The Best Video Games On Awful Systems 272
Buffalo55 writes "For the most part, classic games manage to reappear on different systems. Just look at Nintendo. The publisher has done an excellent job bringing NES, SNES, Genesis and even old school Neo Geo titles to the Wii's Virtual Console, while Microsoft's Game Room brings the best of Atari's 2600 into the living room. Of course, not every console was a success. The '90s, in particular, saw quite a few flops from companies like Panasonic, Sega and Atari. Just because a system is a failure, though, doesn't mean all of its games suck. On the contrary, most of these machines have a few gems that fell between the cracks once the console croaked."
What overlooked game on a failed platform would you like to see revived?
Utopia! (Score:5, Insightful)
I had an Intellivision as a kid. It was awesome. There was a game for it called Utopia [wikipedia.org] that was the first Civ-style resource management game I ever saw. I played it endlessly.
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Also had an intellivision.
Best game, by far, Truckin.
http://www.atariguide.com/41/4132.php [atariguide.com]
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I still had a b/w set as late as 1994...
I was telling my father about a Dr. Who episode one day and he asked which it was and I was, like, "must have been one of the newer ones because it was in color" and then I was all "oh, wait..."
Supposedly most of your memories and dreams are in b/w anyway, so what difference does it make? :-P
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The world was black & white too. http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1993/09/19/ [gocomics.com]
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Utopia was great. I liked that it was 2 player.
I liked AD&D as well. I played that system with my brothers,
Games we liked I remember:
NFL football. - 5 players per side although 2 didn't do anything (you could run through the center and snapper)
Bump N Jump - 2 player driving smash em up
Star Strike - kinda like the death star trench scene flying scene
Astrosmash - shoot falling things.. Simple but fun.
Dreadnaught factor - battle large "star destroyer" type space ships..
Those controllers disc would hurt y
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I still remember getting my intellivoice in the mail and hearing it say 'beee sevbum teen booooommber' and thinking it was the coolest thing ever.
bomb squad was fun too. I would intentionally get the code wrong just to hear the guy say 'oh no' before the building blew up.
B-17 Bomber (Score:2, Interesting)
Mr. Do on ADAM (Score:3, Interesting)
Bungie's Marathon on (Score:5, Informative)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_(video_game) [wikipedia.org]
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If I had mod points, I'd mod you plus phfor insightful.
(See, the bad guys in Marathon were called... you know what, never mind)
Hopefully Bungie, now done with Halo, will go back to the franchise.
Re:Bungie's Marathon on (Score:4, Informative)
From the article you linked
"Bungie released the source code of Marathon 2 in 1999 shortly before being acquired by Microsoft, which led to the advent of the Marathon Open Source Project, more commonly known as Aleph One by fans. The project, which is still active as of 2010[update], is committed to adding enhancements to the Marathon 2 engine. In 2002, a project to port Marathon to the Marathon 2 engine, called M1A1, was completed. Several of the game's music tracks have been remixed and enhanced multiple times by different people. In early 2004, Bungie released the entire Marathon Trilogy as freeware, allowing it to be downloaded free of charge. "
So it seems that one has already been revived :)
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Yup. You can download everything from Bungie's site. [bungie.org]
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As long as we're talking about brilliant Mac-only games, don't forget Escape Velocity [wikipedia.org]. The best part of the game was the addons:
The entire series features an open-ended plug-in architecture, allowing new scenarios to be written by users. This technology is based on the Macintosh resource fork format, making it possible to develop plug-ins without using any purpose-designed editors (though several editors exist and are popular since they make the task much easier).
When I was 12 and the game was still new, I went Computer Camp at Standford University (yes, I'm a nerd). Escape Velocity was the thing that made Windows campers jealous of those of us who used Macs.
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As far as games go, the Mac was an... unsuitable platform? Extremely limited? Sure, there have been games for macs of all generations, but none truly rose to critical acclaim against their non-Mac peers. It was a niche platform for gaming at best, and Bungie's Marathon is an excellent game that stands out. So, not "the best game on an awful system", but "the best game on a niche system", perhaps.
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I dunno, try reading the hardware specs for the Atari 2600. The Mac was a luxury machine by comparison.
I'm amazed anybody ever managed to write more than 'pong' on it. If I was handed that spec and told to write games I'd have laughed and thought it was a joke (and I've spent countless hours writing video games in hexadecimal on the old 6502/Z80 home computers). I would never, ever disrespect anybody who's written a working game for the Atari 2600 (the beer's on me in fact).
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The mac's keyboard system only accepted input from 2 keys at once, plus modifiers. This is why you'd find shooters with weird setups like Arrows + Ctrl, Shift, Apple + Mouse. It absolutely kneecapped Descent if you didn't have a joystick.
