Amazing games that should have sucked.

[SuperDeadite]

Kind of a counter topic to the disappointing games list.  This is for games that really should be a steaming pile of shit, but ended up being amazingly wonderful games.  I'm not talking about "so bad it's good," but "WTF this should be shit, but it's actual totally awesome legit!"

As most could probably guess, mine would be:

GO! GO! Birdy Chance.

Hey Tokimeki Memorial is really popular, let's take that idea, dumb it down to the basics, throw in a cheap golf game, and give it an Aim for the Ace/Top vibe.  This should be a terrible piece of shovelware, but damn it's still one of my favorites.  The game is just really fun and sucked me in completely.  It does what it needs to, no more no less and always puts a smile on my face.  Having a good grasp of Japanese really helps though as the dialog is a big part of the fun.

[Opethian]

id say Splash Lake
at first glance I wrote it off but after playing it, it gets pretty fun.

[Tatsujin]

gate of thunder

first i thought it's a cheap TFIII ripp-off, but only after 0,023 secs of playing it was clear that it's one, if not the best console shewty of ever..hehe.

trü störy.

[InfraMan]

If we're talking PCE only, I have to go with Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu. It's a game based on a license, which is strike one, and it features a super big-headed Jackie Chan who runs around kicking the shart out of frogs and bouncing off of clouds. Yet somehow it ends up being great, go figure.


Outside of the PCE realm, some other games that come to mind are:

Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad (360)
Earth Defense Force 2017 (360, etc.)
Katamari Damacy (PS2)

[majors]

Vanishing Point on DC had horrid controls when you start but the Stunt Driver mode was crazy fun. I've heard that the main game does get better the more cars you unlock, but it starts you off with such crappy cars (two in fact), I never bothered to play more of the main game.

[wyndcrosser]

That matching marble game for PCE, I think Turbografx had a release too.

If you're talking about non-PCE/TG, I'd say any Android or iPhone game until you're bored and all you have is your phone.

[Bklyn4ever]

People might not agree with this choice, however, I was fond of JJ & Jeff.

[imparanoic]

pc engine

son son 2 seemed boring, but get addictive
x serd seemed crap, but after figuring this strategy turn based game, highly addictive (originally got to last level in 1994, clock it 2010)
fantasy zone seem basic and boring, but it's actually pretty decent

snes

I was misled that Zelda was not that good and boring ( by my non rpg friends) during 90's, found it was excellent on a snes system on a plane journey 10 years later, then after a mammoth 30 hour session (over a month via emulator) recognized it as a masterpiece on emulator via psp two years ago - also made buy 3d dot game hero

[pixeljunkie]

Cratermaze.

...ended up being a very addictive game.

[roflmao]

Vanishing Point on DC had horrid controls when you start but the Stunt Driver mode was crazy fun. I've heard that the main game does get better the more cars you unlock, but it starts you off with such crappy cars (two in fact), I never bothered to play more of the main game.

I remember when I picked this up second-hand for next to nothing, thinking nothing of it.  And I had so much fun I brought it over to my little bother's place and never came home with it!  I would go over to his place almost every weekend and for awhile we played that a ton! Great, arcade-y racing game that fell under the radar.

[greedostick]

A game that surprised me was Kato-Chan and Ken-Chan. Judging a book by its cover I didn't think the USA version would be good at all due to the horrible art. I played the USA version first and thought it was pretty good. I read years later that the English version was heavily censored. Picked up the Japanese version and loved it. I wouldn't go as far as amazing, but it a very fun game that surprised me and a worthy title of the Turbografx, and a collectors collection.

Also I would like to mention Valis 3 English version. Again because of the horrible art. I seriously think it's the worst art to ever grace a game. Step back Mega Man 1!!! I think she is pretty man-ish and a questionable transexual. But I need to learn to not judge games by their covers because I have been fooled too many times.

[runinruder]

Cratermaze.

...ended up being a very addictive game.

This is a pretty good call.  I don't think the game is amazing, but I found it surprisingly enjoyable and addictive for what it is.

Some other titles that qualify for me...

Tenshi no Uta -- Really tiny sprites, small-window cinemas, goofy-looking characters, yet it's one of my favorite RPGs.

Batman -- Somehow it's a lot of fun to scurry around little mazes and wipe puke off paintings. 

[megatron-uk]

x serd seemed crap, but after figuring this strategy turn based game, highly addictive (originally got to last level in 1994, clock it 2010)

I just played this for the first time a few weeks ago - it does seem quite a groovy little scifi strategy game. It's almost a Macross-lite.

Might have to put a bit more time into that one to figure it out; I was just guessing at the controls and my 'X Serd' lead unit got wiped out after I transformed it to fighter mode, flew across the first level and then got pummeled by the enemies when I couldn't figure out how to change it back.

Nice graphics, especially the animations, and it seems like it would be a good translation candidate.....

[reno5]

Tricky Kick. Wasn't sure at all about that game and ended up playing for hours.

Cyber Core: crapy graphics but love that game. Great music etc.

[nodtveidt]

+1 for Splash Lake. It looked like it'd be goofy and stupid but it's seriously legit.

Camp California. No way could a game featuring a bunch of furries prancing about to Beach Boys music be any good... but it is. While it does have some technical issues with your starting character, this is a pretty solid platformer once you really get into it.

Outside of the PCE/TG world... one that will always be awesome is Castle Of Illusion. How could a Mickey Mouse game be so great? You'd expect it to be a crappy kids' game that's either easy as pie or filled with really lame shit (*cough* Fantasia *cough*) but it's rock solid and will challenge veteran platformer players.