In the campy cartoon classic Super Friends, a single fist bump had the power to fantastically transform teenagers into liquid or animals. In real life, the fist bump has the amazing authority to connect bros on a deeper level than thought possible. Moments like the ones we've collected from gaming history are the type to inspire such connections. When bros witness these, they'll at least earn you one fist bump, if not two or three with optional explosion.
Dual chainsaw kill (Gears of War)
Getting a melee kill with most weapons in Gears are almost badass enough to warrant a fist bump, but they happen frequently enough that you should save it for something special. A dual kill with the Lancer is just such an occasion, since it not only involves chainsawing a guy into a bloody mess, but also teamwork with your closest bro.
Killing a grizzly with a knife (Red Dead Redemption)
Any sharpshooter worth his salt can kill a bear with enough shotgun shells and moonshine, but what if you want to take hunting to the EXTREME? Then you need to pull out your best knife and fight that bear on his terms. If you can pull that off without being mauled, you earned your self one hell of a fist bump, bro.
Car surfing (The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction)
It might not convince Roger Ebert that games are art, but Ultimate Destruction fully embraced why people the world over love the Hulk. The game is exploding with over-the-top action, as Hulk smashes the crap out of everything, vehicles included. Hulk's move that's most worth a fist bump? Flattening buses and trucks and surfing on them in a way that defies both physics and logic most beautifully.
Total Fist Bump Destruction Achievement (Army of Two: The 40th Day)
Army of Two might be remembered as a merely adequate third-person shooter, but what it gave to the bros of the world can't be denied. Perhaps the series ultimate expression of broness is the sequel's game-ending Achievement/Trophy. Give your friend enough props during the campaign and you'll be close enough to finish the game as best friends, which earns you Total Fist Bump Destruction, dude!
"U rappin' COOL!" (Parappa the Rapper)
Rapping is a skill many bros want to learn but most likely never will. That's why virtually freestyling to perfection as Parappa is worth kudos as you and your bros watch the ridiculous environmental effects ramp up. It's especially worth the bro-accolade if you do it in the first stage, as it fulfills another bro dream: impressing a martial arts instructor.
QTE of freedom (Ace Combat: Assault Horizon)
QTEs have been overused to the point of being particularly banal and un-awesome, but even recent games like the latest Ace Combat can find something bro-worthy to do with them. After saving America from destruction, the player is met with adoring crowds and promted to press a button. The hero then raises his fist in the air in celebration. If only we could press another button to fist bump him ourselves.
Batman beats up a shark (Batman: Arkham City)
Simply being Batman is enough to earn you a lifetime of fist bumps from the common man, but sometimes the Caped Crusader pulls off a feat so cool that it'd get high fives from the entire Justice League. That's how we felt after playing Arkham City and seeing Bats beat the crap out of monstrous, one-eyed shark. An amazing moment of badassery and a clever wink to the character's Adam West years, bros worldwide were probably losing their minds when they saw this.
Romancing Aphrodite (God of War III)
When it comes to mainstream gaming, few titles have approached sex scenes with the style and vigor of the God of War series. Pretty much any time Kratos has knocked boots is worthy of bros recognizing it via their fists, but if we had to choose one, it's Kratos getting with the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. Bedding a deity is an achievement few mortals (or demigods) live to brag about.
Johnny Cage goes low (Mortal Kombat)
Aside from Striker, no Mortal Kombat character is more fitting for bros than Johnny Cage. Clearly inspired by Jean-Claude Van Damme, he stays true to his roots with his split punch basically ripped straight out of the film Bloodsport. Making a fighter double over in groin pain is extreme enough to earn that player a fist bump (even from the victim).
Exploding punches (Vanquish)
Vanquish took third person shooters so far into the danger zone that we're still catching our breath. The shooting mechanic was top notch, but bros that go for the ultimate want to get up close and personal. After flying at an enemy on rocket skates, one punch will blow a bad guy to bits in a hail of awesomeness.
Finding a giant box of weed (LA Noire)
Bros aren't just about violence and the ladies, they also love to party. Any bro playing LA Noire's Reefer Madness DLC mission no doubt shared a few knowing winks with their friends, but once the cops found the main stash, laid back fist bumps were traded in living rooms across America.
Kicking a hell beast between the legs (Shadows of the Damned)
Garcia "F***ing" Hotspur is one of the baddest men on the planet and the best demon hunters alive. Him and his sidekick Johnson kill monsters in many ways that involve the juvenile humor bros love. Most are entertaining, but when we enter the cinematic of Garcia kicking a monster in the crotch till it dies, that's worth a fist bump and a half by our estimation.
"Fire in the Hole" Skillshot (Bulletstorm)
Bulletstorm might just be the best game for bros ever made. Starring a space marine dedicated to finding increasingly creative ways to swear and murder people, one particularly scatological Skillshot takes the cake. Just stun a miniboss, kick him in the butt, then shoot said butt. You'll be dealing out fist bumps left and right in no time.
Super Massager (Dead Rising 2: Off the Record)
Dead Rising 2's hook for zombie murder was combining items to make increasingly off the wall weapons. Many were bro-approved, like MMA gloves covered in nails, but the most deserving of a fist bump involves a leaf blower and a... marital aid. Together they form the Super Massager, a gun that shoots surprisingly deadly adult projectiles at unsuspecting zombies. Score!
Decapitation! (Brutal Legend)
Brutal Legend probably wasn't made with bros in mind, but even fans of of death metal and black T-shirts probably shared a fist bump over this one. After Eddie finishes off arch fiend Doviculus, he decapitates the baddie and screams to the heavens in a slowmo scene for the ages. Well worth two fists meeting, preferably in slowmo.
God Bless America DLC (Yakuza Dead Souls)
Every game needs their own spin on killing zombies if it's going to stand out, even if it's just a costume change. Yakuza's post-apocalyptic side game Dead Souls was all about clearing zombies from the streets of Tokyo, but it's really about America once you download this costume. Destroying zombies on behalf of America is worth a fist bump (or the terrorists win).
Catching the wand at just the right moment (Super Mario Bros 3)
Mario is an all ages franchise, but bros can still find a way to test themselves. In Mario 3, after defeating each Koopaling, a wand falls from the sky. If you can catch it before it hits the ground, you just earned yourself a fist bump.
Virtually every single moment in Saints Row the Third
Firefights while skydiving. Driving with a tiger in the passenger seat. Blowing up furries in golf carts. Streaking down city streets with a dildo bat. Basically every moment is worth bros bumping fists, which is probably why we gave it a 10 last year. Saints Row The Third, we salute you the only way we know how *extends fist awaiting a bump*.
What did we miss, brah?
If you want to learn more on the topic of bros? Check out Gaming's sickest tattoos and the Worst attempts to appeal to bro gamers.
