Genesis Gems

[digitalpress]

All this talk about the Sega Genesis is giving me goosebumps!

In an IM with ChristianScott (at this very moment in fact), he mentioned that most people who have Genesis own Sonic and 3 sports games. I'm thinking: what a shame - so many great titles that will never be played or noticed.

So let's start noticing the less obvious ones. I'll start.

Splatterhouse 3: My God. I liked Splatterhouse on the TurboGrafx-16 and was a little less impressed with the "sequel", which was remarkably like the original, when it appeared on the Genesis. Then they turned around and created a brand new experience in Splatterhouse 3. Not only are you up against an odd assortment of mutants but you've ALSO got the clock working against you! The gameplay style is much better as well, adding a map of the building that you can navigate differently each time you play. Add to this the fact that you're now playing "Streets of Rage" style instead of just a simple punch, kick, or weapon and you've got one HELL of a game. Literally. Splatterhouse 3 was a Genesis exclusive. If you have a Genny, go check this one out.

Who''s next?

[christianscott27]

biohazard battle- meets that r-type craving with some really nice graphics and challenging gameplay. i'm sure it gets better if i could get to the higher levels.
________
GIRLFRIEND PIC (http://girlfriendpics.org)

[buttasuperb]

Kid Chameleon, innovative and fun as hell.

General Chaos, one of my favorite games of all time. I've always wished for an updated version.

[dsullo]

Dungeons & Dragons Warriors of the Eternal Sun. Impressive RPG with all the D&D elements. Pretty underappreciated in my opinion. Great Story and Great Graphics. I finished it twice.

[Tritoch]

King's Bounty! Featuring improved graphics over the DOS version, catchy music, and strategic gameplay this was easily one of my favorite games as a kid. For it's time it was very innovative (a precursor to the Heroes series), and the Genny controller was able to handle the game very competently (unusual in a PC port). That's in addition to the hilarious enemy names, tons of usable unit types, and everyone's favorite - dragons! Even today, I often find myself going back to it instead of pulling out newer PC strategy games like Kohan and Age of Wonders.

[klimatron8]

ToeJam and Earl #2 -Panic on Planet Funkatron --- even better than the original -great fun -yet you only ever hear the first game mentioned. Also sorry but I gotta stump again for a massively overlooked sports game----LaRussa Baseball95 (not tonylarussa 1) this sequel was way ahead of it's time -pitchers warming up in the pen, A batter and a pitcher view, lots of sim stuff --vastly ovelooked gem of a baseball game.

[portnoyd]

Landstalker: A more common game for people to have, but it needs addressing. This IS the Genesis's answer to Zelda. More or less, Zelda plus the isometric land/puzzle system of the NES's Solstice. A fantastic game. It doesn't feature the true freedom of Zelda, but the linear nature gives it more of a story. The right amount of challenge, good graphics, good music, great control. IMO, the best game on the system.

I second General Chaos. That is a HELL of a game. Offers an experience that is hard to find in any other game on any other system from the time, IMO.

King's Bounty and Might & Magic: Thankfully, the Might & Magic and Heroes of Might & Magic series made it to the Genesis in some form. M&M being, in my opinion, the best M&M period, (#2), and King's Bounty being (I believe) the first Heroes. Both excellent, LONG, FULL, CHALLENGING games.

dave

[ManekiNeko]

Here's a no-brainer... Gunstar Heroes. It takes all the frustration out of Contra and adds more complex gameplay, plus the charm that its testosterone-soaked counterpart was missing. The weapon system (allowing you to mix and match different types of artillary) was brilliant, the graphics gorgeous, and the music intense. For fans of fast-paced arcade games, it just doesn't get any better than Gunstar Heroes. Even Treasure has had a difficult time topping their work in this game... only the prequel Guardian Heroes and the fantastic Saturn shooter Radiant Silvergun stand on the same level.

JR

[ManekiNeko]

I'd also like to add Space Invaders '91 to the list. It was one of the best updates to the Space Invaders series ever made, featuring logical new additions to the gameplay that kept it faithful to the original, yet a lot less monotonous. The graphics, consisting largely of picturesque planetscapes, were quite good, the new invader types were very imaginative, and the music, composed by that daring team of video game musicians Zuntata, added a lot of atmosphere to the game. If it's not THE best version of Space Invaders available, it's pretty close.
Joe, I hope you'll forgive me if this is an inappropriate question, but I just have to know. I remember that Kevin Oleniacz was constantly on the lookout for this game. Did he ever get it?

JR

[digitalpress]

Joe, I hope you'll forgive me if this is an inappropriate question, but I just have to know. I remember that Kevin Oleniacz was constantly on the lookout for this game. Did he ever get it?

