Video games so bad they should never have been made

24/7 insights

• • The worst video games are ranked according to Metacritic.
  • Some of the games on this list are exclusive to Windows.
  • Even games from popular franchises can be poorly received.
  • Also: 2 dividend legends to be kept forever

In the world of video games, you have titles that are memorable and stand the test of time. Names like Mario, Sonic, Donkey Kong, Halo and Call of Duty are all titles where you rightly expect something special. On the other hand, you also have video games released every year that are immediately forgotten. While many games are built with love, some can’t tell the right story or present great gameplay.

The reality is that as many good games are released each year, there are just as many, if not more, terrible games. Unfortunately, this is often bad news for people who have worked hard on these titles, only to be disappointed once the poor reviews arrive. With that in mind, we’ve used data from Metacritic to analyze the worst video games of all time, in descending order.

Why is this important?

Video games have become a $300 billion a year business.

Shocking as it may be, the video game market is bigger than music and movies combined. In the world of entertainment, video games have become a dominant platform, so games that perform well can earn hundreds of millions. It’s no longer uncommon for top video games to gross more than $1 billion, something few movies ever do. Since many of these games are released for companies like Microsoft and Sony, 24/7 Wall Street regularly covers these topics as video game revenue affects the bottom line of these big brands.

17. Inner Fighter

Fighter Within was originally an Xbox One version and a failure.

• Metacritic Score: 23/100

Fighter Within, released on Xbox One in November 2013, was a Kinect-based fighting game and one of the console’s launch titles. Rather than being remembered as one of the console’s launch titles, it was better remembered for trying to fight back against its negative reviews. Adding to the mess, the Kinect itself has been described as underwhelming for gamers in general.

16. FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction

Flatout 3 has an “overwhelmingly negative” review on Steam.

• Metacritic Score: 23/100

FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction was released for Microsoft Windows in December 2011. Reviews for the game were mostly negative and it is often labeled as one of the worst video games of all time. This disappointed reviewers, as the first two games in the franchise received much better scores, so it was a shock when the game turned out so poorly.

15. Homie Rollerz

The Homie RolleZ was a disappointing release for such a great handheld.

• Metacritic Score: 23/100

A terrible kart racing game, Homie Rollerz, was released for the Nintendo DS in 2008. Unfortunately, the game is abysmal, and its gameplay has been described as having one of the worst difficulty levels of any racing game ever. Additionally, the track design is simply unplayable, which helped Homie Rollerz become one of the worst video games ever made.

14. Charlie’s Angels

The Charlie’s Angels video game was just as bad as the movie’s release.

• Metacritic Score: 23/100

Based on the 2000 film of the same name, Charlie’s Angels was released in July 2003 for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. According to reviewers, while the game continued the adventures of the film’s three main characters, there was almost nothing redeeming about the game. Hence it’s Metacritic score of 23 out of 100.

13. Fast & Furious: Showdown

Dominic Toretto was notably absent from the Fast & Furious game.

• Metacritic Score: 22/100

Although the Fast & Furious franchise is popular, the success of the movie could not save this game. Bridging the story of Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6, the 2013 release was available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U. While many of the film’s characters appear, Dominic Toretto is notably absent. However, there is no way his presence would have saved the game anyway.

12. Drake of the 99 Dragons

• Metacritic Score: 22/100

Drake of the 99 Dragons, an original Xbox release in 2003, is a third-person shooter about an undead assassin who must take revenge on those who killed the members of the 99 Dragons clan. Although the game was originally thought to be the first in a series of games and even a television show, plans for this were immediately scrapped as soon as the game was released based on its terrible reviews.

11. Afro Samurai 2

Afro Samurai was made available for the PlayStation 3 console.

• Metacritic Score: 21/100

An action video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Afro Samurai 2 was based on the anime series of the same name. Announced in 2008 and released in January 2009, the game was developed by Namco Bandai, who have a much better track record than this title would lead you to believe. The PlayStation version in particular gets the worse of the two scores.

10. Infestation: Stories of Survivors

Infestation: Survivor Stories was a Windows release that fell short of expectations.

