5 Games That Should Have Been Trainwrecks (But Somehow Became Legendary)

The Gaming Industry’s Greatest Magic Tricks

Reality: most games that sound terrible on paper are terrible in practice. For every Elden Ring, there are a dozen Babylon’s Falls—games so bafflingly bad they make you question how they got greenlit. But sometimes, against all odds, a game emerges from development hell, defies expectations, and becomes something great.

These aren’t just underrated gems—they’re games that, by all rights, should have been disasters. Whether it’s a ridiculous premise, a troubled development, or mechanics that sound like they were brainstormed during a fever dream, these titles had every reason to fail… and yet, here we are, still talking about them years later.

Let’s dive into the 5 most unlikely success stories in gaming—and figure out how the hell they pulled it off.

1. Untitled Goose Game – The Most Unhinged Premise That Somehow Worked

Why It Should Have Failed:

A game where you play as a goose whose sole purpose is to ruin people’s day? That sounds like a joke you’d come up with at 3 AM after too much caffeine.

How It Succeeded:

• Perfect Pacing: Short, sweet, and endlessly replayable.
• Universal Appeal: Everyone understands the joy of being a little chaotic.
• Flawless Execution: The honk mechanic is unironically one of the best sound designs in gaming.

The Lesson: Sometimes, simplicity is genius. Also, geese are terrifying.

2. Deadly Premonition – The "Twin Peaks" Ripoff That Became a Cult Classic

Why It Should Have Failed:

• Graphics that looked outdated on release.
• Controls so janky they bordered on performance art.
• A story that made zero sense unless you were high.

How It Succeeded:

• Unintentional Comedy Gold: The awkward dialogue and bizarre characters were so bad they looped back around to amazing.
• A Shockingly Good Mystery: Underneath the insanity was a legitimately compelling story.
• Pure Charm: It was clear the developers meant every weird second of it.

The Irony: The game’s director later admitted half the "jank" was due to budget cuts—yet it became the game’s biggest strength.

3. Katamari Damacy – The Game That Made Rolling Trash a Religious Experience

Why It Should Have Failed:

• Gameplay: Roll a ball. That’s it.
• Story: The King of the Cosmos got drunk and destroyed the stars, so you rebuild them… by rolling up random junk.
• Art Style: Looks like a preschooler’s sticker book on acid.

How It Succeeded:

• Pure, Unfiltered Joy: There’s something hypnotically satisfying about growing from a tiny ball to a planet-sized monstrosity.
• That Soundtrack: The weirdest, catchiest music in gaming history.
• No Pretensions: It knew it was ridiculous and leaned in.

The Legacy: Still the only game where you can roll up cows, buildings, and the entire concept of regret.

4. NieR: Automata – The Sequel Nobody Asked For (But Everyone Needed)

Why It Should Have Failed:

• Made by PlatinumGames, who were better known for character action than deep storytelling.
• A sequel to NieR, a game so niche most people forgot it existed.
• A plot about existential despair… starring anime androids in maid outfits.

How It Succeeded:

• Gameplay Variety: Switched genres on the fly—shoot ‘em up, hack-and-slash, even text adventure.
• Emotional Gut-Punches: That ending sequence broke everyone.
• Yoko Taro’s Mad Genius: The director wore an Emil head for interviews. You can’t argue with that energy.

The Twist: It’s secretly one of the best critiques of capitalism and purpose in gaming.

5. Among Us – The Game That Rose from the Dead Like a Phony Spaceman

Why It Should Have Failed:

• Originally released in 2018 to zero fanfare.
• Looked like a cheap mobile game.
• Gameplay was just Mafia but in space.

How It Succeeded:

• Perfect for Streaming: Short rounds, easy to learn, endless betrayal potential.
• 2020 Lockdown Savior: Became the social game when people were stuck inside.
• Memes: "Sus" entered the cultural lexicon forever.

The Miracle: A game that was literally forgotten became one of the biggest hits of the decade.

What These Games Teach Us

• Originality Trumps Polish: A unique idea executed with passion beats a generic AAA slog.
• Embrace the Weird: The games that own their weirdness often age the best.
• Timing is Everything: Among Us proves even "failed" games can get a second life.

Final Thought: The next time you see a game with a ridiculous premise, remember—it might just be the next cult classic in disguise.

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Got a game you think belongs on this list? Fight us in the comments. Or better yet—subscribe so you can yell at us when we inevitably miss another hidden gem. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go roll up some more cows.

~ Geek Peek