Top 5 Worst Video Game Sequels of All Time
All the included games in this list are Strict Sequels. All of them are the 2nd game in the series. The only exception is one…which IS the direct sequel to the prominent/defining game of the series.
5. Super Mario Bros 2 (NES)-
SMB2 while not a terrible game had absolutely nothing in common with the original Mario Bros. In fact, Mario and friends were just super imposed over the characters in the Japanese game: Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (Dream Factory: Heart-Pounding Panic). The enemies are totally unfamiliar and many of the bosses such as Mouser and Wart have been completely dropped from subsequent Mario games, while Shyguy and Birdo have been added and originated in the good game, but off the wall sequel from Nintendo.
This game didn’t change from Japan to the US, but did completely depart with the original’s style of gameplay and turned Toe Jam and Earl into a side-scrolling action game. The Graphics for this game actually look pretty good even to this day, but the gameplay and spirit just did not live up to the original.
Another Game that screwed with the Original’s formula, Zelda II took the classic Zelda gameplay found in the original, Link to the Past, Oracle of Ages/Seasons, Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, etc. and messed with it. The overhead view was used solely for traversing the land, while nearly all the action happened in a 2d action/platformer setting. This change is terrible and you completely lose the pleasure of solving puzzles, finidng hidden areas and traversing dungeons. It honestly doesn’t even feel like a Zelda game.
This is the most modern example on the list and with good reason (it was neck and neck with 1) as it was an absolute disappointment. On paper, DMC2 seemed to be the better game…2 characters to control, new abilities (running on walls, shooting behind your back…sick!), and improved graphics. What we got was a Diesel Jeans sponsored Dante, Simplistic gameplay, crappy weapons, larger plainer environments, easy difficulty and bosses, and an additional character with a 2nd disc that just rehashed the first. As a huge DMC fan, DMC2 is just an absolute letdown especially compared to the original and then excellent prequel DMC3.
Honestly, every game since Goldeneye 007 in the Bond Franchise has been a letdown, but this one takes the cake. It’s a shining example of the business side of the game industry ruining a game (it isn’t the last either). EA used it’s money and power to take control of the Bond license and produced a mediocre game in hopes of selling copies on the license and popularity of Goldeneye/Bond alone. While it was smart of them to not attempt to replicate Rare’s success and FPS formula (because the game would have been even more heavily slammed), the game still stands as the worst sequel of all time. Not only did the company change the gameplay in a detrimental way, but the graphics are worse, there’s no multiplayer whatsoever, and is a shameless movie/license tie-in game. Awful.
5 Responses to “Top 5 Worst Video Game Sequels of All Time”
October 17th, 2007 at: 2:37 pm
Oh my… Never knew there was a Toe & Earl sequel and they were so cruel with it… Tsk, tsk.
October 17th, 2007 at: 3:08 pm
Zelda 2 was a quality game. It fused a lot of different genres into one. Toe Jam and Earl 2 was good, too. I tried playing TJ&E 1 recently and I couldn’t do it. But Funkotron is quality shit. Oh, I forgot to mention, I’m really fat, so my opinion may not matter.
October 17th, 2007 at: 3:14 pm
Zelda 2 is awful. It unsuccessfully tried to fuse many different genres and played bad. Worse yet, it completely got rid of the overhead style gameplay everyone loved in the original.
Toe Jam and Earl 2 was good, but not nearly as good as the original. It also stands as a blatant product of the 90s – look at the colors and over the top title etc. They may as well have been wearing parachute pants.
July 19th, 2008 at: 4:02 am
Super mario bros 2 and Zelda 2 were both great games
July 21st, 2008 at: 6:58 pm
Super Mario 2 was a great game…but it wasn’t Super Mario. It was a completely other game that got a Mario-Skin.
Zelda 2 was terrible.
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