Top 25 Best Panasonic 3DO Games of All Time

The Panasonic 3DO isn’t exactly what you would call a great console. It’s not even a good one. Heck let’s face it; Panasonic’s one foray into the home console market kind of stinks. That doesn’t mean it’s library is all bad though. The 3DO actually has some real hidden gems that can be found in it. You just have to dig deep to find them. That’s the tough part, but we’re here to help you find the best 3DO games. Believe you me that’s no easy task. Without further adieu here are the top 25 best 3DO games of all time!

#25. – Off World Interceptor

While Twisted Metal later popularized vehicular combat games we had a few examples prior to that release. Off World Interceptor is one of them. This 3DO title had very impressive graphics for the platform and the freedom it offered was pretty decent. You basically drive and blast away at anything that gets in your path. What holds this one back is the fact that the camera is stuck behind your car the entire duration of gameplay. The FMV sequences leading to gameplay were pretty impressive during the era, and it’s somewhat fun to play even now.

#24. – Killing Time

Doom was a huge hit at the time and thrust the first person genre into the limelight. It wasn’t the first, and certainly not the last, but it did spur an army of copycats. Killing Time was one of the lesser known ones, and that’s likely because it only had the limelight on a failed platform. You start out with a super cheesy FMV sequence which makes references to historical events, and after this you’re thrust into the action. There’s a lot of weird story exposition, and the stages are set up like mazes, but it’s okay. Killing Time is mildly enjoyable which is a compliment any 3DO title.

#23. – Escape From Monster Manor

Here we have another first person shooter. This one scores extra points with me for being themed around horror film conventions. Here you explore the titular estate armed only with a blaster. You must use this to dispatch 2D foes in a 3D environment. They feature few frames of animation and it’s sometimes comical, but the macabre atmosphere is undeniable. Escape From Monster Manor feels quite a bit like an early survival horror title because you have limited ammunition and must be smart with it. It’s kind of cheesy, but this one is festive to play around Halloween.

#22. – Strahl

Here’s the first FMV game on the list. Strahl gets extra points for its anime art style. You basically watch your character run through a series of different obstacles and you simply press the button displayed on screen in order to continue in your quest. What I like about this one is that it shows you which inputs you need to press. Sometimes I just want to see what happens, and in Strahl this is precisely the case. The animation is very much on point and I absolutely love the art style. This is one of my favorite FMV based games to be honest.

#21. – PO’ed

In the mid 90s every developer was trying to market toward the younger male market by being edgy, gross, or just weird. PO’ed hits all of those notes. It’s a first person shooter which would be dismissed as another Doom clone if it weren’t for the quirky setup. You play as a chef in a space station who is fighting back against an alien attack. You start with just a frying pan, and fight against such weird aliens as those who are just butts that fire projectiles at you. I’m immature so I found it hilarious, and if you’re like me you’ll enjoy the approach.

#20. – Crash ‘N Burn

It’s futuristic racing, but with combat. As an early precursor to titles such as Twisted Metal or Wipeout, Crash ‘N Burn tried something a little edgier when it came to the genre. The end result was pretty good, but it suffers some limitations from the hardware. Still, what I appreciate most is the blistering sense of speed despite the pop in and field of view. Most will remember the weird FMV introductions for each character. It’s a real product of its age, and I was entertained by it to be honest. Clearly this is one of the best 3DO games you’ll find anywhere.

#19. – Doom

This isn’t a good port of Doom. I’ll say that right off of the bat. The developers clearly didn’t optimize this release for the hardware. Obviously they were hoping that gamers just didn’t have any other option on the platform. The reason this game is on the list is because it’s Doom. Look at it like this. Even bad pizza is pizza, and the same can be said for Doom to some extent. The framerate is bad and the action is viewed through a small window, but it’s still the classic first person shooter we all love.

#18. – Guardian War

Most gamers are surprised to learn that the 3DO did actually have a few role playing games. Guardian War is one of these such titles. It’s a 3D strategy RPG wherein you guide your characters around a field in turn based fashion and engage various monsters. This is a surprisingly traditional affair which isn’t something you see everyday on a failed Western console such as the 3DO. It’s very basic, and a little uninspired, but it’s still an RPG darn it and it’s at least mildly enjoyable.

