Launch failure: The most explosively awful videogame console launch titles

Imagine, if you will, a frightening alternate universe where, upon the release of the iPod, the only compatible MP3s are back catalog Ace of Base hits. Now, imagine harder, for in this same world, the only releases during the first year of the DVD format are multiple Charles in Charge box sets. Horrified? You should be; this is not a terrifying alternate history straight from the pen of Philip Roth -- if you're a gamer, scenarios like this are commonplace, if not expected.

[alcaponedya]

what do you expect?

[bootsielon]

Resistance. Too bad that it was launched too early, had it launched a little later it would have had more polish. But still... it was too good a game for a launch title.

[MrPink]

Clockwork Knight was sweet!!

[marionz]

yeah this guy was wrong to put kameo in the list, i put kameo on the other day and the graphics still stack up really well, it was short yeah, but it was the best launch game for the 360 bar noen.
and being the only true platformer currently on xbox (not counting crappy movie platform games) its well and truely time for banjo to step in and blow us away, cant even imagine how good its going to look.

[ParaDise_LosT]

.....

[myabsolution]

yea... I loved Kameo too!

especially since Rareware released like countless add-ons to the game, new modes, new achievements, co-op, costumes, long after game released.

And I picked it up for 9 dollars brand new, not so bad right? :)

[ruibing]

Yeah I don't agree with this list much. Feel the Magic: XY/XX was a great game.

[crck]

This guy is a moron.

[Genuine]

I was thinking the same thing. Where they got the idea that Kameo is awful is a mystery. I would recommend Kameo to anyone.

[RealTimeWeaponChange]

I know, I'm wondering why Kameo is used as the picture. Kameo is friggin awesome. What next, he's gonna say Condemned 1 sucked, too? Dumb.

[Glad to be a gamer]

Also really enjoyed wave race and super mario[gb]. 1up really try so hard to be controversial to get hits that i just end losing more respect for them as a beneficial/trust worty site. they will put down any console/game to get hits[eg gta4.] pretty pathetic really.

[Genuine]

I don't think 1up and EGM will be around too much longer. They have been slowly withering away for a couple years now.

[brothersimon]

This is retarded, Kameo was a great game.. awesome puzzles and great graphics for a launch title.

[GiantEnemyCrab]

That whole list I agree with but Kameo is a great game and should not be on this list.

I would of put Perfect Dark Zero on before Kameo anyday. That is the one launch game I wish I never bought.

Great puzzles, great graphics(1000's of enemies on screen at once), varying characters with different powers.

It seems his main beef was that it had too much color?

"explosively awful" ?? Hell no.

[ruibing]

Wow, first time I'm gonna do this for you.

<====

[HardcoreGamer]

shud of gotten 8's or 9's out of 10 surely

[CNIVEK]

...who never PLAYED it, and can't spell. :o

[RealTimeWeaponChange]

That's some nice ownage right there.

[Zhuk]

Kameo was a pretty good launch title, it could have used more work but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it

edit: wow some of the titles he bags out, Altered Beast, Clockwork Knight, Gradius III, Cruisin' USA I pretty much enjoyed all these titles over the years why the hell would you hate on them

[bootsielon]

Well, I didn't like the Kameo Demo so I didn't buy it, but Cruisin' USA, Gradius 3 and Altered beast were good. Well, Altered Beast was AWESOME, I don't know why anyone wouldn't like it.

[CNIVEK]

While most of the games they picked (on) might have deserved it, Kameo did NOT. Of the 360 launch titles, it was the only game that really filled the family fantasy/platformer genres...at all...and did so with great effect.
The author actually slams the game for it's vibrant colors...which is something MOST "next-gen" games have LACKED. I don't remember anyone saying the same about R&C: Future, which had a similar look. Anyone who played through Kameo...actually played it, not just "tried it"...loved the game.
It's not like there weren't far better choices for the 360...even from Rare, if they just wanted to slam a MS first-party title. PD:Z was FAR more disappointing, with MUCH worse graphics.

Hell, half of the 360's launch games were crappy PS2 ports...still sporting ugly PS2 graphics. Why not pick on some of those? GUN, T.H.A.W., Ridge Racer 6, ALL of the EA sports titles...they were all pure crap.

[PirateThom]

Nah, Ratchet and Clank got slammed for having too much variety instead.

I wish I was joking about this.

[consolewar]

average....deal with it.

[JVIDICAN]

since when is 89/100 average? 70/100
maybe but definately not 89

[littletad]

And I'm a hardcore fan of that series. It did nothing over it's predecessors except add HD.

[hades07]

Kameo was so much better than those PS2 ports, I forgot most of those games even existed. I recently seen gun played on the 360, good lord does it ever look awful, each character consists of 14 polygons.

