Favorite underappreciated/obscure games thread

[Bloody_Inferno]

Database System Index

No actual link to ROM sites (though maybe in the subcategories), but there's a wealth of classic RPGs there for you.

Also Samurai Showdown FTW! Good old days right there. And it actually got better as the series progressed too. SS V Tenka was the pinnacle of the series.

Also if you can get a copy of Virtua Fighter 5 dirt cheap, do so. If there's one thing I prefer over the Tekken series in terms of fighting mechanics, its the VF series. Sure the game's characters are pretty dull, but the mechanics of this game is the heart of the series. Almost everything you do can result in a split second guessing game that you'll need to think full strategy to gain victory. If anything, it's the fighting game closest to actual real life fighting.

But I do agree with you Phi, the longevity of fighting games can vary. IMO, what really makes a fighting game last long is the competition and the community that keeps it lasting. You can only play and practice combos by yourself for so long.

 

[Tomo009]

Thanks to ScrewAttack I have been reminded of a HUGE one for me.

Maybe it's just the nostalgia but damn me and my friend put so many days into this.

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/video-game-screwattack/713628

love Robo Pit

 

[Qweklain]

Are you my long lost brother? Every game you mentioned I either played, or have but don't have the time to play, let alone complete.

I actualy ENJOYED Unlimited SaGa. There I said it. And the music was amazing, among my favorite soundtracks in fact. You may like Romancing SaGa 3, that shared the same freedom as SF 1. Romancing SaGa 2 was very similar to SF 2 in terms of playing through a timeline. Also good.

Also if I haven't mentioned it already:

The Shadow Hearts series (PS1/PS2)

Koudelka was rather average with the same battle system as Live A Live, but the Shadow Hearts series ruled.

Bahamut Lagood (SNES)

Bahamut got his own spin off game with the same Front Mission style strategy play. Speaking of which...

EARLY Front Mission Series (SNES/PS1)

The first game ruled. The rest didn't share it's charm with me to be honest. Front Mission Evolved sucked tremendously.

Treasure Hunter G (SNES)

Those who stuck around the SNES' dying days may have played Square's last effort for the console. Amazing RPG game right here.

Samurai Pizza Cats (NES)

Extremely fun platform game with a semi-decent variety going on.

Final Fight (NES)

Yes they released an SD version of Final Fight on the NES, and surprisingly, I loved it.

World Heroes series (Arcade/SNES/NeoGeo)

One of the SNK series that didn't age as well as their bigger brothers, but it was a good fun Street Fighter clone at the time. Come on, you got to play Rasputin with balloon expanding hands and feet!

EDIT:

Parodius series (SNES/PS1)

Gradius and Twinbee were fun, but this is where it's at. And Goemon is also a character here too.

Area 88/UN Squadron (SNES)

Along with Macross Scrambled Valkyrie, this may be my favorite side scrolling flight/shooter of all time. Capcom really got this game right. And surprise, the manga and anime series ruled too.

EDIT 2:

Also good call on the Fatal Frame series.

Shadow Hearts is AWESOME. I only have the 2nd one right now and need to pick up one and three. Speaking of which, if you like Shadow Hearts, you'll love Digital Devil Saga or really any Shin Megami Tensei game.

What about all the of the .HACK games?? I wish they would make a multiplayer version of it! I heard they were, but that was years ago and have not heard anything since.

The original Front Missions RULED. Tactical RPGs with customizable mechs, how can you go wrong? Final Fantasy Tactics (not obsecure, but my 2nd fave TRPG) and Tactics Ogre (1st fave) are my favorite TRPGs.

That brings to probably, with 100% honesty (I have too many faves), my favorite two games of all time, Landstalker on the Genesis, and Alundra on the PS1. Alundra 2 was cool, but the first one was WORLDS beyond the second.

Bahamut Lagoon, World Heroes (can not believe that got mentioned LOL), and you mentioned Cybernator a few posts ago too were all great. Cybernator was SO far ahead of it's time!

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Shadow Hearts is AWESOME. I only have the 2nd one right now and need to pick up one and three. Speaking of which, if you like Shadow Hearts, you'll love Digital Devil Saga or really any Shin Megami Tensei game.

What about all the of the .HACK games?? I wish they would make a multiplayer version of it! I heard they were, but that was years ago and have not heard anything since.

