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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher

@greatestgames.bsky.social

890 followers 1.6K following 6.9K posts

There are tons of amazing video games that have been forgotten, overlooked or which never found an audience. I'm a researcher who's going through them and finding the Greatest Games You (Probably) Never Played! Website: https://greatestgames.substack.com

greatestgames.substack.com

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · Mar 28

If you want to read about retro games you've never heard about that are still worth playing today (no nostalgia goggles needed!), I encourage you to check out my Substack, The Greatest Games You (Probably) Never Played.

You'll love it! And it's entirely free.

#Gaming #VideoGames #RetroGames

The Greatest Games You (Probably) Never Played | Sean J. Jordan | Substack

There are thousands of awesome video games you probably never knew existed! Here are some of them. Click to read The Greatest Games You (Probably) Never Played, by Sean J. Jordan, a Substack publicati...

greatestgames.substack.com

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 2m

This is really neat!

Making it easier for aspiring and existing game devs to get ahold of good resources is an awesome way to give back. And since they're curating these materials and filtering out the junk, they'll be vetted by people who actually know how game development works!

Owlcat Games sets up educational resource hub for game devs

Studio partners with Fireshine Games, 11 Bit Studios, Gaijin Entertainment, and Midwest Games to build database of over 350 learning resources

www.gamesindustry.biz

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 27m

Quoted for truth!

Unfortunately, generosity research finds most people expect to get something from what they give.

But you can tune that feeling of getting something to positive emotions about the greater good! That's the first step to doing good without expecting a return.

spoonshiro @spoonshiro.com · 8h

If your good deeds and acts of kindness are purely transactional that doesn't make you a good person

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 36m

Holy smokes. Watching the video in this article reminds me of playing Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, a video game from nearly 20 years ago. Real soldiers using minimaps - wow!

We've finally at that level of technology and games are driving military development. It's both awesome and terrifying.

Anduril Shows First Look at Capabilities of ’EagleEye’ Military XR Headset

Anduril, Palmer Luckey’s military tech company, unveiled EagleEye, its XR headset system built in collaboration with Meta. The News Anduril announced in May it was partnering with Meta to build XR sys...

www.roadtovr.com

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 43m

The New Zealand Story (a.k.a. Kiwi Kraze) is another one of those games UK gamers know and love but which failed to make an impression in North America.

That needs to change, because it's one of the best platformers of the 1980s and absolutely worth experiencing!

#videogames #gaming #retrogames

The Classic Arcade and Console Era (1972-1989) - The New Zealand Story (a.k.a. Kiwi Kraze)

The greatest maze-navigation platformer you’ve probably never played … unless you live in Europe, where it’s far more popular.

greatestgames.substack.com

Reposted by Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · May 4

One of the best parts of Astro's Playroom is a stage where your PS5's GPU begins singing to you about how it does all these amazing things for you that you don't even notice. It's such a great song!

So here it is - "I'm Your GPU" by Kenneth C.M. Young
#videogames #vgm #videogamemusic #gaming

Astro's Playroom OST - 03 I'm Your GPU

YouTube video by Astro Bot

www.youtube.com

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 16h

Ugh. This new Final Fantasy Dissidia game looks awful.

My advice if you want to play mobile Dissidia: Get PPSSPP and play Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy on your phone.

It's the best game in the series by a long shot and you'll be much happier with how you spend your time.

Plus, that soundtrack! Wow!

New Final Fantasy Dissidia game officially revealed for mobile devices, set in modern day Tokyo

Square Enix has officially announced its next Dissidia game in the Final Fantasy spin-off series, coming to mobile devices next year.

www.eurogamer.net

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 17h

Here's a piece about it. He'd apparently show up at Rockstar and play the (still in development) game all night!

D'Angelo F-cking Loves Playing 'Red Dead Redemption 2'

The reclusive singer really, really loves the Wild West video game.

www.rollingstone.com

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 18h

I've said this for years! I worked in an EB Games at the time and constantly told people to try Ico. They'd take one look at the cover art and nope right out.

It got easier after Shadow of the Colossus came out, though. That game sold itself!

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 18h

Let's take a moment of appreciation for D'Angelo, one of the musical greats who passed away today.

You definitely know his work if you've played Red Dead Redemption 2 - he performed "Unshaken" and it's tremendous!

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 18h

This is sad news!

One of his greatest contributions to video gaming was Unshaken. What a song!

He apparently loved the game enough to be a playtester for it.

D'Angelo - Unshaken | Red Dead Redemption 2 (Official Soundtrack)

YouTube video by Original Soundtrack

www.youtube.com

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 19h

My other Castlevania series favorites:

CV II: Dracula's Curse
CV: Bloodlines
CV: Aria of Sorrow & Dawn of Sorrow
CV II: Belmont's Revenge
CV: Curse of Darkness
CV: Portrait of Ruin

And of course, the unequaled pairing of CV Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, two of my favorite games ever!

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 19h

Hey, it's one of my favorite Castlevania games!

Super Castlevania IV has a unique feel no other game in the series has ever matched. It also has a killer soundtrack and some great boss battles!

