Games with epic back stories you didn't know?

[Gamerforlife]

Mortal Kombat - I remember pouring through all the background info they put into Deadly Alliance and found myself fascinated with the amount of story the MK universe has

Dynasty Warriors - There's actually quite a lot of background info presented for all of the characters and events in each game. The fact that it's all based on real history makes it even more fascinating. Though of course, the games take many liberties

Castlevania - Yeah sure, it's about people killing Dracula, but it's fun to see the different stories of all of the characters. Seeing how the story began in Lament of Innocence, seeing the way Castlevania: Bloodlines dovetails into the classic Dracula novel while also mixing story elements based on Elizabeth Bathory and world war II, or learning about the interesting story of Sonia Belmont, the only female Belmont, whose story was taken out of the series' official canon for some strange reason

Mega Man X - There's a lot of interesting backstory here that I'm still WAITING for Capcom to reveal regarding how it ties into the original Mega Man series

[lisalover1]

Metal Slug. I was looking through the manual of Metal Slug Anthology, and there were stories for each game in the series! And I thought I was just shooting stuff!

[FiftyDollarCurse]

"The world has become massively overpopulated.
The rapidly expanding network society has been crippled by rising
crime rates and is on the verge of meltdown.
A new system, 'Project-K', has been created in an attempt to
resolve the situation. At the core of the system is an artificial
intelligence centre named 'Eden'.

Eden has more advanced A.I. than any machine that has ever
previously existed. It has the ability to process vast amounts of
information at once, and to use that information to form its own
uniquely advanced independent thoughts. Some would say that
Eden has even developed a degree of conscience.

However, Eden became confused when the flow of information being
sent to it began to greatly increase in speed and volume. It
started to question the meaning of its existence and the
consequences of its actions. Finding itself surrounded by
paradoxes, and realizing the power of autonomy it possessed,
Eden began to shut itself down.

Now you are about to travel into the cyberspace of the Project-K
network on a mission to reawaken Eden. You must gain access to
each area and layer level of the system, destroying any viruses
and firewalls you encounter.

OPEN YOUR SENSES."

- Rez, 2002

[dlmvii]

Any japanese shmup. There's always cutscenes with dialogue in between the stages that, quite frankly, make zero sense.

[Droid party]

Any japanese shmup. There's always cutscenes with dialogue in between the stages that, quite frankly, make zero sense.

Ooh,now that you mention it I'm pretty sure Ikaruga has a pretty big back story too. Although I have no idea what it is, I just kinda shoot stuff.

Edit: After a quick Wikipedia search.

Plot

Several years ago in the small island nation of Horai, the leader of the nation, Tenro Horai, discovered the Ubusunagami Okinokai—the Power of the Gods. This energy emanated from an object she dug up from deep underground and granted her unimaginable powers. Soon after, Tenro and her followers, who called themselves "The Divine Ones", began conquering nations one after another. "The Chosen People" carried out these conquests in "the name of peace".
Meanwhile, a freedom federation called Tenkaku emerged to challenge Horai. Using fighter planes called Hitekkai, they fought with the hope of freeing the world from the grips of the Horai - but all their efforts were in vain. They were no match for the Horai and were eventually almost completely wiped out. Miraculously, however, one young man survived. His name was Shinra (森羅?).
Shot down near a remote village called Ikaruga, inhabited by elderly people who had been exiled by the Horai's conquests, Shinra was dragged from the wreckage and nursed back to health. Shinra regained his health and pledged to defeat the Horai, and the villagers entrusted him with a fighter plane that they had built themselves, called the Ikaruga.
The Ikaruga was no ordinary plane, designed by former engineering genius Amanai (天内?) with the help of Kazamori (風守?) and the village leaders. Hidden in a secret underground bunker and launched via the transportation device called the "Sword of Acala", it is the first fighter built that integrates both energy polarities, and is capable of successfully switching between the two.
In a two-player game, Shinra is joined by Kagari (篝?), a mercenary of Horai defeated by Shinra. After Shinra spared her life, she decided to change sides and join the resistance. Her ship, Ginkei, is modified by the people of Ikaruga to give it identical capabilities to Shinra's ship.

[Opa Opa]

Revive this thread!!
---

Columns (SMS)

Drift back in time to ancient Phoenicia and challenge yourself with Columns, the game played by Middle Eastern merchants centuries ago. This mesmerizing game of skill and chance will test your ability as you manipulate a king's ransom in glittering jewels as they appear on the screen.

[...]

Relax and let your mind drift back in time, to the ancient Mediterranean coast. Now you're ready for the challenging game of strategy, skill, and just a little luck. Columns... it will challenge your mind, not just your trigger finger!

Epic. The game of merchants.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Japanese version of Contra!!!

[Opa Opa]

Japanese version of Contra!!!

Okay... But what is the story?

[ExedExes]

Crack open any manual for any game for the NES or SNES by Konami -- of course their American branch had a rather "radical" sense of humor

[Hobie-wan]

Crack open any manual for any game for the NES or SNES by Konami -- of course their American branch had a rather "radical" sense of humor

You mean their names probably aren't Paula Abghoul and Fred Ascare?

*falls in a confused heap on the floor*