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Thread: They're RARE. AND they're GOOD!

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    Default They're RARE. AND they're GOOD!

    I'm pretty new to this board, and I haven't done anything except ask stupid questions (which I'm sure will continue in the future), so I decided to at least start a good topic. I collect primarily for the NES, so I'm more familiar with its library than other systems, but my question is what games are out there that are hard to find, play great, but aren't sought after at all? It's kind of frustrating to see shitty Color Dreams games and derivative, repetitive games like Bubble Bobble 2 and Snow Brothers worth so much money while games like these are ignored. I'm not sure if anything like this has been done before, but here are some games that I think fall into that category:

    Sword Master (NES): I scored one of these on Ebay a few months ago for less than a buck, having never seen one in the wild anywhere. From my experiences, this is a tough game to find, and it is a hell of a lot of fun, too. Great graphics, music, gameplay, and a high challenge level. I've played this one quite a bit since I've gotten it, I can't believe that this one isn't going on Ebay in the $15-20 range.

    Super Spy Hunter (NES): I hardly ever come across this game. I was lucky enough to score one for about $2 at a store a few years ago. IMO, this is one of, if not the best shooter for the NES. Some complicated scrolling effects for the NES, although it is accompanied by a healthy amount of slowdown. Still, very intense game with great power ups and tough boss battles. I remember FuncoLand was selling this thing for $30 about 5 years ago, it seems like the value of this game has dropped considerably since then.

    Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat (NES): I always considered this game Super Off Road on asphalt. One of the best 4-player games on any system. Another game I don't run across too often, and when I do its extremely cheap (Gamestop sells it for 2 or 3 bucks). Running over and killing pit crew members is always a good time. It's also fun to damage your friend's cars during some 4 player action.

    Felix the Cat (NES): Although obviously geared towards children, I always thought this was a great action/platformer game. It's too easy, but there are a lot of nice looking levels, a variety of vehicles, and nice play control. One of Hudson's last releases, if I'm not mistaken. It's funny how some of Hudson's later games (Adventure Island 3, Bonk's Adventure, Princess Tomato) are quite sought after, but this gem continues to be ignored.

    Mighty Final Fight (NES): The only big strike against this game is that it only supports one player; if it supported two, I wouldn't hesitate to nominate this game over River City Ransom as the system's best beat-em-up. Yeah, the graphics are overly cute, but they're supposed to be. I actually like this game more than the original Final Fight (and its subsequent sequels).

    Pirates! (NES): Actually, it seems like this game is becoming more and more valued by collectors, but it is still THE most underrated game ever, IMO. Actually, this may be my favorite game of all time. Of all the platforms I've played this game on (PC, Genesis, old Mac, etc.), the NES version remains my favorite. The Genesis version goes for obscene amounts on Ebay, but the NES game is still pretty reasonably priced.

    Pac-Mania (NES): I like this game better than the original Pac-Man, yet this game seems to be blasted by a lot of critics. Pseudo 3-D Pac-Man is actually a blast! Like all the other games on this list, it's one that I rarely see yet doesn't seem to attract a lot of attention.

    Tombs & Treasures (NES): Any Shadowgate/Deja Vu/Uninvited fans would feel right at home with this game. There is also some RPG-style overworld map wandering thrown in for good measure. Again, this is a very tough game to find that seems like it should be worth a small fortune on Ebay.

    Quattro Arcade (NES): This is another game that I've never run across in the wild. I did buy one over the Internet for about $10, but it seems like I could have gotten it even cheaper (although it was definitely worth what I paid for it). Four fun arcade-style games, complete with decent graphics and music. Quattro Adventure isn't bad either, but I see that game all the time; Quattro Arcade is quite a tough find.

    Outlander (Genesis): OK, I'm not sure how tough this is to find, but it is an awesome game. I don't know if I'd call it "rare", but it's definitely uncommon. This was supposed to be a licensed Mad Max game, but the deal fell through and it was released anyway. If you ever wanted to play a video game version of the movie The Road Warrior, here's your chance. The action gets a bit repetitive after a while, but I still think its a great game.

    Tecmo's Deception (PSX): It's a crime that hardly anyone knows about this game, and two awful sequels don't help its case any. A first person game where you roam around a mansion and entrap invaders may not seem like a good concept for a game, but it works. Setting traps and luring enemies into them is a sometimes challenging, sometimes frustrating, but always fun proposition. IMO, the series died as soon as went to third person. I don't see this game often, it took me quite a while to find another copy for a friend who became addicted to it (although when I did finally find one, it was only $5 or so).

