What if...

[Faybro]

E3 2012. Microsoft announces the XBox Nu and Nintendo announces the Nintendo X20. Bad names, but they both seem to be heading in the others direction.

XBox Nu has backwards compatibility with XBox, the 360, and a sort of controller-glove thing to complement the motion controls. It also takes a step forward in HD gaming.

Nintendo X20 is pretty much the Wii 2, backwards compatible with the Wii and the GameCube, full with the Wii shop channel. It introduces new controllers that look like some weird frisbee, and the X20's graphics are better than the PS3's, and only a small step down fron the Nu.

Then, at the end of their presentation, they announce an unnamed Halo vs Metroid crossover. Your "Crossover = Shit" alarms are flaring up, but at E3 2013, some light is shed, and it's eventually released.

Both games stay true to their origins. On the X20, you play as Samus (with the Classic controller, so no worries about having to use the frisbee-thing), enemy is Master Chief, in a 2.5D setting (think New Super Mario Bros. - 3D models, 2D platformer). Samus' design is like that of Super Metroid, and she gets some awesome new weapons as well as many of her old ones, some assimilated from USNC and Covenant tech. It is a great Metroid game, considered by many to be better than Super Metroid.

On the Nu, you play as Master Chief (with the 360 controller, so no worries about having to use the controller-glove thing), Samus is the enemy for whatever reason, blah blah blah. It also includes "The Complete Halo Reach Multiplayer Experience", as there is no multiplayer in this version. It takes place after Halo 4 (let's just assume it's released by then), Bungie has gotten control over Halo again, and Master Chief is in Mark VII armour. They do their best to assimilate Samus' tech into his armour over the course of the game.

Overall, both games are great, and a bold step, and proves that crossover's can be done great. Both games have separate but interweaving storylines, and you'd get the full experience if you play both games. But, the game ends adbruptly. No word of Samus or Master Chief. What happened to them?

Well, if you beat the X20 version on Hypermode, and the Nu version on Legendary, a few final chapters of the game are unlocked.

In the end, their respective versions turn out better than any other Metroid or Halo game and it takes the world by storm. It is a great game, beautiful music, visuals, gameplay... Truly one of the best. But, it's billions of fans, drawn by this one two-game series, completely overshadow the current fan communities. If you say Metroid or Halo, they think of this game. It also spawns crossovers of many other games that try and match this. Soon enough, every game is making crossovers, and there are almost no new releases that don't follow the two-franchises two-games two-systems one-story formula. This game, as great as it is despite what people believe, changes the face of games forever, for the worst.

Tl;dr: Halo and Metroid crossover becomes the best Metroid game ever and the best Halo game ever, eventually become the two best games in existence. All other companies follow suit, all games are crossovers but not nearly as good as this production, ruins gaming forever.

So, I ask you... What if that happened?

[Steamlord]

If I did play it, it would have to be for the gameplay (like Other M), because any game that manages to place Samus and Master Chief in the same time and place has to have the most ridiculous story ever conceived.

[Faybro]

If I did play it, it would have to be for the gameplay (like Other M), because any game that manages to place Samus and Master Chief in the same time and place has to have the most ridiculous story ever conceived.

Not really. I mean, in the end of Fusion, Samus has Metroid Cells inside of her. Surely she must be on the run from Pirates and the GF.

At the end of Halo 3, Master Chief warped to a planet where we have no idea where the hell it is. And he's in a cyrotube. Surely he can wait long enough for Samus.

(And in Metroid, Samus alone does something an entire civilization couldn't. That's way crazier.)

Let's just assume that the plot is original, great, and epic. Flawless and the best.

These two scif-fi universes are completely irreconcilable. The closest you could do is say that Metroid is in the distant future from Halo, with the Covenant races either assimilated into the Galactic Federation (which grew out of the UNSC) or fallen into political unimportance. But even then, there would be some big continuity problems.

Therefore, the "plot" of such a game would have to be deliberately self parodying, and completely non-canonical to both the Halo and Metroid continuities. It could be a fun game, but in no way, shape, or form could it be a serious Metroid or Halo installment.

As for the gameplay? Well, if its good, its good.

Let's just assume that the plot is original, great, and epic. Flawless and the best.

No. This plot can only be good if it is funny.

[Faybro]

You guys are focusing too much on the game. I'm talking about this becoming the *best* games ever, but then ruining gaming for at least two decades.

[Sub-zero]

What if I had robotic tentacles that brought biscuits to my table at 15:36?
This reality you've imagined is far too unrealistic to happen in our world. Therefore none of us can say/predict/imagine what would happen.
Seriously, if you ask me not to be a smart-ass and just tell you what would happen... I still wouldn't be able to answer you.

What if I had robotic tentacles that brought biscuits to my table at 15:36?

Dude, you're a genius.

I can't believe I never thought to set my robot tentacles to 24:00 time. The AM/PM settings are glitchy, so its been bringing my biscuits twice every day instead of once, which is getting really annoying. Reprogramming them shouldn't be hard; I'm ashamed it didn't occur to me on my own.

Thanks a bunch man.