What exactly is the point of a 'Press Start' screen on games?

laggyteabag

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I have no idea but sumtimes wen it ses 'Press START' you can press A or X (depending on console...) and it still starts...
On the Simpsons game you get a acheivement for Pressing 'START', games should do tht alot more often...
 

AliciaPeck

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I pretty much agree here, I think it might be a throwback to when loading took quite a while, and you go grab a snack or use the bathroom and when you come back you don't want the game going on or getting annoyed at you. I think that most of the time they are useless now, although game makers have done some fun things with it, including things like The Simpsons (movie) Game, where you get an achievement for simply "pressing start".
HUBILUB said:
To see if you are still awake after a painful loading screen of course.

Wouldn't want to fall asleep during that and then wake up realizing that you are getting your ass kicked.
 

SantoUno

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Demented Teddy said:
It's like the title of a book.
It also sometimes gives a nice background image.
Pretty much this, Silent Hill 2 comes to mind because in some games pressing start gives the player a tingling sense of excitement. Well it does to me.

HUBILUB said:
To see if you are still awake after a painful loading screen of course.

Wouldn't want to fall asleep during that and then wake up realizing that you are getting your ass kicked.
Congrats for making me lol that would be hilarious to see.
 

fogmike

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ZeroDotZero said:
inFamous didn't have one. I was appalled.

I can't explain it, but I was.
Absolute Bull. inFamous has what is possibly the GREATEST PRESS START SCREEN OF ALL TIME.

Cheerful city scene, happy dwellers can be heard in the background, a little urban haven. The innocuous words 'Press Start' flash quietly at the bottom of the screen. I reach for the start button, and......KABOOM! Huge explosions rock the city! The camera swivels to catch fleeing pedestrians just before they burn alive. A helicopter is downed by a truck that has been launched by the blast. Pressing Start detonates the goddamn bomb. There is no greater win.
 

Jamface

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VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
I don't think MW2 has one so not every game has a "push start" button
Yup it does. I was playing MW2 and that's what gave me the idea for the thread.
Got one. LBP doesn't have one, and neither does GTA4
 

VintageElise

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Jamface said:
VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
I don't think MW2 has one so not every game has a "push start" button
Yup it does. I was playing MW2 and that's what gave me the idea for the thread.
Got one. LBP doesn't have one, and neither does GTA4
Well to be fair, I did say that MOST games have one. Not ALL games.
 

VintageElise

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canadamus_prime said:
I would imagine it's so you're not dumped into the game before you're ready.
But the exact same thing would happen if you were taken to the Main Menu straight away.
 

Canadamus Prime

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VintageElise said:
canadamus_prime said:
I would imagine it's so you're not dumped into the game before you're ready.
But the exact same thing would happen if you were taken to the Main Menu straight away.
In that case, probably the same reason books have a page that has nothing by the title on it. What that reason is IDK, it doesn't really bother me.
 

Jamface

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VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
I don't think MW2 has one so not every game has a "push start" button
Yup it does. I was playing MW2 and that's what gave me the idea for the thread.
Got one. LBP doesn't have one, and neither does GTA4
Well to be fair, I did say that MOST games have one. Not ALL games.
Fair deuce mate. I generally don't like start-up screens but, sweet jesus Infamous's start up screnn blew me away
 

VintageElise

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Jamface said:
VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
I don't think MW2 has one so not every game has a "push start" button
Yup it does. I was playing MW2 and that's what gave me the idea for the thread.
Got one. LBP doesn't have one, and neither does GTA4
Well to be fair, I did say that MOST games have one. Not ALL games.
Fair deuce mate. I generally don't like start-up screens but, sweet jesus Infamous's start up screnn blew me away
I haven't played inFamous since it came out so I'll go and check out YouTube. :)
 

Dragoonit

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i mean the old nes games have start menus where you pick the number of players and a game type...maybe it just stuck around....honestly, i would feel uncomfortable without one
 

Jamface

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VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
VintageElise said:
Jamface said:
I don't think MW2 has one so not every game has a "push start" button
Yup it does. I was playing MW2 and that's what gave me the idea for the thread.
Got one. LBP doesn't have one, and neither does GTA4
Well to be fair, I did say that MOST games have one. Not ALL games.
Fair deuce mate. I generally don't like start-up screens but, sweet jesus Infamous's start up screnn blew me away
I haven't played inFamous since it came out so I'll go and check out YouTube. :)
My friend started it up (before i played it) saw the start up screen and chucked the controller at me saying he was going to the toilet. He was about to walk out the door before I shouted "WTF" and he dived back and saw the most epic opening ever. Now before either of us go to the toilet we check if anything awesome is going to happen.
 

crypt-creature

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Some games used that screen to input codes before stating the game. Most, just seem to be aesthetic.
Although it does come in handy for demoing games.