The Problem with Licensed Games: Difference between revisions

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* ''[[The Lawnmower Man]]'' had two different licensed games, one for the SNES, Genesis (not Sega CD), and Game Boy, the other for DOS and Sega CD. The latter one was a [[Full Motion Video]] game with extreme cases of both [[Gameplay Roulette]] and [[Fake Difficulty]]. Also, for no good reason, the limitations of the Genesis color palette (which degraded the quality of the pre-rendered 3D graphics) were present in the DOS version, despite the fact that it used the MCGA video mode (2^24 colors total, 2^8 on screen at once).
* ''[[The Lawnmower Man]]'' had two different licensed games, one for the SNES, Genesis (not Sega CD), and Game Boy, the other for DOS and Sega CD. The latter one was a [[Full Motion Video]] game with extreme cases of both [[Gameplay Roulette]] and [[Fake Difficulty]]. Also, for no good reason, the limitations of the Genesis color palette (which degraded the quality of the pre-rendered 3D graphics) were present in the DOS version, despite the fact that it used the MCGA video mode (2^24 colors total, 2^8 on screen at once).
* There was a ''[[Nickelodeon Guts]]'' game for the [[SNES]]. However, it suffered from repetitive gameplay (Basic Training and Tornado Run were one and the same, but obviously given different names), annoying music, and the fact that the Aggro Crag, the final event, was just a glorified Basic Training level. Also, you had to get a certain amount of points in the firstplayer mode, there were more girls (6) than boys (2) when you chose your player, and ''there was no Mike O'Malley!'' Moira "Mo" Quirk (Mike's co-host), on the other hand, was there.
* There was a ''[[Nickelodeon Guts]]'' game for the [[SNES]]. However, it suffered from repetitive gameplay (Basic Training and Tornado Run were one and the same, but obviously given different names), annoying music, and the fact that the Aggro Crag, the final event, was just a glorified Basic Training level. Also, you had to get a certain amount of points in the firstplayer mode, there were more girls (6) than boys (2) when you chose your player, and ''there was no Mike O'Malley!'' Moira "Mo" Quirk (Mike's co-host), on the other hand, was there.
* ''[[The Simpsons]]'' has had quite a few great games; in fact, ''[[The Simpsons Arcade]]'' game is often regarded as a contender for "Best Licensed Game of All Time". Unfortunately, the franchise has also had quite a few stinkers:
* ''[[The Simpsons]]: Bart vs. the Space Mutants'' and ''The Simpsons: Bart vs. The World'' were [[Nintendo Hard]] platformers with annoying controls that lead to a lot of [[Fake Difficulty]] and mediocre graphics. To spare explanation, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKnl0CvfeLs check out the Angry Video Game Nerd's review of the games.]
** ''Bart vs. the Space Mutants'' and ''The Simpsons: Bart vs. The World'' were [[Nintendo Hard]] platformers with annoying controls that lead to a lot of [[Fake Difficulty]] and mediocre graphics. To spare explanation, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKnl0CvfeLs check out the Angry Video Game Nerd's review of the games.]
** ''The Simpsons Wrestling'', for [[Playstation]]; “Worst [[Fighting Game]] game ''ever''!” is what the Comic Book Guy would likely say if he played it. This is practically a documentary on how ''not'' to design a licensed game, it plays poorly, has little actual content, and an [[Excuse Plot]] that has almost ''nothing'' to do with the source material. Basically, you just pick a character, and then fumble with ''really'' bad controls to fight another character, that’s it. The controls are so bad that you have a better chance to win a match via [[Button Mashing]] than any actual strategy; there’s not even a block option! (This game was made in 2001, long after game developers figured out blocking was an essential part of Fighting Games). It has the ''worst'' 3D animated models, ''and'' the worst flat 2D images! The one thing it had going for it was a few funny quotes made by the series’ actual VAs, plus characters interacting differently depending on who the opponent is (a feature ahead of its time) but that wasn’t nearly enough save this train wreck.
* The NES game based off ''[[Terminator|The Terminator]]'' deserves a more detailed description, awful sound, stiff controls, and ugly graphics. The first level is the ONLY level you have a gun and grenades (Unlike, well, EVERY other version.), as soon as you get to the past you have nothing but your fists (you can kick too, but whats the point?).
* The NES game based off ''[[Terminator|The Terminator]]'' deserves a more detailed description, awful sound, stiff controls, and ugly graphics. The first level is the ONLY level you have a gun and grenades (Unlike, well, EVERY other version.), as soon as you get to the past you have nothing but your fists (you can kick too, but whats the point?).
** The SNES ''Terminator'' game could use some mention too, the levels are brutally long (the 2nd level is INSANE) Sound Effects tend to drown out all two of the music tracks in the game, and it was just [[Nintendo Hard|cruelly difficult]].
** The SNES ''Terminator'' game could use some mention too, the levels are brutally long (the 2nd level is INSANE) Sound Effects tend to drown out all two of the music tracks in the game, and it was just [[Nintendo Hard|cruelly difficult]].
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* The 16-bit version of ''[[Wayne's World]]'' is possibly one of the most loathed, least playable 16-bit games ever. Bad collision detection, hideous sprites and atrociously digitized voices (especially in the Sega version) are just part of the problem with this. Mainly considered [[Snark Bait|only worthwhile to mock]]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100102101013/http://sega-16.com/review_page.php?id=966&title=Wayne's%20World Read this review for more details.]
* The 16-bit version of ''[[Wayne's World]]'' is possibly one of the most loathed, least playable 16-bit games ever. Bad collision detection, hideous sprites and atrociously digitized voices (especially in the Sega version) are just part of the problem with this. Mainly considered [[Snark Bait|only worthwhile to mock]]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100102101013/http://sega-16.com/review_page.php?id=966&title=Wayne's%20World Read this review for more details.]
* The NES ''[[Where's Waldo]]'' game (released by [[Acclaim]] in 1992), owing to the severe graphical limitations of the system, was barely playable (as all the people in the crowds are identical stick figures) and has none of the visual fun that made the books memorable.
* The NES ''[[Where's Waldo]]'' game (released by [[Acclaim]] in 1992), owing to the severe graphical limitations of the system, was barely playable (as all the people in the crowds are identical stick figures) and has none of the visual fun that made the books memorable.



== Fifth Generation (1995-2000) ==
== Fifth Generation (1995-2000) ==
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