14 Weirdest Video Games in History

Posted by Alex in Bathroom Reader, Toy & Video Games, Video Clips on March 12, 2009 at 7:12 am


The following is reprinted from Uncle John's Unsinkable Bathroom Reader

If you think about it, Pac-Man is a strange game concerning a tiny, pie-shaped creature who ate power pills so that he could catch ghosts. That's an odd premise, but nothing compared to these ... behold, the 14 weirdest video games in history:

SOCKS THE CAT ROCKS THE HILL (1992)

Socks, the pet cat of President Bill Clinton, must get to the Oval Office to warn the president about a stolen nuclear bomb. To do that, he must defeat villains including Russian spies, the press corps, and former presidents Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush.

CHAOS IN THE WINDY CITY (1994)

Basketball superstar Michael Jordan battles an army of basketball-headed zombies that has invaded Chicago. To defeat them, he uses an arsenal of magic basketballs (including fiery-hot basketballs and ice-block basketballs).

TOOBIN' (1988)


Toobin' Atari game (Source: World of Spectrum)

At the beginning of the game, the player floats down a backwoods river in an inner-tube race. Things suddenly take a turn for the worse as the player is chased by dinosaurs, ancient Inca warriors, and angry hillbillies.

BILL LAIMBEER'S COMBAT BASKETBALL (1991)

Basketball is supposed to be a non-contact sport. Not the way Laimbeer played it. As a Detroit Piston in the 1980s, he was well-known for frequent flagrant fouls and starting fights on the court. His notoriety led to this futuristic basketball game in which players punch, kick, push, and throw bombs at each other.

COOL SPOT (1993)

In the early 1990s, 7-Up created a mascot - an anthropomorphic dot (with arms, legs, and sunglasses) based on the red dot in the 7-Up logo.

The Spot was licensed for this game, which was essentially one long 7-Up ad in which the character wanders around a beach firing soda bubbles at enemies.

MICHAEL JACKSON'S MOONWALKER (1990)


[YouTube Link]

A drug dealer named Mr. Big has kidnapped some children and takes them to the Moon, where he plans to use a laser cannon to destroy the Earth. As Michael Jackson, you have to defeat Mr. Big and his cronies by using dance moves that shoot "magic rays."

THE TYPING OF THE DEAD (2000)


Screenshot of Typing of the Dead from Just Games Retro

This semi-educational game is supposed to teach kids to type and spell. In order to fend off hungry zombies, you have to accurately type words. Get them right, the zombies leave you alone. Misspell, and the zombies will eat your b-r-a-i-n.

EXODUS (1991)

After solving some difficult logic puzzle, you have to answer questions about the Bible. Get those right, and you get to control Moses. The goal is to spread the word of God by shooting large Ws (for "word of God") at ancient Israelites.

THE FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF DIZZY (1991)

A walking egg named Dizzy must save his family from an evil wizard by solving puzzles. One of the puzzles: Dizzy must pick certain plants and mix them in a bottle to make medicine for his sick grandpa egg.

DRUM MASTER (2006)

In the game Guitar Hero, you get a plastic guitar and play along with well-known rock songs. Drum Master is made for the handheld Nintendo DS - you get to drum along with popular songs with two toothpick-sized sticks.

JOHN DEERE'S HARVEST IN THE HEARTLAND (2007)


IGN has the review of this unusual game, John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland

Using various John Deere tractors and farm implements, you have to plant crops, fertilize crops, harvest crops, and milk cows. (And it's one giant ad for John Deere.)

FACE TRAINING (2007)


[YouTube Link]

Using a small camera that attaches to the TV, you have to copy the facial expressions the game tells you to make.

PRINCESS TOMATO IN THE SALAD KINGDOM (1991)

On a mission from the dying King Broccoli, the noble knight Sir Cucumber has to rescue Princess Tomato from her captor, Minister Pumpkin. Sir Cucumber is assisted by Percy, a baby persimmon.

TOILET KIDS (1992)


[YouTube Link]

A little kid gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and is sucked through the toilet into another dimension populated by creatures who look like bathroom fixtures. The Toilet Kid must then battle with tough toilet bodyguards and an evil giant urinal.

The article above is reprinted with permission from Uncle John's Unsinkable Bathroom Reader.

The Bathroom Readers' Institute has sailed the seas of science, history, pop culture, humor, and more to bring you Uncle John's Unsinkable Bathroom Reader. Our all-new 21st edition is overflowing with over 500 pages of material that is sure to keep you fully absorbed.

