The best fan games of all time

When it comes to fan engagement in games, 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, such as Grand Theft Auto 5has hundreds of mods. Then there are ROM hacks for games of the 8-bit and 16-bit era such as Super Mario Bros. or Streets of Rage.

Finally, there are standalone original games based on other properties, also known as fan game. No mods or ROM hacks are needed to play these games. Of the many that exist, games like Black Mesa, Pokemon Uraniumand more stand out asbest fan game of all time. They will be ranked and compared to their original games, taking into account their unique values ​​and fun factors.

10

Final Fantasy 7: Re-Imagined

A fan game with great potential

• Developer: PD Design Studio
• Released: 2015
• Based on: Final Fantasy 7

Final Fantasy 7: Re-Imagined is more of a demo than a full game, which is also why it ranks 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 earlier Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

Players go through a section of a Midgar reactor playing as either Cloud or Tifa, and there's also co-op. It's a decent 2D brawler, and even if the game never got finished, it's still a cool think if PD Design Studio can go back to one day.

9

Super Smash Flash 2

A GBA Platform Fighter

• Developer: Greg McLeod (SSF2 Team)
• Released: 2017
• Based on: Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Flash 2 is one Super Smash Bros. the clone released in 2017, developed by Greg McLeod, and featured some pretty solid updates over a consistent span of years. In particular, it added characters Super Smash Bros. before Super Smash Bros. Ultimatelike Sora from Kingdom Heartsalong with exclusive characters like Goku from Dragon Ball.

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

8

Mari0

A great update to a classic

• Developer: Maurice Guégan
• Released: 2012
• Based on: Super Mario Bros. and Portal

There are many Mario game hacks out there, and Mari0 is both a ROM hack and an original fan game released in 2012 and developed by Maurice Guégan. It reused assets from Super Mario Bros. on the NES, but the twist was that Mario got to use a portal gun from the game Portal to bypass enemies or send them flying away.

Being able to use a legendary weapon like the portal gun in a 2D space pushes boundaries that fans will be excited to try. It may have been built on a gimmick rather than an original idea, but Mari0 is still a fun fan game to experiment with when a free moment arises.

7

Barkley, Shut Up And Jam: Gaiden

Rise everyone, it's time to bang now

• Developer: Tales of Game's Studios
• Released: 2008
• Based on: Barkley Shut Up and Jam!

Even if Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden released in 2008, it is a top 90s video game. It is based on a basketball game that was available on the SNES and Sega Genesis, Barkley Shut Up and Jam!along with serving as a somewhat canonical sequel to Space Jamcomplete with a remix of “Space Jam”, the film's title theme.

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 sport is illegal, and most mutants have some sort of basketball-related design. It's weird, to be clear, but also awesome at the same time, and it's just one of those RPGs that has to be seen to be believed, kind of like Grounded.

6

Pokemon Uranium

A new type of monster catcher

• Developer: ~JV~
• Released: 2016
• Based on: Pokémon

Pokemon Uranium looks a lot like the fifth generation Pokémon game, Pokemon Black and Pokemon whitewhich is to say it looks a lot like a DS game, but in a good way. The game has a standard mission that involves traveling around, catching Pokemon, and battling other trainers for glory.

One thing that helps it stand out is a more mature tone, although it doesn't sound immature, something like Conker's Bad Fur Day. The focus is also on over a hundred new Pokémon and a new type called Nuclear. Unfortunately, Nintendo kind of nuked development that Pokemon Uranium was forced to close, but it still exists in some form online.

5

Undertale Yellow

A Gunslinging RPG

• Developer: Team Undertale Yellow
• Released: 2023
• Based on: Undertale

Undertale Yellow works as a fan game because the original Undertale had a kind of fan game approach to its design. It was a tribute to many games, most importantly Grounded. While the art was great, there was an unevenness to the design and mixed media approach to some key areas and enemies that helped it stand out.

Undertale Yellow released in 2023 and designed by Team Undertale Yellow. It's a fan game based on a game that was heavily produced by a fan of another game, so it's very meta. This is another prequel Undertale takes place in the same world and features cameos from familiar characters. The game follows the same turn-based/talking mechanics, but it's more original than not, giving fans the sequel/prequel they've been dying to see since 2015.

4

Street Fighter X Mega Man

From fan game to official adventure

• Developer: Seow Zong Hui
• Released: 2012
• Based on: Street Fighter and Mega man

Street Fighter X Mega Man is one of the rare examples of a fan game that began as a small project before eventually receiving an official blessing from Capcom. Although the events of the game are not canon for Mega man franchise or Street Fighter game, at least it is official in some capacity.

In typical NES Mega man mode, players can choose a scene they want, play through 2D levels, fight the boss and then get a power-up. The levels are well designed, the music remixes are excellent, and the featured bosses are fun to watch in 8-bit form, from Ryu to Dhalsim.

3

Abobo's great adventure

A wild NES Nostalgia trip

• Developer: Team Bobo
• Released: 2012
• Based on: Several NES games (Double Dragon, Mega Man, Punch-Outetc.)

Abobo's great adventure is one of the earliest fan games that became 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 playing time is wasted.

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

2

AM2R

One year before Samus' official return

• Developer: Milton Guasti
• Released: 2016
• Based on: Metroid 2: Return of Samus

AM2Rabbreviation of Another Metroid 2 remakeis a remake of the 1991 Game Boy game, Metroid 2: Return of Samus. Nintendo was quick to take this one down in 2016, and in hindsight it's understandable why, as they would later release their own remake in 2017 for the 3DS called Metroid: Samus Returns.

Regardless, the game features a lot of Metroids, as bounty hunter Samus Aran must track down these aliens on the planet to progress. It looks good, plays even better and has a hint of energy. Some may debate about AM2R hell, the game is better than any of the official versions, but at least it's good enough to compete with them.

1

Black Mesa

An upward valve

• Developer: Crowbar collective
• Released: 2020
• Based on: Half-life

Half-life released in 1998 and became an instant critical darling, it is still regarded as one of the best shooters ever made for its environmental storytelling and atmospheric horror. While the mod community has been going strong with the original and sequels for decades now, Black Mesa is something else.

It's a complete remake of the original game, made by fans, but likes Street Fighter X Mega Manit has received 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 the original Half-life still has its charm, anyone who wants to play the game today should really just buy Black Mesa instead.