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** When a GBA game crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]][[note]]It was later discovered that the noise is due to the console doing a memory and ROM dump to the speakers- let that sink in for a bit: the error state of a GBA is to simply dump the content of its memory space (including the Mask ROM on the cartridge) to its speakers. If one were to carefully record the screeching, [[https://youtu.be/0-7PSmYYHF0 the audio can be reconstituted back into a ROM of the game!]][[/note]]

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** When a GBA game crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]][[note]]It was later discovered that machine]] as it starts feeding the noise is due entire address space to the console doing a memory and ROM dump speakers as sound data[[note]]This can be exploited to the speakers- let that sink in for a bit: the error state of a GBA is to simply dump the content of its memory space (including the Mask ROM on the cartridge) to its speakers. If one were to carefully record the screeching, [[https://youtu.be/0-7PSmYYHF0 dump the audio can be reconstituted back into a ROM contents of a GBA ROM]], though the game!]][[/note]]process is somewhat impractical[[/note]].
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*** This error message also doubles as the anti-piracy screen on ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' and appears after 3-10 minutes of gameplay if an anti-piracy measure is detected. However, there's a slight chance of this also happening on legit discs, so if you haven't saved and see this error, you might as well stay away from the game.
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** If a Wii or [=GameCube=] encountered a severe error and didn't crash with the sound, it would often instead suddenly trigger an equally terrifying error message, typically on a black screen, asking you to remove the disc of the game you were just playing (Wii only), turn the console off, and to read the console's instruction manual. Ironically, if this error popped up on the Wii, like with the sound crash, the only way to turn it off would be to [[CutTheJuice either hold down the power button for a few seconds or by unplugging the system]], which doesn't sound too bad.

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** If a Wii or [=GameCube=] encountered a severe error and didn't crash with the sound, it would often instead suddenly trigger an equally terrifying error message, typically on a black screen, asking you to remove the disc of the game you were just playing (Wii only), turn the console off, and to [[ReadTheFreakingManual read your Wii Operations Manual/[=GameCube=] Instruction Booklet]] to determine the console's instruction manual.cause. Ironically, if this error popped up on the Wii, like with the sound crash, the only way to turn it off would be to [[CutTheJuice either hold down the power button for a few seconds or by unplugging the system]], which doesn't sound too bad.
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*** This error message is even more terrifying if you were to get it on ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' or ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' (the only known games that do this), as those games' own error messages would pop up for a split second before the default [=GameCube=] error message appears.
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[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner '''''ever''''' wants to see after the console boots up.]]

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[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner '''''ever''''' wants to see after putting their game in and then booting up the console boots up.console.]]
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[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner '''''ever''''' wants to see after putting their game in.]]

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[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner '''''ever''''' wants to see after putting their game in.the console boots up.]]

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Well, believe it or not, there's a surprisingly large amount of pretty frightening things that can be found solely in the devices that run all those scary games. Like for example, if they run into a problem. Ah, okay - '''[[EspeciallyZoidberg especially]]''' when they run into a problem.

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Well, believe The short answer to that: yes. Yes, they ''absolutely'' can.

Believe
it or not, there's a surprisingly large amount of pretty frightening things that can be found solely in the devices that run all those scary games. Like for example, if they run into a problem. Ah, okay - '''[[EspeciallyZoidberg especially]]''' when they run into a problem.
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* Platform/GameboyAdvance:
** If you power on the GBA without a valid cartridge inserted, it just hangs on the Game Boy logo indefinitely and ominously, without the Nintendo logo present, remininscent of a face with NoMouth. Granted, this ''is'' part of the procedure for playing a multiplayer game in single-cartridge mode -- the host has the cartridge in their unit, links up the other players' units, and then activates a special transmit mode, while the other 1-3 players power up their [=GBAs=] with no cartridge inserted; the still Game Boy logo means the GBA is waiting for game data to be transmitted from the host. It's when you try to play with a cartridge inserted but the GBA cannot read the cartridge correctly, or when you forget to insert a cartridge to begin with, that the indefinite Game Boy logo gets quite spooky.

