Summary
In 1991, Silicon & Synapse, Inc. arrived on the gaming scene withRPM Racing, a quickly developed game that turned some heads due to its then-groundbreaking use of high-resolution graphics on the SNES. Little did gamers know that S&S would soon be reborn as one of the most seminal gaming development groups of all time.
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After rebranding asBlizzard Entertainmentin 1994, the Californian development company gradually found its way, eventually changing RPG gaming forever withWarcraftandDiablo. Both franchises remain monumentally popular to this day, withthe recently releasedDiablo 4being one of the biggest games of 2023. However, for their many hits,Blizzardhas had a few releases over the years that have largely slipped by the wayside. From disappointing comic book adaptations to underrated gems, the beloved developer has its fair share of curious and obscure releases from yesteryear.
6The Death And Return Of Superman Covers Much Of The Classic Titular Story
WhereThe Death and Return of Supermancomic book arc is a seminal classic, its side-scrolling 1994 adaptation came and went without much in the way of major fanfare. Starting shortly before Superman’s iconicfight to the death with Doomsday, the game runs throughReign of the Supermenand the return of Kal-El as well.
Functioning as a beat ‘em up, players get to crush enemies as several characters, from the classic original Supermanto the likes of Superboyand Steel. While the graphics are colorful and relatively well-rendered for the time, the gameplay mechanics are lacking when it comes to Superman’s expansive array of powers. For the most part, the combat is straightforward melee with some flying and not much room for effective heat vision, frost breath, or super speed. Released to a mixed critical reception, this game neither set the world on fire nor set fan rage ablaze the waySuperman 64would just a few years later.
5Lost Vikings 2 Infuriated Players With Its Unexpected Difficulty Level
This 1997 sequel to the well-received puzzle platformer ultimately ended the series before it could really get going. The plot focuses on them being re-captured by their intergalactic nemesis Tomator and them having to once again find their way back home.
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Sporting similar humor to the original,Lost Vikings 2garnered some flak from pundits due to its disappointing graphics by the standards of fifth-generation console gaming. Its puzzle gameplay, meanwhile, drew a polarized response, with some praising its surprising level of complexity while others dismissed it as simply too frustratingly difficult. With its rumored 1995multiplayer version for the 3DOcanceled,Lost Vikings 2ultimately slipped into relative obscurity. As a result, this earlier crack from Blizzard at a full gaming series didn’t quite hit the big time and has since been largely lost to the sands of time.
4Justice League Task Force Was Not Hugely Faithful To The Source Material
One of several cracks at bringing DC’s premier superhero team to gaming over the years,Justice League Task Forcedropped back in the days of Superman sporting long hair. The 1995 releasesees the villainous Darkseidlaunch a full-scale assault on planet Earth along with a bizarre android-focused plot.
Rather than emphasizing teamwork, multiplayer, or AI companions, thisJustice Leaguegame lets the player choose just one League member to fight the good fight. Over the course of the game, the player must defeat android duplicates of the other heroesbefore a final confrontation with Darkseidto save the day. Released to an overall disappointing reception, the game’s cumbersome controls and graphics left DC fans unhappy with the overall gaming experience. Curiously, despite being modeled on the popularTask Forceseries at the time, the key character Martian Manhunter was left out of the game due to memory storage concerns, immediately disconnecting the game adaptation from its purported source material.
3Rock N’ Roll Racing Is A Great Piece Of Fun For Rock Fans And Metalheads
This 1993 release gave players a fresh, combat-focused take on the racing game style of the time. Not only did players get a nice selection of vehicles to choose from, but they also got an array of weaponry, adding an extra sense of danger to the game’s proceedings.
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The game offers a multiplayer mode, with two players being able to join the four-character races on offer. With characters inspired heavily by sci-fi and comic book tropes, the game takes racing in a more fantastical direction than a standard sports entry would. With a variety of planets to speed through,Rock n' Roll Racingremains fast-paced and no-nonsense throughout. Its soundtrack also garnered interest at the time, sporting popular rock and metal outfits such as Black Sabbath, Rush, and Judas Priest. Interplay’s 1997 sequel, made for the PlayStation, was ultimately the death knell for this game, as its poor critical and financial performances sullied any franchise potentialRock n' Roll Racingmight’ve had.
2The Lost Vikings Is A Fun Puzzle Platformer
Released back in 1992, this puzzle platformer impressed critics with its blend of cerebral gameplay and light humor. The gamefocuses on three kidnapped Vikings: Olaf the Stout, Erik the Swift, and Baleog the Fierce.
The trio is taken captive by the villainous Tomator, the emperor of an outer space empire, who leaves them trapped in his bizarre space zoo.Players must guide the Vikingsthrough various puzzle-oriented levels, using their respective abilities to defeat enemies along the way. Offering both single-player and cooperative campaign modes,The Lost Vikingswas a hit in its day thanks to its addictive, problem-solving objectives and goofy comedy. The poor financial performance of its sequel led to the discontinuation of the series, allowing this well-regarded gem to fall by the wayside in gaming history.
1Blackthorne Provides Dark, Sci-Fi Thrills
This 1994side-scrolling platformerfollows the adventures of the titular Kyle “Blackthorne” Varos. The prince of a distant planet, Blackthorne returns to his homeland to do battle with its evil ruler.
With epic cover art from comic book icon Jim Lee and a dark, high-concept plot,Blackthornemoderately impressed critics and players at the time of its release. Taking cues from similar platform games of the time such asFlashbackandPrince of Persia, the game used both rotoscoping and motion capture techniques at different points during the development of its animation. While the game drew some interest, it was ultimately hampered by the failure to get it ported to the PlayStation as well as any of Sega’s devices at the time. With a heavy emphasis on action, atmosphere, and storytelling,Blackthornestands out as one of the grittier, more violent platformers of its day.
