There is no doubt you have had a run-in with a bad game. It’s a simple fact of gaming life, considering how titles have shipped to various parts of the globe. Perhaps you’ve only come across titles with minor annoyances. Or maybe you’ve encountered a title you couldn’t stand picking up again. Check out this list of the Top Ten Worst Games of this Generation So Far.
1. Trespasser
Released in 1998 for the Microsoft Windows operating system, this title was developed by DreamWorks Interactive and published by Electronic Arts. The story takes place a full year after the events of The Lost World: Jurassic Park. While the idea of a sequel sounds good on paper, the title did not meet with the commercial success developers hoped for.
2. Superman 64
Superman 64 was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64 and was developed and published by Titus Interactive. Lex Luthor has kidnapped Kal-El’s closest friends and imprisons them in a simulation of Metropolis. It is your duty as the ‘Last Son of Krypton’ to break them out and free them.
In addition to its poor controls, gamers also take issue with what developers called “kryptonite fog.” This fog litters the virtual expanse of Metropolis inside the game. “It is Lex Luthor’s way of dampening the Kryptonian’s powers,” developers stated. What is it in reality? It was the developers way of masking the game’s poor rendering ability.
3. South Park
This little gem definitely belongs on the South Park is a first-person shooter developed by Iguana Entertainment for the Nintendo 64 and PC in 1999. It was developed for the Playstation by Appaloosa Entertainment. The objective of the game is certainly simple: find weapons to defeat enemies and then escape.
South Park doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Despite the cast reprising their respective roles, the audio became repetitive and caused some players to forget the game. IGN said about the Nintendo 64 in an article that the game was “as funny as the television series.”
4. Batman Dark Tomorrow
This adventure from the caped crusader definitely earned its spot on a Top Ten Worst Games list. It was developed by HotGen and published by Kemco. It was released in 2003 for the Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube.
Players gain control of Batman as he works to stealthily bring down criminals in Gotham City. As Batman, you have to handcuff your enemies to keep them from attacking.
Large issues with the game were its repetitive missions and frustrating camera control. The ending was extremely confusing: find the device controlling the bombs and shut it off. What’s the problem with that? The game doesn’t tell you about it.
The Dark Knight deserves more respect.
5. The Simpsons Wrestling
Developed by Big Ape Productions and published by Activision, The Simpsons Wrestling released in 2001 for the Playstation console. The full roster consists of 20 familiar characters from the television series.
Certain moves or actions will drain the meter to varying degrees, indicated by an on-screen meter. If you performed certain moves, a large amount of stamina could be conserved. The broken combat makes it easy to win matches, provided you hit the right buttons.
6. The Simpsons Skateboarding
Developed by The Code Monkeys and published by Electronic Arts, the game released for the Playstation 2 in 2002. The story comes from the same writers of the television series.
This game has some of the worst graphics I’ve seen for a Playstation 2 title. The Simpsons Skateboarding had major issues. The animations were choppy at best. For being on a console like the Playstation 2, it’s disappointing how this one turned out. The Simpsons Skateboarding is a prime example of attempting to “copycat” a popular franchise and failing miserably.
7. Spyro: Enter The Dragonfly
Developed by Check Six Studios and Universal Interactive, Spyro: Enter The Dragonfly released in November 2002 for the Playstation 2 and GameCube consoles. Enter The Dragonfly had major potential that suffered at the hands of publishers.
The game assuredly had many problems. There are bad framerates, a short story, and lack of content to name a few. Universal Interactive pushed developers into an early release, essentially causing the problems this game had.
8. Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis
Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis released in 2003 for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox. Developed by Lucky Chicken Games and published by TDK Mediactive, the game helped birthed the “Golden Mullet Award.” G4‘s X-Play would hand this honor out to the “worst game of the year.”
Players take on the role of Aquaman, a well-known member of the Justice League. As the ruler of Atlantis, you must save the ancient city and its inhabitants from Black Manta. He has gathered an army and will stop at nothing to destroy your home.
The compass could definitely use improvement. Even people with an excellent sense of direction would have trouble understanding it. Movement, I feel, is extremely choppy considering how well other titles flow on the same systems. The problematic battle system alone earns it a spot on the Top Ten Worst Games list.
9. Vampire Rain
Developed by Artoon and published by AQ Interactive (Xbox 360) and Ignition Entertainment (PlayStation 3), Vampire Rain released in 2007 and 2008.
Vampire Rain is classified as a “survival horror” title. The game places heavy emphasis on stealth, which shouldn’t be a thing with vampires. Enemies can obliterate you in one or two hits, depending on your health. it earned negative reception in the US, but such was not the case in Japan, where reception was overwhelmingly positive.
10. Little Britain: The Video Game
Little Britain: The Video Game was released in 2007 for the PlayStation 2, PC, and PlayStation Portable. On its surface, the title is a collection of mini-games. But mini games can only take a title so far. It isn’t just a terrible game, but terribly offensive as well. One of the mini games has players running over and beating “stereotypical homosexuals.”
Germany’s Federal Review Board flagged the title for its offensiveness and negative influence on youth. This is one title that deserves the “ET treatment.”
Did you find any of your Top Ten Worst Games on the list? Let us know in the comments!
