Updated August 2010

What's shovelware? Simply put, it's poorly done game software that's not worth your money. Where does the shovel come in? Some say that so little effort was put into it that it was just thrown together and shoveled out the door in a cynical stab for your money. Others say it's because it smells like something else a farmer might shovel (see photo). Below is a list of known shovelware, whose review scores met at least one of the following criteria:

Resist any temptation to buy these. If you must convince yourself, at least rent a copy through GameFly first.

Game Developer / Publisher
Action Girlz Racing Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
Alone in the Dark Atari
Alvin and the Chipmunks Brash Entertainment
AMF Bowling: Pinbusters! Atomic Planet / Mud Duck Productions
AMF Bowling World Lanes Vir2L
Anubis II Data Design Interactive / UFO Interactive
Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune Destination Software
Attack of the Movies 3D Majesco
Backyard Baseball '09 Atari
Balls of Fury Destination Software
Battle Rage: Mech Combat Data Design Interactive / Destineer
Big Beach Sports THQ
Bigfoot: Collision Course Zoo Games
Big League Sports Activision
Billy the Wizard: Rocket Broomstick Racing Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
Block Party Activision
Bratz Kidz Game Factory
Brothers in Arms: Double Time Ubisoft
Calling Hudson Soft
Calvin Tucker's Redneck Jamboree Zoo Games
Carnival Games: Mini-Golf 2K Games
CID The Dummy Oxygen Interactive
Circus Games Family Fest / Ubisoft
Championship Foosball 505 Games
Chicken Shoot Destination Software
Classic British Motor Racing Data Design Interactive / Bold Games
Coraline D3Publisher
Cruis'n Midway
Dave Mirra BMX Challenge Crave Entertainment
Emergency Mayhem Codemasters
Escape from Bug Island Eidos
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer 2K Games
Far Cry Vengeance Ubisoft
Ford Racing Off Road Crave Entertainment
Furu Furu Park Taito / Majesco
Game Party Midway
Game Party 2 Midway
Game Party 3 Midway
George of the Jungle and the Search for the Secret Crave Entertainment
The Golden Compass Sega
Hannah Montana: The Movie Disney Interactive
The History Channel: Battle for the Pacific Activision
Hooked! Real Motion Fishing Aksys
Hotel for Dogs 505 Games
Hot Wheels: Beat That! Activision
The Island of Dr. Frankenstein Storm City
Jenga: World Tour Atomic Planet / Atari
Jumper: Griffin's Story Brash Entertainment
JU-ON: The Grudge XSeed Games
Just Dance Ubisoft
Kawasaki Jet Ski Data Design Interactive / Bold Games
Kawasaki Quad Bikes Data Design Interactive / Bold Games
Kawasaki Snow Mobiles Data Design Interactive / Bold Games
Kidz Sports: Basketball Bold Games
Kidz Sports: Ice Hockey Bold Games
Kidz Sports: International Soccer Bold Games
King of Clubs Oxygen Interactive
King of Clubs Mini-Golf Oxygen Interactive / Crave Entertainment
Legend of the Dragon Game Factory
London Taxi: Rush Hour Data Design Interactive / Bold Games
Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal Warner Bros. Interactive
M&M's Kart Racing Destination Software
Mad Dog McCree Gunslinger Pack Majesco
Mini Desktop Racing Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
MLB Superstars 2K Games
Monster Trux Arenas Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The Sierra
Myth Makers: Orbs of Doom Data Design Interactive / Bold Games
Myth Makers: Super Kart GP Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
The Naked Brothers Band: The Videogame THQ
Ninjabread Man Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
Ocean Commander Valcon Games
Offroad Extreme Special Edition Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
Out of the Chute: Professional Bull Riding Crave Entertainment
PDC World Championship Darts Oxygen Interactive (O-Games)
Petz Crazy Monkeyz Ubisoft
Pimp My Ride Activision
Pool Party Southpeak Interactive
PopStar Guitar XS Games
Puppy Luv: Your New Best Friend Activision
Rapala Tournament Fishing Activision
Ready 2 Rumble Revolution Atari
Rig Racer 2 Data Design Interactive / Bold Games
Rock 'N' Roll Adventures Data Design Interactive / Conspiracy Entertainment
Rolling Stone: Drum King 505 Games
Showtime Championship Boxing Destination Software
Speed Zone Detn8 Games
Spy Games: Elevator Mission UFO Interactive
The Tale of Despereaux Atari / Brash Entertainment
Tamagotchi Party On! Namco Bandai
Target: Terror Konami
Ten Pin Alley 2 Jack of all Games
Transformers: Cybertron Adventures Activision
Ultimate Board Game Collection Valcon Games
Ultimate Duck Hunting Detn8 Games
Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga XSeed Games
Vegas Party Storm City
Wacky Races: Crash & Dash Eidos
WonderWorld Amusement Park Majesco

Here is also a list of the worst Virtual Console (VC) games:

China Warrior
Digital Champ Battle Boxing
Donkey Kong Jr. Math
Double Dungeons
Drop Off
Fighting Street
King's Knight
The Legend of Kage
Lode Runner
Ninja Combat
Operation Wolf
Power Golf
Samurai Ghost
Spelunker
The Tower of Druaga
Urban Champion
Virtua Fighter 2
Volleyball

And finally a list of the worst WiiWare games:

Aha! I Found It! Hidden Object Game
Blood Beach
Bloons
Brain Drain
Copter Crisis
Cruise Party
Diatomic
Dragon Master: Spell Caster
Family Go-Cart Racing
Family Mini Golf
Family Table Tennis
5 Arcade Gems
HB Arcade Cards
Hockey All-Star Shootout
The Incredible Maze
Planet Pachinko
Pong Toss: Frat Party Games
Protothea
Pub Darts
Rabbids Lab
Robin Hood: The Return of Richard
Sexy Poker
SPOGS Racing
Triple Shots Sports
Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam