History NeedsMoreLove / VIDEOGAMES

* ''VideoGame/AidynChronicles'', an N64 game from THQ. Despite its (extremely) small following and lukewarm reception, the game was noted as having a deep gameplay system, a relatively large cast of characters with their own personality and stories, an intriguing world, and a story that compelled you enough to want to finish. Unfortunately, the combat system tended to be rather clunky and left the title mostly ignored.

* ''VideoGame/AlphaProtocol'' doesn't have quite as polished gameplay as one might hope, but it's still a great sucessor to Deus Ex and Vampires: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. There's an unbelievable level of freedom when it comes to making choices that effect the character and plot development, and the writing is top notch also.
* ''The Granstream Saga'', a game that seamlessly blends fighting and JRPG style. Yes, that's right,
the combat mechanics are a ''fighting'' game, but with leveling up, equipping armor and three different types of weapons, magic spells, and a truly unique story, complete with gorgeous anime cutscenes and excellent voice acting. Flaws: blocky graphics, especially on faces, and having to compete with ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''.

* The ''VideoGame/ChaosRings'' series, especially ''VideoGame/ChaosRingsII''. A gem of an {{Eastern RPG}} with great characters, fun gameplay, and an engrossing plot by the same studio that made the cult classic ''VideoGame/WildArms'' series. Sadly, they are for IOS devices, which has not yet gotten a reputation as a "serious" gaming platform. As a result, hardly anyone has played them.
* ''VideoGame/NeoTokyo2014''. You'll be surprised in how detailed this ''Half-Life 2'' mod is. It is based on multiplayer with focus on teamwork as there is no damage direction indicator. Every engagement is always fast and fatal. Couple this with commercial-quality maps and in-game models and you get one of the most hailed upcoming mod in it's time. Too bad to developers seems to abandon it and not much of it's player base are left.

* ''VideoGame/DrillDozer'' takes a single gameplay mechanic, drilling, and manages to make a great game out of it. Made by Game Freak, known for Pokémon, Drill Dozer has beautiful graphics, awesome music, some really epic boss fights and just a flat-out cool design for the dozer and main character. It just had the misfortune of being released in the Game Boy Advance's last days.
* ''VideoGame/UniverseAtWar: Earth Assault'' was a (unusually enough) good RTS for the Xbox 360 with a good story, decent gameplay, a soundtrack by Frank Klepacki (the guy who composed for Command And Conquer) and proof that just because a trope is old does not mean it is bad. However, it just never caught on and the planned sequel was canceled. Darn shame, if you ask me.

* You may have played ''[[VideoGame/PanelDePon Puzzle League]]'' before, at some point in your life. You probably have ''not'', however, played - or even heard of - ''VideoGame/PanelDePon'', outside of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''. While the gameplay is more or less the same as later incarnations of the series, the character designs are what earns it a spot on this page. The game, and its ''Nintendo Puzzle Collection'' pseudo-sequel, has some of the most adorable characters you're ever going to see (I daresay it's more adorable than ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'', a difficult feat to accomplish!). The game would eventually see Western release through the Switch's online service in 2020.
* ''VideoGame/ConquestFrontierWars'' has all the elements of a great game, good gameplay, decent storyline, good quality cutscenes ,and well balance factions. There was suppose to be a sequel, but the developers went bankrupt, leaving its fate unknown.

* ''VideoGame/{{Robotrek}}'', a SNES robotic mon RPG that predates Pokemon by 2 years, you even start each battle throwing a suspiciously Pokeball-like capsule to summon your robot! Robotrek has a intriging story that is neither too dark nor too childish, an massive amount of customization (for the time) exists for your 3 robots weapons, color, and statistics, and you'll invent new objects by mixing various items together. I have yet to see even a spiritual sequel not to mention a true one.

* The First-Person Shooter ''VideoGame/{{XIII}}'' was a big anticipated game based on the classic french comic book series. It was even developed by the french branch of Creator/{{Ubisoft}}. The game was supposed to be the beginning of a trilogy. However, when the game came out, it was panned by most of the mainstream reviewers, resulting in low sales. However, word-of-mouth has {{vindicated|ByHistory}} the game as being one of the best story-based shooters you can play, with great cell-shaded graphics and a bombastic jazz soundtrack.

* ''VideoGame/GatlingGears''. You pilot a MiniMecha and blast enemies in a overhead ShootEmUp fashion. Features powerful weapons you can upgrade, cool explosions, good learning curve [[WakeUpCallBoss outside the first boss]] and ''[[SceneryPorn absolutely breathtaking sceneries]]''. The storyline may be somewhat bare bones (the biggest twist occurs after the intro chapter) but it does teach a GreenAesop. And then we have the boss fights, which are [[BestBossEver pretty epic in nature and in execution]]. Finally, don't let the fact that it's an EA game turn you off, in fact, it's one of the better EA games out there. If you're into dua-stick shooter games, you should give this one a try.

* ''VideoGame/BloodyRoar'' by Creator/HudsonSoft. While most fighting games (besides ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' and ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'') need a gimmick to make it anywhere, ''Bloody Roar'' had one that worked; namely, the Beast Gauge. The ability to turn into an anthropomorphic animal during battle opened up all kinds of crazy possibilities for combat, and was an interesting premise on its own. The fighting is fluid, and the controls are often solid (save for the fourth game). Each game sports crisp, well-detailed graphics that fit their generation, and even have well-done soundtracks (''2'' in particular [[YMMV/BloodyRoar was cited as]] "the long-lost cousin of ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear''").

* ''VideoGame/CallOfJuarezGunslinger'' is a spin off game of the ''VideoGame/CallOfJuarez'' series. It's a small, stand alone little downloadable title that didn't get much in the way of marketing, but packs a lot of fun, creativity, and wonderful writing in the short run time it has. Remember the famous narration gimmick ''VideoGame/{{Bastion}}'' had that everyone loved? Apparently Gunslinger liked it too and decided to take the concept and run away with it; the entire game is the result of an old Bounty Hunter relating his tales of adventure to some bar patrons, and as the tales go on and get more and more outlandish the patrons interupt his story and point out contradictions and inconsistencies all over the place, which is actually reflected in gameplay when set dressings or vistas will suddenly appear or disappear because it was revealed to have all been a lie, or simply not how the story teller was remembering it happening. The GameplayAndStoryIntegration is so superb that, at a $15 asking price, it deserves to hold a place in everyone's hard drive based library.

* ''VideoGame/RealmsOfTheHaunting'' is a surprisingly good mix of an Main/AdventureGame and a Main/FirstPersonShooter. It has a pretty creepy atmosphere, an interesting plot, some good puzzles, good acting, and pretty good Main/FullMotionVideo for the time it came out. Unfortunately, despite the acclaim it got, it bombed in sales due to a lack of advertising.

** Not to be confused with Rhythm Heaven.

* ''VideoGame/CrazyMarket'' was a great casual game for Platform/PlayStationVita and on Android, due to the anime-styled arts. It just had it's page on here, so you would like to help editing them.

* Two words: ''Point Blank''. It's a series of addicting arcade shooting gallery games that unfortunately never made it past the 5th generation.

* ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheDrunkenPaladin''. A game where your save point is a magical hobo, Tales of A Drunken Paladin doesn't take itself too seriously. It features hilarious writing, with surprisingly three dimensional characters underneath one-dimensional facades. The game parodies many [=RPG=] tropes while having genuinely heartwarming moments in between.

* The games by Creator/{{Falcom}}. The ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'' and the ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'' are one of the few bastions of gaming that prove that there can still be great story, gameplay and [[AwesomeMusic/{{Falcom}} music]]. But now even in this day and age, graphics,speed and fanservice became top priority. Good characterization and story? Pfft! Who needs those? Give me more detailed graphics, explosions and boobs!!
* How about Zook Hero Z? Made by a chinese company called Vast Fame, it combines Megaman X and Classic and puts both styles of play into one, and makes a game truly worth playing. Even if it's a bootleg.

* ''VideoGame/RocketRobotOnWheels'' had the unfortunate fate of bombing in the stores, as it is a hidden gem in the Nintendo 64 library. The game physics are so on point and ahead of its time it makes Super Mario 64 look unrealistic by comparison, each level has their own unique individuality... and you'll fall madly in love with the electric piano frequently used in the soundtrack.

* ''VideoGame/SidStory''.This Korean Card Battle RPG Game by Singta has same premise as ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' due both of them has historical,mythological and literary figure.Also they have Modern Day Historical Figure like Neil Armstrong or Stalin,Southeast Asian Historical Figure like Suriyothai or even Korean Historical Figure like Queen So-Seo-no of Korean and various obscure historical,mythological and literary figure and they also have dark version of character and original character

* ''VideoGame/TransformersRiseOfTheDarkSpark'' - The 3DS version, done by ''Creator/WayForwardTechnologies'' ditches the ThirdPersonShooter from the other games for a StrategyRPG! There's tons of cool moves such as [[RapidFireFisticuffs Punch Barrage]], Heavy Smash (clap your hands on the sides of the opponent's head and Dropkick) which are powered by a series of points that are gained each turn and the more powerful the move, the more points it needs. Each character is divided into four classes (Recon, Assault, Heavy and Leader) with their own strengths and weaknesses (Recon class characters have the biggest range but the lowest health) and each map is a grid based field wherein most of the times, the goal is to smash all your foes! In addition, the 3-turn battles and moves means choices like "smash this palooka with a punch and save points or spend points right away for a heavily damaging move". In addition, there's more spotlight on the Movie gang and it's certainly gotten far better reviews than the console version. Unfortunately, due to the console version's poor...''everything'', the WFC games were cancelled and there was never a 3DS exclusive Rise of the Dark Spark 2.

** [[VideoGame/RoboOh ROBO OH]] is a HumongousMecha fighting game designed to invoke the style of fighting games of the 90s. The controls are simple, with the only buttons being for light and heavy attacks (the Select button serves as a macro for both of those buttons at the same time, which is how you use throws and [[EXSpecialAttack Overdrive moves]]) and motion inputs being kept relatively simple. Where the game is notable is in the Hyperdrive mechanic, where you can spend 2 bars of meter (which are gained very fast in this game) to dash cancel any attack while putting your robot in a temporary SuperMode where all of their attacks gain juggle properties. The game has also received a long list of updates, and Foxy has been very supportive of the small community the game has formed, even providing pages on their website showing frame data for all the characters. While it doesn't have native online, it's more than worth the $2 USD it costs, and a sequel is in the works as of this writing.
* No mention of ''VideoGame/ThePath'' yet? Seriously, go check it. It's a retelling of the tale "Little Red Riding Hood", with 6 sisters taking the role of titular character, and exploring the forest with beautiful and surreal visuals. It's an interesting game that worth for checking out, especially if you fan of WorldOfSymbolism meets FairyTale.

* [[VideoGame/CrashFever Crash Fever]] just doesn't get enough love. Whatever it collaborates with, be it The Battle Cats to Re: Zero to even Full Metal Alchemist, it's just overshadowed. The mechanics haven't been seen anywhere else, the plot is masterfully crafted for each and every line, the art squeezes all it can out of quests, down to the last detail, it has a sublime techno soundtrack (check out [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TzhVmvss5w this]] TriumphantReprise of the ''goddamned menu theme'', which plays when you've got one of the QUEENS to their last health bar) and overall just provides a unique, fun and (sometimes, such as when one's got a particularly hard boss on the ropes) heart racing experience. It certainly [[GameBreakingBug lives up to its name,]] but that doesn't matter because it saves your progress on the quest, so when it goes wrong, it's always still there.
* ''VideoGame/{{Cryostasis}}''. Seriously, it's one of the few pieces of fiction that made a huge philosophical impact on me, and I hardly ever meet anyone who knows about it. The gameplay and storytelling are slow, the game runs slowly even on high-end computers, the voiceacting is everything from horrible to amazing. And the story is, well, [[MindScrew confusing]] to say at least. But the game is layered with symbolism, the plot is deep, thoughtful, and heavily ambigious, the athmosphere heavy and the gameplay innovative. And if you wait out the ending credits, you get one of the best quotations ever seen in a video game.

* ''VideoGame/DragonProject'' is a very unique MMORPG in a sense that it's literally ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' on your Android/iOS! Sure the Gacha mechanic can get frustrating, and the fact that the game plays better on iOS than Android, but issues aside, the game has great character and monster designs, very fun weapons to mess around with, and an engaging story with twists. Speaking of the monsters, the game the most diverse monsters out of any ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' clone or the series itself. For example, you would face off AnimatedArmor, [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Ghostly]] [[EverythingsBetterWithSamurai Samurais]], [[TransformingMecha Shapeshifting Robots]], [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Robot Knights]] [[DualWielding dual-wielding a pair]] of [[JoustingLance lances]], [[FallenAngel Fallen]] [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Angels]], [[SpiderPeople Spider]] {{Geisha}}s, [[OurGiantsAreBigger Giants]], and even the GrimReaper! As the game's name implies, there are [[OurDragonsAreDifferent TONS of unique dragons]], such as a dragon that's basically a toaster whale, a super long snake dragon that [[PlayingWithFire summons flames]] from its super long tail, a pair of {{Draconic Humanoid}}s with [[AnIcePerson ice]] and [[ShockAndAwe thunder]] powers, a pair of [[DinosaursAreDragons dragons that look like dinosaurs with wings]] with [[PlayingWithFire fire]] and [[DishingOutDirt earth]] attributes, a pair of [[KrakenAndLeviathan majestic sea-serpents]], and a pair of ArmoredDragons with powers over [[LightEmUp light]] and [[CastingAShadow dark]]. The weapons are worth talking, such as a series [[HeroesPreferSwords Swords]] and [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe Shields]] that cancel enemy attacks with [[ShieldBash ShieldBashing]], a series of super fast and powerful [[ThisIsADrill Drill]] [[JoustingLance Lances]] that basically sum up as LightningBruiser, {{Energy Bow}}s that [[RoboTeching lock onto]] markers and fire [[MagicMissileStorm a salvo of homing lasers]] a'la ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoon'', [[DualWielding Dual Blades]] that [[EnergyWeapon fire lasers]], and a Goddamn [[{{BFG}} Gun]] [[{{BFS}} Sword]] that destroys everything in its path! And that's just the icing on the cake for both Monsters and Weapons! It's a shame that not only this game isn't very well-known, but its Japanese servers are shutting down, and who knows how long will the Global servers last. If you're hungry for a Monster Hunter game on the go, then Dragon Project is your perfect answer!

* ''Earthlock'' is an RPG in the style of those from the 90s made as a labor of love from a team in Norway. It has a tremendous amount of lore, a solid battle system, plenty of sidequests, interesting characters, and some surprisingly good full-3D graphics for an indie game without backing from a larger company. It's also the result of a successful crowdfunding campaign, and those who have played it tend to quite like it. Problem is that, outside of the crowdfunders and a few scattered curious people, it has failed to get noticed anywhere else. It has completely failed to spread via word-of-mouth that more famous indie games have accomplished. It is so obscure, it currently has no TV Tropes page!

* ''VideoGame/EmpireTotalWar''. As much as a history lesson as a game, each unit, technology, and upgrade had a detailed history. You could pause a battle and read up on the soldiers slinging lead at one another at any time. And whats a more fun way to learn than spreading your influence across the known world of the 18th century? (cue evil laugh). Few games centering around 1700 to 1799 go in to so much depth about the history and tactics of the era. The gameplay too, while being complicated, is fun and very enjoyable. Despite being considered a huge step for Total War as a series, its often overshadowed by its Roman and Medieval cousin and isn't very well known outside of that circle.

