Summary
Beating video games at 100% completion is no easy feat, and only those hooked onthe most entertaining gamesor the most dedicated completionists see a game through to its true end. To help encourage players to get the most out of a game, some developers leave one final reward for besting every last bit of content.
Whether it’s a game-breaking power, an option to mess with the game, or a nostalgic nod back to the past in the closing moments before a game is put back into the library forever, these carrots were worth putting up with the stick for in the end.
Moneybags is a minor character in the originalSpyrotrilogy that occasionally helps everyone’s favorite purple dragon overcome obstacles and learn new skills. However, the well-to-do bear’s help comes at a price. By the end ofSpyro 3: Year of the Dragon, he has taken thousands of Spyro’s gems as payment for his assistance. Moneybags operates in what is called an “inelastic market"in real-life economics, meaning that he effectively creates a monopoly wherever he offers his services. This forces Spyro to pay up, making for an incredibly unsatisfying purchase.
Fortunately, at the end of the game, if Spyro has managed to collect all of the dragon eggs and loose gems, and beat the story, he will meet Moneybags one last time where the bear explains that he is about to sell the last remaining dragon egg for a fortune. This enrages Spyro and allows the player to get revenge by stealing back all the gems they had given him throughout the game. These extra gems allow Spyro to unlock the “Super Bonus” levels, in which he can plunder the Sorceress' treasures to achieve a total of 117% completion.
This legendary shooter was not only one of the greatest movie-to-video-game adaptations of all time but one of the best shooters of all time, despite it having (what would not be considered today) clumsy controls. If players manage to guide James Bond through every single level in 00 Agent mode, they will unlock 007 Mode, along with extra levels, multiplayer characters, and cheat options.
The newly unlocked 007 Mode acts as both a super hard mode and a sandbox or easy mode. Upon entering a level, players can adjust options that mess with enemy AI, including their reaction times, damage levels, accuracy, and health, making themsuper-powered monstersor killable with a shake or a stir. Either way, Bond gets to decide.
It’s easy to see why people are still talking aboutSuper Mario 64given its incredible design, but at its release, theplayground rumors aroundSuper Mario 64were legendary. Some claimed that collecting every single star in the game unlocked Luigi as a playable character. As it turned out, the prize was actually a meeting with Yoshi and his gift of 99 lives. While this was certainly a special moment, it was no replacement for Mario’s younger brother.
That is partly what makes the 100% completion reward forSuper Mario Galaxyso special. For snagging all 120 power stars, Luigi becomes fully playable, additionally granting players extra run speed and jump height on top of fulfilling a long-held childhood dream. Even cooler, completing the game as Luigi again (for a 200% completion) unlocks a special ending in the Mushroom Kingdom.
The map inSan Andreasis enormous considering that the game was built on the PlayStation 2, and the number ofcollectibles and activities required for 100%is equally huge. However, if players do manage to master the state, they will be rewarded with a sweet one million dollars in cash, along with some fancy toys to play with around the neighborhood.
The fancy toys in question happen to be the Rhino tank and the Hydra jet, which are parked within walking distance of CJ’s house. Additionally, CJ gets infinite ammo for his weapons and any ride he drives or steals will be twice as resilient to damage.
Shinies in thePokemonseries are a genius concept that may well keep trainers hunting for ever-rarer pocket monsters until the end of time. They are no more powerful than regular ‘mons, but they appear differently than a regular variant, such as having different colored skin or a sparkle around their model. The odds of encountering a shiny Pokemon in modern games are around one in four thousand. However, it was around 1 in 8,000 fromGold & SilvertoBlack & White.
That’s whythe reward for beatingBlack & White 2is so worth it. The Shiny Charm, which can be given to a Pokemon in the player’s party, making it tradable between eachPokemongame, triples the odds of spotting a shiny Pokemon in the wild (at least in most games), effectively raising those chances down to 1 in 3,000 odd in generations 2-5, and for all subsequent games, to around 1 in 1,500, allowing the truly dedicated to continue collecting without the extreme odds.
Freedom means different things to different people, but inRed Dead Redemption’s America, freedom means being able to restrict the freedom of others with impunity. The U.S. government is painted as a villainous entity throughout the game, but the reward for pulling off 100% is a government outfit that makes Marstona government spookand grants him total legal immunity from his actions.
People will still fight back while Marston is wearing the bureau uniform, but no lawmen will ride in to attempt to take him down should he commit a crime or evil act. This even applies while in Mexico, which is perhaps a nod to the rather unequal relationship the two countries have shared over their history as neighbors.
