Favorite non-mainstream games

[Graham Mitchell]

I'd like to get an interesting discussion going. What are some of your favorite games that didn't sell a bazillion copies? Maybe something really obscure or quirky and bizarre that most people ignored? Or something that most people generally agree is terrible, but you love it? I hope to have people talking about games that don't have the words "Grand Theft Auto", "Super Mario anything", "Halo", "Sonic the whoever", etc. in the titles. I'll get the ball rolling with a couple of my faves.

Legacy of the Wizard for the NES is a beautiful Falcom creation with music by Yuzo Koshiro! It's a great action RPG. The interface is a little quirky and may put some people off, but it's really challenging, and very original.

Zillion for the SMS is something that doesn't get very much credit lately. It's sort of a spin-off from impossible mission, except you can shoot. A lot. It's a complicated one to explain, but anyone who has an opportunity to check it out should. Just watch out...Zillion II: the Triformation is nothing to write home about.

Drakkhen (I've only played the SNES version) gets ranked on daily, but I love it. It's a pretty simple RPG to get started on, and it moves quickly. The graphics were quite innovative back in Drakkhen's hayday...I think it's one of the first true, real-time first-person perspective games I ever saw. And the music is brilliant. Very moody--reminds me of some Psygnosis Amiga classics. (Shadow of the Beast...)

[Push Upstairs]

Rockin' Kats & Wacky Races for the NES

Neither of these games are exceptionally hard (both are kinda easy) but both are really really fun.

[Dahne]

For some reason, I really loved SaGa Frontier. It wasn't a good game. I just loved it. The graphics were very nice, a good clean 2D style, some of the characters were really interesting (Asellus the half-mystic especially), and it had some really good concepts, as well as good music. It just never got finished. It seems more like a template for a really good game than an actual game itself. You know, sort of like a design document. "Okay, so you talk to this person, and they say 'You need to go do this now', then you go over here and..." Like there was a lot more elaboration that needed to be done, but it never was. With just a coule more months of development, it could have been a really excellent game, instead of an addictive, fun, yet seriously flawed game.

[davidleeroth]

I'm fond of Stretch Panic/Freak Out.

Definitely something different and lovely characters (Linda :)), although it would've needed a bit more polishing on the level design. Sounds a bit stupid to complain about level design though when your character has the ability to grab and bump into female body parts to open the next level.

[tededfred]

I enjoyed Quest 64, but I think I'm one of very few who did.

[JJNova]

Guerilla War for the Arcade. So much so that I bought it! It was a single or Two player game, that was based on some Soldiers that did something or another.....in short, it was about killing a whole bunch of people with an assortment of weapons. I enjoyed it immensely. Never hear too many people talk about it, and I'm normally afraid to bring it up in fear of ridicule. HAHA! Just kidding, If someone makes fun of me I tell them, "Guerilla Wars owns you BIOTCH! All your base ARE belong to US!"

[Kid Ice]

Silent Bomber PSX

[Graham Mitchell]

Guerilla War for the Arcade. So much so that I bought it! It was a single or Two player game, that was based on some Soldiers that did something or another.....in short, it was about killing a whole bunch of people with an assortment of weapons. I enjoyed it immensely. Never hear too many people talk about it, and I'm normally afraid to bring it up in fear of ridicule. HAHA! Just kidding, If someone makes fun of me I tell them, "Guerilla Wars owns you BIOTCH! All your base ARE belong to US!"

I agree. I have never played the arcade version, but the NES version is everything Ikari Warriors should have been. It's simple-minded, it's easy, but it's perfect just how it is!

[Sibs]

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest for the SNES. This game gets ripped on so much, but it was my first RPG when I was like 7 years old and it's still one of my favorites today. The music is some of the best I've ever heard on an RPG to date and the game was easy and very enjoyable.

[Graham Mitchell]

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest for the SNES. This game gets ripped on so much, but it was my first RPG when I was like 7 years old and it's still one of my favorites today. The music is some of the best I've ever heard on an RPG to date and the game was easy and very enjoyable.

Hey, man. I agree with you, especially about the music. Comparing it to other games of that time and for that system, it's not as colorful (literally) as other games, but it's still really fun to play.

I like RPG's that move quickly. (That doesn't mean I don't like a story, though) FFMQ is just such a thing.

[pookninja]

p.o.w for the nes.that was a really great game.also,okage:shadow king,for ps2.that game was great.it has good graphics,great gameplay,and cool story.

[Oobgarm]

Mario's Picross.

I can't even begin to explain how under appreciated this game is.

[Nez]

I don't know if this counts but Mafia on the pc is a great game and I don't hee much of it. Great story great quests, hillariouse ai.