[Fade_Walker]

I don't know about everyone else (with a 360), but it taught Kameo was a better launch title then Perfect Dark Zero

[consolewar]

anyday.

[RealTimeWeaponChange]

Actually, both were awesome.

[Smudge2626]

I was so disappointed with Perfect Dark Zero. I played the original for dozens of hours, and really never had fun with Zero. To this day I still own the collector's edition because the Game Force by me only offers a few dollars for it.

[bootsielon]

And didn't like it. Am I really missing something? Seriously, I doubt it beats the good old banjo, or even Conker.

[consolewar]

enjoy it. NOT

[Fade_Walker]

You weren't missing much, nothing like there old stuff :(

[Marceles]

Awww, I liked Super Mario Land...I even liked Altered Beast, as for Kameo I haven't played it but I remember it getting pretty good reviews as well...except for EGM

[Eromu]

I don't care what anyone says, Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire is a kickass game.

[ElementX]

i did enjoy Kameo. For being one of the first next-gen games, it was impressive.

[RecSpec]

Altered Beast was my first ever video game...ah the memories.

"How would you like a good night home?"

[Skerj]

Dreamcast had the best launch ever.

[Ovidius]

Now I have to break out my DC. I have the Sonic Adventure theme song stuck in my head now. Oh and the kid/girl saying "Sonic Team!" Oh man. Must... play... SONIC ADVENTURE! AGHHHH!!!!!!!

[Anego Montoya FTMFW]

I still have the DC.

I love it. I still play it everyonce in a while.

That and, Genesis.

[Ovidius]

I take back saying "Dammit!" and instead want to replace that with THANK YOU!... I think... I can't quit playing this game, I'm on skyrail right now, while it's my least favorite level, I remember playing this when i was like... 12... I think.. (16 now) oh man... 2 months to beat that level, My cousin and I made a bet, the first to win got to play that game an extra 2 hours. Ohhhh man.... i miss placing bets on the amount of time one could play over anothers turn. Now it's all money! DAMMIT! .......

This message was paid for, commissioned, and run by mice.

[Skerj]

Glad to be of service sir. The DC's launch had me gaming for days with SA, Soul Calibur, Powerstone, and Marvel vs Capcom.

[RealTimeWeaponChange]

BLUE....STINGER....

That game raped so hard. I LOVED IT!

[Ovidius]

Blue Stinger... I have no idea what happened to that game, but I just finished pwning at Power Stone and just popped in Phantasy Star. I sware... if SEGA rereleased the DC, I would rebuy it just to help them out. Right now my DC has problems with the disk slot(?), so I had to take the whole top off so the disk wouldn't get off balance. It's awkward. Oh man, are the PSO online servers still up I wonder... Oh, no ethernet input for the DC :(..

Oh wow, my level 255 HuMar. Lord Killalot is the greatest name ever for a character like this. Damn, my mag is sexy. And once again I talk too much.

Skerj, I'd give you more bubbles, but I can only give out one. So here's bubles to everyone that replied to Skerj :)

[tony]

was nba live. for the ps3 , i dont know cause i didn't buy when it first came out.

[ry-guy]

Wait.

Super Mario Land was a *bad* game? That game is easily in my top ten all time games.

I loved that game to death.

[Ballistic Jay]

I know, half these games are great and i was looking forward to getting super mario land pretty soon (I just got an old game boy)!

[Ovidius]

WHy is Crusi'n USA on there? I honestly LOVED that game and would play it for hours on end...

[DeckUKold]

Altered Beast is a true classic bought it for the VC i have every DC to GC port so i'll play sonic adventure 1&2 for my wii Super Mario land is good hes slow and i absolutely loved cruis'n USA he makes no sense.

[TitanUp]

disagree with kameo and i for one does not believe resistance needs to be on the list cause mobile suit is much worse than that.

[Covenant]

WTF is Kameo doing on the list? It is still one of the best titles the 360 has to offer. I have a feeling the author of this article didn't even play it. PDZero, on the other hand...it wasn't horrible, but it definitely didn't live up to the hype. PDZero should have made the list instead.

And I may be in the minority here, but I thought Altered Beast was pretty decent.

[BaMYouRDeaD]

I actually like Kameo. I'd say the worst launch title for the 360 was by far Perfect Dark Zero, not poor Kameo.

[Bluejet]

OK i will admit i am a bit of a sony fanboy but i have got to come to the rescue for kameo that was a great game! And so was crusin usa for the old 64 oh and yeah altered beast did suck. And that was too bad because i was so hyped for that game.

[Rocko]

Too busy playing COD 2.

[ravinshield]

BRATT

[permutated]

Altered Beast, Super Mario Advance, and Super Mario Land are on there!?

Is 1up insane?