There are a lot of reasons why a video game console can fail.
Not every console can be a major success story, but no console is truly without value.
Well,maybe the Mattel HyperScan…but other than that!
Every failed console hasat leastsomethingworth checking out.
Hell, the Sega Dreamcast hadMarvel vs. Capcom 2andSoulCaliburand it was still the death knell for Sega making hardware!
So here are some of the best games to come from game systems that fell flat.
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Why?
Pac-Man for the same console was an improvement, it was still held back by its limitations.
In it, you play as a bird trying to navigate looping stages and find smaller birds.
Part of me wishes this lore got a movie adaptation, because I have so many questions.
Each floor throws more pitfalls and mechanics your way, getting increasingly difficult, but also addictive.
At the very least, it does have its unique take onTetris.
While the gameplay is the same, the actualTetrispart of it is only a fraction of the screen.
The rest is dedicated to background visuals of nature, whether its a beautiful desert or an animated stream.
More importantly, theresJim Androns breathtakingly chill vaporware soundtrack.
Every track feels like the Dire, Dire Docks theme fromSuper Mario 64.
Awesome use of what the CD-i was capable of.
But since the beginning, the one game that truly had peoples attention wasRoad Rash.
The graphics, gameplay, style, and music all got a major shot in the arm.
It even used the consoles ability to do FMV to its advantage while not being obnoxious about it.
I mean, plenty of the games art directionwasobnoxious, but in a good way.
Alien vs. Its widely agreed that the big trilogy of must-play games isRayman,Tempest 2000, andAlien vs. Each one comes with a different playstyle, set of strategies, and storyline.
The one thing it did excel at was arcade ports.
There was some real gold there, especially when compared to what the Genesis itself was capable of.
Still, it wasVirtua Fighterthat felt the most notable.
As the first polygon-based fighting game,Virtua Fighterwas a revelation in the arcades.
Its genuinely impressive, but it also shows why the 32X was doomed.
Doing things better than 16-bit consoles was one thing, but the Saturn was already stepping over these feats.
It grades extremely well, but its still on a curve.
In 1994, SNK released the Neo Geo CD, allowing for cheaper releases.
A great idea, except the games came with increasingly dire load times.
Earlier games were fine, but the later and heavier the title, the more youd have to wait.
Even the sequel would pause to load before a boss fight.
release would be a first-party title.
A spinoff ofMegami Tenseiwhere you fight through various floors of monsters…huh.
Give it a Switch remaster or something!
With such slim pickings on the grim Pippin,Super Marathonpractically wins by default.
The one reason anyone wants to own it isnt the ability to truly experienceDr.
Dolittle 2in a way far beyond what regular DVD players are capable of.
No, its because it is the only home toTempest 3000.
Its so hard to adjust to the view, making the whole experience so claustrophobic.
One port that thankfully works with the screen isTony Hawks Pro Skater.
That games focus on flashy, vertical jumps fit the gear surprisingly well.
With that comes plenty of Nintendo first-party titles.
Unfortunately, in this case, its a double-edged sword.
The Switch version came out three years later and has become that consoles most successful title by far.
Yes, there are so many great games on the Wii U.
There just arent many that are exclusive, making the system one giant shrug.