#17. – Alone in the Dark 2

I’m a pretty big fan of the original Alone in the Dark. The sequel doesn’t fare nearly as well, but it’s still pretty neat. These are some of the original survival horror games in a traditional sense. It uses pre-rendered backgrounds, tank controls, and has an emphasis on puzzles. Alone in the Dark 2 focuses more on story than the original. That’s fine, but the developers were taking things too seriously and forgot to make it scary. I wanted more survival horror, and that’s not what I got. At least the game is more varied than the original.

#16. – Cannon Fodder

Cannon Fodder is going to make just about every list of the best games for any platform it was released on. The 3DO is no exception. Cannon Fodder is just an amazing game no matter which system you’re booting it up on. This real time strategy game is best played on PC but this 3DO port is no slouch. It has all the content, and controls surprisingly well for using a directional pad. Even if this is the only version you’re stuck with you’re still in for a real treat.

#15. – Road Rash

The 3DO generally struggled with 3D graphics (even despite that name, come on are you kidding me?) Road Rash however bucks this trend and is more playable than the vast majority of racing titles for the platform. It also helps that it’s quite fun. You drive various courses, earn money, upgrade your motorcycle, and attack everyone else on the road. What’s not to like? It’s also surprisingly easy to forgive the 90s attitude on full display here. If you’re going to play Road Rash then I recommend trying this version out.

#14. – Space Hulk

Space Hulk is one of those few video games where you can tell the developers put their heart and soul into it. They had an ambitious vision and did their best to see it to fruition. This is a first person shooter, but with an emphasis on real time strategy elements. You guide a team of terminators through corridor like stages complete with a very useful mini-map. It’s a very stressful game where you can be doing well and suddenly your team is slayed before your very eyes and all is lost. It has some survival horror elements which I also love as well. Space Hulk is very underrated in my opinion.

#13. – Casper

It’s an odd license for which to make a game, I admit. Casper was an old animated series but this is based on the 90s film. I went in expecting a platformer, and was surprised when it’s more of an overhead puzzler. You have to guide everyone’s favorite friendly ghost through a large mansion wherein you have to find keys, unlock doors, and morph into a variety of different forms to get past a variety of obstacles. The only issue I have is that it’s a little obtuse. You don’t often know what you’re supposed to do, but with enough experimentation our hero will make it through.

#12. – Lucienne’s Quest

Here we have it; the best traditional Japanese style strategy RPG for the platform. You guide your party through a variety of different environments interacting with characters and progressing the story. Battles are grid based, but thanks to the ultimate processing powers of the platform these are fully 3D battlefields with a rotating camera. It’s clear that the developers were trying to impress with the graphic engine. This is why it hasn’t aged well. There are a lot of zooms during story sequences that are real eyesores. It’s a very primitive looking game. If you can get past that, the archaic interface, the drab story, and short length there’s a fair RPG underneath it all.

#11. – Wolfenstein 3D

I’m not even that big a fan of first person shooters. The classics however are gaming comfort food for me. Wolfenstein 3D is one of these such titles. Who doesn’t love running through corridors gunning down nazis? It was ported to a few different platforms but the 3DO version has a special place in my heart. This game looks great by system standards and stands up pretty well against the PC version. I like the redrawn elements which help to give this port its own identity. It also helps that the audio is phenomenal in this version. I love Wolfenstein 3D, and this port holds a special place for me. What is clearly one of the greatest video games of all time is obviously also one of the best 3DO titles.

#10. – Primal Rage

Of all the Mortal Kombat clones this one is among my favorites. The combatants are all prehistoric creatures like dinosaurs, giant apes, and whatever the heck the character Vertigo is. It’s a traditional 2D fighting game where your goal is to whittle away at your opponents health. Upon defeat you can unleash one of several fatalities to further embarrass your foe. I have a lot of nostalgia for this one because in the third grade my best friend and I used to stay up late at his home playing it. While it’s not my favorite port of the game it’s still amazing on the 3DO and a clear step above the 16-bit iterations.

#9. – Alone in the Dark

Survival horror is easily my second favorite genre of video games. Alone in the Dark was the major pioneer for it. This is the game for which I purchased my 3DO. Mind you that was long after the fact, but I watched the opening and loved the atmosphere so I had to give it a go. I sat down one fateful Summer morning and didn’t get up until I completed it. Clunky gameplay and graphics aside I fell in love with it immediately. I feel like this is one of those games that tells its story through its graphics, and I was left with a rather haunting and unforgettable feeling. Alone in the Dark needs no modern remake because it would lose much of its magic with one.

