8 Weird PS1 Games So Bizarre You’ll Wonder How You Missed Them

by

Summary

  • The PS1 had obscure games like Bomberman Fantasy Race and Hakaiou: King Of Crusher.
  • Some strange PS1 titles include Hard Rock Cab and Screaming Mad George’s ParanoiaScape.
  • Unusual PS1 games like Speed Power Gunbike and Street Fighter: The Movie also exist.

Sony dared greatly with the PlayStation 1, and it proved to be a successful venture. Today, they stand tall among the three principal gaming console manufacturers globally, alongside Nintendo and Microsoft. However, the journey wasn’t always easy for the PlayStation 1; even Japan’s operations were hesitant about whether certain games would resonate with Western audiences, which was a common concern for many companies in the ’90s.

Today, most games launch globally, but during the PlayStation 1 era, the console was home to a variety of lesser-known titles that remain under the radar for many gamers. To put it simply, some of these games were so bizarre, you’d need to triple that level of strangeness just to grasp their existence. Remarkably, some of these games were genuinely good too. So, let’s delve into the most remarkable overlooked PS1 games and uncover the mysteries hidden beneath that massive gray cover.

8. Bomberman Fantasy Race

Dropping Explosives

The “Bomberman” franchise can be traced back to 1983, when its first installment was launched on the MSX computer in Japan. Over the years, many games in the series have players exploring labyrinths, placing bombs to eliminate adversaries or competing against one another in multiplayer modes. This core gameplay has kept “Bomberman” popular for several decades.

Besides these, there have been other variations such as “Bomberman Fantasy Race“, which surprisingly made its way to North America, courtesy of Atlus. Unlike go-karts, players in this game ride creatures resembling bunnies or dragons and drop bombs on competitors who are unaware. Additionally, there were traditional go-kart spinoffs like “Bomberman” on the PS2, including “Bomberman Kart ” and “Bomberman Kart DX“.

7. Hakaiou: King Of Crusher

Office Life Is Hard

  • Developer: FAB Communication
  • Publisher: FAB Communication
  • Released: November 12, 1998 (Japan)
  • Platform: PS1

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with anger at work or in your professional life and struggled to manage it? Then you might find solace in “Hakaiou: King of Crusher,” a unique take on workplace frustration. This anime follows the story of a typical Japanese salaryman who, when enraged by his job, undergoes a transformation into various monstrous forms.

Characters will undergo transformation across different game levels, starting off as a rampaging human demolishing offices, then escalating to the destruction of entire buildings in the form of a colossal Kaiju monster. Unlike many obscure Kaiju games on the PS1, this one is definitely worth exploring, and there’s even an English fan patch available for it.

6. Hard Rock Cab

A Cabbie At The End Of Times

  • Developer: Imagexcel
  • Publisher: GameTek
  • Released: February 16, 1996 (Japan, PS1 Version)
  • Platforms: 3DO, PC, PS1, Sega Saturn

This game boasts an impressive background, dating back to 1994 when it first emerged on computers running MS-DOS. It later got a port for Sega Saturn named “Death Throttle” and another for PlayStation 1 known as “Hard Rock Cafe”. The original version, “Quarantine”, was distributed in North America, but the console adaptations have remained exclusive to Japan.

Setting historical contexts aside, the game unfolds within a post-apocalyptic urban setting where order seems scarce, yet basic necessities like transportation remain essential. Players are thrust into this world, given the responsibility of transporting NPCs to their designated locations. However, their taxi isn’t your ordinary cab; it’s heavily armed for combat. The highlight of the game lies in its PS1 cover art that evokes a nostalgic vibe reminiscent of 80s B-movies.

5. Screaming Mad George’s ParanoiaScape

What Am I Even Looking At?

80s and 90s horror enthusiasts might recall the moniker “Screaming Mad George,” a celebrated special effects and makeup artist during that period. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, his body of work likely does, as he contributed to several Nightmare on Elm Street films, Big Trouble in Little China, and one of his standout projects, Society. Additionally, he played a role in developing a video game titled Screaming Mad George’s ParanoiaScape or simply ParanoiaScape for the PS1 in Japan.

This is an intriguing pinball-style game set in the underworld that incorporates elements of shooter games too. Unlike traditional arcade games, players can navigate through various levels using their bony paddles. The unique mechanics might seem strange, but they’re not as peculiar as the hauntingly beautiful visuals, which are unsettling yet delightful in a terrifyingly captivating way.

4. Speed Power Gunbike

Go Go Biker Rangers

  • Developer: Inti Creates
  • Publisher: Sony Music Entertainment Japan
  • Released: April 23, 1998 (Japan)
  • Platform: PS1, PSN (PS3 Era)

Inti Creates is a developer that has played a significant role in gaming history, but unlike industry heavyweights such as Capcom or Square Enix, it may not be as widely recognized. Many people might recognize them from their collaborative work with Capcom on the Mega Man Zero series, or perhaps their own Mega Man-inspired series, Azure Striker Gunvolt. However, Inti Creates’ first game was a Japanese exclusive for the PS1 called Speed Power Gunbike.

In this game, players embark on a journey through various levels, either riding a futuristic motorcycle and blasting enemies or transforming into a mini-mech equipped with its own bike. Although it may not be as smooth as some subsequent Transformers games, Speed Power Gunbike is a significant title that played a role in the rise of Inti Creates, and remains enjoyable to play even today.

3. Street Fighter: The Movie

Why, Just Why?

In the 90s, Street Fighter was one of the initial video games turned into a movie. Although it wasn’t particularly good, it has become nostalgically appreciated for its “so bad, it’s good” quality. Given this, it seemed logical to transform Street Fighter 2, which was extremely popular, into a film as well.

It seemed odd to transform the movie “Street Fighter: The Movie” into a video game, given its use of digitized sprites similar to “Mortal Kombat.” Despite lacking the quality the series was renowned for, it’s still peculiar and worth checking out for a chuckle, much like the films themselves.

2. Super Adventure Rockman

Mega Man’s Anime Experience

  • Developer: Kouyousha
  • Publisher: Capcom
  • Released: June 25, 1998 (Japan)
  • Platforms: PS1, Sega Saturn

When Mega Man enthusiasts envision the series, they likely visualize Mega Man or another robot hero traversing levels and blasting robots. However, what they might not conjure up is “Super Adventure Rockman,” an adventure game featuring on-rail segments that was exclusively launched for the PS1 and Sega Saturn in Japan.

In a style similar to Mega Man 8, players are required to take decisions and occasionally fire off some ammunition. A peculiar spinoff from the Mega Man series on the PS1 was Rockman: Battle & Chase, which was a racing game. However, Super Adventure Rockman stands out as the more unusual of the two games.

1. Tales Of Fandom Vol. 1

Not Much Of A Game

  • Developer: Namco
  • Publisher: Namco
  • Released: January 31, 2002 (Japan)
  • Platform: PS1

In essence, most Tales of series games are action RPGs, but they often explore different spinoffs focusing on action. However, Tales of Fandom Vol. 1 deviates from this pattern, as it was released in multiple versions akin to Pokemon games. This unique title brought together characters from the initial three Tales of games, allowing players to engage with them in an interactive manner, similar to an adventure game.

The game had mini-games too, and it’s worth noting that due to its extensive text content, it was exclusively launched in Japan. However, it did spawn a sequel on the PlayStation 2 named “Tales of Fandom Vol. 2“. This sequel saw several releases and enhanced the character interaction to some degree as well.

Read More

2025-04-30 16:42