Games that were ahead of their time?

[Mopeybloke]

And Phantasy Star Online for being the first and arguable only viable international console MMO... Until the PS4/Xbox One generation gave us ports of various PC MMO's:

Was Final Fantasy XI not viable/successful worldwide on console?

 

[thanonyx thanonyx]

Tennis for Two and Computer Space

The former was (possibly) the first of many and the latter was the one who kicked off gaming as we know it. They were ahead of their time because they were the very first to show that electronic interactive video entertainment was possible and there was market potential for it.

 

[Max]

River City Ramson, It was one of the first "open world" games where you could retrace your steps, explore the city, eat in restaurants and even bathe.

 

[NotReallyHere]

Was Final Fantasy XI not viable/successful worldwide on console?

A fair question!

As far as the PS2 version of XI, while I can't speak on its success, I don't think it was viable for most gamers on release. It required buying both an internal HDD for the PS2 and a modem. I believe it came bundled with these items (for a hefty price) but for the fact that it required several extra bits of hardware, I don't think it was a practical title for most PS2 players.

With PSO, you just bought the game, popped it into your Dreamcast, and you were up and running. All the extra hardware was already built-in, or used accessories you already owned (a VMU).

Didn't XI get a release on the PS3 and 360? I believe there were other console MMO titles that generation, too. Given the built-in modem and storage options on both consoles, MMO releases at that time were much, much more viable than they were for the PS2.

Still, I give Square credit for trying to do something ambitious

Now, for my own choice? Easy:

Real teams. Real players. Full season (and postseason!) play. Individual player stats. Stat tracking. Even injuries! And it came out several years (three or four?) before the Madden series managed to have real teams and players in its own games. Just a mind-blowing, breakthrough title for NFL fans at the time

Honorable Mention goes to Baseball Stars, also on the NES. Being able to customize your entire team and raise their stats through gameplay made for quite the unique experience way back in 1989!

 

[Cardboardtubeknight Cardboardtubeknight]

Mrs. Pac-Man was a lot more crazier than it seemed

 

[Theriise]

Moon, also known as the anti rpg.

The team that worked on it have done jobs that include Mario RPG and this game continues to inspire others with elements of their character designs and game play to this day. Such games include chibi robo, Captain rainbow, Little Kings Story and its own spiritual successor Chulip. Toby Fox even cited it as an inspiration for undertale.

 

[Dyne]

The Outfoxies
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/the-outfoxies/

Arena fighting game like Super Smash Bros, but it was made in 1994.

 

[Retornodelogay]

I don't know about being forgotten, but I consider most Vanillaware games incredibly ahead of their time... and sadly not all that successful until quite recently. Although the servers are now down, obviously, Grand Knights History multiplayer features were pretty forward looking for the time, and their paint-like artstyle even since the times of Princess Crown wouldn't feel out of place in today's indie/AA landscape.

 

[ColonelKurtz]

Alien Soldier for Sega Genesis was way ahead of it's time. It almost feels like a 2D character action game like Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden at times.

It's amazing how many different moves they were able on cram on to a 3 button controller. You can hover in place, walk on ceilings, switch between two shooting styles instantly, dodge, dash attack, ground slide and switch between 4 weapons instantly.

The use of i-frames to avoid boss attacks almost feels like a soulslike especially considering the game's focus on these gigantic boss battles.

You can also slow down the speed of the game to practise difficult fights.

Pretty cool that the game is able to be beaten without getting hit a single time. You can tell the developers spent a lot of time perfecting the boss mechanics and animation.

 

[Ephemera1_]

You can also slow down the speed of the game to practise difficult fights.

This mechanic was somewhat like a pre-cursor to the gear system in megaman 11, this was a great answer honestly.

 

[symplily]

 

[Dannzy]

Strife

Similar to this, Killing Time was an early example of an open and interconnected map in an FPS game at the time as well. I also think the way in which it tells it's story is very innovative, integrating FMVs into the game world in the context of spirits that show you the memories of the people that were there and struck by tragedy before you arrived. It pulls off exploration and lore investigation really well.

 

[Michael Frank]

For a Super Nintendo game that came out very late in the system's life, unheard of at the time.

The Snes had some of the most mind-blowingly beautiful games i ever saw, if i were to say what games were ahead of their time:
-Front Mission: Gun Hazard(platformer mecha game with rpg mechanics and a great story to tell)
-Demon's Crest(kinda-open world with a good chunk of levels and secrets to enjoy)
-Both Secret and Trials of Mana(co-op RPG? more rare than you think)
It's beautiful.

 

[Bomberman]

Digimon World...
Bomberman 64... Creative masterpieces that got overlooked by critics in the deluge of classic games. but fans like me of them are abundant.

World of Warcraft
Resident Evil 4

Ninja Gaiden Black
DMC3

etc.

 

[Nerd_Solitude]

Moon, also known as the anti rpg.
View attachment 92017
The team that worked on it have done jobs that include Mario RPG and this game continues to inspire others with elements of their character designs and game play to this day. Such games include chibi robo, Captain rainbow, Little Kings Story and its own spiritual successor Chulip. Toby Fox even cited it as an inspiration for undertale.

I've never heard of this title before, It sounds right up my alley. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Cerberus9]

I want to say Donkey Kong Country. It was such an atmospheric platformer. Then DKC2 came out. It was no contest.

 

[Bakuma1997]

Crystalis, is hard to believe a NES could have such agile gameplay with bare lag, without it, we won't have the Mana Series or the Goat that is Terranigma

 

[solnK!]

Metal Gear Solid on the PS1 (dunno if someone has already mentioned it)