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We're not entirely convinced you can get too much of a good thing -- a lifetime supply of Ben & Jerry's sounds pretty infallible -- but you can definitely get too much of a bad thing.

Take, for instance, the following video game franchises. At one point or another, these were industry-leading properties with bright futures and enormous potential. Then, it all went wrong.



Sonic the Hedgehog

Remember when Sonic was awesome? Neither do we. We're not sure what's more puzzling -- the fact that they keep making terrible Sonic games, or the fact that Sega keeps using the tired blue blur as its official mascot. Other than the recent role-playing game Sonic Chronicles, there hasn't been a truly fun Sonic game in about a decade. That's about nine years too long. Speed kills.

Dance Dance Revolution

Okay, we'll admit that DDR did a lot for getting kids into shape, and we tip our cap to Konami for getting it into schools. But for a game that's merely a decade old, why are there six hundred versions?. Ultramix, Universe, Unleashed, Supernova, Extreme...can anyone follow this? We cannot, which means it's time to rein it in for a few years and let everyone catch up. Maybe by then we'll have learned some new moves, too. Is the Electric Slide still cool?



Crash Bandicoot

Another throwback mascot who can't take a hint (the lifespan of the Eastern Bandicoot is only three years, you know), Crash Bandicoot is having a harder time retiring than Evander Holyfield. While his games aren't quite as lousy as Sonic's, they're just as meaningless, doing little to advance the platforming genre and mostly stinking up the sales chart. And as the revenue dwindles, so does our interest in appreciating the good times we had with the onetime Sony mascot. Wow, yeah, he IS old.



Leisure Suit Larry

Old-school adventure gamers might light up when they see the name Leisure Suit Larry, but my, how the times have changed. His embarrassing last game, Magna Cum Laude, was widely considered the worst game of 2004. Which, of course, means only one thing: make another one! The next offender, Box Office Smash, is due out in 2009, although Activision/Blizzard mercifully swapped his leisure suit for a straightjacket and put the game on indefinite hold.



Need For Speed

You know your racing game series is in trouble when you start promoting the live-action talent and awful illegal street-racing plotline more than the actual racing, but you know your racing game series is on life-support when even the live-action talent can't save the game from poor reviews and low sales. Such is the fate of the overdeveloped Need For Speed franchise, but unlike the other games on this list, rumor has it that this junker is headed back to the shop. Let's hope it stays there.

Thrash the Hedgehog

Dec 30 2008, 08:45 AM

If SEGA and NINTENDO ever made an adventure game with Sonic and Mario, that would be cool. But yahoo better stay out of it.

Ray

Dec 30 2008, 08:29 AM

Why don't we go show them HOW REPETITIVE MARIO IS? Then maybe they can put THAT franchise to rest. At least Sonic has new stuff every now and then, Mario doesn't.

And it's always Mario, Mario, Mario. It's lame.

Yahoo needs to do their research before they make up garbage like this. Mario is more repetitive than Sonic, nuff said. Mario is same old same old, at least Sega is different with Sonic.

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I disagree. I like Sonic and Mario separate.

Fenroar

Dec 30 2008, 09:38 AM

Ray

Dec 30 2008, 08:29 AM

Why don't we go show them HOW REPETITIVE MARIO IS? Then maybe they can put THAT franchise to rest. At least Sonic has new stuff every now and then, Mario doesn't.

And it's always Mario, Mario, Mario. It's lame.

Yahoo needs to do their research before they make up garbage like this. Mario is more repetitive than Sonic, nuff said. Mario is same old same old, at least Sega is different with Sonic.

Oh God, Ray, when I made this topic, I just knew you would bring up your Mario shit again.

But Mario ISN'T struggling. Believe it or not, Mario actually has good games and always gets positive reviews. I both like Mario and Sonic but your Mario crap is starting to get old, Ray.

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I disagree. I like Sonic and Mario separate.

And it was thanks for his appearance in Brawl and in Olympic Games that gave his reputation a small boost.

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But Mario ISN'T struggling. Believe it or not, Mario actually has good games and always gets positive reviews.

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And it was thanks for his appearance in Brawl and in Olympic Games that gave his reputation a small boost.

Thrash the Hedgehog

Dec 30 2008, 04:58 PM

...Except the fact that Jason is still voicing Sonic. Crud...

Ray

Dec 30 2008, 08:29 AM

Why don't we go show them HOW REPETITIVE MARIO IS? Then maybe they can put THAT franchise to rest. At least Sonic has new stuff every now and then, Mario doesn't.

And it's always Mario, Mario, Mario. It's lame.

Yahoo needs to do their research before they make up garbage like this. Mario is more repetitive than Sonic, nuff said. Mario is same old same old, at least Sega is different with Sonic.

Fenroar

Dec 30 2008, 09:38 AM

Oh God, Ray, when I made this topic, I just knew you would bring up your Mario shit again.

But Mario ISN'T struggling. Believe it or not, Mario actually has good games and always gets positive reviews. I both like Mario and Sonic but your Mario crap is starting to get old, Ray.

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And it was thanks for his appearance in Brawl and in Olympic Games that gave his reputation a small boost.