Obscure Games.

[Kojima_Devotee]

I love this forum. It's far away from the aggressive mediocrity of message boards like GameTrailers, where children populate every section and post needless one-word answers (insults) for the sake of their GTD. It's refreshing to be among people that can articulate.

I digress. I have pulled away from my quest for obscure games in recent years, due to lots of work and little time. Since there are plenty of guys here that enjoy the benefits of a good, though under-advertised title, I thought I'd make a topic to catapult myself back into the world of Obscure Gameplaying.

The question is simple: What are some of your favorite obscure games?

Here are some of mine.

Snatcher

Had to get this one out of the way. The game's pure brilliance, nothing less.
(I'll leave the spiritual successor for someone else.)

Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit)

Good first half, horrid second half. At least it was an interesting play.

Psychonauts

I believe IGN tried desperately to pull this game out of obscurity by mentioning how good it was in every article. In reality, it's an above average platformer due to good level design and admirable details throughout. I enjoyed it.

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile / Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil


The Wii remake, due out in May, makes this series more recognizable, and I couldn't be happier; I hold both games in very high regard, and it's a shame these games aren't more well known. I hope Wii owners rush to grab this game when it's released.

There are mine; What are your favorite obscure games?

EDIT: Sorry for the giant pics; I didn't realize their size until afterwards. (Oh well, who doesn't like box art pictures?)

[seraphssavior]

Even though they weren't obscure when they came out, they are now...

Quest for Glory Series

Any Lucasarts SCUMM/GrimE adventure game.

[Reath]

I liked Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit too, although it's incredibly unbalanced in quality. The first half is pure genious, the second half is pure crap. It's still worth playing, I just wish they'd spend more time making a decent ending. It's really cheesy and doesn't fit with the rest of the game.

Here's some that I've enjoyed:

Umihara Kawase and Umihara Kawase Shun are good rope physics based platformers. Kinda like Bionic Commando with a fishing pole and fish instead of a bionic arm and soldiers.

Odin Sphere's a modern 2D beat em' up. It's notable for using some very detailed 2D art. I thought the gameplay was a bit boring but the graphics and story are excellent.

Einhänder's a horizontal shooter made by Squaresoft. It's excellent all-around, despite not being as popular as their other series.

Killer7 defies explanation. It's a very odd artistic game that's kind of like a light gun game where you can move around.

No More Heroes is made by the same guy who made Killer7, although it's more accessible. It's an immature artistic action game that mixes things from western and eastern cultures. Neither of Suda51's games is for everyone, but they're worth a look if you want something deeper than your usual games.

Vagrant Story's a dungeon crawlerish jRPG set in a French inspired environment. It's quite complicated and mature in both story and gameplay.

Man, I have a lot of these. I think that's enough for now.

[silent_snake]

Aside from those already listed, I must add The Last Express.




It is truly a tragedy that a game, such as this one, is almost completely lost in the history of video games. A rare gem of adventure games that still stands as one of the most unique games ever. I strongly believe that if the production company didn't have to rely on a nearly bankrupt publisher that disbanded it's marketing division just when the game was ready to be shipped, we would be talking about it as a well known classic. I personally enjoyed every second of it.
It's well worth to note that the writer, producer and director was Jordan Mechner.
I wont write anything more, just watch the trailer and you will see what the game is about.




You can find more information on these links:
The Last Express on Wikipedia
The Last Express: Revisiting An Unsung Classic
Gaming on the Orient Express

[Kojima_Devotee]

Excellent entries so far - I should give Last Express a try. I love the entries that have such passionate summaries, wherein the poster is truly amazed by how little exposure the game(s) in question received. Here are more of my favorites:

Fear Effect / Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix


I found these Action/Resident Evil-hybrids to be entertaining. While the first game was very fun and had a lot of charm, the second was more technologically pleasing. Overall, both were good fun. In fact, the third game, Fear Effect Inferno, is one of my most lamented lost-in-production titles. I think EIDOS is working on a game for the movie, but no one should care about either [if they're still in production]; KRONOS, the original developer of the PSOne games, is long gone.

Haunting Ground

Here it is: The most amusing Adventure/Survival Horror game I've ever come across. It's perfect for simple play, as the mechanics are pretty basic, and the puzzles are equally benign. I recommend not playing with a guide and just being entertained by the chasing, puzzle solving, and key item finding. (Another Medallion I don't need, eh? Perfect!)

