If games kept their original names

Boom Blox

As the proud conqueror of damn near every avenue of entertainment on God’s green earth, Steven Spielberg truly is the Prince of All Media. Having worked with the man previously on the original Medal of Honor, EA announced a new collaborative deal with Spielberg during E3 in 2007, that included an action-physics block puzzler for the Wii called “PQRS.” Need proof? We still haven’t deleted the game record! (laziness, lol)

Above: Glad to see this awkward photo op wasn’t all for naught

The origins of the codename are anybody’s guess, but at least the Amistad director eventually made good on EA’s investment with the innovative, quality product we know today as Boom Blox (non-Party edition.) Although that still doesn’t explain why the other game announced that day has yet to be seen. Not a whisper has been heard of “LMNO,” a sci-fi action adventure game, which Newsweek described as “North by Northwest meets E.T.” Oh well… we’re ready when you are, Senor Spielbergo.

God of War

According to David Jaffe’s blog, God of War went through a number of different titles, including “At the Hands of the Gods,” “Dark Odyssey,” and most notably, Omega… as in just the symbol! Also interesting, Kratos was originally named Dominus?

Freeway

Forgive us for setting the Wayback Machine so far into the past, but the case of Activision’s Freeway and its name are too amazing to ignore. “Bloody Human Freeway” wasn’t just the original, infinitely superior title; it was the idea that spurred the entire game! You played as a human, trying to cross a ten lane highway during rush hour… and yes, sometimes the there were consequences.

Left: Bloody Human Freeway
Right: Freeway

Apparently, the folks who now want to publish fifteen Call of Dutys a year were a bit skittish about depicting the bloody demise of a man-like protagonist made up of half a dozen squares, thus the main character was changed to a chicken... Not only was it sad because the title had to follow suit, but it also invited accusations of being a Frogger rip off even though both games were developed independently and at the same time. History!

Above: Write a song about it, Bruce Springsteen!

Pac-Man

Above: That’s an official arcade flyer, yo

Here’s an entry so obvious, we didn’t even have to make art for. Whether you want to attribute the name to the man’s resemblance to a hockey puck shape or the iconic sound of pellet-based gluttony, “Puck Man” was released in Japan in the spring of 1980.

Above: A Puck Man cabinet and an arcade flyer showing the offending word making it as far as Germany

Midway snagged the American rights to the game, and in an incredible act of foresight, they accurately predicted the juvenile jokes that would undoubtedly stem from the game AND that websites such as ours would eventually exist.

Above: We are the reason!
 

LittleBigPlanet

LittleBIGPlanet has come a long way since Media Molecule unveiled the thing as a prototype waaaaay back in the roaring ‘07’s. Even though the game resembled something you’d find in the iPhone App Store, “Craft World” charmed the pants off Sony at GDC that year.

Above: Yellowhead: The precursor to Sackboy

Not only was the game graced with a title that didn’t sound like the store where your grandma picks up pipe cleaners, the crude geometrical spokesthing known as “Yellowhead” was excused altogether for some bizarre bit of creepiness hinted at by the original flyer.

Above: Zoom, please

Above: SACKBEAR IS WATCHING YOU PEEEEEE

Mar 18, 2010

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