Underutilized Environments in Gaming

[Wolf Kanno]

I was driving home this afternoon and really getting a kick out of the leaves changing all around me, which made me realize how so underutilized Autumn is as a video game environment. I couldn't really think of too many games I've played that have stages or areas based on it and that's a shame cause it's pretty gorgeous.

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[Edge7]

I don't know if I'd call it underutilized, hell I don't even really have a "name" for it, but I really like the environments of Phantasy Star Online (a game I have never played, I've only seen screenshots of it in Nintendo Power as a kid).

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The combination of technology with these alien-looking glyphs is really cool, along with neon streams and holograms lighting the environment. I'm just gonna dub it "glyph punk" and post images to try to describe what I mean.

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Fun fact, my love for this aesthetic is part of what led me to try FFX (couldn't find a good screenshot of the Cloister of Trials but I'm sure most people at least vaguely remember what they look like). Here have Bevelle instead:
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[Darth Ganon]

One reason why Mushroom Hill Zone is my favorite in the series.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/2/21/Mushroom_Hill_Zone_Act_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20140311195826

Other environments I don't see too often are things like studios (Animaniacs, Dynamite Headdy, Sonic Mania) and music/instruments (Ristar, Sonic Advance 2). They've been used enough to notice, but not enough to be staples (not that I can recall anyway). Candy or food themed levels as well (Castle of Illusion, Sonic Colors).

[Edge7]

I've always loved Autumn in video games as well. Here are the two that stand out in my mind:

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At my parent's house, whenever I smelled leaves in the autumn, I would think of Horon Village (from the second pic)

[Bubba]

Maple Treeway is one of my favourite ever courses in Mario Kart

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[Sephex]

I want more weird shit like Moonside. Yes, weird stuff happens often in games, but I wish it was done more like Moonside. Even for EarthBound, that sequence was a trip the first time through.

http://walkthrough.starmen.net/earthbound/image/screens/22/weirdos.png

http://legendsoflocalization.com/media/earthbound/moonside/parkingmeters.png

https://lparchive.org/Earthbound/Update%2018/5-capture_11032008_015159.png