* ''VideoGame/FreedomWars'' isn't a perfect game of course, but there are reasons why it's a personal favorite among Platform/PlaystationVita owners: [[VirtualPaperDoll deep character customization]], character designs, setting, monster/robot designs, and stunning kickass weapons. The very fact that you can break off a [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever giant]] [[MechanicalMonster robot dragon's]] [[ClipItsWings wings off]] with a [[ShotgunsAreJustBetter Shotgun]] and break its legs with a [[ThisIsADrill Drill]] [[JoustingLance Lance]] is just Goddamned awesome! The massive variety of builds also sweeten the game's character customization too, and you can wear freaking [[LittleBitBeastly Cat Hoodies]] for fuck sakes! The [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic soundtrack is pretty neat too.]]
* The ''VideoGame/GanbareGoemon'' series by Konami is one hell of an underrated series. This series is filled with very fun games that include bizarre yet very funny humor (Plasma Man, anyone?), great graphics, memorable music and most of all, fun gameplay. In fact, it used to be REALLY popular in Japan, but sadly most games fell into NoExportForYou status (possibly because of the QuirkyWork factor), and on top of that, the few games that were localized (namely, the first of the SNES games and the two N64 games) were practically ignored. It doesn't help that there doesn't seem to be any fan translations for the Japan-only games (which is even worse given that some games require some basic Japanese to be playable). It's really sad especially since it's been more than 10 years since the last game has been released, and given Konami's lastest actions, it's very unlikely that there will ever be another proper Goemon game, on top of the Japan-only games getting released outside of Japan.
* The ''VideoGame/GargoylesQuest'' franchise, particularly ''Demon's Crest''. They were [[SleeperHit Sleeper Hits]], but nowadays they're almost always overshadowed by the ''VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins'' games, with Red Arremers back to being non-controllable DemonicSpiders. Ol' Red popped up in ''[[VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos SVC Chaos]]'', but SNK missed a chance to give these games a ShoutOut by naming him "Firebrand."

* ''VideoGame/{{Gearheads}}'': A very obscure LighterAndSofter version of VideoGame/{{Archon}}. Two players with a collection of wind-up toys must send as many of those toys to the other side of the screen as possible. Each toy works differently: one serves as a tank to block other toys, a toy chicken hatches windup chicks, and yet another "scares" toys, flipping them around and basically converting them over to your side. There's 12 toys, but players can only use 3 types per game. Making things more challenging is that toys that are too slow eventually slow down and stop moving. This game is so obscure that the only the Mac version can be found online. You can download it [[http://macintoshgarden.org/games/gearheads here.]]

* ''VideoGame/GrabbedByTheGhoulies'' comes from the same team that made ''Banjo-Kazooie''. The team put just as much effort into it as the Banjo titles, and did a brilliant job of creating a game accessible to all ages with its incredibly simple (yet very fun/effective) control scheme, and tucked in excellent parodies of nearly every aspect of the horror genre known to humankind. It also features a boatload of {{Easter Egg}}s relating to the Banjo games. Yet, it has been thoroughly passed by because it's exclusively on the Xbox, rather than a Nintendo console.

* Two words: ''Gugus Crew''. A French UsefulNotes/RPGMaker 2003 game made by "[=YF06=] Adventures" whose gameplay is a ShoutOut to ''VideoGame/WarioWare''. [[https://youtu.be/D7Q9NW8Zf1c You'll know it once you have watched the video for the game.]]
* You think it was ''HeroesOfAnnihilatedEmpires'' (from the creators of ''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'', by the way) who started the RTS+RPG trend? Yes?! Then you fail. ''VideoGame/HanjukuHero'' a.k.a. ''Hanjuku Eiyuu'' for the NES is an extremly rare UrExample of a top-down real time strategy game which also successfully combines RolePlayingGame elements [[spoiler:(if early ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' graphics may count as an RPG element as well, heeh)]], [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs castle capturing elements]] and RuleOfFunny in one blender. [[NoExportForYou Sadly, nobody outside Japan even knows it.]]
* ''VideoGame/HenryHatsworthInThePuzzlingAdventure'', one of EA's unappreciated masterpieces. A critical darling but commercial flop, it combines hack and slash combat, ''VideoGame/PanelDePon'' and the closest a professionally-made game will ever come to PlatformHell. It's got a charming, original presentation, memorable characters, incredibly smooth gameplay, you transform into a Steampunk Mecha by [[MundaneMadeAwesome DRINKING TEA]], and it's one of the hardest games for the DS not made by Atlus. Oh, and it was developed ''by the same guys who make [[VideoGame/MaddenNFL Madden]]''.
** From the same creators you have ''VideoGame/MonsterTale''. It's the perfect mix of {{Metroidvania}} and {{Mon}} training. Just like Henry Hatsworth the music and graphics are good and effective, the story is silly but cute in it's own way. So why doesn't this game get any love? Because people look at the cover and think "Hey, the protagonist is a girl [[MsFanservice and she isn't hot]]? Logically, this is a game for girls! [[StrawMisogynist I bet it's super easy!]]". First of all, you'll probably forget Ellie is a girl since you'll be too busy blasting mooks with your [[AncientArtifact bracelet]] [[VideoGame/MegamanX buster]] and doing [[ImprobableWeaponUser violent combos]] with [[HandbagOfHurt your satchel]], health is almost impossible to find and enemies get more cheap near the end, if you don't upgrade Ellie and [[AttackAnimal learn to use Chomp]] [[SurpriseDifficulty you'll die soon]]. The worst part is, the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_Tale creators were very aware of this]], they were pressured to make either a male progonist or sexy female since that would increase sales. In the end, just like Henry Hatsworth, they picked the unconventional protagonist, the courage alone deserves respect.
* ''Herzog''. No, not [[VideoGame/HerzogZwei this]] Herzog. Just count how many people know ''Zwei'' and how many know its' prequel. Considering the original is '''AS''' awesome as the sequel, despite different gameplay and storyline. And, what makes it even more undeservedly overlooked... it has the 2-player mode too!

* While many gamers have at least heard of ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'', its predecessor ''{{Videogame/ICO}}'' is less well known. It's an EscortGame in which the titular KidHero and a FallenPrincess named Yorda attempt to escape an ancient castle. It averts many of the negative elements that tend to crop up in an EscortMission, and [[VideoGameCaringPotential makes it so that the player wants to protect Yorda]]. It's hauntingly beautiful and, like Shadow of the Colossus, worthy of being called art.

* The PSP game ''Videogame/KingdomOfParadise'' (alternate names: ''Key of Heaven'' (EU) and ''Tenchi no Mon'' (JAP)) is a fantastic, thorough, highly-rated RPG heavily influenced by the Ssu Ling (Four Symbols, or gods of Chinese mythology). It features gorgeous graphics, well-developed characters, good music, and a wholly gripping storyline complete with dynamic twists and turns. It is so under the radar that it doesn't even being popular enough to have any semblance of fandom whatsoever.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' series is well known and already popular, but one game in the series that was vastly ignored (mostly due to ''VideoGame/FZero'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash'') was ''Kirby Air Ride''. With unique controls, interesting gameplay, an amazing orchestrated soundtrack, and the adventurous City Trial mode, this game could have been more innovative had people not been so harsh on it.

* ''VideoGame/TheLastBlade''. '''Goddamn,''' ''[[https://youtu.be/yZiFt27UkwQ The Last Blade.]]'' [[strike:One]] '''Two''' of the best nineties 2D fighters ever released, both brushed aside because [[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} 3D was the hot new thing]] at the time. While we're at it, ''[[https://youtu.be/0MW-1K02jYI Real Bout Fatal Fury 2.]]''

* ''VideoGame/LethalCrisis'', an action-platforming doujin game in the veins of ''SUGURI'' was completely ignored by many people so much to the point of pirating the game is neigh possible (not that it's advised, mind you). The game has some interesting features like having a huge assortment of weapons at your disposal and being able to upgrade them, being able to fly around the area, and try out different combinations of weapons that suits your playing style. It's such a shame people who attended Comiket just outright ignore the game for "not being Touhou". A prime example of needs more love for a doujin game.

* ''VideoGame/LittleSamson'' and ''VideoGame/JoyMechFight'', games for the NES/Famicom. ''Little Samson'' is an [[SugarWiki/GeniusProgramming hardware-pushing]] VideoGame/MegaMan clone with ''four'' distinct playable characters you switch between on the fly; and ''Joy Mech Fight'' is a FightingGame for an 8-bit system, and a well-designed one at that (as opposed to, say, ''VideoGame/KartFighter''), where all the characters have FloatingLimbs. It also allows you to [[MegaManning Mega Man]] ''entire playable characters''. They were largely ignored due to both releasing after the SNES had already hit the market, and in ''Joy Mech Fight'''s case, being [[NoExportForYou Famicom-exclusive]].

