Locked-Down Legends

Years before Nintendo dreamed up Super Smash Bros., Sega delivered their take on a crossover brawler. Fighters Megamix was a Saturn-exclusive mashup that blended Virtua Fighter 2‘s precise grappling with Fighting Vipers‘ smash-mouth chaos. Its 32-fighter roster is mostly comprised of AM2 legends, but there are also wild guest characters like the roaring Hornet car from Daytona USA. Its “anything goes” vibe sets the stage for silly antics and over-the-top combos, and this makes it an ideal party game. Unlike other AM2 fighters, Fighters Megamix had no arcade counterpart or Dreamcast port. Unfortunately, the Saturn’s infamous programming hurdles make a modern port unlikely. Fighting Vipers has been MIA since 2001, and even Virtua Fighter is considered niche. The characters in Fighters Megamix are less relevant today than they were in 1996, so it’s safe to assume that Sega will leave the game orbiting in obscurity. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds failed to live up to sales expectations, so I don’t expect Sega to pour resources into a forgotten crossover from 30 years ago.

Often ranked among the finest action-RPGs ever made, Terranigma is the final entry in the unofficial “Quintet Trilogy” (following Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia). The game had incredible pixel art, a soaring soundtrack, and fluid real-time combat that allowed for jumping attacks and cool combos. Although the game was translated to English for the European market, it was never officially released in North America. Quintet’s previous games weren’t especially successful in the West, and most publishing partners had turned their focus to the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 by the time Terranigma hit store shelves. I understand why the game was overlooked upon its initial release, but it’s disappointing that the game has never been re-released on any online service. I’d jump at the opportunity to buy a Quintet compilation, and I’m sure I’m not alone. Unfortunately, Quintet hasn’t been heard from since 2002, and many of the company’s key figures have all-but disappeared. In 2021, artist Kamui Fujiwara and co-composer Miyoko Takaoko launched a petition to revive Terranigma via a remaster or a re-release. They were unable to reach Quintet’s president, however, and it’s presumed that the game is tied up in a tangled mess of ownership that would sideline any efforts to republish the game.

Released in 2002 exclusively for the Xbox, Steel Battalion is an ambitious mech simulation game that was bundled with a massive proprietary controller. This device had 44 different inputs – including buttons, dials, switches, a throttle, dual joysticks, and three pedals. This allowed for unprecedented cockpit authenticity. Players had to complete a complex startup sequence and manage radio chatter, and the controller even had a dedicated button for the windshield wipers! Although fans revere it as the pinnacle of mech sims, most gamers never had an opportunity to play it since it was produced in limited quantities. An online-only sequel landed in 2004, and it’s every bit as elusive. These games require the custom controller, and can’t be played with a standard joypad. Unfortunately, this means that they will be forever locked to the OG Xbox. As it turns out, the controller uses proprietary Xbox ports, and it can’t be plugged into an Xbox 360, Xbox One, or Xbox Series S|X. Without the controller, there’s not much point in playing the game at all. Capcom released a second Steel Battalion sequel for the Xbox 360 that used Kinnect-based motion controls in lieu of a massive mech controller. This was as reliable as you would imagine, and the game was panned by critics. While an emulated version of Steel Battalion might be viable one day, an official port is about as likely as completing the campaign without hitting the eject button.

One of the most underrated racers of all time, Beetle Adventure Racing! turns every lap into an adrenaline-fueled treasure hunt. Developed by Paradigm Entertainment and published by EA, it ditches sterile circuits for labyrinthine tracks brimming with imaginative set pieces. You’ll need to buckle up as you experience the volcanic eruptions on Mount Mayhem, haunted forests in Coventry Cove, and neon-lit futuristic sprawls. Shortcuts hide inside shortcuts, and vertigo-inducing jumps keep you on the edge of your seat. The real magic is the Adventure Mode’s hidden point boxes, which unlock cars and battle arenas for replayability. Beetle Adventure Racing! never escaped the Nintendo 64, and it couldn’t even find a home on the Virtual Console or Nintendo Switch Online. Volkswagen’s license is probably the big roadblock, but I’m sure they could find a way around it if they really wanted to. (The game was actually rebranded as HSV Adventure Racing for the Australian market.) Paradigm went defunct in 2008 post-THQ acquisition, and EA apparently has no interest in the IP. It has been over a quarter century since its release, so it’s safe to assume that this Beetle’s staying in its shell forever.

This list wouldn’t be complete without Sega’s criminally underrated tactical RPG franchise. Shining Force III is arguably the series pinnacle, and it’s defined by branching paths, massive armies, and an epic finale packed with moral depth. It would dominate today’s strategy boom alongside Fire Emblem. The game unfolds like a Rashomon-style epic across three volumes. Each scenario tells the same war-torn saga from different points of view. The imperial loyalists, revolutionaries, and dragon cultists each have their own spin on the same events. Scenario 1 dazzles with grid-based mastery, but the other two scenarios were never released outside of Japan. Saturn owners were left high and dry, waiting for a payoff that never came. Fan translations have helped bridge the gap, but it would have been nice to see an official release. Sega skipped full localization in 1998 amid the Saturn’s death throes, so I obviously don’t expect them to rectify the issue three decades later. Shining Force has been dormant since 2009, and the folks at Camelot prioritize Mario Golf over dusty RPGs. The Saturn’s development quirks and “dated” visuals deter ports, leaving this saga’s full force shining only in emulation dreams.

