What are some obscure but groundbreaking and innovative games that deserve way more recognition?

[Mago]

I think a lot of the most groundbreaking and innovative games are ones that get largely overlooked and become obscure. I' Robot and the Star Cruiser series immediately come to mind.

I'robot came out in 1983/84 and had fully shaded 3D polygon graphics, and camera controls as well as really unique puzzle action gameplay that was unlike anything else at the time. It didn't do well though because the machines were faulty, it was too confusing, and this weird Doodle side game.

Star Cruiser is a Japanese FPS series with rpg elements and fleshed out storylines. The games predate Wolfenstein 3D. They have corridor ground sections like in a traditional fps and free roam space flight elements where you can fly around the solar system and enter planets. I dont know any other games at least at the time that combined the two.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

This one flopped massively because of the "sin" of having dated graphics, but it's honestly one of the best games I have ever played:

 

[Mago]

This one flopped massively because of the "sin" of having dated graphics, but it's honestly one of the best games I have ever played:

Need to finally get around to it.

 

[LiberoVulpesLiberoVulpes's icon]

Unreal World is one of the best survival games in existence, its not only a pioneer of the genre (coming out in 1992), its still being updated.

And, most of the Sim games early Maxis did are massively innovative, which was a flame EA murdered.

SimEarth and SimAnt were amazing for their time.

 

[dropsmegamega]

Jumping Flash!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mago]

Jumping Flash!!!!!!!!!
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Have you played Geograph Seal? It has one of my favorite soundtracks ever.

 

[miguk]

Dragon Slayer: Largely forgotten as one of the earliest action RPG series. There were spin-off games (Legend of Heroes series), with spin-offs to the spin-off (Trails series) that also got spin offs, but the original series has been mostly forgotten, mostly in favor of the Trails series.

 

[dropsmegamega]

Have you played Geograph Seal? It has one of my favorite soundtracks ever.

I've heard of it, but I have yet to play it. It almost looks like a prequel or tech demo for Jumping Flash doesn't it?

 

[Mago]

I've heard of it, but I have yet to play it. It almost looks like a prequel or tech demo for Jumping Flash doesn't it?

It basically is kinda? Same developer. Also a platformer/shooter. More focused on the shooting though. Also has Starfox type levels.

 

[TotzOnGaming]

Though not obscure. the Legacy of Kain Series was one of the first games that I remember that tried to tell a very gripping, almost shakesperian story and had an amazing voice cast. A new game would be nice.

 

[Samatonic]

Does the nemesis system from Shadow of Mordor count as innovative gameplay style and system ?

 

[Viviana Santos]

 

[DunkeyKong]

SRS Street Racing Syndicate on the GBA, it's just a racing game of course but the graphics was pretty groundbreaking, especially for a GBA

 

[IHeartRetro]

This one flopped massively because of the "sin" of having dated graphics, but it's honestly one of the best games I have ever played:

Oh my god THANK YOU! I remembered seeing this game on YouTube forever ago and tried to remember the name for YEARS but never could. Like "Whats that cool fps game that you have like rpg points in and you got to talk to people and do missions? That seems so cool." And I couldn't remember. Thank you. Thank you greatly.

 

[Ian Naxieas]

I wouldn't call it super duper obscure, but PaRappa the Rapper is basically the father of rhythm games and I doubt anyone outside of nerds like us even remember or know about it. If you went up to your average Guitar Hero player back when it was a big thing and said "You owe all of this to PaRappa!", you would get your lunch money stolen.

 

[diapered]

SRS Street Racing Syndicate on the GBA, it's just a racing game of course but the graphics was pretty groundbreaking, especially for a GBA
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I imagine the conversation at namco hq:
"No one is going to want to play a racing game on gba..."
"Wait, I know! Slap a picture of a woman pulling her pants down on the cover!"
"Genius! It will sell itself!"

 

[DunkeyKong]

I imagine the conversation at namco hq:
"No one is going to want to play a racing game on gba..."
"Wait, I know! Slap a picture of a woman pulling her pants down on the cover!"
"Genius! It will sell itself!"

Basically the marketing strategy at that time lmao

 

[Prism_Red]

Not groundbreaking nor innovative, but I love how in Daemon X Machina you can get out of your bot and walk around, or get inside someone's else bot. It makes build testing easier.

 

[Samatonic]

Anyone still remember these games:

 

[Skeetos]

Anyone play kill.switch? It set the foundation for third person cover shooters.

 

[Samatonic]

Anyone play kill.switch? It set the foundation for third person cover shooters.

Never played it myself, but I've heard or seen technically that this inspired Gears of War Style of shooting. Could be wrong though.

 

[Skeetos]

Never played it myself, but I've heard or seen technically that this inspired Gears of War Style of shooting. Could be wrong though.

Aforementioned Third Person Cover Shooters. and yeah, the Gears devs were really inspired by it. It's kinda stinky though. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're really curious.

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's iconTamagotchiTamaHero24]

I think a lot of the most groundbreaking and innovative games are ones that get largely overlooked and become obscure. I' Robot and the Star Cruiser series immediately come to mind.

I'robot came out in 1983/84 and had fully shaded 3D polygon graphics, and camera controls as well as really unique puzzle action gameplay that was unlike anything else at the time. It didn't do well though because the machines were faulty, it was too confusing, and this weird Doodle side game.

Star Cruiser is a Japanese FPS series with rpg elements and fleshed out storylines. The games predate Wolfenstein 3D. They have corridor ground sections like in a traditional fps and free roam space flight elements where you can fly around the solar system and enter planets. I dont know any other games at least at the time that combined the two.

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Good choice with I-Robot.
It was the Atari 50 collection that introduced that game to me.

 

[spectresfrommercury]

xenogears

 

[Mago]

I appreciate all responses tbc but I do feel like some of these are REALLY stretching the definition of obscure lol. I meant games even most big gamer nerds wouldn't know.