* Bungie's ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}''. What did this game bring into video games, specifically first-person shooters? Let's start with vertical aiming, Multiplayer objectives other than just kill everybody, single player objectives other than just kill everything, computer-controlled allies, idle animations for enemies, the ability to swim, dual wield, "Jump," use an in-game Radar and map, and use an alternate fire for some weapons; enemy chatter, humerous in-game dialogue, asymettrical character models, different models for players with different guns (In DOOM, all players appeared to have a gun that wasn't in the game regardless of what weapon they were actually using), vacuum areas, an [[AlmostOutOfOxygen Oxygen Bar]], and not to mention it has an incredibly in-depth plot and was the inspiration for ''Franchise/{{Halo}}''. Despite all of this, people still acclaim Halo for setting the guidelines for First-person shooters, mainly for its regenerating health.

* ''VideoGame/MonkeyHero'': AND HOW! It was an action RPG released in 1999 for the Platform/PlayStation. Although the game was pretty much a Zelda clone, it was actually pretty good. It had a strong sense of atmosphere, good graphics and a kick ass soundtrack to boot! In the game, you play as a monkey named Monkey and travel a wide spacious world exploring dungeons and defeating bosses to collect all of the magic storybook pages to defeat the Nightmare King. You even get to use a wide inventory of unique items and weaponry. The game is sadly virtually unknown.

* Russian RPG/FPS/ Adventure /SurvivalHorror game ''VideoGame/{{Pathologic}}'' has a very intense atmosphere, great soundtrack, fascinating steam/diesel-punk setting, and, above all, completely brilliant plot. There are many characters, each of them are belivable and have deep personalities. It also has one of the most shocking {{Twist Ending}}s ever. There is also an incredibly realistic in-game economy system - ''NB'', not in a tycoon or a strategy game, but in a first-person adventure. Sadly, this game also has loads of bugs (though many of them were fixed later by patches), archaic(even for 2005, when the game was released) graphics, very difficult fight system and very rough gameplay, which many players found boring. Despite all these flaws, the game has a huge cult following in Russia, but what is the saddest, that the English translation was awful, and though the game has some fans among English-speaking people, it is not nearly as popular as it deserves to be. Yes, there is a FanTranslation team, but they have been working for more than a few years, without any results.
** Some of the game's flaws may be justified - the first, its purpose is not to give to players a pleasure, but to tell them amazing story, and make 'em live a few days in fictional world. The second - the developers presented their product not as a game, but as a simulator of survival.

* Oh, ''VideoGame/{{Ristar}}''. Poor, poor ''Ristar''. A beautiful game with a unique, central, and fun gameplay mechanic of swinging and headbutting everything with your elastic arms, mixed with a ton of personality and charm. But thanks to it being released in 1995 on the Genesis, it was overshadowed by the hype of the next generation, and didn't sell awesomely like Sonic or other platformers. Because of this, it couldn't get the EvenBetterSequel it deserved. You have little excuse to not try it out if you come across it on the various platforms it's been re-released for.
* ''VideoGame/RocketJockey'' (not to be mistaken for the same-titled ''VideoGame/Action52'' game) is a 1996 PC game about rocket bikes. With [[GrapplingHookPistol grappling cables.]] That can join anything together, if needed. Using these vehicles, you can compete in one of three events: the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin self-explanatory]] Rocket Race, slinging balls/pucks into any goal in sight in Rocket Ball, and a Rocket War, which involves inflicting as much VideogameCrueltyPotential as possible on every other person in sight using the grappling cables and even the occasional bomb! All this to the tune of a surf guitar soundtrack courtesy of Dick Dale. SugarWiki/SoCoolItsAwesome, and yet practically no one has heard of it... [[CultClassic but the ones who do will never forget it.]]

** It has its' own problems, though... With first having only 8 missions to play (you'll need to find a version with Free Roam mode available after that, if you're a big muchkin) and with the remaining being GoodBadBugs and related.
* ''VideoGame/{{Robopon}}'' wasn't the most fast game ever, but it and its sequel did a good job of distinguishing itself from Pokemon as well as having an interesting, quirky story.

* ''VideoGame/SenkoNoRonde'', a FightingGame-meets-ShootEmUp by G.rev that unfortunately received harsh criticism by critics often citing ItsShortSoItSucks and the lack of "worthwhile" content during it's initial release in North America and Europe, yet this is a game manages to blend two genres that many wouldn't think would be even possible and pulls it off in spades. The game has a lot of things going for it that many people in the West never saw: A unique fighting game unlike any other before it, character art-style and a storyline influenced by Creator/KeikoTakemiya's ''Manga/TowardTheTerra'', a diverse cast of eight characters with two different Cartridge types that technically brings a total of sixteen playable characters, a soundtrack composed by a former ZUNTATA member, and a solid online play with a surprisingly good netcode that was nothing like fighting against the computer... or at least it used to until players stopped playing any online matches in general, making it more depressing and harder to find anyone willing to play online matches.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMonkeyBall''. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin It's about rolling monkeys in plastic balls around obstacle courses,]] but it's NintendoHard difficulty, fun minigames, SceneryPorn, [[AwesomeMusic/SuperMonkeyBall epic soundtrack,]] and cute characters are sadly ignored, and eventually got the series overshadowed by [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog THAT BLASTED HEDGEHOG!]]

* ''VideoGame/ThePrecursors'' is an obscure [[SimulationGame Space Sim]] which actually allows you to land on planets and run around them doing missions on foot. You have a lot of freedom, both the "Space Sim" and "Ground" gameplay are excellent, the annoying bugs and inconvenient mechanics of the developers' previous games have been fixed, and this is really the only game of it's kind.

* ''VideoGame/TheUnholyWar'' can only be described as a great fighting game. You've plenty characters to choose from, an strategy mode to make the game more interesting, and it's awesome to play against a friend. Not only that, but it was a full 3D game, with free movement, in 1998! (something weird back then). Even with all that, the game was poorly received , and very few people know about it.

** ''[[GameMaker Touhou Danmakufu]]'' has a surprisingly small fandom compared to Touhou, even though some of the scripts are on par with, or even better than, the official games. And, unlike the official games, Danmakufu itself and many of the scripts can be downloaded legally for free. If you fear SturgeonsLaw, just check out the reviews before you download scripts.
* ''VideoGame/ToySoldiers'' by Signal Studios. Despite being a wonderful take on the TowerDefense genre ''and'' the best selling Platform/XboxLiveArcade game of 2010, which hasn't appeared in any "Best Games" lists despite it's commercial success.

** Seven was [[GrowingTheBeard a large improvement over its predecessors.]] I don't think it quite belongs here, as it is something of a NewbieBoom. Memories of Celceta, on the other hand, does. A remake of IV with the same improved battle system from Seven[[SerialEscalation (improved further with new mechanics, more depth,]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and a guard button)]], it was overlooked primarily[[note]]though admittedly not entirely[[/note]] due to being on [[Platform/PlayStationVita an unsuccessful platform.]] Of particular note is the genius implementation of the teleportation feature. You see, in many open world games,[[note]]including previous games in the series[[/note]] you are given the ability to teleport between save points, because otherwise exploring the game world would become quite tedious. In MoC, you can teleport right after beating the first dungeon. But it also averts the BoringButPractical side of that by making it so you can only teleport between save points of the [[ItMakesSenseInContext same shape and color]], so you still have a reason to take a nice stroll[[note]][[EverythingTryingToKillYou Well...]][[/note]] around the [[SceneryPorn luscious sea of trees]]. And then, later on in the game, you're given the ability to travel to any save point from anywhere, which is a [[HellYesMoment very pleasant surprise,]] considering it was at this point revealed that [[spoiler: crossing between two parts of the map would erase other traveler's memories, and even [[TheHero Adol's]] beforehand, kicking off the plot of the game.]] It's the best of both worlds! Add in likable characters and the aforementioned SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic, and you've got [[MadeMyselfSad a reason the vita didn't deserve to be abandoned...]]

** ''Goody'' had crappy jump physics, that's right. The thing didn't stopped it from very little-quantity fans to reboot it into a PC remake. And yes, it's both hillarious AND awesome!

** ''AWS Franchise/MortalKombat''. A mishmash of the original MK and its' sequel which, unlike the other attempts to "create MK on ZX", is fully finished and WORKS. What it seriously suffers from, still, is the lack of ColorCodedMultiplayer.

** Moving on to more recent developments, ''Vera'', a top-down adventure game, yet it's still point-n-click. With being short, but extremely light-hearthed game, [[NoExportForYou it never went well-known outside Russian-speaking countries.]] [[WhatCouldHaveBeen The creators wanted it to be in English as well, but... the last announcement before the official site froze was that they need a guy who may translate all ingame text...]]

* ''VideoGame/NieR'' is a flawed game that seemed to created a strong divide between critics, and at first glance could be mistaken as just a Zelda clone. But it has an interesting mix of varied gameplay mechanics and an equally beautiful and heartbreaking story. And it has one of the most memorable New Game plus modes due to the different perspective it provides on some of the events in the game.
* ''VideoGame/{{Darkwatch}}'' is an arcadey fps set in a Wild West/Horror/Steam Punk universe, and at times feels a bit similar to Painkiller. Even though it's repetitive at times it's still a lot of fun throughout.
* ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic:'' ''VideoGame/DarkMessiah'' is a very immersive action-RPG that eventually gained itself a bit of a cult following. It has some cool spells and environmental kills, and the few cutscenes that there are very interesting. Despite numerous glitches and some dodgy level design it's really a great experience overall.
* ''The Deep Cave'' is a challenging side-scrolling platformer on Xbox Live Indie. It has an incredible 8-bit soundtrack and for is unmissable at the price of one dollar.

* ''The Granstream Saga'', a game that seamlessly blends fighting and JRPG style. Yes, that's right, the combat mechanics are a ''fighting'' game, but with leveling up, equipping armor and three different types of weapons, magic spells, and a truly unique story, complete with gorgeous anime cutscenes and excellent voice acting. Flaws: blocky graphics, especially on faces, and having to compete with ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''.

* ''VideoGame/FancyPantsAdventures'' is an underrated {{platformer}} with [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome simplistically slick graphics]] and tight game-play combining ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' and Franchise/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}} while still being original and never monotonous. {{Platformer}} fans have to give this game a try.

* ''VideoGame/AnarchyReigns''. Another offering from Creator/PlatinumGames, which, in this case, came at a budget price tag of $30/£20. Surely this would make the game more appealing right? Nope. Most turned their noses up at it. The fact that Creator/{{SEGA}} delayed the game until 2013 for Western audiences despite Japan keeping its July 2012 release date [[ScrewedByTheNetwork for God knows what reason]] really shafted the game's chances (''Videogame/BioshockInfinite'' anyone?). Not even the promise of ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' appearing as a GuestFighter helped. Which is a damn shame, since the combat is fluid and great fun, the graphics look great even for a [[AfterTheEnd post-apocalypse environment]] and there are a ''crapton'' of characters to choose from (about 18). What's not to like?

* ''VideoGame/FreedomWars'' isn't a perfect game of course, but there are reasons why it's a personal favorite among UsefulNotes/PlaystationVita owners: [[VirtualPaperDoll deep character customization]], character designs, setting, monster/robot designs, and stunning kickass weapons. The very fact that you can break off a [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever giant]] [[MechanicalMonster robot dragon's]] [[ClipItsWings wings off]] with a [[ShotgunsAreJustBetter Shotgun]] and break its legs with a [[ThisIsADrill Drill]] [[JoustingLance Lance]] is just Goddamned awesome! The massive variety of builds also sweeten the game's character customization too, and you can wear freaking [[LittleBitBeastly Cat Hoodies]] for fuck sakes! The [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic soundtrack is pretty neat too.]]

** Even within the ''Metal Gear'' franchise, there are some hidden gems. The UsefulNotes/{{MSX}} ''[[VideoGame/MetalGear1 Metal]] [[VideoGame/MetalGear2SolidSnake Gear]]'' games are surprisingly obscure given the [[SequelDisplacement popularity of their sequels]], [[ContinuityPorn which often reference the first two games]]. Not only that, but their innovative stealth gameplay is still very fun to play to this day.
** ''VideoGame/MetalGearGhostBabel'' is a great [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]] AlternateContinuity spinoff that many people may have mistaken for [[PortingDisaster being a downgraded version]] of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' [[ReformulatedGame made for the]] UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor due to its MarketBasedTitle outside of Japan. It is still actually a really great ''Metal Gear'' spinoff that perfectly blends together the gameplay of the MSX games and ''[=MGS1=]'' in a 2D plane, while presenting a new story in an AlternateContinuity that has some [[SurprisinglyCreepyMoment surprisingly dark and creepy moments]] [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids for an E-rated Game Boy Color game]].

** Let's just say, the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo has a sizable games' gallery (mainly SNK games, but also games from second-parties like Data East and ADK), but just a handful of them are in the gamers' memories. ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' comes to mind first, followed by ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' (at least until the fourth game). There's also ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', which remains mostly in the memory of arcade vets. But what about ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''NAM-1975'', ''Magician Lord'', ''Sengoku'' (not the one that has [[VideoGame/{{Sengoku}} an article here]], this is an unrelated BeatEmUp)...? And even while SNK was "dead", there was Noise Factory's ''VideoGame/RageOfTheDragons'', an amazing fighter which is also sadly overlooked.

* ''{{VideoGame/Malicious}}'' is a gorgeous-looking action game for the [=PS3=] with an UpdatedRerelease on the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita. Your goal is to [[BossGame defeat five bosses]] to gain enough power to face the titular Malicious. You'll face off against these foes with a shapeshifting ScarfOfAsskicking called the Mantle of Cinders that gains new forms and abilities as you defeat more bosses. Sadly, it's practically unheard of.

* ''VideoGame/MonkeyHero'': AND HOW! It was an action RPG released in 1999 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation. Although the game was pretty much a Zelda clone, it was actually pretty good. It had a strong sense of atmosphere, good graphics and a kick ass soundtrack to boot! In the game, you play as a monkey named Monkey and travel a wide spacious world exploring dungeons and defeating bosses to collect all of the magic storybook pages to defeat the Nightmare King. You even get to use a wide inventory of unique items and weaponry. The game is sadly virtually unknown.

* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar'': It had a fully fleshed-out plot years before ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'' for the UsefulNotes/{{Famicom}} came out, it was one of the first [=RPGs=] to feature a female protagonist, it took place in a science-fiction setting (which is rare for [=RPGs=], even today) ''and'' it came to the United States a full year before ''[[VideoGame/DragonQuest Dragon Warrior]]''. The rest of the series also deserves mention, as they are all great [=RPGs=], comparable to the ''Final Fantasies'' of the era.

* ''VideoGame/PoPoLoCrois'' is a Japanese RPG series for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation which was almost released over here, but wasn't. No fan translations exist, but if you understand Japanese, check it out. Even if you don't, an English version was released on the PSP which combined the plots of the first and third game. Apparently it's vastly inferior to the originals, but still fun. Two anime series were also created, both of which have been subbed by some awesome guy named Wyrdwad (who incidentally is Tom Lipschultz, a localization manager at XSEED Games).
* ''[[VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena Quake Arena Arcade]]''. A delightful UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade port of one of the FPS that revolutionized the genre. The gameplay is what you can expect from ''III'' and ''Team Arena'', and even contains new content, some of which even made it back into ''Quake Live''. The main (and sometimes ONLY) criticism it gets? "Not enough people is playing it".

* ''VideoGame/TheGuardianLegend''. A hybrid shooter for the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem which pretty much embodied NintendoHard. Desperately in need of a next generation reboot!

* ''VideoGame/ToySoldiers'' by Signal Studios. Despite being a wonderful take on the TowerDefense genre ''and'' the best selling UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade game of 2010, which hasn't appeared in any "Best Games" lists despite it's commercial success.

