Notable franchises that no longer have game
by Blake Snow 
{ Jan 25th 2007 at 7:55PM }
Games Radar examines the best franchises that no longer serve up sweet fruit in abundance. Once popular, these critically acclaimed titles have recently taken a nose dive for whatever reason to become the rotten stinkers (most) are today.The reason? Maybe the original series creator bailed. Maybe a game gets lost in translation from system to system. Or maybe the creators lose sight of what originally made the game great (hint: pressure from publishers). Regardless, here are seven controversial franchises with quality and/or consistency issues. And you don't have to look far to figure out which series took the top dishonors.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
patlee @ Jan 25th 2007 8:04PM
Fuck sega and all of it's mightyness! Dreamcast was the worst console ever!! anyone who dissagrees i will kick your ass!
Gavin @ Jan 25th 2007 8:13PM
Add to that list the Mario Party series.
Taylor @ Jan 25th 2007 8:12PM
blasphemy, that is just plain wrong
the dreamcast was a great console with a great library of games
it was just ahead of its time
although i will admit that both sonics were horrible on the dreamcast because of the lack of speed and horrible camera
Kenofthedead @ Jan 25th 2007 8:15PM
Just try it patlee, Dreamcast was a great system and I'm still playing it.
Besides, try to learn that those who do best are those who can grow beyond insults and swearing. It only hurts your argument when you do.
---------------
At least Sonic will do well with Sonic and the Secret Rings, too many past games have been horrible because they never fixed past mistakes.
Rubang B @ Jan 25th 2007 8:20PM
This week I bought both Sonic Mega Collection and Sonic Gems Collection for the GameCube. Both were used at GameStop, and after the 10% off and the tax, it came out to $27. Now I'll never buy another Sonic-related thing for as long as I live. Mega Collection has Sonics 1 through 3 and Spinball, and a bunch of other crap I don't need, and Gems Collection has the really crappy tournament fighter and some racer which is the worst thing I've played in my life. Sonic CD seems pretty fun though. I recommend Mega Collection, it's about $13 used now. I don't recommend Gems Collection.
jaysins @ Jan 25th 2007 8:23PM
Sad memories. I loved sonic I II and III, beat sonic and knuckles, sonic pinbal, that first 3d sonic game. I didn't think the dreamcast version sucked and enjoyed it but the camera angles were still pretty bad. Maybe it was nostalgia setting in. Sonic on the 360 was horrible and that just sucks for fans of the series like myself. I haven't played any of the bad megaman games so the series still kicks ass imo especially loved the megaman legends I and II. They need a epic version for the 360 or PS3 like that. Tomb Raider, first one best by far. Sucks to see good series go bad.
Rubang B @ Jan 25th 2007 8:22PM
In fact, Mega Collection also has Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine and even Ristar. So with those 2 and Sonic 1, that's 3 $8 games from the VC. Anybody who pays for those games on the VC is an idiot, when all 3 can be had on one disc for $13. But yeah, Sonic's been dead for a long time.
And what happened with Viewtiful Joe? I played the first one and loved it, and I wasn't even aware that they spit out all those sequels so fast in the split second before Clover died.
OtakuCODE @ Jan 25th 2007 8:23PM
I'd have to add Phantasy Star to that list. It started out with a so-so RPG on the Sega Master System... then it followed with one of the best RPGs ever made, Phantasy Star II. They faltered with Phantasy Star III. Phantasy Star IV not only made a comeback but arguably bested even the 2nd in the series.
Then... PSO. It was a pretty good translation into 3D and not a bad game in its own right, but it lost an awful lot by focusing almost exclusively on multiplayer and losing any type of story. And they've made multiple versions of it for multiple consoles at this point. They have stagnated and let the series die. They need to return to their roots and put out a solid single-player RPG with turn-based battles STAT to save it.
Sizer @ Jan 25th 2007 8:33PM
Add Gran Turismo to that. Good god. It's just been drifting (har) aimlessly since GT2.
gotjpeg @ Jan 25th 2007 8:47PM
add to the list the tony hawk series after 4 the series has sucked and sucked and sucked
MoonfirePewPEwPEw @ Jan 25th 2007 8:35PM
Sega did everything right with the DreamCast; priced just right, stellar launch with a stellar lineup of games, and wasn't rushed like the Saturn. Sadly, their past mistakes and hatred that they caused were not forgivable, and with Sony's hype train in full stride, people never gave the system a chance so it died too early.
