Bonus stages (where you can die)

[ZeldaFreak | 3,619]

[DefaultGen | 5,434]

I don't know why we're fighting, but Pinball fits the bill. During the bonus stage, you can drain out the sides and you're fine, you just go back to pinball. But if you release Lady and fail to catch her, you lose your entire ball!

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

I may be wrong or not remembering correctly, but is the TMNT IV bonus stage called that because it's not in the arcade version? Thus, a "bonus" stage for the SNES version? I know there is a stage thats only on SNES but I can't remember which one.

[fcgamer | 4,753]

17 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Huh, that's weird. Maybe I should trust you over Oxford. 

Different usage of the word, bud.

The usage of "plus" in the phrase "Two murders plus ten deaths" is not the same as the usage in "Oh he plays guitar? That's a plus!".

Don't be ignorant here.

[fcgamer | 4,753]

6 minutes ago, CodysGameRoom said:

I may be wrong or not remembering correctly, but is the TMNT IV bonus stage called that because it's not in the arcade version? Thus, a "bonus" stage for the SNES version? I know there is a stage thats only on SNES but I can't remember which one.

I never played that game in the arcade. If that were indeed the case, it would make sense to me then why it's being called a bonus stage.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

[Gloves | 11,839]

3 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

Different usage of the word, bud.

The usage of "plus" in the phrase "Two murders plus ten deaths" is not the same as the usage in "Oh he plays guitar? That's a plus!".

Don't be ignorant here.

And "Bonus Stage" doesn't mean "Stage you can't die in". Again with the arguments supporting my side, all with a smug smile.

[TDIRunner | 2,774]

16 minutes ago, CodysGameRoom said:

I may be wrong or not remembering correctly, but is the TMNT IV bonus stage called that because it's not in the arcade version? Thus, a "bonus" stage for the SNES version? I know there is a stage thats only on SNES but I can't remember which one.

 

8 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

I never played that game in the arcade. If that were indeed the case, it would make sense to me then why it's being called a bonus stage.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

 

No, the Technodrome level is the one unique to the SNES.  Especially the part where you have to throw foot soldiers into the screen, which could only be done on the SNES version.  

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by TDIRunner

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

49 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

No, you're wrong here. The connotation definitely leans positive, if you look at the meanings, even in English.

If you cannot pick this up, likely you might have trouble with the subtle nuances of the English language. There's nothing wrong with that, but you should probably quit while you're ahead.

It's all about the subtle nuances baby!

The "bonus" in this case is that you get an "extra stage" in the game, itself.

Being able to die in-game during a level is not some actual "negative" of any real-world consequence.

Being able to play what the developer considers an 'extra stage" (i.e. Bonus Stage) is inherently good, irrespective of the in-game consequences... 

 

Now in the particular case of TMNT IV... I wonder if it USED TO BE a true "extra stage" at some point in development, but was added to the main-line of the game at some point and never had the level description modified.

[fcgamer | 4,753]

2 minutes ago, arch_8ngel said:

The "bonus" in this case is that you get an "extra stage" in the game, itself.

According to @TDIRunner, this stage was in the arcade version too...

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

1 minute ago, fcgamer said:

According to @TDIRunner, this stage was in the arcade version too...

In that case -- for this game / stage -- it is obviously just mislabeled in some way.

 

But to the larger argument -- "true" bonus stages just mean an extra stage in the game (i.e. you get access to more game "for free" which is your bonus).  More game is always good, so even if you can die in-game, it is still a genuine "bonus" in the literal sense.

[PII | 1,897]

Here's one that I've grown to like.  Initially it's rather daunting.  Although I've beaten the game numerous times, I've never perfected the execution of this bonus level, or been very good at it at all.  I'm uncertain if you are actually charged a life for failure but beneath is one big pit of doom so you don't want to fall at all and if you do, you go back to a part of the level well before the access point.  I think it adds some replay value to the game as I've gotten motivated to go back and git gud at it...

 

 

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

1 hour ago, TDIRunner said:

No, the Technodrome level is the one unique to the SNES.  Especially the part where you have to throw foot soldiers into the screen, which could only be done on the SNES version.  

Damn, no idea then.

[RH | 4,970]

I hate to ride the middle-of-the-road on this, but I hate "bonus" stages where you can lose health/die but I still consider them bonus stages.  Forget the whole semantic debate on what "bonus" means, the idea is that some how those stages provide something above and extra above the typical game play.  Stages that I love to see are like the bonus-stages in Galaga.  Bugs fly by and you could sit still and do nothing.  No harm in that!  However, if you attack all bugs, you not only get a bonus score but a bonus, BONUS score!  Awesome!

But yes, it feels like your getting stuck by the dev team when they tell you a bonus stage is coming up on your first experience, but then you go into it an lose health and/or die.  That's not cool.  Regardless, if they provide a way for you to more easily get upgrades, score points are doubled, or something like that, then they are technically offering you a "bonus".

[mbd39 | 2,029]

I'm trying to remember an example of a bonus stage where you can die. I know I must have encountered this but don't recall where.

 

EDIT: Maybe the "LUCKY" rooms in Legendary Wings. There are no enemies but you can still get crushed by the walls.

Edited July 15, 2021 by mbd39

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

11 minutes ago, RH said:

I hate to ride the middle-of-the-road on this, but I hate "bonus" stages where you can lose health/die but I still consider them bonus stages.  Forget the whole semantic debate on what "bonus" means, the idea is that some how those stages provide something above and extra above the typical game play.  Stages that I love to see are like the bonus-stages in Galaga.  Bugs fly by and you could sit still and do nothing.  No harm in that!  However, if you attack all bugs, you not only get a bonus score but a bonus, BONUS score!  Awesome!

