Live A Live was probably one of the weirdest 90s RPGs I've played. Initially you're presented with 7 seemingly unrelated chapters (plus two additional unlockable chapters which tie the whole plot together), each taking place in a different time period and each with a unique gimmick. Also, there's an antagonist in the who wears nothing but a lizard and a gorilla who throws poop as an attack.
I think that while Earthbound is undeniably weird and quirky, it's so mainstream and beloved that it really doesn't need to be included on a list like this, especially when the purpose is to highlight weirder games that no one really remembers.
Some weird moments from Robotrek: A soldier says he has free time at this base and is making snowmen. You pass him three times and each time, he has more. One of the main villains in demoted to bathroom janitor after you defeat him. A different villain, a crab monster, was going to be eaten by the bad guys before you save him. There's an elevator you have to find that's hidden in a bathroom stall. If you walk up to one of the urinals in the game, the soldier who's pisssing at the one beside it will literally turn his head and look at your dick. And even go "........" to make sure you notice he looked at you.
First rpg ever. Remember going back in time to old Rococco and helping to build the town hall…then coming back to present day and seeing that picture in the mayor’s desk. Talking to Blackmore near the end of the game for one of the best quotes of all time: “Where will you go now?” “The wind has no destination.” …and then there’s that most somber melancholy tune where the old mansion once stood. “House? What house? This place has been abandoned for 10 years. Before that, it belonged to a man named Polinki.” Hmm…30 years later…
Really? I think it fits like hand in glove! It's also one of the strangest turn-based strategy games and one of the strangest first-person shooters on the market. It's a perfectly normal adventure game, though :>
Also kind of odd to list the NES one, when the PC port (which is the original system, hence the point and click nature of gameplay) was released earlier. The gameplay is very much point and click adventure style. Like, it's rather genre-defining. Less refined, since it's basically the start of the genre, but play adventure games over the next few years from this (or even earlier, like Leisure Suit Larry or the first couple King's Quest games), and you'll find many of the same conventions.
Ooooh! I remember Paladin's Quest. It was the only RPG of mine I couldn't beat back in the day. The end boss had insta kill attacks and you couldn't rev party members mid combat. I think. It's been decades since I played it. I should find it on a rom and give it another go.
Didn't mention the best and funniest part of Great Greed. At the end of the game, you're given a choice of the princesses to marry, buuuuuut.....if you're persistent enough, you can marry: 1) the princess who is clearly just a kid 2) the princess who is clearly engaged 3) the princess who is married (I believe...it's been a while) 4) the queen 5) the chancellor 6) the king himself. Literally, anyone who is in the room you can choose to marry if you keep talking to them, and they all have unique (and sometimes pretty funny) dialogue.
Strangest RPG I've played is probably Magi-Nation for Game Boy. It's a Pokémon clone where all the monsters appear as cards...but it's not a card game. It plays like a regular battle. Strong moves cost HP rather than MP, and a monster could destroy itself if it used a move greater than its remaining HP. You could have up to four beasts out at a time, and how many times you could summon depended on your pool of mana, I think. I think your character could be directly attacked as well, if you had no monsters out. The world was pretty quirky too, as was the dialogue. I remember there was a forest of mushrooms.
Magi Nation has one of the toughest puzzle dungeon setups I've ever encountered, and it's battle system is extremely rewarding if you bust your butt to get the ultimate Hyren creatures that are hidden in the game. Absolutely LOVE Magi Nation.
@@kingti85 He did but it's still not an RPG. If you want to make a video about strange RPGs stick to RPGs. If you want to include other genres then don't call it "Top 10 Strangest RPGs". Also, there are so many strange games that are actually RPGs that it feels a waste to use one out of 10 slots for an point and click adventure game.
The Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei series and their spinoffs were/are usually set in modern times. And maybe the Phantasy Star series, depending on how you define "modern." Oh, and Pokemon and Digimon, as well as part of Terranigma.
Great Greed was one of my favorites as a kid too. I just wish gamefaqs had existed back then, because sometimes getting through the dungeons was confusing. I also really liked the control scheme for fights, with your choice of spells assigned to a direction on the d pad and dodging or attacking on the a or b buttons.
It was one of the very few games at the time that required actual strategy (buffs/debuffs) to beat some of the bosses. Despite the ridiculous plot the gameplay was actually excellent.
Sweet Home is literally the mother of Resident Evil. They were working on remaking Sweet Home when they decided to change routes and turn it into Resident Evil. Which is why there's a lot of similar areas and gameplay mechanics.
I remember reading gaming magazines as a kid and seeing so many games featured that never came to the US. thanks for this playlist as it brought back so many memories of games that exited me, but I forgot they existed since they never came over.
medabots metabee version is one of funniest rpg and funnest rpg i played. You play as middle schooler named ikki. Medabots has parents being a big part of the adventure. You character's family as well as your rivals parents. You visit their houses, and go to battle at the schoolyard, you go to school trips and vacations.
Wow. Super Ninja Boy looks way ahead of its time. Additionally, I find Sweet Home's premise to be incredibly inspiring. Feel like that concept can be taken a step further by actually "filming" a horror film and being point graded on the results movie by the end of the game. Ambitious, but it would be wholesomely unique; being greeted by a theatre mode after credits roll where you see the whole movie you made.
I love "For The Frog The Bell Tolls"! It's so much fun to play and the translation did a great job of preserving the humor. I'm glad Nintendo has started to give it a little more love over the years (the hero is an assist trophy in Smash)
Hoshi wo Miru Hito (NES) is like they tried making a futuristic Dragon Quest but failed. Its predecesor is pretty interesting too (Psychic City for the NEC PC8801), both tried doing sci-fi stuff in RPGs at the time fantasy medieval was pretty much still novelty. Another weird RPG I've played is the prequel to E.V.O., 46 Okunen Monogatari - The Shinkaron (also called E.V.O. The theory of Evolution by the fan translation). This one is for NEC PC9801.
