It’s no secret that the Wii’s success with casual markets has made the system a dumping ground for shovelware and complete crap. A quick walk down the aisle of your local game retailer will reveal stacks and stacks of titles that any self-respecting gamer would be hard-pressed to play for more than two minutes if it were a free browser game, let alone a full-priced retail product.

Resident Evil 4. Resident Evil (in Japan). Samba de Amigo. Bully. Okami. The entire Virtual Console Library. It seems that the Wii is the destination for older titles, and frankly, I have no problem with that, if the games are this good. The latest game to receive a full makeover on Nintendo’s money machine is more »

Nearly every successful video game series has a mascot, a character who immediately calls to mind a genre of games or perhaps a company. They’re instantly recognizable and, more often than not, prompt fond memories of classic games.

Mario, Sonic, Pikachu and Pyramid-head are some of the more recognizable figures, but there are plenty of other memorable mascots who often get pushed aside. These are mascots from some really entertaining and enjoyable games that might not have enjoyed the same popularity as other series. Classic gamers may remember some of our five favorite obscure mascots.

Keep reading for the full list…