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* Platform/GameboyAdvance:
Platform/GameBoyAdvance:
** If you power on the GBA without a valid cartridge inserted, it just hangs on the Game Boy logo indefinitely and ominously, without the Nintendo logo present, remininscent of a face with NoMouth. Granted, this ''is'' part of the procedure for playing a multiplayer game in single-cartridge mode -- the host has the cartridge in their unit, links up the other players' units, and then activates a special transmit mode, while the other 1-3 players power up their [=GBAs=] with no cartridge inserted; the still Game Boy logo means the GBA is waiting for game data to be transmitted from the host.host (and the GBA will move on from that once there is game data ready to run). It's when you try to play with a cartridge inserted but the GBA cannot read the cartridge correctly, or when you forget to insert a cartridge to begin with, that the indefinite Game Boy logo gets quite spooky.
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** If you power on the GBA without a valid cartridge inserted, it just hangs on the Game Boy logo indefinitely and ominously, without the Nintendo logo present, remininscent of a face with NoMouth. Granted, this ''is'' part of the procedure for playing a multiplayer game in single-cartridge mode -- the host has the cartridge in their unit, links up the other players' units, and then activates a special transmit mode, while the other 1-3 players power up the GBA with no cartridge inserted; the still Game Boy logo means the GBA is waiting for game data to be transmitted from the host. It's when you try to play with a cartridge inserted but the GBA cannot read the cartridge correctly, or when you forget to insert a cartridge to begin with, that the indefinite Game Boy logo gets quite spooky.

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** If you power on the GBA without a valid cartridge inserted, it just hangs on the Game Boy logo indefinitely and ominously, without the Nintendo logo present, remininscent of a face with NoMouth. Granted, this ''is'' part of the procedure for playing a multiplayer game in single-cartridge mode -- the host has the cartridge in their unit, links up the other players' units, and then activates a special transmit mode, while the other 1-3 players power up the GBA their [=GBAs=] with no cartridge inserted; the still Game Boy logo means the GBA is waiting for game data to be transmitted from the host. It's when you try to play with a cartridge inserted but the GBA cannot read the cartridge correctly, or when you forget to insert a cartridge to begin with, that the indefinite Game Boy logo gets quite spooky.

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* When a Platform/GameboyAdvance crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]][[note]]It was later discovered that the noise is due to the console doing a memory and ROM dump to the speakers- let that sink in for a bit: the error state of a GBA is to simply dump the content of its memory space (including the Mask ROM on the cartridge) to its speakers. If one were to carefully record the screeching, [[https://youtu.be/0-7PSmYYHF0 the audio can be reconstituted back into a ROM of the game!]][[/note]]

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* Platform/GameboyAdvance:
** If you power on the GBA without a valid cartridge inserted, it just hangs on the Game Boy logo indefinitely and ominously, without the Nintendo logo present, remininscent of a face with NoMouth. Granted, this ''is'' part of the procedure for playing a multiplayer game in single-cartridge mode -- the host has the cartridge in their unit, links up the other players' units, and then activates a special transmit mode, while the other 1-3 players power up the GBA with no cartridge inserted; the still Game Boy logo means the GBA is waiting for game data to be transmitted from the host. It's when you try to play with a cartridge inserted but the GBA cannot read the cartridge correctly, or when you forget to insert a cartridge to begin with, that the indefinite Game Boy logo gets quite spooky.
**
When a Platform/GameboyAdvance GBA game crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]][[note]]It was later discovered that the noise is due to the console doing a memory and ROM dump to the speakers- let that sink in for a bit: the error state of a GBA is to simply dump the content of its memory space (including the Mask ROM on the cartridge) to its speakers. If one were to carefully record the screeching, [[https://youtu.be/0-7PSmYYHF0 the audio can be reconstituted back into a ROM of the game!]][[/note]]
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Wait, what? NightmareFuel in...game consoles? Obviously there's plenty and plenty of disturbing things to be found in VideoGames, [[OhCrap but from the consoles]] [[OhCrap ''themselves?!'']]

