[COLUMN] What’s the First Moment That Comes to Mind When You Think of _____? | by Marty Sliva

A few weeks back, I was chatting about the Resident Evil franchise with a couple pals when an interesting question came up – what was the first moment from the series that comes to mind when we think of it. Not our favorite moment, not the best moment, not the most iconic moment. If we could somehow pluck the very first image that our mind conjures when we hear the words “Resident Evil,” what would that be.

And lo and behold, it turned out that all of us had completely different answers from completely different games. To me, the way we answered that question provided a unique perspective into our relationship with the entire breadth of Resi.

This got me thinking about the same question, but for a bunch of different franchises that have been in my life for various stretches of the 35+ years that I’ve been playing video games. So in no particular order, here are the very first moments that come to mind for 20 major franchises. And please join me in this weird psychological experiment by firing off your own personal answers below.

Resident Evil — Doggies in the Window (Resident Evil)

For the question that prompted this entire exercise, Resi to me will always be a long narrow hallway that you slowly walk down until the moment a pair of zombie pups crash through the window and let you know that nowhere is safe from the horrors of Raccoon City.

Mario  – World 1-1 (Super Mario Bros.)

Even though it might not rank in my 10 favorite Mario games, the very first obstacle you come across in World 1-1 of the original Super Mario Bros. is what immediately sprang to mind. The combination of one goomba and seven floating blocks is synonymous with Mario to me.

Final Fantasy — March to Narshe (Final Fantasy VI)

The opening moments of Final Fantasy VI sees Terra piloting her Magitek armor alongside Biggs and Wedge across a snowy field en route to the city of Narshe. As the credits roll over the Mode-7 visuals, Nobuo Uematsu’s score rises up, creating a moment that might be the defining image of RPGs in my mind.

Grand Theft Auto — Nighttime Drive (Vice City)

This one is less of a specific moment, and more of an overall vibe that Rockstar was able to create in the second part of their iconic PS2 trilogy. Getting behind the wheel of a car in Vice City long after the sun has set and cruising the streets to the sounds of “I Ran” by A Flock of Seagulls will always be the image that enters my mind when I think of Grand Theft Auto.

Metal Gear Solid – The Ladder (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

No matter how many times I replay Metal Gear Solid 3 – including the two back-to-back replays I did a few months ago when the remake released – the enduring form of Hideo Kojima’s sprawling epic will always be that of Snake climbing what feels like an endless ladder up to the Krasnogorje mountains, as the all-time banger of a theme song kicks in.

The Legend of Zelda — Pulling Out the Master Sword (Ocarina of Time)

The shot of Young Link entering the Temple of Time, stepping up to the pedestal that houses the Master Sword, pulling it out of its slumber, and suddenly finding himself transported years into the future has been engrained in my memory since 1998.

Mortal Kombat — Fatality into the Spike Pit (Mortal Kombat)

I was always kinda dogwater at the Mortal Kombat games, but I loved watching other folks play them over at my local arcade, especially if they knew how to do the special Fatality in The Pit, which sent their opponent crashing down into a bed of spikes far below. Though it seems utterly quaint now, something about it felt so dangerous and illicit as a kid.

Silent Hill — Lisa Garland’s Final Moments (Silent Hill)

Ever since I first played the original Silent Hill back in 1999, the final moments of Lisa Garland succumbing to the horrors of the titular town have been engrained in my memory. The brief CG cutscene of her desperation as blood begins to pour down her face and Harry’s inability to do anything but run away, all while Akira Yamaoka’s perfect score builds in the background is the stuff of nightmares (complimentary).

Halo — CTF on Zanzibar (Halo 2)

For as much as I love a good Halo campaign, it’s the multiplayer that springs to mind as soon as I think of the franchise. Specifically Capture the Flag on Zanzibar in Halo 2. The sandy beach giving way to the hulking power station made for an asymmetrical playspace that is as iconic to me as Master Chief himself.

