Originating as a humble gaming studio founded in 1987 out of an Oyster Bay storefront in New York, Acclaim Entertainment was bought out and rebranded "Acclaim Games Incorporated" after Activision CEO Howard Marks purchased the Acclaim brand, which hit financial hardship in late 2004.
Once a game developer and publisher of various licenses from major comics, TV shows, and films of the 9os such as The Simpsons and Batman, this major studio is now home to a myriad of well-known franchises. This slew of developed and published software ranges from classic titles like Crazy Taxi and Turok to various wrestling and extreme sports romps.
Add this to the fact that the company is responsible for porting various major arcade hits like Mortal Kombat, and we're talking about a studio whose been a major part of 90s and early 2000s gaming history.
With this list, we'll comb the archives of Metacritic.com and examine the 5 highest rated games developed and/or published by Acclaim, in addition to the 5 lowest.
10 Worst: ECW Anarchy Rulz (38)
This stinker of a wrestling romp came only months after the pretty tepid release of the prior ECW game, called Hardcore Revolution. Even at the time of this game's late 2000 launch, this haphazard attempt to mimic the unique style of Extreme Championship Wrestling felt pretty dated and clunky, especially when it comes to the blockier PlayStation version.
Aside from some humorous moments and "functional" mechanics, there isn't much to say about this straightforward experience. While it probably doesn't deserve the harsh 38 score it received collectively, there are definitely far better options out there in terms of wrestling games.
9 Best: Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (85)
One of the most iconic series Acclaim is known for mainly came at the hands of developers Bit Managers and Iguana Entertainment, while Acclaim handled publishing duties. Regardless, this inventive dino-slaying FPS still shines as one of the bright points of the N64's library, which helped to show off this exciting new system in its early days.
While Turok: Dinosaur Hunter may seem a touch dated now with its blocky visuals and old-hat dinosaur motif, this '97 release was quite the marvel for its time. It featured some impressively vast environments, neat visual effects, an immersive atmosphere, and satisfying high-powered weaponry.
8 Worst: Paris-Dakar Rally
It's tough to find a racing game whose controls and mechanics feel spot-on, but surely there are better examples than this off-road racer from 2001, which suffers from so many issues it verges on unplayable. Not only does the driving feel stiff and finicky, but the physics as a whole just feels off. Acceleration and hit detection is all over the place, and the muddled polygonal graphics don't do you any favors, nor does the horrid draw distance.
Seeing as this was an early release for the PS2, it didn't exactly excel in showcasing the flashy graphics or horsepower of that machine...
7 Best: F355 Challenge (85)
Now this is more like it! You know you're in for an exhilarating and wild ride when driving a juiced-up Ferrari, which this game is largely based around. Dreamcast's F355 Challenge is based on an actual Ferrari-centric event, and comes in the form of a solid port of the arcade software roughly a year earlier.
While Sega brought over this game to the PS2 in the Americas, Acclaim (oddly enough) took the reigns and handled publishing duties for their Dreamcast. Although the console was on its last legs in terms of sales at that point, this fun, smooth racing sim helped Sega go out of the hardware business with a bang.
Of course, the console version lacks the immersion of the arcade rig which featured 3 large screens, a steering wheel, and pedals. Still, the DC rendition makes up for it in terms of its plethora of added content.
6 Worst: Jeremy McGrath Supercross World (35)
It must not be easy crafting a competent motocross or extreme sports racer. Here we have yet another example of a shoddy off-road racing title. Despite this game being a PS2 and GameCube release, the sheer number of jaggies make this come across as a title for the original PlayStation.
For a game that emphasizes launching off hills and pulling off sick mid-air tricks, Jeremy McGrath Supercross World makes these feats unnecessarily difficult. It certainly doesn't help that the controls are so wonky and loose that it might actually be simpler performing these acts in real life.
5 Best: Turok 2: Seeds Of Evil (86)
If the original Turok was a display of the then-new N64, this '98 follow-up pushed the console's horsepower to the nth degree, showcasing an even flashier, more cinematic experience. The game was one of the few to take full advantage of the N64's Expansion Pak. Much like the baddies that creep about in the first game, this FPS adventure is quite a dinosaur in terms of its scale and content.
Not only is the campaign more fleshed out and dynamic than ever, but you've also got an impressive array of awesome weapons, and an addictive new multiplayer mode.
4 Worst: HBO Boxing (26)
Many regard the PlayStation as having a particularly robust gaming library. While this inevitably means there are a ton of great games, there are also quite a few duds. Case in point? This awkward, sluggish slugfest known as HBO Boxing.
Despite the immense popularity that the HBO boxing showcase had built up by 2000, the game itself was nothing to be hyped about. It featured some truly bizarre character models and animation, wonky hit detection, and some pretty repetitive, shallow gameplay. There are certainly many better choices in boxing titles that truly pack a punch, even on the PlayStation alone.
3 Best: Aggressive Inline (88)
This underrated gem has the misfortune of residing in the same era as the similar Tony Hawk series, which was pretty much hogging all the "extreme sports" limelight. But looking back and judging this skating romp on its own merit, Aggressive Inline actually manages to be a solid, altogether fun ride that still holds up.
Once you get past the somewhat foreign mechanics and "feel" of rolling around on skates rather than a skateboard, you'll find plenty of enjoyable content, strengthened by some satisfying moves and expansive free-roaming maps. And how many games can you say allow you to skate around as an Egyptian mummy?
2 Worst: Legends Of Wrestling II (GBA) (24)
When it comes to wrestling and boxing games, it's definitely a mixed bag. There are some stellar examples, but boy, there sure are some bad ones... Enter Legends of Wrestling II for the GBA, a fighter whose only "legacy" is in its historically low Metacritic score.
Once you get past the amusing lineup of some major wrestling stars, all you have is some convoluted gameplay that's shaky at best and broken at worst. While it's probably not too shocking that a wrestling game wouldn't translate well on the 2D Game Boy Advance, one would think this wouldn't be a total disaster given that its PS2 equivalent was pretty solid.
1 Best: Burnout 2: Point Of Impact (88)
The arcade racer is a genre that's rife with thrilling, enjoyable experiences, especially those with a love for destruction. This sequel to the original breakout hit Burnout is this style arguably at its pinnacle, as Criterion and Acclaim fleshed out and refined this awesome formula to perfection.
There's a plethora of fun options, both on the solo and multiplayer front, including a robust championship mode that ranges from basic scrambles to causing maximum wreckage at intersections. The game blends exhilarating action with an element of strategy, adding depth to this already loaded and immersive experience. Even from a cinematic, visual level, Burnout 2 holds up despite being a 2002 release.