While in many other ways the Mac was a better platform for writing games on (yay toolboxes, off-the-shelf UI's, resource forks, etc), that keyboard was a huge bottleneck.
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ok then, marathon for the pippin (yes, it existed)
Scorched Earth - Ported to Android (Score:5, Interesting)
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There is a gazillion versions of the "Scorched Earth" recipe.
There have got to be a version of it for Android.
Though, not sure if anyone made a complete replica of the original Scorched Earth.
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I still have the manual for it around here somewhere, printed on letter tractor feed paper :)
Seriously, just buy worms.
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hedgewars is worth a look - it's like worms back when it was good - worms 2. http://www.hedgewars.org/ [hedgewars.org]
fwiw ReturnFire, Goldeneye and Burn Cycle are the games that i'd nominate. all incredible games on very lame systems.
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There's always Scorched3D. http://www.scorched3d.co.uk/
MGS Peace Walker on PSP.... (Score:2)
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I wouldn't describe the PSP as an awful platform. It's got a pretty decent installed base and quite a large library of very enjoyable games. If there was such a thing as a PSPGo exclusive game, then that might well count, though...
There is, however, a separate category of games which appeared on one platform when they would blatantly have been a better game on other platforms that were around at the time. This is a category that includes a lot of PSP titles and a huge number of third party Wii titles. Peace
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Now look at them, an embarrassment. I'd be ashamed to use most Sony products. The PSP has needed a replacement for YEARS now, they should be where Apple is, to be blunt. Instead, they really did go crazy, with dif
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Yeah, the PSP was incredible at release. I still prefer it to the DS, due to the better graphics, larger library of games I'm actually interested in and lack of reliance on a stylus that's very difficult to use on public transport (a big issue for a lot of commuters).
But now... you have to worry about it. The PSP Go has been as miserable a failure as any handheld I've seen since the N-Gage. And hey, at least the N-Gage got people talking about it. And with the 3DS on the horizon, the PSP is about to lose it
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iPhone has no analog stick (Score:2)
With the "Retina Display", the A4 chip, the aluminium/glass construction, App Store... they really have become lightyears ahead of Sony.
And then you said:
The PSP always needed a second analogue stick.
iPhone and iPod Touch don't even have one analog stick, D-pad, or buttons. Unlike those controls, a multitouch screen has no tactile feedback. A touch screen is better for some genres but worse for others, and I can see Sony targeting genres not amenable to touch control.
Surely its much easier to develop for the iOS (and Android of course) platforms? Why bother with some crappy PSP? What kid would want a PSP Go, when you can get an iTouch, probably for LESS
So can I get an "Android pod touch", or do I have to buy a cell phone to get Android 2?
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No Man's Land (Score:2)
I remember playing "No Man's Land" on my Amiga 600 quite a lot with a few friends over.
Usually turned into a drinking game, but was fun as hell.
Don't know if that game have been remade or something similar to that game have been made.
Tunnels of Doom (Score:3, Informative)
On the TI-994a. Excellent game for the time.
A rebooted version was written a while back which is as good.
http://www.dreamcodex.com/ [dreamcodex.com]
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Matt at Armchair Arcade has a video review [armchairarcade.com] of Tunnels of Doom. It's one I'd love to get for my TI-99/4a.
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Seriously it's time to forgive your parents. As a kid I did all sorts of odd jobs like recycling metals, mowing lawns, and working in scout camps to earn enough for my first box of dev tools. I paid $450 for an education box of Borland's C/C++ compiler, macro assembler assembler, and editor. It took me years to earn that. To put it in perspective I paid $250 a few years later for my first car, also money I had earned myself. As a parent now myself, I really hope you were making a (as it turns-out bad) joke.
Roll Away/Kula World, an awesome PS1 puzzle game (Score:2, Offtopic)
Burn : Cycle on CD-i (Score:3, Interesting)
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Little gems: (Score:3, Interesting)
Syndicate Wars
Theme Hospital
Z - yes that the title
All little that I loved playing on the Playstation. Although I cant say I'd wanna have a remake of Theme Hospital that one ca stay there.
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I played the hell out of Theme Hospital and tried my best at Syndicate but often failed miserably, mostly because I was both quite young and didn't understand much english (quite necessary to understand the mission objectives.. ). I remember trying the Z demo, but I recall it being incredibly difficult. I probably did
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Theme Hospital was just re-released on the PSN for $5.99 a couple of days ago. Downloaded it last night and played for about 5 hours straight. Looks like crap, but still really fun.
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R-Type had a wonderful Turbo Graphics-16 port, as well as a surprisingly decent Master System port and a poor Game Boy port. It's currently on the Virtual Console (TG-16 & SMS) and Xbox Live Arcade (Arcade).
