It's 2021. What games are still not available on present-day platforms?

[gbpxl]

With limitless options for official licensed emulators, mini-consoles and handhelds as well as digital stores and 1up arcade machines, what are some of your favorite games that you can only play by going back to the original hardware they were created for?

Personally, I always go back to Legend of Legaia for PS1. To this day, I have not seen this game re-released for anything newer than the console it was made for. Which is amazing for such a stellar JRPG that has a huge cult following.

Another one that I think about is Little Samson. I am not familiar with any official and legal avenue of playing this game. You can either pay $1k+ to play it legally or just pirate it like 99.99999% of human beings.

The Simpsons: Bart VS The World? Not sure if that ever got a re-release. Same for McKids. Licensed IPs I am sure are gonna be stuck in the time they were created lest the license holder decide to resurrect these classics.

What are some of your favorite games that are stuck on legacy platforms, waiting to be enjoyed by younger audiences who might not have the opportunity to play them?

[leatherrebel5150]

A really old one but the arcade game Pepper II, my favorite arcade game, was only ever on the Colecovision, I think

[jperryss]

Two from the TG16 CD: Beyond Shadowgate (point and click) and Splash Lake (very fun action puzzle game).

[Tron 2.0]

Two for the sega-cd,popful mail and shining force cd.Falcom is still around putting out games for the Ys series but they have totally forgotten about popful mail.For shining force cd,sega has no problem giving sonic-cd a re-release but i don't get why shining force cd can't get the same treatment.

[gbpxl]

Popful Mail always looked like a fun game but Im pretty sure its very expensive and my Sega CD barely works

[Tron 2.0]

Popful Mail always looked like a fun game but Im pretty sure its very expensive and my Sega CD barely works
There's been plenty of versions for popful mail but i consider the sega-cd release the definite one.Many years ago i was able to buy it again before it's price really sky rocketed.To play the u.s version now without breaking the bank emulation,flash cart or just burn it.Still today i think popful mail needs a official release again.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygEjtXzML4E

[YoshiM]

Cool Spot for SNES. I loved everything about that game, even with its cheap 90's "difficulty".

[gbpxl]

Cool Spot for SNES. I loved everything about that game, even with its cheap 90's "difficulty".

Ha I just beat the Genny version last year. Fun little game. That's a victim of licensing preventing it from ever seeing the light of day on a new console

[SpaceHarrier]

Was Gran Turismo 1 or 2 ever released on the Playstation Store? I would think licensing would be a major issue here, as well. It was something that was definitely missing from the Playstation Classic. Man, I still play Gran Turismo 2 quite regularly.

[gbpxl]

Was Gran Turismo 1 or 2 ever released on the Playstation Store? I would think licensing would be a major issue here, as well. It was something that was definitely missing from the Playstation Classic. Man, I still play Gran Turismo 2 quite regularly.
Not sure. I spent countless hours playing GT3 and GT4 though. I'm not even that big of a car enthusiast.

[ArcadePerfect]

Most of the Sega Saturn lineup like Dragon Force, Burning Rangers, Bug!, Bug! Too, Clockwork Knight 1 & 2, the Panzer Dragoon games appear to be gradually being remade, Working Designs RPGs as a whole. 32X games like Knuckles Chaotix, Atari Jaguar games.

Lunar: Silver Story & Eternal Blue haven't been seen since the PS3/Wii U the same for the Bonk series & Mega Man Legands (PS3). Clayfighter is only on the Evercade. NGPC's Card Fighter's Clash might make an appearance by the end of the year on the Switch. Speaking of the NGPC, Biomotor Unitron.

I could make a whole list of missing games actually if there's interest in the style of this table I made for Dubbed Anime shows: https://thenaturalaristocrat.com/2020/07/18/vrv-vs-funimation-vs-hulu-vs-crunchyroll-vs-hidive-vs-netflix-anime-english-dub-comparison-master-list/

[Tron 2.0]

Lunar: Silver Story & Eternal Blue haven't been seen since the PS3/Wii U the same for the Bonk series & Mega Man Legands (PS3).

I could make a whole list of missing games actually if there's interest in the style of this table I made for Dubbed Anime shows: https://thenaturalaristocrat.com/2020/07/18/vrv-vs-funimation-vs-hulu-vs-crunchyroll-vs-hidive-vs-netflix-anime-english-dub-comparison-master-list/
Gung Ho currently has the rights to most of game arts ips.They gave grandia 1&2 a re-release for switch so i don't think it be much of a problem for lunar but who knows.

[SMB]

Einhander should be more available by now in a perfect world

[Baloo]

Lunar Silver Star Harmony is available on the PSP Store still, as are Mega Man Legends 1 2 and Tron Bonne. Panzer Dragoon 1, Bug, and Sonic R all made it to Windows 95/98.

Some of the biggest ones in my eyes in English speaking markets:

Sega Genesis
McDonalds Treasureland Adventure

Sega CD
Snatcher
Road Avenger
Popful Mail
The Space Adventure – Cobra
Shining Force CD - NOTE: Shining Force II The Sword of Hajya is available on the 3DS Virtual Console
Vay
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue

SNES
TMNT IV: Turtles in Time

Sega Saturn
Panzer Dragoon Zwei (Getting a Remake)
House of the Dead - Did make it to Windows 98, also getting a remake.
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Burning Rangers
Guardian Heroes
Astal
Shining Wisdom
Die Hard Arcade
Policenauts - Never even released into English!

XBLA/PSN
Outrun Online Arcade
After Burner Climax - This is the worst in my eyes. Hardest to emulate and there hasn't been a single re-release. Managed to get pulled from the Google Play/iPhone stores TWICE now in the last 8 years, no longer available on XBLA/PSN.
The Simpsons Arcade
TMNT: The Arcade Game

Gamecube
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes


Multiplatform
Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 - The fact that this hasn't gotten a re-release on Steam while UMC3 is still available is ridiculous.
Viewtiful Joe - Not a single one of these games from Capcom has gotten a rerelease.

[YoshiM]

I swore Guardian Heroes came out on one of the console stores and it did: Xbox 360/XBL. TMNT: The Arcade Game (was that delisted?) came out as a 1UP arcade machine, though the music was changed.

[Baloo]

I swore Guardian Heroes came out on one of the console stores and it did: Xbox 360/XBL. TMNT: The Arcade Game (was that delisted?) came out as a 1UP arcade machine, though the music was changed.

Looks like you are right YoshiM, and available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X as well for only $5. A real bargain. Didn't realize it got an upgraded rerelase. TMNT looks like has been delisted though.