It's not just consoles that lose interest after two; there are a number of classic arcade games that never quite found their way to three. The most memorable example is William's Smash TV, a game that wasn't afraid to use two joysticks and show gallons of blood. It's follow-up, Total Carnage, offered many of the same game play elements, a few of the same bosses, and the same two joystick set-up. It seemed like a combination that couldn't fail, but after Total Carnage William's never chose to follow it up. These days most gamers could probably care less, but for me, most of my childhood was spent playing these fast-paced games.

Years before I was shooting game show contestants in Smash TV, arcade goers were digging a brand new kind of superhero called Dig Dug. Not only was he able to dig far below the crust of the Earth, but he could blow enemies up with his magical air pump. The game spawned a sequel, Dig Dug 2, which was more of the same, with better graphics and more challenges. By the time the sequel hit, gamers were starting to discover new types of 2D side scrollers, and Dig Dug wasn't looking as revolutionary as it once was.

Of course, you can't talk arcade games without mentioning SNK's classic Neo*Geo. For years it was a consistent hub for some of the arcade's best fighting games, side scrollers, and mind benders. But the Neo*Geo also led a few franchises on, only to drop them before they were able to fully realize their potential. Like King of the Monsters, for example, a game that combined wrestling sensibility with characters that where straight out of a Godzilla film. The sequel, King of the Monsters 2, was nothing more than an excuse to add a new character and new locations, and SNK wisely chose to forget the whole franchise and move on.

Almost as lucky was Shock Troopers, a surprisingly good MERCS wannabe. As arcade shooters go, Shock Troopers was one of the best, and even managed to hold its own against other me too titles. Shock Troopers 2 actually improved on the theme, and added a lot of multi-path levels, new characters, and better locations. The series was clearly heading in the right direction, and was shaping up to be the overhead version of Metal Slug, but for some odd reason the war ended prematurely.

Fighting fans were rarely disappointed by what the Neo*Geo offered, but at least one brawler didn't manage to make the cut, even though it was also one of the best. Last Blade played like the serious man's Samurai Shodown, a compelling weapon-based fighting game that was more technical than fast-paced. With exquisite backgrounds and fully realized characters, Last Blade, as well as its sequel, Last Blade 2, were destined to become Neo*Geo classics. However, the forces that be did not see Last Blade in quite the same light, and a third installment was never released. This just marks another one of the many poor decisions made by SNK between 1978 and 2001.

Nintendo, on the other hand, seemed to make some of the wisest decisions between those years, creating a number of characters and franchises that they still use without batting an eye. Characters like Mario, Link, and Donkey Kong are just a few of the memorable figures that have landed themselves in dozens of games. But what about the few that never make it that far, or worse yet, only get a fraction of the way there?

What is Nintendo to do about a game like Kid Icarus, a 2D side scroller that combined the platform action of Contra with the stories of Greek Mythology. Nintendo managed to muster up a black and white sequel, Kid Icarus II, for the Game Boy, but waited until the Game Boy was starting to show signs of age. Since then, not only has he not seen a third game, but he has been absent from the Super Smash Brothers games, a franchise he'd easily fit into.

While Rad Racer may not find its way into Super Smash Brothers, it certainly won the hearts of almost every early speed freak. Developed by Rare, both Rad Racer and Rad Racer II were considered the pinnacle of their craft, sort of the Gran Tursimo of the 1980s. Nintendo went as far as to include Rad Racer as one of the center piece games at their traveling Nintendo World Championships. But even this praise wasn't enough for Nintendo, who opted for racers like Mario Kart, Crus'n USA, and F-Zero instead of Rad Racer.

Of course, sometimes there's no reason to even have a second game, let alone a third. After all, not all games that are popular are good. Just look at Chester Cheetah and Chester Cheetah 2, games based on a junk food icon used for a split second. Aero the Acrobat and Aero the Acrobat 2 manage make bats even scarier by pitting one in a horrible 2D circus where every level looks the same.

It's easy to get caught up in all this talk about sequels, but eventually you have to see the bigger picture. Sure these companies dumped these games, but some of the developers actually went on to create something bigger and better. Had the creator of Resident Evil been satisfied with his work, he never would have come up with Devil May Cry, a game that may or may not deserve a third installment.