Most Unique / Clever Games Ever Made - Retro Bird

With many game developers and publishers sticking to what's safe, in this video we're going to celebrate games that try to be different! I give my personal four choices for the games that I feel are the most unique / clever (that were executed well!).
Most Unique / Clever Games Ever Made / Of All Time - Retro Bird / Most Innovative Video Games
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#retrobird

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Games played: Power Stone (0:00), Ogre Battle 64 (0:25). The rest of the games shown in the video are all named when I talk about them :)

[@Teejay_2000]

PS2 Arcade ports? Spicy banana? 🌶️🍌 Or poop 💩 Video idea.

[@luciferbeelzebubmoloch8724]

​@@Teejay_2000Have some respect.

[@ohiograssman1564]

I wish ogre battle 64 wasn’t a gajillion bucks today 😅

[@PowerSynopsis]

Our frothing demand for Retro Bird videos *INCREASES* -All of us

[@ThePirateCasey]

I never knew how much Bird made me froth until tonight

[@divinecomedian2]

​@@ThePirateCasey😳😳

[@VicariouslyRetro]

So glad you picked Radiant Silvergun. It deserves way more recognition than just from the few that have had the privilege of playing it. A 5th generation masterpiece

[@RetroBirdGaming]

It's been available on Xbox as a download for a while now (via backwards compatibility) and got a Switch release more recently too (including a physical release).

[@VicariouslyRetro]

@@RetroBirdGamingyup! I actually downloaded it for the Switch and then a month later, go figure, I got the notification that Limited Run was doing a physical copy… and of course I picked that up too lol. But I actually own a JP Saturn copy that I picked up awhile back before the price skyrocketed. You can never own too many copies of that game! Great video!

[@pixelpoppyproductions]

I was impressed how few times he died playing!

[@VicariouslyRetro]

@@pixelpoppyproductions haha truth. Game is hard as hell too!

[@wordleturtle]

It's on sale. 50% off on Switch right now.

[@stephenthomas1492]

The game that I immediately think of when I hear most unique/clever is Eternal Darkness for the GameCube. I've never seen another game break the 4th wall as well as it does. Everything from making you think there is a fly on the screen to scaring you that you're -banana- game file is corrupted/deleted.

[@The_Badseed]

That game screwed with me almost as much as Psyco Mantis from MGS

[@chrisperry132]

Great game. Loves it when the main character head dropped off and you die!!! And it's hallucination

[@stephenthomas1492]

@@The_Badseed- YES! I forgot about that! I fell for that 'put the controller on the table' and freaked out when it moved! Oh man, that was great. Instant fan of Hideo after that.

[@shanenice5380]

I was stuck in the game and scary

[@G.G.___162]

I've still never played that game, but it's been on the bucket list since it came out. That's it, I'm getting it now lol

[@G.G.___162]

Youre literally the only youtuber i've ever seen that actually knows how to play NiGHTS, as well as explained the whole point of the bonus time. I've seen some of the biggest retro gaming youtubers not even realizing this, as they show gameplay of them getting nothing but C grades, and immediately starting the 2nd course after the first Capture. Bravo my friend, bravo!

[@reggiebuttsmash2321]

Retro bird is a product of a real life gamer who is good at game because banana

[@danielespeziari5545]

My pick is Toejam & Earl. It's certainly one of the most unique and clever gameplays I've ever experienced in a videogame. It's chill and stressful at the same time, and the mechanic of the gifts is so fun. Plus, a totally 90s soundtrack. And this is coming from someone who grew up with the Super Nintendo

[@MrPooPooJohn]

Your writing skills, editing and comedic timing are top notch, man. Every video really is a joy to watch.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

I appreciate that!

[@The_Badseed]

For me: Parappa the Rapper, I still remember my feelings the 1st time I started up the demo disk from PSM and seeing Master Chop Chop. Literally WTF!?!?!? Simple game but I remember having a great time playing, singing and drinking with my friends. Even the ones who "didn't like" video games. That is a mark of a GREAT game. ❤ you Fleaswallow

[@tonyp9313]

Oh yeah that one. I love it. Also unique & clever.

