# Computer/Video Games Most People Don't Remember **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** video-games-e-games\ **Created:** [March 8, 2024, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594 "2024-03-08T03:41:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/1 "2024-03-08T03:41:56Z")
Being an odd duck, I was thinking about 1950s monster movies, like you do, and I suddenly remembered a computer game I played circa 1990 called _[It Came from the Desert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Came_from_the_Desert)._ (Wiki Link) In ICFTD, you play as a geologist who shows up to a small town in California to investigate a meteorite. When you discover the meteorite’s radiation is creating giant ants, it’s a race against time to stop the threat. It’s been more than thirty years since I last played this game, so I’m a bit fuzzy. But I remember there were a series of mini-games, one of which involved shooting at giant ants with a .45 and having to target their antennas, and you had a limited amount of time in-game to beat it otherwise the ants won. It was a lot of fun, and according to Wikipedia, a well rated game at the time, but i don’t remember anyone talking about it in the last thirty years. i.e. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of nostalgia for but Wikipedia does list at least a few games it influenced. Anyone else remember some long forgotten video games? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/2 "2024-03-08T03:45:38Z")
A version of it came out for the NES. There was also a sequel for the Apple. It Came From Beneath The Desert is a fun game, but I was never able to beat it. Of course, I’m playing a version from an abandonware site with no manual. I have a lot more to say. But, it’s late and I’m sleepy. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/3 "2024-03-08T03:56:03Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Being an odd duck, I was thinking about 1950s monster movies, like you do, and I suddenly remembered a computer game I played circa 1990 called _[It Came from the Desert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Came_from_the_Desert)._ Loved that game. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/4 "2024-03-08T04:15:18Z")
What is the criterion? A lot of crap is rightly forgotten. Even then, we could list so many games. 1990s… we have _Cosmology of Kyoto_ — too much a cult classic to be “forgotten”? How about old multiplayer games like Decwar/MegaWars? Once popular (sort of?), but who plays them today? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/5 "2024-03-08T04:15:49Z")
There’s a version online here: > **[It Came from the Desert : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/msdos_It_Came_from_the_Desert_1990)** > > MS-DOS: It Came from the Desert by (1990)Also ForAmigaDeveloped byCinemaware CorporationPublished byCinemaware CorporationReleased1990GenreAction,... Unfortunately, it seems to be buggy. You can watch the opening scene, though… ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/6 "2024-03-08T04:20:04Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > What is the criterion? A lot of crap is rightly forgotten. Even then, we could list so many games. I think quibbling about what games best meets the criteria is less interesting than a discussion about the games. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/7 "2024-03-08T04:20:53Z")
Possibly my favorite game from 1990 was Stunts: > **[Stunts : Distinctive Software, Inc. : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet...](https://archive.org/details/msdos_Stunts_1990)** > > Also ForAmiga, FM Towns, PC-98Developed byDistinctive Software, Inc.Published byBrøderbund Software, Inc.ReleasedOct, 1990GenreRacing / DrivingGameplayTricks... Doesn’t exactly hold up vs. modern 3D graphics, but it helped prompt my interest in the subject. And still pretty fun. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/8 "2024-03-08T04:33:18Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Possibly my favorite game from 1990 was Stunts: One of my favorites as well, along with 4D Sports Boxing by the same people from 1991. Other favorites of mine from that era include Populous (1989) and Star Control 2 (1992). ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/9 "2024-03-08T04:37:57Z")
Original _Castle Wolfenstein_ ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/10 "2024-03-08T04:47:21Z")
> **[Cover art or packaging material from Fix It (1985) - MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/78760/fix-it/cover/group-257235/cover-655061/)** > > Front Cover ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/11 "2024-03-08T05:27:03Z")
Reminds me of the hardest game ever: > **[Robot Odyssey Rewired](https://robotodyssey.online/)** > > Robot Odyssey is a computer game about digital logic from 1984. You can play it online here! ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/12 "2024-03-08T05:52:48Z")
