A Look Back At Some Bizarre Band Video Games

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bizarre band video games

Since the emergence of arcade games in the 1980s, bands and DJs have looked to get involved and be featured in video games.

As well as releasing new singles and touring the world, being part of the video game movement can add another source of revenue and enable a band to potentially tap into a new audience in the process, too.

On the whole, though, the offering in this space has been largely disappointing, especially when assessing the titles of old. Numerous world-renowned bands, such as The Beatles, have been featured in a selection of games that have failed to really hit the mark.

These days, though, with improved graphics and an all-around more superior user experience, the gaming options are generally better. For example, the Guns n’ Roses online slot at casino.com provides GNR fans with icon symbols that are made up of band members and the chance to win real money.

Likewise, some older games like Def Jam Vendetta gave fans the chance to fight using their favourite hip hop stars in a wrestling masterpiece. Not every band-related video game has been well-received, though. In fact, some of the titles which have come to the fore have been nothing short of bizarre.

The fact is, should a games developer and a band nail a release, then the rewards can be handsome. Achieving that success is incredibly hard to achieve, though, as certain band video games have proved in the past. Some of them have been nothing short of weird, actually. For example, Omikron – The Nomad Soul, which was released in 1999.

Featuring the legendary David Bowie in two small but extremely pivotal roles, this first-person adventure thriller which was set in a dystopian future, provided a truly odd but intriguing gaming experience. For fans of Bowie, it was glorious. For fans of gaming, it was truly bizarre. He even fronted a band called The Dreamers in the game, too.

There had to be a Michael Jackson game, right?

The bigger the star, the more likely it was that the game would be a success. Despite the allegations surrounding him in the modern-day, Michael Jackson is still one of the biggest music stars ever. When Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker was brought to life in 1990, he was at his peak.

Jackson has also featured in the likes of Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2, although nothing comes close to Moonwalker, especially given the events surrounding him today.

A child-saving storyline might not sit right with some, while the game’s maze puzzles, races, battles, and trademark dance moves created an odd blend. Some fans adored this game, though.

Wu-Tang fans might remember this one

If you like rap music, even rap music mixed with some dance music hits, then you’ll have most definitely heard of Wu-Tang. Arguably one of the best hip hop groups ever, their dabble into the world of gaming with Wu-Tang: Taste the Pain was across between Mortal Kombat and Tekken but with the option of using some of the characters in the band’s finishing moves. Drunken boxing was a particular highlight, too.

Even Paul McCartney has featured in a game

Paul McCartney’s Give My Regards to Broad Street was released alongside a movie with the same name in 1984. Available on the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, the driving game was certainly forgettable as players drove around London in an attempt to meet various bandmates who would help piece together one of McCartney’s songs, No More Lonely Nights. Yes, it really was that bad.

Special mention to Xplora1: Peter Gabriel’s Secret World and Revolution X.

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