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Shaquille O’Neal A Cult Hero for ‘Shaq Fu’ Video Game

Shaquille O'Neal is so famous that it's hard to imagine that he could ever be considered a "cult figure," but in the world of retro gaming, he's exactly that.

In 1994, Shaq created one of his first non-basketball ventures, a video game for Sega Genesis, Gameboy and Super Nintendo by the name of Shaq Fu. As you'd expect, the game is in the fighting genre, resembling Street Fighter II or Mortal Kombat. It, was not, however, received as warmly as those two classics and was universally panned upon its release.

As time passed though, nostalgia for the ridiculous game grew, and Shaq Fu has become a must-have for gamers who like to whip out their mid-1990s consoles. It is now even listed on some countdowns of the greatest games of all-time — though it finds itself on some "worst ever lists" as well.

Check out Shaq fighting various creatures via 16 bits below.

NESN.com will showcase one Moment of Shaq every day until the Celtics open the season against the Heat on Oct. 26 at the TD Garden.

Saturday, Aug. 21: Shaq endorses Gary Busey.