* ''VideoGame/UnrealChampionship2TheLiandriConflict''. A game way ahead of its time that mixes FirstPersonShooter and FightingGame genres, creating in the process most of the template for the HeroShooter genre, with characters having distinct personalities and in-game properties such as weight class, adrenaline abilities, starting weapons, a more in-your-face meleé-based approach... which also happened to be launched as a closing title for the original UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} and also had both the bad luck of [[FirstInstallmentWins "not being Unreal Tournament"]] ''and'' being part of [[AudienceAlienatingEra the Midway years]]. But that's not all! Although the game has a main story, it also has individual ladders telling each of its protagonists' stories, challenges, lots of unlockables (mutators and characters)... Most things that are commonplace today can be found in this 2005 game!

** Seven was [[GrowingTheBeard a large improvement over its predecessors.]] I don't think it quite belongs here, as it is something of a NewbieBoom. Memories of Celceta, on the other hand, does. A remake of IV with the same improved battle system from Seven[[SerialEscalation (improved further with new mechanics, more depth,]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and a guard button)]], it was overlooked primarily[[note]]though admittedly not entirely[[/note]] due to being on [[UsefulNotes/PSVita an unsuccessful platform.]] Of particular note is the genius implementation of the teleportation feature. You see, in many open world games,[[note]]including previous games in the series[[/note]] you are given the ability to teleport between save points, because otherwise exploring the game world would become quite tedious. In MoC, you can teleport right after beating the first dungeon. But it also averts the BoringButPractical side of that by making it so you can only teleport between save points of the [[ItMakesSenseInContext same shape and color]], so you still have a reason to take a nice stroll[[note]][[EverythingTryingToKillYou Well...]][[/note]] around the [[SceneryPorn luscious sea of trees]]. And then, later on in the game, you're given the ability to travel to any save point from anywhere, which is a [[HellYesMoment very pleasant surprise,]] considering it was at this point revealed that [[spoiler: crossing between two parts of the map would erase other traveler's memories, and even [[TheHero Adol's]] beforehand, kicking off the plot of the game.]] It's the best of both worlds! Add in likable characters and the aforementioned SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic, and you've got [[MadeMyselfSad a reason the vita didn't deserve to be abandoned...]]

* How many ''cool'' UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum games, including homebrews, get little attention?! You'd never thought that SturgeonsLaw now would apply not only for crud but for overlooked things! [[spoiler:...on one occasion, I even think it would grow into a separate category. One day.]]

* ''Black'' for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 might be a bit of tech demo game and quite short, but it's also a load of fun to play. Lot's of explosions, gun porn and destructible environments makes for some memorable moments, not to mention [[NintendoHard a difficulty level rarely seen in FPSs.]]

* ''VideoGame/SpeedPowerGunbike'' is a [[NoExportForYou Japan-exclusive]] action-racing game for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation where players control a motorcycle that can [[TransformingMecha transform]] into a MiniMecha, ala ''Anime/{{Megazone23}}''. The game is tough, fast-paced, and stuffed to the gills with GratuitousEnglish.

* Creator/FromSoftware’s ''VideoGame/OtogiMythOfDemons'' is one of the most unknown original UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, which is a shame because it combines EverythingBreaks, SceneryPorn, SoundtrackDissonance, and a simple yet effective combat system to make one of, if not the best games, then at least one of the most interesting games around…And then there’s the {{Sequel}}, which is so unknown that even people who have played the first one often don’t know about it. ''VideoGame/Otogi2ImmortalWarriors'' was a near total improvement over the first game, better graphics, better music, better stages, and SIX playable characters to Otogi’s one. It is easily one of the best games on the Xbox, and the fans that do know about it would probably give anything for a next-gen {{sequel}} or an HD re-release, and the original Xbox copies are not Xbox 360 compatible.

* ''CIMA: The Enemy'', a very nice game for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, made by the same people who made ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' and ''VideoGame/RuneFactory''. A fun and interesting top-down hack and slash in the style of old school ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', with a very good strategy system and a unique storyline.

* ''VideoGame/IggysReckinBalls'' is a quirky and very underrated UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}} game that combines racing and platforming in a unique manner, all of it done with spherical, comical characters that just have a grappling hook, their jumping abilities, and a selection of random items picked up from the course to use as they try to get to the top of the towers they're trying to wreck.

* ''VideoGame/CrazyMarket'' was a great casual game for UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita and on Android, due to the anime-styled arts. It just had it's page on here, so you would like to help editing them.

* It made a grim sort of sense at the time with their lack of publisher, but it's baffling that Creator/SquareEnix is not showing their opus ''VideoGame/{{Terranigma}}'' due to its poor Japanese sales. It's gotten a cult following in UsefulNotes/{{Germany}}, but it has never been given a proper market in UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates, and is sitting there fully translated in English, yearning for a UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole release.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro: The Eternal Night'' for the Game Boy Advance. While the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} version has a lot of cheap difficulty and no particularly good sequences, and the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS version feels very slow and clunky, the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance version is a horribly under-appreciated {{Metroidvania}}. Even within the Spyro fandom, this game is hardly mentioned. The graphics are gorgeously detailed, the combat mechanics work smoothly, and skillful playing is rewarded (maintaining an attack combo rewards you with experience, which you can spend to upgrade elemental breaths, giving them additional effects and strength). There is also a decent amount of collectables and several difficulty options- including a bonus difficulty option, [[spoiler:Dark Mode]], which you unlock by [[spoiler:beating the game on hard difficulty]].

* ''VideoGame/EternalChampions'' and its UsefulNotes/SegaCD sequel, ''Challenge from the Dark Side'' are two awesome fighting games from Sega Interactive that will make you come back for more! The story to these games is pretty cool and detailed (for fighting game standards anyway). Nine (thirteen in the sequel) fighters throughout time were destined to do great things, but they all died before they could fulfill their destinies and the Eternal Champion has set up a contest to determine the strongest fighter to revive with the knowledge that will help them avoid their death. The gameplay is pretty good, too and it will make you think of a good strategy to defeat the CPU opponents, but [[NintendoHard the Story Mode in the first game is EXTREMELY hard and if you lose a match]], you will be sent back to the previous match. Thankfully, the sequel's story mode is easier and more manageable and you can even use some continues if you have to. The characters are cool and interesting, the music in both games is awesome and fitting and the first game has a training mode where you can hone your chosen character's skills. Even though the first game sold over 2 million copies in it's heyday, no one seems to know about it. It's a shame. Thankfully the original ''Eternal Champions'' on the Sega Genesis got re-released on Steam and the original Wii's Virtual Console.

* ''VideoGame/UrbanChaosRiotResponse'' is an extremely forgotten UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} title. Developed by Rocksteady (yes, the same guys who made the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries''), you play as a special forces CowboyCop liberating a city from a terrorist attack from a group called Burners. The setting is nice, the shooting is satisfying, the graphics look impressive for the time but most importantly, the atmosphere is great. As you play as Nick Mason, you go from an unknown officer to a complete hero, being well-spoken about on TV about your heroic deeds as a OneManArmy against a chaotic anarchist group, who [[TheDreaded dread]] your guts and want your head on a spike. It's well-worth checking out.
* The ''VideoGame/ProtectMeKnight'' series by Ancient is a series that has gone mostly unnoticed. The first game on the now-defunct Xbox LIVE Indie Games section was a short, simple yet fun tower defense game that is one huge tribute to the UsefulNotes/{{N|intendoEntertainmentSystem}}ES era. The game features four distinct character classes based of classic [=JRPGs=] while [[AffectionateParody poking some light fun at the genre]]. It also features charming 8-bit styled visuals, a catchy soundtrack composed by none other than Creator/YuzoKoshiro, multiplayer for up to four players, and Survial Mode, all for $3 when it was available (but not anymore after Microsoft purged the service in late 2017). It later gained a sequel on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS and later localized as ''Gotta Protectors'' overseas which upped the ante with two more classes to play as, a much larger single-player campaign filled nods and pokes fun at retro games and 80's Japanese pop culture, expands upon the core gameplay, features the ability to customize your characters' abilities and equipment, brought in more composers along for the game's music (Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Shinji Hosoe, Hisayoshi Ogura, and Motoaki Furukawa), and a map editor which not only lets you create your own maps, but also share them among friends through QR codes. Those that grew up in the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis era were also in for a treat since the game also featured an FM Synth Pack DLC which gives the game's music some extra blast processing. It's retro-styled throwback series that definitely needs more love, but it's a shame these games aren't available on other platforms.