Yup.

[Arcade Antics]

*Echoes sentiment for Splatterhouse 3 and Space Invaders '91.*

I also like Ultimate Qix, but you might have to experiment with different controllers to find one that works best for you. Just try and fill in *100%* of the screen.

Pac-Mania is a fab translation of the coin-op.

Phelios, Truxton, and Grind Stormer are oft overlooked shoot 'em up gems.

Dragon's Fury and Dragon's Revenge: fanTAStic pinball sims.

Gauntlet IV: "Treasure: 100 points." Near perfect coin-op port.

And possibly the most underrated Genesis game ever:

Flicky. Another fine coin-op translation that literally flew in under the radar. Easy to learn, cute, and the later levels throw lots of extra difficulty at you.

[Bratwurst]

Rocket Knight Adventures was a polished, pleasant romp. The way you had to hop around and rebound off of walls with the jetpack reminds me very much of the NES Bionic Commando.

[ManekiNeko]

How about the sequel, Sparkster? I didn't care for Rocket Knight Adventures but I think Konami did a pretty good job with Sparkster. I especially liked the sword torpedo attack where Sparkster would fly toward the enemy, spinning wildly and with his sword outstretched. You could actually remove giant screws from a menacing machine with this attack... ingenious!

JR

[congobongo]

Finally got it this week: Ghouls N Ghosts. What a great arcade port! Also, Combat Cars is a suprisingly fun little game.

[Bighab]

The Genesis is my all-time favourite system. Some great games were mentioned above,Landstalker and D&D Warriors of the eternal sun to name a few. Here are some no one mentioned.
Starflight: Very cool space exploration/mystery RPG. I loved finding new planets to mine and hunt for new specimens. The space combat was fun. I had a blast with it.
Centurion Defender of Rome: Fantastic strategy game. I love the Legion Battles. Those dam Parthians and their all Cavalry units were a pain in the butt :D

[ManekiNeko]

"Finally got it this week: Ghouls N Ghosts. What a great arcade port!"

Yeah, it really was. I remember that EGM took every available opportunity to refer to the game as "cheesy" when other versions came out. Those other versions may have been prettier than the Genesis game, but they sure weren't better. Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts played a lot more like Ghosts 'n Goblins than the second game, lacking its gentle charm and the ability to fire both upward and downward. It was also far too difficult... I can get through a few rounds of Ghouls 'n Ghosts with persistence, but never got past the second round of "Super" Ghouls 'n Ghosts.
That also reminds me... EGM can bite me.

JR

[Keir]

I have to say I agree with a lot of the posts here. The others I simply haven't tried yet! :-D I was going to post Rocket Knight Adventures, a game I just recently discovered, Bratwurst beat me to it. And now I hear there's a sequel? Yay!

Shove It! The Warehouse Game: An addictive puzzle game with a really stupid premise. You're working overtime moving boxes at a warehouse to make money to buy a fancy car to impress the girl of your dreams. :roll: Basically it's one of those games where you slide blocks around to get them into the right places. Simple concept, even simpler graphics and sound, but once you start playing you won't be able to put your controller down!

[Bratwurst]

I have to say I agree with a lot of the posts here. The others I simply haven't tried yet! :-D I was going to post Rocket Knight Adventures, a game I just recently discovered, Bratwurst beat me to it. And now I hear there's a sequel? Yay!


I got that game, pristine and complete, years ago in a pawn shop of all things. :) I believe the sequel was for the SNES only, and they drastically changed the character appearance.

Anyways, I really liked Cyborg Justice, too. I need to get that one sometime.

[Raccoon Lad]

Bleh, I didn't really like Pac-Mania on the Genesis. I actually think the NES version is better.

[kainemaxwell]

Herzog Zwei and Ranger X belong on that list too.

[Starcade]

Wheres the love for Shinobi 3: Return of the Ninja??

This game is EASILY one of my all-time favorite Genesis games, due to the Shuriuken throwing, and Ninja magic. Put simply, this game R0x my B0xorz! :D

[Arrrhalomynn]

I love columns. One of the few puzzle games that I like almost as much as tetris.

[Arcade Antics]

Wheres the love for Shinobi 3: Return of the Ninja??

This game is EASILY one of my all-time favorite Genesis games, due to the Shuriuken throwing, and Ninja magic. Put simply, this game R0x my B0xorz! :D

That reminds me - you should check out Shadow Dancer. IMO, it's better than Shinobi III. And you have your very own attack wolf to unleash on the enemy. How cool is that? :)

[ManekiNeko]

No, there are two versions of Sparkster... one for the Genesis and one for the Super NES. The two games are noticably different... there are shooter sequences in the Super NES game.

