The Sleeper Hits (Best of All Time)

[theshizzle3000]

I know I am probably posting this in the wrong area ,but I wanted to start a list of what you guys think are some of the games that got way overlooked at there time of release that should be mentioned now.

I will start the list of with Chrono Cross(PSX), Katamari Demacy(PS2) and Blast Corps(N64)

[7th lutz]

Landstalker -genesis
Crusader of Centy-genesis
Golvellius-sms
Alundra-ps1
Psycho fox-sms
Destiney of an Emperor-nes

[7th lutz]

River City Ransom-nes
Wonderboy 3: Dragon's trap-sms
Solaris-2600
Midnight Mutants-7800
Raystorm-ps 1
Lufia-snes
Dynmite Heady-genesis
Ristar-genesis
Gunstar Heroes-genesis
Raiden Project-ps 1
Power Stone 2

[norkusa]

Xbox - Fatal Frame II
PS2 - Firefighter F.D. 18
GC - Odama
PS1 - Treasures Of The Deep
Genesis - Gain Ground
SNES - S.O.S.
NES - Nightshade
2600 - BMX Airmaster

[Andred]

Can I just name an entire system?? DREAMCAST! (happy b-day dreamy!)

[Borman]

Indigo Prophecy.

[diskoboy]

Can I just name an entire system?? DREAMCAST! (happy b-day dreamy!)

I second this vote.

Jet Grind/Set Radio, in particular. :D

[MrRoboto19XX]

Kirby's Pinball Land - GB
Metroid Prime Pinball - DS
Body Harvest - N64
Jet Grind (Set) Radio - DC
The entire Neo-Geo Pocket Color system
Mario Tennis - VB
Mario Golf - GBC
No One Can Stop Mr. Domino - PSX

And I third the DC Vote.

[sabre2922]

Ill add another vote for the Raiden Project PS1

also:

the Punisher PS2/Xbox

Outrun2 Xbox

Front Mission 3 PS1

Front Mission 4 PS2

[atomicthumbs]

Stealth ATF - NES
ICO - PS2
Mister Mosquito - PS2
Incredible Crisis - PS1
Irritating Stick - N64
Magic Knight Rayearth - SAT
Bloodwake - Xbox
Re-Volt - DC
UN Squadron - SNES

[MrSmiley381]

Disgaea on the PS2 was a great sleeper hit, and I think it's getting the amount of fans it deserves. I'll add my vote to the Dreamcast, as well.

Ogre Battle 64 should've been hailed higher as an awesome work of awesomeness.

[Kid Ice]

Just a note about the term "sleeper hit". The expression sleeper hit is usually applied to movies. It is a "sleeper" because it is not especially popular upon it's original release, but eventually picks up in sales. It "sleeps" for a period of time before exploding into popularity ("hit"). Examples of videogame sleeper hits would be Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Grand Theft Auto III.

Apparently the expression is misused so much that even Wikipedia disagrees with me. They cite "The Blair Witch Project" as a sleeper hit, a movie that was hugely successful upon its original release. Just because a movie or game is "not supposed to be successful" (as dumb a concept as I've ever heard) doesn't make it a sleeper. When did it sleep?

I realize that I'm splitting hairs, and this thread is really about overlooked games. I'm seeing a lot of games that weren't "hits", much less sleeper hits.

[fishsandwich]

I know I am probably posting this in the wrong area ,but I wanted to start a list of what you guys think are some of the games that got way overlooked at there time of release that should be mentioned now.

I will start the list of with Chrono Cross(PSX), Katamari Demacy(PS2) and Blast Corps(N64)

Didn't Katamari get a lot of press for such an odd game? Plus it got two sequels. And I remember when Blast Corps came out... it got a fair amount of press and sold quite a few copies (it was an early N64 game and there wasn't much else out their to buy for the N64.)

Katamari seems to fit the definition of a TRUE sleeper hit... a game no one thought would do any business and instead turned out to be popular.

[Neo Rasa]

Also Chrono Cross did go Greatest Hits twice over. Pretty good sales then.

[Chrome]

EARTHBOUND

I can't believe no one has mentioned it yet. The game really tanked when it was released, but I feel it's the best game on the system, or at least the best RPG.

Later,
Chrome...

[Fighter17]

SNES: R-Type III
Genesis: Ranger-X
TurboDuo: Lords of Thunder
Sega CD: Snatcher
PSX: Einhander
Dreamcast: Mars Matrix
PS2: Rez (also on the DC)
Arcade: Out Runners

Get four twin cabs, and you have yourself the best 8-player racing action in a long time (style is to me better than the orginal Outrun).

[j_factor]

I don't see how Chrono Cross was a sleeper hit. It was pretty damn popular.

[Hwj_Chim]

You could say that the first super mario Bros was a sleeper.