The first video I ever saw of yours David, you immediately showed Wozz and instantly I realized how many games we didn't get in the US I was going to experience on this channel. Very cool. Paladin's Quest is the only one in this list that I am familiar as I rented it for about 4 days back in the late 90s. I think this title gets forgotten about way too much, such an interesting landscape, enemy list and world that accompany it. I wonder if over time it will become more beloved? Honestly, not holding my breath on it becoming really popular haha
David, I'm always amazed at the knowledge you have of JRPGs! Not only that, but the sheer number that you have played. I always loved gaming but grew up before gaming was all pervasive as it is now. I never bought a console as an adult because I couldn't really afford it. When my partner and I adopted two daughters from China in 2000, I decided that was justification to start my collection (it was all for them, right? 😅) . So I have many systems and a tremendous backlog now plus I'm so old now, I have low concentration. So your videos are extremely enjoyable because I know I'll never be able to play them. It took me years to finish Trails in the Sky 1 and 2! Lame, I know... So thank you again for your super informative videos!
@Stolen Spirit Well, in some places maybe. I only knew one person that had a system and he was a much older brother of a friend, who was out of college. That's where I played Pong and Tanks and loved it! None of my classmates had one (I graduated in 1977) that I know of. They were pricy and I was in Montana. Maybe that explains it?!
Sweet Home!!! I love that game! I remember when Deceased Crab played it and shared it with the world. I loved the concept so much and I feel it had a definite influence on zombie/ horror games that came after it. Wonderful mention.
Awesome to see Great Greed on this list. Played it a lot as a kid, got stuck looking for a specific record for a while, eventually figured it out and managed to beat the game. Loved the game and the weird concept, and how the armor, weapon, and battle system worked. I feel like it totally deserved more attention than it got lol
One worth mentioning is Law of the West for C64 (and Apple II, and apparently even Famicom exclusively in Japan), released in '85 (so barely fits in) The game is about taking a role of a sheriff, and making actual decisions, do you want to just shoot the bad (or even good) guys, or do you try to talk yourself out of any situations. You know, "actual role playing", not just "following linear plot" as JRPG:s generally are...
One of the weirdest RPGs I ever played was The Magic of Sheherazade. You have a Legend of Zelda style overworld and fighting style, get to choose a starting class, have the ability to time travel AND have the opportunity to do turn based combat between screen transitions. Additionally you could hire minions to fight alongside you while all of this is within an Arabian setting.
One game that I feel you missed out on the list (I'm hoping/assuming because of the limited space of only 10 slots to cover 10 years of gaming) would be 1992's E. V. O. Search For Eden. It's a SNES game where you play through the different eras of history, such as the early years where the planet was underwater, dinosaurs, early mammals, etc. The plot revolves, at first, about just surviving through the eras, but you very quickly get pulled into a plot about someone tampering with the evolution of creatures through the use of different coloured crystals. What makes it so unique is that by hunting creatures and eating them, you gain points that allow you to upgrade your body parts through a rapid evolution, making you stronger, faster, a better jumper, etc. It's pretty simplistic... and honestly could be called "Grinding: The Game" at some points, but if you stick with it, the plot becomes quite intriguing, and the strange and wonderful creations you can make (along with unique creatures you get from eating certain crystals), including eventually being able to evolve into a human, makes it very worthwhile! It's a game style that I've never seen since. Definitely one to check out.
Maniac Mansion!! Rented this game on pure luck and got fascinated on how different it was, Had no clue what it was, what to do, how to play, but got completely involved! Was able to win the game despite lack of english knowledge and being my first adventure/point/click game!
What about Sailor Moon Another Story and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure for the Super Famicom? These anime based JRPGs had some unique elements (the magic system in Sailor Moon Another Story and the tarot card reading in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure).
Wait...what about Legend of the Ghost Lion? Not only was it trippier than Earthbound, but the lead protagonist was female, a rarity for the NES days...
One of the strangest RPGs I ever played was The Legend of Legaia on PS1. It starts out like a typical RPG but quickly takes a weird turn with its combat and story.
The reason Sweet Home is considered the precursor to survival horror is because the director of Resident Evil is the director of Sweet Home. And the original Resident Evil is said to be kind of an update of it
@TWU Games agreed, the towers are basically the tutorial, after that it gets interesting. Gotta admit that they're fairly repetitive though, even though they're a short portion of the game.
@@georgemorgan6088 It is weird but point and clicks are usally kinda weird, Maniac Mansion isn't even the tip of the iceberg in that genre. So the inclusion is questionable.
@@jinkisaragi874 the thing is he says in the video " i know this is a point and click and not an rpg " so calling him out for calling it one makes you an ignorant assclown has does trying to defend the one who didn't pay attention .good job good luck with life
@@georgemorgan6088 Wow no need ro get agresive kid. Did you just heard the word ignorant in pre shool and wanted to use it? Cuz this isn't a situation were it fits. Maybe he shouldn't call the video top 10 weird * RPG'S* then. And like i said point and clicks are full of weird games, thats there thing. Its like i would make a video called “top 10 strangest dogs“ and include a honeybadger, just saying he isn't actually a dog wouldn't mean anything and it wouldn't belong in the list no matter how strange it is.
The other one i have to mention is Act raiser 1 and 2also from the snes era which is not per se an rpg title but i cant leave it out its soo good. Its kind of a management game but then after beating the evils on the overworld it goes to a mini side scrolling dungeon you make your way through to fight the boss of the area. I recomend you check both out on youtube.
Culture Brain also made Magic of Scheherezade for the NES, which was a nice weird Zelda Like, with both action combat and turned based combat, and weird allies to recruit
In reference to Maniac Mansions: if you're into click-and-point puzzle games from modern times, Syberia 3 was released last year... it may be worth looking into, especially if you play the other two games.
Dunno about strangest, but I know the hardest RPG I've ever played. Built in a gameplay style similar to Maniac Mansion, was this sleuthing game called Scoop. You have a week of in-game time to solve a murder mystery, as newspaper journalist. I came very close a few times, but I never beat it. This was a game from back in the days of those big 5" Floppy Disks, and DOS commands.