JR

[Bratwurst]

No, there are two versions of Sparkster... one for the Genesis and one for the Super NES. The two games are noticably different... there are shooter sequences in the Super NES game.

There are shooter levels in the Genesis version though. :D Once over that pig city, then in space getting to the EVIL villian's hideout. There's one over the moat to the castle in the first level, too.

[Six Switch]

Gunstar Heroes is the best.I heard a rumor of making it on GBA as a remake or a new game on GBA.We can only pray..... :roll:

[mikeetler]

Warsong. Definitely one of the best strategy games of it's time along with TG16 Military Madness.

[ClubNinja]

Ok, while I agree with a whole bunch of those already listed, I'll try to include a few that no one's mentioned.

Arrow Flash - I adore this little shooter, you should too.

Whip Rush and Granada are also lovely... Rennovation is sweet!

Air Buster is another pleasant shooter, as is Wings of Wor. Dynamite Headdy is obvious, but I'm not sure if that's more popular than I think. I also dig Technoclash for some strange reason.

Everything else - Rocket Knight, Gunstar, etc - has already been mentioned.

[Goodwill Hunter]

I'll add some of my Genesis favorites:

Dune: Battle for Arrakis - My first and favorite RTS game. Long, challenging battles with easy to navigate menus.

M.U.S.H.A. - Great, overlooked shooter!

Robocop vs. Terminator - second only to Gunstar for my fav Genny platformer/shooter. Great sound and graphics....the codes make this game a real blast!

Zero Tolerance - The first FPS I played is still fun. Graphics suffer by comparison to Doom and others, but it is amazing what they were able to pack into a standard Genesis cartridge. Anybody else have that hard-to-find link cable?

Rich

[le geek]

I second (third?) Gauntlet IV, Gunstar Heroes, and Space Invaders '91. Gauntlet IV also has excellent music. Earthworm Jim is a particularly nice title as well as being more playable then the snes version and with an extra level (Although I'd still like to track down the Sega CD version). I also like Comix Zone (short but sweet) the first Vectorman, Outrunners, Wiz N Liz, Castlevania Bloodlines, Beavis and Butthead, and yes even MJ: Moonwalker (but talk about a guilty pleasure will all the crap in the news!)

[kainemaxwell]

M.U.S.H.A. - Great, overlooked shooter!

Definitly second that on MUSHA.

[maxlords]

Holy crap! *hugs DP* I love this thread! Man...a LOT of my favorites are already listed. I have to say that Landstalker, Warsong, Dune, Shinobi 3, Gunstar Heroes, MUSHA, Gauntlet IV (Gauntlet w/RPG mode!), & Ghouls N' Ghosts all make my list. I JUST got Granada and I love it as well! I'm a big Renovation fan! :)

Here's the ones I'd add too:

Alien Solider: Sure it's an import, but it's Treasure, it's nothing but solid boss fights, and it's damned cool! If you're lucky enough to have imported it and be able to play it....WOW! The Engrish storyline on the PAL version is HILARIOUS and I've tried for a LONG time to make sense of it. I think I'll have to type it out word for word and post it here to show everyone...I've NEVER seen anything like it! :) Awesome game!

Castlevania: Bloodlines: The last TRUE US Castlevania IMO. Sure, Castlevania IV was in the same vein, but it was way too easy. Bloodlines is DAMNED hard, and that makes it more fun IMO cause I like a challenge. SOTN isn't a challenge it's just pretty. Bloodlines will pake your fingers sweat.

Arcus Odyssey: Another Wolfteam port by Renovation....Awesome semi-isometric shooter/adventure game! Very very fun with two people and quite well designed. Wolfteam rules the Genesis!

Shadowrun: Great little RPG/Action game based on the pen and paper RPG. Lots of people swear by the SNES one, but I never really played it. I DID play the Genesis one through 3 full times though! Breaking into corporate office buildings, taking on hits, hacking computers systems and fighting their ICE....such a damned fun game all the way through! Lame ending, but a REALLY great game.

Shining in the Darkness (aka my first RPG): Yay! This was the first RPG I ever played, and it took me 3 months to beat it. I played it so much that I memorized every single dungeon back in the day! I had so much fun with this game. Long and involved dungeons, and great graphics!

Shining Force I and II: Well, these are just a given...I'm surprised no one has mentioned them yet. The quinessential strategy/RPG!

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine: The first Puyo Puyo incarnation I ever played, and still my favorite. I played it so long that I actually managed to beat it on Normal! Puyo Puyo rules....huzzah for Compile!

