A "B Game"

[dehawaiiansupaman]

A recent article on Gamasutra asked if it was possible for there to be such a thing as a "B Game"; a game that's low budget, not all too amazing but still manages to impress people, sort of like a B Movie.

Seeing how people compare movies to video games (Hell Peter Jackson is even trying to get into the industry) and with games like Eat Lead being played out like a B movie in some ways, I was wondering if anyone thought this kind of thing is possible or even a good thing.

Link to article: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22568

 

[suhlEap]

I'm not so sure that the idea of a "B Game" is really so great. B Movies worked because they had a special charm that didn't require big budgets and special effects. Game's usually require big budgets to actually succeed and be impressive and as i'm sure we allhave experience with, cheaper games are usually just crap. perhaps i'm wrong, but i can't see the appeal in a game that's cheap, and likely to be poorly made because of this.

 

[Gladion]

It already does exist:

Spoiler

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Hey!

Earth Defense Force 2017 is the perfect example of a B game. And From Software could be their mascot developer. Tenchu Z and stuff. Even though they didn't make EDF. Penny Arcade had a link to that article in their news post today.

 

[hamster mk 4]

A Game development forum held a B-Games development contests. Here is the link:

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=411.0

I participated in it, making a rapage ripoff called Toadzilla. It was a lot of fun.

 

[dehawaiiansupaman]

Hey!

Earth Defense Force 2017 is the perfect example of a B game. And From Software could be their mascot developer. Tenchu Z and stuff. Even though they didn't make EDF. Penny Arcade had a link to that article in their news post today.

Not to mention the new House of the Dead, or Matt Hazard, or in some ways Left4Dead, but that's only really because of the style...

Yeah House of the Dead is a good one. Left4Dead does sort of have a style you would think matches with a B movie but I took it as more or less just a nod to old zombie movie cliches. I think if any genre of game would be easy to make B movie like games for it would be the zombie ones.

 

[lava_lamp]

i hate B-movies so ill hate B-games

 

[Lumber]

There's Alien Shooter - Vengeance... low budget, and awesome.

 

[Cheesebob]

http://stalinvsmartians.com/en/

Seems to be a pretty B game to me

looks brilliant though

 

[GonzoGamer]

No More Heroes.

I don't know what kind of enjoyment people get out of grass-cutting and gas-pumping minigames.

 

[Voicuboyy]

mount and blade is B game... and it's a very good game in general

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

We have a word for that already, it's called shovelware.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shovelware

Yes it's everywhere, especially on the Wii.

 

[dehawaiiansupaman]

We have a word for that already, it's called shovelware.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shovelware

Yes it's everywhere, especially on the Wii.

I guess you can argue that most wii games could be considered b games for being cheap and able to make a few dollars for their makers. You need to take into account that they need to have some level of novelty and enjoyment in them however and most of the shovelware on the Wii doesn't do this. There may be a few that have a level of enjoyment that help people look past the outward exterior of the game but from what I've seen few of the Wii shovelware make for good B games.

I mentioned zombie games as a good B game genre since, like the movies on the subject, they can be campy and be low quality but still garner a following based on the enjoyment from it.

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

We have a word for that already, it's called shovelware.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shovelware

Yes it's everywhere, especially on the Wii.

I guess you can argue that most wii games could be considered b games for being cheap and able to make a few dollars for their makers. You need to take into account that they need to have some level of novelty and enjoyment in them however and most of the shovelware on the Wii doesn't do this. There may be a few that have a level of enjoyment that help people look past the outward exterior of the game but from what I've seen few of the Wii shovelware make for good B games.

I mentioned zombie games as a good B game genre since, like the movies on the subject, they can be campy and be low quality but still garner a following based on the enjoyment from it.

You make shovelware purely for a quick buck, not to be a good game, that's what makes it shovelware. Sadly, even the major companies like Capcom make some of it.

 

[AdmiralWolverineLightningbolt]

arent most xbla and wiiware games low budget?

 

[Shycte]

/thread

EDIT: What the fuck? Who changed that? Anyone know what the crap happend? The picture changed to a line of text showing; I'm gay! Hack?

 

[A Raging Emo]

I don't think so. B Movies have this charm that doesn't need special effects or anything, but video games do need things like that to succeed.

 

[keyper159]

Patapon would be a B game because its been called a budget title, and it only costs $20, by its developers and Sony, but its one of the PSP's most popular games.

 

[SeleneRose]

Want examples of B games?
Castle crashers, fat princess and such
that good DLC content game stuff

 

[SirCannonFodder]

I present to you Rising Zan: the Samurai Gunman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zan_(Rising_Zan)]. Low production values, not a single gameplay innovation to be found, and a hilariously awful intro [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxNcgvbXwY&feature=related]. The plot involves magic-using, laser-wielding, steampunk ninjas invading the wild west, with the only guy that can stop them being the Super Ultra Sexy Hero, Zan. Here's [http://www.absolute-playstation.com/api_review/rrisingzan.htm] a good review on it.

EDIT: And let's not forget Metal Wolf Chaos [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MetalWolfChaos]. RICHAAAAAAAARD!