From the bestselling series, Call of Duty: Black Ops, developed by Treyarch, tops the list. The dramatic finale features a frantic shoot-out inside a submarine and provides our hero Mason the chance to take vengeance for a murdered friend. The closing sequence offers a new twist on the classic JFK conspiracy theory.

Runner up in the list is 2010’s Halo: Reach developed by Bungie.  Another First-Person Shooter, Halo: Reach takes place in the year 2552, with humanity locked in a war with the alien Covenant.  During the post credits sequence your character, Nobile Six, makes a final stand against impossible odds.  Although he is eventually overwhelmed, his sacrifice ensures that the ‘Master Chief’ survives.

More than 13 year’s old, Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time takes third place in the list.  One of the best loved games of all time ends in classic fashion with our iconic character defeating Ganondorf and rescuing Princess Zelda.

The rest of the 50 offers a definitive list of the greatest video game endings of all time.  Notable entries include Red Dead Redemption (2010) which comes in at number 6.  Rockstar’s mega-hit finishes like all good Western films — with retribution, revenge and bloodshed.  

At number 7 is Portal (Valve, 2007). The highly memorable ending breaks from tradition, with the final boss, GLaDOS, appearing to be defeated but then going on to perform a musical number titled ‘Still Alive’.  The song, written by nerd-folk artist Jonathan Coulton, has become a cult hit and been immortalised in several online tributes.

Quantic Dream’s highly innovative Heavy Rain (2010) makes up the 10.  The game features 22 possible endings which add to the excitement of the thriller. Will your in-game choices result in the ‘all round happy-ending’ or will they instead lead to an ending so dark that you’ll witness the deaths of most the game’s major characters?  

Gaz Deaves, Gaming Editor for Guinness World Records 2012 Gamer’s Edition said: “Everyone has an opinion on how to end a game whether it’s an epic boss fight, a clever plot twist or a 90-minute movie.  This list recognises some of the greatest endings and hopefully will get gamers talking about their favorites and why.”

Please find the full top 50 below:
 
  50. Resident Evil 4   
  49. Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic   
  48. Ratchet & Clank: a Crack in Time   
  47. Crysis 2   
  46. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion   
  45. Call of Duty: World at War   
  44. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II   
  43. Half-Life 2: Episode Tow   
  42. Super Metroid   
  41. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess   
  40. New Super Mario Bros. Wii   
  39. inFamous   
  38. Fallout 3   
  37. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas   
  36. Gears of War 2   
  35. Bioshock   
  34. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty   
  33. Sonic Adventures 2   
  32. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater   
  31. Kingdom Hearts II   
  30. Mass Effect   
  29. Super Mario Galaxy   
  28. Sonic the Hedgehog   
  27. Metal Gear Solid   
  26. Assassin's Creed II   
  25. Assassin's Creed   
  24. Shadow of the Colossus   
  23. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare   
  22. Kingdom Hearts   
  21. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves   
  20. Super Mario Galaxy 2   
  19. Mass Effect 2   
  18. Grand Theft Auto IV   
  17. Portal 2   
  16. Assassins Creed: Brotherhood   
  15. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time   
  14. Halo: Combat Evolved   
  13. Halo 3   
  12. Pokemon Black and White   
  11. Super Mario Bros   
  10. Heavy Rain   
  9. Final Fantasy VII   
  8. Metal Gear Solid 4   
  7. Portal   
  6. Red Dead Redemption   
  5. God of War   
  4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2   
  3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time   
  2. Halo: Reach   
  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops