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Hype, as it were, is a pretty double-edged sword. Its origin lies, most likely, in the word hyperbole and it was originally used to describe "excessive or misleading publicity or advertising," which remains pretty true at the end of the day. But every now and then, people stumble across things that are worth the hype.

We’ve gathered examples of things that really did live up to the hype from across the internet. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts and examples in the comments below.

#1

Starry sky with rock formations silhouetted, showcasing a night sky that lives up to expectations. Driving 8 hours into the desert, escaping the light pollution, and seeing the Milky Way.

I cried.

SamZTU , Intricate Explorer Report

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    #2

    Northern lights over snowy mountains and parked cars, showcasing a hyped natural wonder meeting expectations. Seeing the Northern Lights in person. Photos don't do them justice.

    emjaybe , Tobias Bjørkli Report

    #3

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Polio vaccine.

    Tolbitzironside , Nataliya Vaitkevich Report

    #4

    Person walking a bulldog on a city street, capturing everyday moments that lived up to the hype. My dog, he's still awesome. Well, time to go walk again.

    tacojohn48 , Megan (Markham) Bucknall Report

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    #5

    Four characters in cloaks stand in a scenic mountain setting, representing something that lived up to expectations. The LOTR film trilogy. I've never been so hyped and at the same time nervous as when I went to see Fellowship. Within the first minute I knew they had pulled it off. Still the best theater going experience I've ever had.

    anon , New Line Cinema Report

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    #6

    Breathtaking view of the Grand Canyon, showcasing natural beauty and majestic rock formations under a clear blue sky. The Grand Canyon. It is 100% worth the trip to see it.

    Cassiyus , Marty Report

    #7

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise European chocolate.

    ethancd1 , Tetiana Bykovets Report

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    #8

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Marriage.

    My wife and I love the same things. We support each other's dreams, but also try to empathize with each other's pains.

    I'll take the most mundane day shared with my wife over an exceptional day alone, just because I know she will be there to be the little spoon at night.

    Also the whole dual income thing is nice.

    Rhode_Runner Report

    #9

    Musician passionately singing into a microphone during a live performance, capturing the hype and expectations. Weird Al in concert. He wears a new costume for almost every song, his band is fantastic, and despite being around for ~30 years his tickets are still affordable.

    MechaMonarch , SiriusXM Report

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    #10

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Pompeii. Holy c**p was it amazing.

    -Mr_Burns , Kirsten Velghe Report

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    #11

    Character in clown makeup behind bars, infamous moment hyped up and matched expectations in film history. Heath Ledger as the Joker.

    kukukele , Warner Bros. films Report

    #12

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Dungeons and Dragons as a second grader in 1980. S**t blew my mind for years.

    Edit: wow happy to see all the folks who still love DnD and PnP RPGs. Still have a scar on my sole from a D4 I stepped on at age 10.

    Bostonterrierpug , Clint Bustrillos Report

    #13

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Seeing a solar eclipse in totality it was amazing! 11/10 would recommend to a friend.

    potterMathWho , Justin Dickey Report

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    #14

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Dark Side of the Moon. I finally got a copy when I was...16? I started listening to it and was like...wow, no wonder.

    MrLeopard25 , SouthernBeautiful116 Report

    #15

    Ethernet cable on a smooth surface, representing technology that lived up to expectations. The Internet.

    In the early days when it stopped being solely for universities and government, people, media, etc. was unsure what to make of it and how useful it would be.

    speak2easy , Cj Report

    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Follow on Google News

    #16

    Two scuba divers explore a vibrant coral reef, surrounded by colorful fish, meeting high expectations. Scuba Diving. Had friends who wouldn't shut up about it, but I was never sure (I was comfortable in the water, but I didn't like swimming that much).

    Holy s**t, after the first time I can only think of when the next dive is.

    morierus , Getty Images Report

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    #17

    Naps. The older get man the better they are. With noise canceling headphones it’s even better now. I look forward to them all the time. Hug a pillow, blanket over eyes but not mouth or nose, headphones in and I’m out cold in like 15 seconds. I wanna take a nap now just typing about it.

    anon , Adrian Swancar Report

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    #18

    A superhero in a red and black costume stands confidently with city buildings in the background, capturing hyped expectations. Deadpool and Ryan Reynolds playing him; oh boy if that didn't live up to be more than we all expected it to be!

    Moejason , 20th Century Fox Report

    #19

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Shakespeare. You spend your whole life being told his stuff is just sooo goood and then you're forced to read it in high school and what do you know, it is actually good.

    ErinHollow , Taha Report

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    #20

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise That f*****g Kinetic Sand toy. It's AMAZING. You form it into a ball or a mound and it stays. You squish it in your hands and it runs over your finger tips like water. You break a chunk in half and both sides slowly ooze over itself like lava. What an easy, stupid, but highly therapeutic toy.

    ihatewinter , ihatewinter Report

    #21

    Iron Man in full armor walking through a destroyed area, exemplifying expectations met in action films. Iron Man (2008).

    "Alright, a movie made by Marvel, how bad could it be?".

    Lithium_Cube , Paramount Pictures Report

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    #22

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Eggs Benedict.

    anon , Scott Eckersley Report

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    #23

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise The Harry Potter Books.

    ColourfulColeslaw , Shayna Douglas Report

    #24

    Man in a tuxedo with a rose, lit by window blinds, embodies hyped expectations. The Godfather

    I've been on a kick lately of watching classic movies widely considered masterpieces. Best of anything so far has been The Godfather - not really into mafia movies or anything like that, but I guess it's more a movie about *humanity* and not just the mafia.

    Absolutely deserves all the hype and more.

    The_Juggler17 , Paramount Pictures Report

    #25

    Superheroes standing together in a city scene depicting things that lived up to expectations. The Avengers. I think everyone was nervously thinking it might suck, and then we got the best film in the MCU at the time.

    PopsicleIncorporated , Walt Disney Studios Report

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    #26

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Better Call Saul is an amazing show, definitely lived up to the hype.

    TylerMcFluffBut , netflix Report

    #27

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Bidets. Mine is the first thing I miss whenever I travel.

    Itcomesinacan , Renee Verberne Report

    #28

    People dining and using smartphones, capturing a hyped experience that meets their expectations. Smart Phones. I used to think it was all hype...but d**n it on the off chance that they didn't end up being helpful.

    Ashley_Lianes , Getty Images Report

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    #29

    Motorcyclist riding confidently on the road, high expectations and adventurous spirit in cityscape backdrop. Riding motorcycles


    It's a true physical feeling of freedom.

    unlived_life , Getty Images Report

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    #30

    30 Things That Were Hyped But Truly Deserved The Praise Air Fryers. Little kitchen miracles.

    aperson7780 , Daniel Horvath Report

    #31

    Hamilton. I'm an MT major in college who has been exposed to theatre for my entire life, and I'm now studying to do it full time professionally, and it's the best show I've ever seen. The choreography, writing, score, and direction are all absolutely genius. Easily the best writing since Sondheim. I cannot hype this show up enough lol.

    tkookookachoo Report

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    #32

    Super Mario Bros. 3.

    Bibibis:
    SMB3 didn't just live up to the hype, it literally shaped the video game world. It's the most important game ever released.

    admiralfilgbo Report

    #33

    Fury Road. It was exactly what I expected. Some good clean spiky wheeled car fun. No pretense of depth or character development. Just fun physical special effects.

    anon Report

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    #34

    The Wire. I just finished it this morning and I'm blown away at the character development and incredible story arcs. Top ten TV shows all time for me. Omar... McNulty... Daniels ... Incredible.

    standswithpencil Report

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    #35

    I wasn't actually alive when it came out, but it's probably a safe bet to say The Empire Strikes Back

    It had to compare to, and surpass, one of the original blockbuster movies, one of the most popular movies of all time. And it just... did. And it set a standard that no other Star Wars movie has been able to surpass since.

    If anyone saw it in theatres when it came out, please share your memories of it.

    sun4rest Report

    #36

    Skyrim. I still play it today.

    anon Report

    #37

    Mechanical keyboards.

    Once you go clack, you never go back.

    anon Report

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    #38

    Alaska. Went with my wife for our ten year anniversary and just drove around and camped in a van for ten days. Absolutely unimaginable.

    TrickBoom414 Report

    #39

    Sliced bread.

    0belvedere Report

    #40

    Man standing outdoors at night, wearing glasses and a dark jacket, highlighting things that lived up to the expectations. Final episode of Breaking Bad.

    lava172:
    Season 5 was excellent, especially the second half. The last 4 episodes are probably the best TV I'll ever watch in my life.

    beckywithgoodhare Report

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    #41

    Rammstein in concert. Explosive doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was full-on incendiary rapture.

    GrandCanOYawn Report

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    #42

    The Nintendo Switch is really amazing. So many good decisions, it's what the Wii U should have been.

    Now that it's sold so well last year we'll actually get some games for it!

    sockfullofshit Report

    #43

    Pretty much every live concert I've been to.

    EmeraldPaigeLove Report

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    #44

    I'll say the Honda Civic. Even if you hate it, you can't deny how many of those cars have sold. I say, buy a Toyota, they don't break.

    Constant_Will362 Report

    #45

    GTA V

    Seemed impossible but somehow they pulled it off.

    MarlinsGuy Report

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    #46

    Japanese kitchen knives with a Rockwell hardness of about 60. The metal is so hard you don't hone them because there's no flexing steel. You sharpen them with water stones or have someone else sharpen them. A good place to start is 'VG-10' steel. It's sort of the Volkswagen Bug of excellent steel.

    zyqkvx Report

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    #47

    Old School Safety Razors. After you get used to them they are the best cut, and you can get great blades for them for 10 cents each. I just use a new blade each time. I actually use a 'crazy' safety razor called a 'slantbar' (or devils razor). It slightly twists the blade and has a sheering action. So satisfying.

    zyqkvx Report

    #48

    Rings of Saturn.

    NeuroApathy Report

    #49

    Being a grown up. For the most part I do what I want, when I want, and it's so much better than always getting in trouble as a kid.

    summerwinterautumn Report

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    #50

    People watching an animated film in a theater, capturing an expectation-meeting moment. MoviePass. My new hobby is watching about 10-15 movies a month. I usually run out of movies and ask myself why I watched the worst ones just to have seen them all in my theaters.

    zyqkvx , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

    #51

    Amsterdam.

    andrewmarriott86 Report

    #52

    Having and raising kids. I know it is not for everyone and I respect the child free by choice. I have a very full life thanks in large part to my daughters and have had an exceptionally satisfying time raising them. They are both wonderful adult women that I am now navigating our new relationship paradigm with. Still loving every minute of it.

    TheUnblinkingEye1001 Report

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    #53

    Portal 2.

    arhanv:
    I f**king love both the Portal games...
    "After the tests are complete, you will be baked
    And then there will be cake."

    anon Report

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    #54

    Two packs of crispy M&M's, showcasing colorful candy with popular characters on blue packaging. The return of crispy M&Ms to the US. I love them so much.

    KirinG Report

    #55

    Three characters running from an explosion in a desert scene, exemplifying hype and expectations in film. Star Wars The Force Awakens.

    I thought it was a great movie. The similarities to A New Hope didn't bother me like it did some people. If they had changed it up (like the prequels) people would be complaining about that.

    If Episodes 8 and 9 are different like they say, then TFA shouldn't be an issue. They wanted to mix old and new and they did a really good job of that.

    anon Report

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    #56

    A bald superhero in a yellow suit standing confidently in a rocky landscape, embodying the concept of hyped up expectations. One Punch Man.

    urmomzvag:
    Had no clue what it was, saw it on hulu. Proceeded to binge watch the entire season. that final fight is f**king.godly. so amazing. i immediately rewatched the final episode.

    Sayersam1 Report

    #57

    DMX's first album, It's Dark, and Hell is Hot

    S**t was crazy.

    anon Report

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    #58

    The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

    I've been playing Zelda games for a loooong time, and I really enjoyed them, but they hadn't always fully clicked with me except for a select few (Link's Awakening and ALttP/ALBW are a few examples that really stood out to me prior).

    But several years ago I decided to play the original NES Zelda for the first time and I beat it. It was unlike any other game I'd ever played, and absolutely magical.

    After playing it I was thinking, "If Nintendo were to recreate this game, but give it modern QOL adjustments and sensibilities, it would almost certainly be my favorite Zelda game."

    Breath of the Wild came out, was basically exactly that for me, and is now my favorite game I've ever played.

    sylinmino Report

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    #59

    My 144Hz monitor. I really feel like I can’t go back to just 60Hz now.

    eat-KFC-all-day Report

    #60

    HD TV. Can't go back to SD anymore.

    cluelessinreddit Report

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    #61

    Lego star wars. I remember when it came out my best friend (who lived right next to me) and I would play it all day every day after school. I'm in university now and my friends and I still binge it. Only difference is now we have a glass of whiskey with it!

    kal476 Report

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    #62

    Recently, Annihilation, what a movie. That bear scene, geez.

    Zeadus_ Report

    #63

    People kept telling me an Instant Pot would change my life and they somehow undersold it.

    TheFek Report

    #64

    Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

    JournalofFailure Report

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    #65

    Blade Runner 2049 lived up to the hype and then some. It really took the spirit of the first one and elaborated on it further that arguably rivals the original.

    anon Report

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    #66

    My Hero Academia, ngl. A little slow at first, but it’s the best anime in a long time imo.

    atdifreak64 Report

    #67

    Rick and Morty, best cartoon I've ever seen.

    archied101 Report

    #68

    Pokemon GO.

    anon Report

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    #69

    LeBron James.

    Anonymous:
    Clevelands economy is based on LeBron James

    perrychoppins Report

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