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[Speevy]

I don't know about you, but lately I'm a sucker for anything that's dissimilar to the games I've played before. Originality can be downright brilliant in design, and can even mask shortcomiings to a certain extent. Every platform has at least some games that stand out as games you really should play, because there's nothing else like them on the shelf. Last year, Namco released one such game in Katamari Damacy. That title garnered high praise from critics and even earned and AIAS Game of the Year nomination. Offbeat, off the wall games may have trouble selling, but they're the games we'll be thinking about when we look back on this generation.

Choose 5 games from this generation which you found to be unlike most or all other games on the shelves. Also, give the reason why those games were so unique. Did you enjoy them? How (if at all) do you think those games' existence will affect future games and their design? Just some questions to bat around. Just the 5 games will suffice.

My 5 are:

1) Animal Crossing
2) Pikmin series
3) Psychonauts
4) Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
5) Jet Set Radio Future

 

[PhoncipleBone]

I have to disagree with Jet Set Radio Future. It was a sequel to another game. Perhaps the first Jet Set Radio on Dreamcast.

Anyways, my list, in no order whatsoever.

Seaman
Katamari Damacy
Warioware (all of them)
Feel the Magic (similar vein)
Animal Crossing
DK Jungle Beat(only for the control scheme)
Pikmin series
Rez
Ico(I know there are haters out there!)
Samba DeAmigo (quite cool, we need a sequel)
Eye Toy(admit it, it was kinda cool at first)

 

[bjork]

Dog's Life
... I think that's all

 

[galeninjapan]

Case closed

The game starts out bizarre. You are a animal and you have to eat other animals to gain limbs and mate to pass on your genes. Then it gets even more bizarre. There are portals, weird worlds. Everything is a cube, the sun, the moon even the grass!

 

[_Angelus_]

The first jet grind radio would be my pick.

 

[Barrage]

Wario Ware
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat
Feel The Magic
Viewtiful Joe
Rez

 

[Jasoco]

Yes, Cubivore. Freaky freaky ass game. I got a copy from a friend at DP and enjoyed every last freaky minute of it. Shame there would probably never be a sequel.

Katamari Damacy.. can't get enough. Still hoping for a sequel on the PSP. Can't wait for the PS2 and DS sequels.

Animal Crossing is technically last generations innovation. It was on the Japanese N64. Then was ported and released over in the US as well as Japan as a special edition.

Pikmin, while sort of a Lemmings-type game, kicks butt. And is damn beautiful to boot.

Ico.. unique.

 

[siege]

 

[StoOgE]

I actually think both Jet Grind Radio and Jet Set Radio were very original... Jet Grind Radio has the whole original vibe going for it, while JSRF had the crazy off the wall platforming/comboing shit... I think it was a significantly better package overall... sadly a ton of the most innovative titles this gen are on a dead system..

Seaman
Shenmue (like it or not, it is original)
PSO
Crazy Taxi (granted its ripped off of by a billion things at this point)
Jet Grind Radio
Chu Chu Rocket.
Rez

I miss the Dreamcast

 

[evilromero]

Seaman
Shenmue (like it or not, it is original)
PSO
Crazy Taxi (granted its ripped off of by a billion things at this point)
Jet Grind Radio
Chu Chu Rocket.
Rez

I miss the Dreamcast

But, this is just DC fapping. I wouldn't call any of those unique, save for the brilliant Seaman.

 

[Unison]

some are more unique than others, but ...

Seaman - obv. unique
Shenmue (like it or not, it is original) - unprecedented environments
PSO - first online RPG
Crazy Taxi (granted its ripped off of by a billion things at this point) - an "open ended" 3d racing game (though hardly the first, I agree) / great use of product placements
Jet Grind Radio - one of the first to use Cel-shading well
Chu Chu Rocket = online console game / puzzle game that owes nothing to tetris
Rez = this kind of integration with the music hadn't been done often before / vibrating strap

 

[theREBELins]

Zelda Four Swords on the Cube was definitely a unique experience for me in regards to multiplayer with 3 of my buddies this gen - and keep in mind I didn't play Final Fantasy Chronicles, so I have nothing else to really compare it to.