Oh yes, I have a ton of games to impart to you all, but I want to see your best entries, as well!

[ShinjiPG]

It's funny how I remember the hype/release of most of the games you guys mentioned x)
Not saying they aren't obscure now, but back in the day everybody knew them. (I'm excluding Snatcher)
Psychonauts was almost always obscure from the start, even tho it's one of the best games ever.

Here's another (kind-of) obscure RPG:

[Kojima_Devotee]

Initially, I didn't give Threads of Fate much of a chance due to Chrono Cross. (I believe Legend of Mana was released around the same time, as well.) I did eventually acquire my own retail copy of Threads of Fate, but I didn't play very far into it before switching to something else. Perhaps I should sit down with it again.

Even more games:

Clock Tower (Super Famicom)

I mentioned this in the Policenauts "Current Status" topic. I found this game brilliant, and it has, thankfully, been fan-translated into English. (Though, sadly, you can only Quick Start into the game, skipping the opening conversations.) Even so, the game is well worth the time of finding and exploring every room. The more you explore, the more you find, and, the more you discover, the more plot you get.

Crystalis

I was amazed by this game. The plot actually develops just before the last boss fight, and, suddenly, everything makes sense. This is one of those great-looking, great-sounding NES games that many missed out on. I recommend everyone go and find a copy of this game - It's an excellent "Zelda-influenced" Action/Adventure from the good old days.

[silent_snake]

D
Awkward name for a game, but it really is a weird game. It is a FMV game released in 1995 for the PlayStation, 3DO, Saturn and PC.
This may not be the best horror game ever, actually Game Informer listed "D" among the worst horror games of all time, but I found it interesting to play and it is a nice experience. Although objectively speaking "D" is pretty much a mediocre game.

It has nice prerendered graphics and ambient music, the story is interesting enough, the charaters are pretty much dull, the voice acting is horrendous, the gameplay is simple because it is a FMV game so the possibilities of exploring are limited and it has two endings.

It is worth to note that "D" must be finished within 2 hours of gameplay or you get game over, so this is an extremely short game. And there isn't a possibility to save the game, so it has to be finished in one playthrough.

From Wikipedia:

The game begins when Laura Harris is contacted by Los Angeles police, receiving a disturbing message: her father, Dr. Richter Harris, has gone on a mass murdering spree and has now barricaded himself in the hospital. In a panic, Laura rushes to the scene of the crime, desperate to find an explanation for the well-respected doctor's actions. Upon entering the hospital, she is instantly horrified at the scattered and grotesquely mutilated bodies lying about the dark halls of the hospital. Inching slowly forward, she is taken by a small metallic entity to an unknown dark castle.

[Henry Spencer]

There's some amazing games being mentioned in this thread. Clock Tower SNES is my favourite survival horror game, Vagrant Story is my favourite action RPG, Odin's Sphere is outstandingly beautiful and about as much a cult game as it gets, I love everything Suda51, so the likes killer7 and No More Heroes are great mentions and The Last Express is one brilliant game, one of the very best point and click adventure games out there that everybody should try out at least once.

Here's some off me:



Ahhh, the time when Square actually took risks and sometimes they ended up being great, like this gem of a game. Nowadays all we see off them is Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. They will never live up to their mid to late nineties efforts like this. Never. The opening sequence is one hell of a shocker.



I can still remember getting this game for my Dreamcast when I was in my early teens and feeling ill playing this game. Just the sheer amount of gore, disturbia, and masses amount of blood from all the hacking and slashing made me all queasy, but I had to keep playing the game, since I was enjoying the story so much (and it is very good, plus the game is about 70% cutscenes). Think Golden Axe meets Resident Evil and you're not too far off. It's addictive, but the graphics haven't aged well at all. The story makes up for that.



This is a hit or miss title if there ever was one. You're either going to love the extremely slow pace, atmosphere and story, or are not going to get into it (it really is a hard one to get into). It's practically an interactive novel, and not really a game at all. I love the art and story of this game.



God Hand may just as well be the more awesome beat 'em up ever created. Developed by former Capcom employees, produced by Suda51 and Shinji Mikami (a genius; creator of Resident Evil) this game is beyond words. I love it too much.



Treasure have never made a bad game. Ever. And this is one of their very best (my favourite). It follows the same format as Odin Sphere; Beat 'em up with tons of RPG elements and a grand story with impressive artwork. My favourite Sega Saturn game.