[@stephenthomas1492]

That was the first time I'd ever played a rhythm game and I had ZERO clue what I was doing.

[@TitanSix]

One of my favorite “unique” games is Katamari Damacy for the PS2. Such a weird premise, but incredibly satisfying to play. For something clever, I’d go to bat for Kirby Super Star. The game is designed to build on its gameplay as you go through the various included sub-games. It starts out short and sweet, but the next game ramps it up a little more, with some more involved design. The next game is a much more nonlinear one, the next tests you to see if you play the game in a scenario with a hard time limit for each screen. The final main game takes away a key part of gameplay and sees how you can adjust. It’s honestly quite brilliant.

[@OtterloopB]

I still think Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath is incredibly clever given that at any given moment, you can transition from it being a 1st-person shooter to a 3D action/platformer - all with a single press of a button. And the FPS mechanics don't even focus on bullets. You have to "hunt" for your ammunition, be it skunks, wasps, bats, etc. It's such a clever and unique game and, visually speaking, it gets more and more lush the further you get into it. You start off in dusty, ramshackle towns and then eventually BAM! ... you're galloping through serene alpine waterfall vistas. Love Stranger's Wrath. Love, love, love it! Wish more folks would give it a chance.

[@wacoblaze]

Just tried gunstar heroes for the first time on my miyoo mini plus. Wow that one is good!! Best retro gaming you tuber hands down

[@merrillsheffer9590]

Kirby’s Dream Course on SNES is my definition of clever. Spin control, special powers and very competitive two player vs.

[@jared3977]

Kirby's Dream Course for sure! yeah its sort of like golf but not there's soo much more going on to make it stand out as unique! More like golf PVP

[@mattpijan4896]

Bionic Commando comes to mind for me. It's one of the first games I remember playing that had an over map that allowed you to travel down different paths plus the limitation of not being able to jump and needing your bionic arm to traverse the levels made it unique.

[@glaceRaven]

I love NiGHTS Into Dreams, the feeling of flying you get playing it is just amazing. I'm honestly not that great at it speedwise because I have too much fun just flying around the stage, seeing the sights and performing loops and flips.

[@jarrodmaistros9224]

For anyone else with ant problems not as fun as Pikmin: planting mint around your house keeps the ants away and smells wonderful!

[@rummyraisin]

I might have to try this...

[@ethanlinger4112]

I always look forward to Fridays after work, I work 12 hour shifts and purposely stay up a bit later to watch these since I’m on the East coast haha, keep it up man, love the videos!

[@tonyp9313]

Wow. I'll never take 12 hour shifts. Too much & you get tired really fast.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

I appreciate it and hope it starts your weekend off right!

[@erneststackhouse1133]

Just picked up Radiant Silvergun with the Limited Run release for my Switch! I love Treasure Games I'm always amazed how different & unique they all are! I hate waiting all weekend to finally watch your video, but it sure does brighten up my week when I finally get to watch it on Mondays! I liked all your picks & my Clever game would be Mercenary Force on the Game Boy. The cover looks like a weird fireman which didn't yell buy me when it came out in the 90s. But the game play is very unique & in my opinion like if Tetris was a shoot em up.

[@RwnEsper]

"BE ATTITUDE FOR GAINS" - Radiant Silvergun. Great video!

[@MatCaveGaming]

That montage moment of playing Mole Mania! LOL! I went from, "what are we doing here?" to coffee shooting out my nose on that last "ah". Well played, good sir! Well played. 😆

[@Mhoramdude]

Recently found channel, and so my comments are late. My first thought on seeing the title was "If a Treasure game is not on the list, it isn't valid" - then it was first one mentioned. Another unique thing about RS is that the weapons level up, and it saves their current level after you die, so if you only get a little way into the game, in addition to learning patterns you weapons slowly improve, letting you get further. It is one of my 5 favorite games of all time.

[@fan1701]

Actraiser is one I always go back to. It is just an odd mix of two different game types. 👍

[@somepoliticalgamer6459]

I haven’t laughed a retro gamer video joke in quite some time. What an absolute clever and hilarious joke at 7:50.

