The Obscure Video Game Resource

[SKELTON S. SKELETON]

What exactly is it that makes a game obscure? Generally speaking, it could be a number of things. Sometimes a game might have an unfortunate release window (a lesser known JRPG coming out alongside a high name title like final fantasy or dragon quest)
Sometimes a game might just not get any advertisement and release entirely under the radar, or might get a bad review from a popular gaming publication. (hi ign, really enjoyin that 3.0 you gave godhand)

This is especially popular with older games, the lack of the internet in the hey-day of 16 and even 32 bit consoles causes the emulation aficionado to stumble on a game they've never heard of in the slightest

It's also still ever present in the modern age of videogames, with only the most popular titles (or in most cases, games where the publisher backs the promise of a good review with money) receiving magazine highlights, and lesser known fare doomed to total obscurity or resulting in the creation of a 'cult hit' (some directors even making a kind of expertise in creating cult hits)

The SNES and PS1 are incredibly popular systems with an absolutely daunting backlog of games, many of which are solid titles that were never localized or had remarkably small production runs.

A few of my favorite games that can be marked 'obscure'


Rendering Ranger: R2
A sidescrolling shooter with pre-rendered sprites (thanks donkey kong that sure was an impressive looking fad) developed and directed by Manfred Trenz (the creator of Turrican) by the time the game was finished, the only company interested in publishing it was the Japanese wing of Virgin Interactive, resulting in a 'Japanese' shooter created by a German developer with English menus.


Majyuuou
Majyuuou is an atmospheric action game, translated by AGTP a few years ago and one of the most surprisingly dark games available for the SNES. Developed by a very little known Japanese company called KSS, Majyuuou is at least worth a look for fans of similar titles like Castlevania.


Actraiser 2
Actraiser 2 is an example of a game that is not-very well known (or liked) for bad reasons: It's surprisingly different from the game that came before it, and widely decried as being 'too different' with an 'off putting sequel'
however, what Actraiser 2 actually is happens to be a very well crafted (and good looking!) action game, with a harsh learning curve that requires the player to learn the ins and outs of the games mechanics.


Back on the Ps1 before companies were absolutely terrified of making a game in a genre that wasn't the most popular or a game in a series that wasn't the cash cow of the studio house,
many developers experimented with unfamiliar ideas well off the beaten path of what they were famous for, such as Square co-developing a realistic fighting game with developer LightWeight, resulting in a very overlooked, deep fighting game with impressive mechanics for a relatively early PS1 game