The best fan game of all time

When it comes to fan engagement in sports, it takes three forms. The most common way for fans to directly interact with a game is by adding mods, and some of the most popular games of all time, e.g. Grand Theft Auto 5There are hundreds of modes. Then there are ROM hacks for games from the 8-bit and 16-bit era Super Mario Bros or Streets of Rage.

Finally, there are standalone original games based on other properties, also known as Fan games. No mods or ROM hacks are required to play these games. Among the many that exist, games like Black Mesa, Pokemon UraniumAnd stand out as moreThe best fan game of all time. They will be ranked and compared with their original games, keeping in mind their unique values ​​and fun factors.

10

Final Fantasy 7: Reimagined

A fan game with great potential

• developer: PD Design Studio
• issued: 2015
• Based on: Final Fantasy 7

Final Fantasy 7: Reimagined It's more of a demo than a full game, and that's why it's ranked lower here, but it still has value in the fan community. It was released in 2015, developed by PD Design Studio, and it came out first Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

Players visit a section of the Midgar reactor and play as Cloud or Tifa, and there's co-op as well. It's a decent 2D brawler, and while the game was never finished, it's still pretty cool – if only PD Design Studio could go back one day.

9

Super Smash Flash 2

A GBA platform fighter

• developer: Greg McLeod (SSF2 Team)
• issued: 2017
• based on: Super Smash Bros

Super Smash Flash 2 there is one Super Smash Bros Clone was released in June 2017, developed by Greg McLeod, and has featured some pretty solid updates over the course of the year. Notably, it added characters Super Smash Bros before Super Smash Bros. UltimateAs from Sora Kingdom HeartsIncluding special characters like Goku from Dragon Ball.

It can be boiled down to the GBA version Smash BrosMany sprites are taken from GBA games or made to look like the GBA or DS models. It plays well, has a great roster of characters and stages, and its support through the years has been great.

8

Marie

A great update to a classic

• developer: Maurice Guegan
• issued: 2012
• Based on: Super Mario Bros and Portal

There are many was killed The game is hacked out there, and Marie Released in 2012 and developed by Maurice Guegan is both a ROM hack and an original fan game. Assets are reused from Super Mario Bros on the NES, but the twist was that Mario got to use the portal gun from the game Portal To bypass enemies or send them flying.

Being able to use a legendary weapon like the portal gun in a 2D space breaks boundaries that fans will be thrilled to test. It may have been built on a gimmick rather than an original idea, however Marie Still a fun fan game to use when a free moment arises.

7

Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gayden

Wake up everyone, it's time to slam

• developer: Stories from the game's studio
• issued: Year 2008
• Based on: Barkley shut up and jam!

Even so Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gayden Released in 2008, it is a classic 90s video game. It is based on the basketball game that was available on the SNES and Sega Genesis, Barkley shut up and jam!Serving as a somewhat canonical sequel Space JamComplete with a remix of the film's title theme “Space Jam”.

This turn-based RPG was heavily influenced by the basketball hype of the 90s, as the game takes place in a post-apocalypse where the game is illegal, and most of the mutants have some sort of basketball-related design. It's weird, to be clear, but amazing at the same time, and it's just one of those RPGs that has to be seen to be believed, like Earthbound.

6

Pokemon Uranium

A new type of monster catcher

• developer: ~ JV ~
• issued: 2016
• Based on: Pokemon

Pokemon Uranium Looks very fifth generation Pokemon game, pokemon black and Pokemon WhiteWhich is to say it looks like a DS game, but in a good way. The game features a standard quest that involves traveling around, catching Pokemon, and battling other trainers for glory.

One thing that helps it stand out is a more adult tone, while still sounding immature, like some Conker's bad fur day. Also, the focus is on over a hundred new Pokemon and a new type called Nuclear. Unfortunately, the sort of development as Nintendo Pokemon Uranium It was forced to shut down, but it still exists in some form online.

5

Undertail yellow

A shooter RPG

• developer: Team Undertale Yellow
• issued: 2023
• Based on: Undertale

Undertail yellow Works as a fan game because the original Undertale It had a sort of fan game approach to its design. It was an homage to many games, most importantly Earthbound. While the art was great, there was an unevenness in the design and the mixed media approach to some key areas and enemies helped make it stand out.

Undertail yellow Released in 2023 and designed by Team Undertale Yellow. It's a fan game based on a game that was mass-produced by a fan of another game, so it's very meta. This is a prequel Undertale Set within the same world and feature cameos from familiar characters. The gameplay follows the same turn-based/talking mechanics, but is much more original, giving fans the sequel/prequel they've been dying to see since 2015.

4

Street Fighter X Mega Man

From fan games to official adventures

• developer: Seow Zong Hui
• issued: 2012
• Based on: Street Fighter and Mega Man

Street Fighter X Mega Man One of those rare examples of a fan game that started as a small project before finally getting the official blessing from Capcom. While the events of the game are not canonical Mega Man suffrage or Street Fighter Games, it's at least official in some capacity.

On the normal NES Mega Man Fashion, players can select the stage they want, play through 2D levels, fight a boss and then get a power-up. The levels are well designed, the music remixes are great, and the chosen bosses are fun to watch in 8-bit form, from Ryu to Dhalsim.

3

Abobo's Big Adventure

A wild NES nostalgia trip

• developer: Team Bobo
• issued: 2012
• Based on: multiple NES games (Double Dragon, Mega Man, Punch-Outetc.)

Abobo's Big Adventure It is one of the earliest fan games to become legendary when it launched in 2012. It was developed by Team Bobo, and it can be completed in less than an hour, but not a second of game time is wasted.

For kids of the 80s and 90s, it was like a who's who of the NES era, from where Abobo Double Dragon The series goes on a rampage across the video game world to find his son. Become Mega Man, challenge Little Mac, explore Hyrule, and more. It's a nostalgia trip that's cool in concept and hilarious in execution. The only bad thing about it is its short runtime.

2

AM2R

A year before Samus' official return

• developer: Milton Gusty
• issued: 2016
• based on: Metroid 2: Return of Samus

AM2Rshort Another Metroid 2 remakeA remake of the 1991 Game Boy game, Metroid 2: Return of Samus. Nintendo was quick to pull it off in 2016, and in retrospect, it's understandable why, as they would later release their own remake for the 3DS in 2017. Metroid: Samus Returns.

Anyway, the game features a heavy amount of metroids, as bounty hunter Samus Eran must track these aliens across the planet in order to progress. It looks better, plays better, and has a default energy. Some may argue AM2R Better than either of the official versions as a fan game, but at least good enough to compete with them.

1

Black Mesa

One-opening valve

• developer: Crowbar Collective
• issued: 2020
• based on: half life

half life was released in 1998 and immediately became a critical darling, and it is still regarded as one of the best shooters ever made due to its environmental storytelling and atmospheric horror. While the mod community has grown stronger over the decades with originals and sequels, Black Mesa Something is different.

This is a complete remake of the original game, made by fans, but loved Street Fighter X Mega ManIt has got Valve's blessing. They didn't publish it, but Valve didn't take it down, and they even allowed it to exist as a paid game on Steam. While original half life Still has its charms, anyone who wants to play the game today should really buy it Black Mesa instead