TwoCredits

Anything off my top 20 favorite games list would hit the spot for sure as I like some classics.

To name a few (see all at my link above), "Robotron: 2084" is a fun game, "Space Duel", "Tempest" and "Galaga" also make me happy :)

Great list, seanrox.

So am I right to understand that your list of 20 is composed of titles you actually own the arcade machines of? You have a Tron upright?

That, sir, is freaking awesome.

@cechols: Glad you like the list.

Indeed, I have uprights of the games listed, well actually a couple of them are cocktail table versions but yes, Tron is an upright. Even the blacklights work :)

For people who don't have a lot of extra space, I highly recommend building a MAME machine. Then you can play thousands of games on one machine.

Earthbound.
Best RPG eva... Actually one of the very few RPG's I like.

Primal

It wasn't anything super special as far as gameplay, just kind of between action and 3d platformer, but the art direction, production values, and voice acting was top freakin notch! The story wasn't bad either.

Along that note "Beyond Good and Evil" for exactly the same reasons.

@carmodyarc: I've always wanted to get into the Mother series. I never played Earthbound, but I know guys who are genuine fanatics. It'd be awesome if it showed up on the Wii Virtual Console one of these days.

@Ozone42: Primal was cool as hell to look at. Easily some of the creepiest art direction in any PS game. BG&E is great, too. I almost put it on my list of examples.

Anyone else? Anything even more obscure?

Serious Sam.

Maybe not the most obscure, but surely one of the most underrated. :)

I always had fun playing Gazillionaire.

Tumiki Fighters by Kenta Cho is pretty obscure for a side-scrolling shoot 'em up. It's also free.

Killer 7 by Capcom is very obscure. I'm actually playing it mostly for the "WTH" moments (which is, like, all the time), rather than the gameplay itself.

Katamari Damacy is way above the popular radar, but it's obscure as a chicken eating beef.

Anyhow, my pics are:

Big Brain Academy [Nintendo DS]
Cooking Mama [DS]
Contact (if you liked Earthbound, you'll like contact) [DS]

I immediately thought of Katamari Damacy when I read the note title before opening it. I wish I had a Playstation. There's a rumor that it's coming out for the Wii. I might actually buy a Wii if that's true because I also love Excite Truck :)

My all time favorite oldie is Commander Keen.

We actually bought a PS2 pretty much just for We Love Katamari. It's already been money well spent, my wife has played it through and through.

I remember i used to play this game called "War Path". It was about planetary domination, and was really, really simple. I loved it.

I second Beyond Good and Evil - that game is wonderful. Maybe I should review it for Binary Joy?

Obvious (to me) additions would be ICO, which I adore, and Shadow of the Colossus.

Gitaroo Man [Lives!] is an awesome game that never really seemed to take off for PS2 and PSP.

Shadow of the Colossus - the most immersive and impressive game I've ever seen or played on any platform.

Just from reading the title I was going to suggest Darwinia, but you have that covered. :)

Some great suggestions in here. Thanks for such a good response!

Of the games mentioned, some have already found a place in my heart: ICO and Shadow of the Colossus are two of my favorites. The gameplay is haunting and unforgettable in both of them. I still remember the feeling I had after slaying the first colossus - it was like something inside of me died a little. How a video game could cause me to feel such exhilaration and such deep sorrow is still astounding to me.

And Commander Keen is the first PC game I remember playing nonstop when we bought our family's first Packard Bell computer in like 1990. It was preloaded on the machine, and my brother and I fought over who got to play it. The PONG mini game on Keen's wristwatch was my favorite part.

I've been playing the free version of Gazillionaire (thanks, jlencion) and am trying to dig up a used copy of Gitaroo Man (Rich).

Thanks again for some excellent suggestions. I'm still looking for more if you guys have other titles to recommend!

• Good vs. Evil
• Shenmue
• Psychonauts (as already suggested)
• Okami

I'm sure I will come up with more later, but I'm just getting my mind up to speed this morning.

Utopia.

THAT is obscure.

Was a pretty good t/m back in the day. ^.^

Okami was too easy. Beautiful but the world lacked meaning, when nothing has a cost, you just can't get that immersed in it imo.

I'd second or third Shadow of the Colossus. Just an immersive experience.

I'd also throw Jagged Alliance 1 or 2 (PC), Samba de Amigo (DC) and Disgaea (PS2) into the ring.

Seconding Shenmue, and adding Grim Fandango and The Last Express, the latter two older PC adventure titles.

Well, I'd say that -excellent- games like Grim Fandango or Psychonauts aren't that obscure... They might not be commercial megahits, yes, but they are all well known and critically acclaimed titles that have sold a fair few thousands of copies.

Truly obscure (indie or not) and truly interesting contemporary games should probably be something along the lines of
Uplink, Turgor or even The Adventures of Fatman.

Pop'n Music - not so well known in the US, it's a hit in Japan. It's a fun music game that's surprisingly difficult and totally addicting. And so sickeningly cute.

DDR is still the best music game, though. You can't beat the combo of fun gameplay and a great workout.

fl0w
Cloud
Plasma Pong
De Blob