Pokémon — Tough Decisions (Pokémon Red/Blue)

I’ve mentioned on streams about how I love the opening hour or two of a Pokémon game. There’s a potent sense of wonder, excitement, and danger that comes from leaving the safety of your home and beginning your adventure, which is personified in the very first decision of the original Pokémon game, where Professor Oak asks you to choose between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle (the correct choice).

Assassin’s Creed — Someone Yelling “Assassino!” (Assassin’s Creed II)

This might be a bit of an odd one. When I think of Assassin’s Creed, I think of Ezio running across the rooftops of Venice as a guard below screams “Assassino!” at me. I’m not even 100% sure guards say that in the game, but it remains the snapshot of Ubisoft’s franchise on record in my brain, regardless of its existence.

Doom — E1M1 (Doom)

No matter how many hours I spend in the modern Doom games, for me, the series will always be the opening E1M1 level from the 1993 original. The music immediately hits as we’re dropped into the map, with the hellish sounds of our enemies echoing in the halls. I had no idea how influential this moment would be as it terrified me as a kid.

Persona — Beneath the Mask (Persona 5)

Stepping outside LeBlanc on a rainy night with “Beneath the Mask” playing in the background is not only an A+ mood, but it’s also what I think of when I think of Persona. There’s a 10-hour-long video of the song looped on YouTube, and you best believe that I have fired up that bad boy on multiple occasions to play in the background through the work day.

Sonic the Hedgehog — Emerald Coast (Sonic Adventure)

For as much time as I spent replaying Sonic 2 and 3 on my Sega Genesis as a kid, I was surprised that my go-to version of Sonic isn’t 2D, but rather the opening level of Emerald Coast in Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast. The sense of speed as you jet across Emerald Coast, with the fantastic music cheering you on, epitomizes that wild blue yonder, Y2K-era aesthetic that I love so much.

Red Dead Redemption — John Marston’s Last Stand (Red Dead Redemption)

Buying enough time for our family to escape, we open the doors to the barn, only to realize that the odds are simply insurmountable. We can enter Dead Eye and take out a few of them, but we can’t prevent the inevitable, and are forced to watch John Marston’s last stand play out.

Metroid — Landing on Zebes (Super Metroid)

Landing on Planet Zebes back in 1993’s Super Metroid was the first time that I was ever cognizant of a game using its atmosphere to set a very specific tone. That somber mix of isolation, danger, and wonder has stuck with me over 30 years later as the defining moment of Samus Aran. 

Prince of Persia – ‘08 Trailer (Prince of Persia ‘08)

This might be a bit of a cheat, but it’s the first thing that popped in my brain. I’m one of the few people who have Prince of Persia ‘08 as their favorite in the series, and that all started with this fantastic trailer set to the Sigur Ros song “Sæglópur.” It set a perfect tone for a very strange detour in the franchise that I think would get a massive critical reappraisal in a modern rerelease.

Street Fighter — Ryu vs. Chun-Li in the Market (Street Fighter II)

When it comes to the hundreds, if not thousands of Street Fighter matches I’ve either watched or participated in throughout my life, the first thing that comes to mind is that of Ryu squaring off against Chun-Li in a Chinese marketplace with several onlookers gathering to watch the brawl.

Half-Life — Pick Up That Can (Half-Life 2)

The first image of Half-Life that pops up in my mind comes from the opening minutes of Half-Life 2, before you even get a gun. You walk by a fascist guard who knocks a piece of trash on the floor and orders you to “pick up that can.” It’s not only a great world-building moment, but also one of the all-time great tutorials. 

Dark Souls – Majula (Dark Souls II)

It surprised me that it wasn’t one of the countless unforgettable boss encounters that immediately sprang to mind from the Souls series, but rather a serene sunset dropping below the horizon far off the coast of Majula in Dark Souls II. A perfect moment in an imperfect game.