The original Front Missions RULED. Tactical RPGs with customizable mechs, how can you go wrong? Final Fantasy Tactics (not obsecure, but my 2nd fave TRPG) and Tactics Ogre (1st fave) are my favorite TRPGs.

That brings to probably, with 100% honesty (I have too many faves), my favorite two games of all time, Landstalker on the Genesis, and Alundra on the PS1. Alundra 2 was cool, but the first one was WORLDS beyond the second.

Bahamut Lagoon, World Heroes (can not believe that got mentioned LOL), and you mentioned Cybernator a few posts ago too were all great. Cybernator was SO far ahead of it's time!

If you can hunt down Koudelka and the first Shadow Hearts game, do so. You'll love it.

All the Shin Megumi Tensei games are great, unfortunately, there's too many of them for me to play.

The .hack games were alright. Some great ideas like trying to bring the online MMORPG elements to an offline 1 payer game, and the DVD series that came parallel with it added a lot of it's charm. However the game itself seemed dull. All the landscapes and dungeons looked all the same, which is off-putting considering there's 4 parts to the series.

I'm glad you mentioned Tactics Ogre. Ogre Battle was good too. I never got to play any of the Alundra games though.

Also, have you played Metal Warriors (SNES)? IMO one of the few games that kept true to Cybernator's gameplay. Front Mission Gun Hazard was a fair effort, and the music was great... but the game fell short IMO.

 

[Mr. Big Noodles]

Oh, shit, I can't believe I forgot this.

But I do agree with you Phi, the longevity of fighting games can vary. IMO, what really makes a fighting game last long is the competition and the community that keeps it lasting. You can only play and practice combos by yourself for so long.

My good sir, this is one other factor that contributes to a fighting game's longevity: ridiculosity. Mafiosos, reckless drivers, and general businessmen, I bring you... VIOLENCE FIGHT!

 

[Qweklain]

If you can hunt down Koudelka and the first Shadow Hearts game, do so. You'll love it.

All the Shin Megumi Tensei games are great, unfortunately, there's too many of them for me to play.

The .hack games were alright. Some great ideas like trying to bring the online MMORPG elements to an offline 1 payer game, and the DVD series that came parallel with it added a lot of it's charm. However the game itself seemed dull. All the landscapes and dungeons looked all the same, which is off-putting considering there's 4 parts to the series.

I'm glad you mentioned Tactics Ogre. Ogre Battle was good too. I never got to play any of the Alundra games though.

Also, have you played Metal Warriors (SNES)? IMO one of the few games that kept true to Cybernator's gameplay. Front Mission Gun Hazard was a fair effort, and the music was great... but the game fell short IMO.

Oh I will get the other Shadow Hearts, I still have a bunch of PS2 games to get, and am almost 100% done getting all the PS1 games I want.

Yeah, there are a TON of Shin Megami games, which is why I chose not to collect them. I may get just Nocturne and Digital Devil 1 & 2, but I do not know.

I guess I never noticed the blandness in the .HACK series, probably because I loved the battle system so much I never took notice.

Yeah, I love Tactics Ogre and its difficulty and can not wait to get around to playing the GBA Knight of Lods and the newest one on PSP. I have em' just need to get around to them as I work one game at a time and am concentrating on my GBA collection right now.

Of cuorse I played Metal Warriors! Can not say I played FM: Gun Hazard though.

If you can, no, you NEED to get Alundra. You can pass on the second one unless it is cheap as it is a good game, but you have to get the first one. If you liked Landstalker, Alundra is like a 100% evolved version, and truly is perfection in every way IMO. I really wish Working Designs never went under...

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

My good sir, this is one other factor that contributes to a fighting game's longevity: ridiculosity. Mafiosos, reckless drivers, and general businessmen, I bring you... VIOLENCE FIGHT!

DOGON! GOGON!

YES! That game was a brand new level of terrible it's awesome.

SAMMY YOU!

Oh I will get the other Shadow Hearts, I still have a bunch of PS2 games to get, and am almost 100% done getting all the PS1 games I want.

Yeah, there are a TON of Shin Megami games, which is why I chose not to collect them. I may get just Nocturne and Digital Devil 1 & 2, but I do not know.

I guess I never noticed the blandness in the .HACK series, probably because I loved the battle system so much I never took notice.

Yeah, I love Tactics Ogre and its difficulty and can not wait to get around to playing the GBA Knight of Lods and the newest one on PSP. I have em' just need to get around to them as I work one game at a time and am concentrating on my GBA collection right now.

