"Night Bus" Games

Circa 2010 - 2012, the Hipinion message boards saw a lot of discussion around "Night Bus," which was both an emerging online music scene and a feeling the certain media evoked. There was a lot of talk about whether something was "Night Bus," but not a lot of agreement as to what that really meant. Beyond the main music-centric thread, there were smaller threads on film and other media, including one on "Night Bus Video Games." This list includes most of the games mentioned in the thread. I also included some games that had music that was featured in various Night Bus-themed mixes in the main music thread, along with one or two games I think a pretty night bus.

If you read this list and have NO idea what night bus is... well, you're in the same boat as most people. Best not to think about it too hard.

Sleep Is Death
Sleep Is Death
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2
There was some debate as to whether Silent Hill or survival horror in general was "night bus," but the introspective nature of the 2nd game in particular was seen as fitting the bill.
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger
"Chrono Trigger is night bus as shit: black omen, 12000 bc, end of time, any time you're in the epoch."

"People Who Threw Away the Will to Live" was used in the mix 'Night Bus Gets Faded.'

"Undersea Palace" was used in the mix 'STΛLKER' by Druge.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
"You got the All-Night Mask!"

"This might be more witch house."
Callahan's Crosstime Saloon
Callahan's Crosstime Saloon
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Thief II: The Metal Age
Thief II: The Metal Age
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
Specifically the Opera scene and the World of Ruin.
Deus Ex
Deus Ex
Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
Dark Souls
Dark Souls
Resident Evil
Resident Evil
There was some debate regarding Resident Evil and its night bus qualities. Some say it didn't fit, others advocated for them.

"everything is really tense & lonely only broken up from occasional interruptions from your partner. zombies actually feel like threats. it is a well designed moody ass game."
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
"Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly" was used in the mix 夜の移動 ドルドゲの夜行バス by Drudge.

"If Ocarina of Time ended on Navi leaving Link out the window of the Temple of Light it'd be night bus but it doesn't so I'm not sure."
Super Metroid
Super Metroid
"does it get more night bus than super metroid?"
Noctis
Noctis
System Shock 2
System Shock 2
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
"also the first metal gear solid is a total night bus experience and it's the reason vagrant story exists as it does. i don't care if anyone disagrees."
EarthBound
EarthBound
Moonside is especially night bus.
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
"Midgar is one of the most Nightbus settings I've ever seen, videogame or not."

"Underneath the Rotting Pizza" was used in the mix 'Night Bus Gets Faded.'
Aztec
Aztec
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
"A mix of night bus and witch house."
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Cave Story
Cave Story
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Terranigma
Terranigma
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Exile II: Crystal Souls
Exile II: Crystal Souls
Ōkami
Ōkami
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
The Secret of Monkey Island
The Secret of Monkey Island
X-COM: UFO Defense
X-COM: UFO Defense
"you can debate x-com all you want, but you can't deny that terror missions are pretty night bus"
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
This was mainly mentioned because of the music for "Dire, Dire Docks," and to a lesser extent the "Save Menu" theme.
Rez
Rez
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
"Klonoa is night bus with a hint of chillwave"
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
"maybe the most night bus game for the nintendo ds, but there's some dash of witch house for sure. night house protagonist in a witch house setting."
Silent Hill
Silent Hill
Yume Nikki
Yume Nikki
A Mind Forever Voyaging
A Mind Forever Voyaging
"All Infocom games are witch haus, except A Mind Forever Voyaging"
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
"Super Mario RPG was a good example of blisscore with hints of night bus."
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
Demon's Souls
Demon's Souls
Chrono Cross
Chrono Cross
"Jellyfish Sea" was used in the mix NBSX: Eidos Aria Réunion.
Ico
Ico
Tetris
Tetris
Specifically the NES/Nintendo version, "but only with music option C."
Kentucky Route Zero
Kentucky Route Zero
Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story
Max Payne
Max Payne
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
Tekken 3
Tekken 3
Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's Mansion
Ikaruga
Ikaruga
Phantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online
Racing Lagoon
Racing Lagoon
Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve
System Shock
System Shock
Snatcher
Snatcher
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V
Streets of Rage 2
Streets of Rage 2
Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness
Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sam & Max Hit the Road
Sam & Max Hit the Road
Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonition
Trials of Mana
Trials of Mana
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark
Lumines II
Lumines II
NetHack
NetHack
D2
D2
"dreamcast is the night bussest console for sure"
Shenmue
Shenmue
Full Throttle
Full Throttle
Einhänder
Einhänder
Where in Space Is Carmen Sandiego?
Where in Space Is Carmen Sandiego?
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy IV
Loom
Loom
Jet Set Radio
Jet Set Radio
"Jet Grind/Set Radio is like a nightbus/blisscore combo...but somehow it works."
Nights Into Dreams...
Nights Into Dreams...
Syndicate
Syndicate
"Top 5 Night Bus"
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
"Night bus as marketed to children."
Shadow of Memories
Shadow of Memories
"this is somewhere between night bus, witch house, chillwave and several other things, but it deserves to be mentioned"
Rocket: Robot on Wheels
Rocket: Robot on Wheels
SimCity 4
SimCity 4
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
Seaman
Seaman
Fez
Fez
Contra
Contra
The Dig
The Dig
Wing Commander
Wing Commander
The Manhole
The Manhole

1 Comment


2 years ago

lotta overlap with backloggdcore here


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