Bad Dudes and other bad game titles

by Christopher Grant { Feb 23rd 2006 at 8:00AM }

A thread over at GAF is collecting the "Awesomest Game Names," though a quick perusal of some of the choices makes you wonder if the titles are really "awesome" in a good way or awesomely poor; sort of like the way the kids use "bad" nowadays.

Some of the notables thus far: Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball, Bad Dudes, World's Greatest Football Game, Ninja Baseball Bat Man, and the Japanese import Touch Dic. Of the games on your shelves, which ones are notably good or bad (as in not good), and specify what you think they are! I'll start: Electroplankton: good; Devil May Cry (bad).

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

DG @ Feb 23rd 2006 8:15AM

Bad Dudes was part of long list of terrific beat-em-up games from the late 80s and early 90s (seemingly most published by Data East) including Double Dragon, Crime Wave, Combatribes, and Final Fight, as well as the truly terrible Two Crude Dudes. They all had the same basic plot and I consider them all to be classics.

My favorite bad game title of all time is "No One Can Stop Mr. Domino," a decent puzzle game for PSX.

binary_hero @ Feb 23rd 2006 9:01AM

F.E.A.R.
"First Encounter Action Response"? What the hell kind of name is that for an elite paramilitary group, let alone a game?

MrBlank @ Feb 23rd 2006 9:04AM

What the heck is this? Like I'm going to read a long forum thread that hardly stays on topic ...

32_Footsteps @ Feb 23rd 2006 9:06AM

If we're bringing up bad names, I have to mention the classic "Irritating Stick" for the PS1.

There's also "Totally Rad" for the NES, "Pooyan" for arcades and early home systems, and Sqoon for the NES.

matguard @ Feb 23rd 2006 9:07AM

In all honesty, we all play Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero despite the awsomely bad names... They are kind of wimpy and well, just plain bad.

All the Mechwarrior games however make me feel more like a man just by reading the box... MechWarrior (insert version): Vengence, Black Knight, Merceneries,
Ghost Bear's Legacy etc.

Voodoo M @ Feb 23rd 2006 9:29AM

As a general rule, almost ALL videogame names are terrible. I don't even know where to start. It's an indication that the industry still has no right be be taken seriously yet. Most game names are the sort of thing I'd avoid like the plaugue if I saw them in my local video shop. Japanease games seem to be the worst offenders, although this may well be a cultural or translation issue. Just the first examples from the top of my head:
Panza Dragoon (yes, I know what a 'drargoon is)
Final Fantasy ...
Ghost Recon
Max Payne
Halo: Combat Evolved (in what sense has it evolved?)
Project Gotham Racing

Spamalot @ Feb 23rd 2006 9:30AM

Mega Man
It sounds like a vitamin...

--
Spamalot
www.squatsquat.com

Mole @ Feb 23rd 2006 9:51AM

Barkley: Shut Up and Jam!.

The exclamation point is what makes it art.

Dave F @ Feb 23rd 2006 9:53AM

LLamasoft produced such classics as

Metagalactic Llamas Battle At The Edge Of Time
Sheep In Space
Attack of the Mutant Camels

Voodoomyass @ Feb 23rd 2006 10:14AM

Panza Dragoon (yes, I know what a 'drargoon is)
by Voodoo M

It's not PANZA ,It's Panzer Dragoon which means Armored Dragon.
Ghost Recon was a Book by Tom Clancy which is about a Ghost Reconaissance team (Radio silence behind enemy lines)Ghost Recon is a radio call sign.

Akbar @ Feb 23rd 2006 10:17AM

Voodoo M (#6)

I think you're a bit harsh, but let's break it down:

Panzer Dragoon: ok, I can kind of buy this one. Neat {sounding} but kind of bizarre

Final Fantasy: A really apt name for the first game, kinda weird that there's 12, not very descriptive of any particular game, I can buy that as well. I wouldn't say horrible, but maybe they should've changed it for the second one.

Ghost Recon: I like this name. I think it's slick, it conveys what the game is about, and I'd be hard pressed to think of a better name for this game. I disagree.

Max Payne: Ok, yeah. Max Payne is aweful, moving on...

Halo: Combat Evolved: Without the Combat Evolved, it's a great title. I tend to ignore it. In a sense tho, Halo redefined the control scheme for FPS games on consoles as we know it. So, I'd say they earn the evolved thing. You can disagree, that's fine, but I'm just slightly happy enough to say this title isn't bad.

Project Gotham Racing: Is a great title that is perfect for what it does. As was it's predecessor Metropolis Street Racing. Perhaps people can't get past the DC comics inspired implications of either name (Gotham or Metropolis) but since they both basically mean "generic big city" and the premise of any of those games is that you race around various Gothams and Metroplises(Metropoli?) around the world, I think it's a great title that has style AND is true to what the game is about.

