6 Atlus Games You Forgot Were Awesome

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Here are six hidden gems from the Atlus catalog.

6) Run Saber

Run Saber is a side-scrolling action game that Atlus made for the Super Nintendo. If you’ve played games like Strider, you know exactly what to expect. To be clear, it isn’t on the level of that all-time classic, but it’s close enough that action fans were in for a treat when they picked up Run Saber from the rental store.

That was the way to play Run Saber. There are only five levels, so you can get through it relatively quickly when you know what you’re doing. It wasn’t a complete game-changer, but the mix of arcadey action combat and a wild sci-fi story made Run Saber one of Atlus’ early successes.

5) Princess Crown

Princess Crown launched about four years after Run Saber, hitting the Sega Saturn in 1997. The side-scrolling beat ’em up mixed in RPG elements for an innovative combat system in an engrossing fantasy setting.

Sadly, Princess Crown wasn’t able to turn solid critical scores into sales, making this a mostly forgotten ’90s gem. That said, this game was part of the catalyst for George Kamitani setting out to start his own company, Vanillaware, which has given RPG fans several phenomenal games since opening its doors. You’ll also have to track down a fan patch if you want to check Princess Crown out, as it has never been released outside of Japan.

4) Thousand Arms

Atlus published this TOSE-developed RPG/dating sim in 1998. It’s a fun mix of genres that stood out thanks to its steampunk setting. Combat is turn-based, using parties of three to fight against your enemies. However, only one character is actually fighting. The other two serve in support roles, but can be switched into combat.

The dating sim side of Thousand Arms is key to gameplay. As you woo characters, you’ll unlock the ability to imbue your weapons with new spells and skills. It’s a neat way to combine the two gameplay styles for a breezy RPG experience. Sure, the dating might be a turn-off for some players, but if you don’t mind, you’ll find a solid RPG.

3) Radiant Historia

Radiant Historia did get a 2017 remake on the Nintendo 3DS, so it’s not as obscure as some of the games on this list. However, the time-traveling epic deserves more love. Sure, the visuals are relatively simplistic given that Radiant Historia launched on the DS, but everything else is top-notch.

Players have so much input on Radiant Historia‘s storyline. The time-travel mechanic is put to great effect, keeping players on their toes. Plus, the demanding battles give your brain plenty to munch on. And that’s not even mentioning the music written by Yoko Shimomura, who most will know from her work on Kingdom Hearts. It’s the total package on a bite-sized console. If only Atlus would announce a sequel.

2) Snowboard Kids

Now for something completely different. The late ’90s and early ’00s were all about extreme sports. Tony Hawk was leading the charge, but several other series emerged to give players big thrills and even bigger jumps. Snowboard Kids was Atlus’s foray into the world of extreme sports, albeit with a kid-friendly aesthetic.

In fact, Snowboard Kids is basically the snowboarding version of Mario Kart. Players race through the levels while picking up items they can use to take out their competitors. It’s much more arcadey than something like 1080 Snowboarding, while lacking the big tricks of SSX. Still, it was a blast on the Nintendo 64 that got a few equally solid sequels.

1) Trauma Center: Under the Knife

The Trauma Center series has five games of varying levels of quality. With that in mind, it might be a mistake to call Under the Knife a “forgotten” game. Still, we haven’t had a new game in the series since 2010’s Trauma Team on the Wii. Strangely enough, that game received a TV pilot, but didn’t make it to a full series. Since then, it’s been crickets from Atlus.

That’s a shame because Trauma Center‘s first three games are bangers, mixing difficult surgery simulation gameplay with a delightfully strange storyline that, at some points, drifts into science fiction. Sure, the series has mostly been a dud in Japan, but strong sales in North America and Europe should’ve been enough for fans to get a sixth game at some point in the last 15 years. Hopefully, Atlus returns to the series someday.

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