The best arcade game ever made. It's Konami's final beat 'em up and it's one hell of a final effort. Hilarious parody of beat 'em ups in general, and epic boss battles.

[Kojima_Devotee]

Very nice assortment of games, Spencer! Despite being a fan of Clover's work, I've always written off God Hand. However, I've noticed that several people seem to stand by the game adamantly. I suppose, even just to honor Clover's memory, I should give the game a look.

Ah, yes, I have more:

Keio Flying Squadron

This game deserves its own post. Keio Flying Squadron is one of the rarest, most expensive American Sega CD games. It'll cost you about $150-200 for a complete box/manual/CD setup, and the CD alone is worth about $80! As someone that has a physical copy and has played it through, I can tell you it's a fantastic side-scrolling shooter. Awesome graphics, one of the best video game soundtracks ever, and cut-scenes begging to be mocked.

Americans are represented poorly in this game:
"You dun wanna mess with the US NAVY now, do ya?"

"Hey, whatayaaiminat?"





"Over here."

I digress, though. I recommend this game heavily, but beware of the Sega Saturn sequel.

[Aardvark Soup]

Maybe not too obscure, but it's horrifying how many people haven't played this gem.

[Kojima_Devotee]

Time for more.

Grandia

This is another game that will well exceed your expectations. Grandia is an RPG that existed during the Sega Saturn era, and, like Snatcher, almost didn't make it outside Japan. Luckily, the Japanese original was ported to the PlayStation, and Sony picked up the rights for publishing in the US. (UbiSoft published the game in the UK.) While I can't recommend the sequels, I can, however, encourage everyone to give this game a try. It's a small RPG with a lot of soul.

Those that aren't good with RPG's should feel good knowing its a very simple game. Like Dragon Quest VIII, there are some spots where you need to level up, but they're surprisingly far and few between. (I myself only had to level grind in two instances in Grandia. So, it's a pretty smooth adventure.)

[seraphssavior]

For those itching to play Grim Fandango again, this may help get it running on newer machines when it's finished. These are the guys who did SCUMMVM, so expect quality...like...perfect quality. (not to mention that we'll need something to wait for once the Policenauts patch is released...)

http://residual.sourceforge.net/

[Kojima_Devotee]

Thanks for the tip! I was going to pick up Grim Fandango, and this will save me inevitable troubleshooting time.

I've been waiting for an excuse to add more games. Here you go:

Adventure Island IV (Import)

Even if one didn't like the Adventure Island series, there was still plenty to enjoy in this entry. Metroid-like in design, I couldn't believe how addicting and rewarding the gameplay was. The game provides plenty of areas to explore and is one of the nicest experiences on the NES. It was a great surprise, and, thankfully, it's been fan-translated into English. The boss battles are difficult, but show off the NES' graphical abilities well. It's an excellent play.

Resident Evil: Dead Aim

The most successful (implementation-wise) of the Gun Survivor series, this game is actually quite fun to play. While I don't recommend the game for extended playing times, it's amazing to have a GunCon 2 game that makes proper use of all the controls. Once the player understands the control setup, it's actually quite an entertaining shooter. Perhaps the player will prefer Time Crisis' rails after sampling Dead Aim, but there's a chance he or she will appreciate the high level of immersion this Adventure game provides. Either way, I believe the game to be a worthwhile title.

Star Tropics / Star Tropics II: Zoda's Revenge


Though somewhat campy in execution, the Star Tropics stories are horribly fun and entertaining. The game's levels are divided by areas or time-periods and the characters are humorously intriguing. Whether traversing the overworld and speaking to NPC's or exploring the trap-filled caves/dungeons, I recommend the Star Tropics games highly. The boss fights in particular are quite rewarding, and I advise anyone looking for a good Action RPG on the NES to give these two titles a try. Admittedly, I consider Zoda's Revenge to be one of the most solid NES titles I've ever played. (They're available on the Wii's download service, as well.)

By the way, I'd like to throw in another recommendation for Capcom's Haunting Ground for the PS2. I picked it up again following my post about it, and I still believe it to be one of the best hidden gems on the console. It really is just different enough to be a refreshing gameplay experience. Give it a chance if you can find a copy at your local game store.

[Spike]

I can't say it's one of my favorites games (because it's so weird and also flawed), but I have no mouth and I must scream is a really interesting and edgy game.

The super-computer AM became sentient and exterminated all of humanity except for five individuals he kept in cages and maintained alive for hundreds of year (thanks to genetical experiment), so he can torture them forever.
However, he suddenly decides to let them a chance to be put out of their misery by playing in a final VR simulation (linked to their past)...

