The 10th Hour 3.14.08: The Top 10 Most Under Appreciated Games

Posted by Derek Robbins on 03.14.2008

Sometimes the best games aren't in the public eye. A lot of the times you never know what you're missing. This week, 411's Derek Robbins breaks down what he feels are the 10 most under-appreciated games ever.

Hello and welcome to this week's 10th hour! As always, before I get started on the actual list…there are a couple of things that I would like to hit on.

-It probably seems obvious to everyone, but…I got Brawl on Sunday and have been playing it a lot. I've gotten every character, and yet…I feel like I've barely scratched the surface. There is so much stuff to do that it feels a bit daunting. My only true complaint is that right now, unless you're playing with friends, the wifi is a bit shoddy. I'm not too worried as Pokemon Battle Revolution was JUST like this when it first came out and that scene eventually died down. I know I'll be back for years to come. My friend code is 4596 9154 9286. If you want to add me, make sure to give me your friend code too!

-I've heard people think that the Brian Roberts to the Cubs deal will finally get done next week. Gee, I've heard that about every week of this off-season. No offense, but I'll believe we trade for the guy when we see it. I'm not too worried as things sit. Our offense should be pretty good next season. It's the pitching I'm worried about. Our starting rotation could feature BOTH Ryan Dempster and Jason Marquis. To say I'm worried is a bit of an under-statement.

Well, that's enough of that. Let's move onto some reader feedback!

Reader Feedback

As always, their stuff is in italics and mine is in a lovely neutral shade.

First, here's one from Sean McCabe


You know, I was going to come into this column and rant about just how much I'm
sick of Brawl's hype... not because it's not a good game, but simply because
there is such a thing as too much hype and Brawl passed that limit like 3
months ago.

However, it says a lot about the thought put into this list, that you hit all
these points really well. It still somewhat bugs me that you give this single
game a whole column to itself, but hey maybe you can make it up to me, a top 10
King of Fighters characters would be nice...


Thanks for the compliment., and oh hell yes the game was over-hyped. I think the reason why I wanted it so bad was because Melee was one of my favorite games ever…and Brawl pretty much offered even more on top of that. Even Sonic the fucking Hedgehog. Sonic is my man!

As for a single game getting a column? You're probably right about that. We were only two days away from release at the time I wrote it though and the hype was over-whelming me…so I pretty much had no choice. A Brawl column was to be made! If it makes you feel any better…today's column I think you may like a little better.

A KOF list would be fun…I'll have to think about that sometime.

This next one is from my brother, Drew

I warned you about calling Metroid Prime overrated!! That game is amazing, and
you can't really say it sucks till you've beaten it. Considering you've only
gotten to the first boss, I don't think you have much of an opinion on the
game.

Also, you never mentioned how you're going to lose your first Brawl match to
me. Why was that?


The results of our first match: Pokemon Trainer over Olimar. MY Pokemon trainer over your Olimar. So, I think that one goes to me, hombre.

As for Metroid Prime – I've beat the first boss and I've seen other bits of the game and I tell ya'…the backtracking really gets to me. I mean, it's…it's a pain.

Here's one from Vitamin D


Pretty good listng for a game I'm sure will be on every Wii for years to come.

I think the not many third party characters should be ranked higher. Because I
was hoping it was littered with addtional characters "just cause."
Getting to points where more characters from other games than Nintendo
characters would be crazy. The wish list got crazy. Megaman, Cloud. Hell,
people were hoping for Sora to be in the game. The only one I thought would of
been a nice addition would be Simon Belmont.

The best way to remedy that was through the use of Assist Trophies. Along with
Little Mac, it would be nice to play as Grey Fox too. Oh well.

Anyways, great list and love reading the articles. Have a good one and may we
have our match someday. Definately going to love Snake!

P.S. You talked about people exploiting Melee, I've already heard of a few
things about Brawl. Word is is that Metaknight's (or some other newcomer) Final
Smash can ko at 40%. WTF?


Thanks for the kind words, as always. As I'm sure you know by now some final smashes are horrendously broken while some are utterly useless. Marth, Zelda, Sheik, Sonic, and Yoshi have the ones I consider to be the worst offenders. The only character I listed that deserves that treatment would be Yoshi since he is so…abysmal. I'm looking forward to our match, bro!