DOKI DOKI CRT PANIC @crtpixel.bsky.social · 21h

SUPER CASTLEVANIA IV
KONAMI 1991
SNES

Simon Belmont standing at the gates, ready to whip it

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 20h

I love this.

My family also had a copy of that version of the game with that box and it NEVER occurred to me or my brothers to hold it that way!

I feel like we missed out on something special. We sure did play a lot of SimCity though (and learned a ton about urban planning!)

VGArtAndTidbits @vgartandtidbits.bsky.social · 21h

Sim City - PC ad (1989)

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 20h

Looks like Pokémon Legends: Z-A is reviewing decently! That's a good thing. I hate to see those games get piled on by negative voices.

I feel a bit too old and underwhelmed for Pokémon myself, but my son loved the first Legends and Scarlet/Violet, so this will be his jam for sure!

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Reviews

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is rated 'Strong' after being reviewed by 20 critics, with an overall average score of 81. It's ranked in the top 17% of games and recommended by 75% of critics.

opencritic.com

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 20h

You know, I'm sure Chloe would says those tattoos are hella cool!

I also didn't realize there were comics. I'm assuming you'd recommend them?

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 20h

Summoning enemies to fight for me was the best part for sure.

But it often had the same problem for me as Scribblenauts always did - I settled on a strategy to win instead of using the creative tools at my disposal.

The stacking beds technique became all too common.

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 20h

I played this game to the end, but I was disappointed in its design, story and overall performance (it's quite buggy!). Princess Zelda really deserves a better game.

I'm not a purist, but I like my Zelda games to have clearly-defined puzzles and creative boss fights.

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 20h

This is also funny, from the same issue. Sara Gilbert (the actress, who was on Roseanne at the time) reviewing A Boy and His Blob.

Nintendo Power interview with Sara Gilbert

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 20h

Yeah, some of the jellybeans were more memorable than others due to pneumonics ("punch-flavored" means "hole punch", which creates a hole, for example), but it was definitely worth keeping a cheat sheet.

Nintendo Power came in handy for that! (Link goes to their guide for the game on pp28-29.)

Nintendo Power Issue #11 March April 1990 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Nintendo Power Issue #11 March April 1990

archive.org

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 21h

GREAT UNDERRATED NEO GEO #VIDEOGAMES

10. Matrimelee (2003)

The best game in the Power Instinct/Gōketsuji Ichizoku series, this wacky fighter by Noise Factory brings back the strange Gōketsuji clan as well as some Rage of the Dragons characters in a fight for the hand of a princess. It's awesome!

Shin Gōketsuji Ichizoku Tōkon: Matrimelee (2003) - MobyGames

The Gouketsuji clan returns to decide who gets to be head of their clan by sponsoring another one-on-one fighting tournament. This year however, a foreign character seems to have taken over the clan a...

www.mobygames.com

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 21h

GREAT UNDERRATED NEO GEO #VIDEOGAMES

9. Rage of the Dragons (2002)

Noise Factory's late Neo Geo fighter was intended to be a sequel to 1995's Double Dragon fighting game, but it kinda became its own thing. The result is a super-polished tag team fighter with impressive graphics and fun characters

Rage of the Dragons (2002) - MobyGames

Rage of the Dragons is a 2D tag team fighting game. This game originally was supposed to be a sequel of 1995 Double Dragon. The player selects two heroes, and can switch between one or the other durin...

www.mobygames.com

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 21h

GREAT UNDERRATED NEO GEO #VIDEOGAMES

8. Over Top (1996)

ADK's isometric overhead racer draws a lot of inspiration from Rally Car racing and forces players to follow guidance arrows to make tight turns and anticipate weather conditions and obstacles. Learning shortcuts is vital to your success!

Over Top (1996) - MobyGames

The ultimate NEOGEO Racing Game! The game features branching paths and a variety of car models for maximum replayability! "OVER TOP" is a racing game released by SNK in 1996. Players will...

www.mobygames.com

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 21h

GREAT UNDERRATED NEO GEO #VIDEOGAMES

7. Ninja Master's (1996)

ADK's take on the weapons-based 2D fighter isn't quite up to Samurai Shodown or The Last Blade in polish, but it's still a fun one with a diverse cast of characters who possess both melee and weapons-based attacks.

Cover art or packaging material from Ninja Master's (1996) - MobyGames

Front Cover

www.mobygames.com

Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 21h

GREAT UNDERRATED NEO GEO #VIDEOGAMES

6. Neo Turf Masters (1996)

AKA Big Tournament Golf, this simple but fun arcade golf game is known for being great-looking and highly accessible. What it lacks in depth it more than makes up for in fun, and its portable Pocket Color version is also excellent

Cover art or packaging material from Neo Turf Masters (1996) - MobyGames

Front Cover

www.mobygames.com

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Sean Jordan, Video Game Researcher @greatestgames.bsky.social · 21h

GREAT UNDERRATED NEO GEO #VIDEOGAMES

5. Kabuki Klash (1995)

The Neo Geo's well of fighting games runs deep, but this game is interesting because it's a spin-off of the Japan-only Tengai Makyou (Far East of Eden) series of lighthearted RPGs and includes a wild cast of unusual characters!

Cover art or packaging material from Kabuki Klash (1995) - MobyGames

Front Cover