History Main / CatastrophicCountdown

** While some of them do, others actually averted it. The self destruct sequences in the original and Code Veronica had no destruction or tremors until the countdown expired or you finished the escape.

* Turok: Evolution has a huge city suspended above a canyon with giant tethers. At one point, you must destroy the city by releasing the tethers, sending it crashing down to the canyon floor. Once the tether release consoles are activated, the countdown begins, and the city begins to collapse around you, along with lots of tremors. After this particular level, you have 4 more levels all centered around escaping the city while it breaks apart around you (these levels do not actually have a countdown timer but it still fits this trope). All of this WOULD make perfect sense, if it weren't for the fact that only when you finally DO escape, do the tethers actually detach from the canyon walls.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' offers an odd subversion. During the endgame, Zelda announces that Ganondorf's tower is collapsing and they must escape. While it is not unreasonable to assume Link and Zelda would dodge falling debris, there is no given explanation as to why that debris ''is on fire.''

** It is rather unique to find a Metroid game that ''doesn't'' have one of these. Nearly every planet that Samus sets foot on seems to be MadeOfExplodium.

** In ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' Hunters, the single player campaign has every single planet you visit blowing up for little more reason than "the Alimbics don't want you here, get out before you die".

* The Moon Transmitter in Beyond Good & Evil is rocked by tremors and explosions during the self-destruct countdown.
* TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime offers an odd subversion. During the endgame, Zelda announces that Ganondorf's tower is collapsing and they must escape. While it is not unreasonable to assume Link and Zelda would dodge falling debris, there is no given explanation as to why that debris ''is on fire.''

* ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}'' has a variant of this. After starting up the [[DepopulationBomb Halo Ring]] the ring needs several minutes to charge and literally shakes itself apart. The last section of the game is a mad dash to find a way off.While there's no explicit timer the structural plates fall off at a constant rate.Justified in that the thing was half-built when it was fired.(It was a replacement for one blown up in the first game.)

* ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'':
** ''Videogame/SuperMetroid'' plays it straight, twice. When Ridley escapes the space colony in the beginning, an announcement claims that the colony's self-destruct has been activated, urging immediate evacuation. Naturally, the whole place starts shaking, steaming, blowing up, and even rocking back and forth quite impressively. Later at the end of the game, the entire planet starts exploding and flooding with acid, because a "Time Bomb has been activated".
** See also, ''[[Videogame/MetroidOtherM Other M]]''. An AI voice announces over an intercom that a self-destruct sequence will detonate in about five or so minutes. For some reason, your escape becomes riddled with burning debris and wreckage.
** The first game is a bit of an interesting case. While the NES original completely averts it at the end of the game, the GBA Remake barely offers an appropriate Retcon for playing it straight in that same area. It does avert the trope later on though, in the pirate mother ship.
** In the final escape sequence of ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', this is averted. There is some destruction near the exit of the ship, but that's due to the PostFinalBoss rampaging about.
* ''Videogame/{{Starfox 64}}'': During the Fortuna mission, Slippy notices several enemy craft leaving the captured base. ROB 64 informs the team that the enemy planted a bomb in the base, and before Fox can defuse it, he must deal with an attack by Star Wolf. If you take long enough in defeating them, you'll notice the base starting to spark and billow forth a few small explosions.
* ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}'' has a variant of this. After starting up the [[DepopulationBomb Halo Ring]] the ring needs several minutes to charge and literally shakes itself apart.The last section of the game is a mad dash to find a way off.While there's no explicit timer the structural plates fall off at a constant rate.Justified in that the thing was half-built when it was fired.(It was a replacement for one blown up in the first game.)

* The Moon Transmitter in Beyond Good & Evil is rocked by tremors and explosions during self-destruct countdown.

* The Moon Transmitter in Beyond Good & Evil is rocked by tremors and various explosions during self-destruct countdown.

[[AC: Film]]
* Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger has the Italian HYDRA Base undergoing several minor explosions before resuming the rest of the self-destruction protocol related explosions. Justified, as Zola briefly interrupted Red Skull while he was arming the self-destruct protocol when shocked that he's blowing up the base before Red Skull calmly informs Zola that [[KnowWhenToFoldEm "Our forces are outmatched"]] while pointing to a video screen of Captain America fighting the forces and then resumes inputting the self-destruct protocols.

* A countdown isn't actually seen in [[Videogame/RogueSquadron Rebel Strike]], but the trope is present in spirit in the climax where [[spoiler:Han Solo has to escape from the self-destructing Endor shield generator Bunker while fighting against Sarkli before the base completely self-destructs.]]

