A solo journey, silence, and perfect precision–none of these things describe the borderline riot that mostparty gamesstart among friends. Though there can be plenty to learn and a surprising amount of mechanical depth in party games, they are first and foremost about getting a bunch of friends together and, well, partying, the louder and more hectic the better.
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Most gamers can name a couple of favorite party games off the top of their head. Even those who consider themselves devotees of FPSs, RPGs, or other genres may find themselves called back to party games from time to time, eager for another chance to push their best friend into a pit of lava or race their relatives to the top of a slippery slope. For every iconic party game, however, there are those that lie forgotten. Here are someforgotten party games from the PS2.
6Monster Rumble
A party game for up to four players,Monster Rumbleis all about competing in a series of challenges to be the best monster. The controls and most of the games are quite easy, making it an attractive option for kids as well as adults. Indeed, kids might get the most out of it, as its brand of raucous fun is targeted specifically at them.
Monster Rumbledoesn’t possess the depth or level of challenge to keep most adults engaged for long, but it’s still a fun, monstrous diversionfor those that like their video game mascotsstuffed with fangs and dripping with slime.If nothing else,Monster Rumblebreaks away from the pack with characters that are toothsome if not gruesome, and it deserves some recognition for that.
5Shrek: Super Party
There’s a reason thatShrek: Super Partywas forgotten. Party titles often thrive on chaos and even a lack of overall balance, making them more forgiving than games in other genres, since they don’t have to be polished to perfection to be fun. While a few rough edges can make party games even more of a blast,Shrek: Super Partyis nothing but rough edges.
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An interactive, four-player board game with 30 mini-games,Shrek: Super Partyhas all the makings of a classic, it just doesn’t quite get there.Everyone’s favorite earwax-candle-making grouch from the swamp may make an appearance along with other franchise favorites, but they’re mostly just a skin over an underwhelming game. That said, diehardShrekfans and gamers looking for an unusual addition to their party collection should keep an eye out for this forgotten game.
4My Street
An abrupt turn from the popular franchise licenses used to sell many party games,My Streetbrings things down to a simpler level: one’s own neighborhood.My Streetis about kids competing to be the best on the block,and the mini-games are all games that players might’ve enjoyed in real life: dodgeball, marbles, volleyball, and RC racing among others.
My Streetis a fun diversion and a more grounded take on the party game genrebut with only seven mini-games lacks the variety and depth to give it true staying power, which is probably why it was forgotten in the first place. Though it may only be of real interest to collectors,My Streetremains an interesting example of alternative design options in the genre, even if one still getspicked last for dodgeball.
3Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed
Another entry in the popularApe Escapefranchise,Ape Escape: Pumped & Primedworks hard to offer a wealth of content and be a serious party game contender. Featuring both a two-player Story mode with dozens of levels and multiple boss battles as well as a Versus mode for up to four players,Pumped & Primedisn’t short on material.
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With hundreds of unlockable items, unique moves, gadgets, summons, and fun characters,Ape Escape: Pumped & Primedis a surprisingly complete package.A difficult camera and a handful of other issues hold the game back from being one of the greats, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. The more friends are involved, the more enjoyable the gameplay experience is, and that’s a good sign for a party game. It will never dethrone the genre’s best titles, but the party game scene is probably better for having this one around.
2Sega SuperStars
Other games have proven the comedy and excitement that often comes with mashing together a bunch of beloved franchises, andSega SuperStarsfollows suitSonic the Hedgehog,Virtua Fighter,and evenHouse of the Deadare the somewhat unlikely stars of this forgotten party game. For lifelong Sega fans, that might be enough in itself to warrant checking out this mashup oftheir favorite Sega games.
The game’s downfall was probably its reliance on the gesture-recognizing EyeToy peripheral, a fun but underdeveloped technology that was more of a gimmick than anything else.Sega SuperStars,like other mashup games, is most interesting for the blend of worlds and characters it brings to the table. While its actual gameplay is lackluster,Sega SuperStarsis still a fun nostalgia piece for those who grew up on Sega.
1SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, Pants!
“The Adventures of Mermaidman & Barnacleboy” is filming a new episode in Bikini Bottom, and it’s up to the local residents to step in as actors and help the film crew out inSpongebob Squarepants: Lights, Camera, Pants!It’s hard to go wrong with theSpongeboblicense, and whileLights, Camera, Pants!didn’t revolutionize the genre, it didn’t let everyone’s favorite yellow sponge down either. Featuring both competitive and cooperative gameplay,Lights, Camera, Pants!does a surprising amount right, and is arguably one ofthe bestSpongeBobgames.
With 30 games and three modes, there’s plenty on offer here.The main problem is that the game simply doesn’t have the same standard of high-quality writing that the show is known for, and while that’s not surprising, it is a disappointment. ThoughSpongeBobfans may not be able to live out all of their Bikini Bottom dreams, they still have a chance to make turn friends into enemies alongside some of the most iconic cartoon characters of all time.
