Best game intros in history...

Hey guys,

I`m an avoving (old school) game intro fan and am wondering what you guys think are the best demos, benchmarks and game intros ever produced.

So here comes my highscore list:

1) No game intro, but so unbelievable cool, especially the music: 3D Mark 2000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdXfmfFL5x4

2) Unreal 2 Intro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybhdaoIj_3U

3) Need for Speed 2 Intro. So much better than today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-rt6LjsvQE

4) Unreal Tournament Intro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLbcXEPHExA&feature=related

5) Mafia Intro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAmfhGfiXSA

6) 3D Mark 99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ2KUmr-07s

7) Tirtanium benchmark (that music.. )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9hDt-_jdU0&feature=related

8) Unreal 1 Intro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26I-Pw-yPJ4

9) 3D Mark 2001
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XXMDn9oM9o

10) XL-R8R (Alternative 3D Mark 2000)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBt8StLOWbw&feature=related

Deus Ex (Intro from the PS2 Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJegc9eEG8M

Well next to every of your entries really is just a benchmark. While I also enjoyed the early 3DMark scenes they're nowhere near the quality of some good old intros imo. I'm also surprised that even though you say you're an old school gamer there pretty much is nothing old school in your list and there are tons of great intros and actually I still think today's intros usually suck against what we got back then...

I don't really have a highscore list (you cannot really compare them anyway) but here a small collection of really great intros:

UFO: Enemy Unknown (UFO Defense in USA afaik)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX0Cm3N_n6k

Terror from the Deep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMyPVpogqcM&feature=related

Crusader: No Regret
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AuOje4iiYc

Syndicate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw2W_Ap7m2k

Syndicate Wars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrruSboN1bQ

Total Annihilation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6mZZiI4ShQ

Das Schwarze Auge Schicksalsklinge (-> a game from the Dark Eye universe - I don't know if non german players will know this)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2tvQ43q-p4

Earth 2140
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnwHso-DYj0

Warcraft 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld2rktzCCog

And of course we mustn't forget the outstanding Freespace intros (certainly one of my favorites which I watch regularly):

Freespace 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ-xcgBL1mY

Freespace 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khIWdolT9xY

EDIT:
The Earth 2140 video above lacked sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDgmtKRWS_c&feature=related

Every Half life game intro so far. And I agree with the Unreal Tournament opening as being one of the best.

And even though it isn't the best of the best, our PreVa game's second intro. Call me crazy or tooting my own horn but it's good. TSS did a great job on the music and although the graphics of the game are not spectacular the directing of the Lebron Facility takeover was great to me. (oh and it has a hidden joke, see if you can find it )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2fdH87JUEs

edit: a cool benchmark to me would be the whole Half-Life 2: Lost Coast level (not the benchmark itself, the actual level). I'd consider LC to be a benchmark anyway because it's not part of the Half-Life 2 game.

Best old time (Amiga) intro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvha_2hAzq0

Turrican 2

---

Also The Starcraft Intro is great

intro to wrath of the lich king
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95vcgv-pK_4

i hate wow but damn that blew my mind. the irony and tragic sadness... great cinema...

that is a cool intro, never played WOW but add that to my list.

Resident Evil 1 PSX Live intro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctbXH47O8-E

How can you people not have listed that cult classic yet!

Pro Evolution Soccer 3 intro = the best;
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlVBR_-9mh8][/url]
love the music... and the game

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! You're right.........wow...

Matter of fact, RE 1, 2 and 3 are all great intros, so cheesy yet so awesome.

Sorry, I don't get it. Where is the joke?
btw: A joke is not good if it has to be explained...


And on topic: What about the "The Settlers II" intro?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrp_vOSLkXE

The remake is even better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omwA7Pl5EFQ
...playing it on 'normal' difficulty level is quite hard >.<
character controll sucks but never played a game with such an intense atmosphere..playing it with 15 doubles that appeal T__T

turn up your speakers and listen real close. The joke will only appeal to street fighter fans. For more info:



And for the absolute spoiler of the joke.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (yet to be released)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbzlgykYrRU

EDIT: Ohwowie, a newer released teaser (2009):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=975Zw8BJ3Vg


Myst III Exile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcgsbmPvm9U

Myst III rollercoaster ride
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyQxuk5Jkqc

How can you guys forget the intro of Metal Gear Solid?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Jm2iSokug

So far ahead of it's time.. and ingame!

Close second comes the sequel, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHYh02uCCJo

A lot more graphically and musically impressive, but you'll need to know about the original.

@Joozey: holy crap, now Shadow Planet is damn stunning! (Dimmu rocks anyway)

Seconded! MGS is the best game series of all time IMHO. So many times I've gone back to the original (thankfully PS3 playes PS1 games).