As I wrote above, the game is really disturbing (for example, you can cut a heart out of a man's chest) and contains mature themes : murder, rape, Nazi experiments, redemption, ... There are also several endings.
The only flaws are the ugly 3D characters and animations. The game is compatible with SCUMMVM.

I recommend you to read the original Harlan Ellison short story beforehand, so you can enjoy how he expanded the plot and characters for the game.

Finally, I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but half of the games mentioned in this thread aren't "obscure".

[Kojima_Devotee]

Finally, I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but half of the games mentioned in this thread aren't "obscure".

Hahaha, that might be true, but the mission of this topic is a bit easier to stomach. For us computer people, proficient in IGN-isms and emulation, these games may be fairly well-known. Obscure, in this sense, is any game that "the masses" are generally unaware of or simply missed out on during its original release. (In some cases, re-release.)

For me, I've had my fill of the big name franchises [and their disappointing next-gen sequels] for a while, and I wanted to rediscover what made games fun. That's what these, and every other forum topic of its kind, are striving for: To find the most fun and memorable games that have been released.

If I wanted a more literal interpretation of the topic title, I could easily dig deep, especially into the PC's near-bottomless library, and find games that only a small percentage of the world has ever heard of. There's no reason to do so, though; There's a reason a lot of games stay buried. The motto here is, "Never mind the game no one's heard of; Find the game no one's heard of that's awesome."

Here's an extra game to go along with my overblown explanation:

Out of this World (SNES)

Many versions exist, but I have fond memories of the SNES version of this amazing adventure game. The graphical style (and its implementation) was unique for the time, and the gameplay, while somewhat slow, is intriguing. It's fun to die to see the extra scenes, and it's interesting to become immersed in the presentation. Right to the end, the game exceeds the expectations one would expect from a title of this nature. (Especially from a home console during the early 90's.) Even just to witness the opening moments of the game, I recommend everyone consider a play-through of this gem.

[shidoni]

^If anyone tries Out of This World (or properly, Another World), please get the PC version. It is utterly fantastic, if tricky stuff is your shtick.

Agreeing with silent_snake in every respect concerning D... but its saving grace is that surreality created by primitive CG. It's very very creepy... There are images from it (and its sequel, D2) that will stay with me forever, especially

Spoiler:

when Laura finds the dimension in which her father is hiding, and the flashback concerning stabbing her mother to death.

God Hand... which I was just playing... is pure Shinji Mikami all the way through.... my sis, who introduced it to me, compared it to consecutive RE4 Mercenaries levels. It's also the only proper Fist of the North Star game in existance!

Hmm... an obscure game... Maybe Drakkhen.

It's an RPG with lots and lots of grinding... I think my love for it is mostly nostalgia based, but it's awesomely surreal (love the surreal stuff), and it has great music (which differs with versions). It has a myriad of odd imagery, sounds, and events... For example, when walking in the direction of certain constellations in the sky, they come alive and bounce down from the heavens in the forms of scary multi-sectioned super-fx chip monsters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzRW7IKj ... re=related[/youtube]

[Henry Spencer]

This is about as obscure as it gets. Nobody will have heard of this, guaranteed:

Lost Eden (CD-i but it was then ported onto PC and 3DO as well)


Great game. It's a point and click adventure game set during prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed the earth, with humans and dinos interacting with one another just fine (dinos speaking English, of course, heh) until a tyrannical dinosaur (that resembles what the Devil would look like if it was a dino; with really long teeth, red tone, a love of eating humans and a creepy voice to match) attempts to make humans and dinosaurs alike become extinct, as well as shaking up the relationship between various creatures, which is where you come in as Adam, the King's son of the last remaining human fort in existence. You set off on your journey to put and end to Moorkus Rex; the tyrant and restore peace across the various lands. Still the weirdest game I've ever played though. Good adventuring, it really envelopes you into its weird, freaky and unique world. Sudden ending, mind you, but it is one of my favourite games while it lasts. Very nostalgic game for me. Lost gem. Ironic that its title would be "Lost Eden", actually...

Here's a good review:
http://www.fourfatchicks.com/Reviews/Lo ... Eden.shtml

[Kojima_Devotee]

Thanks, as always, to those that have contributed; The list is awesome!

