On the whole, gaming is enjoyable. But when a game’s bad, it has the potential to ruin this popular category of entertainment. All it takes is a string of poor releases, and some gamers turn to other popular offerings out there, be it YouTube wormholes or Spotify playlists. Sadly, this has happened plenty of times, with the gaming world seeing a vast selection of shoddy products come to the fore over the years.
The forgettable products don’t tend to last long, given just how competitive gaming is. After all, they’re up against some undeniably popular offerings, be it smash-hit social deduction titles like Among Us, iconic releases like Mario Kart, and casino online options like live dealer blackjack. Gamers have never had so much choice. For game-makers, releasing a product that stands out from the crowd makes it even harder.
Sometimes, though, game developers get it wrong. These games have sparked negative debates online and angered gaming communities. Additionally, they rarely stay around long and don’t sell many copies. Below, we remember six of the worst video games ever made from console to PC.
Game Party Champions (2012)
The Wii was a huge seller people everywhere adored, but not every game accessible on the platform was worth their time. Game Party Champions was one of them, with its small selection of titles providing a dull gaming package that didn’t offer the family fun the Wii had become so famous for. This 2012 product received a Metacritic rating of 24, which tells you everything you need to know about how bad it was.
Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties (1994)
A game that should never have left its planning stages before being potentially ditched altogether, Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties was as ridiculous as its name suggests. No pleasure could be found anywhere in this adult-oriented romantic comedy video game. The acting was horrific; it was packed full of static images that brought nothing to the table, and its nonsensical plot annoyed the few players who managed to get their hands on a copy of it.
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Bubsy 3D (1996)
A title from the PlayStation 1, Bubsy 3D, is one to forget. From the game’s odd camera angles to its bad graphics, people hated it at its release.
Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing (2003)
A 2003 product where racing was meant to be its main selling point, Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing, was terrible. A title riddled with issues, nothing worked well. The game was barely functional, the graphics were poor, the AI didn’t move, and there was no collision detection for a game that claimed to specialize in it.
NBA Unrivaled (2009)
A more recent inclusion from 2009, NBA Unrivaled, was a total disaster. Sports lovers know a bad game that isn’t an accurate representation of their beloved sport, which was the case with this basketball title. From the game’s poor graphics to its terrible gameplay, it was a joyless experience for fans used to iconic releases like NBA Jam. In the end, NBA Unrivaled didn’t go down well at all with consumers.
Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade (2012)
Like the aforementioned Game Party Champions, Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade is another game with family fun in mind. This 2012 release caused more pain than pleasure, though. The title won numerous awards for all the wrong reasons, with its mini-games failing to work smoothly and gamers being bored due to their lack of imagination.