I will never forgive Sony for the unethical business practices they did to take the DreamCast out of the market.
Brian @ Jan 25th 2007 8:39PM
Let's add Splinter Cell to that list...
After playing the mess that was Double Agent, I'd be highly skeptical of playing another in the series. How they took a character like Sam Fisher, a brother to Master Chief in coolness, and gave him a half-baked plot like this along with the god-awful HQ missions is beyond me. Add in some really dull foreign mission levels that never really lived up to the hype and you have taken a once great franchise and made it mediocre.
I also can't forgive Ubisoft for killing off Sam's daughter for no reason and with no closure. And then trick us into believing Sam goes to prison because he goes off the deep end when it's just another lame and confusing plotline the series is becoming known for.
The first game was incredible. The second was a mess but forgivable. Chaos Theory was a step in the right direction, but Double Agent...bleh!
J @ Jan 25th 2007 8:53PM
SEGA have raped Sonic to death! It's surprise the blue thing can still run.
RDX @ Jan 25th 2007 8:52PM
Before I started reading the article I thought to myself, "I bet Mega Man is on that list. I'm gonna be pissed." I was right. I'll admit Capcom likes to milk a franchise but I truly think Mega Man is heading for a rebirth. ZX was a good step and Star Force looks sweet. And please Capcom, if you do X9, spend a little more than five mintues on boss names. I don't want another onion or any vegetable for that matter. Ever.
LongshotX @ Jan 25th 2007 9:00PM
Megaman Battle Network anything= joke.
Rabish12 @ Jan 25th 2007 9:05PM
I find it funny that Mega Man made that list.
Yes, the Battle Network series has been overdone and milked excessively. They did the same thing to the first six Mega Man games, but for some reason I don't see anyone complaining about how terrible they are. Yes, the X games went to shit, but they ended that branch when they did. Even better, they gave us the Mega Man Z series, which easily accounts for some of the best titles in the franchise. Really, it doesn't deserve to be on a list of series that have been run into the ground, because it still only has a few nasty titles (those X games) and one nasty and excessively underadvanced branch (those Battle Network games).
Oh, and the article is wrong, because Capcom did make a Mega Man 9 (originally on the Super Famicom in Japan only, and later re-released on the GBA elsewhere as Mega Man & Bass), and it definitely wasn't half-assed (it's one of the best games in the series).
MoonfirePewPEwPEw @ Jan 25th 2007 9:10PM
Megaman and Bass was called Rockman & Forte in Japan, not Mega Man 9. There has never been a Mega Man 9, and may never be.
Rubang B @ Jan 25th 2007 9:31PM
There better not be a Mega Man 9. I'm getting a used copy of Mega Man Anniversary Collection for about $10, and it's got 1 through 8 and 2 of the arcade fighters.
Steve @ Jan 25th 2007 9:34PM
Anyone remember Poochie, the canine companion the creators of "Itchy and Scratchy" decided to add to the mix to make their cartoon hip and fresh? That was a brilliant episode of The Simpsons from when the Simpsons was a good show. The entire episode basically made fun of the concept of adding hip, cool, and smartass characters to ailing TV shows. Scrappy Doo, Married With Children's Seven, The Great Kazoo, these characters seem to do more damage than anything else.
That's how everything about Sonic comes across. He seems like there was a boardroom somewhere and it was decided that "we need to create a hip new character for our games" and then a committee decided what kids thought a cool character would be like and *bam* Sonic was born.
I never liked the Sonic games, but I thought that was due to my blind Pro-Nintendo / anti-Sega fanboyism in the 90s. I've given Sonic a chance in its 3D variants after I, well, grew the f' up and didn't like them. With the VC I decided to give the original a real fresh chance and I just don't like it. Sonic Wii looks promising and I hope it pans out, but so far I just don't like the franchise much at all.