Here's another:

Headhunter (PS2)

Doomed on the Dreamcast for most, Acclaim was nice enough to quickly and dirtily port this title to the PS2. While the characterization is as compelling as the personalities found in an episode of Walker: Texas Ranger, Headhunter has quite a bit to offer. The game hosts competent graphics (and clipping in the pre-rendered sequences, which I find fascinating.) and an amazing soundtrack. If for no other reason, I feel Headhunter should be played for its soundtrack. Right from the title screen, the player is treated to an excellent theme, and this quality continues throughout the adventure. The gameplay consists of stripped-down Metal Gear Solid mechanics, resembling Winback with more adventure elements and better level designs. Many of the boss battles are very admirable "set pieces," offering the best music, gameplay, and graphics the game can offer.

Overall, Headhunter wins my recommendation; If you find yourself with $5 and 5 free hours, pick this game up.

Oh yes, and skip the live-action news sequences.

[DOTL]

Oh Gosh, I remember those HEADHUNTER Motorcycle rides...

Well, here is one I really enjoyed:



Its also called Deception, or Tecmos Deception
So you´re playing a murdered prince, given the chance to become the Number one, through killing all your enemies that betrayed you.
You´re given a castle, and you start building traps. Then you wait for the intruders. Some are merchants some are your old foes, some are wannabe-Heros.
With the help of the Devil you kill them all, claim victory and become the Leader of your Dark Empire.
Its has multiple Endings, a nice story, RPG elements, but the nice thing is you walk around your castle in 3D, luring your enemies into the traps, which is very very exciting!!




There are more titles in this series, but I´ve only played the first one.
Its one of the most remarkable and memorable games for me!!
9,99 € on amazon, I´ll bet you´ll get it for 5 bugs or so!!

[shidoni]

Anyone ever play this?

I know you PALs got it, but us westerners didn't... I watched a video of a sewer stage last night on youtube, and it scared the poo out of me.

[87th]

Believe it or not, this one of the best, most cinematic games on the SNES. It's essentially an Alien Breed/Loaded-style top-down shooter, but with a firefighting theme. It's a really great game, but you'll struggle to find a copy (especially a European one)

The series is pretty popular, but this entry is massively overlooked, considering it's quite easily the best entry. With a great level-editor, 8-player mode, and a huge number of tracks and racers, this is definitely worth a look.

Another Micro Machines-style racer, but from an isometric viewpoint. Very like Rock 'n' Roll Racing with a four-player mode (which is a very good thing, I'm sure you'll agree).

A really original and fun game. Based around the idea of setting-up lines of dominos to knock over things and create a combo. A lot of big silly humour and demanding time-limits throughout.

You probably know it, but I doubt you bought it. It's Ape Escape on amphetamines. This is really nuts. If you ever wanted to see how hyper modern Japanese kids' entertainment is, this is a great place to start. It's surprisingly well-polished though. In my opinion, this is easily better than Ratchet & Clank or Jak & Daxter.

[Kojima_Devotee]

87th, my friend! How have you been?

I must say, these are some excellent entries; Everyone's got some nice games to impart! I noticed Firemen is another product of Human Entertainment (Clock Tower's developers). That alone has my attention.

Shining Force II

This may be the most recognizable game in my list for some, but there are still tons of people that have not played through this excellent Strategy RPG. Playing as Bowie, you must leave your village to recruit anyone and everyone on your quest to stop evil. Even if you're averse to Strategy titles of any sort, this game won't overwhelm you and you'll get a nice story out of it. This is one of the greatest games in my Genesis collection, and, from what I understand, it's a Virtual Console downloadable. The game looks nice, is insanely fun, and has a fine story to it. Go acquire it.

You mean there really was a game called "Super Skidmarks?"

EDIT: While I'm doing more recognizable games, I figured I'd throw these games up too.

Mother / Earthbound Zero

Mother fans know of this game, and Mato's patch of the third entry makes it even more noteworthy. However, many put off playing the first game in this excellent series due to its age. I, personally, consider the first game to be my favorite; As much as I enjoyed Earthbound and Mother 3, I keep the original in mind mostly due to its music and eventual explanation of the story. (Both of which are excellent for their time.) Especially those that have sampled Earthbound, the original Mother has a lot of familiar material [in NES form]. My recommendation is to sit down with this game and play it through; It's excellent fun and the final few areas are very rewarding.

