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The PlayStation 2 was one of the biggest success stories of gaming history.
Not only was it produced for a whopping 13 years after its original release in the year 2000, but it amassed a vast library of games during its lifespan.
Unlike the GameCube’s somewhat “hand-picked” game releases, the PS2 was the platform of the masses where anyone with an idea could manage to publish a game. Thanks to this, it became a breeding ground for the kind of unique & experimental games that can make a Robot Chicken episode seem tame in comparison.
We’ve all played Shadow of the Colossus and Resident Evil 4 – but have you heard of Dog of Bay? Battle Construction Vehicles? Stretch Panic?
If not, then hold on to your seat. It’s about to get weird in here.
20. Def Jam: Fight for NY (2004)
Most weird games tend to alienate audiences with their strange gameplay elements and bizarre storylines – but none of these things could even bring down Def Jam: Fight for NY.
This unique fighter follows an all-star cast of famous rappers from the early 2000s, making it both incredibly weird and easy to sell.
I mean, who wouldn’t want to see Snoop Dogg use his over-the-top magical musical powers to fight Ludacris or Busta Rhymes?
The storyline is nothing to write home about. But you’ll enjoy seeing all your favorite old-timey rappers become involved in a musical turf war for control of NY.
19. God Hand (2006)
God Hand isn’t only one of the best games on the system, but one of the weirdest as well.
Its relatively low budget meant Clover Studio had to use their creativity and sheer shock value to make the game entertaining.
They succeeded by crafting a tight combat system and writing one of the most transgressing and often hilarious narratives I’d ever seen back in the day.
While the game is a tad short, it features enough unlockable content to keep you coming back long after clearing the game for the first time.
18. 10,000 Bullets (2005)
Despite never making it to the US, 10,000 Bullets has gathered a bit of a cult following thanks to its unique Western European setting and stylish – if imperfect – combat system.
This action game with third-person shooter elements blends several tropes you wouldn’t usually see together. The bullet-time fighting mechanics are straight out of an anime, while the mafia storyline and jazzy soundtrack feel more in-line with a traditional shooter.
The gameplay is pretty enjoyable, and the aesthetics are simply on-point.
The 10cm tall Prince of All Cosmos seems to have gathered a bit of a fanbase after his exploits in Katamari Damacy.
So his father, the King, sends him back to roll more giant balls for clout.
The sequel to the beloved original (also on the PS2) brings more of the same ball-rolling gameplay and whimsical aesthetic, along with tons of new content and some twists to keep things fresh.
These include a new adorable hub world, and the chance to unlock new characters to play by rolling over them. Not kidding.
While playing the original is a great way to spend your time, it’s not necessary to pick up the first game to enjoy the sequel – so hop on the ball and start rolling!
16. The Adventures of Darwin (2007)
I’ve always been a fan of games that place the journey of evolution and natural selection at the forefront.
And The Adventures of Darwin is one of the best on the PS2.
You’ll start as a monkey fighting for survival in a wild, wild world. Slowly, you’ll help your monkey community grow and lead them toward evolution by finding resources and inventing new tools for your tribe to employ.
The gameplay is pretty simple, consisting of exploring stages and ganging up on enemies along with your Lemming-like followers.
It can get repetitive, but you’ll be done with the relatively short campaign by then.
15. The Adventures of Cookie & Cream (2001)
Nowadays, From Software is known for their work on the influential Dark Souls and Bloodborne.
But their games weren’t always quite as dark and gritty.
The Adventures of Cookie & Cream is a pretty simple platforming title with colorful graphics and great co-op capabilities.
Constant cooperation is a requirement rather than an option when going through the game with a friend, making it feel meaningful instead of something they stapled onto an already finished game like so many other co-op modes.
Disgaea may be one of the best-known names on this list, having spawned a long-lived franchise that remains massively popular to this day.
But that doesn’t make it any less weird.
Other than the lo-fi sprite-based graphics and charmingly insane characters, what makes the game truly stand out among the crowd of JRPGs on the PS2 is its gameplay, which encourages intense level grinding.
You may be able to get through the main story without so much effort. But what fans of the game are really after is the post-game missions and unlockables.
The thing is, they’re all locked behind hours upon hours of exploring randomly generated dungeons in search of better loot and experience, all to train your characters up to LVL9999.
Get grinding!
13. Dokapon Kingdom (2008)
Known by those in-the-know as the quintessential “friendship destroyer”, Dokapon Kingdom is the blend between Mario Party and classic fantasy RPGs you never knew you needed.
It’s not only similar to Mario Party in gameplay, but also in the levels of savagery players will show in their rise to the top.
It’s all about who has the most money in the bank by the end of the game. So stealing from others, setting up traps, and even cursing your opponents are all “fair” tactics on the road to victory.
In other words, it’s a game about capitalism.
But it’s not all suffering in Dokapon Kingdom.
There are diverse classes, weapons to acquire, and dungeons to explore all around. Be sure to give it a go next time you have friends over.
12. Dog of Bay (JP) (2000)
If you love Japanese rhythm games like Hatsune Miku: Project Diva and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, you would probably have enjoyed Dog of Bay back when it came out.
This weird dancing game stars several breeds of anthropomorphic dogs, including a goth Dalmatian and a couple of stylish Golden Retrievers dancing to the beat of catchy J-Pop tunes.
It was a wet dream for furry gamers during the early 2000s.
The visual effects are all over the place, the characters lie right in the middle of the uncanny valley, and it’s only available in Japanese – but if you’re interested in weird games, this is a no-brainer.
11. Dog’s Life (2004)
A much less nightmarish option for dog lovers is Dog’s Life, which stands out for its first-person peek into the daily life of our canine friends.
