10 Most Embarrassingly Poor Console Launch Games Of All Time

2. Godzilla Generations (Dreamcast)

Godzilla Generation Much like the robotic suits argument above, there's surely no greater power fantasy in the world of gaming than becoming Godzilla. Years upon years of Godzilla films have probably left us with the wrong message €“ though the giant lizard was once a metaphor for nuclear disarmament and the damage of the atom bomb, most of us went away thinking how b*tchingly cool it was that this giant monster was cutting a destructive swathe through downtown Tokyo. So when a Dreamcast launch game gave us the option to become Godzilla, Mechagodzilla or another incarnation of Japan's most famous monster and told us to cut loose on an urban centre while swatting down the human forces sent to stop you, you could bet we were all over that like a pack of hyenas on a three-legged cat. Yet tragically, and in one of mankind's most awful crimes, developers General Entertainment managed the not-inconsiderable task of making such wanton destruction repetitive and boring. Needless to say, fans of unrelenting carnage were gutted €“ they'd been given as near-as-dammit to a foolproof formula as its possible to get in the gaming world, yet they still made an absolute hash of it. Godzilla Generations learnt the hard way that poor execution can scupper any idea, no matter how good it may be. While it's good to be Godzilla, when commandeering the giant beast involves infuriatingly unresponsive controls , incredibly slow movement and pretty much no way to avoid damage, then you can bet the novelty's going to wear off pretty quickly. Plus, the monsters themselves were ugly, and with little else to do than grind through several identikit blocks of city €“ throwing in some set-pieces might've been nice €“ it left us ruing one hell of a missed opportunity.
Contributor
Contributor

Durham University graduate and qualified sports journalist. Very good at sitting down and watching things. Can multi-task this with playing computer games. Football Manager addict who has taken Shrewsbury Town to the summit of the Premier League. You can follow me at @Ed_OwenUK, if you like ramblings about Newcastle United and A Place in the Sun. If you don't, I don't know what I can do for you.