* ''X-Scape''/''3D Space Tank'' for UsefulNotes/DSiWare, a sequel to the Japan-only Game Boy game ''X'', is a rather extensive game with an expansive plot and many sidequests, unlike most [=DSiWare=] games. They managed to fit so much into the [=DSiWare=] size limit using a unique visual style in which each planet is made up of only 2 or 3 solid colors. Hardly anyone talks about it online except regarding Totaka's Song.

* The UsefulNotes/Atari7800 had some pretty solid arcade ports and was also compatible with almost all UsefulNotes/Atari2600 games. Too bad it had the misfortune of being overshadowed by the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem.

* ''VideoGame/{{Daikatana}}'' may be one of the most infamous critical and financial failures in gaming history, but the game is not half-bad with the [[GameMod unofficial 1.3 patch]], which turns what was once a borderline-unplayable game into a decent or even great boomer shooter FPS experience. And the UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor ReformulatedGame is a really great and underrated 2D ''Zelda'' clone.

* ''Disney Party'' for the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube is a fun PartyGame where you play as Mickey & Friends to try and see who wins the level.

* ''VideoGame/{{DOOM}}'' is a widely-beloved game at least for its PC version and later ports, but the UsefulNotes/PlayStation version is a criminally underrated version that goes [[PolishedPort beyond just porting]] ''DOOM'' to Sony's console. Moodier colored lighting has been added as well as revamped sound design, that all works to make the game DarkerAndEdgier than the already dark PC version. The [=PS1=] versions turn ''DOOM'' into an outright SurvivalHorror game well before ''VideoGame/DOOM64'' (which was made by the same team as [=PlayStation=] ''DOOM'' and shares a lot of similarities in sound design and atmosphere) and ''VideoGame/DOOM3'' (which is arguably more of a sequel to this version of ''DOOM'' than the original version in terms of being DarkerAndEdgier). The port is not perfect, as some levels had to be simplified or cut out, and the port only supported {{Password Save}}s, but there are also a lot of new exclusive levels. And this port includes levels from both ''DOOM'' and ''{{VideoGame/DOOM II}}''. Faithful recreations of the game on [=GZDoom=] code exist in the forms of [[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DZDoom DZDoom]][[note]]A standalone source port of the ''Midway Trilogy'' of ''[=PlayStation=] DOOM'', ''[=PlayStation=] VideoGame/FinalDOOM'', and ''DOOM 64''[[/note]] and [[https://www.moddb.com/mods/doom-ce/ DOOM CE]][[note]]A total conversion for the ''Midway Trilogy'' which also adds in a plethora of new levels, new features, and updated graphics[[/note]]. After the source code of the [=PlayStation=] port was released, fans have also developed a reversed-engineered port in the form of [[https://github.com/BodbDearg/PsyDoom PsyDoom]][[note]]Requires a disc image of either [=PlayStation=] ''DOOM'' or [=PlayStation=] ''Final DOOM'', but it faithfully brings a near 1:1 port of these games with some optional modern quality-of-life improvements, modding support, and the ability to play ROM hacks such as the GEC Master Edition.[[/note]].

* The ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity'' series by Mac-based shareware developers Ambrosia are great. They're basically ''VideoGame/{{Elite}}'' from a 2D, top-down perspective. Become a trader, a pirate, hero of United Earth, fly off into the unknown to meet new alien races, whatever. The first two, ''Escape Velocity'' and ''Override'' were originally only released on pre-X version of UsefulNotes/MacOS, but the newest, ''Escape Velocity Nova'', was released for UsefulNotes/MacOS X and Windows, and total conversions of Nova to the previous two are available.

** He's appearing in ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3 MvC3]]'' (and he's named Firebrand), and also the first game of the series is now a downloadable title for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, so maybe that will spark some interest in the series.

* ''VideoGame/{{Gex}}''. The first game is often cited to be one of the best games on the 3DO, enough to warrant a UsefulNotes/PlayStation port and two sequels. The first game, a side-scrolling 2D platformer with pre-rendered sprites, was about a gecko named Gex who was TrappedInTVLand by an evil (alien?) overlord named Rez who wanted to make Gex the new mascot. It was an excellent, addictive game that was NintendoHard but not unfair, with hilarious one-liners from Gex, voiced by Dana Gould. The sequel, ''Gex: Enter The Gecko'' for the [=PlayStation=] and UsefulNotes/Nintendo64, featured Gex being bribed by a GovernmentAgencyOfFiction to go back into the Media Dimension to make Rez 'disappear'. The game had a ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' style 'pointless item collecting' vibe. While it wasn't exactly as good as its predecessor, it was still an enjoyable experience (despite occasional bouts of CameraScrew). ''Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko'' featured Agent Xtra, a fellow secret agent, being kidnapped by Rez to get to Gex. Gex rescues Xtra with the help of his butler, Alfred the Turtle, his cousin, [[MeaningfulName Cuz]] the Platypus, and Rex the Dinosaur. The gameplay is similar to the last game, except with the other characters, bonus stages, and a DebugRoom. Unfortunately, Eidos apparently was too busy milking [[Franchise/TombRaider Lara Croft]] to continue with the series, despite many believing that it would make the leap to the Sixth Generation of Consoles.
* ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'' is a puzzle/adventure game for the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS, made by the same folks behind the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series. You play as the ghost of the just-murdered protagonist Sissel, who can manipulate objects and go back four minutes into the past to prevent people's deaths. Sissel has to figure out why he was murdered by sunrise, or he'll cease to exist. An excellent murder mystery storyline and memorable characters complement its clever puzzle gameplay.

* We all know Creator/HideoKojima and his ''Franchise/MetalGear'' series, which may go down in history as one of the best series of all time. But, what about his other games that are ''not'' about bipedal nuclear tanks and cardboard boxes? ''VisualNovel/{{Policenauts}}'', ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}'', ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders'', ''VideoGame/{{Boktai}}''... every last one of the aforementioned games are -- despite their inherent flaws -- incredibly worthy games in their own right. It really makes one wonder just what Kojima [[WhatCouldHaveBeen could come up with]] if only he were given some time off from ''Metal Gear''...

** And that's really just denting the surface; SNK has unfairly overlooked gems by the ''dozen'', to the extent of having games overlooked ''among'' amateurs of overlooked gems. How many of you have ever heard [[VideoGame/FuunSeries of]] ''[[https://youtu.be/QPng_eh_864 Savage Reign]]'' or caught a glimpse of ''[[https://youtu.be/4GomMMX-Lk0 Fatal Fury 3]]''?[[note]]Both of which are from 1995 [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny for those of you who can't see what the big deal is.]][[/note]]

* Creator/FromSoftware’s ''VideoGame/OtogiMythOfDemons'' is one of the most unknown original UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, which is a shame because it combines EverythingBreaks, SceneryPorn, SoundtrackDissonance, and a simple yet effective combat system to make one of, if not the best games, then at least one of the most interesting games around…And then there’s the {{Sequel}}, which is so unknown that even people who have played the first one often don’t know about it. ''VideoGame/Otogi2ImmortalWarriors'' was a near total improvement over the first game, better graphics, better music, better stages, and SIX playable characters to Otogi’s one. It is easily one of the best games on the Xbox, and the fans that do know about it would probably give anything for a next-gen {{sequel}} or an HD re-release, and the original Xbox copies are not Xbox 360 compatible.

* The ''VideoGame/GanbareGoemon'' series by Konami is one hell of an underrated series. This series is filled with very fun games that include bizarre yet very funny humor (Plasma Man, anyone?), great graphics, memorable music and most of all, fun gameplay. In fact, it used to be REALLY popular in Japan, but sadly most games fell into NoExportForYou status (possibly because of the WidgetSeries factor), and on top of that, the few games that were localized (namely, the first of the SNES games and the two N64 games) were practically ignored. It doesn't help that there doesn't seem to be any fan translations for the Japan-only games (which is even worse given that some games require some basic Japanese to be playable). It's really sad especially since it's been more than 10 years since the last game has been released, and given Konami's lastest actions, it's very unlikely that there will ever be another proper Goemon game, on top of the Japan-only games getting released outside of Japan.

