The Best Video Games You've Never Heard Of

[Mega 2]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there doesn't seem to be a thread for underrated games.  I think an exchange of favorite obscure titles could enrich many a gamer's life, and maybe even spur some interesting discussion.

First up I'll nominate the "Turrican" series (I've played "Mega Turrican" for Sega Genesis and "Super Turrican" for S.N.E.S., which are two different games, not ports of the same).  These are very addictive, very arcade-like techno-space-themed sidescrollers with amazing music.  It is very easy to compare them with the "Metroid" games of their time, and it is very easy to see the "Metroid" games' superiority, but at the same time this series deserves plenty of kudos (and sequels) that just don't seem to be out there.

Secondly, "Skyblazer" for S.N.E.S.  I don't remember hearing anything about this game when it came out (1993), nor do I remember knowing it existed before this summer.  Bought it, almost done with it, amazed by it.  Immensely quirky, immensely enjoyable sidescroller with beautiful backgrounds and creative enemies and levels.  I really don't know why this wasn't popular.  It's not at the absolute upper echelon of S.N.E.S. sidescrollers where games like "Super Mario World" and "Super Metroid" live, but it's not far away.  Definitely more than you expect from an unknown title.  It's not on the Virtual Console, but if you have a working Super Nintendo I suggest you buy a cartridge of it (it's available for very cheap online).

I'll stop ranting about my own (ancient) favorites and open the floor to others.

[WarpRattler]

Normally I'd talk about a bunch of somewhat obscure shmups (and possibly some that aren't obscure at all but are still great), but I really need to get to bed. Maybe later I'll write up some more stuff. Also, I have no idea how obscure the following game is, if it's even obscure at all.

Tetris Blast (also called Bombliss) is a rather neat variation of the classic puzzler. It uses a few odd pieces in addition to the seven basic ones, and pieces randomly contain bombs. Instead of lines being cleared normally upon completion, all bombs within completed lines detonate and take out any blocks (and bombs) caught within the blast - the more lines completed at once, the larger the explosions will be. Lines that contain no bombs when completed merely count for the next line that does contain bombs. There are a few versions of the game, most of which are Japan-only - my favorite version is Super Bombliss, mainly for its soundtrack; however, the version I actually own is the GB version of Tetris Blast.

[CrossEyed7]

One of my favorite platformers of all time (in fact, probably number 1 after all the Mario ones, and ahead of some of them already) is Plok on the SNES. A little yellow and red guy who attacks by shooting his limbs at enemies. A lot of the game is named after sewing terminology, for some reason (Cotton Island, a boss fight against the Bobbins Bros., all in the archipelago of Akryllic), as just another of the game's quirks. Has a lot of personality for a SNES platformer. Considering it has no save or password (which the creators admitted was one of its greatest flaws), it's a bit long, but if you're going to be playing it on an emulator (it won't be out on the VC for a while, if ever; the Pickford Bros. own the rights to the character, but whatever company bought out Tradewest owns the rights to the original programming, and they haven't gotten around to talking to each other yet, so neither of them can do anything with the original game right now), it's not much of an issue. And the music is beautiful. Excellent use of the SNES's sound chip.

For a more recent game, you should really go out and buy Blast Works for the Wii as soon as possible. I haven't had much time with it yet, but I've had enough to see the amazingness. The main game is like a cross between Gradius and Katamari. It's a side-scrolling shooter, and when you shoot down enemy planes, you can catch them with your own plane to attach them on, and they'll start spewing out more bullets at your enemies from wherever they are. Even parts of the bosses can fall off and get attached to you. When you're not playing, you can customize basically everything. You can make your own levels, ships, enemies, bosses, and weapons with some really powerful, but still pretty graspable editors.