#8. – Soccer Kid

The 3DO’s main selling point versus the cheaper 16-bit consoles was the 3D graphics. Those don’t hold up well, and so the 2D gems really shine even now. It’s a side scrolling platforming game where you don’t dispatch foes by hopping on their heads. Instead you use a soccer ball which you kick at them. It sounds annoying but it really isn’t. This mechanic works surprisingly well. Requiring an item to defeat foes never feels cumbersome. The level designs are really on point here and I couldn’t wait to see what would be thrown at me next. Visually it’s a bit simplistic, but Soccer Kid is a real treat to play even today. That rhymed.

#7. – Battlesport

Vehicular based Soccer? Who would have thunk it? Considering Rocket League is one of the most popular games of all time it’s clear that the developers were ahead of their time here. Battlesport is one of the few 3DO games that is pick up and play while being incredibly addictive even now. There’s an emphasis on combat which makes each match really exciting. If you want to see where the developers got their ideas for Rocket League then look no further. Even the old tech can’t hold Battlesport back.

#6. – Need For Speed

It’s pretty neat that this is one of the few series that originated on the 3DO that is still going on today. That should tell you a little something about how good it is. The original game is riddled with some serious mid 90s attitude which is hilarious now, but the gameplay is still sound. Even though the controls are a bit stiff this game still plays wonderfully and this is easily the best racer on the platform. EA went for a more realistic approach here in terms of handling. It has aged a little, but not nearly as much as you would expect.

#5. – Samurai Shodown

Neo Geo titles were ported to a myriad of different consoles. Samurai Shodown was one of the best titles for the platform, and this 3DO title is the best version you could play in the 90s. It’s pretty much arcade perfect. It has all of the characters, and at their arcade version size. Aside from that it’s a very competent Street Fighter II clone. The 3DO controller was lacking in buttons but the scheme chosen works very well. The redbook audio allowed for the arcade soundtrack to be directly ported to this version. This is easily one of the best fighting games anywhere.

#4. – Bust-a-Move

Every platform needs a good puzzle game. This is the best one 3DO owners had. It’s not an exclusive by any means (it’s easier to count the platforms this one wasn’t released for) but it shines on the 3DO. It’s just about arcade perfect. Instead of falling blocks from above you instead control Bub and Bob from the Bubble Bobble series. They control a gun that shoots colored bubbles, and lining up at least three of these eliminates them. It’s not as easy as it sounds with the ceiling slowly falling on you. It’s a great game, and the 3DO version is particularly great.

#3. – Gex

This here is the only 3DO game I played during the console’s heyday. It was on display at a Walmart and as a big time gamer I had to give it a shot. I loved what I experienced, but there was no way I would have been able to talk my parents into the big price tag of the console. Gex is the closest to a mascot that the 3DO has. This 2D platformer is ripe with 90s attitude as you guide him through a series of movie tropes. Gex is legit as it was back then. In other words, better than Sonic the Hedgehog at least.

#2. – Super Street Fighter II: Turbo

Capcom had a habit of supporting even the most doomed of consoles. This is one of the few games that 16-bit fighting fans were no doubt jealous of. They did an amazing job with this port and it’s nearly arcade perfect. The action is smooth with many frames of animation and the graphics are more detailed than what you would find on other consoles of the time. I have a soft spot for Super Street Fighter II and this is the best way to play it on retro consoles. Of course you need the six button controller to actually enjoy it, but if you are a Street Fighter II fan chances are you already own it.

#1. – Star Control II

This is the only 3DO game where I had to set down the controller because I was overwhelmed. Not because it was hard to play, nor are the mechanics that difficult to understand. I just needed a moment to take it all in. Star Control II is easily the most in depth game of its era. I still don’t know how they fit this much data on just a CD because nowadays it would push even DVD to its limits. It’s a mesh of real time strategy, flight combat, resource management, RPG, and more. There’s just so much going on. You really have to focus your attention here and let the world of Star Control completely absorb you in order to get anything out of this one. It’s a once in a lifetime game, and easily one of my most favorite of all time.

Agree? Disagree? We’d love to hear what YOU think are the best 3DO games. Please leave a comment!