Rabish12 @ Jan 25th 2007 9:41PM
@17: It is Mega Man 9. I don't care if it doesn't have the number in the name, because absolutely everything else about it makes it a completely direct sequel to Mega Man 8 and it IS the ninth game in the original Mega Man series. Missing a little digit on the end there doesn't change that.
Rubang B @ Jan 25th 2007 9:43PM
Steve, Sonic 1 is "meh." Sonic 2 is the good one. And the way you feel about Sonic is the way I feel about Tails, Knuckles, Metal Sonic, and ahem... Espio the Chameleon? Fang the Sniper? Bean the Dynamite? Bark the Polarbear? I just read those from the list of characters from Sonic the Fighters. They threw in about 829105712057 characters nobody cares about.
But if you really want to give Sonic a chance, play Sonic 2 and nothing else ever. And the Poochie episode rocked.
Rubang B @ Jan 25th 2007 9:44PM
Well this alleged "9th Mega Man" isn't on Anniversary Collection, so I'm never going to play it.
BPM @ Jan 25th 2007 9:52PM
I greatly disagree with Viewtiful Joe being on that list.
So what if it was four games in the span of 2 years (VJ1 GCN in 2003, VJ2 in 2004, VJRHR GCN and VJDT in 2005)?
The original VJ was BRILLIANT. and Double Trouble on DS was quite good.
I haven't played either VJ2 or Red Hot Rumble, but it sounds like the author's complaint is with only RHR. How does one bad game overrule three good ones?
As for Megaman... Well, as a long time Megaman fan, I can see where they're going.
For the most part, the Classic Megaman games have been good. Some not GREAT, but overall, the series was good. I'd still love to see a Megaman 9.
Megaman X was fine, until X5-X7. X5 was decent at best, but X6 and X7 were messy. X8 brought back the series to a higher ground, and Command Mission was a fun RPG.
Legends was great. And I really want to see a new entry in the series.
Battle Network is my least favorite series. The first three games were good. BN1 introduced the series, and BN2 and BN3 really refined it. BN4 was easily the worst (that, or BattleChip Challenge). BN5 was a vast improvement from BN4, but still not as great as BN2 or BN3... And I've yet to play BN6. And then Network Transmission for GameCube was awesome.
Megaman Zero and ZX... What Inti Creates did with the Megaman series... I LOVE IT. Seriously, their games are top-notch. Great 2D artwork, and tough-as-nails.
I've yet to play Star Force (didn't feel the need to import Ryuusei no Rockman), so I'll reserve judgement on it.
As for Sonic... I don't want Sonic to die. I just want SEGA/SONICTEAM to get it right for once. Secret Rings looks to be good (from all impressions of the game), but I'd still like to see a Sonic Adventure-styled game that wasn't so buggy.
Other than that... I agree with the article completely.
BPM @ Jan 25th 2007 9:56PM
Sonic 3 & Knuckles is also a great game. Anyone who wants to see what's great about Sonic can't miss that one (or two games, rather), either.
[ahem]
MEGAMAN & BASS IS NOT MEGAMAN 9. It is a SIDE-STORY.
Heck, if you even look at the code for the game, the header info states "ROCKMAN8.5".
RDX @ Jan 25th 2007 10:16PM
Why all the hate toward the Battle Network series? They're good games, even if they all kind of blend into to one. And I don't think that some of the best games in the franchise came under the Zero title. They're good, but man, it's that art style. Not a big fan.
And BMP is right. MM&B is NOT Mega Man 9.
Razorback @ Jan 25th 2007 10:19PM
I think it is time to make a new Sonic game BUT make it 2D! I know I would buy it because 3D has never worked for the franchise.
Evan @ Jan 25th 2007 10:35PM
Add to that list:
Spyro - A perfect example of what happens when you pass an excellent series off to a second-rate developer.
Crash Bandicoot - A perfect example of what happens when you pass a popular series off to a second-rate developer.
Sony killed these games through bad business decisions.
Sensai @ Jan 25th 2007 10:54PM
Megaman.../sigh
I swear, I better get some Megaman games on the VC.
When I was reading this on my phone, I didn't even have to click on the article to know that number one would be Sonic. It's saddening, really...here's hoping that Sonic: TSR will be decent.