I was happy to see Paladin's Quest on here! The only thing I didn't like was the tedium of building up the Spirit spell for the final boss (and that PAINFUL flashing that happened when you used it.)
A lot of people complain about Paladin's Quest because they just can't understand how the mechanics are really supposed to work, and I do understand that the game doesn't teach you how to play it. It is somewhat grindy, but once you get the hang of how to play it, it's not that bad, once you get used to it! It has a long-ish story, a very rich and alien world as mentioned in the video, and some rather good challenge. Though to be honest, I think I would look up the solution to that stupid dungeon with the eye. I honestly don't know how they expected you to know how to get through it on your own as the game gives you zero clues. Oh, and don't forget the Heart Magic vendor before doing said dungeon. It's the one and only chance to get it for the girl. But other than that, it's a fun game! Once you get to near the end, leveling your spells up will give you crazy XP to where you can get 5-10 levelups in an hour until you get to Lv60+ and that's way higher than you really need to just stomp all over the last boss provided you know what to use on him.
Great Greed was an awesome experience. It was actually my first rpg, so I'm a bit biased there. Illusion of Gaia was also pretty fun, and for all its weirdness, had a pretty solid story.
Ok idk about wierd but theres a couple of games i got to mention. The first is secret of evermore. That was a snes title that is an under appreciated gem. You and your dog just finished watching a B move at the theatre. All of a sudden your dog hares of into this old abandoned mansion and you get teleported to this fantasy land where the pevious inhabatants of the mansion ended up and as you go through the different realms and fight the good fight your dog transforms into a prehistoric K9 in the first one to a poodle then to a grey hound and so on till the last one he becomes a robo dog. Hes also your second char which you can control.
Cyber Knight is pretty damn creative. You play as the crew of a starship that ends up stranded in an unexplored corner of the galaxy after a warp jump goes wrong. Basically Star Trek: Voyager but with mechas and a turn-based combat system. The music is damn catchy, too.
Awesome video! I would also throw in Linda Cube for the Sega Saturn. That's a big wtf game, and I hope to see it translated someday. It's being worked on, at least
I enjoyed it as well. I've seen lots of people comment that it has bad graphics, but I very much disagree. I actually find those comments quite shocking. On the one hand, the graphics seem very average. However, the very unique pastel color scheme and bizarre alien-like world the game takes place in more then make up for that. As a result, I'd say the graphics are well above average and even go as far as saying that they are some of the best you'll find on the console! There are places in the game that are stunningly beautiful to look at!
Great greed and Wonder project J getting some recognition. Nitpick: maniac mansion isn't really an rpg though, at that point might as well put Sam & Max hit the road into the list, just a pc adventure game enthusiast's take. Thank you for not including the mother series, it stopped being obscure a long time ago.
Maniac Mansion and Wonder Project J are.... odd choices. But I'm really surprised that if you're going to make an argument for straight up adventure games that you'd neglect Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom. Title speaks for itself. Also I think you'd appreciate Adventures of Hourai High for being uh... ridiculous (and an actual an RPG) as well as Secret of the Stars and Lunar: Strolling School.
Thanks for your suggestions! I'll be including Hourai High in the next list, that was released in 1996. And Princess Tomato, yeah that is an odd bird, isn't it. It completely slipped my mind when I compiled this list.
Very interesting channel you have here. I notice that you haven't really addressed that many of the tactical turn-based strategy RPGs like Vandal Hearts or Vanguard Bandits though. Any chance you could make a list ranking those at some point?
For Whom the Frog Bell tolls, the main character Prince Sable appears in both smash bros for WiiU/3ds and smash ultimate. He appears as an assist trophy and a spirit, not sure if he appeared in Brawl or Melee.
I know this is an old video but you should check out The Magic of Scheherazade, its an action RPG sometimes, and a turn based RPG at other times. Somewhat like Super ninja boy, but still quite a bit different.
I'm guessing you don't have much experience with the TurboGrafx16 otherwise you would definitely have included Final Lap Twin on here which is a hybrid racing rpg released originally for PC Engine in 1989 and North America in 1990. The protagonist is on a quest to live up to the reputation of his racing-champion dad. He travels over the map, meeting small-time racers, and must race his car to earn money that he spends on upgrading his car, eventually facing the local racing champion. After beating the rest of the local racing champions in the various cities, the protagonist must go through a maze to find the final upgrades of the different parts of his car, and then face the world racing champion.
Strangest RPGs, That's difficult, I've played more than a few RPGs, But I know a few that might fit the bill. Tsugunai: Atonement for the PS2. Main Character goes into dungeon, loots dungeon, get's cursed or something (Been years since I played it.), Spirit leaves his body, has to be told be a Gnome/Leprechaun that he has to help people by POSSESSING THEM and helping them solve their problems in order to break said curse. It's a pretty early era PS2 RPG that has that early PS2 jank that I find endearing. Okage: Shadow King All I have to say is 'If Tim Burton made a JRPG.' and that's probably enough to justify it, it's graphic style, tone, and story also contribute to the weirdness, I think one of the People who worked on 'The Nightmare before Christmas.' Worked on this as well. Evergrace One of the Earliest PS2 RPGs, the early PS2 Jank is very apparent, it and it's bizarre setting. Jade Cocoon 1 and 2 Probably the earliest example of Ghibli doing the art for a video game (Yes really), The first game you party is you, you, and yourself just the main character, except for the Monster he captures and purifies.....and fuses into horrible frankenstein monsters. The Sequel has a more laidback tone and more emphasis on the Monsters fighting (And by that, I mean Kahu does nothing outside of technically being the one giving the Divine Beasts orders and being the one who uses items.). Very imagintive setting and story, and the 2nd game is weirdly endearing to me. Also this was back when Ubisoft Localized JRPGs (Yeah, they localized at least the 2nd game and maybe the first here in the States, weird huh?). Grandia Xtreme I call it weird because everyone seems to forget it existed. E.G.G. (I forget the exact title.) A Action RPG on the Dreamcast involving Mechs......and that's pretty much all I remember about it. Evolution 1 and 2 Both on the Dreamcast (And I think 1 and/or 2 got a Gamecube Remake.). I remember renting the 2nd game on the Dreamcast, it was kinda weird to me and I remember finding it fascinating for some reason. That's All I can think of off the top of my head. Edit: Ephemeral Phantasia, I don't know how to describe it well due to renting it SO MANY YEARS AGO, But it is a strange one for sure. Early PS2 RPG Edit 2: The Shadowrun Games on SNES and Genesis (They are 2 different games.). It's a Shadowrun RPG, enough said.