[@Gamevet]

Days since new Banjo poster was priceless! Well done!

[@despilfarro]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5LKdqF5htGBg6M

[@stephenthomas1492]

He really does put a lot of effort into the videos even for a single, short joke. I don't know where he draws his inspiration from because they're always different.

[@danbauer3669]

YEAH!! You playing Ogre Battle 64 Person of Lordly Caliber! That game is easily top 5 on the N64! I know how competitive that top 5 is, so, if you know, you know. And if you don't then you don't. I discovered it pretty late but fell in love with it immediately! Now I've beaten it multiple times! I have that Nights Into Dreams Bundle... I mean, the NTSC one, not the one you showed. But, I bought it for the controller. Don't really get the hype on the game. And I bought the Xmas version just for the collection.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Yeah, Ogre Battle 64 is awesome!

[@Arthur-uu3px]

The game that immediately comes to mind as possibly the most unique game I've ever played is Killer7 for the Gamecube & PS2. It's also one of my favorite games of all time, and I highly recommend picking it up on Steam if you have no other means of playing it on original hardware.

[@nemoisnobody]

No one here is gonna talk about how easy you're making a game as tough as Radiant Silvergun look!? That's some impressive skill you got there. Also, great list! A game I would recommend as clever would probably be a criminally lesser known strategy game called "Bahamut Lagoon". It's praised among hardcore fans of strategy games and rpgs alike and REALLY needs a western release/remaster. The cool thing about it is that the battle field is VERY interactive and you can use your dragons to defeat enemy units in interesting ways. Outnumbered by an army approaching from the forest? Send your firebreather and set that entire forest ablaze! Large river forcing you to take the long way around through enemy territory? Have your icebreather create an ice bridge for you! Enemy pursuing you on said ice bridge? Send in your firebreather to melt it beneath their feet! We didn't get in the west because by the time the translation would've been complete, the next console gen would've been out. We actually missed out on a quite a few awesome games for this reason. Might make for a good list someday, wouldn't you say?

[@devonwilliams5738]

Radiant Silvergun is a piece of pure art. I left my 360 on overnight to get 99 lives, did not care one bit. Freaky Flyers is something I would consider unique, combining Mario Kart, dogfighting, and an extremely edgy early 2000's art style that they absolutely could not get away with nowadays.

[@JanTheMangaMan]

Ghost Trick is my pick. Still one of the most unique games ive ever played and probably in my top 10 ever. The possession mechanic gave way for such amazing puzzle solving I loved that you picked Pikmin as its my favorite series ever. Miyamoto sure knows how to put a uniwue spin on a genre huh

[@JesusSaves86AB]

I remember renting Ogre Battle 64 and being angry at first thinking the game sucked but got hooked after the first hour. Secret of Evermore was also unique to me, love the soundtrack and alchemy

[@SolarBeingAsh]

Great picks! I'd only heard of half of them My choice would be the Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan series for the DS. It is a phenomenal rhythm game series that utilizes the DS's unique hardware to great success, and on top of that the sound design in spot-on and each game oozes with charm and personality. There's also the fan-made spiritual successor Osu!, which is quite good, but the charm and gamefeel of the originals still have me going back to them more.

[@peloi111]

Im getting into gaming so much just because It's hard not to continue watching more of these videos, such a charismatic guy!

[@LazyTomato]

_"[...] at a time (the Saturn) was basically dead in the US without even getting a funeral, SEGA had to get ready for the next console... funeral."_ I love the _almost-unnoticeable_ pause, there's something about your timing that makes a lot of your jokes land SO much better...

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thanks!

[@Arielcald]

I member playing captain tsubasa for famicom as a kid. I did not speak japanese, but somehow learned how to play and it was soo soo addictive. The other game which it was quite different for its time is Asura s wrath. The sound track and character design plus an amazing story. Playing that game for the first time it s a unique experience. Love ur content! Sheers with naners!

[@neily1488]

I recently discovered a game called Pocket Card Jockey for the 3DS. It combines solitaire & horse racing with surprisingly good results. Definitely a hidden gem, imo.

