10 Brilliant Games We Never Should Have Ignored

Today, with consoles like the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X/S, plus all the games available on PC, new titles come out much more often than they did in the 80s and 90s. This makes it easy to overlook great games. There are so many releases each week—sometimes even four perfect games—that it’s impossible to play or even learn about them all.

Many fantastic games don’t get the attention they deserve, often overshadowed by newer releases. This list highlights some hidden gems with similar qualities. Games like Bat Boy, a charming pixel platformer, and Scott Pilgrim EX, a fun brawler, are excellent examples. Let’s explore why these games are special and why they shouldn‘t be overlooked.

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Scott Pilgrim EX

A Brawler Passed Over

Scott Pilgrim EX is the new sequel to the popular 2010 game, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, which was based on the movie. This time around, it’s a completely new story, with Scott and his friends fighting demons, vegetarian psychics, and robots all over Toronto.

You still improve your character by buying things in shops, but the game world is now more freely explorable instead of being divided into levels. It’s a fantastic follow-up to an already excellent fighting game, but it didn’t get as much attention as it deserved because it was released alongside other big titles like Pokemon Pokopia, Marathon, and Slay the Spire 2.

Blade Chimera

A Cyberpunk Metroidvania

Developer: Team Ladybug
Publishers: Playism, WSS Playground
Released: January 16, 2025
Platforms: PC, Switch

Blade Chimera is a fast-paced, futuristic fantasy game where you explore ruined locations as part of a demon-hunting group, trying to stop a monstrous rebellion. You can switch seamlessly between using ranged weapons like guns and fighting with a spirit-powered sword.

As a big fan of exploration games, I was really impressed with how the sword isn’t just for fighting! You can actually use it to swing across gaps – it’s like a grappling hook powered by this cool spirit link mechanic. It feels a lot like a role-playing game too, with proper leveling up and character progression. If you loved Hollow Knight, I think you’ll absolutely get hooked on Blade Chimera.

Ember Knights

Another Flaming Roguelike

Ember Knights is a fast-paced, action-packed roguelike game where you play as a warrior who controls fire. Before starting your adventure, you can even choose your character’s color!

If you enjoyed Hades, you’ll likely love Ember Knights. It features the same exciting, quick combat and rewarding system of constantly improving your character and unlocking new gear. You’ll have a wide variety of weapons to choose from – everything from bows to swords – and they all feel fantastic to use. What really makes Ember Knights different from Hades and other games in the genre is its four-player co-op mode, making it a great choice for players who like to team up and play with friends.

The Adventure Pals

A Co-Op 2D Platformer

The Adventure Pals is a fun and quirky 2D platformer you can play by yourself or with a friend. It feels a bit like watching Adventure Time, with imaginative characters and enemies – think monster hotdogs and a giraffe that flies using its tongue from a backpack!

This is a fun game that didn’t get much attention when it first came out, but it’s worth revisiting now. The studio that made it, Massive Monster, later created Cult of the Lamb, so if you enjoyed that game, you should definitely check out The Adventure Pals.

Card Shark

Time To D-D-D-Duel

In the Victorian-era game Card Shark, you play as a budding cheat. Each level teaches you new ways to swindle opponents in classic card games, either by directly cheating yourself or by secretly helping a partner.

Simple actions like serving drinks or tidying up can reveal what another player is up to, and subtly manipulating cards might help you get the best possible hand. If you enjoy Balatro, you’ll likely love Card Shark for its easy-to-learn but captivating card game mechanics.

The Good Life

It’s Raining Cats And Dogs

In “The Good Life,” a journalist leaves the city for a quiet country town, only to find herself investigating a possible mystery. Her investigation quickly takes a strange turn when she discovers a murder and learns the townspeople – including herself – transform into cats and dogs each night. To make matters worse, she also finds herself under a curse.

In this game, players explore a town and learn about the daily routines of its residents, who each live life as either a reporter, a dog, or a cat. They’ll also experience other adventures from an animal’s perspective. If you enjoyed the cat-focused adventure game Stray, you might like The Good Life.

Donut County

Down The Hole

Like many games, Donut County takes place in a town, but this one has a strange problem: a mysterious hole is swallowing everything up! You play as BK, a playful raccoon who discovers an app that lets him control this hole. The gameplay involves using the hole to absorb objects in each level, similar to the reverse of the game Katamari Damacy.

Players aren’t just trying to destroy a town bit by bit – they’re actively creating chaos for the people living there. Levels also include puzzle-solving, such as tricking opponents by using water to lure them into traps.

Bloomtown: A Different Story

EarthBound + Persona

Bloomtown: A Different Story blends the charming, simple town settings of EarthBound with the supernatural guardian themes found in the Persona series. Fans of indie RPGs like Undertale will likely find a lot to love in this game.

Bloomtown: A Different Story is set in a small town where a group of students uncover a hidden secret in an attic. This discovery awakens a mysterious force that grants them special abilities. During combat, players can call upon powerful, guardian-like creatures – even a robotic T. rex – to assist them. With its unique character designs and fantastic soundtrack, the game is sure to appeal to fans of indie role-playing games.

Bat Boy

A Pixelated Plaformer

Developers: X PLUS Co., Ltd., Sonzai Games
Publisher: DANGEN Entertainment
Released: 5/25/23
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S

Bat Boy is a retro-style pixel platformer, similar to Shovel Knight, with stunning visuals that look like a classic NES game brought up to date. The game is packed with sports-themed challenges and bosses – you’ll even face off against football players! You play as Bat Boy, who uses a baseball bat to defeat enemies, jump off them to reach new areas, and even deflect attacks back at opponents.

Defeating bosses unlocks new abilities for players, similar to the classic Mega Man games. The game also features a memorable soundtrack, a common trait in modern pixel-art titles. In between boss fights, players can visit shops to purchase power-ups and upgrades, and a world map connects all the different levels, much like in Shovel Knight.

Cyber Shadow

More Action Than Stealth

Cyber Shadow was created as a tribute to the classic Ninja Gaiden series, originally intended before the franchise made a big return in 2025 with three new games. Despite that return, Cyber Shadow remains a fantastic game, especially for fans of the original NES Ninja Gaiden titles, who will appreciate its story and level design, which are heavily inspired by the series’ cybernetic elements.

Cyber Shadow is a game made up of distinct levels, each ending with a challenging boss fight. Getting to those bosses requires mastering difficult platforming sections. Fortunately, the game strikes a good balance between these challenges and provides players with upgrades – both temporary and permanent – like faster dashes and powerful sword attacks to help them along the way.

2026-03-30 03:37