Favourite opening levels

[Spirit]

Opening levels are very important, they need to make an impression, they need to catch out attention and they need to show us the ropes.

Not every game is good at doing this, while other games are deliberately obtuse to suit their narrative tone or genre.

What are some of your favourite opening levels in video games?

 

[twilitfalchion]

I would probably say my favorite opening levels would be:

Bianco Hills - Super Mario Sunshine
I love the tower and how beautiful the lake looks with the light reflecting on it.

City Escape - Sonic Adventure 2
The song for this level is awesome and running away from a truck armed with saw blades is an amazing way to start a platforming adventure.

Wave Ocean - Sonic '06
Say what you will about Sonic '06, but its opening level was a really solid start to a fairly mediocre game. The graphics were pretty great for its time and the mach speed section is still fun to play even now.

Corneria - Star Fox 64
An action-filled start to an action-packed game, Corneria is everything an opening level should be, from it music to its gameplay.

 

[Mido]

Very good question! While there are many great ones, I find myself thinking about the Arid Badlands from the original Borderlands game:

In terms of presentation, what stands out about the Arid Badlands is that it captures the essence of the game's world very effectively. While the series is not necessarily a master class in storytelling, the first place where new vault hunters arrive conveys how the world of Pandora is this "no-man's land" of hucksters and hooligans out for themselves, surviving however one can. Outside of presentation, the quests are also effective, allowing players to learn the ropes and obtain starter equipment like a shield.

 

[Dizzi]

Dragon quest builders 2 was a pretty good starter...

 

[Sheikah_Witch]

The Great Plateau, best opening level and best opening in a game, period.

Special shoutout, of course, to world 1-1 in Super Mario Bros. A classic!

 

[GoronGainz]

Battalion wars 2 always had a memorable opening level. Gave you a good run through with the controls whilst basically making you OP so you couldn't lose. Nice bit of story as well.

Not sure if it counts as a "level" but the first case in Ace Attorney is just a spectacular opener for the wonderfully weird game your about to play.

Astral Chains first level is a great introduction into the games world, story & controls. Not to mention how amazing the graphics are.