Shatterhand

By PirateHigemaru

Overall Grade: B+

Hundreds of games today are recognized as "cult classics". Games like Journey to Silius and Jackal have found new audiences despite being ignored at the time of their release. However, there are those other games. Games that possess all the qualities found in popular titles and, in some cases, are every bit as good as the titles that get a ton of attention. These game, for whatever reason, have yet to find a dedicated audience and as such are doomed to obscurity. And then there are games like Shatterhand.

Shatterhand was developed by cult favorite, Natsume in 1990. Before their cash cow (Harvest Moon) rolled in, Natsume developed several well-done albeit uninspired action games for the NES. Shatterhand, while not entirely unique, was still far more original than some of Natsume's other games. And as such, it may be one of the best NES games ever developed by Natsume.

Bioshock

By Pirate_Higemaru

Overall Grade: A-

Bioshock was released in 2007 to unanimous praise from both critics and gamers. It was lauded for it's complex plot and inventive mechanics. It was also one of the main games in the "Are Video Games Art?" debate. Bioshock was a hit in the truest sense of the word. It sold well, it was beloved by just about everyone and it was even considered to be a work of art. So, is Bioshock truly the work of art everyone proclaims it to be? 

Ninja Warriors (Super Nintendo)

By Pirate_Higemaru

Overall Grade: B

Ninja Warriors is so criminally underrated, it hurts. Released by Taito in 1994 to almost universal praise, it was mostly ignored by the general public. At the time, the beat em' up craze was winding down and that probably contributed to the lackluster sales of Ninja Warriors. Don't let the lackluster sales fool you though; Ninja Warriors is one of the greatest beat em' ups of all time. 

Ristar

By Pirate_Higemaru

Overall Grade B+

Despite what most people believe, Ristar is far from unknown. Ristar has graduated from "game no one played" to "cult classic".  This is thanks to Sega's habit of releasing the same couple games inside compilations. After all, Ristar has been in almost every single Sega compilation in the last ten years. This means, anyone who has picked up these compilations has almost definitely played Ristar. The sad thing about Ristar is that is rarely makes it onto any "must play" lists even they it has every right to be on said lists. Is there some reason for that?  

Perfect Dark

By Pirate_Higemaru

Overall Grade: A+

Perfect Dark was released in 2000 for the N64. At the time it was touted as "the spirital successor to Goldeneye". Perfect Dark had a lot to live up to. It had already been delayed several times, it was another game that had to live up to Rare's high pedigree and it also had to worthy enough to be called "Goldeneye's successor". When it was released, it was universally acclaimed. Despite this, it didn't sell nearly as well as Goldeneye did, mostly because the N64 was nearing the end of its life. Fast-forward ten years. Perfect Dark has been released on Xbox Live Arcade. Does it still hold up? 

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

By Pirate_Higemaru

Overall Grade: D+

The Donkey Kong Country series is a series that is often praised as being one of the most solid platforming series on the SNES. The first and second ones in particular have been called some of the best of their kind. But what about that third game, Donkey Kong Country 3? Is there a reason that it's rarely mentioned alongside it's brethren? 

Sonic Adventure

By Pirate_Higemaru

Overall Grade: B+

3D has never been kind to Sonic. From a botched attempt on the Genesis and Saturn to recent failures such as the disaster known as "Sonic 06".  For some odd reason, only a select few Sonic games got 3D right such as Sonic Colors and Sonic Adventure 2. Sonic Adventure, however is a special case. It got it right but it still was able to be heavily flawed at the same time which ended up making for an incredibly confusing yet enjoyable experience.