These games are old, but still so fresh

When college students visit their local game stores with their hard-earned pennies, it can be hard to take a chance on a full-priced game no one has ever heard of. Opting for the safer route, most gamers prefer to invest their $50 or $60 in a sequel to an established franchise rather than take a chance on something innovative.

"I think that non-mainstream games carry the risk with them that it may simply be a bad game," said Tyler Owens, a 6th-semester accounting major, "which is a shame, because there are a lot of great games that fly under the radar."

However, these games eventually resurface somewhere far cheaper than their original price, leaving you with no excuse for not picking them up. These games can be found for less than $20, either in a bargain bin at your local store or online through some downloadable service.

Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

Spiritual successor to action-adventure game Ico, Shadow of the Colossus carves its own path by forgoing dungeon crawling in favor of scaling three story monsters. The game consists of only twelve dramatic boss fights and the travel through the land in between.

The story is minimal but engaging, managing to do wonders with little effort. "It is also one of the few games I have played that actually forces the player to feel empathy for the monsters they are killing," says Rose. The long expanses of travel through the wasteland will probably turn off some gamers, but if you can stick with it, the boss fights are some of the most epic you'll ever find in any game.

ToeJam & Earl

(Genesis/Wii)

"ToeJam & Earl" had its own unique charm and good simultaneous co-op game play, a rarity during the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo era. The game starred two loveable aliens and featured such notable characters as The Wise Carrot and Santa Claus - though the gameplay is a little barebones, which can leave you bored if you're looking for an epic undertaking. This game got lost amidst the Mario and Sonic shuffle around that time, but now Nintendo brought it back for its Virtual Console. Pick it up on the cheap and bring a friend for a surreal experience.

Phantom Dust (Xbox)

This game debuted in 2005 at the already-cheap price of $20.00. For that price, you get a completely unique game play experience. Phantom Dust merges a third-person action game with elements of a collectable card game. Players collect 'skills' (attacks and defenses, among others) and build a deck that then comprises the player's weapons as they battle other players with similar decks.

The gameplay is unique and incredibly addictive, and the story is overdone but interesting. Unfortunately, the wastelands you fight in are pretty bland, making extensive use of gray and little else. However, with included Xbox Live play, this is a game you can sink tons of time into and keep coming back for more.

Psychonauts (Xbox/PS2)

Psychonauts takes an average (but solid) platformer and fills it with a cast of interesting characters, weird environments and a loveable sense of humor. Taking place in a summer camp for psychics, the main character, Raz, dives into peoples' (or fish monsters') minds and explores the unique environment that makes up their psyche.

While the middling platforming action might turn off gamers looking for a challenge, this game is meant to be appreciated for the ride, so take it slow and stop to smell the flowers.