String theory
Video games open fantastic worlds to us with each and every title on the market, which we are all too happy exploring to our hearts' content. In the process, we become at home with our surroundings, noting every little detail, landmark, and shortcut as we move ever closer to the end of the game. But some titles change these details and pathways slightly to present us with a separate world entirely. Suddenly, what was once familiar becomes new and alien.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past has Hyrule...
The game that A Link Between Worlds plays sequel to, A Link to the Past, expanded the role that the wish-granting Triforce plays in the Zelda mythology. In the NES original, the triangles were simply objects of great power and provided Link with the requisite MacGuffins necessary to reach evil pigman Ganon and beat the game. But A Link to the Past told of their creation at the hands of goddesses and the divine world where they resided, one that was attractive to a newly human Ganondorf, who ultimately became trapped within said divine world to set up LttPs story.
...and the Dark World
On the way to the third dungeon, you must step through a portal to the game's Dark World and find yourself transformed into a bunny rabbit. That fate wouldn't be so bad if it didn't prevent you from using your weapons--weve never met a rabbit that could hold a sword. You leave well before you go hopping mad, but the message is loud and clear: The Dark World curses all who enter to become a twisted version of themselves.
Silent Hill takes place in the city of Silent Hill...
In the early days of the PlayStation, survival horror rose to prominence with Resident Evil, Capcom's tribute to lovably trashy zombie movies. But the potential remained for a horror game with a more psychological bent. Enter Silent Hill, a much more serious title that utilizes its environment to scare as much as its creatures.
...and Otherworld
At specific points in each of the games, the spooky levels turn downright hellish, transforming the landscape to fit many different horrific themes. Most often, the architecture becomes industrial, with rusty chain-link fences and metallic churning in the distance, but the aesthetic often depends on the protagonists mental state. Shattered Memories' Harry experiences a world encased in ice, and Silent Hill 2 supporting character Angela sees everything on fire.
Super Mario Bros. 2 has Subcon...
Sporting some strange and unexpected divergences after the cultural zeitgeist that was Super Mario Bros., the sequel already began in an alternate dimension of sorts. After the crew trashes final boss Wart, the game reveals that Subcon was nothing more than Mario having a dream. Suddenly, every odd detail in this second Mario Bros. starts to makes sense.
...and Sub-Space
Thats odd enough, but find a bottle and another layer of Subcon reveals itself to you: Sub-Space. When you throw the strange potion on the ground, a door appears that leads to seemingly the same spot, except everything is cloaked in shadow and the layout is reversed. No enemies appear here, and pulling up the plants will often produce coins used in the end-of-stage slot machine mini-game. Very specific areas will feature a large mushroom that you can pick up to add to your maximum life total or even a hidden warp zone thatll zip you to a later level.
Chrono Cross has El Nido...
Japanese role-playing masterpiece Chrono Trigger makes exquisite use of multiple world conditions, but its all under the conceit of time travel. PlayStation sequel Chrono Cross, however, abandons the epoch-hopping gameplay of its predecessor. It instead focuses on a single chain of islands known as El Nido, giving the setting a tropical, ocean-faring vibe.
...and Another World
Much like Star Trek's Mirror Universe, El Nido features two nearly identical worlds, though you won't find any evil twins sporting goatees. Rather, the result of someone messing with the timeline resulted in two separate, but similar, worlds. This one act created differing histories and circumstances. Certain characters are dead in one world, but alive and ready to recruit in the other. Talking to both them and their families and friends will help you piece together their fates, which still can be remarkably similar to each other save for one small but important detail.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes has Aether...
Parallel world design can create some unfortunate side effects for many, a phenomenon most apparent when looking at Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. As the sequel to one of the best-reviewed games of all time, it was already facing an uphill battle. Certainly the Prime formula became a bit more rote via a similar sequel. But the level design itself seemed to exacerbate the flaws of its predecessor for many.
...and Dark Aether
As the requisite labyrinthine planet for a Metroid game, Aether only tells part of the story of Metroid Prime 2. Shadowy and alien, it has more than a little in common with A Link to the Past's Dark World, right down to the gates you use to access it. But Dark Aether feels more like an empty void than the dense attractions of the Dark World, an echo that the designers supposedly used to pad the experience with recycled level design.
