An institution in console gaming, the screen where you have to press reset was featured at the end of many a NES-era game. As a heroic character, you would fight your way to the fortress of the evil being whose defeat was your one and only goal, and you would finally defeat him. There might be some ending bit of dialogue, some animation, or they might just roll the credits. They might even just give you a black screen with the word "Congratulations!" in lieu of an ending. In any case, after the end of the ending, you usually wouldn't be able to do anything with your controller. A, B, even Start would do nothing. You would either have to press reset on your NES or shut off its power. Who knows why they did this - as a programming shortcut, to signify that that was it and the game was really over, or for some reason that makes less sense. All I know is that when I beat a newer game and it just sends me right back to the start, I miss that screen, that static, unresponsive call to shut off your console....
Unless, of course, there's some sort of second quest - in which case I couldn't be happier to be back at the title screen.

Actually, I think this was one of the most wonderful features of classic NES games, and should be brought back forthwith. What better way to mark the complete end of the game than to stop the console altogether? Pressing Reset made me feel like, "Right, let's start all over again!" In simpler days, when more games had a very clearly defined ending, it was the perfect way to just call

STOP!

Or so I always thought.

The simplistic screen at the end of many of the 8-bit NES games, along with many other systems. The simple function of these screens were to signify that the player has won the game, defeated a vast evil, and overall kicked major butt.

The simple reasoning behind these screens never went further was thus, when one player beats Contra, there is no way to signify that you have won to friends but the screen. In the current era you can easily save the completed game on the memory card. A real nice use of the card but no great accomplishment because you can save EVERY five minutes.

When I defeated The Legend of Zelda for the NES the accomplishment was so great I snapped a picture of it, I believe I still have it somewhere. The fact was that the picture was my proof of the win; it was not marked on the save game. Yes I know the Zelda cart marked it but only for the first quest, not for the second quest. Many games had no save capabilities and those were normally harder games.

The whole purpose of doing the "screen where you have to press reset" was to allow the player, the gamer rather, to capture the great occasion how ever he chose. The most important way is to get a snap shot or videotape. I still remember the videotape of me playing Adventure of Link that was cool..

Perhaps when game manufactures become enlightened again the "screen where you have to press reset" will resurface along with unsaveable games, and sprite based graphics. Until that time we will have to remember out the old NES for this relic.

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