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Wait, what? NightmareFuel in...game consoles? Obviously there's plenty and plenty of disturbing things to be found in VideoGames, [[OhCrap but from the consoles]] [[OhCrap ''themselves?!'']]
''[[OhCrap themselves?!]]''
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Misplaced, moving to the correct tab


Wait, what? NightmareFuel in... [[OhCrap game consoles?]] Obviously there's plenty and plenty of disturbing things to be found in VideoGames, but from the consoles ''themselves?!''

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Wait, what? NightmareFuel in... [[OhCrap game consoles?]] consoles? Obviously there's plenty and plenty of disturbing things to be found in VideoGames, [[OhCrap but from the consoles ''themselves?!''
consoles]] [[OhCrap ''themselves?!'']]
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Wait, what? NightmareFuel in... game consoles? Obviously there's plenty and plenty of disturbing things to be found in VideoGames, but from the consoles ''themselves?!''

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Wait, what? NightmareFuel in... [[OhCrap game consoles? consoles?]] Obviously there's plenty and plenty of disturbing things to be found in VideoGames, but from the consoles ''themselves?!''
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Nightmare Fuel doesn't allow real life examples


* The control stick from Platform/Nintendo64 controller had an infamy thanks to ''VideoGame/MarioParty1'' minigames in where rotating the control stick [[ScrappyMechanic is mandatory]] due to how awkward is using the stick with the fingers, the efficient method to win is using the palm of the hand which this causes severe friction leaving bloody blisters and injuries in their hands. Tug'O'War is easily the infamous among all of the games that uses that gimmick.
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* When a Platform/GameboyAdvance crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]][[note]]It was later discovered that the noise is due to the console doing a memory and ROM dump to the speakers- let that sink in for a bit: the error state of a GBA is to simply dump the content of its memory space (including the ROM) to its speakers. If one were to carefully record the screeching, [[https://youtu.be/0-7PSmYYHF0 the audio can be reconstituted back into a ROM of the game!]][[/note]]

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* When a Platform/GameboyAdvance crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]][[note]]It was later discovered that the noise is due to the console doing a memory and ROM dump to the speakers- let that sink in for a bit: the error state of a GBA is to simply dump the content of its memory space (including the ROM) Mask ROM on the cartridge) to its speakers. If one were to carefully record the screeching, [[https://youtu.be/0-7PSmYYHF0 the audio can be reconstituted back into a ROM of the game!]][[/note]]
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Added notes


* When a Platform/GameboyAdvance crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]]

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* When a Platform/GameboyAdvance crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]]]][[note]]It was later discovered that the noise is due to the console doing a memory and ROM dump to the speakers- let that sink in for a bit: the error state of a GBA is to simply dump the content of its memory space (including the ROM) to its speakers. If one were to carefully record the screeching, [[https://youtu.be/0-7PSmYYHF0 the audio can be reconstituted back into a ROM of the game!]][[/note]]
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[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner '''''ever''''' wants to see when booting up their game.]]

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[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner '''''ever''''' wants to see when booting up after putting their game.game in.]]
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[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner wanted to see.]]

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[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner wanted '''''ever''''' wants to see.see when booting up their game.]]
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[[folder:Microsoft]]

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[[folder:Microsoft]][[folder:Microsoft (Xbox)]]



[[folder:Sony]]

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[[folder:Sony]][[folder:Sony ([=PlayStation=])]]
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[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/red_screen.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:1000:The one screen no Platform/PlayStation2 owner wanted to see.]]

Wait, what? NightmareFuel in... game consoles? Obviously there's plenty and plenty of disturbing things to be found in VideoGames, but from the consoles ''themselves?!''

