One of the best parts of a video game is the ending, but who has the time to go back and play through every game? Let me introduce you to Game Over: The Early Years, the weekly show where we dive into classic games and spoil both their stories and endings. From the biggest hits to obscure classics, we're taking a look at some of the best and most memorable conclusions in video game history.

Having just reviewed Asha in Monster World, I feel like this is the absolute best time for me to reveal a deep, dark secret. My first exposure to Wonder Boy wasn't Dragon's Trap, Monster Land or even the 1986 arcade original, but rather it was this game -- Hudson's Adventure Island. What was originally designed to be a Wonder Boy port on the Nintendo Entertainment System ended up spawning its own long-running franchise due to a weird licensing mishap. To help celebrate the 35th anniversary of this Hudson classic, I want to break down the narrative throughline that connected Master Higgin's many island-hopping escapades. Turn back now if you don't want to know what happens next, because today we're going to spoil the story and ending for the complete Adventure Island series. This is Game Over: The Early Years!


Still want more endings? Then I recommend you discover 23 Endings: The Early Years, the holiday series that ran during the 2017 holiday season. We cover Ninja Gaiden, Street Fighter II, Super Mario Bros. 2, Ghostbusters, Golden Axe, Metroid, Double Dragon, Flashback, Final Fight and many more!

And while you're just clicking on stuff at random, I suggest you head over to the Defunct Games YouTube page and subscribe to the channel. We're posting new episodes of Game Over: The Early Years every Monday, along with brand new game reviews throughout the week.