Guinness World Records names Black Ops as ‘best game ending’

The Guinness World Records 2012 Gamer’s Edition has named Call of Duty: Black Ops the game with the “best ending ever”. The game topped a poll of well over 13 000 gamers.

Gas Deaves, Guinness World Records Gamers Edition editor, speaks out on the choices. “Everyone has an opinion on how to end a game whether it’s an epic boss fight, a clever plot twist or a 90-minute movie. This list recognises some of the greatest endings and hopefully will get gamers talking about what are their favourites and why.”

The top 50 games below were voted in by the Guinness World Record readers:

50. Resident Evil 4

49. Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic

48. Ratchet & Clank: a Crack in Time

47. Crysis 2

46. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

45. Call of Duty: World at War

44. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

43. Half-Life 2: Episode Two

42. Super Metroid

41. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

40. New Super Mario Bros. Wii

39. inFamous

38. Fallout 3

37. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

36. Gears of War 2

35. Bioshock

34. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

33. Sonic Adventures 2

32. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

31. Kingdom Hearts II

30. Mass Effect

29. Super Mario Galaxy

28. Sonic the Hedgehog

27. Metal Gear Solid

26. Assassin’s Creed II

25. Assassin’s Creed

24. Shadow of the Colossus

23. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

22. Kingdom Hearts

21. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

20. Super Mario Galaxy 2

19. Mass Effect 2

18. Grand Theft Auto IV

17. Portal 2

16. Assassins Creed: Brotherhood

15. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

14. Halo: Combat Evolved

13. Halo 3

12. Pokemon Black and White

11. Super Mario Bros

10. Heavy Rain

9. Final Fantasy VII

8. Metal Gear Solid 4

7. Portal

6. Red Dead Redemption

5. God of War

4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

2. Halo: Reach

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops

My vote for number one would have gone to Portal 2 or Halo: Reach. These games stretch the logic of traditional storytelling, and deliver surprising endings with both humour and pathos. The ending of Black Ops is like an inebriant yelling “USA! USA!” at the end of Top Gun.