[@alanmauries2184]

Great picks! Didn’t knew Mole Mania was by Miyamoto. One of my memorable unique games has to be Comix Zone for the Genesis..nothing quite like it (or at least that i’m aware of). Crazy difficult one too! 😅

[@tonyp9313]

For sure Comix zone. So many retro games that they don't even do now.

[@marccaselle8108]

When I first played comix zone, I couldn't beat the first few levels for many years lol

[@tonyp9313]

@@marccaselle8108 That's actually a really hard game.

[@marccaselle8108]

@@tonyp9313 it is. It took me 25 years just to get to level 4 lol

[@tonyp9313]

@@marccaselle8108 The great thing about retro games is that you can play them with Game Genie codes, codes in the game & now Save states & rewind feature

[@baldpipesmoker1]

You're really funny dude! It's a crime you don't have more subscribers and views! One of the most unique games I ever played was In Other Waters on Switch. The graphics are minimal. You play as an AI guiding a scientist in an alien ocean. So you don't see a lot, just interfaces, but it was such a great game! I loved it. The music was nice too.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thank you!

[@brianhatcher2799]

I’m going old school on this one. For the NES- Little Nemo The Dream Master, Marble Madness, Abadox, A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobalonia(you feed your blob different kinds of jellybeans and he morphs into different objects!), Bubble Bobble, Spelunker, Kickle Cubicle, Pinball Quest, Maniac Mansion,and The Adventures of Lolo, just to name a few😂 I’ll throw in a few N64 titles too, both by Rare, Blast Corps and yes, Banjo Kazooie. 😊 I feel like all of these games were very creative and stood out as different from other games.

[@mausmalone]

I love me some N64 so I'm going to throw Sin & Punishment into the mix here - I think there might've been a few arcade games that mixed rail shooters with targeting reticles (like Gunblade NY) but there was really nothing like it on a home console.

[@TheJadeFist]

Kirby Bowl/ Kirby's Dream Course is one of my favourite unique games. It's also the only Isometric game I can think of that isn't hurt by the perspective, and it's over very clear about where things are. It's a must own for any super famicom/ snes collector. It's also pretty cheap.

[@NinjaRunningWild]

Ultima Underworld series. Multiple solutions & ways to tackle every situation in the game. Completely different character types can offer completely different approaches to problem solving. Very satisfying.

[@brighamfish713]

I'll throw in my two cents with two games!: A few games I think are super unique and have never been replicated I think are- 1st The ooze on sega Genesis. The game falls into no genre whatsoever but feels like a combination of many. The way you manage health vs speed vs power and so on is ingenious and the way you attack is unique and fun too. 2nd sacrifice on the pc from 1999. I know that this channel doesn't focus on old PC games, but if you truly want unique games that is the place to go. Sacrifice is an RTS game made by shiny that plays from a third person perspective. You play as a wizard that summons monsters from 5 different gods (factions) that you can join at different times to create your own personalized army of units and spells. There's a little too much to explain but the gameplay is fun and unique and the voice acting is superb with many big names in the industry bringing their talents. I can't recommend it enough.

[@paulafaber8589]

I’m playing The Last Door on switch at the moment. It’s in many ways the opposite of clever or unique (gameplay wise), but it gets the job done very well in all its simplicity. The story and the music are unique and great.

[@NightDragon2383]

Nice video! I always go back to Braid on my X360 every once in awhile, it's such a unique puzzle platformer with absolutely beautiful art design and a clever twist on the "save the princess" storyline trope.

[@thedisciple8541]

Resident evil on ps1 was very unique for its time, I still go back and use tank controls. Catherine on ps3 was definitely thinking outside the box as well.