* The ''VideoGame/WayOfTheSamurai'' series is a very interesting WidgetSeries, and one that doesn't get much respect in the west. Each game is very short, clocking in at around a few hours at most, but there are a wide array of choices to make, factions to ally oneself with, [[MultipleEndings endings to view]], and stuff to unlock.

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Bug}} BUG!]]''. A fun and comical platformer featuring a bug who has to travel six different worlds to save his family from an evil spider, it was also one of the first 3D platformers. Gameplay was fun- your character had a regular GoombaStomp, but gained powerups too, while each set of levels had unique and different types of insectoid enemies. The bosses were quite entertaining- whether it be fending off a swamp worm, defeating a yeti, or [[PlayingTennisWithTheBoss playing fish tennis with an octopus]]. Level designs were great- there were many paths for the player to take in each level, including multiple secret paths. Despite all these lovely aspects, it's unfortunately become more polarizing these days.

* ''VideoGame/{{Solatorobo}}''. A little game released at the end of the DS life cycle. Ten years in development, seven spent on WorldBuilding, and it shows. The story is well-written and engaging (and, at points, surprisingly deep), the characters are likeable and [[HilarityEnsues funny]], and it's got absolutely epic music and gorgeous graphics, even for such a tiny screen. It does seem moderately popular in Japan (the [[http://www.solarobo.channel.or.jp/pedia/index.html 100 commercials to break a Guinness record]] may have something to do with it), but Americans have hardly heard of it and those that have [[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom can't seem to get past the fact that the main character is a dog-guy]]. ''VideoGame/TailConcerto'', which it is a SpiritualSequel to, could also use more love.

* ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}''. It's a doujin game inspired by several classic games (most notably ''VideoGame/{{Mega Man|Classic}}''), where you play as a church maiden who has to stop a misguided rebellion led by her own friends and their supervisor. It's got [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic excellent music]] provided by several Japanese bands, and the visuals simply look ''[[SceneryPorn stunning]]''. Sadly, it never gets the attention it deserves, and for a couple reasons. Its [[TheWikiRule wiki]] seems to be in a state of turmoil, the fanbase is {{broken|base}} since the Eastern fans think there are no true Western fans[[note]]They obviously don't know a good chunk of the ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' fanbase[[/note]], and that those who are are merely "pretending" (case in point, one of the [[FandomVIP most prominent fans]] in the Western base is accused even by the developers themselves as being a complete asshole to the game, even despite his reform).

* ''CIMA: The Enemy'', a very nice game for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, made by the same people who made ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' and ''VideoGame/RuneFactory''. A fun and interesting top-down hack and slash in the style of old school ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'', with a very good strategy system and a unique storyline.

* ''VideoGame/AntonballDeluxe'' is an underappreciated arcade-style EliminationPlatformer by Summitsphere. [[SequelDisplacement Though not anywhere near as popular]] as its sequel ''[[{{VideoGame/Antonblast}} ANTONBLAST]]'', ''Antonball'' is still a great game in its own right. The game has 3 different gamemodes. ''Antonball'' is the platforming of ''VideoGame/MarioBros'', mixed with the brick breaking of ''VideoGame/Breakout'', and it combines perfectly, resulting in a very unique experience. ''Punchball'' is more traditional ''Mario Bros'' fare. Except that instead of jumping underneath the enemies to stun them, you chuck punchballs at them. And finally, the last game mode is ''Vs. Antonball'', a PlatformFighter, but with a twist: Instead of defeating your opponent, you have to break the opponent’s bricks the same way you do in ''Antonball''. Not to mention the game has ''23'' playable characters.

* ''VideoGame/AntonballDeluxe'' is an underappreciated arcade-style EliminationPlatformer by Summitsphere. [[SequelDisplacement Though not anywhere near as popular]] as its sequel ''[[VideoGame/Antonblast ANTONBLAST]]'', ''Antonball'' is still a great game in its own right. The game has 3 different gamemodes. ''Antonball'' is the platforming of ''VideoGame/MarioBros'', mixed with the brick breaking of ''VideoGame/Breakout'', and it combines perfectly, resulting in a very unique experience. ''Punchball'' is more traditional ''Mario Bros'' fare. Except that instead of jumping underneath the enemies to stun them, you chuck punchballs at them. And finally, the last game mode is ''Vs. Antonball'', a PlatformFighter, but with a twist: Instead of defeating your opponent, you have to break the opponent’s bricks the same way you do in ''Antonball''. Not to mention the game has ''23'' playable characters.

* ''VideoGame/AntonballDeluxe'' is an underappreciated arcade-style EliminationPlatformer by Summitsphere. [[SequelDisplacement Though not anywhere near as popular]] as its sequel [[VideoGame/Antonblast ''ANTONBLAST'']], ''Antonball'' is still a great game in its own right. The game has 3 different gamemodes. ''Antonball'' is the platforming of ''VideoGame/MarioBros'', mixed with the brick breaking of ''VideoGame/Breakout'', and it combines perfectly, resulting in a very unique experience. ''Punchball'' is more traditional ''Mario Bros'' fare. Except that instead of jumping underneath the enemies to stun them, you chuck punchballs at them. And finally, the last game mode is ''Vs. Antonball'', a PlatformFighter, but with a twist: Instead of defeating your opponent, you have to break the opponent’s bricks the same way you do in ''Antonball''. Not to mention the game has ''23'' playable characters.

** No mention of ''VideoGame/ThePath'' yet? Seriously, go check it. It's a retelling of the tale "Little Red Riding Hood", with 6 sisters taking the role of titular character, and exploring the forest with beautiful and surreal visuals. It's an interesting game that worth for checking out, especially if you fan of WorldOfSymbolism meets FairyTale.

** ''VideoGame/MetalGearGhostBabel'' is a great [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]] AlternateContinuity spinoff that many people may have mistaken for [[PortingDisaster being a downgraded version]] of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' [[ReformulatedGame made for the]] UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor due to its MarketBasedTitle outside of Japan. It is still actually a really great ''Metal Gear'' spinoff that perfectly blends together the gameplay of the MSX games and ''[=MGS1=]'' in a 2D plane, while presenting a new story in an AlternateContinuity that has some [[SurpriseCreepy surprisingly dark and creepy moments]] [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids for an E-rated Game Boy Color game]].

* ''VideoGame/BatenKaitos Origins''. Pretty much the epitome of DoingItForTheArt, with an utterly insane amount of attention paid to detail. To give an example, every one of the cards used in-game has a description about 4-5 full lines long -- all '''655''' of them. It certainly helps add to the SceneryPorn and SugarWiki/CrowningMusicOfAwesome too. Just about the only thing this game didn't have was good marketing.

** Moving on to more recent developments, ''Vera'', a top-down adventure game, yet it's still point-n-click. [[DoingItForTheArt With being short, but extremely light-hearthed game,]] [[NoExportForYou it never went well-known outside Russian-speaking countries.]] [[WhatCouldHaveBeen The creators wanted it to be in English as well, but... the last announcement before the official site froze was that they need a guy who may translate all ingame text...]]

* ''VideoGame/UniverseSandbox'' is a space simulator game that allows you to do anything from making planets collide and using [[Franchise/StarWars the Death Star's laser]] on them to terraforming planets and creating entire solar systems. The game recreates the physics of space extremely accurately, has a fittingly great soundtrack, and has [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome very pleasing graphics]].

* ''VideoGame/TheHauntedMansion'' video game, based on the famous Ride/DisneyThemeParks ride. Released the same year as the ill-fated [[Film/TheHauntedMansion film]] (though it had nothing to do with it outside its source material), the game was a gem lost under the wave of games. With some solid gameplay, great puzzles, MythologyGag filled areas, and some NightmareFuel added in, it's worth picking up if you have a system it works on.