Even today, despite fighting games having a canon story mode, there are still those emblematic separate arcade endings.
In arcade endings, characters could get what they wanted, but sometimes things would backfire on them, or the ending wouldn't be that happy anyway.
Arcade endings are often totally out of canon and free from a big chunk of the original story's logic, so that they can be varied, funny, delirious, tragic, touching, sometimes unexpected or made to realise fans' fantasies. That means that sometimes, it will be considered a character could beat another character even if there's no way it could happen in the "real" story, or a bad guy would turn good even if that would never happen logically.
I had a bit of fun imagining a few illustrated endings (pictures are edited from the character project and manga).
Why don't you try to invent some arcade endings too?
BABY (Raw form)
Now in control of his own planet with the converted Earthlings at his service, Baby had all the time he needed to dive into his people's past. Tsufuls had explored various planets and visited many people across the universe, sharing thoughts about advanced technologies and evolving fast through their many encounters. There were traces left of their technology and inventions to be retrieved.
Soon, Baby found a very interesting project of a fellow Tsuful scientist, one that could reincarnate warriors that died wishing for revenge. Exploring remnants of memories in the Saiyans' corpses he had kept intact for research, he soon found out what had struck them as the most fearsome threats they once had to face, and picked the ones from the three longest battles they had gone through. As some form of twisted irony to showcase his final vengeance against those Saiyans, he cancelled their efforts and brought back those they had once managed to defeat.
With shadowy ghosts of Freezer, Cell and Boo at his command to rule specific parts of the universe in his behalf, a satisfied Baby felt like nothing would ever stand in his way. Everything was as it should be: the Saiyans and their actions for years had been wiped out, and a Tsuful was sitting on the throne of the universe.
BARDACK
Bardack was left unsatisfied though: his people's reckless behavior, not believing him when he came to warn them, had almost cost them their entire race and planet. This would never happen again. Bardack decided that they were never to question him again if they were to stay alive in such situations in the future. He overthrew King Vegeta, becoming the new ruler of the planet, easily convincing most Saiyans to follow him just by being the most powerful of them by far, the legendary Super Saiyan himself.
Unrelated to Vegeta's family anymore, the planet officially went back to its original name of planet Plant. The new Saiyan King had realized his attachment to his sons during the final battle and since the threat was gone and he was the almighty King, he had Kakarotto retrieved from Earth so that the boy would grow up with him, Gine, Raditz, and their people.
But not everything was settled. Young Prince Vegeta was not here during Freezer's assault and the following overthrow. He hadn't come back since then. Almost half of the Saiyans had left the planet shortly after the overthrow as well, perhaps going to the one they considered the true heir to the throne. If young Vegeta had heard of his family being denied access to the throne, there was little to no chance he would just accept that turn of event. The "rightful" prince would likely train in the depths of space for years if necessary. If that elite fighter also managed to transform into that legendary warrior someday, with years of training to back him up and his own army, the threat would be very real.
One day, the powerful Vegeta would come back with his allies, and a Saiyan war would begin. Bardack and his grown-up sons, as well as his people, would need to be ready.
BROLY
It was as if a veil lifted for the first time. He slowly but surely figured it out as the anguish was overwhelming him: all of those years, he had been blinded by some sort of psychotic madness that had been born from his interaction with Kakarotto and his subsequent hatred for him. That insane and sadistic desire for revenge over an uncontrolable childhood trauma, coupled with naturally agressive Saiyan instincts, had completely overtaken his mind and muffled his personality, turning him into some sort of destructive robot.
With Kakarotto being gone, that powerful negative force seemed to fade away, releasing his actual, conscious personality for the first time ever. And as if to create some natural balance over a life of emprisonment, his will for positive thoughts, feelings and actions exploded in his mind, finally free to express themselves and having a lifetime of repressed positivity to release in his spirit. It was sudden, it was as if waking up from a bad dream when some monster was controlling your body all along. This time, his positive instincts would cease the occasion to muffle his agressive Saiyan instincts and monstrous "trauma" self.