* In ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', the mining facility where the action is set begins to fall apart several minutes before the 19-minute countdown given by Bishop until the reactor's failure. In this case, there is overlap with StanleySteamerSpaceship as well.

** In the final escape sequence of ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion, this is averted. There is some destruction near the exit of the ship, but that's due to the PostFinalBoss rampaging about.

* CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger has the Italian HYDRA Base undergoing several minor explosions before resuming the rest of the self-destruction protocol related explosions. Justified, as Zola briefly interrupted Red Skull while he was arming the self-destruct protocol when shocked that he's blowing up the base before Red Skull calmly informs Zola that [[KnowWhenToFoldEm "Our forces are outmatched"]] while pointing to a video screen of Captain America fighting the forces and then resumes inputting the self-destruct protocols.
* In ''{{Aliens}}'', the mining facility where the action is set begins to fall apart several minutes before the 19-minute countdown given by Bishop until the reactor's failure. In this case, there is overlap with StanleySteamerSpaceship as well.

* ''{{Metroid}}'':
** ''Super Metroid'' plays it straight, twice. When Ridley escapes the space colony in the beginning, an announcement claims that the colony's self-destruct has been activated, urging immediate evacuation. Naturally, the whole place starts shaking, steaming, blowing up, and even rocking back and forth quite impressively. Later at the end of the game, the entire planet starts exploding and flooding with acid, because a "Time Bomb has been activated".
** See also, ''[[MetroidOtherM Other M]]''. An AI voice announces over an intercom that a self-destruct sequence will detonate in about five or so minutes. For some reason, your escape becomes riddled with burning debris and wreckage.

** In the final escape sequence of Fusion, this is averted. There is some destruction near the exit of the ship, but that's due to the PostFinalBoss rampaging about.
* ''{{Starfox 64}}'': During the Fortuna mission, Slippy notices several enemy craft leaving the captured base. ROB 64 informs the team that the enemy planted a bomb in the base, and before Fox can defuse it, he must deal with an attack by Star Wolf. If you take long enough in defeating them, you'll notice the base starting to spark and billow forth a few small explosions.
* ''{{Halo 3}}'' has a variant of this. After starting up the [[DepopulationBomb Halo Ring]] the ring needs several minutes to charge and literally shakes itself apart.The last section of the game is a mad dash to find a way off.While there's no explicit timer the structural plates fall off at a constant rate.Justified in that the thing was half-built when it was fired.(It was a replacement for one blown up in the first game.)
* In the SegaGenesis video game ''ComicBook/{{X-Men}}: Clone Wars'', destroying the Sentinel activates the self-destruct function of the entire Sentinel factory... and hundreds of smaller, random explosions prior to the one that actually destroys the factory.
* ''{{Descent}}'' and its sequels. When you shoot the reactor in any of the mines, a voice announces a Self Destruct Sequence, and you have about one minute to get to the exit before the entire complex goes nuclear. For no apparent reason, during this minute the screen shakes uncontrollably while lights flash and sirens roar.
* A countdown isn't actually seen in [[RogueSquadron Rebel Strike]], but the trope is present in spirit in the climax where [[spoiler:Han Solo has to escape from the self-destructing Endor shield generator Bunker while fighting against Sarkli before the base completely self-destructs.]]
* In ''MedalOfHonor: Allied Assault'', after planting the bombs, Fort Schmerzen is rocked by explosions that you have to stay ahead of as you race for the exit, although it doesn't completely explode until you get out.

* In the SegaGenesis video game ''{{X-Men}}: Clone Wars'', destroying the Sentinel activates the self-destruct function of the entire Sentinel factory... and hundreds of smaller, random explosions prior to the one that actually destroys the factory.

* The laboratory self destruct mechanisms in the ''ResidentEvil'' series do this.

%% See the Image Pickin thread for discussion - there may be better images out there.
[[quoteright:350:[[MetroidOtherM http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Metroid_OM_escape_1104.jpg]]]]

!!You have two minutes to read examples of this trope\

->''Thank you for activating the SelfDestructMechanism. This ship will detonate in [[TimeBomb three minutes.]] In the meantime, please enjoy some [[StuffBlowingUp random explosions]] and [[ExcessiveSteamSyndrome blasts of steam]]. Human Resources thought it would make things more dramatic than a red light and a klaxon.''

* In ''{{Aliens}}'', the mining facility where the action is set begins to fall apart several minutes before the 19-minute countdown given by Bishop until the reactor's failure. In this case, there is overlap with ExcessiveSteamSyndrome as well.

** That example is especially potent, considering that in the movie, all Han had to do was plant some explosives and then run like hell before they detonated.

[[AC:Film]]