Playing a lot of interesting DC games Mars Matrix Dynomite Cops and Ms. Pac man Maze Maddness. I enjoy pac man with a new twist pretty fun.

[JJNova]

How about Heavy Barrel for the NES?......??

[charitycasegreg]

I used to love playing bouncers for the sega cd... I bet it is still just as fun today... need to get it. Anyone else ever play this game?

edit:
I just read this review: http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/bouncers.htm
Was the game really that bad? I loved it when I was like 9 and 10 years old. I still want this game though. Anyone got a copy?

[Graham Mitchell]

Playing a lot of interesting DC games Mars Matrix Dynomite Cops and Ms. Pac man Maze Maddness. I enjoy pac man with a new twist pretty fun.

Dreamcast is loaded with gems. Silver is great. I know Shenmue recieved a lot of (negative) attention, but I think that game is brilliant. I swore the Sega was on to the next big thing with that. I couldn't get enough of it.

I think the best Dreamcast game, however, was Ecco the Dolphin. It's beautiful. It's really long too, I never beat it and I played the thing on and off for 2 years (I recently started it again.) It's kind of glitchy, but it's so intense that I can get over it. I also have a fear of drowning which may add to my fascination with this game. LOL

[Graham Mitchell]

How about Heavy Barrel for the NES?......??

You must be seeing something there that I'm not. Data East absolutely butchered a number of games on the NES and I feel that Heavy Barrel's one of 'em.

I keep hearing wonderful things about Mario's Picross. I seem to remember that being a gameboy game? What system(s) was it released on?

[classic gamer]

Mario's Picross.

I can't even begin to explain how under appreciated this game is.

I doubly agree. Mario's Picross is a great game.

Here's a link to a web page with similar picross puzzles/games:

http://enotes.diallink.net/jcsaved.htm

(Scroll down to the bottom for webpages)

[The Great Dane]

I would have to go with the game Deadly Towers for the NES. I have been hearing horrid things about this game. How it is one of the worst games ever made. So, I found it at a pawn shop 2 days ago for $2 and figured I would check it out and see how bad it really is. I actually think that the game is awesome. It is hard, but it is very cool. Good fanatasy sounding music. Cool items. Hard monsters. And a decent story for it's time.

Also, I would have to say the Suikoden series. So many people just disregard this series for the Final Fantasy series. It is personally my favorite video game series of all time, and I can't wait for #4 to come out in a few months here.

[le geek]

Also, I would have to say the Suikoden series. So many people just disregard this series for the Final Fantasy series. It is personally my favorite video game series of all time, and I can't wait for #4 to come out in a few months here.

Man, +1 on Suikoden!!! I particularly loved the first two. I'm curious about the fourth one, but don't have as much time for RPGs these days...

One of my favorite sleepers is Heart of Darkness on PSOne, by the team(s) that made Out of This World and Flashback. Similar to those two games but with Oddworld production values... :)

Cheers,
Ben

[The Great Dane]

Also, I would have to say the Suikoden series. So many people just disregard this series for the Final Fantasy series. It is personally my favorite video game series of all time, and I can't wait for #4 to come out in a few months here.

Man, +1 on Suikoden!!! I particularly loved the first two. I'm curious about the fourth one, but don't have as much time for RPGs these days...

One of my favorite sleepers is Heart of Darkness on PSOne, by the team(s) that made Out of This World and Flashback. Similar to those two games but with Oddworld production values... :)

Cheers,
Ben

I hear ya on not having much time for games, especially rpgs. And Heart of Darkness? That game sounds really familar. Is it by any chance a game where you are a boy who flies to another planet and fight aliens? But is it one of those games where each time you go to a new room you have to make a quick decision as to what to do? If that is the same game then I agree with you. I played it a long time ago and it was awesome. I would love to find it again one day.

[The Great Dane]

Also, I would have to say the Suikoden series. So many people just disregard this series for the Final Fantasy series. It is personally my favorite video game series of all time, and I can't wait for #4 to come out in a few months here.

Man, +1 on Suikoden!!! I particularly loved the first two. I'm curious about the fourth one, but don't have as much time for RPGs these days...

One of my favorite sleepers is Heart of Darkness on PSOne, by the team(s) that made Out of This World and Flashback. Similar to those two games but with Oddworld production values... :)

Cheers,
Ben

I hear ya on not having much time for games, especially rpgs. And Heart of Darkness? That game sounds really familar. Is it by any chance a game where you are a boy who flies to another planet and fight aliens? But it is one of those games where each time you go to a new room you have to make a quick decision as to what to do? If that is the same game then I agree with you. I played it a long time ago and it was awesome. I would love to find it again one day.

[The Great Dane]

How the heck did I double post?X_x I just hit preview and then hit submit. Oh well, sorry guys.

