It’s not as big a problem these days, but back in the 1970s and ‘80s, a plethora of unlicensed games found their way onto a number of home video game consoles. This was mainly prevalent on the Atari 2600, which lacked any copyright protection. Throughout the decades, several companies and individuals created all manner of unlicensed games, and while many have heard of Action 52 and others, there were some far weirder ones out there. These five, arranged in no particular order, are some of the weirdest unlicensed games to appear on retro consoles.
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1) Red Sea Crossing – Atari 2600
In the early 1980s, there was a bevy of unlicensed games based on Bible stories, and they’re all a bit weird. That’s not to say they’re weird because they’re Biblical — it’s that they never really got the point across in a fun and entertaining way. One of the more fascinating examples is Red Sea Crossing, which was released in 1983 via mail order. Despite this, it was lost to history until 2007, when one of only four known copies was found at a garage sale. It is also the first video game to arrive on a commercial console based on a Bible story, and Atari, Inc., had nothing to do with it. Gameplay involves guiding Moses through the Red Sea while avoiding obstacles as the Egyptians pursue him.
2) Beat ‘Em and Eat ‘Em – Atari 2600
Another unusual class of video games that upended Atari’s reputation was in the … ahem … adult category. There were several of these made, and one of the nastiest was Beat ‘Em and Eat ‘Em. The game was released in 1982, and despite its pixellated nature, it’s technically a pornographic video game. Gameplay involves controlling two naked women who must catch … something in their mouths that’s being produced from above. There’s even a version of the game where the genders are reversed, called Philly Flasher, which is otherwise identical. The fact that someone made this is weird enough, but it endures because it’s so utterly odd and offensive.
3) Somari – NES and Famicom
While most unlicensed games featured entirely new stories and characters, Somari did not. The game was made without license as a copy of the Sega Genesis’ hit Sonic the Hedgehog, and was sold primarily in Eastern Europe and Asia. Sonic is absent, and in his place is Mario, or Somari, which is a portmanteau of Sonic and Mario. Nobody tried to hide how bootlegged this dupe of Sonic the Hedgehog was, which is why it’s so strange to begin with. It was made for the Nintendo Famicom, which didn’t have enough power to make the game function as it should have. Otherwise, it’s a Sonic ripoff that’s a strange mashup of two IPs into one.
4) Hong Kong ‘97 – Famicom
Because he was angry at the video game industry, video game journalist Kowloon Kurosawa sat down with a buddy for one week and produced Hong Kong ‘97. The unlicensed game was made for the Super Famicom in Japan, and its entire purpose was to lampoon the industry, satirizing every aspect of it. The game is offensive, terribly coded, and entirely absurd, which was kind of the point. While it didn’t sell well upon release, as few bootlegs do, it developed a cult following for being utterly awful. Believe it or not, a sequel is in the works with a slated release for sometime in 2026.
5) Custer’s Revenge – Atari 2600
Circling back to the Atari 2600’s library of disturbing pornographic games, you’ll find Custer’s Revenge. Every aspect of this 1982 unlicensed title is offensive, as it crosses more lines than anyone could have imagined, given its low-resolution graphics. Gameplay involves taking control of George Armstrong Custer to seek revenge for the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Custer is nude, as are a series of Native American women whom the player needs to capture and sexually assault. You have to avoid flaming arrows to get to the women who are inexplicably tied to poles, and … well, it’s just awful. The game is an easy contender for worst idea brought to life, and it remains one of the most offensive video games ever made.
Did you ever get your hands on a weird, unlicensed retro game? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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