Anyway, just my 2c

Einhanderkiller @ Feb 23rd 2006 10:45AM

>F.E.A.R.
>"First Encounter Action Response"? What the hell kind of >name is that for an elite paramilitary group, let alone >a game?

F.E.A.R. = "First Encounter Assault Recon"

DCSimian @ Feb 23rd 2006 10:59AM

I used to have Combat Basketball...*sniff, the shame.

To add to the list: Shaq Fu...'nuff said.

Kye @ Feb 23rd 2006 11:04AM

Final Fantasy - Oh how many are there gona be before we get to the final one? :-s

Mike @ Feb 23rd 2006 11:07AM

#12... Combat B-Ball was the first game I rented for the SNES back in the day (I'm from Detroit, and I had to represent the bad boys!) Anyway, when I read the subject line to this, only one game came to mind:

"Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf"

If only there was fighting in it...

gman @ Feb 23rd 2006 11:11AM

Not exactly the worst titles...but sort of in the same vein, which i thought everyone would get a kick out of...these worst box arts are HILLARIOUS!!! and not all just old ones ..NCAA March Madness 03 is rediculously funny

http://games.terra.com.br/galeria/piorescapas/

(not in english, but you dont need captions)

Gonzo @ Feb 23rd 2006 11:29AM

Super Noah's Arc 3D (SNES)
Could've been worse, they could've added "Extreme" on the end.

Rush 'n Attack. Bad Cold War play on words.

I've always loved Castlevania but that is such a rediculous name. Now it's kind of just accepted.

Voodoo M @ Feb 23rd 2006 11:40AM

#9 and #10
Ok, I take your points. And apologies for my spelling. It's not necessarily that these are bad names for games, just bad names full stop. I'm really pointing out that to causal or non-gamers, particularly adult, educated, culturally aware people, looking at the titles in your average game store is a bit like looking through the section marked 'action b-movies' at the video store. I’m not particularly into pulp fiction thrillers either. I suggest a compare and contrast with the modern literature section of a bookshop. Maybe it's a question of what you want from a game. Or snobbery. I don't know.

Voodoo M @ Feb 23rd 2006 11:45AM

I have just realised that as I am called 'Voodoo M', I am not entitled to make judgements on good or bad taste in names, and therefore retract all my earlier comments. Appologies

:-))

unreal mccoy @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:08PM

Worst game name, and possibly one of the worst fighting games ever:

Shaq Fu

unreal mccoy @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:11PM

since someone already said Shaq Fu, how about

Kid Nikki: Radical Ninja (NES)

dotun.o @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:44PM

I think there are only a few game names as "formal-sounding" and regal as "The Legend of Zelda", though playing the series' games makes you wonder whether it should be "The Legends of Hyrule" instead :)

32_Footsteps @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:53PM

Oh, what about "Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing"? That gets extra demerits because the name is partly derived from something Jar Jar said.

I'm also of the opinion that any game that uses the word Extreme, in any way, shape, or form, is a bad name. Even if the game is absolutely incredible.

Jigster @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:55PM

"First Encounter Assault Recon" definitely isn't any better, anyway. As for other bad names, how about:

- Kung Food (Lynx)
- Bobby Is Going Home (Atari 2600)
- Urban Yeti (GBA)

Yoshi Likes Boys @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:42PM

Bad:
Resident Evil
Yoshi: Touch And Go

Good:
It's Mr. Pants!
Bignose Freaks Out

EatingPie @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:42PM

Voodoo, I'm not sure what you were thinking with your list, but almost all those titles were good, great even!

I see your point about "Combat Evolved" but pretty much everyone calls Halo "Halo"... and that's a good name, especially in terms of what Halo refers to.

Panzer Dragoon? Awesome! It has a poetic sound to it, and conveys something about the game (dragons!?!).

I agree it's dumb for "Final Fantasy" to have sequels, but still, we're talking about names.

Gotham/Metropolis Racing? I find those creative: Metropolis is just a generic city, but the sequel being named Gotham and harnessing the Comic reference was brilliant.

I'm not sure why you picked some of the BEST video game names ever and harshed on em, but to each his own I guess!

I mean, cmon, we stareted with "Bad Dudes"!

-Pie

Conn @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:52PM

Ninja Golf for the Atari 7800 had the best title ever.

Tom Hayden @ Feb 23rd 2006 2:00PM

Crash n the boys: Street Challenge.

This phenomenon doesn't only occur in videogames. Die Harder? The day after tomorrow? Also, Bad dudes is a sweet name. Plus it has the sweetest intro and ending sequences of all time.

PiratePete @ Feb 23rd 2006 2:30PM

"Ye Ar Kung Fu" (Arcade, C64)
"Wavy Navy" (C64) Loved it!

radjago @ Feb 23rd 2006 4:07PM

Needs more Metal Wolf Chaos.