Well, believe it or not, there's a surprisingly large amount of pretty frightening things that can be found solely in the devices that run all those scary games. Like for example, if they run into a problem. Ah, okay - '''[[EspeciallyZoidberg especially]]''' when they run into a problem.
----
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Microsoft]]
* The original Platform/{{Xbox}} Dashboard, with its already slightly unsettling ambience, combined with the EasterEgg of a distorted MachineMonotone voice that's far too easy to interpret as [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou wanting to kill you.]]
--->'''Xbox Voice:''' Die-ie. Talking to you. Repeat module. Die humans.
** An alternate mishearing is that the voice is saying "Work until you die, human."
* The Platform/XBox360's Red Ring Of Death. Imagine coming home to your console after a long and hard day of work and seeing the accursed rings for the first time just as you're getting ready to hop into a game of ''VideoGame/Halo3''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Nintendo]]
* Nintendo, being a LighterAndSofter game company, did not have these terrifying sounds... until the Platform/GameCube. In this case, the manual of the Platform/GameBoyPlayer gave extra care in warning you to first go through the Eject option in the Game Boy Player menu ''before'' ejecting the Game Boy Advance cartridge. Failing to do so would have the Game Boy Player "punish" you by suddenly triggering [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LneVUO8mP6w this error]], changing whatever game you are playing to a [[LightIsNotGood white message]] on a [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver red text box on a black background]] while a loud ScareChord plays.
* [[HellIsThatNoise The]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf6klGlJtIQ loud screech]] let out by the Platform/{{Wii}} when the system froze up, triggered by the console turning off every driver but the video driver after a freeze. Definitely the last thing you want to hear during a ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' fight. And when you realize that the sound is ''[[FromBadToWorse far louder in person]]'', it's very unsettling.
** The sound returned on the Platform/WiiU, though thankfully on that console it only plays for about 5 seconds.
** A lower-pitched version of the sound was heard whenever the [=GameCube=] froze, and like the Wii following it, continued playing until the system's power was turned off.
** If a Wii or [=GameCube=] encountered a severe error and didn't crash with the sound, it would often instead suddenly trigger an equally terrifying error message, typically on a black screen, asking you to remove the disc of the game you were just playing (Wii only), turn the console off, and to read the console's instruction manual. Ironically, if this error popped up on the Wii, like with the sound crash, the only way to turn it off would be to [[CutTheJuice either hold down the power button for a few seconds or by unplugging the system]], which doesn't sound too bad.
* When a Platform/GameboyAdvance crashes, [[https://youtu.be/2AiMMxat87E the console plays a flurry of glitched noise which sounds like a demented fax machine.]]
* If the Platform/NintendoDS runs low on battery, the power light will turn from green to red, then flashing red. Ditto with the Platform/Nintendo3DS, but the notification lamp (which normally glows amber for online friends, blue for a [=SpotPass=] notification, or green for a [=StreetPass=] notification) will also blink menacingly bright red. In addition to potentially making the player panic into saving their game or plug their 3DS in to charge, it's rather reminiscent of a time bomb about to go off.
* The Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem is infamous for the problem of the system failing to read the inserted cartridge correctly and instead just flash a blank cyan screen slowly. If you're even more unlucky, the system may load the game, only for the screen to explode into a hideous mess of garbled text and graphics while a hellish droning sound plays.
* The control stick from Platform/Nintendo64 controller had an infamy thanks to ''VideoGame/MarioParty1'' minigames in where rotating the control stick [[ScrappyMechanic is mandatory]] due to how awkward is using the stick with the fingers, the efficient method to win is using the palm of the hand which this causes severe friction leaving bloody blisters and injuries in their hands. Tug'O'War is easily the infamous among all of the games that uses that gimmick.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sega]]
* Have you ever been curious enough as to put a [[Platform/SegaGenesis Sega CD]] disc [[https://youtu.be/pgZ7lnNpLCo into a CD player?]] If so, you'll probably remember the experience of hearing a female voice telling you to press pause and to eject the disc, as it contains CD-ROM data which can damage the speaker system. All of this sounds creepy enough already, but to make matters worse, SEGA decided it would be an even better idea to have an extremely loud, distorted guitar riff '''that sounds like it's playing from the utter depths of hell'''. Of course, if you skip past the data track, you'll most likely find the game's soundtrack on there; since most Sega CD games used red book CD audio for BGM. However, if you fail to do so, or play the disc on audio equipment incapable of skipping data tracks, you'll be treated to loud, grating static and high-pitched sounds liable to catch you off guard.
