Vindicated by History/Video Games

• Marathon was a moderately popular Mac FPS by a fledgling game studio known as Bungie. It has earned many more fans because of Halo referencing it so much. Many Halo fans become Bungie fans, and many Bungie fans try out their older games.
• Herzog Zwei was released to very bad reviews from many professional Video Game critics, who saw it as a "flawed shooter game". Now? Now it's considered as one of the best video games of all time and seen as one of the first Real Time Strategy games ever created, predating Dune II.
• EarthBound suffered from a poorly-timed American release, a simplistic cartoony art style which contrasted sharply with the more detailed and serious fare of some of its RPG contemporaries, a then-seemingly different approach to its storytelling and humour, and a marketing strategy that was downright idiotic (the slogan for the game was "This game stinks"). By 1999, mounds of unsold copies of the game could be found in Walmart bargain bins all across the US for $15. Then Super Smash Bros. featured protagonist Ness as a hidden character, prompting people to actually go back and give it a chance, whereupon it was widely (re)discovered to be a fantastic game. These days, it is often hailed as one of the standout titles of the SNES era, and it's rare to find even boxless used copies on eBay for less than $100. It isn't all happy endings, though - in spite of an impressive ongoing display of fandom dedication, the series has seen no further international releases, even through Virtual Console and other mediums due to some rather annoying (and severe) licensing issues. See here for more details.
  • But there are definite benefits to having a dedicated fanbase.
• Fire Emblem is another example of a series vindicated through appearing in Super Smash Bros.. Prior to 2001, it had never seen anything resembling an international release (save for the shortlived OVA), and so was obscure, if not completely unheard of, outside of Japan. Then came Super Smash Bros. Melee, which featured Marth and Roy as hidden characters. The two characters clearly sparked an interest in American players, and is widely attributed as the reason why from the seventh game onward, Fire Emblem started seeing international releases... until New Mystery of the Emblem, anyway.
  • There's also a weird example regarding the character Marcus in the seventh game. He was immensely unpopular because he was of the Jeigan archetype and due to the belief that "Jeigan = Suckiness" the poor guy was relegated to the bench as soon as possible in favor of characters like Rebecca or Nino (the game's Est archetype). When the Metagame Tier Lists shifted from "growth potential" to "overall contribution to the Tactics rank", he became one of the more praised characters due to his overall usefulness for the majority of the Hector Hard Mode while his complete opposite Nino got relegated to near uselessness instead. Talk about Irony.
• While it did get very positive reviews, the 2-D PlayStation game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night came out with initially low sales solely because it was 2-D when other series moved to 3-D. It was heavily overshadowed at the time of its release by massively-hyped games such as Golden Eye 1997 and Final Fantasy VII, which cost it many "game of the year" awards for 1997. It would later be placed above both of those games on many "greatest of all time" lists in the years after its release.
  • Castlevania: Circle of the Moon was underrated upon its release for an odd reason: it was a dark-toned game released on the original Game Boy Advance, which had no backlighting. Aside from those who modded their system, it wasn't until the GBASP and later handhelds were released that many players could truly begin to appreciate it for what it was.
  • Looking at The Other Wiki, the long-running Castlevania series only has a handful of 3D games. On the Nintendo 64, the series hit the Polygon Ceiling hard not too long after Symphony of the Night.
• The Internet has been helping classic game consoles to get more recognition. For years, the NES was the oldest system that is still remotely greatly remembered. Consoles such as Sega Master System and well any game console that came before the NES were fading away into obscurity. However, as the Internet became more and more accessible, there was a lot more information on older games. Some may say that retro gaming is still relatively niche but the Internet has definitely made learning about them a whole lot easier.
  • RPGs suffered from this more so. The genre was vastly less popular than it is today probably because the price tag for said games ranged from $70–90. Now, titles like Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI, and Chrono Trigger, to name a few, enjoy recognition as some of the finest games ever created.
• Street Fighter III and The King of Fighters '98 were both derided as being primitive and having "SNES graphics" when they were released, thanks to the Dreamcast being able to produce competent 3D graphics and fighting games being a genre on the verge of extinction. 10 years later, after being re-released on more mainstream systems, did they finally find an audience with both tournament-level players and more casual gamers looking for an alternative to brown, grimdark FPSes.
