Today marks the 15th anniversary of NBA Live 08 on Wii. It is a mystery to us why there was no national holiday and no street parades were organized for this excellent game. Except of course, it’s not excellent at all. The game was, in all respects, objectively badand yet there is a very large part of this writer who has an unabashed fondness for it, regardless of its flaws.
This got us thinking – what are our favorite games that everyone seems determined to say are bad? There’s no place here for the phrase “guilty pleasure” – after all, if we like them, why should we feel guilty about them? – but we work along the same lines.
Below, a group of our writers have entered the game confession box to discuss the games that, despite their better judgment, still fondly think of them. Whether it’s nostalgia, blinding bias, or the inability to turn off the ghost of childhood, each entry discusses one of our most controversial top games and also gives the reason why we love it so much.
Such a deep dive means we don’t want to be alone in our confessions, oh no – we want you to join too! Why not leave a comment below with your pick of bad games you can’t help but love and see how it compares to everyone else? Enjoy reading!
Pokémon Dash – Jim Norman, Staff Writer
I had to go to the internet to find my choice because after all, not all games I like are “good games”? Simply put, the answer is no.
I was shocked when I saw the slander massively distributed against Pokémon Dash, and for what reason?
As I flipped through lists of the worst Nintendo titles, I was shocked to see the slander massively distributed against Pokémon Dash, and for what reason? Because it was a Pokémon themed racer? Because the constant touchscreen swipes are a case of carpal tunnel syndrome waiting to happen? Because it’s kinda freaky to see Pikachu from a bird’s eye view? Apparently yes. All of the above.
I’m glad to be able to fly the positive flag for such a belittled title, I have so many fond memories of playing this game. The controls may have been a bit tedious, but they were fun enough and made good use of the DS’s hardware capabilities. The fact that you could only play as Pikachu in single player mode also did wonders for me. I loved that little guy and would squeeze hard to get him in any other Pokémon title, so the limited selection wasn’t skin of my teeth.
I understand the reasons for the complaint (although Metacritic’s 46 score hurts me), but nothing can overturn my nostalgia. Pokémon Dash is a fun time and I won’t be convinced otherwise.
Resident Evil 6 – Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer
Resident Evil 6 and I didn’t have the best start in our relationship. I remember getting excited watching the game’s debut trailer, but there were also minor concerns that manifested themselves in the depths of my mind. Leon and Chris in the same game? Nice. Driving a tank through the streets of Edonia? hmm… Then the demo came out and I immediately thought: “oh no, this is terrible”.
[Resident Evil 6] feels, in retrospect, like a natural evolution of what preceded it
However, time is a great healer. The sixth mainline Resident Evil is inferior to that of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4; there is no doubt about that. But ten years after its release, I absolutely love it for what it is. Yes, it ditched the survival horror element on which the series had effectively built its foundation, but the actual gameplay is ruddy lots of fun!
The game, in hindsight, feels like a natural evolution from what came before it. But where Resident Evil 5 blatantly copied the gameplay and general structure of its predecessor, Resident Evil 6 reached the stars with four unique campaigns and arguably the best iteration of the ‘Mercenaries’ mode the franchise had once seen.
Has it slipped here and there? Absolute. But those who mock it for its sharp focus on action rather than horror should push their minds further and realize that the seeds have been planted since the very beginning of the franchise. Resident Evil 6 was just the pinnacle of it.
Bioshock Infinite – Kate Gray, Staff Writer
Bioshock infinite. HEAR ME OUT.
I know it’s a well-made AAA game that got a slew of good reviews, but in more recent years the general consensus is that it’s an incredibly clunky take on real-world issues that make the pass awkward by eventually forgetting what it was saying and whose side it was on in the first place. For the record, I agree. The storyline of racism in Bioshock Infinite is: horrible terrible, finally shrugged and said “well, actually, maybe” everybody is a bit bad”. I won’t forgive that, nor for the gross use of racist stereotypes to characterize his villains and caricatures. And his protagonist.
I still think there’s a beautiful game hidden under all the ugly parts of Bioshock Infinite
That said, I still think there’s a wonderful game hidden beneath all the ugly parts of Bioshock Infinite. It’s beautiful – those skies, that environmental design, the inclusion of real songs to reflect an alternate universe, guided by isolationist religion – and it has themes that I adored, particularly between Elizabeth and her adopted, screwed up family, or the continuous thread of time, quantum mechanics and repetition.
The Lutece twins acting like strange, ethereal guides, constantly hinting at the true nature of things before you even realize it? Awesome. Repurposing 80s bops as anachronistic ragtime waltz covers? Inspired. The Requiem-scored monument to Elizabeth’s murdered mother and her eventual resurrection as a furious banshee? Chef’s kiss. I mean, they ruined it by turning it into a wave, but they got the… atmosphere. I only wish Irrational had kept to cool minds and all the more omitted “fresh philosophy student has opinions about racism and religion!” stuff.
Star Fox Zero – Goncalo Lopes, reviewer
It’s common for established Nintendo franchises to divide their fan base into opposites, more often if the franchise was founded before this century. Whenever Nintendo picks up an old 8- or 16-bit classic and gives the series an unexpected new spin, praise from new fans and anger from old ones is bound to follow. Several games come to mind that fit this pattern, and while a few are universally panned by critics and gamers alike, I often find something worth pursuing in them. Last culprit on my list: Star Fox Zero.
I acknowledge [Star Fox Zero’s] flaws and fear of how it could have jeopardized the future of the series in the future… but I can’t deny it remains a great ride
Star Fox 64 has refined the on-rails formula of the Super Nintendo original and Star Fox Assault has added Namco’s flavor to the mix. While this GameCube entry would also be a good candidate for this Talking Point feature, it was the latest iteration of Miyamoto and PlatinumGames on the franchise that “derailed things,” if you allow the pun.
A high-definition, ultimate Star Fox experience is something I (and I’m sure every fan of the franchise) has always dreamed of, because even in 1993 we didn’t see low-count polygon models – we saw epic space and ground combat . The Wii U was more than capable of delivering this graphical power (and it did!), but unfortunately, due to the game’s design philosophy that Miyamoto encouraged during development, several parts of the game were severely compromised by the inaccuracy. of the controls and often how unnatural it was for a more casual player to get to grips with driving the vehicles in such an otherworldly way.
So it’s bittersweet: I love the franchise, I love Star Fox Zero, but I’m alone among my tight-knit circle of Nintendo peers, who consider this entry the weakest game in the entire series. I acknowledge its flaws and am concerned that it may have jeopardized the future of the series in the future… but I can’t deny that it remains a great ride.
Yoshi’s Island DS – Mitch Vogel, reviewer
My pick for this would be Yoshi’s Island DS. The Yoshi’s Island series has been marked by many highs and lows (let’s face it, mostly lows), and I often see this game trotting forward in discussions of Nintendo’s biggest misses.
I think people should remember Yoshi’s Island DS better than they do
Personally, I really liked the baby-switching mechanic and thought it added a lot to the core gameplay, while stretching the game across two screens led to some fun and interesting level designs that couldn’t be replicated anywhere else. While it’s an absolute pain trying to make this game 100%, I actually enjoyed the process of doing that.
I developed a sick kind of respect for Yoshi’s Island DS, and while I’d still place the original release and Woolly World way above this one, I think people should remember Yoshi’s Island DS with more love than they do.
Phew, it sure feels good to write that off from us! Why not join the debate? Leave a comment below with your favorite bad game to conquer your shame!
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