PixlBit

A long time ago, I wrote a blog discussing six games I thought were worth playing despite their lousy reputations. Here are five more that, despite poor reviews or bad word of mouth, are actually pretty good.

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures—PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U

Based on Pac’s relatively new cartoon show of the same name, Ghostly Adventures sees the titular hero running and jumping through a colorful world not unlike the Pac-Man World trilogy from years ago. Unfortunately, the gaming press barely acknowledged its existence at the time—a shame considering the game’s distinctive art, likable characters, and fun, fast-paced levels. For his part, Pac-Man can acquire a number of exotic powers and abilities by chomping down on the appropriate power berry—a reimagining of the iconic power pellet of old. Each “superpower,” from fireball hurling to bouncing across walls, is fun and adds to the game’s wide palette of things to do. A competitive multiplayer mode and some quirky mini-games round out the package rather nicely.

Pac's world holds a number of exotic locales. As shown, the art work is rather top notch.

That’s not to say the game doesn’t deserve some criticism, of course. The opening world is rather blah, the camera can be annoying, and anyone not familiar with the cartoon will likely find the story inscrutable. But for anyone looking for a decent 3-D platformer that’s not Mario and company, this one’s the ticket.

Ehrgeiz—PSOne

Once upon a time there was a company called Squaresoft, and along with some great RPGs, it also produced a number of titles that strayed far into other genres, from the superb shooter Einhander to the cutesy kart-racer Chocobo Racing. And then there was Erhgeiz, a quirky, free-roaming fighter considered notable only for its inclusion of Cloud Strife and a few other Final Fantasy notables. Indeed, the game was criticized upon release for its sloppy gameplay and brain-dead AI. Nevertheless, the game’s graphics are startlingly good (using the PSOne’s high-res mode), its extra modes are entertaining (namely the Diablo-esque quest mode that’s essentially a game onto itself), and the multi-player fighting feels much like an early precursor to Capcom’s later Powerstone. Worth investigating.

Metroid: Other M—Wii

After the highly regarded Metroid Prime series ran its course, Nintendo developed Other M. On paper, the game should have been a wide success—high production values, intense action, and a third-person perspective that helped realign the series with its 2-D roots. And yet fans turned on this game in droves.

Why? The story seems to be the main culprit, with some feeling it saddled Samus with too much emotional baggage and made her too deferential to authority. Of course, Samus was never more than a thinly written avatar to begin with, with much of her “personality” presupposed by eager fans.

Otherwise, only a somewhat clunky set of controls deters Other M from must-play status, meaning that anyone wanting some fast-paced action fused with a little adventure should still give this one a shot.

Mario Pinball Land—Game Boy Advance

At first glance, the game looks amazing, with beautiful, prerendered sprites that seem to pop impossibly from the GBA’s modest screen. But critics were harsh, claiming the game’s boards were too cramped and sloppily construed, the physics wonky and difficult to manage, and the entire premise basically ludicrous (Mario gets transformed into a ball so he can save Princess Peach, who’s been launched, in ball form, into Bowser’s castle). And there’s definitely some truth to those sentiments.

But in fairness, the game never tries to be anything but a whimsical, surreal (and thus unrealistic) take on pinball, with Mario ricocheting into mushrooms and koopas, knocking over switches and plowing through pyramids and ghost houses alike. And while some stars (needed to unlock later areas similar to Mario 64) are difficult to acquire, enough are attainable to allow anyone eventual access to the final boss.

Unfortunately, that final boss is among the most frustrating encounters ever devised in a game, but perhaps that is best left for another blog.

Pac-Pix—Nintendo DS

While never truly scorned, Pac Pix was an early DS game that didn’t get much appreciation. With the DS itself portrayed as a magical book, the game is all about drawing “pac-men” across the pages. If properly depicted, these Pac facsimiles will then spring to life and gobble up ghosts also patrolling the page. An odd premise, indeed, but fun all the same, and one of the few ideas at the time that took significant advantage of the system’s touch screen. The ability to draw other objects comes in later levels, including arrows to trigger switches and bombs to stun ghosts. Mix these mechanics with some distinctive cartoon art and catchy music, and the game almost transcends itself to become something both addictive and sublime.

But perhaps the premise proved too unconventional for the average gamer. Perhaps the game proved too frustrating for those with an unskilled hand. Whatever the reason, the game can still be had for cheap over at Amazon right now. So why not snag a copy, eh? Better late than never.

 

Whether good, bad or somewhere in-between, many games never get the attention they deserve, living in the shadow of more prominent releases. But gamers can help by seeking out those overlooked titles themselves.

Because, just maybe, there’s an undiscovered classic out there waiting to be shared with the world.

 

Thanks to www.psxextreme.com and www.cheatcc.com for the images.