• Metacritic Score: 20/100

Infestation: Survivor Stories was a first-person and third-person shooter released for Microsoft Windows in December 2012. While the game offered single-player and multiplayer, it didn’t matter because both were bad. When the game was released, critics immediately labeled it as one of the worst video games ever.

9. Deal or No Deal

The Deal or No Deal video game couldn’t live up to the show’s hype.

• Metacritic Score: 20/100

While Deal or No Deal was released on multiple consoles, the Nintendo DS version received poor reviews. The game was labeled as “broken” at best and unplayable at worst. Released in November 2006, the reviews weren’t bad at all for those who loved the television series it’s based on. However, for everyone else, it was an unforgivable mistake.

8. Alone in the Dark: Illumination

Alone in the Dark: Illumination is a terrible nightmare game.

• Metacritic Score: 19/100

Alone in the Dark: Illumination is a third-person shooter released for Microsoft Windows in June 2015. It is the sixth game in the series. Unfortunately, with very negative reviews, it shouldn’t have been made at all. Online reviews indicate that there is almost nothing good to say about the game, and instead, the developers got a lot wrong.

7. Ride to Hell: Retribution

Ride to Hell was first released on the Xbox 360, where it failed to ship.

• Metacritic Score: 19/100

Ride to Hell: Retribution, an action-adventure game released for Xbox 360 in June 2013, was originally announced in 2008. The game had been in development limbo for five years and it showed when it was released. There’s no doubt that the title was met with dire reviews for its technical issues and the way it portrayed women in a negative light.

6. SPOGS races

SPOGS Racing was the worst version for the Nintendo Wii.

• Metacritic Score: 18/100

A Nintendo Wii title released in July 2008, SPOGS Racing is the worst racing game you’ll ever play. At least that’s what the reviews would have you believe, with at least one review from IGN indicating“This is as bad as it gets.” Other reviews offer similar disappointment, and there is almost nothing about this game that you can read that gives you any hope that this game could be considered “good” at any point.

5. Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons

Double Dragon II was terribly received for the Xbox 360.

• Metacritic Score: 17/100

Given the love for the Double Dragons franchise, it’s disappointing to see Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons on this list. One of the original beat-em-up arcade titles, this April 2013 release is definitely the worst game in the entire series. Released as a Live Arcade title on the Xbox 360, it was a cash grab using the Double Dragon name that should never have been made.

4. Vroom in the Night Sky

Vroom in the Night Sky is the worst game for Nintendo Switch.

• Metacritic Score: 17/100

Released for the Nintendo Switch, Vroom in the Night Sky was the worst game released in 2017 and the fourth worst game ever. According to Metacritic, it earned a score of 17 out of 100. Online reviews are appalled at the state of the game and struggle to find anything positive. Among the biggest complaints is the game’s written dialogue, which reviewers have indicated is the worst they’ve ever read.

3. Yaris

Yaris was the worst game released for the popular Xbox 360.

• Metacritic Score: 17/100

Released on October 10, 2007 for the Xbox 360, Yaris is the third worst game of all time. One review hilariously asks if he can get the 17.5 seconds it takes to download the title back because the game is so bad. Reviews fault the game’s playability, with many writers pointing out that the game is simply unplayable due to the volume of bugs that were never fixed after the game was released to the public.

2. Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade

Family Party is universally considered the worst Wii U version.

• Metacritic Score: 11/100

Released for the Nintendo Wii U in December 2012, Family Party is arguably the worst Wii U game ever and the second worst game ever. To say the reviews are scathing would be an understatement, as some review sites question how such a game could be marketed to children, never mind adults. Finally, ignore this game ever being made.

1. Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing

Even the best gaming PC couldn’t save Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing.

• Metacritic Score: 8/100

When it comes to the worst video game of all time, the award goes to Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing. Earning a lowly 8 out of 100 on the Metacritic scale, there is almost nothing positive to say about this game. Review sites almost universally agree that it’s the worst video game ever, including our sister site, Cheat Code Central.

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