Top 50 Hub Worlds: What's all the Hubbub?

[Baudshaw]

Let's answer the titular question: Hub Worlds are an important part of any medium, especially games. They are, in many cases, the connecting glue that binds the world and story together. However, some are better than others, so with this threat, we'll clearly see which hub stands above the rest!

Here's who submitted:

@Daikaiju



@Baudshaw

@SabreCat @Torzelbaum




@Johnny Unusual

@Issun @Violentvixen



@Kirin @Patrick

@Beta Metroid

@Falselogic


@JBear



@Aurelia @WildcatJF

@RT-55J @Lokii @Dr. Nerd @spines

I know it's disorganized... if only we had a convenient location to put them all!


Before we get to the actual Top 50, we'll do some honorable mentions first.

These hub worlds were #1 for a single person, but no one else.

@Daikaiju put Paris from Sly Cooper 2. It's strange putting a real city here, even though it's very different in the game and much more charming. Even still, the real Paris belongs nowhere near this list.

Next, @Falselogic had Cyclops from Subnautica. This is a pretty clean and advanced submarine, although I heavily doubt you'll be able to spend the whole game cooped up inside it.

Then, @Issun put Blackwell Academy from Life is Strange. These musty-looking hallways are the perfect place to learn more about the school and its students.

Finally, I put Aviary Village from Sky COTL. You can see how my profile picture originated from it. The mysterious Hopeful Steward is in charge of this place. Notice the doomed mountain of Eden in the background.

 

[RT-55J]

I'll be sure to make this thread my center of the forum while this is going on.

 

[Baudshaw]

Make it the…

 

[Daikaiju]

On the board with an HM!

 

[Violentvixen]

@Daikaiju put Paris from Sly Cooper 2. It's strange putting a real city here, even though it's very different in the game and much more charming. Even still, the real Paris belongs nowhere near this list.

Hmm, now I'm curious to do a "virtual versions of real cities" list someday.

 

[Falselogic]

The Cylcops is so good. And the more time you spend in it the less time you have to worry about drowning or being eaten...

 

[Issun]

Blackwell Academy was kind of a stretch, I know, but it is where Max starts most of her days in the game, and so much of the story branches out from it that I figured I could put it on here. Plus, with PB no posting so much anymore, I am the only hope LiS has of getting on Top 50 lists.

 

[Baudshaw]

NUMBER 50: Splatsville

Game: Splatoon 3

"Blue, yellow, and gray- you'll be lost here all day!"

My familiarity: 5/10

Nominated by: @Baudshaw (#13) and @spines (#14)

Splatsville is a large, crowded city set somewhere in the deserts of the Splatoon universe. It's somewhat based on Las Vegas, although it's somewhat based on traditional architecture mixing with modern buildings. There's the main lobby: a slick, steel tower. Other Inklings wander around, and graffiti litter the crowded back alleys.


Gameplay:
This hub is the only place to prepare between battles in Splatoon 3. There's plenty of shops and various other activities that can help with your gameplay a bit.

Story:
I'm not very caught up in Splatoon lore, but this place is still a shining example of the franchise's themes. It displays very clearly the artstyle and aesthetic of the Splatoon universe. Not to mention, Shiver, Frye, and Big Man are always there, commenting on the latest news. It would certainly be an exciting place to live, even if the rent is absolutely soul-crushing.

Do they integrate?
I'd say they do! It has an "everything is here" feel present in most real-life cities.

 

[RT-55J]

oh wow I can't believe none of the Splatoons crossed my mind when submitting a list

 

[WildcatJF]

I merged the three Splatoon hubs into a single entry on my list (perhaps I shouldn't have, lol), and while I love the Splatlands' for being big and grungy and a great reflection of Deep Cut, I think I'm still partial to Splatoon 2's Inkopolis Square.

 

[Falselogic]

I own a Splatoon but I dont think I ever played one...

 

[Issun]

I need to try the series at some point. I'm not much for online play but I've heard the Splatoon community is a lot better than most.

 

[spines]

didn't particularly remember my list so i was surprised i didn't have a unique number 1 till i looked back at what it was. lol. i'm interested to see this one play out because i feel like even more than usual i've got a handful of choices i'm sure are super popular while most of the rest seems unlikely to make anyone else's lists at all

i put this off for so long that i basically decided to limit myself to 1 choice per game series to simplify the ordering and avoid having to chop things at the end (i had 21 when i submitted). although it was kind of a whim any which way. i spent a while playing splatoon 2 single player but before the 3 dlc i hadn't really spent much time in the other towns. and i have to admit chaos is kind of my vibe. i like splatsville

 

[Violentvixen]

I cut Splatsville as I don't find it as interesting as Inkopolis but it was on my list for a bit. Fun hub area for sure.

 

[Baudshaw]

NUMBER 49: Golden Pyramid

Game: Wario Land 4

"Money, treasure, and riches await- for Wario, it's the perfect bait!"