Also, it was created by Irem in 1987 on their custom hardware [arcade-history.com], 3 years before the Neo Geo existed.
Sonic CD?! (Score:4, Interesting)
Sonic CD is still one of the best games in the franchise. I like Sonic & Knuckles (connected to Sonic 3, of course) a little better overall, but that may just be because of the times.
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Sonic CD is my fave too. The back-and-forth time mechanic, the soundtrack...hell, even the cheesy cutscenes. They all added up to an awesome time
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There was a PC and GameCube port of Sonic CD.
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Sonic CD is really awesome.
I still have the original CD and a working Sega CD + Mega Drive (Genesis for you Americans).
I wish it was realeased for a more popular platform as it's relatively unknown thanks to the failure of Sega CD.
Acorn (Score:2, Informative)
Talk about awful systems (Score:2)
As kids we had those cheap Golden China NES knock-offs, this month I've been playing Mario Bros et al. Last night it was Sonic 1, and Splatterhouse 3. Yeehaa!
The atmosphere mattered (Score:2)
Shaq Fu (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Shaq Fu (Score:4, Funny)
You got this backwards. We're looking for good games on bad consoles, not bad games on good consoles.
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On Cheap-Ass Gamer [cheapassgamer.com], a video-game deal discussion forum, their "swear replacement" is the Shaq-Fu symbol. IE: I don't like you. Go SHAQ-FU yourself!
I've seen it so often that my mind automatically re-substitutes the swears. Browsing through piles of old Genesis games makes for an interesting experience. "NHL 92, Madden 91, Fuck You, Sonic 1..."
Immercenary on the 3DO (Score:2)
You can't mention Sega CD without Snatcher (Score:3, Interesting)
This is the game that put Hideo Kojima on the map, and rightfully so. It's all but forgotten now except in classic gaming circles, but that game was groundbreaking and did so many things right. It's a shame that very few people will experience it. It seems like Sega systems are riddled with games that fit into the "shame that very few people will experience it" category. I speak as one of the 25k or so owners of Panzer Dragoon Saga. It's a crime against the gaming community that more people can't experience, what amounts to me, as the most awe inspiring RPG ever created.
what about night trap on sega cd and cd 32x? (Score:2)
what about night trap on sega cd and cd 32x?
or the sega channel?
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The difference is that Snatcher was a fantastic game. When you think of the Sega CD, Night Trap is the first game that comes to mind...but that game sucked even back then. We're talking about good games for bad systems, right (even though I did go off topic and mention the Saturn, which was a fantastic console)?
I don't see anyone waxing nostalgic over many 32X or Sega Channel games :)
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It's a shame that very few people will experience it.
'course, that's a solvable problem. There are many solid Sega CD emulators out there, and the ISO can be... acquired... if one is so inclined.
Personally, I *owned* a Sega CD back in the day, but had never heard of Snatcher. Fast forward to about two years ago, and I played through it for the very first time. Definitely a solid title, though not terribly challenging (it's basically a choose-your-own-adventure story done digitally).
Way of the Warrior (Score:2, Interesting)
3DO:
Way of The Warrior
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_the_Warrior_(video_game) [wikipedia.org]
Programmed in a garage and apartment, with the programmers and friends as the fighters. Ohh yeah, and White Zombie did the soundtrack.
"Shaky Jake, WIN!"
Dark Wizard for Sega CD (Score:2)
Dark Wizard was the first turn-based tactical war game I ever played. The bad translation from Japanese can be overlooked in light of the awesome soundtrack and fun gameplay. Hex based, it wasn't equalled in my mind until Missionforce:Cyberstorm for Win95 years later.
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Dark Wizard was excellent. If only I had mod points.
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Dark Wizard was great. I didn't own it, but I would rent it for a lot of weekends when I was a kid. That game and Warlords II for the PC are probably the best turn-based strategy games I remember playing.
There were a few gems on the Sega CD. It's a real pity it flopped.
Virtual On (Score:2)
World Heroes and World Heroes 2 (Score:2)
... on the Neo Geo.
I thought they were pretty cool fighting games. I especially liked masturbating over Janne on a regular basis. :-P
Return Fire! (Score:2)
I bought a used 3DO with a number of games really cheaply. The game I loved the most was Return Fire, mostly for the crazy multi-player matches I had with my friends and/or brothers. I tried the sequel for the PC some years later but it wasn't the same.
Twisted: The Game Show was fun for parties too, but eventually got old. I still have my lifetime supply of nothing that I won by spinning a zero.
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Wheel / paddle controllers (Score:2)
I actually sort of miss the paddle controllers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddle_(game_controller) [wikipedia.org]
Were great for playing some of the driving games, as well as pong-like games and especially Clowns (the little seesaw you control on the bottom of the screen while two clowns bounce around on it and collect balloons in the air).
