Obscure (but good) US and import only PSX and PS2 games

[Ichirou]

In this thread, we list games that are good but which we might not have heard of or just passed up and forgotten.  I have all this money burning a hole in my pocket, help me spend it by looking for obscure stuff!

I'll start with some US PSX games:
Tomba! - Platformer with puzzle and RPG elements about a pink-haired caveman who fights pigs.  It's better than Odin Sphere.  It also got a 3D sequel which I never played.
Eternal Eyes - decent strat. RPG released as a budget title near the end of the PSX's life span.
Saiyuki - Really good strat. RPG from Koei based on the classic tale of the monkey king.

Import only:
Gunners Heaven - Gunstar Heroes ripoff by the team that would later go on to create the Wild ARMs series.
Hermie Hopperhead - Cute 2D platformer from early in the PSX's lifespan.

[drohne]

i second tomba, gunners heaven, and harmful park. you can get gunners heaven off the japanese psn store now.

chippoke ralph no daibouken (or the adventure of little ralph) is one of my favorite ps1 games -- it's an awesome arcadey platformer with great level designs and tons of little secrets and charm to spare. and it's worth playing for score/1cc. uh...and it's super fucking awesome

also zanac x zanac -- remember compile, who made musha and space megaforce and, you know, ZANAC? well this is zanac plus a NEW zanac game appropriately called zanac neo and it's awesome and compiley and the effects will literally hurt your eyes

both of these games are fuck expensive, it occurs to me. oh well.

[demi]

Eternal Eyes is awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwful, wtf

Saiyuki is decent, tho

[Ichirou]

Eternal Eyes is awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwful, wtf

Saiyuki is decent, tho

It's mediocre, but it's not terrible.  And Saiyuki is good stuff.

[Ichirou]

i second tomba, gunners heaven, and harmful park. you can get gunners heaven off the japanese psn store now.

chippoke ralph no daibouken (or the adventure of little ralph) is one of my favorite ps1 games -- it's an awesome arcadey platformer with great level designs and tons of little secrets and charm to spare. and it's worth playing for score/1cc. uh...and it's super fucking awesome

also zanac x zanac -- remember compile, who made musha and space megaforce and, you know, ZANAC? well this is zanac plus a NEW zanac game appropriately called zanac neo and it's awesome and compiley and the effects will literally hurt your eyes

both of these games are fuck expensive, it occurs to me. oh well.

I have been looking for Adventures of Little Ralph ever since I first came to Japan.  It's fucking IMPOSSIBLE to find.

[Ichirou]

I might be tempted to buy it from you. 

[Himu]

ORE NO RYOURI IS GOD.

[tiesto]

I might be tempted to just outbid Ichirou for Little Ralph

I second Internal Section though... very nice surprise, kind of like a cross between Tempest and Rez, and some really attractive (for PS1) graphics, and cool music. The game is pretty easy, aside from the annoying boss fights, and some of the weapons you get seem way more useful than others, but still worth playing.

[Ichirou]

I wish I had picked up Tomba 2...I loved the first, and I think the second is probably really rare nowadays. 

[Ichirou]

"Create a level from a CD" reminds me - Vib Ribbon!  Though I guess that's a bit of a cult classic.

[Third]

Rule of Rose is pretty good.

[demi]

WTF no it's not, you are fuckin high