Mega Man: Wily Wars: Known as Rockman Mega World in Japan, this one only came to the US on the Sega Channel. Too bad cause it's the only graphics upgrade to Mega Man 1-3 ever done, and it's damned good too. All on one cart..Mega Man 1-3 plus a bonus Wily Tower thing that never saw the light of day anywhere else, and it has a cart save built in...no more dot passwords! Great graphics and altered music make it a must for Mega Man fans, but the nearly $100 price tag for the PAL version plus the need for a convertor make it prohibitively expensive for most. I bought it anyway and it was worth it :)

Thunderforce II, III, and Lightning Force: Nuff said. The best Genny shooters there are.

Eliminate Down: Amazing side scrolling shooter for hte Mega Drive (Japan only) If you can afford the $50+ price tag for a cart only one, or the $150 for a complete one, it's WELL worth it for shooter fans. Quite possibly one of the top 10 hardest shooters I've EVER seen, and great graphics to boot! There's a section in an asteroid field which freaks me out every time. Try and rescue the lost spacemen in EV suits...just try it! :)

Langrisser 2: Another Japan only release...the sequel to Warsong. Just as good in every way. I have an original, but I play it on emulation cause my emulation version is patched for English....good old fan translations! One day I'll write everything they say down and play it on the Genesis cause of the nicer look to it on a TV screen. I can't get enough of the Warsong series! Love those little guys flinging themselves at each other in the battles! They try and try, but ultimately they always die....such satisfying screams! :)

Phantasy Star 2: The best Phantasy Star. Sadly, you walk REALLY slow or I'd have played this one through again. Awesome game, awesome story. I got all the way to Darkforce the last time I played...got slaughtered. Ah well. One of the only SF RPGs out there...and damned cool for it's time!

Ok....I'd better stop now or I'll list my entire collections. I have more Genny games than almost any other system and I do love them....16 bit is my favorite era and the Genesis is one of my two favorite systems for it (along with the TG-16). Plus, I think at last count I was up to 8 or 9 Genesis systems :) Yay for Genesis!

[Alex Kidd]

Trying to avoid itles that have already been mentioned;

MUSHA: Best Genesis Shooter
Shining Force Series: If not for an everchanging LineUp, the Shining Force should be the Sega Mascot!
Shadowrun: Aside from working like a dog to make money and increase stats, a very fun game with well thought out story.
Altered Beast: I don't know what it is about this game, I just keep coming back to it.
Super Hydlide: Not that pretty, but VERY detaled about stats, and very addicting gameplay. Plus a big world to explore.
Revenge Of Shinobi: The BEST Shinobi game yet (and probably ever)
Alien Storm: Another game, like Altered Beast, where I don't know what draws me to it.. maybe the old school arcade action it offers...
Virtua Fighter 2: May have been converted to a 2D fighter, but hey, At least hey kept all the special moves. I've always been a fan of fighting games but I hate how they never fought with any real 'style', just punch, punch, kick, kick, fireball, jumpkick. THIS was REAL fighting.
Beavis & Butthead: I LOVE run around/find the items/figure out how they work and where to use them or how they interact with other stuff (god bless Lucasarts, why'd they stop making them?). But Consoles had VERY few... well this was one of the few and a DANDY to boot... took me a LONG time to solve! (mainly cause I ALWAYS stood just a FEW pixels off when trying to saw down the tree and just assumed that I couldn't)
WeaponLord: ...... JUST kidding! LOL

Alex Kidd

[HaggarCodyGuy123]

I personally like Alisia Dragoon, Valis 3, the Rolling Thunder series, Wonderboy in Monsterworld, Strider, Thunder/Lightening Force series, Chiki Chiki Boys, Forgotton Worlds, Ristar, Gaiares, Mickey Mania, etc. Argg!!!!!!!! Too much to remember.

[Eternal Champion]

It depends on the "genre":
Streets of Rage 2 & 3--Kick the SNOT outta Final Fight! And Yuzo Kushiro music!! It's a KO!!!
Gunstar Heroes and Contra Hard Corps--Contra 3? Never heard of it...(OK, Hard Corps isn't quite Alien Wars, but Gunstar? No comparison...these games show that the Genesis excelled at fast-paced action games. MUCH less flicker and slow-down than SNES.)
Shinobi III--in my view, can give Contra 3 a run for it's money...
Phantasy Star 2 and 4--Phorget Phinal Phantasy III!!
OK, FFIII is a classic, but too linear--the game leads you by the hand from A to B. PS2--you have to figure out where to go next! Sure, doesn't have the slick graphics and battle mechanics, but not as excessively story-driven.
Thunder Force II-IV--classic shooters. Sure, SNES had R-Type III, but Thunder Force III got me first, and had some of the best music I've ever heard. Genesis was a haven for shooters in the early nineties...man, I miss those days.
Granada! I really fell in love with the little tank...not a visual feast by any means, just really solid gameplay! Addictive and HARD as hell...not cheap, just challenging. Over the years I've probably played it more than any of my Genny games. It's like 8 levels of the overhead "Contra 3" levels. In fact, I recently found the old arcade game it was loosely based on in a hotel...shit, can't remember the name...it's got two joy sticks, like driving a real tank...ah, dammit.