[@Totavier]

Thanks for recommend Mole Mania, never heard of it and kind surprised since is a Nintendo game that you soon or later you would hear it in a reference or in Smash Bros (lol). I always love a good puzzle game that makes you say: "Ah!". And about unique games, there are two games not very retro-ish but I always remember in how good and unique were and are: Shadow of Destiny and Crush 3D Shadow of Destiny is an underrated PS2 (and ported later on PSP) game made by Konami, the game was a 3D story driven game that use time traveling aspects, maybe not an original idea but the execution was pretty neat since each era had different filters and each decision or puzzle solved changed the fate. Meanwhile with Crush 3D it was a pretty unique puzzle game in which combined and modified the dimensions of the game, depending of the position of the character and camera angle you can change the dimension from 3D to 2D and viceversa, the game also had an intriguing and a little dark storyline on the original PSP version, while in the remake on 3DS sadly the storyline was more family friendly and kind corny but still the game keep it essence.

[@Blas4ublasphemy]

Daytona USA (arcade original) deserves to be on this list, it can be played it auto like a traditional racing game but has hidden mechanics that need to be mastered in manual mode only to truly play it properly and get fast lap times. it feels as much like a puzzle game as a racing game when you understand how the gear you're in directly correlates to the max drift angle of your car before it slows down considerably.

[@The8bitFighter]

*Alien Soldier* is another Treasure game with a really unique mechanic. The... fire... phoenix charge... thing... really rewards advanced play. The first few times you play the game, you might barely ever get to use it because you're constantly taking damage. But once you start to "get gud," you learn how to attack with it, get a health pickup, attack with it again, and when and where to target enemies, and then you find yourself blowing through bosses that used to murder you and practically speed running the game. A very unique and rewarding mechanic for a run-and-gun platformer.

[@luciferbeelzebubmoloch8724]

I swear i never laugh so hard as i do when watching your videos. You could talk about manuals for 30 mins and i'd still watch till the last second 😂😂 never change RB ❤

[@alyx4436]

SO on point about the GameBoy being perfect for puzzle games. To add to your reasons, the portability is a big factor. Also when you are on a bus it is easier to play than like a platformer cos of the bumping around.

[@briangilmartin662]

Coming off the top of my head for unique games, I'd go with Guardian Legend for combining a vertical scrolling smhup with Zelda style, top-down exploration. The original Phantasy Star was also unique for bringing some hard scifi to a genre (RPGs) that was then-dominated by medieval fantasy worlds. Then there's Comix Zone, where the world is literally a comic book. How cool is that?

[@johnnyglade6987]

I never played any of the games you mentioned but they all look good. Two games that come to mind for me that are creative/unique are “it takes two” and “outer wilds”.

[@tristanheron4144]

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons comes to mind for me. Brilliant storytelling through the game controls.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

I loved that game too. Very cool way of having the controls tie into the story itself.

[@Orpheusftw]

The little jab at Rascal... 😂 I remember that one actually gave me some kind of gaming existential crisis. It made me feel depressed, in a "am I just getting too old for video games, or something?" kind of way. Thankfully, that was absolutely not the case. It was just _bad._

[@TumoFiji]

Great list - If I had to pick some unique games, the 4 that come to mind are: Haunting Starring Polterguy / Silhouette Mirage / Sonic Spinball / Gravity Rush

[@hanselmanryanjames]

My favorite unique style games are the DK Jungle Climber games on GBA and DS. Great games

[@brichan1851]

Love your Mole Mania montage! Another gem! Thanks for the video.

[@rotallyPumpered]