 

[Jared Goodwin]

Ambrosia's games are totally awesome. They're the last hope of Mac gamers.

Well fuck me. Ambrosia just ported it? Don't mind me.

 

[Duck of Death]

Katamari Damacy
Wario Ware

 

[jadehorizon1]

Phantasy Star Online ... day 1 of online gaming for consoles

 

[Mr Nash]

Katamari Damacy: Let's roll stuff into a giant ball!

Warioware Touched: The more filthy your mind is, the more fun the game becomes!

Stretch Panic: Any game that requires you to snap the bras of women with freakishly gigantic breasts with a strange, otherworldly hand gets the Mr. Nash Seal of Approval (TM)

 

[+Aliken+]

Zelda Four Swords on the Cube was definitely a unique experience for me in regards to multiplayer with 3 of my buddies this gen - and keep in mind I didn't play Final Fantasy Chronicles, so I have nothing else to really compare it to.

I've tried both and FFCC just proves how good Zelda Four Swords is.

Here's my list:
- Seaman
- Zelda 4 Swords
- ReZ
- Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
- Animal Crossing

 

[mrkgoo]

Seaman would probably top my list.

Other games that are really unique, in that outside of their own series, there isn't many other games I've played like them are:

Shenmue. Nort really an RPG, not really an adventrue, not really a fighting game. But also all of the above.

Ecco the dolphin. Underwater, caves, I never finsihed it because it was totally disorienting in both 3D execution and epciness. Have to go back to this someday.

Pikmin: Real time Strategy made for consoles in mind. Brilliant.

Chu Chu Rocket: Puzzle mode = a TRUE puzzle game, in that it actually has puzzles. And lots of them.

Spider-man2. I mean seriously, what other game lets you be Spider-man on such a scale and freedom?

Donkey Konga, DDR: yeah, there are loads of rhythm games, but it's still a very small percentage. I still play them loads too.

WarioWare:touched. No game can copy it.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Panzer Dragoon Orta
Chu Chu Rocket
Toy Commander
Seaman

 

[Krowley]

i know it's an odd choice, but the first thing that came to mind for me was metroid prime. it's not really freaky or anything, but i had never played a first person game that integrated platforming and adventure elements in quite the same way. The platforming is great, which is odd for a first person game and the way it takes aiming out of the equation was also pretty unique. It was one of a kind and i can't think of any game thats really similair other than it's sequel. it's one of those cases where odd design choices caused by trying to translate the feel of a 2d series into 3d resulted in a unique game.

 

[keeblerdrow]

 

[Katana_Strikes]

 

[Rorschach]

But, this is just DC fapping. I wouldn't call any of those unique, save for the brilliant Seaman.

Chu Chu and Rez were unique. If you can't see that, then you're blind. The rest are arguable except for PSO which was a Diablo clone.

JGR rox

[edit] Such a pity what happened to Toy Commander. It deserved better.

 

[ram]

my "most unique" favs are:

- jet set radio (beutiful style - awful gameplay)
- rez (only with trance vibvrator - ps2 version is better)
- sos the final escape (disaster report) (shit tech, but gorgerous gameplay)
- katamari damacy (awesome)

coming soon:

- killer 7 (the look, its all baout the look)

 

[Pimpwerx]

GTA3...before every Tom, Dick and Harry decided to copy it. It was one of the first, really open-ended, do anything type of games. It took the previous games to a whole new level IMO. PEACE.

 

[Kiriku]

With lots of good choices already mentioned, I'll just chip in Project Zero/Fatal Frame. It basically took the horror genre and added (unique) gameplay.

 

[Katana_Strikes]

GTA3...before every Tom, Dick and Harry decided to copy it. It was one of the first, really open-ended, do anything type of games. It took the previous games to a whole new level IMO. PEACE.

Hardly unique though is it. There was 2 GTA's before it that did the same. Fair enough it brought the series slap, bang into 3D and is a defining game this generation, but "unique"??

 

[Kai]

Yoshi Touch N' Go!!!

and of course... just for you Drinky... Nintendogs! :lol

 

[h4xor]

Katamari Damacy
Jet Grind Radio
Seman
Metal Gear: Ac!d
Animal Crossing