Underrated games you enjoy

[E-Man]

Besides the mainstream classics that you love and enjoy, such as Banjo-Kazooie and Ocarina of Time, I'm wondering if you guys enjoy the more obscure and not so popular games just as much.

Here are a few I like/want to play.

Tomato Adventure
This Japan exclusive game was developed by Alpha Dream (I'm sure I don't have to tell you what they are best known for). It may look simple and childish, but the gameplay is pretty deep and everything looks cute and gorgeous! I like the character designs and the Action Command-like gameplay. Definitely Alpha Dream's most creative game and something I would love to get my hands on in the states (also, a sequel would be nice).

Freshly Picked Tingle: Rosie Rupee Land
Don't be so quick to judge this game because Tingle is the main protagonist. The first official spin-off of the Zelda games holds up pretty well. Sure, some of the characters are ugly and the guessing game mechanic can drive some people off, but if you look past that, this game is a lot of fun! It's full of humor, has a deep plot with nice side plots, the battle and bodyguard system are brilliant, and you'll never run out of uses for Rupees (unlike in other Zelda games)! I'd play it myself, but I didn't have much luck obtaining it (even though I do live in Europe).

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts
While a black sheep, the latest title in the Banjo-kAzooie games has a lot to offer. While the famous duo is not much to look at, the rest of the character designs are actually appealing and the scenery is beautiful. The charming humor and dialog is still there and it is chalk full of references. Even though the platforming is scarce, creating and piloting your own vehicles is the next best thing as you take on challenge after challenge. Say what you will about it, but I had a blast with this game throughout almost all of it!

[Level 1]

Yggdra Union for the Gameboy Advance.
One of the first tittles I had for the Gameboy Advance, published by Atlus, this game offered a lot. Starting off wit ha good tutorial, a great story-line, memorable characters, sweet graphics, and lots of re-play ability.

[Crappy Blue Luigi]

Live A Live

if you've ever talked with me you probably know about how much i love this game. it came out only in japan, but it got an extensive fan translation some years back. it's basically an rpg built on the premise of several unrelated stories with common themes and gameplay, all of which take place in different locations and time periods. i don't want to say anything else; there are still so many people who don't know about this game or know the game but not its plot, and its plot takes a really neat turn about halfway through. i seriously recommend looking live a live up, grabbing a rom and the translation patch, and sitting down with it for a while. it's super charming.

[White-Jet]

Bust A Groove 2

Not to be confused with Puzzle Bobble's American name, this is the sequel to one of the pre-cursor rhythm puzzle games where you pick a character and win a tournament based on their move set, which can change depending on how accurately you hit the button on the fourth beat. Unlike the prequel, which only changes the performance of the AI, the difficulty merely changes your character's move set (Easy only has arrows, Normal plays like the previous Bust A Groove, and Difficult has you using every button except the shoulder pads). The only downside is the American port took out the endings (though, watching them on Youtube I can kinda understand why).

Bombastic

Yet another sequel to a different puzzle game called Devil Dice. It has story mode, the option to play the original Devil Dice, and some other features which I haven't yet touched in the few years I worked up the gumption to play it.

Frequency

This, I believe, is another pre-cursor to Guitar Hero. Except, instead of using a Guitar, you use the shoulder buttons to knock out a beat. Although Amplitude improved on the gameplay, I have yet to get my hands on it, so I'll continue to stand by Frequency as the more favorable of the two.

Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan series

Just all of them. Ouendan, though, is the first and only series I paid money to get imported from Japan thanks to the original DS' ability to play imports without any extra software, and Ouendan 2 is the better of the two with the ability to play as the Agents and turn off the timing circles. But I still can't hold it as high as the other two games, which is why I chose to include the entire trilogy in this post.

[puggsoy]

Puggsy
Once again a thread causes me to mention my officially favourite game. It's just legendary in every aspect, music, graphics, mechanics, and just the general design of the setting. I should have another playthrough sometime.