Portal - It's kind of easy to take for granted now we've figured it out, but "thinking with portals" really challenged players to consider physics and geometry in ways they'd never done before. It was a real mindbender to get over. It all feels so physical and true to the properties of our world, which is what makes it so satisfying. The time you discover how falling down a hole can help propel you through the air is something else. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater - Again, once you know the game, it's easy to overlook how unique it is, but this is a really great way of presenting a 3D score-based game with real creative freedom for the player. High scores ask you to see the best potential in a level layout and push yourself to pull off the most elaborate sequence of tricks over them. While other games were still in an awkward phase with 3D design, THPS had you jumping off ramps and landing on mid-air rails with confidence. Splatoon - A really smart solution to the unbalanced nature of multiplayer shooters. Even if you can't hit an opponent in time, you can still contribute to your team's success. Enemies can be found by trailing their ink, and laying your own ink creates quick routes for your teammates. The central conceit that these are people who can turn into squids is a stroke of whimsical genius, and all the absurd amount of lore, artwork and music that have come out of the series all spins off from that. QIX - QIX is a game that's so simplistic, it feels like it should be an ancient part of human culture, but it's something that could only really work successfully as a videogame. Draw lines to box-in the wandering enemies. Each time you break from the border, you're taking a risk, and if you're really daring, you can complete a level incredibly quickly. It's an act of creation, but there's also a bit of stealth to it. There's nothing else quite like QIX. Such an elemental blend of puzzle and action. Minecraft - Separate yourself from the mania and the widespread cultural impact, and you might start to appreciate what an overwhelming proposal this was to players. Mixing the boundless potential of a never-ending Lego set with the threat of surviving out in the wilderness with nothing in your pockets. Minecraft calls on each player's ingenuity and creativity to make the most of the scenario, and opens their eyes to the value of all the world's resources. We might think of it as a tacky toy these days, but each new Minecraft save is such a huge opportunity.

[@SaturmornCarvilli]

I think Bionic Commando is pretty clever and unique. It's largely a 2D platformer and your character cannot jump.

[@stephenthomas1492]

I really enjoyed that game as a kid. I remember playing that at the same time I was doing my best to play Metal Gear. I was TERRIBLE at both of them! Both were so far removed from the standard 2D platformer we were used to. I loved that time for video games. It seemed developers didn't know what would make a good game and just threw everything at the wall to see what stuck. Even more so before the NES arrived. They really made some WACKY games back on the old Commodore-64. The glory days of creativity, I'd say.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Definitely a clever game.

[@The_Badseed]

Great NES game from the past. Wish us Americans were able to handle the uncensored game with Hitler dying. So much cooler.

[@milp00l]

I’ll choose Toki Tori for the Game Boy Color. I’ve never played Mole Mania before (though it’s on my list), but I imagine it gives you the same kind of satisfaction that Toki Tori does. Challenging yet not too stressful, and truly a delight to play (: definitely recommended if you enjoy puzzle platformers at all.

[@chrisjohnson9542]

Also, I've never played it but I watched a playthrough of outer wilds and it was so amazing. Never seen anything else even remotely close to it in design.

[@bencox5994]

You have an amazing channel. You put in the time and it shows, very high quality.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thank you!

[@fminns]

Radiant Silvergun is one of my fave games, period. Sadly I'm not a collector anymore and my copy went on Ebay years ago. But I still play on emulator frequently.

[@davidberry4359]

Great video, thanks. This feels like the beginning of a series. We would all love to hear your take on more examples. Games that come to mind include Chameleon twist, Snowboard Kids (all time hidden gem), Super Buster Bros, and Katamari Damacy. Like you demonstrated here, I believe its better to avoid obscurity and pick mostly from the mainstream developers. Thumbs up from me, keep it up.

[@SteveC-x6t]

This man gets it. That's why War God's will always have a place in my heart with all its 90s 3D jankiness 😂

[@BigHushAffiliate]

Why the HELL don’t you have more subs?! 😩 Let’s get those numbers up!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@jayme69]

Great choices RB! I'd have to give a shout out to Jeff Minter's Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time, Andrew Braybrook's Paradroid, Peter Molyneux's Populous and David Crane's Little Computer People. #OriginalAndBest

[@MichaelRodriguez-nw5dt]

Have you considered Einhander by SquareSoft? It is a shoot 'em up "side scroller" with amazing visuals and graphics (for the time period in which it was released).

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Absolutely! I have that game and love it!

[@nedweeks6964]

Solar jet man on NES was a strange one

[@jackofallgamesTV]

Solar jet man is just an update of Atari's Gravitar.

[@noop9k]

@@jackofallgamesTV Or Atari ST Oids.

[@getbuckposse]

I think one of the most unique/clever games is Out of This World/Another World. To have such a cinematic experience in 16 but hardware still blows my mind.