[PaperLuigi]

Toy Commander was a great game on the Dreamcast that not a lot of people played. I'm sure some of you guys on this board have heard of it, and maybe some of you even own it, but it's still relatively unknown amongst games. Toy Commander was one of the first titles released on the Dreamcast, but it didn't receive the publicity that equally good games like Sonic Adventure and Soul Caliber got. I loved this game when I was younger just because it fought like a traditional 360 aerial combat fighter, only with toys. Probably not one of Sega's huge financial successes, but one of the better Dreamcast games (and the Dreamcast is famous for having some pretty [darn] good early titles to its name).

[N64 Chick]

I could've sworn there was a topic about this before. Nevertheless, I'll post in this one anyway.

I'd say my favorite underrated game is Space Station: Silicon Valley for the N64. You were basically this little microchip that could inhabit and control robotic animals, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, dogs can attack and have an average jump, sheep can't attack but can float (think Peach in SMB2), mice are fast, but aren't waterproof. Often times you'll need the right animal for the task at hand and it can be quite the head scratcher.

[ShadowBrain]

How underrated is underrated? Like Chibi-Robo? 'Cause that's actually one of my favorite games, period.

And then there's Okami, which is underrated only in the sense that tons of people won't buy it for some reason. I mean, it's not in my top five, but it was definitely worth the price of admission.

[Chupperson Weird]

Well, I like Valis III for Genesis (I've never played the Turbo CD version). It's a somewhat average platformer with really really really awesome music.

[missingno]

I could've sworn there was a topic about this before. Nevertheless, I'll post in this one anyway.

I'd say my favorite underrated game is Space Station: Silicon Valley for the N64. You were basically this little microchip that could inhabit and control robotic animals, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, dogs can attack and have an average jump, sheep can't attack but can float (think Peach in SMB2), mice are fast, but aren't waterproof. Often times you'll need the right animal for the task at hand and it can be quite the head scratcher.

:( I have that but it doesn't work.

But then again, it might if I clean it up a bit.

[CrossEyed7]

I also really like the Story Mode of the Game Boy Color International Track and Field for some reason.

[Toad]

Hmm.. underrated.. hmm..

I still own Uniracers, a Snes side-scrolling racing game. The 'vehicles' were these unicycles that had different personalities, and the tracks themseleves were varied and interesting. Each of the uniracers seemed to move at more-or-less the same speed, but you could speed up yours by doing tricks while in the air (things like spins, table-tops, and rolls..)

I don't recall if we ever finished that game, mostly because we just had so much fun playing it and Donkey Kong Country 2 (which came out at around the same time).

[Mega 2]

I remember "Uniracers!"  It was advertised a lot, but I never played it.

I'll add "Overkill" to the list.  It's a vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-up like "Galaga" for P.C.  Neat stages, neat enemies (several of which are enemy types with different species for each planet), and genuinely challenging on the right difficulty setting.  Unfortunately it's short.

I would include "Space Harrier," "Astro Warrior," and maybe "Kid Chameleon," but it's been so long since I played them that they might not have been nearly as good as I remember.

[Glorb]

Dynamite Headdy, and the old side-scrolling Duke Nukems, though I'm not sure if those count.

[Chupperson Weird]

I've heard of all these.

[Glorb]

Okay then, Wishbringer.

[Uvaz]

I could've sworn there was a topic about this before. Nevertheless, I'll post in this one anyway.

I'd say my favorite underrated game is Space Station: Silicon Valley for the N64. You were basically this little microchip that could inhabit and control robotic animals, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, dogs can attack and have an average jump, sheep can't attack but can float (think Peach in SMB2), mice are fast, but aren't waterproof. Often times you'll need the right animal for the task at hand and it can be quite the head scratcher.

Hey that one is cool.
I think I will say Barney Hide n Seek. That's a true cult classic, not like Earthbound.
Also, Chavez. (Actually, I haven't played that one too much, just like five minutes, so I can't say if it is good or not.)
The Incredible Machine.
Chips Challenge.
Chu chu rocket
I want to say Megaman 64, but I lost the game without progressing much. Ignore this line please.
Finally, I want to add that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is terribly underrated.