Video games are like relationships. Some are great but come around at the worst possible times. The games below however, although far from terrible, were panned by critics, mainly because the world wasn’t ready for them. Although time hasn’t been so friendly to some of them either, they do have redeeming qualities as well.
Lets Dive In:
Night Trap: This FMV game was originally scheduled for a 1985 release on a canceled Hasbro system. Seven years later and it was banned in the US. Had it been released in 1985 the same year as the original Super Mario Bros, the face of gaming could have been much different today.
ET: The Extra-Terrestrial: ET could have been a far better game with more time in development, yes. However, it would have been even better had it been developed on another system entirely. The NES or Master System could have been able to bring Howard Scott Warshaw’s dream to reality, not the under-powered Atari 2600.
Bubsy 3D: Without this game, there’s probably no Syphon Filter series, so don’t dog it so quickly. As well, 3D wasn’t a thing yet, even on the PS1- it was very much a work in progress. The team behind Bubsy 3D tried hard and made a lot of mistakes so that later teams didn’t have to.
Jumping Flash: It’s still a sight to behold and a FPS/adventure hybrid that the world still doesn’t appreciate. But it’s safe to say this game made later weird titles like Parappa, Shadow of the Colossus and Katamari possible.
Chiller: This game is child’s play compared to Mortal Kombat today but back when it was originally released, it shocked everyone. Regardless, it was an important game because it pushed the envelope for future developers.
