If you will permit me to steal from Microsoft's crappy advertising for Windows Vista, when have you been playing a game and think: "Wow, did that actually just happen?" or something along the lines of: "I didn't know you could DO that in a game. Simply put, what gaming moment blew your mind?

the first time I heard the word "Fuck" in a game, and the tits in God of War, if we're being honest.

If we're being honest,
Soul Calibur 2's jiggle physics

When I frist used the RYNO in R&C. All that grinding for bolts had finally paid of.

When Laughing Octopus came through the window at me screaming.
Or in Battlefield: Bad Company when I hit a jeep with an RPG, and it flew straight over my head and into the building behind me, rolling around its walls and killing two people - totally badass!
I'm sure ive got others, I just cant remember them...

The psysics when running away from the helicopter on the mudskipper in HL2. I never thought a game could be so exhillerating in that way and so interactive.

the Boong-Ga Boong-Ga arcade game.

Go ahead and look it up

I'll wait.

Altorin:
the Boong-Ga Boong-Ga arcade game.

Go ahead and look it up

I'll wait.

Lol.

I guarantee you'd never guess what it is by the name, and I'm not going to describe what it is, lol

Altorin:
the Boong-Ga Boong-Ga arcade game.

Go ahead and look it up

I'll wait.

My oh my... The question is: after this, can we go anywhere from here?

Ivoryagent:
"HOLY FUCK, 3D?? What next, flying penises??"

It's funny, when I read that 2 things popped into my head.

Spore, and this really old Shmup game (like Gradius) where you controlled a flying naked strongman shooting a beam out the top of his head, and destroyed hordes and hordes of muscly men in speedos.

I don't remember what it was called, but it was something like "Chaoniki".. I wasn't able to find any reference with that name though so it's probably way wrong.

David Allen:

Altorin:
the Boong-Ga Boong-Ga arcade game.

Go ahead and look it up

I'll wait.

My oh my... The question is: after this, can we go anywhere from here?

If we can find actual pictures of the game I just described, then yes, we can.

The first time I played call of duty, the start of the russian part of the single player, battle of stalingrad, the bullets wizing past your head, being able to get killed befor you even started playing, not even getting a weapon and having to run up the beach... it was just one of those all time "this is so @#$%ing awsome" moments.

but you know that is just me...

In delta force: land warrior i went into a room full of terrorists and they stared at me for like 10 seconds. I took out my grenade launcher and killed them all (including me)

First time i CoD4 that i killed two people with one sniper shot. We were somewhat impressed with that.

Acaroid:
The first time I played call of duty, the start of the russian part of the single player, battle of stalingrad, the bullets wizing past your head, being able to get killed befor you even started playing, not even getting a weapon and having to run up the beach... it was just one of those all time "this is so @#$%ing awsome" moments.

but you know that is just me...

So true, First Call of duty. When ur riding shotgun in the jeap trying to get the message to the allied HQ, getting traped by the tanks. Didn't think a game could get any better... Then MGS4 came out

David Allen:

It's funny, when I read that 2 things popped into my head.

Spore, and this really old Shmup game (like Gradius) where you controlled a flying naked strongman shooting a beam out the top of his head, and destroyed hordes and hordes of muscly men in speedos.

I don't remember what it was called, but it was something like "Chaoniki".. I wasn't able to find any reference with that name though so it's probably way wrong.

*cough*Chō Aniki*cough*

I can't think of any "Wow!" moments right now, I'll get back to you.

wow.

It's on the Virtual Console?

whiskey tango foxtrot

The first one that comes to mind is the graphics of Crysis, but thats a given (not gameplay, just graphics).

Also, Trackmania Nations had a lot of "Wow" moments just with what you can do with the tracks themselves, flying the length of a football field or two off a ramp, then landing and immediately going into a corkscrew. Or highspeed tracks where the turns are hard and tight, but not impossible.

I may post more later.

Super Paper Mario, when you hit the switches that screw the gravity up so you're walking on the walls. I know you're gonna think "he ain't seen nothing yet" but it was surprising that a game that is so superficial looking can actually go out of it's way to do 'new' things.

First time I played battlezone at the arcade and realized you can put 10p in the 50p slot it gives you 50p of credit.

Or the music of monty on the run (spectrum 128k version)

When I first saw Crysis running in full 1920x1200 4xAA 8xAF all settings on high.

WOW.
It also convinced me that every cent I spent on my 9800GX2 was well spent.

Ragdolling (press F for fake death) straight through 2 windows in Unreal Tournament 3. Gravity was off, so I could only imagine the sight for a spectator as I soared through both windows -without skimming any edges- straight off a cliff. Brilliant xD

When I first got a GBA, and turned it on, and it did that chime that it does and then that ding it makes?
I was amazed. I made a big deal out of the fact that it was 32 bit while my N64 was 64 bit, and noted the relative sizes.

Also related, playing Advance Wars 2, and it says "mission complete", that was the first I'd heard actual spoken dialogue in a handheld game. I was astounded.

Portal. When you start doing levels by flying around everywhere. Graahgahsnnargly.

Knocking turrets over with portals and boxes in Portal.

Watching the Diablo 3 demo vid...

PUNCH OUT THE FREAKING WALL!!

Finding the first "secret" area in Portal. Believe it or not, I had heard nothing of the game and it's ending prior to playing it, so finding that area was the first hint that Aperture Science might not be completely altruistic in it's methods. It was a "wow" moment for me, because I just wasn't expecting the twist that it was implying.

1<me> vs 12 in world of warcraft as a warlock....i won and almost cried

Beating Emerald Weapon for the first time.
My first (and indeed, my guild's) first Ragnaros kill in WoW.
Final cutscene of Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction with Tyrael. That wow'd me.

Playing Oblivion, and being attacked by an archer. I press the left bumper on the 360 controller, and I wonder why I haven't been hit. I realise I pressed LB at the exact right moment to stop the arrow in mid-air, inches from my face.

I have several, and these aren't in any particular order of awesomeness...
-Oblivion, like John Johnston said, except the part where Martin Septim turns into a giant flaming dragon
-Grabbing an enemy in Crysis and hurling him into the side a vehicle
-The first time I warped in a building as a Protoss in Starcraft (hey, I was easily impressed back then)
-Ocarina of Time when Link played a song for the first time to teleport somewhere
-The Witcher when Geralt smiled at the end before beating the living daylights out of an assassin

jamanticus:
-Oblivion, like John Johnston said, except the part where Martin Septim turns into a giant flaming dragon

Just before that bit, using invisibilty and legging it to the Temple Of The One. I see what looks like two pieces of a broken arch. I think, "Hmm. I don't remember there being an arch there." I look up, and I actually said "Wow" out of shock. They weren't five-foot thick chunks of marble.

Johnn Johnston:

jamanticus:
-Oblivion, like John Johnston said, except the part where Martin Septim turns into a giant flaming dragon

Just before that bit, using invisibilty and legging it to the Temple Of The One. I see what looks like two pieces of a broken arch. I think, "Hmm. I don't remember there being an arch there." I look up, and I actually said "Wow" out of shock. They weren't five-foot thick chunks of marble.

They were legs.

Oh, yeah... Oblivion could be bland sometimes, but it definitely delivered in that final sequence