• Many gamers who purchased Final Fantasy Tactics when it was first released were disappointed with it (probably because it was so different from the popular Final Fantasy VII). However, over time, the FF:T fans convinced enough people to try it (or give it a second chance) that it gained a lot of popularity. It was notoriously difficult for most gamers to try it for a long, long time; its initial sales were so poor that it was discontinued soon after release, and thus, once people discovered it and it gained its reputation, used copies sold on eBay for upwards of $150 (USD) until it was re-issued as part of the "Playstation Greatest Hits" line.
  • In fact, Penny Arcade did a comic about buying a copy of FF:T five years after it was released.
  • When it was first released, Final Fantasy VIII developed the dubious honor of being the most Base Breaking entry in the series. But with the Final Fantasy VII developing Hype Backlash, Final Fantasy XIII being even more divisive, and Squall being featured in more titles, have earned VIII more fans and defenders.
  • Similarly, when Final Fantasy VI was first released, the RPG was still very much of a niche genre, and while it was highly regarded within its niche, not very many people outside heard about it. When RPGs became more mainstream after the release of later FF titles, VI was rediscovered and surged in popularity. To this day, it's often considered one of the finest JRPGs ever made.
• While it received outstanding reviews at the time of its release in spring 1994, Super Metroid was not initially viewed as the ground-breaking, genre-shaping game of its time. That honor instead went to Rare's Donkey Kong Country, released later that year amidst a slew of hype surrounding its revolutionary use of prerendered 3D sprites, and so all the "Game of the Year" awards for 1994 went to it instead. It was only a couple of years later, once all the fifth-generation systems were out and Donkey Kong Country's then-groundbreaking graphics began to look dated, did Super Metroid finally get the limelight and the full praise it so widely receives today as one of the greatest games of all time.
• The Sega Dreamcast was launched with much fanfare in 1999, but was soon overpowered by the much more successful PlayStation 2 in all areas. Its games were slammed in reviews for not being up to par with what the PS2 was churning out, and Sega's inability to attract third party developers (most notably EA) severely hampered the system (the fact you could pirate its games by just burning them onto a blank CD likely didn't help, either). It "died" in less than a year and a half after its debut and was seen as a pathetic failure during the rest of the sixth console generation. However, in recent years, opinions on the system have largely shifted to it being a great system that was ahead of its time. In particular, it is known for its string of arcade-perfect ports of shmups and fighting games, as well as its more solid and obscure titles are often on many top 10 lists. There exists a Homebrew community that still, to this day, makes and releases games for the system (be they from scratch or ports from the arcade).
  • Not even counting the near arcade perfect ports, the Dreamcast also marked one of the best outputs from SEGA itself in terms of excellent quality first party games in the form of new IPs. This console saw the rise of soon to be mainstays (even if only in cameos) like Jet Set Radio, Skies of Arcadia, Space Channel 5, Chu Chu Rocket, Shenmue, and a veritable slew of others. Although not necessarily failing now, the company (SEGA) hasn't hit a string of home runs quite like that ever since then.
• The Sega Saturn is an even more glaring example. It never really caught on (due to Executive Meddling and botched marketing in the U.S.), but word of mouth through the Internet captured the interest of hardcore gamers looking to indulge in its arcade-perfect Shoot'Em Up and Fighting Game library. (In some cases, like Twinkle Star Sprites and Street Fighter Alpha 3, the Saturn versions are considered superior to the Dreamcast versions!) There were the exclusives like Panzer Dragoon Saga, Guardian Heroes, and other notable titles that still can't be had on any other platform without emulation. As a result, it's seen as much less of a failure and more of a must-have for any hardcore gamer these days, especially those who like arcade games. The Japanese marketing campaign (which had a narrative arc featuring mascot Segata Sanshiro) was also discovered in North America years after the system died out, and was considered to be one of the most effective video game system campaigns of all time.
  • It should be worth noting that to support that, when all the specs are put together, the Saturn may very well have been the greatest 2D graphics console of its time; alas, this was during a period when 3D graphics were being heavily pushed to the forefront - regardless as to how much better the Saturn performed in the prior category.
  • The Nintendo Game Cube is another example of a whole console being vindicated. It was third place in the sixth generation, with gamers deriding it as a 'kiddie' console (granted, compared to the other consoles of its generation, it did look like a toy). It also suffered from a poor third-party lineup and divisive first party titles. However, several games have become Cult Classics, or have simply been revisited and given the accolades they deserve.