    I'm sure there are plenty of other games just like this across every platform. What other games can you think of that fall into this category?
    "Everything that you've ever done, are doing now, or will ever do is a complete waste of time unless it directly involves Randy 'Macho Man' Savage." - random Amazon.com review

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    Default Meh.

    Some of those can be considered rare...

    Some of the other ones seem to be just uncommon. I guess it depends on how long you've been searching for them.

    Rare rare isn't that no one knows about it...if no one knows about it, that's a sleeper. I think, or something like that.
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    Some seriously underappreciated and/or rare NES games:

    Clash At Demon Head
    -Sort of has the feel of a Metroid game, and is big enough to be considered an action RPG. Very original anime-ish artstyle and funny dialogue too.

    Moon Crystal
    -A Prince Of Persia-esque adventure game with hands-down the most amazing animation of any NES title.

    Sweet Home
    -It was originally a Japanese game but you can get it translated (using a ROM). It was Capcom's Resident Evil before Resident Evil came out. Possibly the only scary NES game in existence aside Shadowgate.

    Shatterhand
    -A really fun action adventure game by Natsume that incorporates a multi-faceted power up system that allows you a lot of freedom over your weaponry, great graphics too.

    Space Police Galivan
    -Reminds me a lot of the alien world of Flashback.

    Nightshade
    -A cool adventure game that's reminiscent of the old Lucasfilm SCUMM powered titles.

    Faxanadu
    -Maybe not all that rare, but definitly comparable to Zelda 2 as far as gameplay and fun factor is concerned.

    Deja Vu
    -Uses the same engine as Shadowgate but is a completely different experience. A great game if you're into who-dun-it detective mysteries.

    Shadow Of The Ninja
    -Another badass platform action game by Natsume.

    Splatterhouse
    -The NES version is actually better than the Turbografx one in my book... it's funner at least.

    Gargoyle's Quest 2
    -Not as good as part 1, or part 3, but still, it's Gargoyle's Quest! A very entertaining RPG/Adventure game by Capcom.

    Powerblade 2
    -Another fun action adventure platformer with cool graphics and power-ups.

    Batman 3
    -Not that rare, but is usually eclipsed by Batman 1 due to nastalgia... and wasn't really paid attention to due to coming out late in the NES lifespan. However, Batman 3 by Sunsoft has seriously the best graphics (though not best animation) of any NES game I've ever played. It's easily equivalent to the early 16-Bit stuff.

    That's just off the top of my head... maybe I'll go check the archives for more.

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    These threads are very helpful when looking through old stacks of NES games....well for me anyway I more of a gamer than a "Collector" :P

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    1.qix... gotta be qix. I spend hours on ends playing it for the nes. The best 2.50 i ever spent.

    2. Journey to Silius
    3. Elevator Action
    4. Alfred Chicken
    5. Chiller... a great childrens game
    6. Kickle Cubicle

    those are my favs

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    Default Godzilla 2

    My random vote would be for Godzilla 2.....an early take on a strategy game that can be played for hours. The control takes something to get used to, but think of an early advanced wars style game only fighting radioactive monsters!
    Would you like to know more about collecting video games? Check out my extensive Youtube channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/swlovinist

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    Default Re: Great, rare games that no one seems to care about......

    Quote Originally Posted by jerkov
    I'm pretty new to this board, and I haven't done anything except ask stupid questions (which I'm sure will continue in the future)
    Pfft! I haven't seen a single "stupid" thing yet And besides, that's what we're here for!
    Btw, jerkov, I just wanted to take a quick second (sorry for the semi-hijack!) and officially welcome you to the forums!
    If you get a moment, we have an "Introduce Yourself" thread here, where we're nosy and ask all kinds of questions , so post about yourself if you get a chance!
    http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11

    Now back to your regularly scheduled programming!

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    I actually felt the opposite way about tecmo's deception. Great idea for a game, sounds fun, was fun for a little bit, but then just got horribly stale within 2-3 hours of playtime. Great idea/concept, pulled it off badly.

    I'll add to the list, all for the PS2:
    Gitaroo Man - Best music-themed game ever
    Legaia 2
    Dark Cloud 2 - Most innovation in a new RPG, and GREAT Graphics/voice acting/gameplay/etc...
    Mister Mosquito - heheh
    Kessen - VERY SHORT and pretty damn easy, still a really great game for the price it's at now ($5 no problem)
    Rend, slaughter, devour your enemies. There is no other way to survive. You cannot escape your hunger, Warriors of Purgatory

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    The same thing happends to every system. There are always good games that get over shadowed by others. The Host of G4's Judgement Day have a name for this "Buried Treasure".