[Gunstarhero]

Ok, I'm a big strategy fan, and there are a couple games not yet listed that should be.

Gain Ground. I don't know what it is, but I just love a game that has multiple time periods in it, with the option to use futuristic weaponry on a pre-historic enemy. I love the strategy of having to choose the correct character for each stage that will most efficiently wipe out the enemy force. Also, the sheer variety of usable characters in the game make it fun to replay and experiment with the abilities of all of them. Love that Flame Thrower guy! It seems to be a hot game around the boards lately, but I don't think Gain Ground ever made a big impact on the home market, so if you haven't played it and you like strategy with lots of action, try it out. Another Renovation classic.

Tyrants This is an RTS that incorporates the passage of Time, and again my favorite, allows you to fight your enemy that has rocks as weapons with your higher tech army that has Bow and Arrows for example. This game is one of the deepest strategy games you will find on any classic game console. It's like a baby version of our modern day Starcraft because you are required to mine elements from the ground for resources, and you have to appoint a certain amount of men to research weapons. The more men you have research weapons, the less men you have to fill spots in the Army etc..so this becomes the key strategic element in the game, how many researchers to appoint, how many men should be mining, how many to defend your castle etc...You can form alliances and break them, thats always fun. The game really starts getting fun when you are able to develop Nuclear Weapons. BOOOM!!, then you can develop Missile Defense oh yeah!!! I think one of the funnest moments I had was when I dropped a nuclear bomb on an enemy that had only developed up to WWI technology, they had machine guns and biplanes. Bye bye!! BOOOOM!!! The only thing missing is a two player mode. Don't miss out on this classic RTS.

MERCS Even better than the Arcade version with the inclusion of the Original mode that lets you control multiple characters and choose which ones to power up and when. Excellent!

Rambo III One of the first Genny games, this follows the movie pretty closely, and has the spirit of games like Contra and Ikari Warriors pumping thru its electrodes. I love all 3 Rambo movies, so I really dig this game, in fact its one of my top 5 favorites for the Genesis. I love the close up stages where you take on a Tank or a Chopper one on one with your Bow and Arrow, great graphics!

[punkoffgirl]

Gunstar Heroes 2 player= not much fun. Ended up being a big pain in the ass.
Shove It kept me playing until 2am last night. And I only made it to the fourth level, and didn't manage to clear a single room (I think I was too tired). And I'm not sure I remember the password now.. San something.. Diego perhaps.
A lot like Lolo, but a lot more challenging.

[cheesystick]

I very much enoyed Vectorman 1 and 2. The came is like Gunstar Heroes on PCP. :o
-Crispy

[Xipe]

I think all my favourites are already listed.

Only one i can think of adding is Gynoug, very underestimated, fun sidescrolling shooter and BIZARRE bosses.

[Ruudos]

I'm not really into Genesis yet, but I will, I have enough games for it to keep me entertained.

Rocket Knight Adventures
Yes, it is mentions before in this topic, love it.

Altered Beast
This was the first Genesis games I've played, so that's what makes it special.

QuackShot
Donald Duck in his own great adventure, gotta love the gun.

Castle of Illusion
A great and wonderful platformer

Wonderboy in Monster World
This game reminded me of Faxanadu, only with cartoony graphics. Wonderful game with clear, colorful graphics.

TMNT: The Hyperstone Heist
This game is great, especially in 2-player mode.

Two Crude Dudes
Just have to mention this one, a friend of mine is crazy about it. It's a pretty cool fighting game where you can pick up many stuffs to beat the sh*t out of your enemies.

[Videogamerdaryll]

My Favorite game for the Genesis has always been..

Caliber 50

with... LHX Attack Chopper in second........(toasted)

[RetroYoungen]

Most of mine are here (Altered Beast, both Vectormans, etc.), maybe I missed it, but no one said Comix Zone! That's one helluva game right there, one of the greatest side-scrollers I've ever had the privilage of playing (or watching, it's beautiful!).

[shai hulud]

whats the deal with Chiki Chiki Boys, never heard of it til today. I bought it and havent been able to play it yet.

