Ever finish a game and think, “Wow, someone is going to copy this idea for sure.” While those exact words may not be accurate, every video game fan has surely thought about how incredible a game experience has been. Most ideas are indeed copied and passed around, being improved between iterations, like monster-catching with the Pokemon franchise.
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Then there are other game ideas that are so original, no one else has quite nailed what they do. Why no one has copied them exactly is a mystery. Are these examples all 10/10 experiences? Not necessarily, but what they lack in quality, they make up for in great ideas.
Shadow Of The Colossus
Haunting And Beautiful All At Once
Shadow of the Colossus
- Released
- February 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bluepoint Games, JapanStudio, Team Ico
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Shadow of the Colossus was released for the PS2 in 2005, and minus the remaster and eventual remake, nothing else has captured what made this game special in two decades. The only example that has come closest is Praey for the Gods, but it’s not as focused and adds too many other mechanics that get in the way. There are plenty of boss-focused games released since Shadow of the Colossus, though, like Cuphead and Titan Souls, which is a positive mark on games. Either way, let’s break down Shadow of the Colossus as it appeared on the PS2.
The game opens with the hero, Wander, setting a woman down in a temple, followed by ethereal voices telling him something. Players then venture to find and kill their first titan, including climbing up on this giant and slaying different power points. Besides running around on foot or on a horse, this massive world is practically empty except for the Colossi running around. Who are these beings telling Wander what to do? What are the Colossi exactly? No one knows or says it explicitly in the game, which has created a dedicated fanbase online with theories aplenty. Shadow of the Colossus is, without a doubt, a work of art in playable form.
Yoku’s Island Express
A Pinball Metroidvania
Yoku's Island Express
- Released
- May 29, 2018
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
The pinball genre was big in arcades, which boomed in the 70s and lasted up until the 90s. Starting with the PS2 generation of consoles, there were fewer dedicated pinball games, but the digital age, which started in the next generation, like with the PS3, tried to bring them back. It’s how Metroidvanias came back as well, and one of the most interesting Metroidvanias is Yoku’s Island Express. The game combined the Metroidvania maze and progression system with pinball-based gameplay.
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Yoku’s Island Express stars a small bug named Yoku, who is a courier on a new island. Thanks to some rough weather, Yoku is tasked with delivering his mail through a series of challenges, all based around pinball tables set within the various biomes. It’s harder to explain than it is to sit down and actually play it. While the paddle-based controls can be finicky to get the ball to go in the right direction, it’s no doubt a compelling game and one Metroidvania that doesn’t get enough love. It was a brilliant way to bring pinball games back, but with a new twist.
Catherine
Pushing Blocks, Knocking Boots
Catherine
- Released
- July 26, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle
Catherine is two games rolled into one, and there is definitely nothing else like it. Conceived within the Persona team at Atlus, Catherine takes place in a modern society, where the protagonist, Vincent, is having girlfriend issues with Katherine. She wants to move forward with marriage and possibly have kids, but Vincent doesn’t feel up to the task at his age, which creates a nightmare scenario. When Vincent goes to sleep, he wakes up in his boxers and sheep horns amongst other sheep people.
This portion of Catherine is a block puzzle game wherein players have to move cubes to make it to the exit while being chased by some horrific monstrosity. Outside of this dream dimension, Vincent has to choose between staying with Katherine or hooking up with a new girl, the titular Catherine. Choices in the modern setting are light, almost like a text adventure, but everything matters toward freeing Vincent from his lustful hellscape. There’s also a remaster, Catherine: Full Body, that adds another character for Vincent to flirt with, and no matter which version players by, they are in for a challenging love story.
Henry Hatsworth In The Puzzling Adventure
Platformer Meets Tetris
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
- Released
- March 17, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure made full use of the DS when it was released in 2009. The titular explorer will go on linear adventures through levels akin to action platformers of the '90s. Henry can attack enemies with his cane, and power-ups can summon a giant steam-powered robot to take foes down, too. That’s only half the battle, though, literally, as the bottom screen is designed like a Tetris puzzle game.
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If players don’t destroy the tiles that are piling up below, they will make their way into the platformer sections to hinder Henry’s progress. It can be a lot to handle two games at once, but thankfully, enemies aren’t always popping out of the screen. If players need a break, they can take one to play the puzzle game briefly. There’s not always a good resolution to this issue, but it works for the most part, and fans of this one-and-done DS game would love to see a sequel or remaster of Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure.
Ring Fit Adventure
Best New Nintendo RPG In Decades?
Ring Fit Adventure
- Released
- October 18, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Sports
Ring Fit Adventure is one of the best exercise games of the last decade that actually works and is compelling to play. With the ring accessory, players put one Joy-Con into the peripheral and strapped the other to their leg. This measured movement with the legs of players, along with control options for the ring. For example, if players had to run, they would jog in place, which would make their character move on the course.
The wild thing is that all of the exercises were tied to a turn-based RPG system. By pulling off different arm and leg exercises, they would deal damage to monsters they found in levels. Players could create shakes to restore health or boost power, and there were mini-games outside of the campaign if players just wanted to grind. Exercise games have existed since the NES, and while there are a lot of fun ones, there’s nothing quite as compelling and sweat-inducing as Ring Fit Adventure.
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