Here's one from Brad


Great article, although Randy Orton in Brawl would be the icing on the cake for
me...

I cant wait for this game, shame it wont be released in Aus for a while


Randy Orton in Brawl would have clinched this as being the best game ever. Wouldn't his move-set have gone something like:
B: Headlock
Up+B: Headlock
Down+B: Headlock
Over+B: Headlock
Final Smash: RKO
That'd be awesome.

Also, if I lived in Australia or any country that used PAL region discs…I think I'd get all of my systems modded. Your release dates are well behind when they should be.

This final one is from twf's sdc

In the words of Jim Rome... this list? Phenomenal!
I can't argue with a thing on it. Having seen someone playing every single
mode in the Japanese version most days for the past few weeks now, I know how
epic it will be. And you are right on on all points. It's a thing of beauty.

Now to scrawl my thoughts on all the good stuff in no particular order.

I have no idea what to make of Kirby 64. There seems to be very little middle
ground. Many reviews are lukewarm at best, but lots of people seem to love it
too. I can't decide whether or not to pick it up on the VC.

Yes! I've been saying that Little Mac shoud've been playable for awhile now.
Allegedly great minds think alike, I guess. Others that would've been great:
Geno from Super Mario RPG, Mike Jones from StarTropics, Alex and Ryan from
River City Ransom, Banjo & Kazooie, the kids from Zombies Ate My Neighbors,
Mizuti from Baten Kaitos, and Rick the hamster from the Kirby series

As for a third 3rd party character, I think it could only be Megaman, because
he would fit pretty in well, and considering the eligible franchises and
characters, the blue bomber is the most iconic and his many series' are easily
the most iconic. Only Ice Climbers is questionably iconic and/or historically
significant, and my hardcore gaming homies lit into me fiercely for suggesting
otherwise. I just wanted to mention the hate I got for that and wanted your
take on it's iconic status.

Cloud was never even on a Nintendo system for crying out loud. I'd by Cecil
from FFIV though. And two huge fans of .hack suggested to me that characters
from that series should appear. I wanted to punch them (my brother and a far
away friend) for leaving their normally highly intelligent states and make such
egregious fanboy proclamations, but there are characters like that I'd like to
see. *cough*Michael Jordan and Vectorman*cough*

I absolutely love the art in your columns. Just beautiful stuff that is a joy
to stare at. Where do you find it? Do you do some of it yourself?

Your fantasy draft isn't remotely readable, and I really want to see it, to
possibly glean some insight from it for my own upcoming draft.
Hanley Ramirez seems like a viable top three round pick though.


If this is who I think it's from, given the initials, I'd like to say that I am a pretty large fan of your site. It drew me back into wrestling.

First off, thanks for the compliments. I have been watching the Brawl coverage like a hawk since smashbros.com started updating every weekday. While most of the updates were kind of lousy, the good stuff they had really hyped me up for the game.

I like the characters that you suggested, even though I've never been a huge fan of Mallow. I personally believe that Mallow was the best character from that game and would love to see him get some recognition. Geno always seems to be the Nintendo fanboy favorite though. Also loved that you mentioned River City Ransom. Probably my favorite side-scrolling beat ‘em up ever.

Regarding the Ice Climbers and their historical significance: Honestly, I don't think they're that big of a deal. They were in one game and it was pretty lousy. On top of that, before Smash Brothers Melee came out, hardly anybody remembered them. Don't get me wrong, I love them as characters. The pair of them are some of the most fun to play as, but…when compared to the rest of the characters who appear in the game – even ROB and Wolf – they just don't stack up legacy-wise.

Finally, dot hack characters would have been bad. I enjoy the games (for whatever reason. I admit they are bad, but I love the stories), but the ‘anime-style characters' would have been really out of place. It's interesting that you mention Michael Jordan – although I assume jokingly – because if I had to choose a basketball player I would have gone with Charles Barkley. I mean, he's awesome. Space Jam is one of my favorite movies because both of those dudes are in it. In all seriousness, if I could only choose one other third party it would have been Megaman.

War Jim Rome references.

Well, enough feedback, let's hit the actual column now.

Top-10 Most Under-Appreciated Games

A lot of games slip under the radar. It's a good thing somebody notices them too, because if they didn't…the only things released would be mainstream, generic games that most any developer could make. Hey, Halo can be fun…but sometimes you have to delve into un-seen territories to get a truly fantastic experience.

