I don't remember seeing this as a topic. At least not recently. What do you think are the best and/or most iconic first levels and/or introductions in a video game? Also what are your personal favorites?

An example as iconic would be Green Hill Zone in Sonic 1 and 1-1 in Super Mario Bros.

For me it’s gotta be Half-Life 2. Arriving at City 17 on the train with G-Mans iconic “rise and shine” speech and then you making your way through until Alyx saves you. Honestly blew my fucking mind when I originally played it 21yrs ago.

It's hard to top 1-1 in Super Mario Bros; the way it organically teaches you how to play is just genius.

I'll throw in both RE4's intro and village battle and the frigate Orpheon in Metroid Prime for how brilliantly they set the tone and mechanical fundamentals for their respective games, while instantly hooking the player.

First level in Donkey Kong has been referenced in a lot of entertainment. A big ape throwing barrels.

Updated the OP to add intro. With that one immediately popped in my head. The opening to Skyrim.

The great Plateau in BotW. That is something I wish I could play for the first time again.

How could I forget this one! Add that to my list too, a masterclass in teaching the player through organic level design.

Green Hill Zone is easily the most iconic first stage from any game ever.

God of War 3 has the coolest intro sequence. Definitely the most dopamine filled I ever was when just starting a game.

The Last of Us intro is the most powerful one, everything about the contruction of it to the moment Marlene is calling out for people to join the fireflies in the end of the sequence of the radio reports about the world descending into chaos because of the cordyceps it's really just a directing masterclass.

WoWs first leveling zones are quite nice, enough that many people redo them over and over and over and over and etc. for as many alts as they want and still enjoy the process. That is a testament to class design mostly, but also the zones are varied with Durotar having the crag like areas as well as the tropical area and finally the city/town designs.

Peach's Castle into Bob Omb Battlefield, and Kokiri Forest into The Great Deku Tree I think are both iconic as the first ventures into 3D Mario and Zelda. The opening of Metal Gear Solid as well.

Also a fan of Caves in the original Tomb Raider, and first exploring the mansion in Resident Evil. Raccoon City streets to the RPD police station in RE2 is up there as well.