[Kroogah]

I keep hearing wonderful things about Mario's Picross. I seem to remember that being a gameboy game? What system(s) was it released on?

Throw in ANOTHER vote. Mario's Picross is unbelievable. It's in my top 5 for Mario games. It was only released on the Game Boy over here, but it has a Super Famicom sequel which manages to top the Game Boy game.

SNATCHER thoroughly justifies the purchase of a Sega CD and the $50 for the game itself.

Vib Ribbon is extremely well-known among PSX importers, and when I got it in the mail yesterday and started playing it I found out why. Highly recommended.

What else do I usually answer when this topic pops up...

WWF No Mercy on N64 is great even if you don't watch wrestling. It's like the difference between American and Japanese wrestling. American wrestling is based on gimmicks (WWF Attitude, WWF Smackdown) while Japanese wrestling is based on - get this - WRESTLING!

On the same token, since it was made by the same people, Def Jam Vendetta is worth checking out, especially at the low price it's at now.

Roll Away for Playstation is great the same way Mario's Picross is.

Bushido Blade was pretty damn cool back when it was first released, and it still is.

[Cauterize]

Gynoug MD/Gen
Jewel Master MD/Gen

[tholly]

Cubivore for the Gamecube is a great game that wasn't all that popular.

[Graham Mitchell]

I would have to go with the game Deadly Towers for the NES. I have been hearing horrid things about this game. How it is one of the worst games ever made. So, I found it at a pawn shop 2 days ago for $2 and figured I would check it out and see how bad it really is. I actually think that the game is awesome. It is hard, but it is very cool. Good fanatasy sounding music. Cool items. Hard monsters. And a decent story for it's time.


Thank you for having the nads to bring that up. Every review I've read of Deadly Towers has written it off as a piece of crap, but I think it's great. It's really too hard to take on without at least a map, though (the entrances too all dungeons are hidden.)

When I was a kid I thought DT's music was great. It's really moody and creepy. You know, if you want to make it easier on you, start the game and kill yourself. Then change the first 2 letters of the password it gives you to FE or EF. You'll have the best of all equipment and one bell. You'll be ready to take on the towers. The game is really fun if you skip over the "building-up" part of it, which is laborious.

[fishsandwich]

I loved the Pandemonium! games on the PSX. It looked decent on the N-Gage, too, though the screen to too tall and narrow. I'll bet the N-Gage would be great from vertical shooters, though.

Dirty Panty Hunter is a fun PSX import... don't need to know Japanese, either.

Wetrix from the N64 is my all-time favorite, though. I hear the Dreamcast and PS2 versions (known as something else?) are even better.

Fish Sandwich

[The Great Dane]

I would have to go with the game Deadly Towers for the NES. I have been hearing horrid things about this game. How it is one of the worst games ever made. So, I found it at a pawn shop 2 days ago for $2 and figured I would check it out and see how bad it really is. I actually think that the game is awesome. It is hard, but it is very cool. Good fanatasy sounding music. Cool items. Hard monsters. And a decent story for it's time.


Thank you for having the nads to bring that up. Every review I've read of Deadly Towers has written it off as a piece of crap, but I think it's great. It's really too hard to take on without at least a map, though (the entrances too all dungeons are hidden.)

When I was a kid I thought DT's music was great. It's really moody and creepy. You know, if you want to make it easier on you, start the game and kill yourself. Then change the first 2 letters of the password it gives you to FE or EF. You'll have the best of all equipment and one bell. You'll be ready to take on the towers. The game is really fun if you skip over the "building-up" part of it, which is laborious.

Thanks a lot for the tip on the password. I will for sure try it when I play it later today. And yeah, the music is awesome. It fits with the mood of the game extremely well.

[Graham Mitchell]

From the Deadly Towers instruction manual:

"SHORT SWORD--You start the game with this sword. It is so weak, you feel lonely (you have no confidence in this sword.)"

Oh, and "Dirty Panty Hunter?" Only in Japan, the country that brought us "Toilet Kids".

[RetroYoungen]

Sunset Riders. I've only ever seen this game in like two arcades, and I seem to be the only one who ever plays it in those places. I love this game, and I don't think it really caught on too much. I just couldn't get enough of it back when I used to go to the local water slides during the summer, and I wish I could find it somewhere where the joysticks still actually work. Something about funny-dressing cowboys and weilding duel shotguns with that little Mexican dude made it so cool.

[E Nice]

As for games considered terrible, D-Xhird. I actually like the game, so long as I don't use Schneider.

On NES I liked the Power Blade series. I wonder how a 3D remake would play out, tossing a boomerang and having various power suits to either move through water quicker and don't remember the other suit powers.

Also a fan of the Advanced VG series on PCE/PSX/Saturn. A pretty good girl fighter, better other girl fighters IMO.