I tried very hard to like Okage and Grandia xtreme, but I just couldn’t. The other ones were trash, though I really didn’t give jade cocoon a fair shake.
Can you PLEASE list the games from the vid in the description, I genuinely want to play these games, and I have to keep scrolling through the video to try and get the right snippet of the names. Currently SnesDrunk is the only gaming youtuber who ever does this. This is why he is successful.
In terms of storyline, Paladin's Quest is very similar to most RPGs out there. In terms of graphics and battle mechanics, it is one of the most original games for the system. I would have included "Drakkhen" because that game feels so different than typical RPGs.Also, though more of an action-RPG, "E.V.O.: Search for Eden" definitely gets a vote for weirdness.Lastly, though it came out in 1996, "Super Mario RPG" is just an incredible mess of a game.
I feel like this game doesn't get the attention it deserves. Yes, it has an incredibly quirky magic system and the story is overused in RPGs. It tried to do things that no other game of its time was doing. It only suffers from an incredibly high encounter rate, sometimes as quickly as one or two steps.
I dunno I kind of liked how bleak the initial story was "Whoops! I accidentally killed everyone I know. Better go around the world fixing shit." But the mechanics, while crazy different, were a little too obtuse for most players. As much as I want to love it, it just wasn't much fun to play. I'll have to give it another go sometime and see if I can change my mind on it.
Want to see more? www.twitch.tv/davidvincstreams
Live A Live was probably one of the weirdest 90s RPGs I've played. Initially you're presented with 7 seemingly unrelated chapters (plus two additional unlockable chapters which tie the whole plot together), each taking place in a different time period and each with a unique gimmick.
Also, there's an antagonist in the who wears nothing but a lizard and a gorilla who throws poop as an attack.
I was just about to bring up Live a Live, but I see you beat me to it.
Sounds like jojo
That was part of my early teen years when I 1st discovered roms
@@Porygonal64 it's not and it's way better
He excluded Earthbound because he made the distinction between WEIRDEST RPGs and BEST RPGs and the Mother series happens to be both.
Or maybe neither
Love me some Earthbound
Pfft, earthbound, good
I think that while Earthbound is undeniably weird and quirky, it's so mainstream and beloved that it really doesn't need to be included on a list like this, especially when the purpose is to highlight weirder games that no one really remembers.
He literally says, "I'm sure we're all aware of the Earthbound series, so that's no fun to cover".
Maniac Mansion - "Do they even make games like this anymore?"
Thimbleweed Park, is recent.
Ta!
Some weird moments from Robotrek:
A soldier says he has free time at this base and is making snowmen. You pass him three times and each time, he has more.
One of the main villains in demoted to bathroom janitor after you defeat him.
A different villain, a crab monster, was going to be eaten by the bad guys before you save him.
There's an elevator you have to find that's hidden in a bathroom stall.
If you walk up to one of the urinals in the game, the soldier who's pisssing at the one beside it will literally turn his head and look at your dick. And even go "........" to make sure you notice he looked at you.
Based upon this, I am definitely checking it out!
@@blacksunshine7485 it is a really good game, although, the combat is a bit on the basic side; primarily where stat growth is concerned.
@@Sniperbear13 👍 Thanks. I'm in the middle of G.O.D at the moment. Checking out Live A Live next and then Robotrek
First rpg ever. Remember going back in time to old Rococco and helping to build the town hall…then coming back to present day and seeing that picture in the mayor’s desk. Talking to Blackmore near the end of the game for one of the best quotes of all time: “Where will you go now?” “The wind has no destination.”
…and then there’s that most somber melancholy tune where the old mansion once stood. “House? What house? This place has been abandoned for 10 years. Before that, it belonged to a man named Polinki.” Hmm…30 years later…
2:06
Actually, the Point-and-Click Adventure nature of Maniac Mansion is *exactly* why it should have not been included in a list of strange RPG's...
Really? I think it fits like hand in glove! It's also one of the strangest turn-based strategy games and one of the strangest first-person shooters on the market. It's a perfectly normal adventure game, though :>
Also kind of odd to list the NES one, when the PC port (which is the original system, hence the point and click nature of gameplay) was released earlier.
The gameplay is very much point and click adventure style. Like, it's rather genre-defining. Less refined, since it's basically the start of the genre, but play adventure games over the next few years from this (or even earlier, like Leisure Suit Larry or the first couple King's Quest games), and you'll find many of the same conventions.
@@Xeno426 The NES version was the port, not the PC version.
exactly. and it's not the non-RPG game in this list either...
"Its just so weird." Already explained why. BOOM! Take a seat child :P
Ooooh! I remember Paladin's Quest. It was the only RPG of mine I couldn't beat back in the day. The end boss had insta kill attacks and you couldn't rev party members mid combat. I think. It's been decades since I played it. I should find it on a rom and give it another go.
Didn't mention the best and funniest part of Great Greed. At the end of the game, you're given a choice of the princesses to marry, buuuuuut.....if you're persistent enough, you can marry:
1) the princess who is clearly just a kid
2) the princess who is clearly engaged
3) the princess who is married (I believe...it's been a while)
4) the queen
5) the chancellor
6) the king himself.
Literally, anyone who is in the room you can choose to marry if you keep talking to them, and they all have unique (and sometimes pretty funny) dialogue.
Never actually beat great greed.
This makes me want to
Strangest RPG I've played is probably Magi-Nation for Game Boy. It's a Pokémon clone where all the monsters appear as cards...but it's not a card game. It plays like a regular battle. Strong moves cost HP rather than MP, and a monster could destroy itself if it used a move greater than its remaining HP. You could have up to four beasts out at a time, and how many times you could summon depended on your pool of mana, I think. I think your character could be directly attacked as well, if you had no monsters out.
