Extremely Weird And Obscure Games

[Burzuru]

mr mosquito

you play as a misquito and your goal is to stock up on blood for the winter by taking it from a japanese family. i distinctly remember one level where the daughter was taking a bath and mister mosquito here had hearts in his eyes during the whole level. i should get a copy and play it again.

 

[sadasa]

metal shinobi assassin (win)​

video:

 

[null.problem]

Not only obscure, but I think very good, here are 3:
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Hat World, New Testament: A sprawling and super unique turn based rpg for pc (works on steam deck, I hear, emulates fine with wine). This is kinda like a Saga game, but has a crazy but compelling story. Play several scenarios with different characters whose stats are preserved across scenarios, and eventually get rolled into one big super-scenario. Lots of character build possibilities and some tough bosses later on. Think Saga Frontier or Live a Live and you are on the right track. Freeware! A longer description and where to get it on this reddit thread. https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/11yzcgw/hat_world_new_testament/
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Vantage Master: English by Falcom - yes, *that* (Ys, Trails) Falcom. Cool turn based strategy with discrete levels where you summon different spirits and fight it out. Spirits can get 'veteran' ranks in a battle, but only MC carries on between levels. You get new spirits to summon as you pass levels. Pretty dang hard, so make sure you like turn based tactics. Think Advance wars with the CO on the battlefield fighting it out and summoning freaky monsters. Freeware, distributed by Falcom: https://www.falcom.co.jp/vantage/index_e.html
Bonus: Check out lord monarch, by Falcom, too https://www.falcom.co.jp/monarch/index_e.html
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Nectaris (or military madness): A hex/turn based strategy with really well-balanced gameplay. Discrete levels that get more difficult as you go. You don't 'buy' units, but take over bases with neutral (or your opponents) troops inside with infantry, then you can deploy and use them. There are lots of versions (some are available here). The DOS version has a lot more content and I think the nicest music and graphics. Can get it at 'My abandonware'.
Cheers!

 

[DOOP169]

Not sure how obscure it is nowadays but Brave fencer Musashi for the PS1 is a fantastic playthrough.

A surprising amount of people have never heard of Lufia: The Legend Returns for the Game Boy Color , it was the third game in the franchise had a fairly unique battle system for the time.

And Road Trip is one of my favorite PS2 games, I put so many hours into it.

 

[rugal]

ps1
tomba
granstream saga
overboard
thread of fate

 

[GamingWarthog]

Another quite obscure one is Despiria from Dreamcast, also in Japanese.

Oh hey I'm currently in the middle of watching Marsh's video on it (not watching all at once), it seems cool so far.

The most obscure games that nobody heard of/talks about.

Well in my case the most obscure I know of would be my friend's RPG Maker games about Orphism on itch.io, starting with Destiny of Dionysus. But I'm not sure if it could be played on a phone, or most of the games I'd recommend it. But fuck it we ball.

Fighting games: Schwarzerblitz is free on steam, 3d fighting game with faux retro (PSOne) aesthetic and in depth story mode. MerFight is a solid and cheap 2d fighter with a good amount of content. For an older arcade game, Martial Champion remains unique with its weapon system where some characters can be disarmed and have their weapon stolen.

Nintendo: Sakura Samurai is an early 3DS eShop title where the combat is based around iado, the style of swordplay where you keep your sword sheathed until you strike. And I briefly got obsessed with Sushi Striker which is a VS puzzle game where you line up sushi of matching color to attack your opponent and there's a light monster collector aspect. Glory of Heracles is an RPG on the DS, first of its series released in English

Other: The Overlord series has been forgotten by a lot by this point, action adventure with some strategy elements in commanding your minions Pikmin style. I also need more people to talk to about The Crush House, which is a 'thirst person shooter' where you play as the camerawoman/producer for a reality show with a dark secret.

 

[Theriise]

Mad Panic Coaster! Go fast, shoot shoot shoot and pray that you don't fall off the coaster.
I see lots of game play of it and I don't think I'll ever be able to manage playing a single level of it because it goes so fast.

Gregory Horror Show!
About a hotel where you have to return bottled souls stolen by the residents to the grim reaper. Once their bottled soul is stole, the residents get even more intense with their attacks and following you around.

Tomato adventure!
GBA rpg where people that hate tomato's are separated from the people that like them in society. You start out in the elementary schoolers version of a tomato hating slum that you eventually work your way out of when your girlfriend gets stolen by a baby.

 

[marky]

Well... most of Illusion games like HoneyCome. At least that's what a friend told me

 

[SolarSpectre]

 

[Pjira]

I think this counts? I don't hear people talk about it much.

 

[RageBurner]

View attachment 76062
I think this counts? I don't hear people talk about it much.

Coincidentally I brought this one up as well.

 

[Max]

Sokonuke Taisen Game, a funny versus Game

And Maru - chan de Goo!

 

[Cosmiken]

About fifteen years ago, my local arcade in Springfield, Oregon had one of these whackass beetle fighting games made by Sega:

View attachment 49361

NGL, I really liked it! Totally had the card it would spit out, so I could play with the same beetle each time and help it grow stronger. I only played the game a few times before it got swapped out for something else, unfortunately

I grew up a "bug kid," and loved collecting bugs from the yard and putting them in a little wood and mesh holder that I had built. Only found a few Stag Beetles over the years, but I was always so fascinated by them - though I never made them fight. But at least I had this arcade game to help give me an idea of how that may have played out...

Bro! I thought that was a joke poster in the Game Center in Yakuza 5. I wanna play beetle fights.

 

[Cosmiken]

Post automatically merged: Jun 3, 2025

 

[Moreno909]

Nightmare in the Dark
Night Striker
Battletoads
Art of Fighting 3
Jackal
Muchi Muchi Porki

 

[NotReallyHere]

Bro! I thought that was a joke poster in the Game Center in Yakuza 5. I wanna play beetle fights.

It is absolutely real - and surprisingly addictive! I hope you can track one down, someday

 

[Deleted member 58254]

 

[Deleted member 132407]

 

[The_Real_Thing]

Bank Panic. It doesn't get much in accolades, but I always thought it was something special. If I ever install MAME or FBNeo to a PC or console, I make sure that bankp.zip is there too.

It's simple: you maintain an environment where the townsfolk can make deposits at the bank. Robbers show up, and you dispatch them (or they, you). Controls are a stick for selecting which doors you're watching, and 3 buttons that allow you to fire at whoever is at said doors. It's oddly compelling and VERY difficult. And it reminds me of being a punkass kid at the skating rink, long ago.

There are better games, sure, but it holds a special place.

 

[LegendofPrincessZelda]

Astra Superstars

 

[Badseed Badseed]

Fire Truck 1978, co-op gaming before it was even a thing

 

[Cosmiken]

This looks SIIIIICK. I had no idea there was a Crocodile Dundee style arcade beat em up. It looks pretty decent.

 

[Zerohour2k12]

Thanks to this thread, I finally recalled this game!

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

Thanks to this thread, I finally recalled this game!
View attachment 79323

Zero Team is so damn good! Such an underrated gem!


For me, it's probably not that obscure nowadays since it's been somewhat "discovered", but I've always had a soft spot for Breakers Revenge.

 

[DjQuick2008]

I always liked the G.I Joe Arcade as well as Bucky O'Hare (awesome beat'em up style game) and a TOTALLY obscure gem....Cowboys of Moo Mesa. (Think Sunset Riders with Bulls/Cows)

I have that cowboys of moo mesa on a handheld was a great find