5 Games that Combined Genres

Hey there! This post is part of a game testing project I am working on. There’s a lot more to it than what is covered in this post so check out the full project here.

We all have a specific game genre that we gravitate towards. But what if you like more than one? What if you find yourself unable to decide if you’d rather play a platformer or a turn-based RPG?

That’s where some of the more memorable games come into play. Games that dare to make two genres do the fusion dance and become an entirely new experience.

Undertale

Ever play an RPG and wish you could find a peaceful solution to your problems? I certainly haven’t! But Toby Fox did. In his indie masterpiece Undertale, he takes plain turn-based style combat and freshens it up with a creative use of the bullet-hell genre.

There’s more though. If you really would prefer to take a friendlier approach to dealing with enemies, the game offers a MERCY mechanic! Each foe you encounter has different dialog options you can use to talk your way out of fighting. It’s the equivalent of using the charisma stat in DND.

I’m quick to use violence to solve all of my problems in video games. But the MERCY feature is so wholesome that even I decided to let bygones be bygones.

Whether you choose to spare everyone, kill everyone, or something in between, Undertale offers a unique and fun experience. Sprinkle in a strange world, wacky characters, and some surreal humor, and you’ve got a recipe for a good time. Or a bad time depending on certain choices you make.

Undertale is my favorite type of game. Not because of the genres it combines, but because of the memories it creates. If you haven’t heard of it or played it before, I am extremely jealous of you. If I can make one small recommendation for you, go into it blind. Trust me.

Stardew Valley

I love farming simulators. I also love cutting enemies in half while exploring dungeons. So logic dictates that I would enjoy a game that lets me do both.

To be fair, the Rune Factory series did this first. But I’ve sunk way more hours into Stardew Valley. Created by the one man team, Eric Barone, this game uses well made mechanics, beautiful pixel art, and a relaxing soundtrack to win the day.

Every part of this game’s design feels like drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Simple, yet satisfying and comforting. While the farming and dungeon crawling are its strongest aspects, there are plenty of other ways to rack up some cash.

Nothing that the game offers is what I would call “revolutionary” but that doesn’t matter. Everything it does, it does well. Whenever I need to relax or just want to enjoy the simpler things in life, I fire up my Nintendo Switch and start playing Stardew Valley

Metroid

I’ve only ever played the original Metroid on the NES classic. And only for a few minutes. I found the overall lack of balance in the game’s challenge to be a major bummer. But while it hasn’t aged as gracefully as some of its NES cohorts, Metroid helped give birth to a new genre: Metroidvania.

It did so by combining action adventure with platforming. An odd duo to be sure. Like combining peanut butter and chocolate. But just like a certain popular candy, the end result is something truly special.

Along with the sweet thrill of overcoming platforming challenges, players are given the opportunity to explore levels more freely. The game hides secrets in every corner and gives players a wide variety of new toys to play with over the course of their adventure.

The original Metroid may not have done it for me, but it paved the way for future games with its style.

Doki Doki Literature Club

If you’ve never heard of this game you’re probably thinking I’m a huge geek. You’re right. But that’s beside the point. While Doki Doki Literature Club starts off as your typical dating simulator with cute anime girls and mushy dialog, things take a much darker turn after a few hours.

I’m not going to spoil the story for anyone who hasn’t played it yet, but it’s listed under the horror genre on Steam for a good reason. It’s well worth the terror you’ll endure though. It has a great cast of characters, a beautiful artstyle, and a soundtrack that’ll put a spring in your step. There’s even an extended version available that adds a lot of new content!

Be forewarned though. Playing DDLC may scare you into never dating again. Or talking to people in general. Or even going outside. Not that I ever did any of those things to begin with.

Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga

Most turn-based RPGs rely primarily on strategy. You tell the characters what to do in battle, and they do it. Control is largely out of your hands though, as the battle systems use numbers and probability to determine their outcomes.

This can become particularly frustrating when a boss uses a cheap attack that instantly kills your entire party. If you play these types of games, you’ve been there. Probably more than once.

Whether you love turn-based combat or not, dying because you were physically unable to dodge puts a damper on fun. That’s one of the reasons I love Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga so much.

Is it still turn-based? Yes. Are you helpless when it’s the enemy’s turn? No. Superstar Saga sends off the Mario Bros. on an epic adventure where in battle, logic is the name of the game. That’s right, when attacked by an enemy, you can actually dodge.

It all comes down to the brothers’ platforming skills. Well-timed jumps and hammer swings give players the potential to leave each battle completely unscathed (and deal extra damage to boot). It’s a relatively simple mechanic, but it makes the game so much better.

If you’re in the mood for something closer to traditional Mario games though, it’s got that too. Outside of battle you can utilize Mario and Luigi’s abilities to overcome traps and obstacles. It’s more like a puzzle platformer in that sense, but it stays true to the spirit of Mario.

Wait, there’s a point?

As a matter of fact there is! It’s perfectly reasonable to make a generic game. As long as you do it well, it can provide hours of fun and entertainment for players (and that’s what it’s all about in the end). But what if you’d like to give them something new? Or at least something that feels new?

Simple. Combine two genres. If you boil down the base elements of most of the games I listed here, they aren’t that innovative. But together, they become more than the sum of their parts.

Combining genres takes elements that players are already familiar with and presents them in a new way. That’s what makes it a fresh experience.