So this week's column is dedicated to great games that you may not have played. While a couple of these games are ragged on by critics, I think if you gave them a shot you might come out thoroughly enjoyed.

There is only one rule and it's a rather simple one: The game has to have been released in America. It's hard for me to call a game that many of us have never even got a chance to play under-rated isn't it? Outside of that, everything is fair game.

10-) Um Jammer Lammy - The sequel to the surprising hit Pa Rappa the Rapper. While Pa Rappa was a relatively surprising hit, Um Jammer Lammy was a practically un-touched sequel. Pa Rappa focused on catchy rap tunes while Um Jammer was all about rock. The main reason that I think this game bombed over here is because the game focused around a new batch of characters. I think a lot of the times gamers want more of the same and when it comes to messing with a game that many of us remember very fondly…it's easy to see why it failed. They didn't play it safe, which is kind of a shame because I consider Um Jammer to be a better game than either Pa Rappa, especially the abysmal second title. When you went improvisational with Lammy's guitar it actually could sound rather pleasing unlike when you tried it with Pa Rappa. Were we just not ready for a guitar-based rhythm game? Was it the replacement of characters? Was it the fact that the main character was a female who wasn't…"sexy" (Like Lara Croft. Remember, this game came around when female leads were pretty rare)? There are several reason why this game could have failed, and it's all very depressing because I believe…from the song selection to the actual style of the game that this title is just on a whole different level than most other rhythm based games out there. If you can, I would find this title right away and try it out. I can almost guarantee if you're a rhythmic sort of person that you will have a good time.

- I like you better than Pa Rappa.

9-) Rocket Knight Adventures - I had never even heard of this game when I got it. When I was a young child, apparently the clerk at a store had informed my mother that the game was good…and so she bought it. What awaited me was perhaps one of the most surprising game experiences ever. Rocket Knight Adventures is an absolutely beautiful side-scrolling title. It has really great music and plays rather uniquely. Yes, it has your typical JUMPING AND SLASHING you would expect, but what really set this apart to me was the ability to use your rocket. You could dash, you could use it to hit people with your sword in a unique fashion…really, it was pretty unique. The game also spawned a sequel (which also appeared on the Super Nintendo) known as Sparkster which is equally as good and unique. This, in my opinion, was made during the height of the side-scroller's dominance. It's a totally different take from your typical side-scrolling game though, and I could not recommend it enough. Challenging, beautiful, and excellent to listen to…Rocket Knight Adventures is simply a must play. We need another Sparkster game Konami! Enough Castlevania, more Sparkster!

- We need more games with Sparkster.

8-) Gunstar Heroes - Another 16-bit era side-scroller? You bet! This game was made by Treasure, and if you know Treasure…they treat each and every single one of their games like children. From Mischief Makers to the Wario game for the Gamecube (the one that isn't Wario Ware), I don't believe Treasure has ever produced a bad title. That trend is especially evident here as the gameplay here featured fast paced gun combat that made other ‘similar' games, such as Contra (and no, I'm not saying they play alike. They don't. You could draw a comparison between them though as they are both side-scrolling shooters), seem sluggish in comparison. The reason I think this title bombed is the fact that the advertising wasn't there and Gunstar didn't exactly look familiar. It wasn't an established franchise in a time when established franchises were absolutely crucial. Though the game was re-released on both Wii's virtual console and the gameboy advance, I still don't think it gets the credit it deserves. I found Gunstar Heroes at a pawn shop for about three dollars and I'll tell you right now it was probably the best three dollars I ever spent. Games like this go to show why Treasure is probably the most under-appreciated developer of all time.

- Seriously. Best three bucks ever.

7-) Mischief Makers - Another side-scrolling game and ANOTHER Treasure Title, but is it really that surprising? As I mentioned above, Treasure treats each and everyone one of their games like children and tries to develop the best possible title each go around, and Mischief Makers is no exception to the rule. This game was one of the first side-scrolling title for the N64, which also…sort of damned it to obscurity. When the N64 came out, gamers really craved 3D titles. Really, if it wasn't in 3D…it probably had to be a Nintendo first-party title to catch any attention. Unfortunately for Mischief Makers it was neither of those things and remains pretty much an obscure title. My proof? Despite being one of the most unique and innovative titles during the N64 era, it doesn't even receive a mention in Super Smash Brothers Brawl which references most every significant Nintendo title. It wasn't really popular. It's a shame because it was really different. It blended 2D side-scrolling with innovative puzzles and fun combat and was really a blast to play. You may be skeptical right now, but I think you could do worse things than try this out. Just because it's not a first-party Nintendo game doesn't mean it's bad. Sometimes the best things come from where you expect them the least…

- I love Marina.