Jibb

Privateer
"Prepare to be boarded..."
- "Not a chance pal, prepare to go to hell!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJHrdE8xoEk

Wing Commander 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfAoVX_VWWs

Red Alert 1
(the timewarp sound along with "Hell March" still gives me the shivers -> 2:01)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABDm2JcnTPs

Privateer 2
Clive Owen, John Hurt, Christopher Walken...all in one game! Wooo!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP9LVXvRrT0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phn7ssXintM


Ahhh... the memories x)

was MGS The Twin Snakes for GC a remake of the first one?
I also played Sons of Liberty - nice game but killing all these MGs at the end sucked^^

Yeah, Twin Snakes was a remake of MGS1. I've been keen to get it (the only game we have on GameCube is SSBM -- we got them together on eBay only a year or so ago), because in my last play-through I was disappointed by some gameplay flaws that I had just never remembered.

Valkyria Chronicles had a really good intro.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJPhasMsayI

I'm surprised how many games don't have intros -- when you first start a game up it's great to have a video get you all excited about what's in your future, especially since the player is often quite limited at game start.

Jibb

also awesome opening - Tales of Symphonia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox8PPgx_g3M&feature=related

Duke Nukem 2 Intro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b9VpnxUkQA

Duke Nukem: Time to Kill Intro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5nJWdHBVhQ

Duke Nukem Land of the Babes -Intro-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGoSRtNhjhE

Krazy Ivan Intro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyDKjnZ-WMs

Flashback Intro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5NVWUoUH9Y

I'm having a great video game intro mental block right now.

Zero Wing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icVy7Ve6y6A

you forgot:

thief: dark project
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uR8pcqV_HY

thief 2: the metal age
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUxsgmJv-2c

thief (3): deadly shadows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtNZ3J8nRHA

Thief is really awesome.
Whats with Devil may cry 4?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-3WgiztxLI

how about the Onimusha 1 Intro for PS2...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH4sD5sSyFA

or part 3 intro..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l_NxN-4g3A&feature=related

Dungeon Keeper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N5ODEGR1KQ

Panzer Dragoon Orta (just skip the intro text yadeeya a little)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JKuazGjzEg

The Witcher
http://www.myvideo.de/watch/2659635/The_Witcher_Intro

how come spike didn't mention the metroid prime intro?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r_27Cpe9xU

Conqueror A.D. 1086 (released in 1995 by Sierra On-Line):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qhwVmus-ko



Assassin's Creed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH8sLd6M88E

Star Lancer (release date 2000):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU6xle28dXM

Wing commander 4 (release date 1995):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms2sYa6yF...&playnext=1

Fallout

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkBNKa2KXZE

This is not a game intro, but it's awesome. It's a realtime DirectX 11 demo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNlglowwBXA

@Damocles: Fallout .... What else? btw. do you know the original Wasteland intro from 1988 (Commodore 64): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5lmL7yNC9Y

played Wasteland a little bit in DOSBox. a real legacy game.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion:

Here.

Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall:

Here.

Medieval Total War:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11xfNLrJDHg

Empire Total War:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz5ej50YcpQ

Return to Castle Wolfenstein:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8xBGLEobRY

Future Cop LAPD Precinct assault intro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BkLKhIEPpc

rayman raving rabbids 2. simply awesome, especially with all the funny details. "enjoy your invasion".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi-MlFkK6xA&feature=fvst

Haha Rayman RR 2 Intro is so cool, never seen this before

Edit: Just look at this. No intro, but its the most funniest mini game I`ve ever seen: "Kuhweitwurf" "Cow Tossing" (Rayman Raving Rabbits)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re-DpPQYN9g

Another cool, old intro: Worms 2



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkzFMfCamdU&translated=1


Also cool: The old Apogee Intros





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5AldgYYJdo

Lords of the Realm II -Intro- 1996

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDiLapH-oJs

Classic! This is a great game.

Intro to meroid other M
i would post a link to youtube but apparently the videos is already taken down, whcih is sad its EPIC if youre into metroid.
ill check if i can find another one

Neverwinter Nights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDJyOTLAK4Y

Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen intro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwS_GbMo99Y

Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen Intro Pt. 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j33LpjnWpIo&feature=related

Another classic and great game.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Opening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne-YGPlHAi0

Stronghold:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRNz1wgyTq4

Legacy of Kain - Soul Reaver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFiLNc46jAM

Yes! Metal gear so great! one of my favourite games ever. Great into and music.

Also one I remember from when I was younger
Wild arms For PS1.... after watching it again now, meh...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bEsv7IXLbg

I think I still like Metal Gear Solid 1 and 2 best (only played them on PC as well, so graphics have always been pretty good).

Metal Gear Solid 2 still has acceptable graphics to this day imho, despite being old. For some reason it doesn't feel outdated yet.

I was looking for the intro from Trespasser, because as I recall that had a pretty cool intro as well, but I can't seem to find it.