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    You could put most of the TG16's library into this category.
    Seeking display quality copy of I Want My Mommy for the 2600... if you have one, PM me, I will pay/trade well.

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    Mole mania (by Nintendo / gameboy)
    One of the best games on the gameboy. Nintendo really needs to do a gba sequel.

    Monster Max (by Rare, published by Titus / gameboy)
    Isometric game similar to Head over heels. Not surprising since it was made by Jon Ritman and Bernie Drummond. Quote Ritman "Max got the best reviews I’ve ever seen but Titus seemed very slow in getting it on the shelves - I have to question the reasoning behind getting 98% in January’s reviews and selling it the following December. As a result the sales were fairly poor for a Game Boy product. Such is life."

    Toki tori (by Two tribes / gameboy color)
    Great arcade puzzle that was overshadowed by the release of the gba. Has somewhat of an Amiga/C64 feel to it.
    (game homepage)

  12. #12
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    Here are some various responses to what some people have posted:

    "Sweet Home
    -It was originally a Japanese game but you can get it translated (using a ROM). It was Capcom's Resident Evil before Resident Evil came out. Possibly the only scary NES game in existence aside Shadowgate."

    I want to play this game so badly......I've heard so many good things about it. I got to find the ROM somewhere.....

    "Nightshade
    -A cool adventure game that's reminiscent of the old Lucasfilm SCUMM powered titles."

    Actually, I was also about to put this game on my list, too. I totally agree with the similarity to the Lucasfilm games. The game also has a very strange sense of humor. One of the most underrated NES games.


    "Gargoyle's Quest 2
    -Not as good as part 1, or part 3, but still, it's Gargoyle's Quest! A very entertaining RPG/Adventure game by Capcom."

    Forgot about this one, it definitely fits into this category.

    "Powerblade 2
    -Another fun action adventure platformer with cool graphics and power-ups."

    I've yet to run across this game in the wild.......I would really like to add it to my collection, though. I have the first Powerblade, and although it borrows a couple of things from the Mega Man series, it's a good action game.

    "Batman 3
    -Not that rare, but is usually eclipsed by Batman 1 due to nastalgia... and wasn't really paid attention to due to coming out late in the NES lifespan. However, Batman 3 by Sunsoft has seriously the best graphics (though not best animation) of any NES game I've ever played. It's easily equivalent to the early 16-Bit stuff."

    Is this Batman Return of the Joker? I thought this was the second Batman released for the NES (with Konami's Batman Returns being the last). Return of the Joker definitely has great graphics, but gameplay wise, it wasn't as good as the original Batman.

    "Journey to Silius"

    I've heard plenty of praise for this game, but I've never really gotten chance to play it. I don't know if I'd consider it rare, though.

    "Alfred Chicken"

    I've been curious about this one, but I've never seen it yet.

    "Chiller... a great childrens game"

    This game is hilarious! I like when you shoot the people being tortured and entire parts of their body just disappear. Unfortunately, I can't really get the Zapper to work right with it (even held right at the screen, it's still extremely inaccurate.....I guess it's just not programmed as well as Duck Hunt is), and it's just too easy using the controller.

    "Rare rare isn't that no one knows about it...if no one knows about it, that's a sleeper. I think, or something like that."

    Well, what I was trying to convey with the post was RARE sleepers.....I mean, you could make a case for Solar Jetman as a sleeper, but it's an extremely common game. I want to know about rare games that also happen to be sleepers......

    "I actually felt the opposite way about tecmo's deception. Great idea for a game, sounds fun, was fun for a little bit, but then just got horribly stale within 2-3 hours of playtime. Great idea/concept, pulled it off badly."

    Hmmm....maybe we feel differently because I went into the game with low expectations and you went in with high expectations. I agree that it does get repetitive after a while, but seeing the new invaders each chapter brings kept me going for quite a while.

    "The same thing happends to every system. There are always good games that get over shadowed by others. The Host of G4's Judgement Day have a name for this "Buried Treasure"."

    Yeah, but the guys from that show are douchebags and G4 is one of the worst ideas for a shitty cable channel ever.

    "You could put most of the TG16's library into this category."

    I gotta pick one of these system's up soon......What would be a fair price for one? I would also love to find a Turbo Duo and the game Beyond Shadowgate. I've always been a huge Shadowgate fan and would love to try this game.

    On that note, another game that I think may qualify as a rare sleeper is Shadowgate 64. It's probably more common than most games already mentioned, but fans of the original should like it.
    "Everything that you've ever done, are doing now, or will ever do is a complete waste of time unless it directly involves Randy 'Macho Man' Savage." - random Amazon.com review

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    Shadow Of The Ninja was a good two-player game. Ninjas that had these grappling hook-like things they used as weapons. This game never got a sequel, did it?

