Video games notable for negative reception

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Certain games have received negative publicity for various reasons, including poor gameplay, exceptionally poor graphics or music, a clichéd or stereotypical premise and storyline, a poor user interface, or an excessive number of bugs that hamper enjoyment or playability (to the point where it is impossible to finish the game). More generally, and despite the natural differences in players' tastes and tolerances, a game attracting the negative reception is usually found to lack fun factor for most players.

Concept and criticism usually apply only to games commercially released and marketed by major distributors and targeted at well-known gaming systems such as personal computers, consoles and arcade machines, while shareware, freeware, public domain, and amateur games are usually not exposed to as much criticism.

Contents

[edit] List of video games considered the worst ever


[edit] E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

(1982 - Atari 2600)

[edit] Custer's Revenge

(1982 — Atari 2600)[5]

  • Features a crude simulation of an apparent rape of a Native American woman named "Revenge"[6], and has been called one of the most violent games of all time.[7]
  • Listed as the most shameful game of all time by GameSpy[6], as the third worst game of all time by PC World[1] and GameTrailers[8], and as the ninth worst game by Seanbaby for Electronic Gaming Monthly[9].
  • Named the third naughtiest game of all time by Seanbaby[10].

[edit] Shaq Fu

(1994 — Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis)[11] (1995—Game Boy, Sega Game Gear)

  • The game featured professional basketball player Shaquille O'Neal as a playable character, and included a single from one of his rap CDs.
  • Listed as the worst game of all time by Netjak[12], and was rated as the worst fighting game of all time by GameTrailers.[13]

[edit] Spawn: The Eternal

(1997 — PlayStation)

  • Described by IGN as "One of the best licenses ever has been turned into one of the worst games ever" and "It's a disappointing game that sullies the fine Spawn name."[14]
  • Got a 1.8/10 rating from GameSpot and wrote "Spawn the Eternal is one of the worst games ever to shame the PlayStation with its presence." [15]

[edit] Superman 64

(1999 — Nintendo 64)[16]

  • Listed as the worst game of all time by GameTrailers[8], and as the worst comic book video game adaptation in history by GameSpy.[17]
  • Critics were overwhelmingly negative in reviews, with Joe Fielder of GameSpot writing, "This is easily the worst game I've ever played,"[18] and other sites such as IGN[19] and Game Revolution[20] panning the game for its atrocious set-up, gameplay, and graphics.

[edit] Kabuki Warriors

(2001 — Xbox)

  • Received the lowest review score in the history of Edge Magazine.[21]
  • Game Informer wrote of the game, "... I literally won a match just bashing the controller against my ass."[22]

[edit] Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis

(2003—GameCube, Xbox)[23]

  • Named as the worst game of all time by X-Play, it was the inspiration for X-Play's annual award for the worst game of the year, "The Golden Mullet", a reference to the hairstyle Aquaman features in the game.[24]

[edit] Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing

(2003 — PC)[25]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Townsend, Emru (October 23, 2006). The 10 Worst Games of All Time. PC World. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  2. ^ Seanbaby. EGM's Crapstravaganza: The 20 Worst Games of All Time. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  3. ^ The Video Game Revolution: Best and Worst Games of All Time. PBS. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  4. ^ McQuiddy, M.E. (September 27, 1983). City to Atari: 'E.T.' trash go home. Alamogordo Daily News. Retrieved on May 27, 2008.
  5. ^ Custer's Revenge Atari 2600 Game. 1UP.com. Retrieved on May 29, 2008.
  6. ^ a b Top Ten Shameful Games. GameSpy. Retrieved on May 29, 2008.
  7. ^ Kidman, Alex (April 10, 2008). Violent Video Games: The Worst of the Worst. PC Authority. Retrieved on May 29, 2008.
  8. ^ a b GT Countdown: Top 10 Best and Worst Games of All Time. GameTrailers. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  9. ^ Seanbaby. EGM's Crapstavaganza: The Twenty Worst Games of All Time. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Retrieved on May 29, 2008.
  10. ^ Seanbaby. EGM's 10 Naughtiest Games of All Time]. EGM. Retrieved on May 29, 2008.
  11. ^ Shaq Fu. IGN. Retrieved on May 26, 2008.
  12. ^ Farrow, Jimmy (August 4, 2003). Shaq-Fu - SNES review. Netjak. Retrieved on May 26, 2008.
  13. ^ Top Ten Worst Fighting Games. GameTrailers. Retrieved on May 26, 2008.
  14. ^ Douglas, Adam. "Spawn: The Eternal Review", IGN, 1997-12-09. Retrieved on 2006-08-09. 
  15. ^ Spawn The Eternal Reviews.
  16. ^ Superman 64 for Nintendo 64. GameSpot. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  17. ^ Chapman, David (July 18, 2004). Comics to Consoles: Part II - When Good Comics Go Bad. GameSpy. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  18. ^ Fielder, Joe (June 8, 1999). Superman for Nintendo 64 Review. GameSpot. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  19. ^ Casamassina, Matt (June 2, 1999). Superman Review. IGN. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  20. ^ Leong, George. Superman review for the N64. Game Revolution. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  21. ^ Edge Online Review Database. Edge Magazine. Retrieved on June 2, 2008.
  22. ^ McNamara, Andy. Game Informer Online. Game Informer. Retrieved on June 2, 2008.
  23. ^ Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis. IGN. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  24. ^ Classic X-Play: Aquaman Review. G4. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  25. ^ Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing for PC Tech Info. GameSpot. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  26. ^ Navarro, Alex (January 14, 2004). Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing for PC Review. GameSpot. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  27. ^ Wadleigh, Matt (March 22, 2004). Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing - PC review. Thunderbolt. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  28. ^ Chan, Clayton (January 21, 2004). Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing Review. Netjak. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  29. ^ GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2004: Flat-Out Worst Game. GameSpot. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
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