My familiarity: 3/10

Nominated by: @Lokii (#11) and @RT-55J (#16)

Gameplay:

This pyramid has 4 passages, each based on a valuable gem- Emerald, Ruby, Topaz, and Sapphire. Once you've completed all of them, you get access to the final part of the game: the Golden Passage.

Story:

Wario visits this place for a simple, straightforward reason- money. However, the pyramid itself is anything but simple and straightforward. It's taken over by this weird-yet-fitting demon thingy called the Golden Diva.

Do they integrate?
They do, but it's a very simple layout. The setting still fits Wario well.

 

[Baudshaw]

NUMBER 48: The Blackjack

Game: Final Fantasy 6

"It resists anything thrown at you- except, of course, being split in two."

My familiarity: 0/10

Nominated by: @Johnny Unusual (#4) and @Kirin (#21)

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/f...ackjack.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130118001528
Gameplay:
It's a great place to restock after your adventures around the World of Balance. There's even the titular game, in true casino fashion, for you addicts out there. It's a nice and cozy setting.

Story:
It has a shady story, which is fitting for its casino-ship status. Acquiring it via rigged coin flip, you use it to travel across the southern continent. However, after Kefka committed some funny acts, it split in two and was destroyed.

Do they integrate?
Absolutely. The idea of a casino airship sounds maddening, but imagine not having to pay taxes on your winnings! It's also the best imaginable place for the house, since you're essentially trapped by the casino while you're onboard.
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/f...ackjack.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130118001528
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/f...ackjack.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130118001528

 

[Issun]

Didn't think of Wario Land 4. What a great game, and the pyramid is a neat little corridor.

The Blackjack is a cool airship. I didn't count airships generally on my list, but I'm not gonna argue with them showing up here.

 

[Violentvixen]

I forget how many airships/spaceships ended up on my list but definitely thought of a lot!

 

[RT-55J]

I guess part of my problem when composing my list is that I generally didn't consider moving vehicles as hubs, but now that I think about it there's a very particular FF vehicle that I'm pretty mad at myself for not nominating (not this one, as nice as it is).

 

[Torzelbaum]

I wasn't sure if vehicles were allowed by the rules and even if they were I'm still not sure if my rules would have allowed them. But the Blackjack is still a good airship and a good pick as a hub.

 

[Kirin]

Yeah, I bumped it down lower on my list as ships are definitely stretching the "hub" concept, but the ones with interiors where you can walk around, talk to and re-arrange your party, visit shops, and so on certainly have a lot of function in common with a hub level.

And as far as airships go, Blackjack is a sweet one.

 

[Daikaiju]

And it is reborn!

 

[Kirin]

Neat. Is that in XIV?

 

[Daikaiju]

Indeed, you can purchase it from the Gold Saucer for 4,000,000 MGP

 

[Baudshaw]

NUMBER 47: Roivas Mansion

Game: Eternal Darkness

"These book-reading nerds love to scare us all- the family looks to darkness' call."



My familiarity: 0/10

Nominated by: @Issun (#10) and @Lokii (#15)

Gameplay:
It's very simple- it's just a few rooms that you can navigate around, with a bunch of hidden secrets for good measure. There's also servants which change in affiliation as you go through the game.

Story:

This manor was built in the Colonial era, when Rhode Island was still a British colony. It's a mess, with the servants constantly having to clean it, to no avail. This manor was also built to the entrance to a strange, ancient city.

Do they integrate?
This hub is probably the one I understand the least about. However, it still seems like a cool place with its unique atmosphere and spooky dangers.

 

[WildcatJF]

Oooo that's a good one.

 

[Issun]

Eternal Darkness is my all-time favorite survival-horror game and the atmosphere of Roivas Mansion is a big part of why. Alexandra is all alone with just the minimalist percussion sound interspersed with the occasional whisper or thunderclap, and you keep waiting for something to jump out at you, but Alex really is all alone. Then the history of the Mansion slowly gets peeled back through the chapters and then you find the ancient city beneath it. So cool.

Pity it'll probably be trapped on Gamecube forever.

 

[RT-55J]

wow there's a lot of darkness in the screenshot. i wonder what game it's from.

*checks*

yeah i guess it fits

 

[Baudshaw]

NUMBER 46: Tower to Paradise

Game: Final Fantasy Legend

"Getting to the top is this game's story- in all the pixelated Game Boy glory"



My familiarity: 0/10

Nominated by: @Torzelbaum (#9) and @Kirin (#15)

Gameplay:
It's very simple, even if it encompasses the entire game. You choose a character and go through the tower, fighting enemies as you go along. There's a few shops and other facilities, as well as unique floors with interesting themes.

Story:
It's as basic as they come- there's a tower, and you got to scale it to get to Paradise.

Do they integrate?
This game seems very strange to me (a Final Fantasy on the Game Boy?) but I can understand what they were going for with this tower. It's a very interesting and unique setting, even if the console's limitations prevent you from seeing the full tower.

 

[Issun]

a Final Fantasy on the Game Boy?

It's actually the very first SaGa games, they just renamed it The Final Fantasy Legend because FF already had name recognition in North America.