Today, people of all ages enjoy playing video games. Whether it’s a short 10-minute morning blast before work or school or a prolonged weekend session, video games are a hugely popular pastime. They’ve become synonymous with modern life and most Western households feature at least one console as well as a home computer that is also capable of playing games.
It might be difficult to imagine, especially with the epic graphics and storylines of modern games, but there was a time when video games weren’t that great. In fact, as you’ll find out shortly, one was even buried in the desert by the company that made it! Probably because GAME didn’t offer a trade-in facility in those days!
Without further ado, let’s have a look at the worst 10 video games of all time:
10. Revolution X (SNES)
Music is your weapon and Aerosmith are your heroes as you fight to overthrow an oppressive world order who want to prevent you from rocking. This truly awful game features bad graphics, poor animation and even poorer gameplay.
9. Extreme Sports with the Berenstain Bears (Gameboy Color)
‘Extreme’ is definitely not a word to describe this truly awful sport-related boredom-fest. In fact, the most extreme aspect of it is the excitement of trying to play it and not getting caught by your friends or family. The game itself features four ‘extreme’ sports: sledding, kayaking, biking, and skateboarding yet all of them are virtually identical and see you trying to navigate your teddy bear past rocks using the unresponsive controls.
8. White Men Can’t Jump (Jaguar)
The first movie-based game on our list, but certainly not the last is White Men Can’t Jump on the Jaguar games system. The movie focussed on the streetwise world of two basketball hustlers out to exploit the seedy world of basketball gambling. The game however, doesn’t.
7. Superman 64 (N64)
We said there would be more movie-based video game catastrophes and Superman 64 is definitely one of them. The game sees one of our favourite super heroes made to feel like an obedient puppy by Lex Luther. We say ‘obedient puppy’ because the game basically sees you (as Superman) doing whatever Lex wants you to do, in order for you to escape from the world he has imprisoned you in.
6. Zelda: Wand of Gamelon (CDI)
Princesses are usually the people who need saving in video games and there’s a good reason for that. However, in Zelda: Wand of Gamelon you’re a princess and she does exactly what you would expect a princess to do – not a lot. There are a number of reasons why the Philips CD-i never worried other console makers too much and this game is definitely one of them. In fact, it’s rumoured that Philips lost one billion dollars on the entire CD-i project.
5. Virtuoso (3D0)
The main character in this game is a rock star who every once in a while escapes his rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and enters the simulated world of Virtuoso. It’s a 3D shooter that has the camera positioned directly behind your guy which means anything that you may have wanted to shoot is hidden from site by your rock star’s hair! Frustrating yes, exciting no.
4. Captain Novolin (SNES)
Okay, so a game about diabetes should be epic right? Well, this game definitely isn’t, despite being sponsored by Novo Nordisk who makes the Novolin brand of insulin. Captain Novolin is the game’s main protagonist and finds himself jumping around trying to defeat evil aliens. Poor controls and questionable subject matter make this game one to avoid.
3. Fight for Life (Jaguar)
The second Jaguar-based game on our list is Fight For Life. The basic premise is that eight dead individuals have found themselves in Satan’s back garden and need to fight for the chance to be brought back to life. The scenery should be hot and full of fire, but instead there’s the odd tropical jungle and even Manhattan.
2. Club Drive (Jaguar)
Poor old Jaguar has managed to make the number three and two spots on our list with Club Drive the latest culprit. There’s a reason why the developers never made a Club Drive 2 and that’s because the first one was so bad. Driving a car around a poorly designed living room has never been so much fun.
1. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (Atari 2600)
Remember what we said about games being buried in the desert? Well, now’s the time to find out more. It was always considered one of those urban rumours, but in 1983, Atari really did bury truckloads of their worst game ever in a Mexican desert. Do we really need to say any more about this epic fail of a game?
And there’s our run down of the 10 worst games of all time. Have you got any of your own to add?