The world was pretty quirky too, as was the dialogue. I remember there was a forest of mushrooms.
Sounds similar to Arcana, although that one was a card based dungeon crawler instead of a Pokemon clone.
Magi Nation has one of the toughest puzzle dungeon setups I've ever encountered, and it's battle system is extremely rewarding if you bust your butt to get the ultimate Hyren creatures that are hidden in the game. Absolutely LOVE Magi Nation.
Not having EVO: Search for Eden in this list is a crime.
To become a human was a weird combo chain.
I love EVO, but Idk if I'd consider it a RPG. More like an action game with RPG elements.
It's not an RPG. It's a unique specimen. But I actually think it is a crime in Australia
Was about to make the same post.
Wonder Project J looks like Pinnochio and Tinkerbell rolled into one. Thank God Disney didn't notice it.
Maniac Mansion is a point-and-click adventure game, not an RPG. Point-and-clicks are an entire genre by themselves.
Didn't he say that?
@@kingti85 He did but it's still not an RPG. If you want to make a video about strange RPGs stick to RPGs. If you want to include other genres then don't call it "Top 10 Strangest RPGs".
Also, there are so many strange games that are actually RPGs that it feels a waste to use one out of 10 slots for an point and click adventure game.
@@Fragenzeichenplatte it's never a waste to talk about Maniac Mansion. How dare you, sir?
I remember Paladin's Quest when I was around 10 years old. I loved playing it until the end. The story was rather unique on its own.
The Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei series and their spinoffs were/are usually set in modern times. And maybe the Phantasy Star series, depending on how you define "modern."
Oh, and Pokemon and Digimon, as well as part of Terranigma.
The wrestling chapter from Live A Live too.
Great Greed was one of my favorites as a kid too. I just wish gamefaqs had existed back then, because sometimes getting through the dungeons was confusing. I also really liked the control scheme for fights, with your choice of spells assigned to a direction on the d pad and dodging or attacking on the a or b buttons.
It was one of the very few games at the time that required actual strategy (buffs/debuffs) to beat some of the bosses. Despite the ridiculous plot the gameplay was actually excellent.
I actually enjoyed Great Greed. It was certainly different from other RPG's, but it was a good game. I liked the battle system.
Sweet Home is literally the mother of Resident Evil. They were working on remaking Sweet Home when they decided to change routes and turn it into Resident Evil. Which is why there's a lot of similar areas and gameplay mechanics.
I remember reading gaming magazines as a kid and seeing so many games featured that never came to the US. thanks for this playlist as it brought back so many memories of games that exited me, but I forgot they existed since they never came over.
I love love love seeing Robotrek on these lists. I loved that game SO much when I was young. It's always stuck with me how fun and unique it was.
Who else was horrified by Maniac Mansion? Especially the anxiety of seeing them walking toward the place you are when it would cut to them.
medabots metabee version is one of funniest rpg and funnest rpg i played. You play as middle schooler named ikki. Medabots has parents being a big part of the adventure. You character's family as well as your rivals parents. You visit their houses, and go to battle at the schoolyard, you go to school trips and vacations.
Wow. Super Ninja Boy looks way ahead of its time. Additionally, I find Sweet Home's premise to be incredibly inspiring. Feel like that concept can be taken a step further by actually "filming" a horror film and being point graded on the results movie by the end of the game. Ambitious, but it would be wholesomely unique; being greeted by a theatre mode after credits roll where you see the whole movie you made.
I love "For The Frog The Bell Tolls"! It's so much fun to play and the translation did a great job of preserving the humor. I'm glad Nintendo has started to give it a little more love over the years (the hero is an assist trophy in Smash)
Hoshi wo Miru Hito (NES) is like they tried making a futuristic Dragon Quest but failed. Its predecesor is pretty interesting too (Psychic City for the NEC PC8801), both tried doing sci-fi stuff in RPGs at the time fantasy medieval was pretty much still novelty.
Another weird RPG I've played is the prequel to E.V.O., 46 Okunen Monogatari - The Shinkaron (also called E.V.O. The theory of Evolution by the fan translation). This one is for NEC PC9801.
Great knowledge of games ,ahem I mean uh Role Playing Games..myself been gaming since 84 and love-me-some RPGs nice comment Orochii Zouveleki
Super Ninja Boy was amazing!!! I played this 2 player game with my brother when we were kids.
The first video I ever saw of yours David, you immediately showed Wozz and instantly I realized how many games we didn't get in the US I was going to experience on this channel. Very cool.
Paladin's Quest is the only one in this list that I am familiar as I rented it for about 4 days back in the late 90s. I think this title gets forgotten about way too much, such an interesting landscape, enemy list and world that accompany it. I wonder if over time it will become more beloved? Honestly, not holding my breath on it becoming really popular haha
Uhh, I think you'll find Super Mario Kart was a much weirder RPG than Maniac Mansion.
David, I'm always amazed at the knowledge you have of JRPGs! Not only that, but the sheer number that you have played. I always loved gaming but grew up before gaming was all pervasive as it is now. I never bought a console as an adult because I couldn't really afford it. When my partner and I adopted two daughters from China in 2000, I decided that was justification to start my collection (it was all for them, right? 😅) . So I have many systems and a tremendous backlog now plus I'm so old now, I have low concentration. So your videos are extremely enjoyable because I know I'll never be able to play them. It took me years to finish Trails in the Sky 1 and 2! Lame, I know... So thank you again for your super informative videos!
@Stolen Spirit Well, in some places maybe. I only knew one person that had a system and he was a much older brother of a friend, who was out of college. That's where I played Pong and Tanks and loved it! None of my classmates had one (I graduated in 1977) that I know of. They were pricy and I was in Montana. Maybe that explains it?!
Sweet Home!!! I love that game! I remember when Deceased Crab played it and shared it with the world. I loved the concept so much and I feel it had a definite influence on zombie/ horror games that came after it. Wonderful mention.