Since 1988, the Bathroom Reader Institute has published a series of popular books containing irresistible bits of trivia and obscure yet fascinating facts. Check out their website here: Bathroom Reader Institute.


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40 comments to "14 Weirdest Video Games in History"

  1. linty
    March 12th, 2009 at 7:27 am

    wow! this is the first first of my life!

    Seriously though, typing of the dead is pretty much the best game ever made. Aside from the fact that it doesn't matter if you don't press shift or spacebar it's about a thousand times better than mavis beacon.

  2. Charles
    March 12th, 2009 at 7:29 am

    I owned Bill Lambier's Combat Basketball in the days before Gamestop and trade-in's. Even as a little kid I knew within two minutes of firing the game up that I had been swindled.

    On the other hand, Cool Spot for the SNES was a pretty bad-ass platformer; despite the fact that it is partially responsible for my soda gut.

  3. Dale
    March 12th, 2009 at 7:46 am

    Dizzy well and truly rocks - my favourite was Fantasy World Dizzy - or maybe Magic Land Dizzy - they were so addictive!

  4. stnmn
    March 12th, 2009 at 7:59 am

    anyone remember "Avoid the Noid", it was put out by dominoes pizza? annoying game but playable.

  5. seekshelter
    March 12th, 2009 at 8:08 am

    ...jamie oliver... the chef has his own game for the DS... and if anyone is interested check out
    http://www.nintendo8.com/

    to play some old NES games... i recommend the Bible Adventures game..it makes no sense...

  6. Rob
    March 12th, 2009 at 8:11 am

    Stnmm, I believe you're thinking of Yo! Noid for the NES, which rocked my childhood.

    Also, I believe the article should have said Taiko Drum Master, as opposed to just Drum Master, but ah well.

    Also, Noby Noby Boy needs to be on this list without a doubt.

  7. TronStuck
    March 12th, 2009 at 8:24 am

    I used to play "Cool Spot" all the freakin time, it was an awesome game. Another weird one was the Crash Dummys game.

  8. Drea
    March 12th, 2009 at 8:24 am

    I really think Seaman for the Dreamcast could belong on this list as well :) Have you seen those creepy man-faced fish?

  9. Geekazoid
    March 12th, 2009 at 8:54 am

    Toe Jam and Earl was weird.

    The Wii has a few odd ones too, including one simulating a urinal.

  10. Gauldar
    March 12th, 2009 at 9:06 am

    Suprised Shaq Fu isn't listed.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaq_Fu

  11. gtstiggy
    March 12th, 2009 at 9:49 am

    Dude Shaq Fu rocked my childhood. But enough of that. The Spot game was a great platformer. And I just fell out of my work chair watching that michael jackson one. It is CREEEEEEPY - and the ending is amazing... simply amazing.

  12. Homer J. Simpson
    March 12th, 2009 at 10:13 am

    The Angry Video Game Nerd really needs to do an episode with some of these. I think the only ones that he's done so far are Moonwalker and Exodus (it was part of the second Bible games episode).

    If I were putting together this list, I think I would remove the John Deere game (farming games actually aren't all that unusual) and replace it with an old NES game called Zombie Nation where you control a big flying samurai head.

  13. Johnny Cat
    March 12th, 2009 at 10:44 am

    "Michael!"

    Yes, the creepy factor is off the scale.

  14. Buttonpusher
    March 12th, 2009 at 10:56 am

    Anyone ever heard of a game called 'Avoid the Noid' ? By far the weirdest old game I've ever played

  15. Granturista
    March 12th, 2009 at 11:05 am

    "A drug dealer named Mr. Big has
    kidnapped some children.."
    And Jacko wants them all back.

  16. NatashaLynn
    March 12th, 2009 at 11:08 am

    Does that one character in the Toilet Kids game have poop on his head?

  17. jester
    March 12th, 2009 at 11:08 am

    I used to have the Michael Jordan game, it was horrible. I remember throwing firey basketballs at people.

    Cool Spot was fantastic, I rented it once and loved it.

    But by far the weirdest game I've ever played was an NES title, Monster Party, where you fight things like Fried Giant Shrimp and Eggplant. Wild, wild stuff.

  18. Jen Diggity
    March 12th, 2009 at 11:10 am

    I loved Cool Spot, so, so much!

  19. runofthelamb
    March 12th, 2009 at 12:08 pm

    Ha ha ha! I still have Dizzy for my Nintendo.... that game is actually quite fun.