The game follows Jake, a Beagle on a quest to save Daisy – an adorable American Foxhound – from being made into canned cat food.
To achieve this you’ll have to explore the town, gather clues from unsuspecting humans, and solve puzzles with other dogs’ help.
Each breed has something that makes them special, and you’ll need it all if you’re to save your beloved Daisy from the meat grinder.
10. BCV: Battle Construction Vehicles (2003)
So, you just started a construction business. And you’re dead-set on recruiting the best laborers on the market.
Do you offer them fair working conditions? Benefits? Maybe a dental plan?
No, you challenge them to vehicular combat – on bulldozers, cranes, and diggers, of course.
I mean, how else would you make sure they’re fit for the job?
As if that wasn’t weird enough, BCV’s storyline is written with the hot-blooded intensity of a DBZ episode, everyone has a thick British accent, and you can romance your step-sister – because of course you can.
9. Killer7 (2005)
Killer7 didn’t get that much attention back when it was released.
But its unique cel-shaded graphics, dark humor, and experimental storytelling have earned it a lot of praise throughout the years.
This unique on-rails shooter follows the Smith Syndicate, a team of hired killers with diverse specialties. The twist?
They’re all the same person.
Or rather, different personalities inhabiting the same body.
As you might expect, the narrative gets deeply psychological – but it also includes social commentary and other thought-provoking themes.
8. Gitaroo Man (2002)
Rhythm games come in all shapes and sizes, and Gitaroo Man has to be one of the strangest takes on the genre.
It follows a boy and his magical guitar on a quest to bring down an alien empire with the power of music.
Each confrontation against the aliens consists of several phases with diverse gameplay, which goes a long way to keep things exciting and engaging.
I’d only recommend this game to those of you willing to pour yourselves into the game, as it can get pretty hard in just a couple of levels.
Rather than a learning curve, it has a vertical line.
7. Ribbit King (2003)
Have you ever played golf and felt like it was missing something?
Well, according to developers Infinity and Jamsworks, that something is frogs. Welcome to the insane world of frolf, a sport where anthropomorphic animals a-la Animal Crossing hit frogs with golf clubs and send them flying high into the air.
The rules are mostly the same as regular golf, but you can earn points by having your amphibian projectile land on water and swim, get eaten by a snake, and other hilarious events.
This game isn’t only weird as hell, but surprisingly entertaining too.
6. Under The Skin (2004)
In UTS, you play as Cosmi – also known as “blue Invader Zim”.
This otherwordly being hails from Planet Mischief, where it’s customary for 3-year-olds to visit another planet and sow chaos as a rite of passage.
Disguise yourself as a human and go around setting up traps to ridicule silly humans. These relatively small inconveniences will start piling up until it becomes a true pandemonium.
The game is a bit short, but that’s probably for the better.
Bizarre games are more enjoyable when delivered in short and sweet doses.
5. Stretch Panic (2001)
The modern world has a particular obsession with the superficial – and for protagonist Linda, it has gotten out of hand.
After the demons of vanity possess your 12 sisters, you’ll have to go around exorcising them one by one with your magical scarf.
It doesn’t sound all that weird until you consider that your primary attack method is to pinch and stretch both your enemies and the environments around them.
Did I mention most of the game’s common enemies are just girls with breasts the size of their entire body?
4. Demolition Girl (JP) (2004)
Speaking of weird proportions and girls in bikinis, consider the Japanese-only Demolition Girl.
After supermodel Riho Futaba gets pinched by an alien crab, she has a bit of a growth spurt.
She ends up towering over the surrounding buildings at the height of 50m.
Despite having no interest in chaos and destruction, her sheer size makes her a safety hazard.
And it’s up to you to help deal with the threat by… measuring her three sizes from a helicopter?
Similar but better gameplay can be seen in Mister Mosquito, where the roles are reversed.
Rather than facing a giant lady as a regular-sized human, you’ll face ordinary people as a tiny mosquito.
Yes, this idea is absolutely whack. Gotta check it out.
Your objective in this game is to suck as much blood from the Yamada family as you can to feed your family. You’ll have to be quick and stealthy if you don’t want to get swatted and keep pressing their “pressure points” to keep them nice and relaxed.
Fun fact: The name “Mister Mosquito” sounds a bit inaccurate when you consider that only female mosquitoes actually drink blood.
2. Cho Aniki: Seinaru Protein Densetsu (JP) (2003)
The Cho Aniki series has been around for a long while, progressively chipping away at the sanity of anyone who knows of it.
This time around, the extravagant muscular men are back for a shoot-em-up.
As usual, everything that happens is incredibly disturbing – from the bodybuilders circling your ship to the fact that said vessel is a white humanoid glob called the “Holy Protein”.
We can only hope it’s just a very, very concentrated whey protein shake.
1. Chu♥lip (2007)
We’ve seen some really strange games on this list.
But none of them bring together weirdness and actual fun gameplay quite like Chu♥lip.
The game revolves around a mysterious character who’s determined to win over the residents of a small retro Japanese town… and by “win over,” I mean he wants to get to first base.
Yes, you have to kiss everyone in town to clear the game.
You’ll have to go around this weird little town getting to know the citizens, so you can begin helping them solve their problems and earn their affections in return. Check out IGN’s review to get a more details on this… but yeah, suffice it to say this is a weird one.
This game may sound like some social commentary regarding the spread of herpes simplex, but it’s actually a pretty fun and heartwarming game worth checking out.
Give it a try if you can find a copy. It’ll at least be a video game you won’t forget you tried.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
