10 beloved gaming franchises that just disappeared - gamebasin.com

8/11/2019 10 Beloved Gaming Franchises That Just Disappeared - GameBasin.com

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10 Beloved Gaming Franchises That

Just Disappeared

http://www.gamebasin.com/news/10-beloved-gaming-franchises-that-just-

disappeared

Nostalgiacanbeapowerful thing.Forsome reasonoranotheragreatmanyofusareutterly

convincedthat

things

were

just

better

in

the

past,

and

when

talking

about

video

games,

there

are

somegoodpointstobemadeespeciallywhenmanyarethegameserieswithonlyoneortwo

entriesthatarelovedbylegionsoffanssimplyupandvanishedintothinaironeday.Sometimes

thisisbecausedevelopersgobellyup,ortheydecidetotakethecompanyinadifferentdirection,

ortherightsmovetoapublisherthatdoesnthaveanyideawhattodowiththefranchise,or

evenworsetheyjustdecidethatnobodywantsanymoreofthatgame.Itsunderstandablefor

somefranchisesthatarelessprofitableforothers,butinanindustrywherebrandrecognitionis

possiblymorecrucialtoagamessuccessthananyothermedium(Mario,SonicandLara,were

lookingatyou),itseemsfaintlyridiculoustotossasideasuccessfulseriesforanyminorreason.It

mightseem

strange

to

lament

the

lack

of

sequels

for

agame,

as

movie

sequels

are

often

greeted

withcynicism,butthefactisthatgamesdevelopersarefarbetterthanfilmstudiosatimproving

onanoriginalproduct,meaningaphenomenonexists(almostsolely)withingamingwherethefirst

gameinaseries israrelythebest.Whatthen,arethegamesserieswithoutrecent instalments

thatdeservetoberevived?Herearetenwethinkshouldmakethecut

10. Advance Wars


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TheNintendofranchisethathasbeengoingalotlongerthanmostwesternersthink(thefirstgame

tohitEuropeandtheUSwasAdvanceWars in2001/2002,buttheWarsserieshadbeengoing

strong inJapansince1988),AdvanceWars isafavouriteofmanyastrategynut, itsdeceptively

simplebrandofturnbasedcombathidinggamesthatarebothincrediblyaddictiveandfiendishly

difficult totrulycomplete.Eachgameseesyoutakingcommandofanarmy trying todefenda

nation(andsometimestheworld)andcouldseemratherdrywereitnotforthecolourfulCOsyou

gettoplayasandthecrucialadditionofCOpowersthatdramaticallyaffectthegamemechanics.

Nintendo and developer Intelligent Systems had a good run of handheld sequels and even a

consolespinoff,BattalionWars,butthefranchiseseemedtorunagroundwhenittossedoutits

established characters andworldwith AdvanceWars:Dark Conflict (orDays of Ruin in some

territories),replacingthemwitharadicallypareddowngameandableakstorytomatchthenew

title.Thatwasin2008,andtherehasntbeenanewAdvanceWarssince.Perhapsitwasthatthe

drearypostapocalypticsettingofDarkConflictdidntgodownwellsowhynotjustchangeitup

forthenextgame,orbringbacktheworldofpreviousgames?Itseemsashametothrowthebaby

outwiththebathwater,especiallywithoneoftheworldsleadingstrategyfranchises.

9. Crash Bandicoot


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Adultsofacertainageliketheauthorofthispostwillhaveincrediblyfondmemoriesofthe

firstCrashBandicootforPlaystation,awackyplatformerwithanabsurdsenseofhumourand,once

uponatime,aseriouscontenderforMariosthrone.SinceCrashsarrivalin1996therehavebeen

overadozen sequelsand spinoffs,making the franchiseoneof themost successful ingames

history.Seriously:youknowyouvegotawinneronyourhandwhenananimatedmarsupialcan

headlineapartyorkartracinggame.Butperhapstheresbeentoomuchofagoodthingforpoor

Crashhesbeensopopularthat,afterinitialdeveloperNaughtyDoglefthimtotakeonslightly

moreseriousfarelikeJak&Daxterin1999,hesbeenpassedaroundbyafewdifferentdevelopers

andpublisherstovaryingdegreesofsuccess,sometimesevenresultingincancelledgames(there

areatleastfourofthemsofar).WhichisperhapswhytherehasntbeenacoreCrashgamesince

2008.TherightsarecurrentlyheldbyActivision(thoughtheresbeensomespeculationthatSony

recentlyboughtthemback)buttherearenocurrentplanstomakeanewgame.Manyhavebeen

callingforacompleterebootoftheseries(includingtheoriginalcreators),andwithanewconsole

generationuponus,hasthereeverbeenabettertime?

