Throughout the past few semesters, we at Nerd Alert have made it our sole mission to both inform and entertain readers about something we feel very passionate about: video games. We have examined classic games, looked to the future console wars, talked about the most inventive games ever created and discussed countless titles we enjoy. But through it all, there's one topic we have not really tackled: bad games.
True, we have mentioned some titles that we're less-than-thrilled with. But what about the bad games that people still play? Whether we like to acknowledge it or not, countless people right now are probably playing "50 Cent: Bulletproof" and somehow enjoying themselves — the game is sort of a guilty pleasure for them. With that in mind, we've decided to admit we don't always have the best taste in video games and unveil our own favorite guilty pleasure games. Game on.
Sundeep:
"Anticipation"
My mother got me "Anticipation" in 1989 soon after I got my first video game console, the NES. I immediately chose not to touch it since it featured a dozen or so overly-enthused young adults gathered around the game and acting extremely giddy and corny. I, apparently, at the age of four had already outgrown the '80s.
However, soon thereafter those same young adults, in the form of cousins and other family members, that I had mocked entered my home and began playing what turned out to be a relatively fun and addicting game. Oh man was it stupid though.
The basic set up of "Anticipation" is incredibly similar to everyone's favorite drawing game, Pictionary. There's a game board, there's something that draws, and there's your awkward tiny fingers trying to quickly put in answers of the drawing before time runs out.
It's all very exciting.
I know that my mother was trying to con me into playing educational video games when she bought me "Anticipation" and that's probably why I left it on the shelf for a year. Turns out I'm an extremely good speller though and the game still provides a pretty ridiculous challenge even 18 years after its original 1988 release.
Ryan:
"Def Jam: Fight for New York"
Games don't get much more ridiculous than "Def Jam: Fight for New York" — there's no doubt about that. Players assume the role of a young fighter trying to work his way through the New York underground by beating up various celebrities and rappers. Sounds terrible, right? Well, it is and it isn't.
After going through a pretty substantial create-a-fighter, players are free to accessorize their fighter as they win more fights, buying some new sneakers, pants, tattoos or just improving the fighter's ratings. It may seem incredibly stupid to go shopping for new bling at first, but the game manages to become entertaining somewhere between fighting hordes of yakuza and getting some new Reeboks.
Control is actually pretty tight, offering some intuitive brawling action despite the absurd premise. It's a little strange to smash Sean Paul's face into a concrete pillar, but as soon as you remember how horrible "Gimme the Light" was, the motivation is there. Throw in a bunch of b-list actors like Danny Trejo (better known as Generic Hispanic Man #1), Omar Epps and Ice-T and you've got the formula for a classic title.
"Fight for New York" legitimately improved on almost every aspect of the first Def Jam game, even adding Snoop Dogg to the roster. With "Def Jam 3" eventually coming to next generation consoles, there's only one thing I could want out of this franchise: just let me fight as Jay-Z.
Sundeep:
"Dance Dance Revolution"
Okay, okay, I know, I said I "hated" "Dance Dance Revolution" earlier this semester. I take it back.
Clearly, "DDR" has created a generation of poor dancers and poorer dance moves, but you've gotta admit there's something unusually gratifying about jumping around on that light-up dance pad.
I know what you're thinking, why would you dare sponsor such a dumb game. But that's just the thing; "DDR" is not quite that ridiculous.
It's one of the few games on the market that actually makes use of a pad (there hasn't been anything this fun since the NES Power Pad) so you're not stuck to just moving your thumbs.
In addition, "DDR" is not a single player game, so you know you've got the benefit of looking like a fool in the company of other dance-hungry fools.
In all honesty, I think I gave "DDR" a bad rap because of a very naive perception that if I ever ended up playing the game, I'd get addicted and be … well, nerdy.
Ryan:
"WWE: Smackdown vs. Raw 2006"
A glance at my library of games almost always ends with someone looking at the ridiculous amount of wrestling titles I own and chuckling. I'm singling out "Smackdown vs. Raw 2006" simply because it's the latest one I bought, thus have gotten the most ridicule for owning.
I grew up with professional wrestling, watching Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart's epic Wrestlemania XII showdown and always wondering why Doink the Clown was popular. And while my enthusiasm for pro wrestling has waned as time goes on, my love for wrestling video games has never been in question. I vividly remember buying "Smackdown vs. Raw" and having no idea who half of the characters were — never a good sign.
Yukes' efforts on the Playstation and Playstation 2 over the years have gotten increasingly better, yet have always delivered an entertaining experience. The create-a-wrestler mode is top-notch, allowing me to craft a superb Steven Segal and face him off against John Matrix to see who the true action legend is. With character creation as deep as that found in "Smackdown vs. Raw 2006," it can easily take a player hours to tweak every aspect of their fighter.
Maybe it's the incredible amount of user creativity the titles encourage that brings me back to EB every time a new wrestling game comes out. But until you've witnessed a cage match between a giant chicken and an intoxicated warrior, you truly haven't lived.
Ryan ([email protected]) and Sundeep ([email protected]) are hopelessly addicted to video games. Ryan has been playing "Kingdom Hearts II," but will soon be platforming like crazy in "Tomb Raider: Legend." Sundeep challenges everyone to "Grid Wars."
