Classic series you've missed out on

[Kong Wen]

Metal Gear Solid V is dominating gaming chatter recently and pretty much everyone on my PS friends list is playing it. This led me to mention in the chat that I'm tempted to devote some of 2016 to catching up on the series. There are a lot of storied, classic series like MGS that I haven't really gotten into or played more than a few entries of (Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Halo, the Mario RPGs, etc.).

What are some classic games or series you've somehow missed out on? What are the games that everyone else seems to have played that you either haven't had the interest or opportunity to experience?

[The Shoemaker]

I've missed out on the MGS series as well, and recently the Dark Souls series that seems to be gaining everyone's attention.

I've also missed out on the F-Zero series, which I know is pretty special to Clay here. I would definitely give this series more of a try if there were more options on the Virtual Console.

[pdSlooper]

The number of series I've never touched is pretty large. I've had no interest in stealth, sports, most FPS, or most racing games, so all the franchises that fall under there are completely unknown to me. I've never really gotten into any western RPGs, either, though I expect I will sometime.

[MerlinDrazziw]

Most series I haven't played, I wouldn't call "missed out on". But when it comes to RPGs and similar, I missed out on Final Fantasy and Pokémon. FF looks great, but I just don't have the time and patience to play large RPGs (always run into that with the ones I do have). Pokémon just never caught on to me, but I can understand the attraction.
Can't think of other series that I could've possibly enjoyed and never got into.

[Kong Wen]

Most series I haven't played, I wouldn't call "missed out on".

Yeah, this is what I mean. There are a lot of games I simply haven't played (obviously, there are a lot of games), but there are only a large handful that I feel like I should go back and play, or that I feel like I would definitely enjoy them but simply haven't gotten around to them.

[link64]

Splinter Cell is one series I've definitely missed out on, I've only played the first game on PS2 years ago and could not get into it.

But since enough time has passed I'm willing to give the series another go.

[Claytone]

Metal Gear Solid V is dominating gaming chatter recently and pretty much everyone on my PS friends list is playing it. This led me to mention in the chat that I'm tempted to devote some of 2016 to catching up on the series. There are a lot of storied, classic series like MGS that I haven't really gotten into or played more than a few entries of (Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Halo, the Mario RPGs, etc.).

What are some classic games or series you've somehow missed out on? What are the games that everyone else seems to have played that you either haven't had the interest or opportunity to experience?

I love this thread idea. My New Year gaming resolutions tend to always include something about trying new series I've been meaning to get to. This is because I am aware that I tend to consume media "depth first." That is to say that if I find a series I like, I usually consume it wholly with obsessive fervor, to the exclusion of much else. For example, in 2012, I studied in Spain for 3 months. Consequently, I asked a friend if he thought Kid Icarus: Uprising or Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D would be a better bang for my portable buck to grab before I left. He advised me to get MGS3D. I beat it in Spain and was hooked. I came home and beat the rest of the canon series before the year's end (including the woefully underrated MSX games). This is fine, but it also means I tend to take awhile to get around to games I've been meaning to play. So again, I started following the resolution to try a few of those "get around to it" games/series every year. Over the past few years, that has included some of my favorites like Castlevania, Ratchet & Clank, and Persona. Definitely a habit I would recommend!

As far as series I still haven't managed to touch go, I'd say the big ones for me are Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, Mass Effect, and Shin Megami Tensei. The first I'm sure I'll eventually get around to. I also actually finally started Fire Emblem recently with Shadow Dragon, but I'm not even halfway through that. As far as Mass Effect goes, it's not a series I'm particularly drawn to, but many of my friends have raved endlessly about it, so it seems like a series I will ultimately at least *try*. I may not like it, but I'll probably at least give the first one a shot. SMT is a series I'm drawn to by way of Persona. I'd love to dive down that rabbit hole.

And yes, KW. Get cracking on Metal Gear!

I've missed out on the MGS series as well, and recently the Dark Souls series that seems to be gaining everyone's attention.

I've also missed out on the F-Zero series, which I know is pretty special to Clay here. I would definitely give this series more of a try if there were more options on the Virtual Console.

If they ever get around to GCN Virtual Console, definitely don't miss GX!

[The Shoemaker]

As far as series I still haven't managed to touch go, I'd say the big ones for me are Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, Mass Effect, and Shin Megami Tensei. The first I'm sure I'll eventually get around to. I also actually finally started Fire Emblem recently with Shadow Dragon, but I'm not even halfway through that.

For Fire Emblem you probably chose one of the most bland entries to jump into the series with :p I find the gamecube games and Awakening on 3DS to be the best ones. Sacred Stones on GBA is decent too.

Final Fantasy is another one of those games with a huge legacy that I haven't tried. I've played a couple spin offs, but not a whole lot of the main series. I think I could really get into 7, 10, 12 and 15 for sure.

[pdSlooper]

Breath of Fire, * of Mana, Mass Effect, Shin Megami Tensei, Star Ocean, and Ys. I have games in all of these series, so I'll eventually try them.

[Kong Wen]

I love this thread idea. My New Year gaming resolutions tend to always include something about trying new series I've been meaning to get to. This is because I am aware that I tend to consume media "depth first." That is to say that if I find a series I like, I usually consume it wholly with obsessive fervor, to the exclusion of much else. For example, in 2012, I studied in Spain for 3 months. Consequently, I asked a friend if he thought Kid Icarus: Uprising or Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D would be a better bang for my portable buck to grab before I left. He advised me to get MGS3D. I beat it in Spain and was hooked. I came home and beat the rest of the canon series before the year's end (including the woefully underrated MSX games). This is fine, but it also means I tend to take awhile to get around to games I've been meaning to play. So again, I started following the resolution to try a few of those "get around to it" games/series every year. Over the past few years, that has included some of my favorites like Castlevania, Ratchet & Clank, and Persona. Definitely a habit I would recommend!

As far as series I still haven't managed to touch go, I'd say the big ones for me are Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, Mass Effect, and Shin Megami Tensei. The first I'm sure I'll eventually get around to. I also actually finally started Fire Emblem recently with Shadow Dragon, but I'm not even halfway through that. As far as Mass Effect goes, it's not a series I'm particularly drawn to, but many of my friends have raved endlessly about it, so it seems like a series I will ultimately at least *try*. I may not like it, but I'll probably at least give the first one a shot. SMT is a series I'm drawn to by way of Persona. I'd love to dive down that rabbit hole.

I'm like you in this regard, as I think you already know. Often, my having not tried a series like the ones mentioned here is made worse by the weight of knowing there are many entries that I would want to get through. Rather than just jump into, say, MGS V to say I've tried the series out, I feel obligated to start from the beginning. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though, it can just make it hard to shake the inertia and get started.

OK... maybe 2016 is the year!!

Actually, a couple years ago, I made an effort to devote some time to the Dragon Warrior/Quest series. I had played the first one a couple times back when I was a little kid, but never any others. I made it through the original again on NES, then 2-3 on GBC, and 4-5 on DS. I got half-way through 6 on DS before stalling out on something and then not going back to it.