• Hard though it may be to believe, even the Super NES is an example of this. When the system first launched, it received a rather lukewarm reception from critics and gamers alike, who felt its initial lineup offered little beyond what was already available on the original NES. For example, Super Mario World (which is itself an example of this trope) was initially perceived as a stale rehash of Super Mario Brothers 3. And, over the next three years (give or take), the system played second fiddle to the Sega Genesis in terms of popularity and media coverage in the US. Over time, however, it gradually gained mainstream recognition and popularity, thanks in no small part to such revolutionary games as Super Metroid and Starfox. It is now considered to be one of the greatest gaming systems ever made.
  • One of the main reasons why Super Mario World's popularity grew over time was because, in 1991, its level of depth was unheard of in a platformer. So most critics and gamers initially evaluated it with little awareness of its many secrets and easter eggs.
• I, Robot was considered too complicated for players when it came out in 1983 accompanied with hardware problems of arcade cabinets. However, retrospective reviews are very positive, praising its graphics and overall presentation with innovative gameplay.
• Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island wasn't very well-received when it first came out (it didn't help that the lack of publicity made it so most people didn't realize there was a sequel to Super Mario World. Now it receives high scores, and makes most "Best of the Super NES" lists.
• Super Mario 64 sold extremely well, but there was a considerable backlash against it from gamers (particularly from Nintendo fans who felt the company Jumped the Shark during the 32/64-bit generation). As late as the early Game Cube years it was still being routinely trashed by game journalists and forumgoers. Nowadays, Super Mario 64 is recognized as one of the truly innovative games of its generation.
• When it originally released, many gamers disliked Super Mario Sunshine due to the voice-acted cutscenes and gameplay that was based more around the use of a water jetpack instead of traditionally jumping. Years later, Mario fans have come to embrace the title. It's still not the most popular Mario Title around, but it's reception is much better.
• The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask had the poor luck of being a follow-up to Ocarina of Time, one of the most critically beloved games of all time. Its reception was mostly lukewarm, with the chief complaints about the game being that it recycled graphics from its predecessor and its shortness, with a mere four dungeons. A decade or so later and the fanbase for Majoras Mask has grown considerably, with many people loving the bleak, sinister atmosphere, the creative (if somewhat difficult) dungeon design, and the massive amount of sidequests.^[1] GameFAQs even voted Majoras Mask the greatest game of The Noughties!
  • After the release of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a similar phenomenon happened to The Legend of Zelda the Wind Waker, which (until then) was castigated for its lighthearted, cel-shaded artstyle and sea-based gameplay.
• System Shock 2 was the sequel to a moderately-successful cyberpunk First-Person Shooter (that unfairly received comparisons to the original Doom). The sequel, which had players step into the role of a soldier trying to stop a viral infection and insane AI on a now-deserted spaceship, was plagued with development problems. Although the game did receive several awards and some positive reviews, it failed to meet sales expectations and appeared to be an inferior Half Life knockoff. Fast forward a decade later, and SS2 is regularly quoted on "best game of all time" and "scariest game of all time" lists, to the point of almost every major gaming website giving it accolades and the game itself creating a Spiritual Successor in the form of BioShock (series) and Dead Space over the years. Both System Shock and its sequel have also continued to receive significant support from the fan community in the form of mods and graphic upgrades, moreso than most other older games.
• Back in 1998, Mega Man Legends wasn't exactly the most loved iteration of the franchise. Its sales (at the very least, the sales of the sequel) did not satisfy Capcom, many veteran fans (who grew up with the classic series and/or the X series) were unsupportive of it for being a completely different kind of game and critical reception was average (ScrewAttack even included it in their "Top Ten Worst 2D to 3D Games" list). With time, though, its fanbase grew strong, especially since Keiji Inafune declared the Legends series to be his favorite part of the Mega Man series, and now finding anyone brave enough to admit disliking the series has become a daunting task.
• When it was first released, Psychonauts didn't get a lot of notice, and consequently it's sales were no great shakes. It's now near-universally recognized as one of the greats (getting the Colbert Bump from Yahtzee probably didn't hurt), with fans clamoring for a sequel.
• Copy and paste the above entry, but replace Psychonauts with Beyond Good and Evil (unlike Psychonauts, Yahtzee never actually reviewed it, but he has said on multiple occasions that he liked it).
• For some reason or another, Suikoden II is a very popular RPG that easily carries triple digit values for a used copy. Unfortunately, while the first game is released on PSN, the second has yet to be released. And possibly due to the obscurity of the series (an RPG made by Konami, of all developers), they're really rare.
• Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines tanked hard despite good reviews on release, to the point where the developer went out of business. The biggest blame is probably it's release a day after Half-Life 2 in concert with a rushed, extremely buggy release. As time went on and word of mouth about it spread, the game became increasingly popular after the fact, particularly among RPG fans with fond memories of Deus Ex and bad memories of being let down by Deus Ex Invisible War. Today, years after release, the game still receives unofficial patches and mods from the community, which have collectively rendered the complaints about bugs a moot point and restored large amounts of content that was Dummied Out.
• When Shantae originally came out, most people thought it was one of the many shovelware games for the Game Boy Color due to its wide release with little promotion, gimmicky-looking and unorthodox protagonist (A cute Purple-Haired Genie Girl in an E-Rated game?), and that it came from a company no one had heard of. People who DID buy it were pleasantly surprised, and character designer Matt Bozon is now a well-respected man. Copies of this game now sell for at least $100, far more with the manual and box. This may still be in the process of vindication, however, as its sequel has yet to really take off.
• Luigi's Mansion, when first released, was criticized by fans for not being a Mario Platformer, and for being very very short, and was overall seen as a weak title for that reason alone. While people still criticize it's shortness, which is not without reason or merit, it is more universally praised nowadays. Luigi's Mansion is now getting a sequel on the Nintendo 3DS in 2012.
• Moon Base Commander suffered from being too far behind its time, and had little to no marketing when it first came out, leading to Humongous Entertainment's bankruptcy. However, once interest in Humongous' older games grew, many fans decided to give Moon Base Commander a second chance, and it's now been seen as a well-designed and simplistic strategy game. It's not the most popular game out there, but the fanbase is certainly much bigger than it was initially.
• The first two Harvest Moon games. The original game was one of the last games to be released for SNES - way back in 1996 - and was overlooked (the "farming sim" premise didn't help). Nowadays the game is considered one of the best games on the console, and a Cult Classic. Harvest Moon 64 was originally overlooked in favor of the PlayStation Harvest Moon: Back To Nature" but in recent years has become widely considered the best game in the franchise - and one of the best on the 64.
• Late-life PlayStation 2 Beat'Em Up God Hand was met with poor sales and mixed reviews at the time of its release, but in the ensuing years has developed a vocal and passionate online fanbase on account of its deep and challenging combat system, Crazy Awesome moves and general unrestrained wackiness.
• Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty seems to do better now that people have gotten over the fact you don't play as Snake. The understanding of the themes and structure of the story gives the game a warmer reception than when it was first released.
  • MGS 2 is a rather odd example, in that the game was universally praised upon release, garnering 9's and 10's across most major gaming publications. Hype Backlash started setting in around the time MGS 2: Subsistence was released a year later, with Gamespy even ranking the game #2 on their 25 Most Overrated Games Of All Time list. Over time, however, the game regained most of its popularity (thanks in no small part to MGS 4's serviceable explanation of the game's weird ending) although it's still considered the weakest entry in the main MGS series by most.
• Kid Icarus. Back in it's day, it got a lukewarm reception and was considered a poor man's Metroid. Nowadays, Kid Icarus is regarded as a Cult Classic due to it's surprising difficulty and vibrant cast. The inclusion of Pit in Super Smash Brothers Brawl sparked a new interest in the Franchise which lead to Kid Icarus: Uprising being made. 21 years after the last game Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters (Which wasn't released in Japan).
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution, while a well-received game that rejuvenated the Deus Ex franchise, was overlooked by many when it came out, as 2011 was chock full of great titles. But when Game of the Year discussions came up later on, Human Revolution was on the short list in just about everyone's book, prompting some to give it a closer look. The game went on to win five awards at the 2012 Canadian Videogame Awards, including the high profile Console Game of the Year award. It also made it possible for Eidos Montreal to push through with a sequel, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
• Command and Conquer Generals. While receiving good reviews upon release, initial fan reception was mixed, due in part to its then-Ripped from the Headlines premise, the somewhat on-the-nose War On Terror nods and not being based on the Tiberium or Red Alert universes. Over the years however, it's not only proven to be a pretty good game in its own right but remains supported by fans, with various Game Mods and even Fan Sequels made for it.

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1. ↑ A certain frightening Alternate Reality Game hasn't hurt matters either.