biodegradablebean
Banned
For 2,5 years I was certain NOT to buy Killer7, until I read 1 review explaining what it was really about, rushed out to buy it, and totally love it since.
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your sleeper hit of this gen?
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For 2,5 years I was certain NOT to buy Killer7, until I read 1 review explaining what it was really about, rushed out to buy it, and totally love it since.
Version 3.0
Member
Super Monkey Ball, without a doubt. It may not seem like it now, but it did'nt get much attention back then. What attention it did get was only because A) it was a Sega game coming to a Nintendo system and B) it was a launch title. Not because there was really interest in it.
But it turned out to be one of my favorite games ever--best game Sega's ever made, IMO. And word got out, it sold well, and so did its sequel--not a small accomplishment for a 3rd party game on Gamecube. Well-deserved success. Too bad the ports sucked, everyone should play this game--of course, if they hadn't, then I'd be saying too bad they bombed...
But it turned out to be one of my favorite games ever--best game Sega's ever made, IMO. And word got out, it sold well, and so did its sequel--not a small accomplishment for a 3rd party game on Gamecube. Well-deserved success. Too bad the ports sucked, everyone should play this game--of course, if they hadn't, then I'd be saying too bad they bombed...
The Advance Wars series. I only bought AW2 on a whim because 1) I could get it for $17 at Circuit City, 2) I liked the graphics, and 3) it was by the makers of Fire Emblem.
It's not even like I'd ever really liked a non-RPG strategy game, turn-based or real-time... Heroes of Might and Magic, Warcraft, Warlocked, Lords of the Realm--they were all okay, but not something I'd actively seek out or purchase over again.
So after I get AW2, I'm walking out of the store reassuring myself "okay, even at absolute worst I only wasted $17; it can't possibly be that bad," and then I get home and play the thing for like 8-10 hours straight until it was 3:00 AM, which was (back then) later than I'd ever been up before. Crazy.
Aside from Pokemon, best series ever on a portable system. I should have picked up AW1 back in 2001, not AW2 in the last month of 2004.
It's not even like I'd ever really liked a non-RPG strategy game, turn-based or real-time... Heroes of Might and Magic, Warcraft, Warlocked, Lords of the Realm--they were all okay, but not something I'd actively seek out or purchase over again.
So after I get AW2, I'm walking out of the store reassuring myself "okay, even at absolute worst I only wasted $17; it can't possibly be that bad," and then I get home and play the thing for like 8-10 hours straight until it was 3:00 AM, which was (back then) later than I'd ever been up before. Crazy.
Aside from Pokemon, best series ever on a portable system. I should have picked up AW1 back in 2001, not AW2 in the last month of 2004.
HomerSimpson-Man
Member
Hmmm...I guess Beyond Good and Evil wouldn't fall under the term "sleeper hit" since it did terribly in sales. Sleeper hits are usually deemed for things that tend to fall under the radar for a long time untill near release and does great numbers overall. For movies something like the original "The Matrix" was a sleeper hit.
..pakbeka..
Member
BigBoss said:
this man speaks the truth
Mac the KNife
Member
HomerSimpson-Man said:
IAWTP
gollumsluvslave
Member
There can only be one for me this gen
Mercenaries
This came in under the radar for me, fantastic game and sold pretty well also
Mercenaries
This came in under the radar for me, fantastic game and sold pretty well also
hukasmokincaterpillar
Member
Phantom Crash in my early Xbox days had me hooked for awhile after I got tired of Halo, and I think Im one of three people who probably bought the thing in the States so I guess it qualifies. It was basically "Armored Core- Actually Fun Edition". Halo controls with a breakneck pace, hackneyed yet rather charming punk-apocalyptic anime atmosphere, relatively deep customization and the damn thing just never ended. Tumor inducing plot and dialog aside I thought it was a little gem.
Parallax Scroll
Banned
Cave Story.
Parallax Scroll
Banned
It's less than a year old, so I'd say that counts.Himuro said:
Blackie{BA}
Banned
Far Cry Instinct
without-any-doubt
it is awesome
without-any-doubt
it is awesome
Freedom Fighters by far. It's my favorite game this generation. Any word on a next gen sequel? If any game deserves one, it's FF's.
Runners up would be: Crimson Skies, Buffy (the first one), and Metal Arms.
I bought BG&E in February, but have still yet to open it. Something I do too often when buying games. :/
Runners up would be: Crimson Skies, Buffy (the first one), and Metal Arms.
I bought BG&E in February, but have still yet to open it. Something I do too often when buying games. :/
iced lightning
Member
I have no idea whether these are actually sleeper hits or not, but to ME they were, so here you go.
PS2: Rez, Amplitude, In The Groove (similar to DDR)
GC: Alien Hominid, Animal Crossing, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
GBA: Astro Boy: Omega Factor
DS: Ouendan (too early to say?)
I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting.
PS2: Rez, Amplitude, In The Groove (similar to DDR)
GC: Alien Hominid, Animal Crossing, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
GBA: Astro Boy: Omega Factor
DS: Ouendan (too early to say?)
I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting.
In terms of sales....