    I played Power Blade 2 is an improvement over its original though I do miss the ability to remain as in the powered up suit throughout. In PB2 it runs of a energy meter, so you have to conserve the suits, but it has multiple suits good for different environments and purposes. I wonder what Power Blade would be like in 3D.
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    I gotta agree with Deja Vu, Pirates!, Clash at Dmeonhead, Mighty Final Fight and Pac-Mania for the NES. i love Pac-Mania for the NES myself! it's a great game and the work put into it shows. Mighty Final Fight had an intresting little level system to make you stronger too if I remember right.
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    I agree with JackDark completely on the subject of Gargoyle's Quest 2 (Makaimura Gaiden 2, I think the name is, since Gargoyle's Quest on the GameBoy is Makaimura Gaiden). The Japanese version may be found very cheaply, and the box art is spot-on classic Capcom style.

    I own the Japanese MSX release of Nightshade but haven't played it yet even though I own an MSX2. My only comment on it, to date, concerned the box art: "Smile when you slay them demons o.O"

    Faxanadu didn't entertain me at all, and I don't like Cadash, either.

    Other games that I've been reading about a bit and are likely going to remain cult classics would include any of the Cotton series, and El Viento on the Mega Drive, which I haven't tried out yet.

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    drowning in medals Ed Oscuro's Avatar
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    W00t, 12:01 AM posting. :D

    Anyways, a game that nobody EVER heard of outside of Japan, but which looks pretty cool is Nazo no Murasame Joh (Nazo = puzzle or riddle, no Murasame Joh = of Murasame house/castle, essentially. Think of a Dojo; that's one thing about this word "joh" is we sometimes spell it joh but sometimes jo. Heh)

    Anyways, it sort of looks like, eh, Zelda, but different in that it's apparently set in feudal Japan, and you've got a chick with a sword instead of Link. She's pretty cool though, and the powerup system makes just as little sense as that of Zelda. Unfortunately, owning to my current lack of a Sharp Twin Famicom, I can't try out my disk of the game to see what it's like, and don't feel like messing with my emulators any more to try and get FDS games to wrok on it.

    Another one, which I've only seen a ROM for, is Ningen Heiki - Dead Fox ('90 Capcom) and somebody out here in the forums might remember that I posted a fake "which video gaming character are you?" using it's main character, the Guy Who Doesn't Seem To Wear Pants (trousers, if you're a brit). Nice, pretty good size graphics, but a lot of repetition and pretty stale thematic progression; while levels are set in distinct types of area there's little diversity in the graphics inside each. Play-wise, I hear it's similar to Rolling Thunder. Enemy deaths are among the best looking I've ever seen on the NES, with some characters shriveling up and weathering away before your eyes. Incredible! Unfortunately, the play difficulty is also incredibly hard in the hardest difficulty (the one I played) and there's no real sense to the game, as far as I can tell. I see the zombies later on, and find out that your boss is a Nazi, or something close...yawn. The cutscene graphics are certainly OK, though.

    Super Turrican looks pretty darn good, though I don't know how widely followed this particular incarnation of the series on NES is. I bet it's actually pretty well known, and not too rare in the states...but I'm just guessing. Great animation on your robot's walking, and the ability to upgrade to six beams firing in three different directions early on is pretty nice.

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    Peach (Level 3) Tetsu's Avatar
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    Try Zen: Intergalactic Ninja for NES, if you like those Kemco-Seika Shadowgate/Uninvited titles. It's by Konami, and it's an action adventure game much like a cross between Zelda and TMNT The Arcade Game.

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    Demon's Crest for the SNES is another rare gem too.
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    Default Rare stuff

    Ones in my book:

    Rad Warrior (Apple II)
    Darkspyre II (PC DOS)
    Celtic Tales: The Evil Eye of Balor (PC DOS)
    StarGoose (PC DOS)
    Loom (PC DOS)
    the expansion pack for Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (forget what it's called; I don't have it) (PC WIN)

    and one or two that aren't necessarily rare but are overlooked:
    Anachronox (PC WIN)
    Moonbase Commander (PC WIN)

    Some of those games may be rarer than others, for sure, but IMO they're all overlooked.
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    Pretzel (Level 4)
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    Hey Ed Oscuro, that Capcom game you're talking about.....that sounds a lot like the game Code Name: Viper. It is very similar to Rolling Thunder and sounds exactly like what you were describing.

    And Tetsu, I have the game Zen: Intergalactic Ninja, but I don't see why Shadowgate/Uninvited fans would want to check it out.....It's a good game, but I don't see any similarity between the games.
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