Ashamed, regretful, remembering all of his atrocities, Broly thought that suicide was not the way to catch up for all he did, just an easy way out. Keeping his past a secret so that he could accomplish his mission, he would devote all of his remaining years to protect the lives he once seeked to destroy across the whole universe. Asking the Space Police to build him a new head device that would let his personnality intact, allow his transformation into a blue-haired Super Saiyan, but safely prevent any transformation into his dangerous so-called "Legendary" form, Broly would work for them as the most powerful agent the Space Police had ever known, quiet, always looking a little sad as if carrying a heavy burden, but determined to fight any threat to people's safety.
He would be the one and only Super Saiyan existing now, the one people would mention throughout the universe. The legendary Super Saiyan.
FREEZER
He didn't take his harsh battle against Goku lightly: resting on their laurels could make way for other similar threats to show up in the future for him and his family. Freezer would toughen up his domination across the universe. Anyone posing even just a semblance of danger would be eliminated, and planets not 100% complying to him or not being useful in any way would simply be blown up right away, as constant examples not to mess with the tyrant.
Freezer had space bowing to him for more than a decade, his new line of conduct making him the undisputed ruler and making him feel more powerful and confident than ever in the process.
However, blowing up so many planets had not done him the favor he imagined for so long. The day came when an unthinkable being showed up in front of him, quite unhappy that someone had dared to deem themselves worthy of his job. Though the God of Destruction took time for a divine punishment, it didn't change much for Freezer, who underwent the same fate, just gaining a few minutes of life along with a few minutes of pain and humiliation like never before.
His last living thoughts as he was single-handedly blasted to dust was how unfair this all was: he had defeated his worst nightmare, acted accordingly to have a good life forever, all of this to be almost comically executed by an impossibly almighty being that came out of nowhere and yet would haunt his new nightmares for the rest of his afterlife.
GERO
Only one thing was missing: his son. He remembered his son dying with a smile, as he trusted his father to keep fighting for the supremacy of the Red Ribon. And now the young man wasn't even here to enjoy the final victory. That was unfair, and Gero wouldn't stay here doing nothing about it.
He went to his lab, choosing to reactivate C-16 now that all threats were gone, after having increased his power in the same way than for C-17 and C-18. However, with Goku being gone and a peaceful personality of his own, the cyborg moved on to a self-induced objective: he would protect nature and life in general from any threat, including the likes of the Red Ribon.
Gero had fulfilled his revenge and the Red Ribon had been reborn, but he was now in the middle of an on-going war with the protector of the Earth having the shape of his own son and leading operations against his army.
He had almost everything he dreamed of, yet on a regular basis he could see his own son fighting against his dream along with civilians and government agents, in order to free the world from his grasp.
GOTENKS
Choosing to indulge their fused selves, the four Saiyans agreed to fuse from time to time so that Gotenks could enjoy the presence of an actual, one-and-only father. But most of all, getting used to fusion more and more, they didn't hesitate to fuse right away anymore, forming the most powerful Saiyan duo that history had ever known.
For facing Gogeta and Gotenks together meant facing almost all remaining Saiyans at once with multiplied powers!
MAJIN BOO (Original self)
It would not take more than a couple of months for all space to become pure void, and the God of Destruction was not about to wake up during that time frame if his previous rests were any indication.
Only one person could do something now. Kibito Shin, the Elder Kaio Shin and Dende had to face the facts right now and immediately settled to use the Dragon Balls from Namek. They did the unthinkable and wished Babidi back to life. Making a secret deal with the sorcerer, Majin Boo was soon back inside his cocoon, which would be safely kept in the Kaio Shin Kai from now on, and the universe was saved. The planets and people all over space would be brought back to life thanks to the Dragon Balls.
Across the whole universe, Babidi was never seen again. When asked about his whereabouts, the Kaio Shins would look uncomfortable, even ashamed at times, and evasively respond "this universe is safe from him, that's all that matters"...