Awesome to see Great Greed on this list. Played it a lot as a kid, got stuck looking for a specific record for a while, eventually figured it out and managed to beat the game.
Loved the game and the weird concept, and how the armor, weapon, and battle system worked. I feel like it totally deserved more attention than it got lol
I played God medicine based on one of your other videos. It's so good it might be one of my favorite RPGs and I don't really know why.
One worth mentioning is Law of the West for C64 (and Apple II, and apparently even Famicom exclusively in Japan), released in '85 (so barely fits in)
The game is about taking a role of a sheriff, and making actual decisions, do you want to just shoot the bad (or even good) guys, or do you try to talk yourself out of any situations. You know, "actual role playing", not just "following linear plot" as JRPG:s generally are...
Excited to check out Great Greed. Never heard of that one!
David :Don't watch the let's play.
TH-cam : suggested video, watch Let's play
Very well done video! I never even heard of a lot of these games and others I had just forgotten about. Thanks for making this unique video!
One of the weirdest RPGs I ever played was The Magic of Sheherazade. You have a Legend of Zelda style overworld and fighting style, get to choose a starting class, have the ability to time travel AND have the opportunity to do turn based combat between screen transitions. Additionally you could hire minions to fight alongside you while all of this is within an Arabian setting.
One game that I feel you missed out on the list (I'm hoping/assuming because of the limited space of only 10 slots to cover 10 years of gaming) would be 1992's E. V. O. Search For Eden.
It's a SNES game where you play through the different eras of history, such as the early years where the planet was underwater, dinosaurs, early mammals, etc. The plot revolves, at first, about just surviving through the eras, but you very quickly get pulled into a plot about someone tampering with the evolution of creatures through the use of different coloured crystals.
What makes it so unique is that by hunting creatures and eating them, you gain points that allow you to upgrade your body parts through a rapid evolution, making you stronger, faster, a better jumper, etc. It's pretty simplistic... and honestly could be called "Grinding: The Game" at some points, but if you stick with it, the plot becomes quite intriguing, and the strange and wonderful creations you can make (along with unique creatures you get from eating certain crystals), including eventually being able to evolve into a human, makes it very worthwhile!
It's a game style that I've never seen since. Definitely one to check out.
Maniac Mansion!! Rented this game on pure luck and got fascinated on how different it was, Had no clue what it was, what to do, how to play, but got completely involved!
Was able to win the game despite lack of english knowledge and being my first adventure/point/click game!
While not a strange game in and of itself, I will never get over the fact that the protagonist of Final Fantasy V is named "Butz."
His original name is pronounced Baatz, which means Bartz, because JP Language doesn't have an R sound. Later versions like Dissidia got it right.
What about Sailor Moon Another Story and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure for the Super Famicom? These anime based JRPGs had some unique elements (the magic system in Sailor Moon Another Story and the tarot card reading in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure).
Wow, Super Ninja Boy was one of the first games I remember getting at this hole in the wall rental store back in the day. Good memories!
This is a great series! Thanks for bringing up these awesome hidden gems!
Wait...what about Legend of the Ghost Lion? Not only was it trippier than Earthbound, but the lead protagonist was female, a rarity for the NES days...
CGR has a funny review of that game.
That hairband!
One of the strangest RPGs I ever played was The Legend of Legaia on PS1. It starts out like a typical RPG but quickly takes a weird turn with its combat and story.
Was that the rpg with fighting game style button combinations in combat? If it's the one I'm thinking of, that was an underrated gem
@@jmarx3943 Yep. Still one of my favorites.
I really enjoy your Top 10s! Thanks!
The reason Sweet Home is considered the precursor to survival horror is because the director of Resident Evil is the director of Sweet Home. And the original Resident Evil is said to be kind of an update of it
Great Greed was definitely a strange RPG with environmental themes and everything named after foods, but it was a good game as well, a hidden gem.
The weirdest RPG I remember playing from back then was "Terranigma" on the SNES, not sure if it was released a little after '95 though.
Loved Terranigma!! Though it definitely is quite different to say the least
@@Absorber999 Sequel to illusion of Gaia, which that game was a sequel to Soul blazer.
@TWU Games agreed, the towers are basically the tutorial, after that it gets interesting.
Gotta admit that they're fairly repetitive though, even though they're a short portion of the game.
@@NerdyNEET So you haven't played Terranigma at all. The towers are only the introduction..you missed the entire game.
You can play maniac mansion by interacting with the pc in Ed Edison's room in Day of the Tentacle which was the sequel to maniac mansion
Saying Maniac Mansion is an RPG is like saying GTA is a driving simulator
Or that Portal is an FPS. Wait, scratch that - That is at least technically right.
Lol he says its more of search and click than a rpg but its so weird he had to add it
@@georgemorgan6088 It is weird but point and clicks are usally kinda weird, Maniac Mansion isn't even the tip of the iceberg in that genre. So the inclusion is questionable.
@@jinkisaragi874 the thing is he says in the video " i know this is a point and click and not an rpg " so calling him out for calling it one makes you an ignorant assclown has does trying to defend the one who didn't pay attention .good job good luck with life
@@georgemorgan6088 Wow no need ro get agresive kid. Did you just heard the word ignorant in pre shool and wanted to use it? Cuz this isn't a situation were it fits. Maybe he shouldn't call the video top 10 weird * RPG'S* then. And like i said point and clicks are full of weird games, thats there thing. Its like i would make a video called “top 10 strangest dogs“ and include a honeybadger, just saying he isn't actually a dog wouldn't mean anything and it wouldn't belong in the list no matter how strange it is.
Final Fantasy Legend III was pretty zany, but also one of the deepest GB RPGs with a lot of gameplay value.
What a brilliant list man... Glad I bumped into your channel. :)
The other one i have to mention is Act raiser 1 and 2also from the snes era which is not per se an rpg title but i cant leave it out its soo good. Its kind of a management game but then after beating the evils on the overworld it goes to a mini side scrolling dungeon you make your way through to fight the boss of the area. I recomend you check both out on youtube.
