5 Konami Games That You Forgot Were Awesome

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Konami has a strong history as a top video game developer and publisher. While they stepped back from the industry for a while, they’re responsible for incredibly popular franchises like Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania, Contra, and Silent Hill. They’ve also created other fantastic games, including Bomberman, Suikoden, Gradius, Lode Runner, and Pro Evolution Soccer. Konami is definitely a major player in gaming when they focus on it. It’s unfortunate that some of their best titles haven’t gotten the recognition they deserve.

Here are five Konami games you probably forgot.

5) Sunset Riders

Konami was a big name in arcades during the 1980s and 90s, and in 1991 they released Sunset Riders. This fast-paced shooting game is set in the Old West, allowing players to control one of four bounty hunters: Steve, Bob, Billy Cool, and Cormano Wild. It’s a bit odd that Steve and Bob didn’t get cool nicknames, but that’s beside the point.

Sunset Riders offers a fun twist on the classic Contra-style run-and-gun gameplay. While it didn’t revolutionize the genre, the Wild West setting was a great fit for video games, particularly in the 1990s. Originally an arcade game, Sunset Riders was later released on consoles with strong versions available. Luckily, it’s now easily accessible thanks to the Arcade Archives series.

4) Azure Dreams

Released in 1997, Azure Dreams was one of the first games of its kind, blending action and roguelite elements. Players take on the role of Koh, venturing into the Tower of Monsters. Each attempt starts at the base, and the goal is to collect monster eggs and bring them back out.

As you earn money by completing the tower, you can use it to develop Koh’s town, unlocking new skills and characters to build relationships with. You’ll also be able to hatch monster eggs into helpful companions, called familiars, which aid your progress through the tower’s increasingly difficult levels. With its randomly generated levels, this game was a fantastic early example of the roguelite genre. Unfortunately, it was released before its time, and all we got was a spiritual successor, Tao’s Adventure: Curse of the Demon Steel, for the DS in 2005.

3) Policenauts

Many gamers have great memories of Hideo Kojima’s work with Konami, especially the fantastic Metal Gear Solid series. But his earlier games were also really good. Snatcher is definitely worth playing, and just look at how cool Policenauts looks in the picture – it’s a game you’d want to try, right?

Policenauts is an adventure game played with a mouse, but it feels more like a digital storybook. While you can interact with things, the main appeal is the narrative. You take on the role of Jonathan Ingram, a member of the Policenauts – a special police force trained as astronauts. The game unfolds as a classic detective story with stunning graphics for its time. It would be fantastic to see a remastered version with updated visuals for today’s consoles.

2) NeverDead

Let’s be honest: NeverDead isn’t a great game. I wouldn’t recommend buying it if you expect something polished. However, the game’s core idea is really creative, and it’s too bad Konami didn’t further develop it. It had a lot of promise, but ultimately didn’t quite live up to expectations.

In the game NeverDead, the main character, Bryce, can’t be killed. While he’s invincible, the demons he fights will do anything to slow him down. Whenever Bryce gets hurt, his body parts fly off. This is key because you need to use those detached limbs to solve puzzles throughout the game. Though the execution isn’t perfect, the core concept of NeverDead is worth revisiting.

1) Shadow of Memories

Known as Shadow of Destiny in North America, Shadow of Memories is a unique Konami game that’s largely been forgotten. The story follows a 22-year-old man who is murdered, then given a chance to travel back in time by a genie to uncover who killed him.

In Shadow of Memories, you’ll investigate a mystery by traveling through four different time periods. The game focuses heavily on detective work rather than action. While some reviewers criticized the limited gameplay when it was first released, it actually enhanced the story, making it feel more like a narrative adventure game. The creator, Junko Kawamo, later revisited similar ideas in Time Hollow for the Nintendo DS, but we haven’t seen a game like Shadow of Memories since.

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2026-02-22 01:11