The best video game title screens

Video game title screens are an artform. Their layout, design, imagery and sounds are the first impression players get of a gaming experience, and certain developers have taken title screen concepts to incredible, immersive levels. Launcher took a look at some of gaming’s greatest title screens to see what makes them work so well. We considered multiple factors — cinematography, aesthetics, sound design, nostalgia, gaming legacy and how the title screen sets player expectations. Here’s our breakdown of some of the best and most memorable video game title screens.

The NES classic “Mega Man 2” had big shoes to fill after the first game became a hit, but the developers were ready for the challenge. Right from the beginning, a swooping upward camera shot seemed like a nod from the developers using camera motion to say “yes, the fans expectations are rising higher and this game is rising to meet it.” At the top, a triumphant Mega Man is ready to jump into action as soon as you click start. Supplementing this title screen is an incredible soundtrack that pushes the limits of the NES system, a triumphant techno bop that has stuck with fans for generations.

The best title screens are the ones that can convey what the game’s experience will be like, and Nintendo is particularly good at show-don’t-tell game design when it comes to their Mario games. In “Super Mario Bros. 3," you actually see gameplay features before even pushing a button. The new tanooki suit power up, kicking Koopa shells and walking behind certain background set pieces is a tantalizing snippet of what new experiences you can expect from this game.

Naughty Dog’s “The Last of Us” games’ great title screens owe a lot to their simplicity. The first title screen shows nature slowly overtaking manmade objects, like this plant overtaking a window. It acknowledges the theme of the game while simultaneously showing the stakes.

The second game also displays subtle simplicity. It may just look like a boat, but it’s also an apt metaphor for Ellie’s journey. At the beginning. Ellie’s rage consumes her, making her future unclear like the fog ahead of the boat. But at the end of the game, she finds a way to move on from that rage. The boat and the title screen’s imagery changes to a much clearer, more beautiful view ahead.

God of War 2018 is loaded with cinematographic tricks to imply what the revamped franchise is about. The depth of field is shallow and not focused on Kratos, but instead the handprint on the tree. It’s a subtle way of saying the game won’t focus just on what a badass Kratos is. After all, it’s an introspective journey about a man filled with regret. The title screen also immediately transitions into the game, as the users takes control of Kratos as he prepares to chop down the tree.

The best title screens tend to have grand legacies behind them, and few are as big as “Halo’s.” Not only did this title screen kick off the franchise — it kicked off the Xbox itself. “Halo” remains one of the most popular games on the console, and the title screen promised what Halo and Xbox was capable of — a vast experience, teeming with possibilities, kind of like the space or this giant metal ring that players were dying to learn more about. The screen showed “Halo" was going to be big, bold and have its own identity — a good mission statement for Xbox as a whole.

Square Enix, known back then as Square Soft, used a single object on a black background motif for a lot of their games’ title screens, but none were done as successfully as “Chrono Trigger.” It starts with a swinging pendulum, which indicated that time is going to be a significant story element. The way that the word ‘trigger’ flutters in and fades toward the end of the word is brilliant, foreshadowing that the end is not set in stone and players have the ability to change the outcome.

One look at “Cuphead’s" title screen and you might not even realize you’re about to play a game. That’s exactly what Studio MDHR was trying to achieve. The game’s visuals and soundtrack take inspiration directly from Walt Disney and Fleischer Studios cartoons from the 1930s through the 60s. It even has the visual and audio effects of old film reels spooling up before the screen would show the feature. It’s clear right from the get go that this is no ordinary co-op run n’ gun game.

The beautiful yet simplistic title screen of “Xenoblade Chronicles" packs in more information about the game than you’d expect. The vast expanse of the Plains showcases just how massive this explorable world will be. What appears to be ancient architecture, is revealed in the game to be pieces of a giant mechanical creature, further hinting at a rich world, history and mystery. And at the center of it all, a weapon that gives the wielder the ability to see the future and thus change it. Time is once again a major factor in this game. Something showcased by the title’s transitions from day to afternoon to night.

“Dragon Age: Inquisition” has another title screen that moves players immediately into the experience. The marching mages and templars on opposite sides of the screen indicates the tension between them as well as the setup for the story ahead. The resulting explosion when the player hits start is a startling indicator of what’s to come. This is a game that, despite its story being set up by other games, has outcomes you can’t expect. That’s reinforced right at the beginning of the game.

The brilliance of “Braid’s” title screen not only comes from the fact that it immediately throws you into gameplay, it also comes from the startling contrast in aesthetic. When you play through the first world, it appears to be a cheery Mario knockoff, complete with cute visuals. But the title screen is dark and fiery, signaling this game actually has a dark underlying message.

When the video game industry began to experiment with 3D, there were a lot of questions surrounding existing IPs: How would video games with already established 2D designs transition? The Zelda franchise answered emphatically in the form of “Ocarina of Time.” Nintendo opted to show not only the capabilities of 3D, but a narrative that would reveal the new Zelda world. As Link rode Epona through the fields of Hyrule, players saw a grand adventure unfolding before them, a tease of the lands they’d explore and a look at the new hero himself. Gone were the anxieties about the transition to 3D. After seeing this open, gamers were simply excited to see what was next.

To see these title screens with sound, visit Launcher’s YouTube page.