Top 10 Strangest Video Games

The top 10 Weirdest and/or Creepiest Video Game Characters! This is actually the first list that I ever completed about a year ago.

Top 10 Strangest Game ... Yes, that's actually a video game controller and not some sci-fi movie.



Warning: Some of the videos may contain material
that is offensive to some readers. TopTenz.net does not support these
games and lists them here only as a matter of showing how strange some
video games, especially their storylines, may be. Unfortunately, some of
these strange video games also are in extremely poor taste.

Many different types of videos games exist, with the most common
being arcade, console, computer, and handheld.  The first commercially
sold video game was an arcade game named Computer Space.  Computer Space
was released in 1971 and the technology helped pave the way for video
game expansion all over the world.  In 1983, Atari was mass producing
large amounts of computer games and systems.  The company often times
developed more merchandise then they could sell and this ultimately led
to a collapse of the entire North American video game market.

However, the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985
changed everything.  Video game manufactures became smarter and today
the video game industry is one of the largest in the world.  In the last
20 years there have been incredible advances in video game graphics and
technology.  Since the time of Computer Space, tens-of-thousands of
video games have been released under various system platforms.  This
article will be examining ten of the strangest and controversial video
games.

10. The Great Giana Sisters

Video Game System: Commodore 64



The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer that was developed by
Commodore International in January of 1982.  The Commodore 64 is the
best-selling personal computer model of all time.  In 1987, the German
company Rainbow Arts developed a platform game named The Great Giana
Sisters.  The game was made available to a wide variety of computer
systems, most notably the Commodore 64.  However, due to the blatant
similarities between the game and The Super Mario Brothers, Rainbow Arts
was forced to withdraw all copies directly after its initial release. 
The cover of the original C64 game poked fun at the Mario Brothers
directly, by using the tagline “The brothers are history.”

Game Plot



The Great Giana Sisters has two playable characters, Giana and
Maria.  The goal of the game is very similar to that of the Super Mario
Brothers.  However, instead of collecting mushrooms from blocks, the
sisters gather brightly-colored balls from blocks.  After gaining the
power balls, the characters do not get large, but instead their
hairstyle changes into a brightly colored Mohawk.  In both games, the
advanced state allows the characters to break blocks.  The Giana Sisters
break the blocks with their heads, while Mario and Luigi use their
fists.  Most of the games enemies are extremely similar to those used in
the Mario Brothers and the games interface and backgrounds are almost
identical.

After the first two levels, the Giana Sisters breaks into a more
original design.  The game was never made available commercially, but it
has gained a large following over the years and illegal copies have
been published on the Internet.  In 2005, a version of the game was made
available for mobile phones.  A copy of the Commodore 64 version of the
game was also released for the Nintendo DS.  It proved to be a success,
so in 2009 an updated copy of Giana Sisters was made for the Nintendo
DS.  The new Giana Sisters game features all new levels and a code to
unlock the original game.

9. Metal Wolf Chaos

Video Game System: Microsoft Xbox



The original Xbox is a video game console that was manufactured by
Microsoft from 2001 to 2006.  In 2004, Microsoft released a game named
Metal Wolf Chaos.  The game was only sold in Japan, but was made with a
full English dialogue.  The Western World became aware of Metal Wolf
Chaos by way of a series of YouTube videos.  The videos were poking fun
at the games cheesy voice work and unusual plotline.  Over the years,
Metal Wolf Chaos has garnered a cult following and has received many
positive and negative reviews.

Game Plot



The game revolves around a fictitious United States President named
Michael Wilson.  Michael Wilson is a relative of former U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson.  In the game, the U.S. Vice President is named Richard
Hawk, which is a play on the phrase War Hawk.  War Hawk is a term that
was originally used to describe the members of the 12th Congress of the
United States who advocated waging war against the United Kingdom in
1812.  Over the years, the term has evolved to describe a political
stance of aggression, which is used to improve the standing of one’s own
government.  In the game, Richard Hawk decides to plan a coup against
Wilson and succeeds in taking over the country.