Contra: Hard Corps

Everyone knows about Super C and Contra 3, but Konami was able to put together an excellent entry for the Genesis, as well. Sure, it doesn't feel completely like Contra, due to some interesting design choices, but the gameplay itself is insanely fun. The multiple routes and endings make this entry stand out, as well. In addition, the game's graphics are stunning and each level features some nice details and effects. Run through it at least once; It's a very interesting Contra experience.

Seiken Densetsu 3

Never mind how recognizable the other games are, here is Seiken Densetsu 3. Anyone that was lucky enough to play Secret of Mana for the Super Nintendo "back in the day" got one of the best experiences in video game history. The graphics and music were so excellent for their time that the game still has a dedicated cult following to this day. I am very much a member of the Mana cult; I myself imported Seiken Densetsu 3 in the mid-to-late-90's while I was still in high school [and eBay was still a new concept]. Therefore, it's a true tragedy that, like Policenauts, every opportunity to bring this game to American and European audiences has been snubbed. Luckily, fans took it upon themselves to tackle the heavy compression and formatting issues and forced English text into the game. Seiken Densetsu 3 is simply the result of some amazing talent. If you could only take one game from my posts, make it this one.

Dragon Quest VIII

Japan loves this series a bit too much. I bought into the hype and picked this game up when it was released, and I haven't regretted it. I had been looking for an RPG that was genuinely entertaining and sported excellent graphics and music, and DQVIII didn't disappoint. It's true that the story, like the final boss battle, is somewhat weak, but the game's scenario is presented in a clear and immersive way. When I think about the number of hours I spent completing the game's main quest (The equivalent of three days.), I'm quite amused. I recommend Dragon Quest VIII for those that want a Traditional Japanese RPG that's fun despite the flaws of the format. Despite what many critics stated, the game makes an excellent starter RPG, as well. I highly recommend searching a store's bargain bin for it. (Use the Left Analog Stick to guide your player to the Bargain Bin. Press the "O" button to examine it. When the prompt appears, highlight the "Yes, I want this game." option and hit "X." Remember to go to the counter and pay for it or you'll lose Reputation Points.)

That'll do for now; Most of my recognizable titles are through.

[XenoMorph]

I agree with the comments about Indigo Prophecy and Fear Effect(s) Awesome games with some flaws.

I can't believe no one mentioned Heart of the Alien. Or maybe I just missed it. It's a sequel to Another World/Out Of This World, made for the Sega CD. If you liked the first game, you'll love this one as well.

[Kojima_Devotee]

I played Heart of the Alien back in the day, and it wasn't bad. It's a shame it wasn't made by the same guy, so the story is said to take place in an "alternate universe." At least it was more of the same gameplay.

Today, it's an ode to Taito.

Little Samson

Taito made some nice games back in the day. (Where would we be if we didn't have Bubble Bobble on the NES?) However, a few of them were released a bit too late in the NES' lifespan, making most of them "rental only" titles. This is one of Taito's most obscure NES entries, and it's actually one of the best Taito games ever made. Little Samson looks, sounds, and plays solidly; The game received all the benefits of an experienced staff. I myself found myself horribly addicted to the NES Mega Man games. Had Little Samson survived into multiple iterations, I probably would have become addicted to this series, as well. Give this Platformer a try; You'll find that it's very much worthwhile.

The Flintstones: The Surprise at Dinosaur Peak

This sequel suffered the "rental only" fate and now demands a huge price for collectors. Surprisingly enough, this "Obscure Games" entry recognizes the game's rarity more than its innate qualities. Personally, I never understood the draw to this game; The original was more challenging, sounded better, and even sported better pacing and visuals! (Yes, the first title, The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy, was graphically superior to this game!) The gameplay is largely the same, but now players can switch between Fred and Barney during stages. Plus, they each have different capabilities. (For example, Barney can hang onto ropes.) However, if I had to choose between the two games, I'd definitely go with the original.

Bubble Bobble Part 2

This is an insanely memorable game for me due to how well it maximizes the NES' capabilities. The game hosts detailed sprites and hypnotically smooth animations, and has some of the best music on the console. Unfortunately, all these improvements came at a huge cost: Bubble Bobble Part 2 does not have simultaneous co-op; There simply wasn't enough memory left for it. (Having that been said, there's a good amount of flickering sprites in this game.) The alternating two-player option, which doesn't swap players until the current one dies, can't be enjoyed by people who spent any time with the original. Even with this major flaw, I can't hate Bubble Bobble Part 2 because it's still a great experience. It's just a great experience that you'll probably have to enjoy alone.