Worst game sequel

[videodan]

I give a nod to the Most Overrated Game thread for the inspiration of this thread. So here goes...

Like so many movie sequels, there are plenty of examples of arcade game sequels that just don't measure up to the original concept. So, as the thread title says, what is the worst arcade game sequel, and why? Feel free to mention Bronze Age games, if you'd like. I'll go first.

MS. PAC-MAN!! Just kidding, folks...

Had you going, didn't I ?!? Ok, my vote goes to Spy Hunter II. Although the concept of a dual upright driving game seemed cool at the time, it just doesn't touch the original game. Midway tried to enhance an already insane game, and SH II just didn't come close. To me, the gameplay just wasn't there. Epic. Fail!

 

[tomservo]

Super Zaxxon

 

[tstone]

Spy Hunter...no real competition

 

[TheYeti]

I couldn't care less about fighting games today...but I'll never forget how colossally disappointing MK4 was when it came out. What a turd of a game that was.

 

[64B1T]

Dig dug 2
Hopping mappy

 

[KidVidiot]

I couldn't care less about fighting games today...but I'll never forget how colossally disappointing MK4 was when it came out. What a turd of a game that was.

Tekken 4 also nearly killed that franchise.

 

[bobbyb13]

Dig Dug II was certainly a disappointment, but I have to agree that Spy Hunter II was the biggest "WTF was that?!" moment I experienced with arcade games.
Nothing else with a cultural predecessor sucked as bad as that rat.

 

[GORFguyOhio]

Super Zaxxon. You can't even really play the damn game.

 

[mrbill2084]

Dig Dug II was certainly a disappointment, but I have to agree that Spy Hunter II was the biggest "WTF was that?!" moment I experienced with arcade games.
Nothing else with a cultural predecessor sucked as bad as that rat.

spy hunter 2 had to be the biggest disappointment.

But I would offer up for consideration:
joust 2

 

[carolinamarcg]

SH2 is the undisputed champ of bad sequels. If they had taken the original overhead game & just made that with 2 players it would have been fun.

I like DD2. DD with a puzzle twist. Can get addictive once it clicks with you.

I can't figure out Pac & Pal. Seems awful.

 

[Texas_Funnyhair]

Maybe Baby Pac-Man? Maybe it's just me and I'd rather be playing pinball when I've tried it, lol.

 

[Phetishboy]

Millipede. Centipede was such a perfect pure adrenaline game. Trying to add a bunch of clunky bells and whistles (DDT Bombs, the bug that marches in sideways, Mushrooms with Peyronie's disease, the screen and mushrooms advancing downward, everything sped up) to an already perfect game kind of made it a shitty game. I know there's a lot of Millipede lovers out there, and some will say it's better than Centipede because it's faster and more frantic, but I say that's the exact reason it sucks. Centipede was perfection, Millipede just tries too hard.

 

[lilypad19]

Millipede. Centipede was such a perfect pure adrenaline game. Trying to add a bunch of clunky bells and whistles (DDT Bombs, the bug that marches in sideways, Mushrooms with Peyronie's disease, the screen and mushrooms advancing downward, everything sped up) to an already perfect game kind of made it a shitty game. I know there's a lot of Millipede lovers out there, and some will say it's better than Centipede because it's faster and more frantic, but I say that's the exact reason it sucks. Centipede was perfection, Millipede just tries to hard.

Couldn't agree more

 

[carolinamarcg]

Millipede?? It's possibly the best sequel. Centipede is Duplo to Millipedes Lego.

 

[p0rgy8190]

digdug 2

 

[alfonzotan]

Return of the Jedi

 

[FrizzleFried]

Joust 2 is actually a decent game if you give it enough time. Millipede isn't nearly as incompetent as Spy Hunter 2 IMHO. I'm having a hard time coming up with any that do. The Mr. Do sequels don't stand up to the original but they're decent in their own right... Pac's official sequel... Pac Plus... was a disappointment but not a "bad" game.

 

[Tornadoboy]

The thing that pisses me off about Spy Hunter II is what a wasted opportunity it was, another top-down vert stroller with the same style graphics and game play but 2-player with new/more weapons and enemies would have been awesome, but they had to go and try to reinvent the wheel and produced a completely unplayable steaming pile. Personally I wouldn't have released it at all never mind as a sequel, I would have told them to go back and completely start from scratch or cancel it altogether.

 

[DonPanetta]

Double Dragon 3. Hands down.

 

[64B1T]

But I would offer up for consideration:
joust 2

I actually really like Joust 2. I like the variety in levels and enemies, I like the SFX and the transformations. The only thing that truly hampers it is the unfortunate monitor orientation. IIRC this was because they really wanted to sell it as a conversion kit or something? Warren Davis talked about the orientation being forced on them from on high.

Millipede. Centipede was such a perfect pure adrenaline game. Trying to add a bunch of clunky bells and whistles (DDT Bombs, the bug that marches in sideways, Mushrooms with Peyronie's disease, the screen and mushrooms advancing downward, everything sped up) to an already perfect game kind of made it a shitty game. I know there's a lot of Millipede lovers out there, and some will say it's better than Centipede because it's faster and more frantic, but I say that's the exact reason it sucks. Centipede was perfection, Millipede just tries too hard.

Millipede is awesome! It gets far more play than our Centipede game. I love Millipede. The bonus waves are dope, and the variety in game play is nice. Could live without the 5 spiders at once though