That's mostly what I miss... maybe I could throw together some similar game for my Logitech G25 wheel >:-D
3DO (Score:2)
Atari and Dreamcast (Score:2)
Atari Jaguar:
* Tempest 2000
Atari Lynx:
* Chips Challenge
* Klax
* Slimeworld
* Electrocop
Dreamcast:
* PowerStone
Road Rash 3D0. (Score:2)
I haven't seen anyone mention this one yet. The 3D0 version of Road Rash is one of the greatest games of all time, on one of the biggest flops of all time. If you had a Genesis, you know how awesome Road Rash is. It was perfected on the 3D0. Fast gameplay, fluid graphics, high quality audio. For a system that was known for shitty FMV games, this is arcade style perfection. It's worth buying a 3D0 for Road Rash alone.
Wouldn't a Road Rash HD be amazing?
Chip's Challenge on Atari Lynx (Score:2)
I loved that game. Probably the best action puzzle game ever IMHO. It would have been nice to have save files instead of passwords, though.
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There was a version of this available for PC, circa 1996 or so. I had it. It was, indeed, quite a lot of fun.
There's a similar action puzzle game, can't recall the name exactly - Tank Wars! I think. It's quite a lot of fun, and it's both challenging enough that I have to restart levels frequently and my 6 year old can get a solution every once in a while.
Adventure (Score:2)
Failed? Or Dead? (Score:2)
There are a LOT of games out there that most people will never have the opportunity to play, because they're dead. Just because the ROMs are available and there's an emulator or three does not mean people will have the opportunity. They're likely not even aware of them.
Awful systems (Score:2)
I think for this discussion to be fruitful, we need to agree on what an awful system is. Consoles that didn't get a lot of mainstream attention, but still have awesome games are not awful systems. This would be things like the TG-16, Sega Saturn, or Neo Geo.
Then there's the 3D0. Amazing hardware really, but it failed due to marketing issues. There are a few truly amazing games for it, but just a few. Most of it's potential is untapped. Is that an awful system?
I think we can all agree that things like t
The Best Video Games On Awful Systems (Score:2)
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Are you blind?
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Did it provoke an enjoyable discussion? Yes? Then it's more than welcome on /..
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This video contains content from Sony Music Entertainment
who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds
So, that I have to buy a 32X console, and the game to see how was it?
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one could argue that ikaruga (on the dreamcast) is basically Radiant silvergun 2, and that has since appeared on XBLA
I agree though that that list is short and not even close to a reasonable selection, you cant simply have a list like this and leave of a couple of dreamcast titles (dont know any of the top of my head, but i am sure there are some forgotten gems in there)
The Sega Saturn deserves its own article... (Score:3, Insightful)
The Sega Saturn had some of the best games no one will ever, ever play. Off the top of my head, some of the elite games were:
Radiant Silvergun
Saturn Bomberman
Legend of Oasis
Nights into Dreams
Panzer Dragoon Saga
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As far as figuring out controllers, the multi-tap came with color-coded, numbered stickers for the controllers and ports. I've played more than a few 8-10 player rounds of Saturn Bomberman myself and can't imagine trying to do it without the stickers.
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At least it has an almost, sort of, kind of revival in the form of Ikaruga...
Saturn had a few nice ones. Panzer Dragon Saga comes immediately to mind. Good thing "Nights into Dreams..." seems to be brought back ;)
But generally - how many ignored gems on fully succesfull systems were there? Or just games that were noticed but it could be only by limited audiences... (Snatcher or Policenauts, for example)
PS. BTW, anybody can pinpoint one indy 2D platformer for Dreamcast, in notably violet palette, and with so
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On the Acorn Archimedes. The Archimedes didn't really *suck* per se but wasn't a massive success. I loved this version and many people consider it to be the best.
Agreed. The Archimedes version added some nice touches - I remember frequently flying past a pirate getting shot to bits by some police vipers while I was on the way somewhere. I still prefer Frontier though, although I don't recall that it was released on any really awful systems - unless you count MS-DOS ;-)
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I'm going to assume sarcasm because despite being historically noteworthy that's a horrible game. You could get a z-machine interpreter and play it.
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After writing that it occurred to me you mean the graphical version not the original text based game. Here is your port: http://www.dreamcodex.com/playwumpus.php [dreamcodex.com]
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That doesn't count. The TG-16 is not an awful system.
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The first (ever) Road & Track's Need for Speed (before they changed it to be an arcade racer)
Star Control II
Super Wing Commander
Shockwave
Gex
Road Rash
It was actually a pretty good system... anyone who says different never really played it a lot.