President Michael Wilson survives the initial attacks and travels to
the west coast of the United States and starts liberating cities by
moving west to east.  The game is completed after Wilson battles his way
to the White House, fights Hawk in space, and ultimately saves the U.S.
from nuclear destruction.  During battle, President Michael Wilson
wears a powerful armor that contains shoulder pods with weapons.  The
character of Michael Wilson has appeared in other media and he was
ranked #1 on Electronic Gaming Monthly’s list of video game politicians.

8. Monster Party

Video Game System: NES



The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that
was first released in 1983.  The NES helped revolutionize the U.S.
gaming industry after the crash of 1983.  In all, over 1,000 games were
made for the NES and a particularly strange one is the 1989 release
Monster Party.  Monster Party is a platform game that has gained a
strong following over the years.  The game contains many standard horror
themes and revolves around the story of Mark and Bert.  Bert is a
monster who recruits Mark to help him save his homeland, called the Dark
World.  Critics of the game note that many characters are extremely
bizarre and disturbing, while supporters claim that the strange features
make the game stand out.  It was a bit surprising that Nintendo
released a game in 1989 that contained blood and the word “hell,” as the
company was a strong supporter of video game censorship.

Game Plot



Monster Party begins when a boy named Mark is accosted on his way
home from a baseball game by a winged, alien-like monster named Bert. 
Bert speaks to Mark and asks him to assist in ridding the Dark World of
evil monsters.  Mark is initially reluctant, but Bert insists and whisks
him off to the evil land.  Upon arrival, the two are joined as one
being and throughout the game Mark is occasionally allowed to transform
into Bert.  The monsters and characters used in the game are quite
strange.

They include mummies, giant spiders, zombies, Medusa, dragons, and
the Grim Reaper.  Along the way Mark encounters a haunted well that
throws giant plates, walking plants, oversized caterpillars, a bouncing
piece of fried shrimp, and a huge cat that throws kittens.  Some other
strange occurrences are killer umpires, masked elephants, imps, and a
caterpillar named Rolls Royce. The game features eight levels and the
final boss is named the Dark World Master, as is represented as a giant
face that shoots eyeballs.  Many critics of the game have complained
that it is too easy to master.

7. Revolution X

Video Game System: Arcade



Arcade systems are entertainment machines that are used to provide
public businesses with a form of video game entertainment.  In the 1970s
and 80s, the arcade industry exploded, but has since declined due to
the expansion of home gaming entertainment.  In 1994, video game
publisher Midway developed an arcade game named Revolution X.  It was a
follow-up to the successful T2: The Arcade Game.  Revolution X features
the rock band Aerosmith and was a popular game with a strange
storyline.  Similar to many other arcade games, Revolution X was
released on many other video game platforms, including the Super
Nintendo, Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, and the PlayStation.

Game Plot



The storyline of Revolution X starts by describing an alternate
version of 1996 where a corrupt group of military forces have taken over
the world.  The group is known as the New Order Nation (NON).  The NON
have waged war against the world’s youth and outlawed all music,
television, and video games.  Everyone between the ages of 13 and 30 are
at risk.  Right before the game begins, members of the NON kidnap
Aerosmith during a concert.  Revolution X then takes the form of a rail
shooting game and the goal is to shoot targets as they appear on the
screen.  The five members of Aerosmith are hidden throughout the game
and they all need to be found and recovered in order to win.

Many Aerosmith songs are included in the video game, including Sweet
Emotion, Toys in the Attic, Walk this Way, and Love in an Elevator.  The
final battle takes place in London’s Wembley Stadium.  During the game,
after a large explosion, Steven Tyler can be heard saying “Toasty!” in a
high-pitched voice.  This is a reference to an easter egg found in the
game Mortal Kombat II.  At one time there was a plan to create a sequel
to Revolution X.  It was set to star the band Public Enemy, but Midway
thought the Aerosmith game was not making enough money, so the sequel
was never developed.

6. Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors

Video Game Platform: Sega CD & PC



Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors is a video game that was
intended to be released in 1995 for the Sega CD, but was never made
available for purchase.  The game stars the comedy-magician duo Penn
& Teller.  It is regarded as the official video game of Penn &
Teller’s comedy video Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends.  In recent years,
Smoke and Mirrors has gained a significant following over the Internet,
after being featured on various websites dedicated to unreleased video
games.