[@cwba1rd372]

As a massive Banjo Fan, I stayed with Smash Bros Ultimate was announced, I looked at my friends and said, “If banjo is in, he’s my main” and the day happened! But, I agree, we need a proper 3rd banjo game…

[@beardyhat9547]

A game that really sticks with me, which I played a few years ago was Natural Doctrine on PS Vita. It reviewed like crap, but it's a very interesting strategy game that kept me hooked for 20-30 hours before I hit a wall with it. The way the strategy is done is unlike any other I've played and it kind of relies on your ability to "cheese" or "break" the game; which isn't to say it's buggy, it's just you're expected to exploit the systems to your advantage. It's really neat and even though I hit that wall with it several years ago, I keep it installed on my Vita because I would like to go back to it some day. I'm convinced the reviews and the hate it gets are simply from those who don't grasp the battle system at all, because it is kind of challenging and obtuse, but once it clicks, it's fantastic.

[@gallioearthmage]

I don't care how goofy it is, Witch & Hero will always be one of my favorite indie games ever. I get such a kick out of introducing it to people and watching them instantly get addicted and playing it for two hours straight.

[@tonyp9313]

I thought you were going to say goof troop for snes

[@travis1044]

In 2003, Viewtiful Joe 1 on the Cube blew me away with its clever gameplay and unique art style.

[@henveee]

4:34 alright thats a good one i'll give yoy that

[@rodrigorocha2935]

Baten Kaitos Origins has the most unique battle system I ever saw in a game, and together with the OST from the standard battle theme (The valedictorian Elegy) you surely will have a blast.

[@christopherwoodjr235]

One of my favorite unique/obscure video games is Azure Dreams for the ps1

[@gregorys9629]

We're going through a bit of a golden age in clever games now imo - games like Papers Please, Obra Dinn and Inscryption are all very clever and also very fun!

[@loboneiner1034]

*clever indie games lol AAA not so much

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Yeah, indie games are where you'll find a lot of clever ideas nowadays.

[@ShonenJump121]

Hey. I played Pikmin 1 recently on the Pikmin 1 and 2 collection on Switch and really liked it. My only complaints is how dumb the Pikmin can be at times getting stuck under bridges or whatnot. I'd say Dragon Force is my main pick and also Raw Danger and Disaster Report. Never played anything like those two games. Really weird, but fun.

[@BlankSpacePub]

By unique AND clever, I’m taking this to mean games that are great/fun, have a neato/clever approach, but are one-of-a-kind on their platform. For NES, River City Ransom wins this for me. A beat-em-up with RPG and open-world elements? Sign me up. Still a fun, unique game to play to this day.

[@andrewdiles2152]

BABA IS YOU. It's not retro by age, but it is very unique. The puzzles continually provide "aha" moments and become, later on, require some extreme "out of the box" thinking.

[@TheGreatMunky]

I just realized that you can write off your banana purchases as business expenses. 🤣

[@IcePakOG]

Awesome to see three of my favourite games mentioned in this video and another one I now want to play. Great job, RetroBird.

[@henveee]

I like how you go about showing gameplay, very visually cozy.

[@rummyraisin]

Have just been replaying Pikmin this week, and having an unreasonable amount of fun. Was surprised by how much it truly makes me feel 12 again 😌. The Gamecube had so many other clever and delightful games, such as Odama, a pinball strategy game with voice commands set in feudal Japan, and Chibi Robo, which I won't attempt to describe here but whose reputation is well deserved!

[@danospitpatio6236]

Absolutely, Banjo can never get enough love.

[@supersmallchibiwolf872]

Mole Mania is a wonderful underrated Shigeru Miyamoto game and I love It. I wonder If Night into Dreams and Christmas into dreams will ever get a modern re-release. Cool video. ^_^

[@pswr2009]

Great video. Thanks for making it. I think I'll try Mole Mania.

