10 BAD Games We Absolutely LOVE

10 Bad Games We Absolutely Love

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re here to take a look at ten games that are often considered to be bad or simply unenjoyable to play. However, I absolutely love these games; flaws, faults, and all. Yep, that’s right; this is a personal, curated list so my hope here is that you’ll see some games you don’t normally hear about and perhaps give them a chance. To some they are bad, to me they are awesome! Let’s do this!

“Alone in the Dark” (2024)

Fans of Southern Gothic vibes and Lovecraftian themes have a lot to like here in 2024’s “Alone in the Dark.” While this game may not have been the return to “Alone in the Dark” like many hoped for, it’s still dripping with tension, horror, and plenty of uniqueness. Stepping into the shoes of either Edward Carnby or Emily Hartwood, you must traipse through the eerie hallways, rooms, and portals of Derceto Manor, uncovering the dark mystery at play. Despite the game’s clunky combat, uneven pacing, short runtime, and general wonkiness, it manages to shine through with deeply unsettling and creative settings, a memorable cast of characters, dual campaigns, simple, yet enjoyable puzzles, and some intriguing exploration across a host of otherworldly domains.

“Nickeloden Kart Racers” (2018)

I’m a downright sucker for a cartoony kart racing game, no matter how bad or good the game might be, so much so that I can confidently, yet pathetically say that I 100%-ed “Hello Kitty Kruisers” for Nintendo Switch. So, it probably doesn’t come as any surprise that “Nickelodeon Kart Racers” from 2018 is a blast to play, even (if I’m honest), it’s not a very well-made game. Despite the second and third iteration of this kart racing series making things more robust and refined, it’s the first game that I come back to more often than not. Yes, it does feel a bit hollow and soulless at times, it more than makes up for it with a good kart racing feel (drifting included), some fun items to use, and a nice selection of Nickelodeon-inspired tracks to race on. Plus, you get to hoover up slime coins to buy new gear which adds to the longevity. Even with the lack of characters and character personality, it manages to be a simple, right-to-the-point kart racer that is just fun to play, thrills and frills notwithstanding.

“The Haunted Mansion” (2003)

Gosh, I really adore this PS2-era action-adventure title set within the eponymous Disney mansion. I come back to this game all of the time, especially during the Halloween season. You guide the bumbling, yet courageous Zeke Holloway, who accepts a job as a caretaker at the very-much-haunted mansion. Zeke soon learns he is in over his head in all manner of spooks and specters and things that go bump in the night. The game mixes in unique ethereal lamplight third-person combat, a host of creepy locales to explore, solve puzzles within, find upgrades, and collect Death Certificates to flesh out the denizens’ ghostly nature. The game is filled to the brim with inspiration from the Disney ride, with the mansion itself being interconnected in a sort of lite Metroidvania-esque way. Like many early 2000s games, it does suffer from a wonky camera, strange difficulty spikes, uneven performance, and some technical hiccups, but it certainly makes up for it in spooky vibes alone, paired with that Disney flavor that helps it stand out.

“Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” (2008)

Had this game not been about Banjo and Kazooie, it likely would be more fondly remembered. However, as it is, “Nuts & Bolts” is the black sheep of the venerable “Banjo-Kazooie” franchise. You see, instead of leaning into the 3D platforming goodness we enjoyed in “Kazooie” and “Tooie;” and heck even in “Grunty’s Revenge” for GBA, “Nuts & Bolts” is all about creating, crafting, and building specific vehicles and vehicle types in order to make your way through the game’s many levels. The vehicle construction system is the beating heart of this game, make no bones about it. If you don’t jive with that, then it really won’t resonate, even if it does still feature some 3D platforming-adjacent shenanigans. Again, it just doesn’t feel like a “Banjo” game. If you can look at the game as a unique, one-off experience then it might just provide a good enough blueprint for fun in your book.

“Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate” (2013)

Where “Lords of Shadow” shone as a beacon of hope in the 3D “Castlevania” space and “Lords of Shadow 2” serves the low bar, a confusing and odd title to recommend, “Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate” sits in this sort of middle ground. It’s not a revolutionary or even remarkable title, let alone a “Castlevania” game; yet, it manages to still provide a mostly compelling 2.5D Metroidvania experience. This bridge gap game between the first and second “Lords of Shadow” games thrusts you into the roles of Trevor Belmont, Simon Belmont, and even Alucard; oh, and even a super brief opening section as Gabriel. This multi-character campaign consistently provides new narrative and gameplay surprises as you navigate through the intertwined map layout, engaging in puzzles, platforming, and battling hordes of supernatural baddies. While it can often feel janky and needlessly repetitive at times, its overall sense of gothic ambiance paired with great music makes it a worthwhile “Castlevania” game, despite its flaws.