[rjs9009]

The Haunting..... Best genesis game ever.

[oesiii]

I don't think anyone has mentioned one of my favorite games, Red Zone by Time Warner Interactive. Fun mission based game. Takes air and ground vehicle combat and mixes it up with on the ground special forces types of opertations. Kept me entertained for hours anyways.

[The Clonus Horror]

In 1990, I was playing Altered Beast and Herzog Zwei a lot.

Around 1994, my friends and I would play Mutant League Football for hours.

Now, I find myself playing Streets of Rage 2 and 3, Mutant League Football (the game just won't die), Cadash, and Gaires. Good stuff!

CURRENTLY PLAYING:
PSOne: Medievel I, Smackdown 2, Einhander
Genesis: Cadash
32X: Kolibri
N64: WWF No Mercy, Conker's Bad Fur Day
Atari 2600: Demon Attack
SNES: Earthworm Jim 2, Sunset Riders
NES: Tecmo World Wrestling, Rolling Thunder
PC: Jardinians (I love it!)

[zektor]

I really liked Mystic Defender. It was one of the early titles for the system, and a cool game at that. I remember popping the game into my Mega Drive (didn't everyone import the Mega Drive before the Genesis came here??) :) and seeing it come up in Japanese! This is when I first found out that the game itself didn't have the USA/Jap character code, but the system's bios itself!

[tynstar]

Phantasy Star 2, 3 ,4
King's Bounty
Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
NHLPA 93
AD & D warrior of the Enternal Sun

Plus a lot more.

[brandver3]

I have never played the Haunting, but I really want to try it I have heard nothing but good things.

I think Zombies Ate my Neighbors was a great genny game.

Raiden Trad was an awsome shooter and definatly worth picking up.

[Savedman]

I was particularly fond of Sword of Vermillion.

[AB Positive]

SoV was a strange RPG to me, I could never get the hang of the battle system with it.

[Neo-Jorge]

Was I like the only person on the planet that Loved Last battle, that was like hours of mindless fun god I loved that 1st mindless dungeon of doom with the boulders and flying arrows .



Thanks

[Vroomfunkel]

You liked last battle??? You masochist! I rate that the worst game I have ever played on the Megadrive...

Great games I second:

Toejam and Earl: Panic on Funkatron ... easily way better than the first game, I don't know why anyone pretends any different.

Robocop vs. Terminator ... pure platform shooter action. Absolutely fantastic and infinitely replayable.

Flicky - oh, the hours i spent playing this when I should have been revising!! I still remember the feeling of achievement when I finally got through all the levels .... and found myself back on level 1 again!!

Buck Rogers - my first RPG experience. A sweet memory indeed. Rented it out with a friend, and got nowhere. We decided it was crap and went out and played cricket instead. I took it home in the evening to give it another try, and finally figured out how to play it ... and from then on we were totally hooked. Must have earned that video store a fair bit!!

Bare Knuckle 3 - best of the whole series.. and the uncensored Jap version is definitely the best!

The Chaos Engine - brilliant!

Mega Swiv - outstanding!

Micro Machines Military - best Micro Machines game EVER! Fantastic multiplayer action... and you got to shoot at eachother as well!!!

Vroomfunkel

[miles]

I second Gunstar Heroes, Rambo 3, Gain Ground, Mega Man Wily Wars.

Also superb games:

Castlevania: Bloodlines (Castlevania: New Generation, in Europe; very cheesy name)

Psycho Pinball (was it released on the Genesis?)

Cannon Fodder (not released in the US)

[Dire 51]

Hmmm... most of my all time favorite Genny games have already been mentioned (Mystic Defender, MUSHA, Gunstar Heroes, Alien Soldier, Valis III, Splatterhouse 3, Bloodlines, Hard Corps, Ghouls 'N Ghosts, Phelios, Truxton, all three Shinobi and ThunderForce games), but how about these?

Space Harrier II - The game that convinced me that I had to have the Genesis when I first saw it in late '89. It also introduced me to Space Harrier - the original I had not really bothered with (in either arcade or SMS incarnations) until then. To this day, I have yet to play a pseudo 3-D shooter that I've liked more.

Splatterhouse 2 - While it is the weakest out of the entire series, I still bought it the day it was released and played the hell out of it. It's still a fantastic game - while definitely not as good as SH3, it fits the requirements if you're looking for an almost direct sequel to part 1.

El Viento - great Wolf Team platformer. I consider it to be the spiritual sister of the Valis series.

The Golden Axe series - The first was a fantastic conversion of the original arcade game, the second - while slightly flawed - was almost as good as the first, and the third (Japanese import only) brought some great new moves and ideas to the series, even if the graphics looked like they were done by interns at Sega. I've described the series like this - GA1 - the major motion picture, GA2 - the direct to video sequel, GA3 - the made for TV movie.

