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Video Game Characters you thought would make it big... but didn't
- Thread starter Garlador
- Start date
The first game didn't sell well. What made you think the second one would?
If I had know Gravity Rush existed when it came out, I'd probably think it was gonna be big. To bad that niche game + failed handheld =/= successful franchise.
aesupreme1
Member
I'm still upset that this series didn't get more love. I thought the art style and gameplay were among the best in the business. The graphics were so different compared to other games at the time, and the combat with the VFX powers was outstanding. By the end of the game, Joe was a powerhouse to be reckoned with.
I have all games within the series including the Nintendo DS title (really good), and I'm hoping we see the return of Joe soon.
Unspoken90
Member
I thought Blinx was going to be the face of Xbox.
BackwardCap
Member
That's because the platforming genre as a whole died off unless you were Mario.
Aaronology
Member
I really, really loved Blinx. The potential was there, for sure. Somehow the ball was dropped, ditto Voodoo Vince.
Sad.
Azure Phoenix
Member
Joanna Dark seems a pretty good answer, the first PD had a lot of attention but being at the end of the N64s lifespan and basically requiring the expansion pack went against it heavily so it ended up more niche than it deserved to be. Then for a fair while Zero was hyped up in Gamecube magazines, until the whole Rare/Microsoft mess happened, with it finally resurfacing as a massively hyped 360 launch title that turned out to be a huuuuuuuge pile of trash. It should theoretically have gotten a sequel considering the sales, much like Kameo, but that was the era of avatars and Microsoft's meddling which meant Rare could barely get anything greenlit.
And now we're so far removed from then that most Rare staff are gone and Perfect Dark has been consigned to the history books. To be honest the transition to Microsoft killed a number of Rare's potentially big IPs, including Banjo, Conker and Battletoads.
And now we're so far removed from then that most Rare staff are gone and Perfect Dark has been consigned to the history books. To be honest the transition to Microsoft killed a number of Rare's potentially big IPs, including Banjo, Conker and Battletoads.
Oh that's a good one. Remember seeing him a lot on magazine covers.
Looked really iconic with an unconventional design. Wish the series in general took off. Playing it again on my Vita and having a blast.
Inspector Q
Member
Yeah, this one is kind of a bummer. The two games she was in were high quality, as well. Did the NOLF games bomb when it comes to sales?
I am not even a big fan of FPS campaigns, but these two games were pretty enjoyable back in the day.
Jimnymebob
Member
Looked really iconic with an unconventional design. Wish the series in general took off. Playing it again on my Vita and having a blast.
MDK is on Vita?!
Eh, he did good. He got 4 games, an anime series, and an appearance in both Tatsunoko and Marvel VS. Capcom.
He was never huge, and to be fair, it'd be crazy to think he would be, but he did better than other Clover and Platinum Games characters for the most part.
CertifiedFP
Member
Man, imagine a world where Konoko made it big instead of Space Marine in Chief.
Take2 probably would have found a way to bastardize Oni in the same way Microsoft did to Halo, but at least Oni would be allowed to die with some semblance of dignity instead of being an Assembly-Line product with a dedicated factory like Halo has become.
SafeinSound
Member
People posting characters like Crash and Tomb Raider have to be joke posts.
Jimnymebob
Member
Oni was a weird game for me. I loved the design of the main character, but hated the game. I'd liked to have seen her in a better game.
Underrated post.
xabbott
Member
The life of even the most successful mascots has some pretty dark times.
purpletentacle
Member
He's a tank AND he's tiny. What's not to love?
Tye The Czar
Member
He got two sequels at least, but was pretty much forgotten by then.
Strangely enough, he got a ridiculous remaster on Steam, with reviews in the Overwhelmingly Positive. Crikey!
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
People saying Kat: it's characters you thought would make it big, not those you wanted 
I mean if you actually expected a character from an obscure, niche Vita game to become the next Lara Croft or Crash Bandicoot, I don't know what to tell you...
Most PS1 classics are, no?
Anyway, good example. Memorable character and fun game, but somehow MDK never took off. Also Sir Daniel Fortesque from Medievil, Kain and Raziel from Legacy of Kain, Vectorman...
I mean if you actually expected a character from an obscure, niche Vita game to become the next Lara Croft or Crash Bandicoot, I don't know what to tell you...Most PS1 classics are, no?
Anyway, good example. Memorable character and fun game, but somehow MDK never took off. Also Sir Daniel Fortesque from Medievil, Kain and Raziel from Legacy of Kain, Vectorman...
Jawmuncher
Member
He's a tank AND he's tiny. What's not to love?
Now that's a nostalgia bomb. Forgot all about him
Nitpicker_Red
Member
The Legendary Starfy. I always thought he would become Kirby's rival, but the level-design and game structure was lacking I guess.
Muffin1611
Banned
Jimnymebob
Member
People saying Kat: it's characters you thought would make it big, not those you wanted
Most PS1 classics are, no?