Would it really be all that bad if they just went back to 2d? I mean, look at the only decent Megaman games to come out in the past few years; 2d. Look at New Super Mario Bros.; 2d. Look at Sonic Rush, in 'o5; 2d.
Hell, I'd pay 50 bucks for a 2d Sonic on the Wii that used the remote, so long as it was a solid build and all...
Rubang B @ Jan 25th 2007 11:10PM
Sensai, just buy Mega Man Anniversary Collection for GameCube. It will work on the Wii. You don't need to buy any classic MM's on the VC. It has 1 - 8, spanning NES, SNES, and PS1. And it has 2 arcade fighters on it. Used it's like $10 at GameStop. That's $1 per game.
LaughingMan @ Jan 25th 2007 11:26PM
Yeah I can't believe Tony Hawk didn't make the list either! I mean we get it...yes you can "ollie" off anything, we know we know. You did that 6 games ago, why are you still here? (Because it sells would be the answer)
*BLASPHEMY ALERT* I would almost have to add the Zelda series. I just get the feeling that I've been playing OoT for about 4 games now. Certain conventions need to be retired from this series. They've really done all they can with the "put on metal boots to activate switch" puzzles.
Sensai @ Jan 25th 2007 11:41PM
Rubang, good point.
And Laughing Man, I know where you're coming from - kinda. TP did seem to me to be just OoT: Revisited...not saying that's a bad thing (it's not), but I would like for them to do something new. The thing that keeps Zelda off the list (and very very VERY far away from it) is that people aren't tired of Zelda games. When OoT comes out for the VC, it's STILL going to sell, because it's freakin' Zelda.
Mitsuo @ Jan 26th 2007 12:42AM
@Evan. Those were my thoughts exactly. Crash bandicot should have defiantly been in there. maybe replacing Viewtiful Joe.
And I wasn't a fan of the spyro series, but I could just tell it went down hill.
Sly @ Jan 26th 2007 1:08AM
Dreamcast supported 480p in most all the games thru a VGA cable. Abundance of games in all genres, except sports (no EA). Was able to play certain Playstation games with upscale graphics (PS2 incapable of doing) using Bleemcast boot disk. This system had a lot of potential. Sega uncertainty kill the system.
Tom @ Jan 26th 2007 1:40AM
How's this for a Sonic game...
Anyone here played or seen the game LocoRoco for PSP? It's got some nice smooth 2D graphics doesn't it? Sega should make a 2D Sonic game that runs in resolutions as high as 1080p and leverages the power of the 360/Wii/PS3 to create a 2D Sonic game that has no jaggies and has really crisp textures. Now create, like, 40 friggin' levels like those found in Sonic 1,2,3,S&K, and Sonic CD. Jungles. Chemical Plants. Haunted Houses. Ancient Ruins. We need the spin-dash attack. We need the homing attack. We need the shield, lightning shield, flame shield, water shield, invincibility, even the unpopular Robotnik box of death! Two-act zones with a mid-level boss fight and a Dr. Robotnik boss fight. Great music like in Sonic 3! Time travel like in Sonic CD. Ooooh and how about Online co-op mode where you can play as Miles “Tails” Prower and help Sonic beat the game... AND online competitive racing mode.
ALH @ Jan 26th 2007 3:20AM
34.-
The minute i played project rub i thought that the 2d vector style should be used in a sonic game, let alone loco roco. (ok, project rub is in 3d, but you get my drift, its based on a very flat style)
Come on sonic team, if you can do it for that....
t_m @ Jan 26th 2007 8:16AM
Wildfire for the Wii looks pretty sweet.. *crosses fingers*
I thought the GBA versions werent too bad either.. though they were mostly just remakes.
Myke @ Jan 26th 2007 8:57AM
Yeah, I am probably one of the biggest Megaman fans (owning all the original NES games and having a tattoo of the little blue dude helps too) but I know where they're coming from. I try not to think about the Battle Network series as having anything to do with Megaman whatsoever. It's depressing really. You got BN white, blue, red, mauve, orange, off-white, baby-blue or whatever and they're all disposable crap.