Tomba!/Tombi!
Not quite as unknown, but still not the most popular game. I also love pretty much everything about it, I should play it again as well.

Little Inferno
Despite one of the creators being the art-based half of World of Goo, this seems to be noticeably less known. It's such a perfectly simple game though, burning stuff for no reason has never been so much fun. Yet another game I'm thinking I should play again.

Freshly Picked Tingle: Rosie Rupee Land
Don't be so quick to judge this game because Tingle is the main protagonist. The first official spin-off of the Zelda games holds up pretty well. Sure, some of the characters are ugly and the guessing game mechanic can drive some people off, but if you look past that, this game is a lot of fun! It's full of humor, has a deep plot with nice side plots, the battle and bodyguard system are brilliant, and you'll never run out of uses for Rupees (unlike in other Zelda games)! I'd play it myself, but I didn't have much luck obtaining it (even though I do live in Europe).

This is indeed a very fun game, it's not perfect of course but it certainly does what it intends, and that's make you stingy and greedy for rupees

[Paladin]

Umihara Kawase
It's a platformer for the SNES using rope physics.
It's very fun and I think it looks and sounds nice. Not many people know about it.
The other games in the series are good too.

Actraiser
I love the city-building parts of the game, and the action sequences are enjoyable too.
The best part about the game is the music, as it has one of the best soundtracks of a SNES game.

Clock Tower
A point-and-click horror game for the SNES.
The atmosphere of the game is brilliant, the music is awesome and it is probably one of the best looking games on the system along with Donkey Kong.

Ace Attorney Series
Not nearly enough people have played these games. And that's a shame, really. Gameplay, story and characters is fantastic.

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
It's gotten a lot more recognition over the years, but it's majorly overshadowed by FE7 or FE10. Even if it doesn't have the best graphics and some clunky mechanics, it's still my favourite game in the series.


I would have written Majora's Mask too, but it has become a lot more popular lately.

[Gors]

Umihara Kawase
It's a platformer for the SNES using rope physics.
It's very fun and I think it looks and sounds nice. Not many people know about it.
The other games in the series are good too.

Actraiser
I love the city-building parts of the game, and the action sequences are enjoyable too.
The best part about the game is the music, as it has one of the best soundtracks of a SNES game.

Clock Tower
A point-and-click horror game for the SNES.
The atmosphere of the game is brilliant, the music is awesome and it is probably one of the best looking games on the system along with Donkey Kong.

this so much

[Mag]

Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2

Anna, the game was a pretty awesome indie horror game, full of places to explore in this seemingly tiny woodshop. Felt like a smaller version of Amnesia: Dark Decent. Not the most popular of horror games, but it's pretty touching.

[orochii]

Cloudphobia
It's a scrolling shooter. It's pretty hardcore, and has some nice difficulty options, like the Mothership (which means you get penalized for every enemy you don't kill), time limit (something that obligues you to use that "dash" button)... Graphics are pretty nice, it's 2D. I like it. I'm bad at it though.

Vantage Masters
A simulation/tactical RPG. It actually doesn't has story, or not a strong one. You're a summoner, and you use certain kind of objects to summon creatures. The main mode consists of you beating enemies 1vs1 (actually summoner vs summoner, so that means n1 vs n2, where nX is the amount of creatures each character -including you- manages to summon).
Again, I think I suck at every existent game. I've never beaten every single stage/character. But when you do beat a character, you get a new summon or spell.

Is Magical Drop considered underrated?
I don't know. There was a time where I played Magical Drop 3 every single day in my life.
Same with Beatmania PC emulators
Like RDM, Ruvit, Lunatic Rave...

Lastly but not least...