Crowned the best 3DS game of all time on this very site, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is Nintendo’s top-down return to form. Timeless, inventive, and brimming with magic, Grezzo’s spiritual sequel to A Link to the Past introduces many new ideas. The option to rent items allows for bold experimentation, for example, and the ability to merge into walls creates an assortment of mind-bending spatial puzzles. At the same time, StreetPass fusions and amiibo cameos provides a social flair. Echoes of Wisdom proves that top-down Zeldas can still make an impact, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see A Link Between Worlds again someday. The dual-screen format defies single-screen emulation, however, so it’s not a great candidate for Nintendo Switch Online in its current state. It’s more likely that we’d see a proper remake in the style of Link’s Awakening. The Oracle games and Minish Cap are still waiting in the wings, so I doubt we’ll see A Link Between Worlds any time soon. A proper port is highly unlikely, so Link might be stuck painting between 3DS worlds forever.

To this day, Saturn Bomberman outshines every entry in the franchise. Forgoing era-defining polygons for charming 2D sprites that still hold up, its battle arenas pulse with frantic grid-based mayhem. Unlockable guest stars from Hudson’s Hall of Fame add crossover charm to the roster, and it was nice to see Bonk and Master Higgins join the fray. Local multiplayer has been an important component of the franchise dating back to the PC Engine, and Saturn Bomberman scales to 10 players! (The game also pioneered online bomb-slinging, through the use of the Sega NetLink modem!) The story mode and power-up pandemonium seal its timeless appeal, and it would be a blast to experience the multiplayer madness across linked Nintendo Switches! While Konami’s fresh Super Bomberman Collection revives the Nintendo-centric classics, it snubs Saturn’s gem entirely. The Saturn is notoriously difficult to emulate, so I’d be shocked if a proper Saturn Bomberman port ever sees the light of day. This means that most people will never have the opportunity to explode into the greatest Bomberman game ever crafted.

Masahiro Sakurai’s triumphant 2012 revival of the long-dormant Kid Icarus series stands as one of the most delightful 3DS gems ever. Pit’s aerial-ground shooter blends blistering flight combat, dazzling combos, and boss marathons with some of the best dialogue I’ve ever heard in a video game. I’ll never grow tired of Palutena’s sassy guidance or Viridi’s snarky remarks. Critics and fans consistently rank it among 3DS royalty, but I’d be lying if I said the game was without its faults. The controls are downright wonky, and my hands are cramping up at the very thought of aiming with the stylus again. The bundled stand and optional Circle Pad Pro help mitigate these issues, but the game was clearly screaming for dual-analog bliss on a Pro Controller. The game remains locked to the 3DS, even though it seemed ideal for a Wii U port. Sakurai quickly nixed a 2018 Switch query too, and he explained that limited manpower would make a port impossible without a full rework. Project Sora dissolved post-launch, and Nintendo immediately returned to their default state of ignoring the franchise all together. It would seem as though Sakurai flew too close to the sun with Kid Icarus Uprising.

Decades after its release, WWF No Mercy is still the undisputed champ of wrestling games. Crafted by AKI Corporation and published by THQ, its buttery-smooth grappling, reversals, and momentum system easily outshines modern cash-grabs like WWE 2K. The epic story mode weaves branching narratives with Attitude era drama, and the Create-a-Wrestler mode lets you build dream fights. The real draw is the multiplayer mayhem, and I’m thankful that the N64 had four controller ports. Tag team chaos, battle royales, and ladder matches descend into hilarious pandemonium, and a modern port could eliminate slowdown and polish everything to perfection. Sadly, No Mercy is still cart-locked to the N64. It never made it to the Virtual Console or Switch Online, and no ports ever saw the light of day. A licensing apocalypse basically seals its fate. Over a dozen of its characters are deceased, others have been rocked by scandals, and some are now employed by rival promotions like AEW. The WWF changed their name to WWE in 2002, so even the title of the game is outdated! Fan-made ROM hacks like No Mercy Plus thrive, but the suits at TKO obviously aren’t going to promote ghosts of a bygone era. An official revival is as realistic as another Hulk Hogan title run.

If you’d like to soar into one of gaming’s most creative RPGs, then look no further than Panzer Dragoon Saga. Team Andromeda’s masterful evolution of the rail-shooter franchise ditches linear tracks for desolate landscapes in a tacit epic of betrayal and redemption. The brilliant battle system blends real-time positioning with turn-based strategy, and the result felt utterly unique amid the late-90s JRPG boom. Critics crowned it the Saturn’s answer to Final Fantasy VII for its artistic ambition and haunting score, but consumers shrugged amid PlayStation dominance. Infamously low sales killed any momentum right out of the gate, and Team Andromeda disbanded shortly after the game hit store shelves. MegaPixel Studio remade the original Panzer Dragoon in 2020, but easy revivals for Panzer Dragoon Saga are not likely since Sega apparently lost the source code decades ago. Everyone should be able to experience the game, but this dragon’s saga will almost certainly stay buried. Uncovering ancient mysteries is one of the main goals in Panzer Dragoon Saga, so it’s not without irony that the game itself has become something of an ancient mystery itself.