Contradiction, “Ace Attorney” Franchise (2001-)
Watching the Defendant or Witness’s Testimony Unravel is Oh So Satisfying
Opening a Chest, “The Legend of Zelda” Franchise (1986-)
Who doesn’t love that tune?
#1: Axe Recall
“God of War” (2018)
As Kratos, the titular god of war, players usually deal with their foes by attacking them with an axe—which Kratos can throw for a ranged attack. However, rather than walking over to it and picking it up out of your fallen foe like a mortal, you can recall the axe to Kratos’ hand – the way a GOD does! The axe throw and recall mechanic is so simple in concept, but the execution is so immensely satisfying. Whether you’re just holding your hand out to look like a badass, or marveling that the axe can kill enemies on its way back, this never loses its novelty.
Top 10 Most Satisfying Moments in Video Games
Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 most satisfying moments in video games.
For this list, we’ll be looking at recurring moments and actions in video games that bring the most enjoyment to players.
If there’s a satisfying moment that you’re unsatisfied didn’t make our list, share it in the comments!
#10: Clearing the Screen
“Tetris” franchise (1984-)
Tetris is one of the most widely played and copied puzzle games ever made. The goal of aligning blocks in a row to make them disappear is a simple one, but also an extremely satisfying one to see in action. However, along with the immensely catchy music, another thing that’ll get a player’s heart rate up is seeing their screens fill with blocks and be unable to clear them away. So, when you’re starting to panic at the increasing number of blocks, nothing soothes your soul quite like finding that one block you need to wipe it all away and start fresh.
#9: BFG9000/Super Shotgun
“Doom” franchise (1993-)
Wading through the various devil spawn that have attacked Mars and its moons is no easy task for Doom Guy—or the players controlling him. So, when Doom Guy and the player get the chance to use a powerful gun to blow through demons that once gave them so much trouble? Well, revenge is a dish best served at the end of a gun barrel. Whether players are using the super shotgun, with its satisfying sounds and constant reloading, or shooting green plasma that obliterates every foe in its path with the BFG9000, these two guns are tons of fun.
#8: Winning Standoffs
“Ghost of Tsushima” (2020)
Combat in a lot of action games can start to feel samey, but “Ghost of Tsushima” manages to stand out through this awesome mechanic – standoffs. Instead of running up and button mashing until your foe is dead, you can choose to do the honorable thing and challenge them to a duel. Then, a cinematic standoff ensues like the conclusion of a samurai movie, and you must use precise timing to strike and kill your opponent. And while getting it wrong can be disappointing and frustrating, when you get it right, the slow-mo kill strike never fails to make you feel like a total badass.
Tsushima https://youtu.be/LFZL4hx9EwY?t=85
#7: Getting an S Rank
Various
Everyone likes knowing they did well, and video games often give letter grades to indicate how successful the player is at a given task. However, those familiar with the American education system will probably be confused that a lot of games, particularly from Japan, don’t have the highest rank as “A.” Instead it’s an “S.” To achieve an S rank in a game usually requires completing a level or a challenge with absolute perfection, and often within a certain time limit too. The “S” may as well stand for “skill,” because if you get it, you know you’ve got it. Get it?
#6: Beating Hades For the First Time
“Hades” (2020)
Now we can hear you asking: “Beat the game ‘Hades,’ or the boss of the same name?” …Yes! “Hades” is a hack and slash, roguelike game, which—for all you newbies out there—means that the action is fast and furious, and if you die, you basically reset…though with some added perks. This makes for a punishing difficulty and numerous runs as you try to defeat the Greek god of the Underworld. To borrow from another Greek myth, playing this game can feel like you’re Sisyphus, pushing a boulder up a hill for eternity. But, unlike him, you actually can achieve victory – and when you do, it’s like drinking ambrosia!
Sisyphus https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/sisyphus
#5: Defeating a Boss
“Soulsborne” franchise (2011-)
FromSoftware has created some of the most popular action RPGs of the last decade. These include the “Souls” franchise, as well as games like “Bloodborne” and “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.” They’re all notoriously difficult to beat, and will involve the player dying a lot! Progression in the games is usually built around defeating bosses, and although the regular enemies are often enough to make your life flash before your eyes multiple times, bosses are on another level entirely. Finding their patterns is a matter of trial and a whole lot of error. When you do finally overcome these frequently monstrous bosses, you’ll be praising the sun and everything else that you managed to survive…for once.
Sekiro https://youtu.be/yBUYh2l-GbY?t=52
#4: Finding Diamonds
“Minecraft” (2011)
Diamonds are a gamer’s best friend. When mining for materials in “Minecraft,” players find plenty of materials to craft new things with. However, the most useful material is easily diamond, given that it can be used to make some of the most important items. These include the most durable armor and pickaxes—which are useful against tough enemies and in digging up hard material like obsidian. It’s also usually the most difficult to find, often spawning deep underground, necessitating prolonged mining sessions. Locating diamond is, well, like striking gold in the real world. Striking gold in “Minecraft” is just… not that big of a deal.
#3: Spiking Opponents
“Super Smash Bros.” franchise (1999-)
Hitting your opponents off the stage in a “Super Smash Bros.” game is kind of the whole point. Sometimes they can recover though, by jumping or otherwise propelling themselves back on-stage. You can interrupt this effort, however, and smash them downwards into the pit below by using a smash attack that hits downwards. This technique is usually called spiking, or meteor smashing. Technically, only “Melee” has “true” spiking, but whatever you call it the action is almost literally dunking on your opponent. Although most games allow the possibility to recover from these hits, the timing can be tricky. Regardless, there is a certain juvenile glee in watching your foe’s hopes get dashed.
Melee https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/melee
#2: Catching a Legendary Pokémon
“Pokémon” franchise (1996-)
While we considered discussing shiny Pokémon, not everyone’s into collecting them and every shiny is a winner. Legendary Pokémon, meanwhile, are on every trainer’s must-have list. Legendary Pokémon are usually on the box art and tend to be some of the most powerful and/or plot important ones in the games. Fighting one can be challenging enough, but getting one inside a Pokeball and making it join your team is just about the highest level of satisfaction one can achieve in the game. Even if you decide to forego the headache and just throw a Master Ball at it, capturing an incredibly strong Pokémon still feels “the very best.” Well, almost.
Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Triple Jump, “Super Mario 64” (1996)
There’s a Rhythm to His Progressively Higher Jumps That Makes Us “Wahoo!” Every Time
Catching a Contradiction, “Ace Attorney” Franchise (2001-)
Watching the Defendant or Witness’s Testimony Unravel is Oh So Satisfying
Opening a Chest, “The Legend of Zelda” Franchise (1986-)
Who doesn’t love that tune?
#1: Axe Recall
“God of War” (2018)
As Kratos, the titular god of war, players usually deal with their foes by attacking them with an axe—which Kratos can throw for a ranged attack. However, rather than walking over to it and picking it up out of your fallen foe like a mortal, you can recall the axe to Kratos’ hand – the way a GOD does! The axe throw and recall mechanic is so simple in concept, but the execution is so immensely satisfying. Whether you’re just holding your hand out to look like a badass, or marveling that the axe can kill enemies on its way back, this never loses its novelty.
