I recently replayed Tom & Jerry for the PS1, a game that is clearly low budget but still is still fun to play, especially when playing against someone else.
This being the retrogaming community, I expect to hear about games up to the 360/PS3 era 😁
Xbox 360 - I Maed a Gam3 w1th Z0mb1es 1n It!!!1
My first experience with indie games on console. I properly loved how much it made me believe it was possible for an anybody to make it as a game dev. Such a bad game, technically speaking, but it had a certain charm in that it knew it was bad, and reveled in it, and was also legitimately kinda fun.
I can’t quite describe the feeling. Knowing its shit but being excited by it anyway. Like when your child shows you a picture they drew.
Lego City undercover is… how the hell does that game exist? Co-op, open world, split screen, Lego based GTA… and it’s good?
The kids also like Little Kitty, Big City.
I’ve been playing Scanner Sombre and it has unmatched vibes. I put on Bluetooth headphones, turn off the lights and enjoy the eerie ass atmosphere.
Just Cause 2 is always on standby when “just go do crazy nonsense” is needed.
I’ve actually been thinking of doing a ROM hack for Super Mario Sunshine to add in a parachute and grappling hook mechanic so I can sight see Delfino Bay at my leisure, but that might be a project for next year.
On the backlog: Toy Commander (Dreamcast), Killer Frequency and Tacoma.
Guess I better get a wriggle on!
A rom hack of sm64 but you play as shadow the hedgehog has to be one of the most chaotic and most fun I’ve had with a game in a long time
N2O on the PS1, I loved that game. Really simple and straightforward, you’ve got a ship, you’re in a tube, you’re killing bugs. Crystal Method did the soundtrack and you could put it into a CD player and listen to it like a music CD.
Not sure if this quite counts, but Catherine for the PS3/X360 was the first title that came to mind.
I just watched someone play through this on Twitch. Such a weird game.
I had a surprising amount of fun with Sheep Dog and Wolf that I got for $5 from a bargain bin something like 20 years ago.
paperboy was pretty epic.
I was constantly reminded of paperboy every time I tried pulling a heavy pallet at my old job. Motherfuckers just jumping out at you out of nowhere trying to kill themselves on you
Didn’t it get a reboot? I remember my cousins and I discovered the original on an Asian bootleg device with 400 games or something.
The humor sensibilities really got to us
Katamari Damacy. It was just $20 on release and I didn’t know exactly what to expect but loved loved it.
That’s a game I’ve only ever played somewhat recently, the unity remaster. Never expected such a banger intro, or a gameplay that’s essentially dung beetle being so damn fun!
Audiosurf was the first game I ever bought on Steam. That was my first introduction to indie gaming and it’s still quite a fun game. Highly recommended to anyone with a large local music library.
Not sure these are all low budget, but some always seemed overlooked or underrated. Some I see as imperfect gems of their time.
PS2
- Just Cause 1
- Mercenaries 1
- Rebel Raiders: Operation Nighthawk
- Spartan: Total Warrior
- Super Trucks Racing
- Tom and Jerry: War of the Whiskers
PS3
- Alice: Madness Returns
- Drakengard 3
- Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
- Far Cry 2
- History Civil War: Secret Missions
- LAIR
- Naughty Bear
- Overlord
- RUSE
- Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
- The Saboteur
- Turning Point: Fall of Liberty
- Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
- Viking: Battle for Asgard
PSP
- Blood Bowl
- Field Commander
- Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade
- Ys Seven
PS Vita
- Army Corps of Hell
- Deception IV: Blood Ties
- Dungeon Hunter: Alliance
- Ys: Memories of Celceta
- Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
GameCube
- Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters
Wii
- Excite Truck
Growing up, I had a lot of fun playing Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster’s Hidden Treasure.
It was a 2D platformer game, probably one in a million back then, but i really enjoyed it.
As a Konami game, I don’t think it could be considered low budget back then. Though I guess my question can be interpreted as “the game was cheap” :P
Ya, you’re probably right. I guess “obscure” would be more fitting. It wasn’t even my game - there was one other household in my small town that had a Genesis and we traded games.
I don’t think obscure would fit better. Another poster mentioned some Cartoon Network PS2 titles, which I doubt would count as obscure, same for most other tie-ins.
Thomas Was Alone is low budget and an excellent game.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit had one of the toughest endgame bosses i’ve ever fought.
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Like Just Cause, but the buildings are also destructible. Pure mayhem.
Mercenaries 1 on PS2 was also great.
I don’t know the budget, but I see a lot of mobile games in Southend Interactive’s catalog, so:
Deathrow
A 4v4 fictional combat sport title. It’s fun enough to play for a day or so… but if you can find 3 other people to sit on the couch and play with, that’s where it can be really fun.
Our strategy was to usually have 1 person be the forward, 2 people be enforcers who stomped the enemy into the asphalt, and the goalie would try to prevent any early scores until the opposing team was knocked unconscious.
