Games You Never Heard Of, But Should Play

[LinksOcarina]

I decided to go back into writing by actually starting a blog. Yeah it's on tumblr, but its at least somewhere I can link to now.

The idea so far is games people may not have heard of, but should definitely play. Most of the games I will be listing I actually have played via emulator or I own it already, while i'm waiting to try some more before I talk about it.

First game I posted is Vib-Ribbon, a PS one game that came out only in Europe and japan that is pretty much the pre-cursor to Rock Band in a lot of ways. Other games I will be covering include some stuff that's pretty well known like M.U.L.E and Clash at Demonhead, to much more obscure titles like Nightmare Busters and Silhouette Mirage. If you want to follow it, here is the link if you're interested.

So question for you all, what are some of your own obscure video games that you love to play, that few people know about?

One that is definitely on my list is Cubivore for the Gamecube. A really weird game but so in depth, with a mating system and a food chain that makes Spore look terrible by comparison as a sort of life simulator type of game.

 

[Affen]

That was a good and interesting read. Keep it up!

I remember reading about Vib Ribbon in a game magazine when it came out and got to try it out at a store, but didn't own a ps so missed the full experience. One gameI really wanted to appear in ps3 store for years.

Games I suggest people to try out are

Bucky O'Hare (NES) - really solid platformer, fast paced and challenging.

Liero - Old pc "indie" game. Real time worms. Most fun multiplayer I've had (shared keyboard makes it intense)

 

[LinksOcarina]

Bucky O'Hare is a damn good game! I remember playing that, and the arcade version, back in the day a lot as a kid. Deadeye Duck was always the man.

 

[Master_Craig]

Holy crap, Links. I remember Weaponlord! Nice write up, man.

When I was a kid, we used to hire out Super Nintendo games every Tuesday for a week (Tuesday was the cheap/special day to rent stuff). I remember getting Weaponlord and finding it to be a very difficult game. It was unlike any other fighting game I had played before at the time, games like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Killer Instinct, which I was especially good at. Weaponlord was hard and I just couldn't get into it. I remember the single player campaign was so hard, very brutal.

A lot of games I've played as a kid, not many of my friends have actually played but I suspect people on the Internet will know a lot more about 'em. Since you wrote about a fighting game Links, I'll throw down a fighting game of my own (pun totally intended). You guys may or may not have heard of it or played it. If you have, awesome.

Flying Dragon for the Nintendo 64.

This is a game we rented out on a number of occasions. It was a 3D fighting game similar to that of the Tekken games. The thing I liked about this game was that it felt like two games in one, because of the "SD Mode" and "Virtual Mode".

SD Mode was a mode with different characters and slightly different mechanics, however the biggest difference was the visuals and the single player mode. The visuals were a lot more cartoony, characters had smaller bodies, bigger heads etc. In the single player mode, it was like an "Adventure Mode" where characters would get more powerful and better over time through winning fights, collecting experience and equipping items to the character.

Vitual Mode was a mode that was a more traditional fighting game. The visuals were a little more realistic (at least for the time, it was similar to Tekken) and single player was more a normal arcade game. Most of the characters were different compared to that of SD Mode (and vice versa) as well as some of the move sets.

Unfortunately the game didn't do too well review-wise, but as an eleven/twelve year old with an N64, I really enjoyed this game. There's two very specific memories I have of this game:

1 - In Virtual Mode, one of the characters, Raima, a cyborg ninja would have a super move that would involve charging at the enemy and tackling them to the ground. He would then get on top of them and start attacking them in a ground and pound style, before doing some weird thing where he would go "HOOOOOOOOOO" and deliver a final strike. The move did so much damage, but as he did his weird shout thing, he would lose a lot of his own health, meaning he could die from this. It reminded me of Yoshimitsu from the Tekken series.

2 - Again in Virtual Mode, I remember playing against my brother. He was playing as Ryuhi, the main character (and essential Ryu rip off) while I think I was playing as Raima. My brother hated losing to me, I didn't like losing either but I was pretty good at this game. Ryuhi's super move is a massive spin kick, very similar to Ryu's Hurricane Kick. What would happen is Ryuhi would hover into the air spinning around and he would move backwards, then suddenly he would fly across the screen doing the epic multiple roundhouse kick.