A friend of mine had an Amiga computer growing up, and we absolutely loved playing [Phantasy III: The Wrath of Nikademus](https://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=833). I’ve played it on an emulator since then, and it’s still fun today. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/13 "2024-03-08T06:12:10Z")
My brother and I played _so much_ of this: > **[Racing Destruction Set](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racing_Destruction_Set)** > > Racing Destruction Set is a racing video game published in 1985 for the Commodore 64 by Electronic Arts. It was advertised as being Commodore 128 compatible. A version for the Atari 8-bit family, programmed by Rebecca Heineman of Interplay, was released in 1986 in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany. The game allows players to design and race on tracks with a variety of vehicles. It is part of the Construction Set series along with Pinball Construction Set, Music Construction Set, a Th... If you weren’t part of the Commodore generation, you’ve probably never even heard of it. But we spent hours and hours fiddling with track designs and challenging each other. Also, on the general topic, here’s a great article about game nostalgia and rediscovering an old favorite. > **[My long quest to revive a ’90s Windows gaming cult classic](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/11/my-long-quest-to-revive-a-90s-windows-gaming-cult-classic/)** > > Pendulumania is a testament to addictive game design and Windows app portability. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/14 "2024-03-08T06:16:56Z")
From the 2000s, _Geniu$: The Tech Tycoon_ - bought it at a Scholastic book fair in grade school. Still play it every now and then. Pretty much taught me physics, since after 6th grade I never had formal instruction on the topic. _Monopoly Tycoon_ - same source, still play it a couple times a year. _Adventure Quest_ - very popular where I lived, when I was in grade school. During the pandemic I actually logged in and my account was still there. I did not understand the stat mechanics at all but somehow managed to reach a pretty high level via class abilities. _Earthland Realms_ - online MMORPG my cousins played more than me. The name and theme is stolen from the Simpsons episode parodying World of Warcraft, but it was (is) text based. _Pandemic 2_ - Flash game that I’m pretty sure inspired _Plague Inc._ _Line Rider_ - Flash game, middle school fad. Draw a ski course, be sad your creation isn’t as amazing as people on YouTube. It was actually really fun. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/15 "2024-03-08T18:47:05Z")
I feel as if some people remembered this game. [![](https://parentpreviews.com/images/made/legacy-pics/wreck-it-ralph_668_330_80_int_s_c1.jpg) ](https://parentpreviews.com/images/made/legacy-pics/wreck-it-ralph_668_330_80_int_s_c1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/16 "2024-03-08T19:23:21Z")
I went to a vintage arcade while on a work trip with a much, much younger coworker. We saw a Wreck-It Ralph game and I had to explain to her it wasn’t really a vintage game. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/17 "2024-03-08T20:35:42Z")
Ahem, that’s _Fix-it Felix, Jr._ 🤓 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/18 "2024-03-08T20:57:08Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > If you weren’t part of the Commodore generation, you’ve probably never even heard of it. Or _Worms?_ > **[Worms? (1983) - MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/65383/worms/)** > > Worms? is based on the classic pen and paper game Dots and Boxes, but instead of drawing four lines connecting dots to make a box, you have to draw six lines (a trail) to connect dots placed at a diagonal angle to complete a territory. To draw a... ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/19 "2024-03-08T21:23:50Z")
Definitely Quazatron on the ZX Spectrum. Easily as ground breaking technically and gameplay-wize as more well known games like Elite\* with extensive 3D worlds, mini games, and character upgrades, all in 1986 on 48k [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BfKFOo-Toj0/hqdefault.jpg "Quazatron Walkthrough, ZX Spectrum") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfKFOo-Toj0) `*` - which itself probably counts as a little known game outside British computer nerds of a certain age such as myself, despite it’s better known modern reboot. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594/20 "2024-03-08T21:34:47Z")
I miss this a lot, from maybe 10 or 15 years back, just a tiny little Flash-based game with fun gravity effects: [SpaceCab - Walkthrough, Tips, Review](https://jayisgames.com/review/spacecab.php) (screenshot at the link, not to be confused with other similar games that may still exist) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-games-most-people-dont-remember/998594.md?page=2)