Strider - Sega did a great job of porting G'NG to the Genny, but they did an even better job porting Strider. This is probably the closest a Genesis game got to being almost exactly like the original arcade game.

Forgotten Worlds - Another great port of a great arcade game. While not quite as good as the original, the Genny version still stands out.

Burning Force - This has got to be my favorite take on Space Harrier ever. It adds powerups and the ability to control two different vehicles (sort of), as well as adding a heads-up warning sound when enemies come from behind you. If Space Harrier II didn't exist, this would be my favorite pseudo 3-D shooter.

[Ed Oscuro]

Fun fact time...The sound test for the European Mega Drive release of Castlevania (The New Generation) has two less soundtracks than the US and Japanese (Vampire Killer) versions. They're stuff you hear in the other versions after beating Dracula and so on, but it's odd that it's missing.

[Daltone]

Ah..General Chaos, let me count the ways i love thee...actually, no that would take too long. Super Hang On was cool, mainly because it was one of the first I played, i think. Mickey Mouse World Of Illusion was great in 2p mode..apart from that 'get the mine cart up the hill' bit...Mortal Kombat 2 holds a special place in my heart, mainly because I can't complete it to this day (they're cheap! Cheap I tell's ya!) Afterburner II and Super Thunder blade I liked. Oh, and 688 Attack-sub was absolutely brilliant,,,,

[Needle]

Lots of good games mentioned here... so I'm basically just going to gloss over some of my favorites of the favorites :)

Only saw Kid Chameleon mentioned once! This is a great platformer... the game design is great, all the way through (and this game is incredibly long!). Turning into the Berserker always made me smile.

MUSHA is a fantastic shooter. I always enjoyed how the game took a very eastern feel. The quasi-sequel for the Sega CD, Robo Aleste, is pretty good as well.

If you're into quirky shooters, there's always Trouble Shooter, which is a silly anime-based side-scrolling shmup. They made a sequel, which was much more superior, but it was never released in America. The original japanese games are called Battle Mania and they're hilarious (but decent fun).

Shadow Dancer is great. The boss at the Statue of Liberty, with the giant saw blades, sticks in my mind to this day. The sound effects are suberb.

I prefer the first Toe Jam & Earl over the second one, just because of the cheesy sound effects, which add sooooo much to that game. When I was younger, a friend and I tried to play through it together. We were about 20 feet away from the final ship piece... when we heard the oh-so-familiar honk of the Phantom Ice Cream Truck. Just thinking about it makes me giggle!

Shining Force pretty much invented the tile-based RPG... or at least made it popular. Shining in the Darkness was cool too in that quirky "shining" kind of way. I always liked the character designs in this series.

I'll stop there for now. :-D

[Steve Woita]

Hi,
I just noticed that someone mentioned Kid Chameleon... I was one of the co programmers & co designers of that game (I programmed & designed all of the Bosses & a hand full of the little monsters & Icon movement & the shard special effects etc..) Any way It was fun to see someone mention that game...It sure was a blast to build that game with the great team we had at that time :D

Take care,
Steve Woita.....PS: See ya at this years CGE ! (I'll be the guy selling the numbered collector copies of the hand packaged "Clickum" game for the PC...The CD will be in a cool looking DVD case (My wife SuSan did the cover art & the logo & title screen for the game)) See ya @ CGE !

[Classicgamesdepot]

Wow..I can't believe nobody has mentioned Comix Zone, one of the most beautifully graphical genesis games ever and extremely fun at that. It literally is like controlling a comic book. If youv never played this game give it a try. I was dying for A dreamcast update but it never happened... There are so many more that I could rant about forever, Iv been waiting a while for more Genesis Posts

[gwaine]

I second Warsong(my fav Genesis game) and add Powerball...futuristic soccer/football where your stats increase after each game...so fun with another person. Strider, though mentioned before was amazing when it came out and shows what the Genesis could do.

[Daniel Thomas]

Time to check through some great Genny games again? Works for me. I'll try to skip the usual suspects that I always mention, and see what else is out there.

How about Gaiares? Did everyone forget this shooter classic, or was it just too hard for its own good? It was such an amazing game in 1990, and hasn't aged a single day. Its only sin was making you start over after getting killed (instead of playing through like most shooters); but, hey, tough games used to be a virute.