Anyway, good example. Memorable character and fun game, but somehow MDK never took off. Also Sir Daniel Fortesque from Medievil, Kain and Raziel from Legacy of Kain, Vectorman...
Oh, it mustn't be a PS1 Classic in the UK.
Sir Daniel Fortesque- I still believe he has a chance to comeback if there is enough demand. Check out this fan made Medievil using UE4, and just imagine if it was an actual AAA game being made right now.....
https://youtu.be/yd80uokktUY
-Really like the Earthworm Jim, Raziel and Kain, and Gex picks. It's amazing that they could go from being some of the most iconic characters at the time, to memories. They could easily be boosting their respective brands.
Ps1 is a graveyard for great Mascots, which is both a good and bad thing. I hope this remake phase like for Crash and FFVII continues, as there are several great characters that could make an epic return.
https://youtu.be/yd80uokktUY
-Really like the Earthworm Jim, Raziel and Kain, and Gex picks. It's amazing that they could go from being some of the most iconic characters at the time, to memories. They could easily be boosting their respective brands.
Ps1 is a graveyard for great Mascots, which is both a good and bad thing. I hope this remake phase like for Crash and FFVII continues, as there are several great characters that could make an epic return.
Melkezadek
Member
Not officially. Through sweet and glorious Henkaku.
MrCunningham
Member
This one doesn't really count, Cool Spot was 7up's mascot before the character ever stared in video games. The only really why this character dropped out of popularity was because 7up/ Pepsi cola stopped using it in their marketing.
Linkstrikesback
Member
One was a vita game one was ps4.
That difference alone should be capable of giving anyone hope
Regina and Aya, they both deserve to be treated better by their respective companies (Dino Crisis 3 and The Third Birthday are things that fans want to forget). Tough female characters that go through insane survival situations and come out on top.
Parasite Eve (with Daniel and Maeda returning) and Dino Crisis both need reboots.
Parasite Eve (with Daniel and Maeda returning) and Dino Crisis both need reboots.
King of Custard
Member
Rocket Knight, Dynamite Heady, Soccer Kid, Bubba and Stix and fucking Clyde from Creatures C64.
Pancake Mix
Copied someone else's pancake recipe
Ehhh, Joanna Dark was big OP, the N64 version alone sold over 2.5 million copies despite being one of the last major releases for the system.
She didn't stick around due to Rare being sold/collapsing and the somewhat disappointing prequel though. Guess it didn't sell enough for MS compared to Activision's COD 2.
Whatever the reason, she actually was big, just for a brief time. Compared to other characters in the thread, it's a big difference.
She didn't stick around due to Rare being sold/collapsing and the somewhat disappointing prequel though. Guess it didn't sell enough for MS compared to Activision's COD 2.
Whatever the reason, she actually was big, just for a brief time. Compared to other characters in the thread, it's a big difference.
Tom Nook
Member
He's fine.
As long he's racing on karts, playing sports, and attending parties, he will be relevant.
Sad for most of the 90s mascot era are gone. Even sadder that Bubsy is getting a career resurrection. Lol.
Man, I wish Joanna Dark looked like she does in those first two N64 magazine covers.
I feel like Square has a lot of potential characters and franchises from their more prolific late SNES/PS1 era, but damn if that company can't get a game out in less than 5 years at this point. You can justify that kind of time/money for Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts, but not for Parasite Eve.
I feel like Square has a lot of potential characters and franchises from their more prolific late SNES/PS1 era, but damn if that company can't get a game out in less than 5 years at this point. You can justify that kind of time/money for Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts, but not for Parasite Eve.
Capcom thought that Alex was going to be the new face of Street Fighter when New Generation was released. But the 3 series bombed, and he only showed up as a playable character in two games after the 3 series ended, not even being in Street Fighter 4 whatsoever, and has only just made a comeback in Street Fighter 5, where for the main character of the 3 series he has no role in the story whatsoever. It's sad, really.
You think people would know better at least.
This is honestly the main reason why we haven't seen perfect dark again. As a huge fan of the original perfect dark it makes me extremely sad but I get it. Plus I have no faith in any studio to make perfect dark like the original one.
GenericUser
Member
Super effective , this kills all I lived for.
Also:
Ristar > Sonic
This a thousand times.
Yup perfect dark was a covert ops game and if they made another one it would just be another generic shooter.
Tom Nook
Member
MrCunningham
Member
I don't know if Perfect Dark was ever trying to be like Metal Gear Solid. The game was a sequel to Goldeneye without the Bond license. Joanna Dark was conceived as a female James Bond, but set in a futuristic Blade Runner setting. Cyberpunk is coming back into vogue again, and Microsoft could benefit from having a solid female main lead in their character roster. I would like to see a new futuristic inspired spy thriller with a heavy emphasis on cool gadgets with elements of stealth and heavy gunplay.