Game Plot



Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors is composed of several small
mini-games and magic tricks.  All of the games are designed to help the
owner trick their friends in a variety of different ways.  The game
contains many mini-adventure challenges.   The best known and most used
mini-game is called Desert Bus.  The realistic objective of Desert Bus
is to drive a bus from Tucson, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada.  The video
game takes place in real time and the bus in not allowed to exceed
45mph.  In order to complete the task, the user must play the game
nonstop for 8 hours, and it doesn’t have a pause option.  The bus
contains no other passengers, no scenery or other cars.  It also veers
slightly to the right, so it is impossible to tape down the controller
button and finish the task.  If the bus fails to stay on the road then
it will be stopped and towed back to Tucson, also in real time.

If you complete the task and make it to Las Vegas, then you get one
point and the option to return the bus to Tucson.  The scenery never
changes, but approximately five hours into the first trip to Vegas, a
single bug splatters on the buses windshield.  On the return trip home,
the daylight fades with dusk and at one point the bus travels on a
pitch-black road being guided by headlights.  Penn & Teller have
suggested that Desert Bus was meant to be used in video game
competitions, with the winner gaining a free trip on a party bus between
Tucson and Las Vegas.

In 2007, the first Desert Bus for Hope marathon was conducted.  The
goal of the marathon was to raise funds for children’s charities.  Four
players continuously played the game, while raising donations.  On
November 20, 2009 the 3rd annual Desert Bus for Hope marathon was held. 
The drivers reached a record breaking 14 points before the bus
crashed.  The marathon lasted 5 days and 16 hours, and raised a total of
$140,449.  The Desert Bus for Hope events have raised a total of
$233,678 over the past three years and another marathon is scheduled for
November 2010.  Some of the other mini-games included in Penn &
Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors are Mofo the Psychic Gorilla, Buzz Bombers,
What’s Your Sign, Sun Scorcher, and Smoke and Mirrors.

5. Communist Mutants from Space

Video Game System: Atari 2600



The Atari 2600 was a video game console that was released in October
of 1977.  In the early 1980s the Atari 2600 was very popular and widely
distributed around the world.  In 1982, a U.S. company named Starpath
developed a new video game named Communist Mutants from Space.  The game
was made for the Atari 2600 and was compatible with the Starpath
Supercharger.  The Starpath Supercharger is an add-on component that is
used to expand the capabilities of the Atari 2600.  The Supercharger
gives the Atari system higher resolution graphics by multiplying the
consoles RAM from its built-in 128 bytes to 6,272 bytes.

Game Plot



The plot of Communist Mutants from Space revolves around a group of
aliens from the communist planet of Rooskee.  The deadly aliens are on a
mission to attack and destroy peaceful, democratic planets and turn the
inhabitants into “Communist Mutants.”  The game is played in a similar
manner as most space invader games created during the 1980s.  The player
is given a cannon gun which they use to destroy all incoming alien
invaders.  In the game, the communist mutant armies are controlled by a
leader, who is known as the Mother Creature.  The ultimate goal is to
destroy the Mother Creature and rid the planet of the communist mutants.

In another storyline twist, the Mother Creature is said to have gone
insane due to irradiated vodka.  Communist Mutants from Space has been
categorized as a propaganda video game, as the Cold War was really
heating up in 1982 and 1983.  Interestingly, the game has a hidden
easter egg.  If you hold down the fire button and then press the power
switch on the Atari 2600, it will cause the “HI” on the high scores
screen to change to “SHL,” which are the initials of the games
programmer.

4. JFK: Reloaded

Video Game Platform: Windows



The online gaming world has really exploded in the last ten years. 
Thousands of computer games have been developed and released under
various platforms, with the most common being the biggest company,
Microsoft Windows.  In 2004, a Scotland-based business named Traffic
Games released a game titled JFK: Reloaded.  According to various
inquiries, the company has said that the game’s purpose was to establish
the facts surrounding what happened on November 22, 1963 in Dealey
Plaza.  This was done “by running the world’s first mass-participation
forensic construction.”  The goal of the game was to help prove whether
Lee Harvey Oswald had the “means and the opportunity” to kill U.S.
President John F. Kennedy.