Of cuorse I played Metal Warriors! Can not say I played FM: Gun Hazard though.

If you can, no, you NEED to get Alundra. You can pass on the second one unless it is cheap as it is a good game, but you have to get the first one. If you liked Landstalker, Alundra is like a 100% evolved version, and truly is perfection in every way IMO. I really wish Working Designs never went under...

Sounds like I'll be hunting down Alundra then. FM Gun Hazard had a decent storyline going for it, and the soundtrack was done by Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Mitsuda, Junya Nakano and Masashi Hamauzu... 4 titans in one game! Unfortunately, the gameplay itself was its biggest weakness. It just felt like a half-assed Cybernator/Metal Warriors system. Plus it was easy to beat so it doesn't last long. If you're brave enough, give it a shot regardless.

 

[Mr. Big Noodles]

DOGON! GOGON!

YES! That game was a brand new level of terrible it's awesome.

SAMMY YOU!

GOOOOOOOOOON! This thread just entered a higher plane of stupidity.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

LICK JOE!

Best fighting game name ever!

 

[Mr. Big Noodles]

Puh-lease. Lick Joe's killing 13 wrestlers during playing is no match for Lee Chen's assassination ken(hands)!

Is it just me, or do you not expect a guy named Lee Chen to have a mullet and a handlebar mustache and be, well, white?

 

[Triple-J]

Ah, I forgot about World Heroes!!! LOL. Such an obscure SNK game!

Oddly enough I've just picked up the World Heroes collection used and in great condition for £1 I was never too keen on the 1st but the 2nd is quite playable I love how most of SNK's 90's fighters seem to have some unique twist to them in terms of gameplay or controls etc instead of being blatant SF ripoffs.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

I can't get away from this thread.

Oddly enough I've just picked up the World Heroes collection used and in great condition for £1 I was never too keen on the 1st but the 2nd is quite playable I love how most of SNK's 90's fighters seem to have some unique twist to them in terms of gameplay or controls etc instead of being blatant SF ripoffs.

While among the weaker SNK/ADK games, World Heroes was my guilty pleasure fighting game, still miles above Art of Fighting series and Aggressors of Dark Kombat.

The first game was pretty average, but that's the golden rule of fighting games: they always get it right after 1 or 2 attempts. And thankfully WH 2/Jet/Perfect were pretty decent.

It's also one took the SF cloning into a twist for the better. Diiferent historical figures from different time zones into one game is a nifty idea. They gave Hanzo Hattori and Kotaro Fuma some cool variations of Ryu and Ken's moves. I've already raved about Rasputin. Even some of the oddball characters like Mudman, Captain Kidd and J Max had their own unique charm. And of course you're using the Capcom/SNK engine so you know it'll play solid.

Speaking of SF Ripoffs....

Fighters History (SNES)

Has anybody else played the game? I thought it was pretty good for what it is.

 

[Qweklain]

Sounds like I'll be hunting down Alundra then.

You will not have to hunt too hard as there are plenty on eBay for 20-40 depending on the condition and if it includes the map.

 

[Triple-J]

Fighters History has always been something I'm 50/50 about tbh as it's such a ripoff but to it's credit it actually played quite well and Data East deserve a lot more respect as they created some brilliant stuff in the arcades, Sly Spy, Joe & Mac, Two Crude Dudes, Bad Dudes vs Dragonninja and of course Robocop did a good job of making sure my pockets were emptied of change whenever I stepped into an arcade.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Fighters History has always been something I'm 50/50 about tbh as it's such a ripoff but to it's credit it actually played quite well and Data East deserve a lot more respect as they created some brilliant stuff in the arcades, Sly Spy, Joe & Mac, Two Crude Dudes, Bad Dudes vs Dragonninja and of course Robocop did a good job of making sure my pockets were emptied of change whenever I stepped into an arcade.

Don't forget, Data East made Karate Champ: the original and by far, the ONLY balanced fighting game in all existence.

Also to add to the list:

Capcom Fighting Jam

This was among Capcom's low points. Cashing in on the crossovers, this game didn't last long, but it sure was fun. It did bring back a more obscure series...

Warzard/Red Earth

Among the more different Capcom fighting games, with some of the most ridiculous and original characters that Capcom has ever done. Hell you got to play a Harpy and a Giant Squid... and Hauzer puts every character in Primal Rage to shame.