6-) Beyond Good and Evil - Ubisoft has been an absolutely fantastic developer over the past few console generations. It really says something when the success of one of their big titles hampered one of their higher quality games, but alas…that was the case here. Beyond Good and Evil was like an action-adventure stealth title with photographic elements. It was really unique and quite cinematic if I had to be quite honest with you. I've not really played a game like it since. Why then, didn't this game catch on? Every single review written over it was simply glowing and anyone who played it simply couldn't get enough…The answer is really quite simple. It came out around the same time as one of the finest platforming titles of all time: The Prince of Persia. While both Prince of Persia and Beyond Good and Evil were fantastic titles, I believe that gamers were more apt to go with the "time-based" gameplay of Prince of Persia rather than the more cinematic and stealth based gameplay of Beyond Good and Evil. Whenever I go into EB Games, I STILL see used copies of the game on shelf, which is a bit of a shame. It's a rather easy title to find and I think if you're a self respecting owner of a last-gen system you'll hunt down this title.

- I'm still shocked this game never made it big.

5-) Ico - This was yet another title that received absolutely glorious praise and yet garnered poor sales. I think the reason for this is because everything about the title was highly stylized and different. Perhaps the gaming world wasn't quite ready for something like this? Whatever the case, it's hard to deny that this game was a classic that never got recognition from the classic. Through most of the game you have to guide a princess – who spoke in an entirely different tongue – through a variety of puzzles. Oddly, her inability to speak and your guiding her…helped create a bond between the two of you and it made the game really special. My best reason as to why this failed is simply the style. Graphically, it's a lovely game…but it looked unique. The characters all appeared to be washed out. When the game was in motion though, it was truly a thing of beauty. Another odd thing was that the title seemed to sparingly use its soundtrack. Music played only at key times and this may have been odd for a lot of gamers. Most titles have a tune blaring at every cross-road…while that's not the case with Ico. Personally, I really enjoy that. Everything seems to happen at the right time and it makes it feel special. If I had to be honest, this is one of the most amazing game experiences that I have ever had. I'm still not sure why this game never got any respect from the masses.

- Such a beautiful game.

4-) Psychonauts - I have said it before, and I will say it again. When I wish to laugh, videogames are typically not where I look. So it's a refreshing change of pace when you get a game that is not only enjoyable…but funny! Psychonauts offered everything you could want out of a title. It was innovative in that it let you use various psy-powers to navigate throughout the world, but on top of that the writing and voice work were absolutely top-notch. Honestly, for most platforming games…the writing is usually an after-thought but it was really at the fore-front here with some of the most witty banter I have ever seen in a game. What I think killed it was the fact that it wasn't an established brand. When this title came out, the majority of Playstation 2 owners (and the like) were looking for mature games. Grand Theft Autos, Halos, Devil May Cries…you name it. If it bled, it led. Psychonauts appeared to be a kiddy game, and I think that cost it in the end. It was a charming game that I believe most everyone – from the hardcore gamer to the "OMG HALO ROX" casual gamer – could secrete enjoyment out of.

- This game also had a unique art style. I noticed that a LOT of these games had unique art styles.

3-) Killer 7 SUDA 51. Without a doubt the most criminally under-rated gaming mind out there. Every single one of his titles oozes with originality and style. Yes, it's great to play the same shooting title over and over again, but every once in a while a change of pace is needed and Killer 7 absolutely gives that. It's a rail shooter that controls rather un-conventionally. You press the Triangle and X button (or A and B if on the Gamecube) to move forward or in reverse. This may sound pretty odd at first – and trust me it is – but when you attempt to actually PLAY this game you get used to it. By far, the most endearing part of Killer 7 is the style. Graphically, it looks almost like a manga. In my mind, it probably has the best graphics to ‘look at' (not the best actual graphics) of any of the last generation games. On top of that, the story is a rather complex one that has a lot of hidden meanings. You can actually draw a lot of different conclusions from what takes place, and I have to tell you…when a game's story gives you something to actually think about you know you're into something special. Honestly, it probably has the most complex plot I have ever played through. It's easy to see why it failed – it's unique, it's different, it was made by SUDA 51 (He is pretty innovative in a field where innovation isn't always wanted) - but I think that for those who have played through it…this game was pretty much perfect.