8. Okami


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ItmightbeunfairtodismisstheuniqueOkamiashavingjustdisappeared:afteritsinitialrelease

on thePS2, theadventuregamewhereplayers controlawolfgodandcontrol thegorgeously

paintedenvironmentwithanonscreenbrushusinggestureswasremadenotonce,buttwicefirst

fortheWiiandsecondlyasanHDremasteringforthePS3.Thegamewasadoredbycriticsand

fansuponrelease,manycitingitsbeauty,scale,storytellingandoriginalelementsasreasonsfor

itssuccess.AlthoughitdidntsellquiteasmanycopiesasdeveloperCloverStudioshoped,asequel

wasgreenlitandOkamidenanindirectsuccessortotheoriginalwasreleasedontheNintendo

DSin2010.Atruesequelhasbeenmooted,butnooneseemsmuchinterestedingoingbackto

thatwell.Itsatonceashameandarelief;whileitsunlikelywelleverbeabletofurtherexplore

thewonderfulworldofOkami,theresbeenaprettyhighbarsetintermsofqualityandexperience

thatwouldbedifficultforeventheoriginaldeveloperstosurpass,somaybeitsforthebest.

7. Shenmue


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Somethingofa forgottenclassic,Shenmueand itsonlysequelShenmue2weretrailblazers for

multifacetedgameplay,openworldexplorationandnonlinearstorytellinginvideogameswhen

firstreleasedontheDreamcastinthelate90sandearly00s.BothgamesfollowheroRyoHazuki

onthehuntforhisfatherskillersfirstinJapan,thenHongKongandplayersenjoyedexploration,

detectionandactionsetpieces inthemainstorywithalmostendlesssidequeststokeepthem

occupied,fromhaulingcratesforminimumwageandparticipating inarmwrestlingconteststo

playingfullyintegratedarcadegameslikeAfterburnerforhoursonend.Therewascertainlyalot

tokeepgamersoccupied.Infact,therewasmorethaneithergamecouldactuallycontain,asboth

endonacliffhangerwithmanystorythreadsleftunresolved.Atleastforthefirstinstalmentsome

of thosethreadsaredealtwith inShenmue2,buttheunfortunatecoincidenceofthecreators

wantingtofinishthestoryinathirdgameandSeganotwantingtospendmoremoneyonwhat

wasatthetimeacriticallyacclaimed financial failuremeantthatwereunlikelyto findoutthe

conclusiontoRyosstoryanytimesoon.

6. Jet Set Radio

ThereseemstobeaprettystrongpatternofgamefranchisesthatstartedoutonSegasdoomed

Dreamcastsuffering

an

ignoble

fate,

like

the

previous

entry

Shenmue

(and

does

anyone

remember

ChuChuRocket?)andthesublimegraffiti/rollerbladingneonwonderthatwas JetSetRadio.A

trulyoriginalgameforitstime,JSRhadplayersskitchingandgrindingacrossavibrantlycoloured

Tokyoasahostofweirdandwonderfultaggersattemptingtomaketheirmarkontheworldby

first spraypainting their graffitionbus stops and alleyways and then takingdown totalitarian

fascist police states. (Try hunting down another game with something even close to that

premiseer,discountingMarcEckosGettingUp.Whichcameoutafter JSRanyway,so shush.)

Whatcouldhavecomeoffasoddballandinaccessibletomanyendedupbecomingacultfavourite,

theaddictivegameloopoftryingtogetatagfinishedwithinatimelimitorbeforethecopsarrived

tobeatsevenbellsoutofyouandzoomingofftothenextoneappealedtogamerssomuchthat

Segamade

asequel

Jet

Set

Radio

Future

for

Xbox

in

2002and

then

promptly

forgot

their

brilliantfranchiseexisted.Sowhyhaventtherebeenanymoregamesinthetwelveintervening


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years?SomeofthecharactershaveappearedinSegastennisandracinggames,sotheymuststill

think they have some appeal, and a Jet Set Radio Revival wouldmost certainly be warmly

welcomedbygamers.Amoderntwistontheformulacouldworkwonders,whatwithopenworld

gamingbeingaspopularandpotentiallyvastasitistodayjustimagineacitybuilttotruescale

thatcouldbesprayedalloverandtheoptions forplayers tocreate theirown tagswouldbe

endlesswiththeoptiontouploadandmanipulateimagesonnextgenconsoles,Forzastyle.

5. Chrono Trigger

WhatsSquareEnixs(formerlySquaresoft)bestgamesfranchise?IfyousaidFinalFantasyyoure

wrong,andnotjustbecausethatserieshas takena realnosedive inqualityandcoherence in

recentyears.ChronoTrigger,ontheotherhand,hasbeencriminallyoverlookedandunderutilised

overtheyears,despitebeingoneofthefreshest,mostrewardingRPGsofthelastthirtyyears.To

cutalongstoryshort,heresallyouneedtoknowaboutChronoTrigger:ittakesthequasimedieval

characters,settingsandcombatstylesofFinalFantasyandDragonQuest, throws ina robot,a

talkingfrogwhosalsoaknight,andgivesthemallatimemachinetheyneedtousetotraverse

differentperiodsintheirworldshistoryinordertopreventtheapocalypse.Excitedyet?Therewas

onesequel,

Chrono

Cross,

released

in

1999,

and

the

creators

have

since

expressed

an

interest

in

anotherChronogameashavecountless fansandgamingmagazinepollsbut ithas yet to

materialise,alas.