  20. sj
    March 12th, 2009 at 12:51 pm

    I think this takes the cake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer%27s_Revenge

  21. chet
    March 12th, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    Charles Barkley Shut up and Jam Gaiden should be on this list. It's random and hilarious.

  22. effess
    March 12th, 2009 at 3:37 pm

    Cool Spot was cool! The game not the character. I liked Toobin too. There was an arcade version of it that was at the bowling alley, skating rink, and various pizza places.

  23. anon
    March 12th, 2009 at 4:21 pm

    i was seriously just playing Chaos in the Windy City like 3 days ago, love that game

  24. katie
    March 12th, 2009 at 5:30 pm

    I was totally just thinking about the Noid and how Avoid the Noid should be on this list! Another NES game that nearly caused me to lose my mind over how poorly built it was: Legacy of the Wizard. Man, I couldn't figure that one out.

  25. Courageous Grace
    March 12th, 2009 at 9:35 pm

    I still have Yo! Noid and Toobin for NES...

  26. DOJ
    March 12th, 2009 at 9:42 pm

    @Buttonpusher & Katie - As Rob pointed out above, It's called Yo Noid and I remember struggling with both the levels and the pizza card games

    Typing of the Dead was great, I spent tons of time playing it on my buddies Dreamcast. Anyone remember the cut scenes?

    Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball was alright, but there's a special place in my heart for Mutant League Football

    nice link Alex

  27. Alania
    March 12th, 2009 at 9:47 pm

    I think Exodus was part of Bible Adventures....
    I liked playing Cool Spot. There was also a Chester Cheetah game too.

  28. cephalopod
    March 12th, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    wow, the john deere "harvest in the heartland" looks like a ripoff of harvest moon, which is practically the most useless yet addicting game ever. lame!

  29. Geekazoid
    March 13th, 2009 at 12:59 am

    No list of weird games is complete with out Katamari Damacy.

    Another weird one was those Wario games that had these wacky mini games, things like plucking out nose hairs.

  30. Nintendo Wii Fan
    March 13th, 2009 at 4:44 am

    Man, there is some WEIRD S**T there!

    Love the zombies that teach people how to spell...

    Who comes up with this stuff??

    Tony.

  31. HAHA
    March 13th, 2009 at 9:10 am

    Bible Adventures were great games! I had way more fun with those than I did with Mario and other marquee NES games. Good to see there are other fans. Remember trying to put all the animals in the ark? Slaying Goliath? Fun stuff.

  32. Kathy
    March 13th, 2009 at 10:53 am

    The John Deere game is HARD!! You basically have to run a farm; and there's built in failure like tornados that you have no control over. You wouldn't believe how intense people get about this game -- I think it's like a training game for FFoA!

  33. Jake D.
    March 13th, 2009 at 7:22 pm

    Cool spot was such a good platformer. I remember my sister and I would spend hours playing it, and end up fighting over the controller.

  34. Dilbert
    March 13th, 2009 at 10:02 pm

    Anyone remember the Journey video game from the early 80's?

  35. katzebot
    March 15th, 2009 at 2:43 am

    Seconds Geekazoid. The Katamari games are epic in their weirdness... and fanTAStic.

    I used to play Princess Tomato all the time. One of my favorite games in history. Actually it was a present for me last Christmas after discovering my Nintendo and games were "lost" at my father's house. "Lost" in the "trash" because clearly my childhood wasn't that "important".

    Sigh.

  36. Marcus Pierce
    March 16th, 2009 at 9:32 pm

    Clean Asia! is by far the strangest. The eyeballs of all humans leave their bodies, fly to the moon, develop weapons, and attack the human race, taking over several countries.

  37. DarkTetsuya
    April 13th, 2009 at 11:44 am

    The only thing missing from that list?

    http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12696

    Especially considering all the other Japanese games on this list, anyway.

  38. JamesTY
    July 20th, 2009 at 6:00 am

    "Zombies Ate My Neighbors" Should have been in the top Five...

  39. JudgeDeadd
    August 6th, 2009 at 7:16 am

    Um, okay... this article makes no sense whatsoever. For example, why are Cool Spot and Dizzy in here? Because their protagonists are a dot and an egg, respectively? Well, then we might as well include Pacman (a yellow sphere which eats dots), Super Mario Bros (a plumber who has super-jumping powers and fight enemies by jumping on them), or pretty much half of the games ever made.

    And Toobin'. It got on this list because it has silly enemies? There are thousands of games which have even more ludicrous enemies.

    I'm not sure what was the thought behind this article.

  40. lovin it
    September 24th, 2009 at 11:02 am

    fun fun fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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