97 Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny - Fighting the golden evil statue
The end game of Capcom's soul-absorbing sword-'em-up is a battle of two very different halves. First, you battle through a run-of-the-mill showdown with the lord of demons and all-round bad egg, Oda Nobunaga.

He's a tough cookie to crumble and when he's slain on the floor you can't help thinking that hero Jubei will be home in time for rice cakes and green tea. But then it all goes off its demon rocker in a big way.

Old Nobby starts spitting eyeballs (yes, eyeballs!) from his mouth into a skull-shaped bucket held in the hands of a 'golden evil statue' (it's always the golden ones). The statue's eyes light up, it screams "You will DIE!" and the floor beneath Jubei's feet becomes a writhing mass of demon intestines.

Poor old Jubei is sucked down, down into a suffocating orgy of offal until he's finally squeezed out, only to find himself face to face with the golden evil statue, which has transformed into the BIG golden, even eviler, statue.

The final battle completely disregards everything you've learned while slashing your way through the previous 99% of the game. The changed perspective and controls throws you way off kilter, while Jubei (who, incidentally, has changed into a white-haired demon) has his swords and melee weapons superseded by an orb-spitting laser gun, so swordplay is out and button-mashing blasting is in.

Just as you're getting a grip on the situation, the demented laughter starts and incoming exploding-grinning baby (or are they old men?) faces are spotted at 12 o'clock. We imagine it's a similar experience to playing Space Harrier in the midst of a psychotic episode.

As moments go, this one is certifiable. It's madder than Beelzebub's beard but - like the man that used to drive an invisible car around town - we remember it with a certain fondness.