4. Carmageddon


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Youthought lastweeksGameofThroneswastooviolent?Hey,the90scalled;theywanttheir

outrageback.Courtingcontroversyandconservativeumbragewaybeforeitwascool,thefrankly

bonkersCarmageddontooktheconceptofDeathRace2000andpusheditoffacliff,makingthe

aimofthemotorracinggamelessaboutbeatingotherdriverstothefinishlineandmoreabout

smearingasmanypedestriansandfellowracersacrossthetarmacaspossible.Naturally,gamers

lovedit,CarmageddonsoldaroundtwomillioncopiesaccordingtodeveloperStainlessgamesand

preceded two sequels; Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now and Carmageddon TDR 2000.

Unfortunately,though,thatwas itforoveradecade,asStainlessdidntowntherightstotheir

gameandpublisherSCifaffedaroundwiththefranchiseindevelopmentuntil2011,whenStainless

obtainedtherightsandannouncedthereturnofCarmageddonintheformofaKickstarterfunded

seriesreboot.Thatgame,Carmageddon:Reincarnation,meansthatthisstoryhasahappyending,

as itwasmadeavailableonSteamforearlyaccess inMarch2014,fourteenyearsafterthe last

instalment.Letshopeitsnotquiteaslonguntilthenextone

3. Streets Of Rage


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Yourememberthemusic.Yourememberthepowerups.Youremembertherageinducingboss

battlesthatresultedinatleastoneMegaDrivecontrollersprematuredemise.Oneofthemost

lovedfightingseriesingaminghistory,StreetsofRageenjoyedgreatsuccessandpopularitywhen

itwasfirstreleased,resultingintwosequelsshortlyafteralongwithcomicsandsoundtrackalbums.

Unfortunately,sinceStreetsofRage3wasreleasedin1994,therehavebeennomoreinstalments

otherthanthosefanshavemadethemselves.TheEidosdevelopedFightingForcewasoriginally

intendedasthefirst3Dentry intheseriesuntil itbecamesomethingelse,butthegameshave

neverwanedinpopularityandgamershavebeenclamouringforanextgenmakeoverfordecades

now.IfStreetFightercangetone,whynotagamethatsstillbeingplayedtwentyyearslater?

2. Timesplitters

Comingfrom

many

of

the

key

team

behind

Goldeneye

and

Perfect

Dark

for

the

N64,

the

TimesplittersgamesareforacertaingenerationthequintessentialFPS,and itshardnottosee


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why.Forsheermultiplayerfunthegamesareunrivalled,matchingamadcap,Pythonesquesense

ofhumourwitha totallyaccessiblecontrol systemandacornucopiaofOTT firearms.The first

Timesplitterswassomewhatoverlooked,butTimesplitters2perfectedtheformulaandbecamea

stapleoflatenightgamingsessionseverywhere.Thethirdgamedidntchangemuchbutgavethe

graphicsanoverhaul, likelythankstotheextracashbrought inbynewpublisherEA.Developer

FreeRadicalDesignhasdisbandedsincethelastgamesowereunlikelytoseeatrueTimesplitters

sequelunlesstheoriginalcreatorscomebacktogether,asanEAspearheadedprojectwouldlikely

losemuch of the insane flavour that gave theoriginals such fun appeal andmade them cult

favouritesinthefirstplace.

1. Banjo Kazooie

Sometimesnotoftentherecomesalongagameseriesthatbringssomuchjoyandissoexpertly

createdthatitwouldbefarbettertosimplystopmakingnewgamesthantomakeinferiorsequels

soasnottosullythememoryoftheoriginalexperience.Thatmightsoundlikeextremenostalgia

talking,butwhenyouveplayedtheridiculouslysublimeBanjoKazooieandtheevenbettersequel

BanjoTooie,notmuchelsereallycomesuptosnuff.OriginaldevelopersRarewereintheirheyday

inthe

late

90s,

creating

several

classics

for

the

Nintendo

64

including

but

not

limited

to

the

Banjo

games, JetForceGemini,PerfectDarkandof courseGoldeneye.Unfortunately,not longafter

MicrosoftenteredthehomeconsolemarketwiththeXbox,theyboughtoutthecompanyandhalf

of their staff left to form their own companies,mostnotably FreeRadicalDesign,whichwas

responsiblefortheaforementioned Timesplittersgamesuntiltheygotboughtout.Asaresult,the

nexthomeconsoleBanjogameendedupbeingdelayeduntil2008,whenBanjoKazooie:Nuts&

BoltslandedonXbox360,anddidntreallyimpressanyone.Amajordisappointmenttofans,then,

andatestamenttothequalityofthefirstgames.Therearenofurthersequels indevelopment,

andwhiletheresstillhopeintheheartsofsomethatwellonedayseeBanjoThreeieanditllbe

thebestthingsinceslicedbread,perhapsitsbestthatdont.


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PC Game CD Keys:

EAGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/publisher/ea.html

RPGGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/rpggame.html

ACTGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/actgame.html

FPSGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/fpsgame.html

AdventureGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/avggame.html

RacingGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/racgame.html

SportGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/sptgame.html

FTGGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/ftggame.html

RTSGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/rtsgame.html

SLGGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamebasin.com/pcgames/slggame.html

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