But yes, it feels like your getting stuck by the dev team when they tell you a bonus stage is coming up on your first experience, but then you go into it an lose health and/or die.  That's not cool.  Regardless, if they provide a way for you to more easily get upgrades, score points are doubled, or something like that, then they are technically offering you a "bonus".

To spite you, I'm going to design a game where you ONLY die on "Bonus Stages" 

[DarkTone | 988]

Sonic 3 had bonus AND special stages. Not sure what other games had both, or made you lose a life. 

[RH | 4,970]

44 minutes ago, arch_8ngel said:

To spite you, I'm going to design a game where you ONLY die on "Bonus Stages" 

In this game, the bonus is... YOU DIE! Haha

Which technically speaking, the bonus is that you die!  It's not a good bonus, but a bonus nonetheless. 

Interesting enough, back in High School my literature teacher wanted us to do a literary project from a choice of a set of authors.  I chose Edgar Allen Poe and made a board game where the goal was to die.  I made a series of torture/death devices and as you advanced through the game and as you got trivia answers correct, you moved your player-mechanism closer and closer to the "death line".  I can't recall all of the apparatuses that I made, but one of the pieces was a guillotine and another was a slicing pendulum  The third one might have been a stretching rack, but I can't completely recall.

I had a very dark sense of humor as a kid and lucky for me, my teacher was kind of quirky and LOVED the game so I got the only one of two kids that got a 100 for their project. Note, this was before Columbine so it was just seen as "dark" and not something to report to the guidance counselors... twas a different time.

Aaaaaaanyway, in that game, death would have been an instant win, so take that!  There are times and places where death in a game is a good thing!

[GPX | 1,374]

I think bonus stages have changed with the historical course of time. From the early games, most were some bonus screens where you would do something completely different to the main game. There weren’t such things as “extra levels” but mere “bonus screen(s)”. I’m trying to rack my brains to think of some bonus levels and instantly to mind:

- StreetFighter 2 - bash car and barrels

- Shinobi - throw ninja stars at ninjas

- Sonic - spinning room with psychedelic colors.

Most of the early bonus stages you simply get some bonuses or get nothing, and you then move onto the next stage. I think later on, that’s when bonus stages became more unique in varying ways:

- extra mini-levels 

- extra stage (when you unlock secrets)

- play as a different character doing something different from the main game 

- somewhere along the way, someone thought it was a good idea to allow death in a “bonus stage”. 

———————

Ultimately though, it doesn’t matter if you can die on a “bonus stage”, but the question should be “is the bonus stage fun or thrilling?”

Because let’s be frank, I rather play a bonus stage that’s wholesomely fun and I die a thousand deaths, than one where it’s a chore done a thousand times with no real consequence whatsoever!

[T-Pac | 7,588]

I tend to agree that bonus stages with real in-game consequences sort-of ruin the inherent, risk-free precedent set by early games. Proper bonus stages, in my opinion, offer short, divergent gameplay for the sole purpose of grabbing extra points and powerups without gambling your health in the process. 

Mappy’s bonus stages are an excellent skill-based example of this. 

Bomberman has a ridiculously fun, frenzied, and carefree take on bonus stages.

And regarding the semantics thing: Some of you may not like to admit it, but many words do have an inherent positive or negative connotation on their own, regardless of whether or not that connotation can be altered by usage. I think “bonus” falls into this category, where it is only made negative in a facetious context.

-CasualCart

 

[GPX | 1,374]

I think there are 2 separate issues here:

- feeling/emotions regarding “bonus”, which often relates to a positive effect, or happiness to some degree.

- literal sense, a synonym to “extra”, as in “this is something extra that didn’t have to be added in, and different to the main game.”

Though the 2 above are not mutually exclusive. You can have something “extra” and it can feel very mundane. Or you can have a “bonus”, feeling excited and positive, but you can die in that bonus stage.

I recall in one of the Parodius games, you beat the supposed Final boss, and then it gives you a “bonus stage” with a completely new level, albeit it being slightly shorter than the other previous levels. It was just as fun as the other levels, and you can still die as well. Did I mind dying in that “bonus stage”? Absolutely not! As in this particular case, a bonus level was better than no bonus level.

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

On 7/15/2021 at 1:21 PM, Gloves said:

Bonus is really just a synonym for Extra. 

A normal stage in, say, a platformer is a dangerous place; there's really no reasonable expectation that a bonus stage has to be anything but literally a "bonus" stage. It's just an extra (often hidden or earned) stage. 

Disagree. Bonus clearly has a positive connotation in English. Perhaps this is not the case in Japanese and it's a poor translation, but I agree with @fcgamer here. If you can die in the bonus stage, that's totally bogus.

Don't want no bogus bonus, bro.

[Californication | 1,490]

The Sexy Parodius bonus is difficult. They give you all kinds of power ups, but it's like a boss rush with 4 or 5 characters. I think I had a work around like letting the timer run out or something so I could keep my goodies.

[Tanooki | 4,952]

Yeah I'm friends with fcgamer on here, but this isn't sucking up either taking sides.

He's right.  To me when I see someone popping up the word BONUS on screen, whether it's a progressive something in game, between levels point racking stage or some sequence prize bonus done then too (like SMB2's bonus slots) to me that bonus is a WEEE!!!! let's earn a prize.  Definitely not a... mini stage or other event where death is not just possible but likely, that's just another stage.

TO me there have been exceptions though, but they're done outside the standard game, done as a BONUS mini game, side event, etc... Parodius on SNES has 'OMAKE' which is japanese for bonus basically, it's a special mini game you can shoot, kill, get points, and be killed, but you go in expecting that.

[Californication | 1,490]

Anyone remember the bonus rounds on Tiny Toon Adventures? I want to say those were good one, but it's been a while.