Wonderflex @ Feb 23rd 2006 5:22PM

In my opinion the dreamcast had some of the worst named titles, although the DC will always be atop my list of the greatest systems ever made. Here are just a few of the horribly name games it had to offer:

Bass Rush Dream
Bomber Hehhe!
Hello Kitty: Lovely Fruit Park
Cool Cool Toon
Maximum Pool
Typing of the Dead
Draconus - Cult of the Wyrm

fonzaloon @ Feb 23rd 2006 5:29PM

Burger Time
Donkey Kong Jr. Math
Base Wars
Astyanax
Rush 'N Attack
Fighting Street
Tobal No.1
Snake

fonzaloon @ Feb 23rd 2006 5:30PM

I totally forgot:
Parappa The Rappa

Badison @ Feb 23rd 2006 5:31PM

Castle Quest
(on NES, anyone played/heard of it? oh, the horror of it all...)

Vexorg @ Feb 23rd 2006 6:40PM

I think I've gotta' go with Violence Fight (as opposed to what, Pacifism Fight?)

Eben @ Feb 23rd 2006 6:48PM

It's time for everyone to pick up a dictionary: Dragoon means "Force", Not just dragon. "Armored Force" makes more sense than "Armored Dragon"

Best name: The Neverhood

ben @ Feb 24th 2006 4:43AM

escape from the planet of the robot monsters!!

awesome name and game

Anders @ Feb 24th 2006 3:55PM

For those who comment on the fact that Final Fantasy is in it's 12th iteration, the reason it's called Final Fantasy was because Square was actually on the verge of going bankrupt, and FF1 was their last production. The unexpected success of this led them to create more games, and I guess they wanted to keep the popularity rather than confuse gamers (keeping in mind the internet was nowhere near as accessible then as it is now, so keeping the brand power up was/is important)

Orlando @ Apr 6th 2006 1:59PM

Godai: Elemental Force for PS2 (don't bother playing it.) Sounds like Go and Die. Translates to BIG 5.

Groovy Bunch of Games PC... Groovy Sack of...

Jonny Mosely: Max Trix PS2? Trix are for kidz!

Way to go 3do, 3 for 3 in the suck factor.

daveice20 @ Apr 6th 2006 3:16PM

ok bad names lets try everquest,elder scrolls (where is there the name mentioned of elder scrolls once in the game bet all the verisons 2),dead or alive, mortal kombat,age of empires 3 (does bill gates ever know when to stop sposering a game?), oh ya and every singal game that involves dead people walking

Billy @ Apr 6th 2006 3:34PM

fear the game actually stands for first encounter asault recon. It even says it on the comercials...

billy @ Apr 6th 2006 3:38PM

fear the game actually stands for first encounter assault recon. It even says it on the comercials...

chris @ Apr 6th 2006 4:00PM

FYI, not to be a jerk or anything but back when final fantasy one came out it wasnt owned by square, it was owned by sunsoft, then square took over sunsoft

Jared G. Ruelan @ Apr 6th 2006 4:06PM

In my opinion,(and I guess this should be a spoiler alert) Kindom Hearts is a pretty sucky name. sure they were looking for it, but it's not really a good name for anything. I mean what is it? a kingdom of hearts? than why not call it, "Kingdom of Hearts? that wouyld at least explain it a little.

Larcen Tyler @ Apr 6th 2006 4:41PM

T.R.A.G.: Tactical Rescue Assault Group is the acronym. It didn't score well with reviewers, and the name is pretty awful, but I enjoyed it.

Dark @ Apr 6th 2006 6:01PM

I'll put in my two cents into the talk and say for the record that the worst game ever made is Superman64 for the N64

Trust me that the title is everything but super (The last part was weak but so was the game). With a crappy story, crappy graphic and a controler that you need three hands to operate, its not a suprise why im putting this game on the list. If Christopher Reeve plaved the Superman64, he wouldn't need the horse riding accident to become paralyzed and that all im going to say about game.

King Jay III @ Apr 6th 2006 6:25PM

How about Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater? I mean, it was an absolutely stunning game, one of the best ever... but with everything, The Cold War era, The introducing of the original Boss and Big Boss, The Shagohod... everything that game had to offer and they decide to name it Snake Eater off of the fact that you can eat SNAKES!? They would have been better off with just Metal Gear Solid 3.

Fire @ Apr 6th 2006 7:29PM

Worst would have to be Pokemon. Yes, I know it's really pocket monsters...and well it makes sence with the game. But God, back in the late 90's early 00's I heard ehough Pokemon jokes just about the title it drove me insane.

Psyko Cereal @ Apr 6th 2006 7:35PM

Umm.....that would be Jonny Mosely: Mad Trix.

The name is tartgeted at its market, effective advertising. Being a jibber myself I can tell you at the time of release taht calling them trix was very in vouge. Don't confuse bad names with effective marketing. Game wasn't half bad either. Good for us jibbers who weren't satisfied with the all board games like SSX Tricky (and that name is any better?).