History EstablishingSeriesMoment / VideoGames

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' introduces new features via gameplay. The first pipe that Mario encounters contains a new a enemy; a fire spitting piranha plant. Once he gets past that, Mario will see a question mark block on the ground, which makes him have to use the pick up and kick skill to hit it. The block contains a leaf which changes his costume. Near the end of the path is a pit above that is a trail of coins leading skywards. This makes the player use the leaf powerup to fly up to get the coins and find other secrets.

* ''VideoGame/DiabloIV'' establishes itself as being a lot darker than previous Diablo games by turning your Tristram-like starting town into a TownWithADarkSecret. After you clear out a nearby ruin for the people of the town of Nevesk, they throw you a party, only to [[spoiler:drug you and have you hauled off to be sacrificed, because it turns out that nearly everyone in the town is a demon cultist who worships Lilith, and the one guy who isn't is someone they wanted to do the same thing to you, and who ends up saving you. You then have to kill the rest of the town when they show up ''en masse'' to finish you off]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Facade}}'' begins with your character arriving outside the apartment door of the married couple you're visiting and overhearing a heated argument, cluing you in to how they [[HappyMarriageCharade are only pretending to have a happy marriage]]. When Trip, the husband, opens the door to greet you, he'll respond according to what you say next, and even slam the door in your face if he's sufficiently offended, giving you an idea of how difficult your task is.

* ''VideoGame/TouhouProject'': ''Embodiment of Scarlet Devil'' spares no time in familiarizing newcomers with the premise of the series to come: You get to pick a playable character, between [[{{Miko}} Reimu Hakurei]] and [[CuteWitch Marisa Kirisame]], and are then thrown out into the first stage where, set to some really awesome music, the flying character of choice fights armies of fairies that pelt her with magical projectiles. At the end of the stage the character runs into Rumia, the Youkai of Darkness, who might've been scary with her [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], [[DarkIsEvil black dress]] and explicitly stated desire to [[ToServeMan eat the playable character alive]] if it wasn't for the fact that Rumia is also a small child and the playable character's reaction to her is pure snark. Rumia then unleashes a SuperMovePortraitAttack -- a beautifully patterned BulletHell attack [[CallingYourAttack with a significant name.]] Welcome to a Japanese Folklore and Mythology ShootEmUp with no airships but where instead all the characters and bosses are [[CuteEmUp cute girls wearing cute dresses]] and combat is a form of expository communication, prepare for a lot of quirky and subversive humour yet with some decidedly dark undertones. Also, [[AwesomeMusic/TouhouProject the really awesome music. We cannot stress that point enough.]]

** After the poor reception of the second game, particularly in regards to its weak combat and generically edgy and monotone interpretation of Dante, the third game introduces a younger incarnation, whose first action of answering a phone is done as dramatically possible. Then, when he gets attacked, he ignores the gun on the ground to grab a slice of pizza, punches a jukebox into operation, skates on a demon while rapidly firing on others, and kills several more with a ricocheting spray of pool balls, all the while he's ignoring the numerous scythe blades firmly lodged in his torso. ''Then'' the first stage begins. Welcome to ''Devil May Cry 3'': Capcom profusely apologizes for last time and is now giving you more of what you want, turned up to eleven.

** After the poor reception of the second game, particularly in regards to its weak combat and generically edgy and monotone interpretation of Dante, the third game introduces a younger incarnation, whose first action of answering a phone is done as dramatically possible. Then, when he gets attacked, he ignores the gun on the ground to grab a slice of pizza, punches a jukebox into operation, skates on a demon, and kills several more with a ricocheting spray of pool balls. ''Then'' the first stage begins. Welcome to ''Devil May Cry 3'': Capcom profusely apologizes for last time and is now giving you more of what you want, turned up to eleven.