Sengoku Basara X

For those familiar with the Devil Kings/Sengoku Basara series, this was a fighting game made by Capcom and Sammy (Guilty Gear series). Combined elements of MvC2/3 and GG games, this was absolutely awesome. Though being released outside Japan will probably never happen...

 

[Demonbrn]

I also forgot to mention "Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles" for Gamecube, this game was unfortunatly hindered by requireing you to have a Gameboy Advanced/SP to really enjoy the multiplayer. I was fortunate enough to have 3 spoiled sibblings that all had those handhelds, so me and a couple of buddies played the hell out of it and by the time we were done, we had played for 152 years (in the way the game counts cycles). It was a great game, but it had the misfortune to being victim to nintendo's gimmickry.

The newer crystal chronicles for the wii come nowhere near what the original was.

"I haven't seen my family in 10 years" - FFCC:CC comercial

lol

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

I've got more!

Shadowrun (SNES)

Based on the tabletop RPG, one of the darker games of it's time (you die right at the beginning), and there was plenty to do. Great under appreciated game.

Vortex (SNES)

Released at the tail end of the 3D polygon craze, this game was hard, but damn, you got to play a 4 mode transforming mecha and it ruled as hard is it's difficulty.

Super Aleste/Space Megaforce (SNES)

Vertical shooter, and extremely solid to boot. It was flashy but not over indulgent, it was neither easy nor hard, but just the right kind of challenging, and it sure was fun. Like Cybernator, small storylines were cut outside Japan.

Blazblue series

The successor to Guilty Gear, and unfortunately, not as big as it's predecessor. More quirky characters but same pure fun with same face melting music to boot. Still my favorite amongst the 'newer' fighting games.

 

[Tomo009]

Blazblue series

The successor to Guilty Gear, and unfortunately, not as big as it's predecessor. More quirky characters but same pure fun with same face melting music to boot. Still my favorite amongst the 'newer' fighting games.

Only had it for about a week but hell yes. I'm still a total scrub and the game isn't exactly easy to just pick up, but the huge variety in characters and the actual gameplay itself is just great. Now I've gotta practice all the crazy setups and get my execution down so I can raise my psr over 20 and maybe someday feel confident enough to play people offline.

I only have vague memories of guilty gear as I haven't really played it since PS1 but it definitely seems like a great successor and it makes sense how it evolved. Also has by far the best music I've heard in a fighting game to date.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

More...

Xandra's Great Adventure (SNES)

Bizzare platform game about what looks like a green Jelly Baby with a pitchfork finding medicine for his son. Sounds simple, but turns out to be a very enjoyable game.

Super Puyo Puyo (SNES)

About as enjoyable as Puzzle Bobble, but with blobs. Also has the best elevator music ever.

Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo

Is it wrong to thoroughy enjoy Street Fighter knocking off a Tetris style game? I still find it weird that Ken is the best character in the game.

Addams Family - Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt (SNES)

Simple premise, but surprisingly great to play. Among the better cartoon series based games.

Last Blade series (Arcade)

Essentially Samurai Showdown set in the Bakumatsu period. Another SNK gem with some great characters. The main character even goes all Super Saiyajin too.

Okami series (PS2/Wii/DS)

If there was one game that reeked of originality in recent years, it's this. Japanese mythology/culture galore, best played on Wii to fully appreciate the game. It even inspired the PS3 Prince of Persia game (also good).

Only had it for about a week but hell yes. I'm still a total scrub and the game isn't exactly easy to just pick up, but the huge variety in characters and the actual gameplay itself is just great. Now I've gotta practice all the crazy setups and get my execution down so I can raise my psr over 20 and maybe someday feel confident enough to play people offline.

I only have vague memories of guilty gear as I haven't really played it since PS1 but it definitely seems like a great successor and it makes sense how it evolved. Also has by far the best music I've heard in a fighting game to date.

You should be able to find GGXX Reload for PS2 or GGXX Acent Core on Wii for dirt cheap in some EB stores. Highly recommended, though learning curve is still high.

 

[Triple-J]

It's a bit of a bump but I just picked up a GBA so I've been hammering a bunch of original Gameboy titles on it recently (Super Mario Land!!!!!) but I've forgotten just how much I love Fire Pro Wrestling it looks weird and kind of retro but it's actually got more depth and better gameplay than any of the recent WWE games plus the range of options in it is incredible.