Defunct Games vs. The PlayStation Launch

Battle Arena Toshinden wasn't the only fighting game released around the time of the PlayStation's launch. Hoping the come away with a fighting game coup, Sony quickly snagged the exclusive 32-bit rights to one of the biggest arcade games of the time -- Mortal Kombat 3. The agreement meant that this fighting game giant could appear on the Super NES and Genesis, but the PlayStation was the only "next generation" console to feature the awesomeness that was Stryker. This home console port isn't bad, but it fails to live up to the arcade original. For one thing, the load times are unbearable, especially when playing with (or against) somebody that can shape shift. Of course, the port's biggest problem was completely out of its control. Let's face it; Mortal Kombat 3 isn't a great game. For many fighting game fanatics, this Midway sequel was a huge letdown. This home console version may get the basics right, but it will never make Mortal Kombat 3 the must-own game everybody wanted.

A controversial rating, but NBA Jam: Tournament Edition deserves high praise. This may not have been the first time Acclaim brought Midway's seminal two-on-two basketball game from the arcade to the home consoles, however it's definitely the first time they managed to get it perfect. The game has all of the over-the-top antics of the arcade game, plus dozens of weird secret characters (Sonic Youth and the Beastie Boys?), making this one of the most enjoyable basketball titles of all time. With arcade-perfect graphics, some cool single player content and four-player multiplayer, NBA Jam: Tournament Edition is best on the Sony PlayStation. A year later Midway would release NBA Hangtime on the Nintendo 64, but by that time the moment had passed. If you're looking for an NBA Jam game, I would start with this PlayStation port.

There's nothing new or fresh about Raiden Project, the PlayStation one and only 2D shoot-em-up ready at launch. There's nothing technically wrong with this by-the-books arcade port, however by 1995 the idea of another 2D shoot-em-up was akin to convincing commuters to sell their car and go back to horse and buggy. As 2D shooters go, Raiden Project is a completely workable game, full of cool bosses, predictable power-ups and a two-player option. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold its own against games like Jumping Flash, wipEout and Twisted Metal. Still, this is one of the only launch titles to give longtime gamers a taste of the known. There is nothing safer than a 2D shooter, especially one that has been proven in the arcade circuit. Raiden Project is far from a terrible game, but it's definitely not the reason most people upgraded to a PlayStation.

Long before we had to put up with annual mini-game compilations starring those insufferably cute Rabbids, there was Rayman. This stylish 2D platformer featured a limbless character working his way through some of the most creative levels I've ever seen. Playing the game fifteen years later, I'm even more impressed. The graphics are downright stunning, full of vibrant colors and adorable hand drawn characters. Even more impressive are the inspired levels, which include a crazy world full of enemies made out of musical instruments. The fact that every level offers new enemies and obstacles was enough to impress me fifteen years ago, but even now I'm shocked at how fully realized this platformer is. Unfortunately, I'm also surprised at the extreme difficulty. This game cheats, making you play through a level dozens of times before you finally make it to the end. Still, the extreme difficulty didn't rub me the wrong way. Even when I was rolling my eyes at the countless unnecessary deaths, I still wanted to see what came next.

Yeah, I know, it's "Riiiiiidge Racer." It's the game that Sony inexplicably touts every time they need to call back to the good old days. Truth is, Ridge Racer isn't that good of a racing game. Don't get me wrong, Namco eventually turned the franchise around (and then screwed it up again), but this original Ridge Racer isn't the arcade-perfect port people remember from fifteen years ago. For one thing, it only has three tracks. That's right, three. And most of them take place in the same metropolis background. Thankfully you can play the tracks backwards, but that's not enough to make this quickly assembled racer worth tracking down. And did I mention that it's strictly a one-player game? Well, it is. This means that the average player will likely get their fill within the first hour or two. With so many better Ridge Racer games on the market, there's no reason to relive this rush job.

Three years ago I ranked Street Fighter: The Movie to be the Number One Most Unnecessary Game of All Time. Here we are, yet again, talking about one of the most disappointing games of all time. Why does this game exist? There are perfectly good Street Fighter games already available, so why tarnish the franchise's name with this mo-capped monstrosity? The graphics are laughable when compared to Mortal Kombat 3, and the gameplay is measurably worse than the Super NES and arcade Street Fighter games. This is not the way to introduce a franchise to a new generation game players. This game was so bad; I suspect it ended up hurting the success of Street Fighter III. On the home consoles, gamers could scratch their heads and ponder why this product exists in the first place.