&
Sure people were looking into them before their own release dates, but nobody could have predicted the gigantic sales that came from both of these franchises. *I love how the links I picked for both games have Halo as "T" rating and Capcom for GTA.
As far as my personal sleeper hit goes, there are plenty but...
The innovation in this game and just the ammount of fun in playing it amazes me, and has me looking forward to more DS games and seeing what Nintendo can do with their new console.
Sure people were looking into them before their own release dates, but nobody could have predicted the gigantic sales that came from both of these franchises. *I love how the links I picked for both games have Halo as "T" rating and Capcom for GTA.
As far as my personal sleeper hit goes, there are plenty but...
The innovation in this game and just the ammount of fun in playing it amazes me, and has me looking forward to more DS games and seeing what Nintendo can do with their new console.
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
gollumsluvslave said:
I second this one. First game I thought about when I saw this thread. I didn't follow this game much at all during development, thought it looked like a standard run and gun game with no depth, little substance, and generic play style. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised to find an incredibly fun game, lots of style, and tons of freedom of play. It would be, by far, the game that came out of nowhere this generation for me, and I can't wait to see a sequel on the next gen systems
iced lightning
Member
Himuro said:
oooh, I forgot about Sly. That game is ace. Never played the 2nd or 3rd, though. Are those anywhere near as good?
Silverbolt
Member
I thought Breakdown was awesome.
Definitely something new and innovative, if frustrating at points. Great story.
Drinky Crow
Banned
Unlimited Saga!
echoshifting
Banned
Rez. No other game even comes close for me.
Fantastic, and to think I almost missed out on this game due to some idiotic Gamestop employee who told me it sucked
But seriously, the whole graphical style and the music really appealed to me and it's still a game I play religiously. I mean, it's underground, it's got all psychadelic style wireframe graphics, it's got an electronic music soundtrack, it was put out by my favorite game company, and it's one of these pretentious insertcredit wankjob "games as art" games... fucking perfect for me Longfellow
Member
Freedom Fighters
the almosts being Otogi, Psychonauts, and Beyond Good and Evil. Mwha.
the almosts being Otogi, Psychonauts, and Beyond Good and Evil. Mwha.
Ganondorf>Link
Member
Shenmue
Came out of nowhere for me. I just rented the game out of the blue, and it blew me away. One hell of a game, definitley in my Top 5 favorite games.
Came out of nowhere for me. I just rented the game out of the blue, and it blew me away. One hell of a game, definitley in my Top 5 favorite games.
Hydro_Alexis
Banned
Sequel please.
I dunno, to me "sleeper hit" defines something that didn't sell very well nor had a lot of positive word of mouth among gamers (which would disqualify Psychonauts, Mercenaries, Rez, ICO, Shenmue, etc. etc.)
So with that said...
(also PS2 & GC)
(also PS2)
(also PS2)
(also PS2)
It hardly ends there, I just don't wanna sit here all night.
So with that said...
It hardly ends there, I just don't wanna sit here all night.
Robobandit
Member
Armed and Dangerous was definitely great.
Psychonauts was the biggest surprise for me, though. I had never played any of Tim's games before, so I was completely surprised by how brilliant it was.
Ico was another game that shocked me, it was just absolutely beautiful. I remember even my mother was startled at how lifelike the animations were. (That was the first thing she noticed on the shadow of the colossus demo, too.. actually.. how well Argo was animated)
Resident Evil 4: I didn't see it coming, I didn't think it would work.. but then again, I could say the same thing about Metroid Prime.
However, the biggest "out of left field" hit for me, was Trauma Center: Under the Knife for DS. I have never been so enthralled by a handheld game in my life, and I can confidently say that I never thought that a game like that could be so much fun. Right up there with Psychonauts as one of this gen's pleasant surprises (though Psychonauts was better, of course
)
Psychonauts was the biggest surprise for me, though. I had never played any of Tim's games before, so I was completely surprised by how brilliant it was.
Ico was another game that shocked me, it was just absolutely beautiful. I remember even my mother was startled at how lifelike the animations were. (That was the first thing she noticed on the shadow of the colossus demo, too.. actually.. how well Argo was animated)
Resident Evil 4: I didn't see it coming, I didn't think it would work.. but then again, I could say the same thing about Metroid Prime.
However, the biggest "out of left field" hit for me, was Trauma Center: Under the Knife for DS. I have never been so enthralled by a handheld game in my life, and I can confidently say that I never thought that a game like that could be so much fun. Right up there with Psychonauts as one of this gen's pleasant surprises (though Psychonauts was better, of course
)So no, most people in this thread don't seem to know what the term "sleeper hit" actually means in its usual context since many of the games listed are definite commercial failures. However, since the thread title modifies it to "your sleeper hit," it could easily be taken to mean "a game you unexpectedly liked," in which case most of the responses are good ones.
As for me, I'll go with Blood Will Tell. I was expecting a bleh hack and slash and ended up liking it far, far more than just about any other Sega game this gen that didn't have "Jet" or "Radio" in the title. The body part collecting is a great hook, even though it makes no sense that the guy is alive without his lungs and spine. I especially liked that the game is in black and white until you get one of your eyes back, at which point it changes to color.