Game Plot

JFK: Reloaded places the games user in the role of Kennedy alleged
assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald.  The player is scored on how closely his
shooting matches the report of the Warren Commission.  The Warren
Commission was the group of government officials assigned to investigate
Kennedy’s death.  They ultimately named Lee Harvey Oswald the sole
gunman.  The game is difficult to master because each bullet you fire
has a random probability of where it will hit, making it is impossible
to predict precisely where the bullet will land.  This means that there
is a lot of luck involved with gaining a perfect score, especially in
regards to the “magic bullet.”  Over the Internet, many people have
argued that JFK: Reloaded is not a game, as much as a controversial
simulation of a historical event.  However, various gaming websites have
reviewed it, with some positive reviews.

The majority of people feel the game is in bad taste.  JFK: Reloaded
even garnered a response from John’s brother, the late Senator Edward
Kennedy, who called the game despicable and questioned why it was ever
allowed on the market.  People have argued that the game’s manufacturers
were only interested in making money.  Upon release of JFK: Reloaded,
Traffic Games ran a contest that paid the person with the highest score a
prize.  Ultimately, a man named Stephane Krupa won $10,712 with a score
of 782 out of 1000.  The game is no longer available on its original
website.  However, various computer programmers have altered the game
over the years, and some versions include a motorcade, while others
allow you to shoot from the Grassy Knoll.

3. Hong Kong 97

Video Game System: Super Nintendo



The Super Nintendo or Super Famicom is a 16-bit video game system that
was distributed all over the world in the early 1990s.  The Super
Nintendo was an advanced piece of technology and ended up being the best
selling 16-bit video game console, eclipsing the highly competitive
Sega Genesis.  In 1995, a Japan based company developed a game for the
Super Nintendo named Hong Kong 97.  Since the games release, it has
gained a considerable following in Japan and Taiwan.  Hong Kong 97 is
routinely included on lists documenting the poorest quality video games,
but many people feel that the game is so bad that it is good.  The game
is controversial and contains many racial undertones.

Game Plot



Hong Kong 97s storyline is set around the transfer of the sovereignty
of Hong Kong in 1997.  On July 1, 1997 the United Kingdom officially
returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule.  The introduction to the game claims
that at this time in history many Chinese people moved to Hong Kong,
thus increasing the areas crime rate.  In response to this, the game
develops the character Chin, whose job is to wipe out all of the 1.2
billion Chinese people.  Chin is portrayed by Jackie Chan on the box and
is described as a relative of Bruce Lee who is represented by British
politician Chris Patten.  However, the Chinese have developed a plan to
bring back the dead “Tong Shau Ping” (Deng Xiaoping) as an ultimate
weapon.

Deng Xiaoping was the longtime leader of the Communist Party of China
that passed away in 1997.  After the introduction, the game immediately
starts with Chin trying to avoid and kill the Chinese populace.  The
game is not very long, but extremely difficult to master.  The final
boss is actually a picture of Deng Xiaoping’s head.  Hong Kong 97 can be
played in English, Japanese, or Traditional Chinese.  In the English
version, the first two sentences of the game are: “The year 1997 has
arrived.  A herd of fu**in’ ugly reds are rushing from the mainland.”  A
company named HappySoft Ltd. distributed the games themselves, but few
retail stores purchased copies, so they are extremely rare and valuable.

2. Mystique Games

Video Game System: Atari 2600

Mystique is one of the first video game companies that attempted to
use sex to sell games.  In the early 1980s, Mystique developed many
pornographic video games for the Atari 2600.  Some of the most popular
were Custer’s Revenge, Bachelor Party, and Beat ‘Em & Eat ‘Em. 
These three games are known as some of the fist pornographic video
games.  They were extremely controversial and contain many racial and
sexual stereotypes.  The company Mystique went out of business during
the video game crash of 1983, but many of their games have gathered a
cult following over the years.

Game Plots



The most recognized Mystique game is Custer’s Revenge.  In the game,
the player controls a man with a cowboy hat named Custer, which is an
obvious reference to General George Custer.  Custer is naked and has to
overcome many obstacles in order to have sex with a crudely depicted
Native American woman.  The woman is shown with large breasts and is
tied to a post.  Once the obstacles are completed, a visible erection
appears on Custer and he continues to have sex with the tied up woman. 
Almost immediately the game received strong criticism from Native
Americans and woman’s rights organizations.  Many claim that it is a
clear depiction of rape, while others pass it off as only a game.  The
Native American woman is given the name “Revenge” in the game.  The
booklet for Custer’s Revenge famously states “if the kids catch you and
should ask, tell them Custer and the maiden are just dancing.”



