10 Miserable Continuations Of Iconic Video Games That Ended In Disaster

Sequels, they can be either a blessing or a curse. In some cases, a single, poorly realised sequel can tarnish everything about the original, ruining people’s impression of the series as a whole, sometimes permanently. Sometimes, a sequel can counteract everything its predecessor accomplished, forcing its entire lineage into a premature oblivion.

There are so many reasons why a sequel might ruin the legacy of its precursor. In most cases, the sequel is so objectives poor it can’t be taken seriously, turning people away from a popular franchise once and for good. In others, the refusal to develop upon the original, to innovate in any meaningful way can disappoint even a diehard audience, especially when a sequel is so tethered to the original that the two are essentially indistinct.

That said, every example on this list is responsible for ruining something otherwise great, in some cases even resulting in the death of an entire franchise, failing astronomically either commercially or critically – or perhaps both.

As such, here are 10 miserable continuations of iconic games that ended in disaster…

Rare – formerly Rare Ware – has endured a troubled history. The company was purchased in its entirety in 2002 by Microsoft, resulting in the departure of several key employees, including its founding members. In 2005, the company developed two launch titles for the Xbox 360, both of which were considered commercial disappointments. It’s next project – Viva Piñata – also underperformed, causing tensions to build between Rare and Microsoft.

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts – a 3D platformer – was supposed to turn things around, but instead, did the complete opposite, tarnishing the reputation of the classic series, and upsetting a great many people.

Ultimately, the game’s emphasis on vehicle construction over conventional platforming was criticised significantly. Besides that, the landscape – despite its impressive scope – was largely empty, making the whole thing feel oddly lifeless and shallow.

By comparison, the original was colourful, dynamic and exciting, riddled with personality, as well as plenty of objectives, collectables to discover, and fun characters to interact with. It was a platformer first, and everything else second, which Nuts & Bolts didn’t seem to understand, completely missing the point of the series.