I was low on health, my brother as Ryuhi was winning. What he decided to do was Ryuhi's super move, as he lifts up into the air, just before he moves forward, my brother pauses the game. He then does a fake sneeze, scratches his nose, yawns, then unpauses the game. Since the pause interrupted my block so to speak, I couldn't "re-block" in time and I lost the match. Argument ensued.

 

[Bretimus_v2]

I enjoyed Flying Dragonbut never got why there were two modes.

 

[Master_Craig]

Yeah I dunno why they had two modes either, but to me I think that's why I enjoyed it more, because there were two modes.

According to Wikipedia, apparently they released an updated version of Flying Dragon (again exclusive to the N64) were it was SD Mode only, no Virtual Mode, but the game had added characters, a new game play mode as well as more items.

 

[LinksOcarina]

Never played Flying Dragon...going/ to have to check it out and look it up. Maybe get it for cheap if I can.

 

[GRColin]

Burger King: Sneak King
X-Men The Official Game

 

[StudioTan]

Phantom 2040. A lot of people should recognize it as a TV show, but I don't think many realize it was also a pretty awesome game. It's a side-scroller, errr Metroidvania style game. It has multiple endings, and tons of different weapons and gadgets. The soundtrack is great as well - kind of an industrial prog-rock sound - fits this game like a glove. My father even sank a lot of time into this gem.

 

[Optimus-Crime]

The Goonies II for NES
Released in 88 or 87, the game was waaay ahead of its time. Very satisfying game, great controls for NES, but good luck if you don't have a F.A.Q. walk through handy.

Phoenix on Atari 2600

Try Pocky and Rocky. Snes

Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon. N64

San Fransisco Rush 2049's stunt mode. Dreamcast and N64 both had a stunt mode, but they were a little different from one another. I think I preferred the N64 one. Either way, stupid fun.

 

[LinksOcarina]

never really liked Goonies 2...I should look into it again because it is a very unique one for the NES.

Mystical Ninja is already on the list...and Phoenix for the 2600 is a good choice too that I should consider.

 

[kingg5]

Surfer Dude - Sega Genesis
The Saboteur - 360/ps3
Jade Cocoon - PS1
God Hand - PS2
Jersey Devil - PS1

 

[LinksOcarina]

Sabatouer and Jade Cocoon are on my list already .


It's a long list...never played Jersey Devil or Surfer Dude either before...should check them out when I can then.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

I think everyone has heard of God Hand by this point. But it's still one that everyone needs to play.

 

[Master_Craig]

I haven't played God Hand but I've heard good things.

 

[StudioTan]

How about Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen? Everyone knows about its sequel, Soul Reaver, but I don't think many know about Blood Omen. It's a totally different game, really.

 

[COMaestro]

I was always a big fan of Bushido Blade on the PlayStation. I just loved the idea of a fighting game where you could eliminate your opponent in one hit, or be eliminated just as easily. It put a real focus on spacing, timing, and blocking because of it. Utsusemi was the man!

Shame the sequel wasn't as good.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

I haven't played God Hand but I've heard good things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBqB5LUKh8A

 

[WickedLiquid]

This game might not have aged well but I remember Winback was one of those games I loved but oddly enough nobody had heard of.

It introduced a great cover system that was later copied and praised in Gears of War. There was also a remake on the PS2 but the voice acting was so awful (even for the time) that you're better off with the text cutscenes on the N64.

 

[StudioTan]

I haven't played God Hand but I've heard good things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBqB5LUKh8A

Haha That is an awesome video review! I had only heard you talk about God Hand in the past. I've seen it mentioned in several 'hidden gems' topics since. It's a shame that channel died. They have some entertaining uploads; even one covering a game I have never heard of, "Armed Police Batrider." What a name! Sounds like the name of a Captain Beefheart album.

Here's a link to the game. Fantastic music within:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53rN9_T ... Lg&index=3