Romancing SaGa series
If Live a Live is underrated, RomaSaGa is too. It has the same problem, not having an official release outside of Japan. It has a remake on PS2, but it's not the same as in the SFC... RomaSaGa is a great game, I feel it! Even if I don't understand Japanese ;A;. I still play it, I'm convinced that I'll somehow learn Japanese by struggling to understand what the hay it says... (using Google Translate, JWPce, Babylon, and other kanji search tools --and the things I learned from a Japanese class I still need to finish).

[Dolphman]

Shadow Warrior (Original)
Made a by 3D Realms a year after Duke Nukem 3D. Gets a bad rep today due to the asian stereotypes.
You play as perverted ninja Lo Wang getting revenge on Master Zilla. He even talks like a bad kung fu movie dub.
While fighting evil ninjas, ghosts, monsters, and animals. there's funny secrets and shout outs.
Amusingly you could find anime girls and try to hit on them, with some responding with an uzi.

Simon the Sorcerer
A humorous point/click adventure game series starring a teenage boy travelling into a fantasy world.
First game is notable for having him being voiced by Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame.

Blood
Horror themed first person shooter by Monolith. Like Duke Nukem 3D, it had pop culture references. Mostly to classic horror movies.
Jace Hall has been fighting to get the source code released. Then the three big Build Engine games will be open source.

Splatterhouse series
Namco's horror beat'em up games. Got a remake in 2010 that's also undderated, and it includes the original trilogy as unlockables.
So much fun beating the crap out of undead creatures, mutants, demons, and a giant dude with chainsaws in place of his hands.
Best part of the remake was Jim Cummings as the Terror Mask. Hearing him swearing up a storm was very amusing.
Especially since we best know him for voicing Pooh and Tigger.

[recme]

sonic battle

i loved how you can customize emerl and the whole fighting mechanic in the game was. i really would like to replay this title someday

[Mystie]

...Oh jeez, I have so many. Where do I even begin?

The Wonderful 101, Skies of Arcadia, Madworld, Advance Wars, the Boktai series, Beyond Good and Evil, Dust: An Elysian Tail, Disgaea 2 (this entry doesn't get as much love or recognition as the others, which is sad), Viewtiful Joe 1 and 2, Eternal Sonata, Dungeon Defenders, Pac-Man World 1 and 2 (what third entry?), DrillDozer, Elite Beat Agents, Kirby Air Ride (mainly because of the City Trials mode. I've spent way more time on that than on anything else in the game), the Klonoa series, Space Channel 5, Mech Assault, Cel Damage (it's Twisted Metal with a cartoon flair! What could possibly be cooler than that?), the Kururin series, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, Whacked!, Frogger: Swampy's Revenge (Frogger: The Rescue was also pretty good too), Croc 1 and 2...I could go on all day.

[Koopaul]

Thank you for mentioning The Wonderful 101! That game is too epic to have failed so miserably.

Also the Wii game Little King Story. Now that game is just so charming and funny it's ridiculous! The whole soundtrack, by the way, is remixed classical music from various different eras.

MadWorld anyone? Another Platinum gem that never had success. It's bloody good!

Rhythm Heaven, all of them. What a brilliant musical series with the style of WarioWare madness.

[E-Man]

sonic battle

i loved how you can customize emerl and the whole fighting mechanic in the game was. i really would like to replay this title someday

I loved playing that game! Too bad there's that 500 point limit for leveling up Emerl that makes it impossible to fully max him out with the best abilities… It makes sense for tournament rules, but if you want to complete Tail's Emerl training to quickly unlock all of Emerl's best abilities, you need some good abilities to help him along.

[FinalSmash]

This is more of a series per se, but I've for the most part enjoyed sports games on Nintendo console. GCN graphics look pretty good on Madden, Madden 09 was good on the Wii, but the games on the Wii after that were horrible. NBA Jam on the Wii is great, NBA 2K on the Wii is meh, and Madden and NBA2K13 on the Wii U are amazing. People generally go to PS for sports games, and with good reason, but Nintendo's no joke when it comes to sports games.