Bachelor Party is a Mystique game that was loosely based on the 1984
comedy film starring Tom Hanks.  Bachelor Party is a simplified version
of the game Breakout.  Breakout is one of the first video games ever
made and is similar to pong.  A large collection of bricks are situated
on the top of the screen and the user has to bounce a ball and destroy
all the bricks without letting the ball hit the bottom of the screen. 
However, in Bachelor Party the ball looks like a nude male body, while
the bricks are females.  The naked males also bounce from left to right,
rather than up and down.  The game is very simple and the goal is to
let the bachelor have a final fling with a room full of nude women.  A
reversed version of the game does exist, it is named Bachelorette Party.



The dirtiest pornographic game developed by Mystique is named Beat ‘Em
& Eat ‘Em.  The game was released in 1982 and originally was an
extremely poor seller, but with the expansion of the Internet, the game
has become a cult classic.  However, similar to other Mystique games,
Beat ‘Em & Eat ‘Em is regarded as one of the worst quality video
games ever made.  In this pornographic game, the player controls a pair
of nude women who move back and forth underneath a building.  On top of
the building a man with a large penis is masturbating and the player’s
objective is to maneuver the women so that they can catch the man’s
semen, which is colored yellow before it hits the ground.  To make
things a bit worse, when the player is successful, the two women look at
the screen and lick their lips.  In the game, a score of 69 points and
every 69-point interval receives a free guy.  The gender reversed
version of the game is called Philly Flasher and it includes two men who
are trying to gather drops of breast milk lactated by a witch.

1. Super Columbine Massacre RPG!

Video Game Platform: Windows



Super Columbine Massacre is a role-playing video game that was
developed by Danny Ledonne and released in April of 2005.  It was made
available on April 20, which was the 6th anniversary of the school
shooting.  The game was released as a freeware and a donation of $1 was
requested upon download.  Danny Ledonne originally attempted to avoid
controversy and the game was released anonymously.  However, after a
donation was made through PayPal, Ledonne’s identity was made public and
he began to receive calls from mainstream media outlets.  In the game’s
first year of release, it was downloaded only 10,000 times, but after
it became a large news story in the United States, the game exploded
with over 400,000 downloads.

Game Plot



Super Columbine Massacre recreates the events surrounding the 1999
Columbine school shooting.  The game’s players assume the role of gunmen
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and ultimately act out the massacre. 
Super Columbine Massacre has a pretty extensive plot, and starts as Eric
Harris’ mother wakes him up on April 20, 1999.  Harris phones Dylan
Klebold, and the two meet in Harris’ basement to plot the attack.  The
two boys think about their past bullying experiences.  They make a video
and load up their bags with guns and bombs.  Once the pair arrives at
the school, the player has to enter the cafeteria and plant bombs
without being detected by the school’s video cameras.  After the bombs
fail to explode, the goal is to enter the school and shoot as many
innocent people as possible.

At the end of the first part of the game, the two gunmen commit
suicide.  The second part of the game places Eric Harris and Dylan
Klebold in hell.  The pair continues by fighting demons, monsters, and
Satan.  They also travel to the Island of Lost Souls and meet historical
figures J. Robert Oppenheimer, JonBenét Ramsey, Malcolm X, Ronald
Reagan and John Lennon.  The media reception to Super Columbine Massacre
was generally negative and many people were offended by the game. 
Victims of the shooting came forward to express their disgust with Danny
Ledonne.

In many interviews, Ledonne claimed that the game was made out of
respect for the memory of the victims and that he personally knew a girl
named Rachel that died in the massacre.  In Super Columbine Massacre,
players have the option of killing Rachel over and over again, which is
disturbing.  CNN labeled the game as something that a subculture that
worships terrorists would play.  Other people praised the game for
opening up the dialogue about the problem of school shootings.  In
September of 2006, a man named Kimveer Gill killed Anastasia De Sousa
and injured 19 students at Dawson College in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 
After it was revealed that Gill was an avid player of Super Columbine
Massacre, the game was taken down from its original website.