[Arcade Antics]

Katamari seems to fit the definition of a TRUE sleeper hit... a game no one thought would do any business and instead turned out to be popular.
Wha??

A sleeper, as already pointed out a few times, doesn't have to do with expectation. It has to do with popularity, or rather, an initial lack thereof.

Katamari was hugely successful from the get-go. It's not like it was out for a year before people started talking about, buying, playing, living it. It happened very fast, with all major game publications lauding it well before it was released. Plus it was launched at $19.99. If one game should be taken completely off the list, it's Katamari. :D

[Arcade Antics]

You could say that the first super mario Bros was a sleeper.
Explain.

[staxx]

Radiant Silvergun, wasn't really that popular when it first came out, now tons of people are after the game.

Dracula X (PC Engine) wasn't really known outside of Asia till SOTN came out and it gained popularity. Again a well sort after game. Sure it did come out on the SNES though during that time, people were transitioning to the 32 bit systems.

Monster Rancher 2 (PSX)

Final Fantasy Tactics - this game really took a long time before it became a greatest hits. During the initial release it took a while until it gained popularity.

Xenogears - again same explaination as Final Fantasy Tactics.

[Jackattack]

Earthbound -

Looking over this thread only one other earthbound, how disgraceful.

Shenmue 1&2 -

I'm not sure how well they did, and I realize that shenmue 2 did get a re-release on xbox, but these games were some of the best of all time, and they don't get the credit.

Skies of arcadia -

You know what, I have like 10 Dreamcast games in my head so I'm just going to state, like a few others, that the dreamcast itself and all games were sleeper hits.

We love you Dreamcast!

[Damaramu]

I'd say Beyond Good & Evil.

[lendelin]

Just a note about the term "sleeper hit".
...
I realize that I'm splitting hairs,...

Nah, you are not splitting hairs, you just rightfully correct the misuse of a term which bothers me also. Indeed, 'sleeper hit' is just used for an overlooked, underrated game independently of its popularity/commercial success which contradicts the definition of the term.

For older games I'm a bit more flexible since ten year old games cannot pick up commercially anymore; if a game is overlooked, underrated at the time of the release and then well recognized shortly thereafter (within a year or so) I like to use the term 'sleeper hit.'

Willow for the NES and Demon's Crest for the SNES comes to mind.

Everblue 2 for the PS2 is still fast asleep with critics and gamers, and Klonoa 2 is certainly still asleep with the majority of gamers and certainly commercially. Everblue 2 will never be a sleeper hit after all the time after its release, Klonoa 2 probably got the recognition in the meantime with the hardcore gamer crowd.

Both games ARE great, overlooked, underrated, but no sleeper hits, no sireee.

[PDorr3]

I might as well just name most of all of my favorite games of all time

ICO (PS2)
Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
Klonoa (PSX)
Klonoa 2 (PS2)
Power Stone 1 & 2 (DC)
Rez (PS2)
Gitaroo-Man (PS2)
Rygar (PS2)
Snowboard Kids (N64)
Alien vs Predator (Jaguar)
Heart of Darkness (PSX)
Legend of Dragoon (PSX)
Tempest 3K (NUON)

[Hwj_Chim]

You could say that the first super mario Bros was a sleeper.
Explain.

Well think about it in the states there had been a crash in the video game market so when nintendo marketed there system they had to market it as a toy (one of the reasons for that robot). so when mario bros hit, it had to make a name for it self. Nintendo and Mario were not house hold names in 1985.

[Garry Silljo]

I'm confused, the definition of a sleeper hit has been explained multiple times in this thread, and people are still getting it wrong? Pay attention or don't post people.

[atomicthumbs]

:deadhorse:

[Kid Ice]

I'm confused, the definition of a sleeper hit has been explained multiple times in this thread, and people are still getting it wrong? Pay attention or don't post people.

Because it's already been established as a thread for overlooked games. I don't have a problem with the thread at all, just the title is a misuse of the term.

[Lady Jaye]

You could say that the first super mario Bros was a sleeper.
Explain.

Well think about it in the states there had been a crash in the video game market so when nintendo marketed there system they had to market it as a toy (one of the reasons for that robot). so when mario bros hit, it had to make a name for it self. Nintendo and Mario were not house hold names in 1985.

That's not a sleeper hit -- the NES was only available in selected markets in 1985. It really became more widely available in 1986. And with the amount of advertising done by Nintendo in the day for the NES (Now you're playing with power!), the fact that SMB was included with the console and that people already knew who Mario was because of Donkey Kong and Mario Bros., your arguments are falling short. Besides, it didn't take long for the NES to establish itself in the videogame market, especially when compared to the flops that were the Atari 7800 and the Sega Master System (by flop, I'm not dissing the 7800 and the SMS, but simply the fact that they weren't commercially successful in North America).