2-) God Hand - What's so interesting about this title is that, from the reviews, it seems that either the reviewer was absolutely enamored with it or totally hated it. VERY rarely will you see a site like Gamespot give a game an 8.0 and IGN rank it in the threes. I side more with Gamespot on this one as God Hand is probably one of the most fun games I have ever played. The combat is fast and furious and you really feel…well, you really feel pretty freaking awesome while the whole thing feels out. If I had to compare it to a mainstream game, I'd probably say that it's a bit like Devil May Cry. That's just how it feels to me, at least. You un-lock and power up a lot of your maneuvers instead of having them from the beginning. The main reason I think that some critics were harsh on it is because the game is rather tough. When I say tough, I mean…you feel pretty accomplished when you beat Hard mode. I guess I'd compare it to a feeling you might get when you beat Halo on legendary. It just felt like you did something impressive. Speaking of impressive, you should try having Gene unleash his God Hand. You'll feel like a God, I guarantee it. This game got about no coverage, which…can help us understand why nobody bought it – on top of the bad reviews - but I think that if you can find this game at your local game store you really need to give it a shot. It's perhaps the best game you haven't played yet.



1-) Earthbound (AKA Mother 2) - Are you really surprised? Earthbound was a one of a kind game. It played a lot like Dragon Quest but in a modern setting. Gone were castles and medieval settings. In were drugstores and men who turned themselves into dungeons. Nintendo actually tried to make Earthbound a success (Mother 2 was a success in Japan, I believe) but ultimately failed. The main reason, I think, is that Earthbound came out in America at a time when the RPG wasn't really that popular. Sure, there were people who enjoyed the early final fantasy games…but it wouldn't be until Final Fantasy VII came out that many Americans really began to appreciate the role playing genre as a whole. On top of that the game really suffered from poor advertising. Do you wish to know what this game's slogan was? In Japan, it was "Kids, Grownups, and even young women". I suppose that was to whom the game was supposed to appeal. In America? "THIS GAME STINKS!" Oh boy, I bet people were ANXIOUS to buy a game that proudly proclaims it stinks. What really sold Earthbound to me was the fact it was a role playing game that didn't take itself too seriously. There were serious moments, sure – including a final boss that I would definitely call intense – but laced into those silly moments were little bits of humor. One example I can think of is when you're roaming the desert, you can find a sole pixel. The pixel is a sesame seed and it laments on being a sesame seed. It's definitely weird, but it's the sort of thing that can only be found here. Earthbound was such a large flop that Nintendo of America has pretty much abandoned it since its release. Mother 3, the sequel to Earthbound (which was known in Japan as Mother 2, as mentioned above), will probably never see a North American release. The most telling piece of evidence you ask? In the Japanese version of Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Earthbound was included in demo form in the "Masterpiece" section. In the English version, however, Earthbound is nowhere to be seen. This makes me believe that Nintendo firmly believes that the Mother franchise can't succeed here. That's a shame, because gaming has changed a lot since Earthbound's release. The North American market would be much more ready to accept the franchise than it was back in the day. Hopefully Brawl will get fans curious about Lucas…because I would hate for Mother 3 to never get an official translation. The story that unfolds is too beautiful not to be told. Long story short, Earthbound is a fantastic game that was ahead of its time and if you can endure the slightly aged combat…you will be in for one hell of an experience. Do yourself a favor and pick this up right away.

- This has got to be the 100th Earthbound image I've posted up.

Well, that's it for this week. As always, if you wish to praise, complain, talk about baseball, play smash, or whatever…feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail] or [e-mail] Your choice. Or you can simply comment below. I should mention that since there are a lot of games people feel don't get a fair shake…so I'm really wondering what you think.

Next week I don't know what's coming, but I'll try to think of something good. I'm also thinking about running a wifi smash brothers tournament, so if you read this and are interested in joining, just mention it below. I want to gauge interest before I go out and buy the prizes.

Til' the Crossroads