NAPPA
However, Vegeta picked up a strange signal: another scouter was picking up data from the fighters around. Tracking the signal, the Saiyans arrived at Kame House in no time, where they easily got all the information they needed through intimidation, as well as a handy Dragon Radar.
Gathering the Dragon Balls, Nappa and Vegeta got their wish granted: they became immortal. And it was quite a good form of immortality: they could still be mortally wounded, but the wounds would regenerate shortly after. With the Saiyans' properties, being mortally wounded and able to recover seconds later quickly turned to their advantage as their power level exploded way beyond what they could have expected.
Nappa was happier than ever, as the terrific duo could sadistically spread destruction like never before. He didn't feel the need to think any further than keeping that way of life forever. But as their power grew stronger, Nappa could feel that Vegeta had some other plan in the back of his head. The day came where the Prince told him "Nappa, I think we're powerful enough now. It's time for you to know who the real target was all along..."
SON GOHAN (Cell Game)
His dad was well-intentioned as always, but he sometimes failed to see the bigger picture. And Gohan didn't feel ready to live without a father, as he had tried to tell him.
Under the advice of Kame Sennin, Gohan went to see an acquaintance of his named Baba. She confirmed that in seven years from now, a new threat would show up, although she couldn't define the nature of it. His point proven, Gohan asked her to transmit the info to Goku, which successfully convinced him to get back to Earth. It was just a matter of days for Gohan to reach the new Namek and use their Dragon Balls to bring back Goku.
Once again, father and son would train for the next seven years, more intensely than ever before to face the upcoming and exciting (at least for Goku) new threat. Sometimes almost fighting to the death, they both fully mastered Super Saiyan 2, and their potential exploded. Through their bonding time (including good moments with Chichi and Gohan's new little brother Goten), Gohan soon left Piccolo's clothes to wear a dogi similar to his new master and dear to his family.
When the threat came seven years later, Gohan was led to face Dabra on the third floor. The king of the demon realm didn't stand a chance and was eliminated in a matter of seconds without even touching Gohan, similarly to Vegeta and Goku's fights on the previous floors. The warriors had prepared so well that the threat never came to pass: Piccolo and Krilin were released from their stone prisons, Majin Boo's cocoon never gathered enough energy to open, Babidi was swiftly eliminated and Kaio Shin left with the coccoon to bring it to the safe Kaio Shin Kai.
As Goku - a little disappointed - found great comfort in finally facing Vegeta to the friendly match that couldn't happen during the Tenkaichi Budokai, Gohan smiled knowing that the threat was already off and that he would be able to enjoy a peaceful life from now on.
VEGETA (Boo saga)
Vegeta fell into a coma, spending his last seconds of consciousness smiling: Goku or Trunks had dealt the final blow to Freezer, Gohan had dealt the final blow to Cell, but he was the one who defeated Majin Boo, and most of all: his friends and family were safe, and the universe was saved. He woke up shortly after: it had been a very close call, but Dende had been teleported by Kibito Shin just in time to heal the Saiyan prince when he was just moving through the doors of death.
Vegeta had gained a new-found respect from everyone, and had proven to be incredibly competent against overpowered threats like that final incarnation of Boo. This would make him the chosen warrior a few years later when the God of Destruction would come looking for the best opponent available.
Being trusted as the one who could save the day against yet another overpowered opponent, Super Saiyan God Vegeta would face Beerus and perhaps convince him to spare the Earth if he fought well enough.
ZABON
The dragon that had appeared unexpectedly asked for two other wishes. Lord Freezer already having what he wanted, he generously formulated wishes that would reward his most faithful and capable henchman for having tremendously helped him get his immortality.
The second of the three wishes was to make Zabon immortal as well. But the third one was beyond everything: Freezer asked for Zabon to have eternal beauty, which would prevent him from any lasting physical damage, any deterioration through time, and would even allow him to access his full power without his body changing to that hideous form!
Freezer and Zabon's manic laughs joined in harmony as they had both fulfilled their wildest dreams that would never end.
With those two wishes for Zabon, the warrior would live forever, the beauty would last forever.
!