“Fable 3” (2010)

Now, I don’t think most people really think that “Fable 3” is a bad game. However, “Fable” fans generally think of this one as the weakest of the bunch. Personally though, I find “Fable 3” to be deeply enjoyable and replayable, the game in the series I come back to most often. The whole Industrial Revolution version of Albion really changes up the experience and ambiance here, not necessarily for the better, since it often means that very specific “Fable” fantasy charm takes somewhat of a backseat, but only somewhat. The narrative hook here is how you deal with your tyrannical king brother, Logan; either helping him or hindering him (and his kingdom), and everything in between. The thing is, “Fable 3” often comes across as a more simplified version of the previous games, standardizing and homogenizing things all the way. This does make for a more straightforward fantasy RPG experience that refines a lot of the fluff from the first two games, but can leave it somewhat lacking in overall personality at times. At the end of the day though, it still does play like a classic “Fable” game, humor, hijinks, and all.

“Scooby-Doo! First Frights” (2009)

“First Frights” is typically seen as where the 3D “Scooby-Doo” games fully went downhill, with “the Spooky Swamp” from 2010 sort of being the nail in the coffin for future 3D outings, as sad as that is to say. Where “Night of 100 Frights” is looked at as a high point, “First Frights” is the low point. It’s a bummer and a real shame since “First Frights” is actually a really fun game to play through, replete with stages that feel ripped straight out of the cartoon, the ability to play as the whole Scooby gang, various costumes to collect, and bosses ready to be unmasked. “First Frights” plays as an action platformer with beat ‘em up elements…and plenty of Scooby Snacks to collect. Yes, it can get repetitive quite quickly and it’s all quite simple and easy; however, for a game that feels like you are playing through episodes of the “Scooby” cartoon, it’s a fun game to enjoy over a weekend, especially with a friend or family member in tow.

“Call of Duty: Ghosts” (2013)

I’ll be the first to admit that “Call of Duty: Ghosts” took a long time to sink its hooks into me. I had to play, stop, and replay this game multiple times over before it finally clicked, and actually became one of my favorite “COD” games that I often return to for some quick bot matches in the large and creative maps. While the single-player campaign was bombastic, unnerving, and relentless (like watching a typical action movie), as well as the Extinction horde mode, it’s really “Ghosts’” multiplayer that kept me coming back. The weapons felt weaker but were also enjoyable to experiment with. The maps were diverse, open to multiple routes, and highly enjoyable to saunter about within, trying to quell the opposing forces. It just feels unlike any other “COD” game, for better or for worse. And I mean come on…that spooky ‘Fog’ map where you can shapeshift into Michael Myers via a hard-to-find Field Order is just the perfect chef’s kiss to the bunch of great DLC maps added to the game, post launch.

“Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind” (1993)

Yep, it’s Bubsy…you either love his games or downright despise them. But, as someone who grew up in the 90s with the Sega Genesis, and with copies of “Sonic 2” and “Bubsy,” I’d be lying if I didn’t say I have fond memories of both games. For the purposes of this list, “Bubsy” might be a bad game all around, something I can get behind since I tried replaying it in 2026, but gosh darnit, I still find it enjoyable for some odd reason. Perhaps it's the hard-to-master momentum-based platforming, perhaps it’s the zany, cartoony levels, perhaps it’s Bubsy’s quirky and often annoying quips and one-liners, or perhaps it’s just because it’s a product of its time. Regardless, “Bubsy” can be both bad and fun at the same time.

“Spirits & Spells (Castleween)” - console version (2002)

The inspiration for this list and the reason I pitched this very topic. Yes, that’s right; a super obscure early 2000s platformer centered around the Halloween holiday was the inspiration for this very list. It’s the game that always comes to mind when I personally think of bad games that I love. “Spirts & Spells,” known as “Castleween” in other regions, tosses you into the costumes of Alicia and Greg, two kids who must save their friends on Halloween night from the nefarious hands of the Bogeyman. This game just oozes Halloween charm, vibes, ambiance, and flavor; there’s no two ways about it. The spooky levels, the costumes, the abilities, the collectibles – just all of it – and I love it for that. But my goodness is it a poorly made game. The platforming never feels right, the camera is a mess, the later levels are laid out poorly, the bosses are unforgiving at times, and it just simply doesn’t feel great to play. But, despite all of that, it still manages to be fun to play, especially during the cool, crisp Autumn months and Halloween season.

So, what did you think of my picks for this list? We’d love to hear about games you enjoy that many consider to be bad. Be sure to let us know in the comments.