* The voice returns for Platform/SegaSaturn [=CDs=], this time swapping out the demonic guitar screams for an even more unsettling CreepyMonotone and a questionable British accent. Except that some games would have specially recorded versions by a prominent character, which could range from NightmareRetardant to TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou, making it even more tempting. Even worse is, like the Sega CD example above, some games do come with red book CD audio containing the game's BGM.
* The voice returns for the [[Platform/SegaDreamcast Dreamcast discs]], which is identical to what they did for Sega Saturn [=CDs=]. There are unique warnings not just for different games, but for different regions, too. The vanilla warnings for North American and Japanese discs are comparatively tame, but [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LrsBcUUQ6A the European warning,]] read in multiple languages[[note]]English, French, German, European Spanish and Italian, in that order[[/note]], has an unsettling reverb delay effect throughout. It can give the impression of disembodied voices in an empty void.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sony]]
* The Platform/PlayStation's startup splash can be this for those who've only ever seen 16-bit consoles. The brash and loud synth-and-brass fanfare (if you want a benchmark to compare it to, the THX fanfare is a good one) can be disconcerting to people who were not expecting it, especially with the TV's volume turned up, or on a home theater system- the fanfare is actually tuned to produce [[BrownNote deep basslines]].
** One of the most notorious examples is when the Platform/PlayStation 1 models (including the slim ones) would let out a terrifying DeathCryEcho [[https://youtu.be/v09ZCiZCcUA?t=11 on their boot screen]] if it failed to boot properly (usually, this is caused by a corrupted BIOS) - this sound can only be described as an [[HellIsThatNoise outright blood-curdling screech]] followed by creepy sounding chimes (actually a really glitched version of the regular boot sound, but still, it sounds ''terrifying''). [[FromBadToWorse Even worse is]] when you realize [[KilledOffForReal what that sound means.]] It was given the FanNickname of "Personified Fear" for ''very'' good reason.
** If an unmodded Platform/PlayStation attempts to run an unauthorized disc and it suddenly fails a check during runtime, there is a chance of the game abruptly cutting to a pitch black screen with a bright red "No" symbol and a very blunt message:
--->'''SOFTWARE TERMINATED. CONSOLE MAY HAVE BEEN MODIFIED.'''
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTQan-O3lNM Fearful Harmony.]] It's caused by putting a non Platform/PlayStation disc on a modded/chipped system. What makes it creepy it's [[OminousMusicBoxTune the creepy and unsettling chimes that suddenly play irregularly.]] (also not helping that this particular error [[NothingIsScarier occurs for any people who waits]], as it usually starts after a few seconds or a minute.)
*** This error is also caused by the modchip, as it basically prevents the console from going to the dashboard if it can't read a disc (a normal system would just throw the "Please insert a [=PlayStation=] format disc" error instead). In other words, it's forcing the system to keep reading the disc even though it very obviously can't.
* The Platform/PlayStation2 is no better, especially to those who have an irrational fear of grandfather clocks. The loud bong at the start can be disconcerting to such folks especially when played at high volume. Thankfully, this is the last of the Sony consoles to have audacious boot screens; the startup splash from the Platform/PlayStation3 onwards is much more subdued.
** The Platform/PlayStation2's infamous [[https://youtu.be/1uHLQHjtPLE?t=10 "red screen of death"]] (pictured), which would often show up whenever it was unable to read a disc (due to a disc in poor condition; worn-out drives; an unknown format; or an [[UsefulNotes/RegionCoding incorrect region]], such as putting an NTSC disc into a PAL console and vice-versa). Especially the background noise the console plays while in that screen. Fortunately, if you're lucky enough for getting used to it, there's a good chance that this turning into NightmareRetardant instead.
* The [=PlayStation 3=]'s yellow light of death (or the red blinking light of death). Definitely something you don't want to experience while in the heat of a ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'' tournament.
* There have been occasions where a Platform/PlayStation4 does something like [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTt-f5R4STs this (WARNING: Loud!).]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Others]]
* If you attempt to turn on an Platform/Atari2600 without a game cartridge, you'll get [[https://youtu.be/JatD5yceLj4?t=4 this.]] (If you're lucky, the screen will stay blank.)
[[/folder]]

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