[@SplendidXShot]

When I hear unique games, to me, Seaman comes to mind first. It's such a WTF-experience. And I never even played it. 😆

[@-Evil-Genius-]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *🎮 Celebrating Unique and Clever Video Games* - Introduction to the concept of unique and clever video games. - Discussion on the challenges of innovation versus familiar gaming experiences. - Highlighting the importance of retro gaming in appreciating unconventional titles. 02:29 *🚀 Radiant Silvergun: Treasure's Ambitious Shoot 'em Up* - Introduction to Radiant Silvergun and its unique features. - Exploration of Treasure's reputation for creative freedom and unique game design. - Analysis of Radiant Silvergun's gameplay mechanics, weapons system, and level design. 05:42 *🕹️ Mole Mania: Shigeru Miyamoto's Overlooked Gem* - Introduction to Mole Mania and its gameplay mechanics. - Discussion on the overlooked nature of Mole Mania despite its clever design. - Analysis of the puzzle-solving elements and stage design in Mole Mania. 08:37 *🌱 Pikmin: Turning Gardening into an Adventure* - Introduction to Pikmin and its unique gameplay concept. - Exploration of the strategic gameplay elements in Pikmin, including resource management and planning. - Discussion on the innovative game mechanics and satisfying gameplay loop in Pikmin. 11:07 *✨ NiGHTS Into Dreams: Abstract Arcade Experience* - Introduction to NiGHTS Into Dreams and its abstract gameplay style. - Analysis of the scoring mechanics and gameplay objectives in NiGHTS Into Dreams. - Discussion on the unique controller and its impact on the gameplay experience. Made with HARPA AI

[@hisson1984]

I use to have a rick and morty nes rom hack of alien syndrome. It was awesome can't find it anymore sadly. :( Omg I love mole mania!! My uncle took me to the store as a kid and I picked out mole mania. I still have it and I frequently requested muddy to be in smash.

[@lilliput_steps]

Some of the Japanese-only PSX games being translated recently come to mind: games like Racing Lagoon and Baroque are crazy inventive for completely different reasons

[@CasperEgas]

I like Radiant Silvergun very much too and also a lot better than Ikaruga. I looove Nights. Once it clicks, it is so beautiful.

[@blakemarsee4801]

Death Stranding was a perfect example of a creative game that dared to do something different only to have gamers not understand it or give it a chance until years after it's release.

[@loboneiner1034]

I liked it immediately while my friends complained about it

[@noop9k]

It was a high-budget kusoge riddled with propaganda and bad game design decisions.Especually if played after the release, before the patches.

[@blakemarsee4801]

@noop9k I played it at launch with zero problems. Most people hate the plot because they can't comprehend what's going on. Gameplay is solid. I don't know how far you actually made it but the games great and keeps getting better as it goes.

[@noop9k]

@@blakemarsee4801 It was plagued by UI and AI problems and bad game design decisions. They corrected quite a few things afterwards. Initially you could not even skip all the repetitive action animations easily. This was insane, absolutely maddening.

[@NicktoonsA]

I love NiGHTS and Pikmin and I gasped at the thumbnail❤

[@jackofallgamesTV]

An interesting, unique and clever 9th generation game is Inversus. (For the Xbox One and Switch. Likely for PS4 too, but I don't own one, so I don't know). It's a competitive 2D overhead shooter. Your walls are their floors, and vice versa. You can shoot your opponent directly or can trap your opponent by walling them in by your shots also turning your walls into your floors, and their floors into their walls. (Btw the one-on-one mode is best. The "forever mode" is not as good)

[@muskoxthe]

Some of the most unique or interesting games for me were: Legend of Ligia Baten Kiatos Amazing island Pikmin Wario ware

[@Mariofable360]

You reminded me of the time Rare put out a banjo Kazooie 3 teaser trailer , where banjo was using Kazooie as a chainsaw. I've been waiting too bud 😞

[@Ty-douken]

Similar to Pikmin Overlord comes to mind for me, but if I'm thinking about unique games I can't help but think of a special RTS from my early PC gaming years. Metal Fatigue, it was a 3 faction RTS with battles taking place in the air, on land & underground at the same time. More interestingly though you'd build late game Mech units with unique technology for each faction, but during battle may salvage or sever weapons & armor from oppenents & be able to attach it to you Mech. You'd also be able to bring it back & reverse engineer it so you can then make your own version of it for future units. Great game I don't see talked about nearly enough.

[@mandarinamala6513]

Every video you made naming the Saturn is an amazing video to me