There are a lot of games that start off with a bang, like Donkey Kong Bananza, or games that have slow starts but are still good throughout, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Both examples are great games that give players a lot of freedom in their gameplay and exploration.
They don’t, however, shake things up with a lot of gameplay surprises that truly throw players for a loop. This can include things like reversing genres or adding a new character to the mix who plays differently. The following games did have some gameplay surprises, and some were wilder than others.
There will be spoilers.
Astro Bot
The Shmup Finale
Astro Bot
- Released
- September 6, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Astro Bot kept the gameplay variety flowing with each new power-up the titular bot could find, like soaking up water as a sponge to put out lava. What was truly mind-blowing was the final fight, wherein all of the rescued bots took off in old PlayStation consoles and helped give chase to the main green alien villain, Nebulax. It turned the game temporarily into a 3D shooter akin to Star Fox but with a lot more nostalgia. Shooting down enemy ships with memory cards is a scene no PlayStation fan will forget.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Coffin Flop
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
The main mission of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is to connect bunkers within Mexico and Australia onto an online network. By delivering packages, players will unlock features at each new bunker. One of the last few bunkers players will connect to the network is run by a man named The Mechanic, who will retrofit a coffin for players to use as a surfboard. This coffin can soar over any liquid with ease, and players can even perform tricks. It opens up the world in so many new and amazing ways, which was such a fun discovery.
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
Smells Fishy
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
- Released
- September 4, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Simulated Gambling, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age is one of the longest entries in the series, and just when players think they are nearing the end, some new arc opens up. One of the wilder later episodes will turn the hero, referred to as The Luminary, into a fish.
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Players can then swim around an ocean kingdom and talk to fish and other aquatic creatures within this part of the game. It was fully unexpected, and it became such an odd hit with fans that Square Enix even made merchandise based on this fish form.
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Mecha Break
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
Players can make a lot of great discoveries in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with the help of the community. This game introduced building mechanics, and fans online have shown how they have successfully made creations that sort of break the game. Beyond fan creations, there is a later discovery within the story that will wow longtime Zelda fans as Link learns to get a mech. It’s not the size of a towering Gundam, but it is useful within the underground portion of Hyrule.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Here Comes Venom
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, despite the name, is actually the third Spider-Man adventure from Insomniac Games, and they pull out all the stops. Players can switch between Miles and Peter, and each character has their own distinct powers and fighting styles. Peter will eventually get possessed by the Venom symbiote, which wasn’t that surprising given the history of the series, which then imbues his suit with new skills. What was astounding was being able to control Harry’s version of Venom temporarily to destroy a good portion of New York in a rampage. It’s fleeting, but Venom fans were overjoyed.
The Messenger
Pixel Upgrades
The Messenger
- Released
- August 30, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Language
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
If players went into The Messenger cold in 2018, they probably assumed it was just a cool homage to the NES Ninja Gaiden games. For half the game, players were rewarded with a thrilling 8-bit ninja game, but after the “final boss” things changed in a major way.
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The titular Messenger will go into the future, meaning he will take on a cleaner visual style. From there, players will have to switch between dimensions during levels, which adds a whole other layer to gameplay for the full second half.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of Patriots
Rex Vs Ray
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
- Released
- June 12, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Crude Humor, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Stealth
At the time, Hideo Kojima, the director, was amping up fans into believing Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was going to be the end of the franchise. It wasn’t, but it was a finale for Solid Snake’s saga, which referenced so many small details from the series. For example, one of the last chapters had players retrace their steps on Shadow Moses, the island from Metal Gear Solid. For the first time ever, this chapter ends with Snake piloting Metal Gear Rex against Metal Gear Ray in one of the pivotal scenes in the series.
Titanfall 2
The Time Gauntlet
Titanfall 2
- Released
- October 28, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Titanfall 2 features mechs too, except that it was central to this game’s gameplay. Players would switch between human combat and mech combat, and both were equally satisfying. Later in the game, out of nowhere, players got an item called the Time Gauntlet. In one important mission, this allowed players to phase between timelines, which could restore or destroy doorways, for example. For a game devoid of time travel, this was a wild discovery that helped cement it in the memories of FPS fans.
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