Sounds can be just as memorable as scenes. People can get wistful when they see pictures of classic games in action. But it also happens when they hear them too. The 1UP jingle inSuper Mario Bros, the tense drowning music inSonic the Hedgehog, and the funny way the announcer says “ja-PAN!” inStreet Fighter 2.
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He isn’t the only one either. There are plenty of announcers whose voices have been remembered fondly over the years. They’ve become as much a part of the experience asMario,Sonic, and co. Without them, their games would just feel wrong. So, here are theiconic announcersthat complete their games.
10NBA Jam
Midway’s 2v2 basketball game was a must-play at the arcades and on consoles. Its fast pick-up & play controls and wild moves really caught on with players, especially when they had announcer Tim Kitzrow cheering them on. His cries of “He’s on fire!” and “Boomshakalaka!” became all part of the experience.
He would lend his vocals forNHL Hitz, NFL Blitz, andMLB Slugfestamong a bunch of pinball games. But there was something about his debut outing that just caught on better than his hockey and football calls. He’s still credited as theNBA Jamannouncer elsewhere, be it his appearances on Fox Sports, or as part of anannouncer pack forDOTA.
9Halo
It’s hard to say where the original Xbox would’ve gone withoutHalo. That game sent Microsoft’s black and green box through the stratosphere, as players got to pepper the Flood with as much firepower as Master Chief could muster. While there are some fans into the lore behind Master Chief and Cortana, for others the multiplayer mode ruled the roost.
Thus, the most important voice to them didn’t belong to any of the characters. It came from Jeff Steitzer. He’s been theHaloseries’ announcer from the first game right up to 2021’sHalo Infinite. So, whether they’re young and old, FPS fans have heeded his warnings, and enjoyed his ‘kill’-based cheers over the years (“Killtacular!”, “Killtrocity!”, “Kilimanjaro!”).
8Unreal Tournament 3
There are many voice actors who seem to appear in everything. Why fix something if it isn’t broken? Particularly if they fit their roles. For example, Fred Tatasciore has been the go-to guy for voice acting big, gruff guys and monsters. He’s been the Hulk, Solomon Grundy, Atlas inGod of War: Chains of Olympus,and oddly enough the B&B Unit inMetal Gear Solid 4.
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He was also one of the announcers forUnreal Tournament 3. The games have always had a mean, moody announcer option, with calls like “Triple Kill!”, “Multi-Kill!”, and “m-m-m-Monnnster Kill!”. Tatasciore brought that toUT3, alongside the infamous call of “Hoollllyyy shit!”. His calls are still used today
7Capcom Vs SNK 2
Fighting games have had their fair share of memorable announcers, like Jamieson Price growling away inSuper Street Fighter 4or Infinite talking over his own raps inStreet Fighter 3: Third Strikewith some affirming commentary (“Yeah! That makes sense!”). But Hiroaki Asai’s work onCapcom Vs SNK 2stands out for how chatty he is.
Asai commentates on the game like it was a sports event. He talks when the action gets hot (“That’s what we like to call BIG damage!”), and when it gets cold (“You can feel the calm before the storm as the round begins!”). He even commentates over the groove, character, and ratio selects (“Great! I knew that groove was in your heart!"). It’s hard to think of a catchier performance than this one.
6Street Fighter Alpha 3
Before Asai pondered the player’s strength inCapcom Vs SNK 2(“They are way too strong to compete! I mean, what’s up with that?!”), Greg Irwin was hyping them up inStreet Fighter Alpha 3. His work here inspired the radio DJ approach Capcom used for their crossover game. He doesn’t monologue as much, but Irwin’s enthusiasm is infectious (“Leeeett’s party!”).
He always has a few lines before each round, telling the player they “can’t give it up”, then to “triumph or die!”. Or he’ll go for the less heavy “Beat ‘em up, guys!”, “Go for broke!”. Whoever wins, he’ll cheer them on with “That’s enough! Unbeatablllee!” while scorning the loser (“What a terrible fighter!”). His calls were catchy enough to turn up outside ofAlpha 3too, most notably in the filmScott Pilgrim Vs the World.
5Mortal Kombat 2
It’s not often that the announcer is also a character in the game. Yet one of the more famous examples of this would be inMortal Kombat 2, where arcade and pinball game designer Steve Ritchie voiced Shao Kahn.The Emperor of Outworldwould call the rounds, relishing in the kills (“Fatality!”), and getting confused by the non-lethal options (“Friendship… Friendship?! Again?!”).
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If the player made it to the final boss, Kahn would taunt the player in between strikes (“Is that your best?!”). If they couldn’t cut the mustard, he’d declare his own victory (“I Win!”), often with a hearty laugh or a follow-up taunt (“It’s official! You suck!”). Others have stepped into Kahn’s boots, though they don’t quite match the original.
4Killer Instinct
While Shao Kahn commentates onMortal Kombatbouts with sadistic relish, the announcer inthe originalKiller Instinctwould get hyped up. Voiced by Rare programmer Chris Sutherland,KI’s announcer is perhaps the most memorable feature in the game.
He has a line for each combo, be it a “KIIIINNNG COMBO!”, a “BLASTER COMBO!”, or the “ULLLLTTRRAAAA COOMMMBOOOOOO!!!”. That is, if the opponent didn’t counter with a “C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!”. The 2013 game’s announcer, Mike Willette, matches Sutherland in excitement. Though there’s something about Sutherland’s original delivery that really embodies this classic fighting game.
3Smash TV
Midway has produced many famous announcers on this list thus far. Preceding them both, Paul Heitsch caught on with just a few lines for Midway’s 1990 twin-stick shooterSmash TV. Created as a flashier take onRobotron 2084, the game took inspiration from the filmThe Running Manto produce its own lethal game show-based fire fest.
Heitsch served as the game’s sound designer, lending his vocals toSmash TV’s host. He would declare the goal of the game (“Big money! Big prizes! I love it!”), and cheer on the players (“Total carnage!”). Not that he expected much (“Good luck! You’ll need it!") as he comes back as a boss to finish them off.
2Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2superseded its predecessor by lightening the mood. Every other shooter at the time was either a mean space adventure, or a gritty war epic. So, Valve turnedTeam Fortress 2into akitsch, Pixar-esque dealwhere each class had its own personality, like the Heavy being a sandwich-eating Russian. This also applied to the announcer, an old woman known only as the Administrator.
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Voiced by Ellen McLain, she essentially controls both sides, admonishing the losers (“Next time, try killing ONE of them!”), and complimenting the winners…somewhat (“Flawless victory! You did well…finally!”). While she rarely appears outside of artwork, her presence is always felt in the game, with her weary, stern attitude making her as memorable a character as the game’s classes.
1Super Smash Bros Series
It’s hard to pinpoint one announcer in theSmash Brosseries as being more iconic than the other, as they all provide what’s made the role memorable. Namely, those reverberating, boxing-style calls that fit the series like a glove. Whether it’s Jeff Manning’s original calls, Dean Harrington’s merry tones inMelee, or Pat Cashman injecting a little personality inBrawl(“Lu-IGI!”).
Xander Mobus has been the most prolific announcer thus far, providing vocals forSmash 4, 3DS, andUltimate.He continues the trend his predecessors set with a few catchy reads of his own (“Way to go!”, “BOWSER JuNiOr!”). That’s not to mention his take on the role outside the game, like voicing the game’s adverts (“Settle it in Smash!”), or singing the originalPokemonintro in his announcer voice. No matter how it’s heard, theSmash Brosannouncer is as iconic a role as the Nintendo characters they call out.
