Best Games Made Even Better by Glitches

Typically, a bug or malfunction in a game can be its biggest adversary. However, there are exceptional games whose extraordinary experiences manage to overshadow a handful of technical issues.

Certain video games can be made even more engaging due to a touch of unconventional programming – enriched by a handful of creative malfunctions. These malfunctions may not always receive the recognition they deserve for the enjoyment they bring to the game, or for their crucial part in transforming some creations into the masterpieces we know today. This compilation aims to honor some exceptional games that have glitches which significantly improve the gaming experience.

1. Pokemon Red & Blue

Missingno Was a Very Powerful Weapon

A very dangerous glitch.

In simpler terms, the classic games Pokémon Red and Blue aren’t overly challenging. As players progress, they’ll discover strategies that make their team incredibly strong, allowing them to breeze through much of the game. However, having more power or acquiring it quickly is never a bad thing!

The pathway to it is through Missingno, an anomaly within the system disguised as a Pokémon. Players exploring the coasts of Cinnabar Island or Seafoam Island might stumble upon this peculiar entity. In essence, Missingno is the most potent Pokémon in the game not due to its combat abilities (a strike will instantly knock it out), but because of what it can offer when managed correctly. The Missingno is such an enigmatic glitch that it can replicate items like Rare Candies, or potentially corrupt save files if mishandled. Despite the hazards, this glitch gave off a sense of a hidden endgame.

2. Halo: Combat Evolved

The Super-Powered Magnum Ensured No One Would Ever Underestimate a Pistol Again

Accidentally, the best pistol in games.

Among the initial weapons players typically have at the start of the Halo game, none surpasses the original Magnum in power. Not even the sophisticated weapons from the Covenant’s inventory come close. In truth, no weapon ever seen in the Halo series can truly match its extraordinary might.

In the game Halo, the Magnum was initially designed as a backup weapon when the ammo for the assault rifle ran out. However, due to some hasty adjustments made before release, it turned out to be significantly more potent than the assault rifle could ever dream of being. This unexpected power surge occurred because the changes accidentally amplified its strength beyond its intended level, and the game’s lore was forever altered as a result.

3. Super Mario Bros.

Minus World Was a Glitch Many Thought Was a Feature

There’s no escape, but there’s a lot of mystique.

In simpler terms, the “Minus World” from the original Super Mario Bros. game is often considered one of the first well-known glitches in mainstream gaming. This secret level could be unintentionally accessed but not exited by players. It’s called the Minus World because it appears as “-1” on the screen instead of a world number, and it resembles an underwater map you would typically find in the game.

The predicament lies in the fact that the game wasn’t designed for players to reach that point, leaving only Game Over as an option. Despite the Minus World being a death trap for players, it ignited curiosity among both players and developers, who have since used this mysterious realm as inspiration for creating their own hidden realms of malevolence.

4. Grand Theft Auto 4

The Swing Set Glitch was the Fastest Way to Travel

And also the least safe way to travel.

Before Grand Theft Auto 4, no one had ever pondered ‘What if GTA had fast travel?’, but the game somehow provided an unexpected answer. By walking into or driving a car into any of Liberty City’s park swings, players could inadvertently launch themselves skyward.

Skipping this action without a vehicle could potentially be fatal, while performing it inside a car might lead you to end up on the opposite side of town with just a minor head injury. It may not be the healthiest mode of transportation, but it’s undeniably one of the most thrilling and unique ways to travel, which makes Liberty City’s parks some of the most iconic attractions within the game.

5. Red Dead Redemption 2

Glitchy Bridges Let Players Fly Higher Than Any Plane in GTA Ever Could

Up, up, and away!

– It can be challenging to replicate certain bugs, even the top-notch ones, but the “wooden bridge glitch” from Red Dead Redemption 2 is so effortless to activate that it seems like a built-in feature. To set it off, players merely need to locate a wooden bridge and carry some throwing knives with them.

Placing an individual (maybe someone bound) or even Arthur himself, across the bridge, followed by tossing a few knives at the part of the bridge in contact with the ground on one edge will result in the bridge functioning unusually and spectacularly. It’ll start to shake uncontrollably, eventually causing whatever’s on it to be launched skyward as if it had been catapulted. The original Red Dead Redemption was famous for numerous wild physics glitches, but this one surpasses them all.

6. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Spawning a Small Army of Dogs Was Revitalizing

Hard to find a more wholesome glitch.

the room of dogs. While this dog-filled space may seem to be a glitch – perhaps even a cosmic attempt at balance – it’s quite beautiful.

In the game Skyrim, it was discovered that a certain room causes dogs to appear, causing quite a stir among players. However, one might wonder why this is classified as a glitch rather than a feature, given the series’ tendency for allowing players to perform amazing feats under the pretext of “magic.” If any developer working on Elder Scrolls 6 happens to read this, they should be aware that the player base would be thrilled if such an occurrence were included in the game.

7. Grand Theft Auto

The Cop Car Glitch Might Be the Most Profitable Coding Error in History

This glitch turned the entire game around.

At times, it isn’t merely an incident where a bug unintentionally improves a game; rather, it can be that the bug is instrumental in making the game playable in the first place. Interestingly, the most successful video game franchise ever, one renowned for its crime-centric theme, was born entirely out of malfunctioning law enforcement entities.

Earlier creators of the iconic GTA series revealed that initially, the game wasn’t primarily about crime as we know it. Instead, it was designed around high-speed illegal racing. Players would compete with each other, but a technical issue arose: the police were overly aggressive, turning every race into something resembling the chaotic Carmageddon. This unexpected challenge led the developers to refocus the game on escaping these relentless cops, and that decision paved the way for the franchise’s enduring success.

2025-07-24 21:04