Culture Brain also made Magic of Scheherezade for the NES, which was a nice weird Zelda Like, with both action combat and turned based combat, and weird allies to recruit
In reference to Maniac Mansions: if you're into click-and-point puzzle games from modern times, Syberia 3 was released last year... it may be worth looking into, especially if you play the other two games.
Dunno about strangest, but I know the hardest RPG I've ever played.
Built in a gameplay style similar to Maniac Mansion, was this sleuthing game called Scoop. You have a week of in-game time to solve a murder mystery, as newspaper journalist.
I came very close a few times, but I never beat it. This was a game from back in the days of those big 5" Floppy Disks, and DOS commands.
I was happy to see Paladin's Quest on here! The only thing I didn't like was the tedium of building up the Spirit spell for the final boss (and that PAINFUL flashing that happened when you used it.)
A lot of people complain about Paladin's Quest because they just can't understand how the mechanics are really supposed to work, and I do understand that the game doesn't teach you how to play it. It is somewhat grindy, but once you get the hang of how to play it, it's not that bad, once you get used to it! It has a long-ish story, a very rich and alien world as mentioned in the video, and some rather good challenge. Though to be honest, I think I would look up the solution to that stupid dungeon with the eye. I honestly don't know how they expected you to know how to get through it on your own as the game gives you zero clues. Oh, and don't forget the Heart Magic vendor before doing said dungeon. It's the one and only chance to get it for the girl. But other than that, it's a fun game! Once you get to near the end, leveling your spells up will give you crazy XP to where you can get 5-10 levelups in an hour until you get to Lv60+ and that's way higher than you really need to just stomp all over the last boss provided you know what to use on him.
Thanks for the list. I have some new games to try now
Great Greed was an awesome experience. It was actually my first rpg, so I'm a bit biased there. Illusion of Gaia was also pretty fun, and for all its weirdness, had a pretty solid story.
Ok idk about wierd but theres a couple of games i got to mention. The first is secret of evermore. That was a snes title that is an under appreciated gem. You and your dog just finished watching a B move at the theatre. All of a sudden your dog hares of into this old abandoned mansion and you get teleported to this fantasy land where the pevious inhabatants of the mansion ended up and as you go through the different realms and fight the good fight your dog transforms into a prehistoric K9 in the first one to a poodle then to a grey hound and so on till the last one he becomes a robo dog. Hes also your second char which you can control.
Cyber Knight is pretty damn creative. You play as the crew of a starship that ends up stranded in an unexplored corner of the galaxy after a warp jump goes wrong. Basically Star Trek: Voyager but with mechas and a turn-based combat system. The music is damn catchy, too.
Ahhhhh, Paladin's Quest.... I have fond memories. I, too, loved its peculiarities.
Awesome video! I would also throw in Linda Cube for the Sega Saturn. That's a big wtf game, and I hope to see it translated someday. It's being worked on, at least
Awesome list! Found games here I've never heard of before
Robotrek and Paladin's Quest I would consider hidden gems. Neither one I expected to care much for, but I ended up really enjoying both of them!
Good to see some Paladin's quest and Robotrek love here. I remember renting Paladin's Quest
Paladins quest is so good. I grew up with that game. It's hard for a 7 year old let me tell you that
I enjoyed it as well. I've seen lots of people comment that it has bad graphics, but I very much disagree. I actually find those comments quite shocking. On the one hand, the graphics seem very average. However, the very unique pastel color scheme and bizarre alien-like world the game takes place in more then make up for that. As a result, I'd say the graphics are well above average and even go as far as saying that they are some of the best you'll find on the console! There are places in the game that are stunningly beautiful to look at!
Great greed and Wonder project J getting some recognition.
Nitpick: maniac mansion isn't really an rpg though, at that point might as well put Sam & Max hit the road into the list, just a pc adventure game enthusiast's take.
Thank you for not including the mother series, it stopped being obscure a long time ago.
Loved maniac manson, dat soundtrack is amazing ^^
You recruit Jogurt?
Maniac Mansion and Wonder Project J are.... odd choices. But I'm really surprised that if you're going to make an argument for straight up adventure games that you'd neglect Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom. Title speaks for itself.
Also I think you'd appreciate Adventures of Hourai High for being uh... ridiculous (and an actual an RPG) as well as Secret of the Stars and Lunar: Strolling School.
Thanks for your suggestions! I'll be including Hourai High in the next list, that was released in 1996. And Princess Tomato, yeah that is an odd bird, isn't it. It completely slipped my mind when I compiled this list.
Yeah no problem. (:
omg I played Metal max and Robotrek when I was really young, so I never remembered their names. Thanks for your list!
Very interesting channel you have here. I notice that you haven't really addressed that many of the tactical turn-based strategy RPGs like Vandal Hearts or Vanguard Bandits though. Any chance you could make a list ranking those at some point?
Sure, I’m always open to suggestions
Psst. Super Ninja Boy was also released on the NES as 'Little Ninja Brothers" I think Super Ninja Boy is just an update from what i played
The strangest rpg I ever played was Shadow Run on the genesis. That game was pretty hard for me. I never finished it.
You could also pretty much add any Goemon from the SNES days to this list without a hitch.
Believe it or not, Chrono Trigger was different in some ways at the time it came out and became one of the best and most beloved RPG's ever made.
I'd replace Maniac Mansion with Chaos Seed, but that's just my opinion
For Whom the Frog Bell tolls, the main character Prince Sable appears in both smash bros for WiiU/3ds and smash ultimate. He appears as an assist trophy and a spirit, not sure if he appeared in Brawl or Melee.
I know this is an old video but you should check out The Magic of Scheherazade, its an action RPG sometimes, and a turn based RPG at other times. Somewhat like Super ninja boy, but still quite a bit different.
Paladin’s Quest has a cool looking art style. It’s too bad it can be such a hassle to play old games...
Thanks for Paladin Quest, I've seen those trippy graphics before (the alien trees and machine buildings.) Didn't know what the game was.
