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The 16 best bonus levels of all time

The special stages that left us wanting more

Words: Justin Towell, GamesRadar UK
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41 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
aznpoolpro  - 10 months 3 days ago 
because mostly old game had bonus rounds. Now adays thy dont have them anymore, the companies are more concentrated on Graphics and NEW stuff. Like Whats the next best thing!
BodyDamage  - 10 months 3 days ago 
i totally agree with AngeloComet. the gold saucer in general but specifically the snowboarding game. one night my friend and i stayed up trying to beat each others score in snowboarding for WAY too many hours.
Weasel  - 10 months 3 days ago 
What, no Skullmonkeys? The Little Bonus Room song is awesome! And lets not forget the super-secret Disco bonus round.
Cwf2008  - 10 months 3 days ago 
Where the f**k are the newer games? These are all old games! The only one thats even nearly remotely modern is RE 4....where the heck are the good levels? The only good one looks like the car smashing one...this list sucks. A LOT
counthuber  - 10 months 3 days ago 
what about the thing at the end of CoD4? does that not count?
Kruiser  - 10 months 3 days ago 
Sorry to all of the 13 year olds who haven't been around for the golden years of gaming. But rather than say "why all the old games" or "where are the new games".. why not offer up a constructive example?

Because you have nothin' so GTFO
Romination  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I want to give an example of a modern game...
*scrounges through stuff he has*

Ah! Elebits had some great bonus levels. They were all quite a challenge, but i loved them because of it.
No More Heroes had a bonus level that was a throwback to old games like Galaga, that was cool too.
House of the Dead 2+3 had this cool 'between games' level where you earned stuff for arcade mode.
Could the knifing in Deadly Silence be a bonus level?

...yep. all i got
phoenix_wings  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I agree with Kruiser, if ya think the list was bad, then offer up some good bonus levels and why they were good. Don't just bitch.
mattdark  - 10 months 3 days ago 
@ KHfan & animeman
Its most likely full of old titles because old games got bonus levels right! Most games these days have rather poor, or even no bonus stage at all.
key0blade  - 10 months 3 days ago 
animeman and KHfan are right, a bunch of old *great* games
Maikeru_Go  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I'd have to agree with Sixboxes as I recognize the car bash bonus game to be from Final Fight as well.

However, I'm going to venture out on a limb and say that the people who wrote the article don't know their cars too well as the car is based on the first generation of Lexus LS 400/1989 model of Toyota Celsior (UCF10)—which looks really, really different from the BMWs of that era (those still had round, headlamps that were built to resemble the characteristic sealedbeam ones found on their older cars).
Maikeru_Go  - 10 months 2 days ago 
There are older games because you usually don't find bonus stages in modern games. In more recent games special items or awards are usually unlocked for achieving some statistic built-in to the game. One example of such things would be unlocking new characters (like in fighting games) or special costumes (also in fighting games, but in a lot of newer Konami games).

Also, in free roam games the bonus level isn't so much of a level as it is an integrated mini-game. So things like GTA:SA's dating game or item collection or Metal Gear 3: Snake Eater's Kero-tan search give you bonuses (admittedly Metal Gear games aren't free roam per se, but you do have vast areas to explore with most letting you spend as long as you'd like there), but aren't bonus levels.
onslaughtree  - 10 months 2 days ago 
please sega, please do a sonic remake ala bionic commando rearmed. that will make us all happy.
noobeater  - 10 months 2 days ago 
i cant remember but dint golden eye have bonus missions not part of he main story?

any answers?

great article

sonic on sega genesis ftw!
Sylizar  - 10 months 2 days ago 
What about Nazi Zombies? If it counts.
spoonfeed  - 10 months 2 days ago 
I can't believe you missed the bonus levels in prehistorik 2;

http://prehistorik.milichovsky.com/img/prase2.gif

They where litterally a heaven for the main character, and quite funny for the player too
Sash  - 10 months 2 days ago 
Last level of Gears of War 2 was a kinda bonus level. Whats not to like about being nigh invincible and smashing crap up like godzilla?
jjjoowh  - 10 months 2 days ago 
how can you forget about a classic like vectroman, their bonus levels felt like a part of the game
oliver89  - 10 months 1 day ago 
my brother had a cheat on enter the matrix where you get 2 player and you get to fight as cars.
gmilf71  - 10 months 1 day ago 
yah, what ABOUT nazi zombies?!?! and where are the R&C insominiac museums?
but MK and SF2 are deffinitely win.
ninjas breaking bricks and fat sumos
kicking sedans are very awsome.
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