20 Coolest Trailers For Bad Video Games

It's fair to say that Duke Nukem is a beloved piece of 90s video game pop culture. The cigar smoking, gun-toting, foul-mouthed action hero left a lasting impression on the hordes of players who grew up playing his games. If there's one lesson we've learned over the years though, it's that not all 90s video game icons can make a successful comeback.

After over a decade in development hell, Gearbox Software finally released Duke Nukem Forever in 2011, after acquiring the project from developer 3D Realms. The sequel to 1996's Duke Nukem 3D attempted to reintroduce Duke Nukem for a new generation. The January 2011 reveal trailer emphasized that this would be a return to form for the 90s icon, showing Duke to be even more over-the-top than in the original games, blasting aliens and cracking crude jokes. That's not to mention the obvious graphical overhaul on display too. It got fans of the series suitably excited, hitting all the right nostalgic beats for Duke's fanbase.

Then came the game itself. Tedious level design, long loading screens and lacklustre shooting were just some of the criticisms aimed at the title on release. While the trailers offered fans a victorious blast from the past, what they got instead was something that felt like it was made in the 90s, with all the accompanying outdated mechanics. Duke's big comeback didn't work out, and Forever subsequently became the final nail in the larger-than-life character's coffin.