Maniac Mansion as a RPG??? Sonic Mania is an RPG as well?
Did you watch the video or just make this comment based on the thumbnail?
I'm guessing you don't have much experience with the TurboGrafx16 otherwise you would definitely have included Final Lap Twin on here which is a hybrid racing rpg released originally for PC Engine in 1989 and North America in 1990. The protagonist is on a quest to live up to the reputation of his racing-champion dad. He travels over the map, meeting small-time racers, and must race his car to earn money that he spends on upgrading his car, eventually facing the local racing champion. After beating the rest of the local racing champions in the various cities, the protagonist must go through a maze to find the final upgrades of the different parts of his car, and then face the world racing champion.
Don't forget the Turbografx also had a Tennis RPG.... then again since Mario Tennis is a thing maybe it's not that weird. :P
Fun fact the microwave hamster was actually exclusive to the NES version and was placed there to screw with the censorship of that version.
That's not true
Super Ninja Boy hell yeah! Best part of it was that it was 2-player. My brother and I had a great time with it back in the day
I still have Super Ninja Boy for SNES. =)
Paladin's Quest looked pretty sweet as does Robotrek.
Sweet Home I always wanted to try.
I enjoy all of your top 10s but can you please put them together in a playlist? it'll make finding them much easier. :)
They are all in a playlist, right on my homepage.
@@davidvinc Oh interesting. its not on your playlist page, which is where i was looking. Thanks!
Seems like your audio is a little louder now. Keep it up man im rooting for you.
Maniac Mansion was the shit! Loved it.
Strangest RPGs, That's difficult, I've played more than a few RPGs, But I know a few that might fit the bill.
Tsugunai: Atonement for the PS2.
Main Character goes into dungeon, loots dungeon, get's cursed or something (Been years since I played it.), Spirit leaves his body, has to be told be a Gnome/Leprechaun that he has to help people by POSSESSING THEM and helping them solve their problems in order to break said curse.
It's a pretty early era PS2 RPG that has that early PS2 jank that I find endearing.
Okage: Shadow King
All I have to say is 'If Tim Burton made a JRPG.' and that's probably enough to justify it, it's graphic style, tone, and story also contribute to the weirdness, I think one of the People who worked on 'The Nightmare before Christmas.' Worked on this as well.
Evergrace
One of the Earliest PS2 RPGs, the early PS2 Jank is very apparent, it and it's bizarre setting.
Jade Cocoon 1 and 2
Probably the earliest example of Ghibli doing the art for a video game (Yes really), The first game you party is you, you, and yourself just the main character, except for the Monster he captures and purifies.....and fuses into horrible frankenstein monsters.
The Sequel has a more laidback tone and more emphasis on the Monsters fighting (And by that, I mean Kahu does nothing outside of technically being the one giving the Divine Beasts orders and being the one who uses items.).
Very imagintive setting and story, and the 2nd game is weirdly endearing to me.
Also this was back when Ubisoft Localized JRPGs (Yeah, they localized at least the 2nd game and maybe the first here in the States, weird huh?).
Grandia Xtreme
I call it weird because everyone seems to forget it existed.
E.G.G. (I forget the exact title.)
A Action RPG on the Dreamcast involving Mechs......and that's pretty much all I remember about it.
Evolution 1 and 2
Both on the Dreamcast (And I think 1 and/or 2 got a Gamecube Remake.).
I remember renting the 2nd game on the Dreamcast, it was kinda weird to me and I remember finding it fascinating for some reason.
That's All I can think of off the top of my head.
Edit: Ephemeral Phantasia, I don't know how to describe it well due to renting it SO MANY YEARS AGO, But it is a strange one for sure.
Early PS2 RPG
Edit 2: The Shadowrun Games on SNES and Genesis (They are 2 different games.).
It's a Shadowrun RPG, enough said.
I've had the unfortunate privilege of playing just about all of those games, except the Dreamcast ones.
@@davidvinc Did you hate all Of them?
I tried very hard to like Okage and Grandia xtreme, but I just couldn’t. The other ones were trash, though I really didn’t give jade cocoon a fair shake.
Elemental Gimmick Gear
But you are very correct about their strangeness, so I’ll probably include a few in my next list
Can you PLEASE list the games from the vid in the description, I genuinely want to play these games, and I have to keep scrolling through the video to try and get the right snippet of the names. Currently SnesDrunk is the only gaming youtuber who ever does this. This is why he is successful.
I’ll start doing that.
I LOVE Robotrek! Great game.
I really wish there were more RPGs set in modern-day type settings.
haha it's strange that I asked you this morning if you ever played Paladin's Quest, and later in the day this video comes out lol
I saw your earlier comment and I didn’t want to say anything because I was working on the Top 10 at the time, but yeah, I played the game. ;)
I played Great Greed. It was different but a good game. I liked the combat system.
Metal Max is a good series.
Metal max definitely was before metal saga that was on ps2. Definitely saw the similarities in the games.
In terms of storyline, Paladin's Quest is very similar to most RPGs out there. In terms of graphics and battle mechanics, it is one of the most original games for the system.
I would have included "Drakkhen" because that game feels so different than typical RPGs.Also, though more of an action-RPG, "E.V.O.: Search for Eden" definitely gets a vote for weirdness.Lastly, though it came out in 1996, "Super Mario RPG" is just an incredible mess of a game.
I still contend that for US released RPGs, Paladin's Quest was the prettiest. The whole game is so surreal.
I feel like this game doesn't get the attention it deserves. Yes, it has an incredibly quirky magic system and the story is overused in RPGs. It tried to do things that no other game of its time was doing. It only suffers from an incredibly high encounter rate, sometimes as quickly as one or two steps.
I dunno I kind of liked how bleak the initial story was "Whoops! I accidentally killed everyone I know. Better go around the world fixing shit." But the mechanics, while crazy different, were a little too obtuse for most players. As much as I want to love it, it just wasn't much fun to play. I'll have to give it another go sometime and see if I can change my mind on it.
I'm running through Paladin's Quest again right now on emulator. Just finished up rescuing the resistance girl.