Stop for Big Moments! [Design Specifics]

Have you ever heard of something called "hit stop"? The thinking behind it can be applied to more than just hits—in fact, it'd be a waste to only use it there!

By the way, an extra point regarding those additional effects shown at the end of the video: using slow motion only briefly and then returning to normal speed would make the effect even more impactful.

■Related Video
Eight Hit Stop Techniques [Design Specifics]

[TerminalMontage]

I'll never forget Marx's Boss Stop the first time I beat him in Kirby Super Star.

[theotherjared]

This ideology goes back all the way to the days of theater. Since there could be audience members so far away that it could be hard to see the stage, big key poses were required to adequately tell the visual story. Stage directors later realized that these big moments could be exciting under the right circumstances, which led to action scenes having several big impacts in between fluid motions.

[KinglyRed]

Kingdom Hearts has my favorite example of "boss stop." The camera-work, slow-down and audio cue that plays when you beat a boss is so satisfying, especially if you've been trying for a while. So good that Mr. Sakurai himself added it for Sora in Smash!

[lilfrazzy]

Im so glad you pointed out the feeling of "wait i got hit?". Its so frustrating when you cant pinpoint what exactly mightve gone wrong.

[Meracog]

"If players are left wondering what happened it's a real missed opportunity."

He truly cares about the enjoyment factor and player experience. You love to see it.

[Broboarchive]

This is one of those game design elements that you don’t notice while playing, but they end up adding a lot to your experience

[frank]

When you think about it: even the original super Mario bros uses the stop to. When you die: the entire game freezes in place as Mario drops down to the bottom of the screen, infact, this even happens for when you take damage and are reverted to small mario

[Kirbycatcher]

Man, I haven't been able to articulate why a lot of other "platform fighters" feel kinda off, but seeing Smash Ultimate without the effect showed me exactly what it is. It really does make it feel like your hits connected

[ZabZabZabie]

this is basically an extension of feedback. Visual cues that tell the player a specific event has happened. Having small ones like screen shake when your character's attacks hit an anemy really helps give a fun feeling to the gameplay, great subject to tackle

[Despots_Blitz]

Man, that no hit stop Ryu combo looks CURSED.

[theukon-dos]

The indie game "ULTRAKILL" is also a great example of using stops in games. The game mostly uses them when you parry or interrupt an enemy's attacks, and while it's only for a frame; maybe 2, it massively emphasizes the impact that these actions have.

[ZullietheWitch]

Hit Stop is even used in Elden Ring, the Dark Souls series, and From Software's other similar games, though not for communicating to a player that they've been hit. Whenever a player's attack connects with an enemy, it briefly slows down the player's animations for a specific amount of time set individually for each attack, helping to give each attack a feeling of resistance and impact. Giving attacks more or less Hit Stop can affect how weighty they seem, and creates a much different impression than if your weapons glide through enemies like they're made of smoke. This is only used for melee attacks, as it would feel awkward for the player to pause when a ranged attack hits, and it highlights another form of valuable player feedback that Hit Stop can provide. A similar implementation can be seen in several other games, like many Zelda titles, the Monster Hunter series, or NieR: Automata.

[KadenzJade]

When that that "KNOCKOUT" happens in Cuphead, that sure is a refreshing moment of relief.

[Hump]

I never realized how weird games look without the hit stop effect

[joserenteria]

This perfectly illustrates the problem I feel with Multiversus! There's no "Oomph!" or feeling of impact when landing a big hit on your opponent, unlike in Smash. That huge "Oh No!/Oh Yes!" feeling is lost without it

[DaNintendude]

Another good example of this is collecting a power-up or getting hit in Mario. The entire screen stops to emphasize that you have powered up, or powered down. This may not seem that important, but it acts as a moment to collect yourself after something happens.

Super Mario Land and Super Mario Land 2 for the Gameboy DO NOT have this effect. you can collect a power-up and immediately lose it because you didn't have that moment to collect yourself.

It's not always necessary to let someone know when something like that happens, but it's definitely a big part of the flow of Mario, and it feels a bit frustrating without it.

[eitangellis]

The Mario & Luigi RPGs have a _killer_ “boss stop”. The boss stays still in their hurt pose, a bunch of lights start to seep out and then… BOOM, explosion. I love it.

[fawfulthegreat]

I love the use of this on Mario & Luigi boss death animations, especially in Superstar Saga. The boss just sits on its hurt pose and does an erratic shake, as if realizing they're about to go boom, and then they go boom.

[professionalspecialist]

This is why I love the “Counter” slow down in Guilty Gear Strive, helping me understand how I got hit mid-attack and reconsider how I approach in neutral.

[FocaXD]

This sakurai dude sure knows his stuff, he should make a game or something