Rubang - If you have an Xbox or 360 I'd recommend getting the Megaman Anniversary collection for that instead because with the gamecube version the original control scheme is nowhere to be found. They have the A and B buttons backwards which, for me, totally kills the experience. After playing it for awhile you can adapt but having grown up playing those games for hours and hours and knowing EXACTLY when to press each button, it really irks me that they would reverse it so blatantly. Oh well.
and P.S. Rockman&Forte/Megaman&Bass is merely a side plot and another story in the series, much like Legends is not a direct sequel, it's just a different game with similar characters.
BlueBomber FTW!!!
Shiro @ Jan 26th 2007 11:08AM
"Yes, the Battle Network series has been overdone and milked excessively."
Anything after Battle Network 3 isn't worth it. I don't know why the hell they lost the soul system. I WANT. MY. SHADOW SOUL.
ck @ Jan 26th 2007 11:37AM
They should have expanded this list to at least 20 - I could name a dozen more - some have already been mentioned -
Mario Party - Seriously, once the GC came out it was no longer fun anymore - it took itself way too seriously as far as being "fun" and "appealing" to kids.
Tony Hawk - After the mess that was Wasteland, I haven't even bothered to touch Project 8 simply because it looks like MORE of the same! I'm eagerly looking forward to SKATE.
Madden - Just like the Hawk. When will consumers realize that it's been the same game since 2000 with updated rosters and a new, undesired special feature tacked on?
Gran Turismo - It's been the same game since GT3. And it doesn't look like they're doing anything different with the new one, just prettier - which to me sounds lazy.
Grand Theft Auto - I'm going out on a limb here. Okay, maybe not, but if you really think Liberty City & Vice City Stories were great games, ummm, you're just Rockstar's bitch now. They've been retreading this sandbox game for quite a while and I'm definitely not looking forward to #4.
Ratchet & Clank - Same formula since day one. Meh.
Super Mario - Not necessarily dead, but Sunshine wasn't good - just an improved n64 version. And the New Super Mario for DS was great, but it's the same game from the SNES days - sooo, I'm waiting for Galaxy to come out (which actually looks good) before I declare this one officially dead.
Final Fantasy - Makes the list only because the stories are so bad and all the same (seriously, I mix up 7, 8 and 10 all the time). And the gameplay keeps changing TOO much. Seriously? I have to learn a new battle system? But 12 gave me hope that the series was turning a direction and the gameplay was even better - no random encounters, wah? I just hope 13 is good, but please don't do a bad love triangle amidst the destruction of the planet plotline.
Star Wars - In general. Most of the games have been really, really bad. It took a Lego's version to make me nostalgic for the really good games - TIE Fighter, Dark Forces, Shadows of the Empire.
There's more, but I can only play so many games (I never even tried Crash or Spyro - so I wouldn't know).
Powerlord @ Jan 26th 2007 4:50PM
"Spyro - A perfect example of what happens when you pass an excellent series off to a second-rate developer.
Crash Bandicoot - A perfect example of what happens when you pass a popular series off to a second-rate developer.
Sony killed these games through bad business decisions."
Acceptable spellings for the owner of those two franchises are "Universal," "Vivendi Universal," or "Vivendi." "Sony" is a different company entirely.
WatTsu @ Jan 27th 2007 12:41PM
I used to love Sonic dearly. Then I played Sonic Adventure. It's never been the same between us, and now with the borderline creepy bestiality overtones in the most recent game...well...yeah. I remember talking in IRC to people who take the Sonic storyline as seriously as a heart attack, and I think that's part of the problem. The Sonic games aren't meant to have an in-depth storyline. As soon as you start introducing voice acting and...um...human beings into the world, it really loses something.
My hope is that Sonic: TSR will be a great game, and will eschew the asinine plot elements of its forebears.
As far as Megaman goes, well...there's still a lot that can be done with the concept, and the Original and X series were excellent. The Battle Network games are mostly boring and oppressive, though. Where's Legends 3? Or...dare I hope...Tron Bonne 2? Those are games that really could bring a lot to the table for the franchise.
But alas and alack...this is all just wishful thinking.
And ditto on the GTA comment. That series jumped the shark a long time ago. Unless you're a thirteen year-old boy.