Top 10 Overlooked Video Games of the 5th Generation

In an era filled with cutesy platforming mascots, it would make sense that this little fella, developed by Namco, would fall through the cracks. This game featured 2D gameplay in a 3D environment and has you play as the young cat-like hero Klonoa who must, wait for it, save the world. He fights by catching his enemies and throwing them on the others, which turns into an interesting gameplay feature as you can throw them into the background and foreground.

The Playstation console saw a lot of RPGs in its time, and as a result a lot of them failed to stand out in a flooded market, this game being one of them. It follows the tale of a hero in his quest to take down the evil empire of which he was once a subject of, all the while searching for the magic Runes and … ok so it’s not the most originaly story, but it’s combat system makes it stand out. You have 6 party members on the battlefield, and you’re able to recruit over a hundred different characters along the way, allowing you to mix and match multiple combinations to find a fighting style suited for each encounter.

This game is perhaps most notable for what it was originally intended to be. Developer Argonaut Software originally pitched this game to Nintendo as 3D Platformer starring their iconic dinosaur Yoshi, but Nintendo rejected the idea. So, the main character was reborn as Croc, who’s set out on a quest to save the Gobbos, small furry creatures that raised him since he was a baby. Although a platformer, the game has many puzzle elements that require mental reflection in order to get the best possible score. And honestly you’d be surprise about how cute a crocodile can really be.

If you are a fan of anime and comedy, this game is for you. This game is part of series that rarely made it out of Japan. You follow the adventure of Goemon (pronounced: Goy-mon) and his ninja friends as they battle the Peach mountain Shoguns, high tech aliens who wants to turn Japan into a stage for their opera. From your hair turning gold from power ups to the evil villainess with a high pitched laugh to the giant robot combat, this game could hardly be more Japanese... complete with a cheesy Anime opening theme.

Religious politics have always been a popular subject film and literature, but here’s a game that made use of the topic. Set in the world of Léa Monde, it follows the story of Ashley Riot, a member of the Valerian Knights of Peace in a mission to stop a cult leader and uncover the secrets of their magic abilities. The game is an action RPG, allowing you hit different body parts of your enemies in order to do combos. If you like RPGs with a healthy dose of dark undertones, then this one might suit your tastes.

One of the few 2D Platformers released on the N64 when 3D gaming was all the rage, this game features Marina Liteyears the Ultra Intergalactic Cybot G, on her quest to save her rather perverted creator from an evil emperor. To do so, she can grab and shake just about anything she encounters: enemies, innocent civillians, kids, plants, missiles, floating balls, you name it and Marina gives it the shakedown. Where else can you say you fought a large motorcycle that shoots missiles and can transform into a robotic dog, while you’re riding on the back of a kitten that can ride on said missiles? Only one thing left to say: Shake! Shake!

In Soul Reaver, you play a vampire that’s been betrayed by his master, Cain. In exchange for returning from the land of the dead, Death itself (voiced by late Tony Jay) makes you collect the souls stuck on earth by the vampires. In the ensuing battles, you must use of your strength to push your enemies into spots where they can’t go, such as flowing water and sunlight. Despite not catching to mainstream status the series has garnered a cult following, and it’s easy to see why.

Rare produced some of the biggest games for the N64, but for some reason Jet Force Gemini never caught on like its other big titles. This Sci-Fi third person has you play as one of three characters The twins Juno and Vela, and their dog Lupus, in their adventure to stop Mizar and his army of insectoid drones. The game takes you to different beautiful worlds while you jump and fight your way through hordes of monsters. Great variety in gameplay but incredibly difficult to get to the final level, Jet Force Gemini is a game best suited for the completionists out there.

This game may look like just another JRPG, what with the sword wielding hero with spiky blond hair. But actually what sets it apart (aside from a pretty decent) is the battle system, where each attack demands a well timed hit in order to do more damage, making you take an active part in every battle.

Before we unveil our top pick, let's have a look a few honourable mentions:

“Star Ocean: The Second Story” (1998)

“Wild Arms” (1996)

“Dino Crisis 2” (2000)

“Fighting Force” (1997)

Topping our list is this charming over the top adventure game. In the future, a space station meant to become a fun park became overrun by mechanical animals. Two unlikely heroes are sent to investigate but due to a stupidity induced crash, Evo, the robot, gets reduced to a mere micro-chip and must take control of the different robotic animals of the station to get his body back. And yes by robotic animals we mean you can take control of different animals that are either as close to real animals as possible, or have mechanical upgrades like wheels or weapons for an insane amount of gameplay variety, You’d probably know the developers of this game, DMA Design for the name they go by today: Rockstar North.

Chances are because of the nature of this list, its possible that we overlooked something, so let us know politely in the comments what games from this era don’t get love anymore, And for more top ten about the unknown gems of video games, visit us at WatchMojo.com