Treasure was brilliant on Genesis, of course, but why is Treasureland Adventure dissed to badly? Maybe it's just the Ronald McDonald thing. Whatever. It's brilliantly clever, and just wacked-out wierd, but too damned short. I love how Ronald's friends are all lazy bums who mooch off him. And they're all fat, too -- what's with that? LOL

Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf - Really good golf game, and I'm not thrilled by golf games. Everything has that bold, large, first-wave Genesis look to it. And Fantasy Zone is hidden in for kicks.

Cannon Fodder - Sure, it's been ported to every console, but it's a great game. Love watching those little soldiers getting killed.

Gauntlet 4 - I have to agree, this version of Gauntlet rocks.

Phelios - Another killer shooter, great theme, cool environments, hot girls in gowns tied up....what was I writing about, again?

Twinkle Tale, Verytex, Battle Mania 2, Panorama Cotton, Twin Hawk - All of these are great Japanese games that never made it to the States. Too bad, because everyone missed out. Go check 'em out sometime.

[BigBoogie]

I also vote D&D:WOTES

[BigBoogie]

(sorry to dbl post, cant edit/)

I also liked Chakan. It did get a bit frustraiting in parts, but I was younger then I guess.

[pango]

One of the more under appreciated and unknown Genesis games is General Chaos. General Chaos is a strategy/action cartoonish game that I've wasted many multiplayer hours to. I highly recommend it.

[suppafly]

You all mentioned all the GREAT FAMOUS games for genesis (gunstar, Shining force, etc), now i will think of other underestimated gems:

Super Off Road : This was a great translation of the arcade...not a particularly complex game, but everytime i pick it up I end up playing it for at least 2 hours!!

I would also like to nominate KID CHAMELEON as the best genesis game ever!!!! That game had great graphics, good music, and it was LONG as hell, i really loved it

Chiki Chiki boys was tjhe first genesis game directly from Capcom, and i think it rules.

Im also impressed nobody mentioned STRIDER (first 8 meg game ever, GOTY in 1990 in EGM and VG&CE).

The genesis also has a lot of truly great shooters: TF 2, 3, 4, Gaiares, hellfire, Air buster, Biohazard battle, sagaia, etc etc

GENESIS IS THE BEST CONSOLE EVER!!!!!!!!! :D

[snorter]

WOW! Lotsa nice games for the old Genesis...I just wish someone would name one I don't have... :D

Snorter

[adaml]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Crusader of Centy. It had a very Zelda-ish feel to it, though it stood out on its own. There weren't too many Genesis games like this one.

[VinnyT]

Only Sonic 3 and sports games huh?

Shining Force 2
World Series Baseball
F22 Interceptor
Barts Nightmare
WWF Royal Rumble
Mortal Kombat
Virtua Fighter 2
Garfield: Caught in the act
McDonalds Treasure Hunt Adventure
Demolition Man
Cyberball
NHl 98
Ren and Stimpy
Greendog
Sonic1,2,3,S&K,Spinball
Saturday Night Slamasters
R.B.I. Baseball 93
Pit-Fighter
Sword of Vermillion
Evander Holyfields Read Deal Boxing
Talespin
TJ&E 1 and 2
Fatal Labyrinth
Street Fighter 2: Special Championship etd
Captain America and the Avengers
Menacer
Kid Chameleon
ESPN Baseball Tonight
Joshua and the Battle of Jericho(Wisdom Tree)
Monopoly
Ristar
Streets of Rage
Joe Montana 2 Sports Talk Football
Williams Greatest hits
NFL 98
BatteToads/Double Dragons
Ceaser's Palace
Contra
Power Rangers the Movie
Art Alive
Clayfighter
Castle of Illusion
NHL 95
WWF Raw
World of Illusion
Chakan
Out of this World
NBA Jam T.E.
The Lion King
Virtual Bart
Phantasy Star II
The Aquatic games
Alien Storm
Decap Attack
Mutant Leauge Hockey
Beyond Oasis
Barneys Hide and Seek
LIberty or Death
After Burner II
World Series Baseball '95
HardBall '94
Choach K College BasketBall
Bill Walsh College Football
NHL '94
Ranger X
NFL Quaterback club '96
NFL Football '94 staring Joe Montana
WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game

NOTE: Hey Snorter, where's my game?

[GamecubeFreek]

I dont think anybody mentioned Dynamite Headdy or Out of this World, but that might just be because they werent exclusive, so nevermind...I also love Castlevania: Bloodlines, Contra: Hard Corps, and of course, Gunstar Heroes. (Just a side note, its great to be able to talk about Gunstar Heroes and not have everyone go" what is that". IT happens everywhere else :) )

[Iron Draggon]

Master of Monsters! Best Genesis game ever, period. My best friend and I played it so much that I had to have 3 copies for a while. One for each of us to play the single player campaigns with, and one for our multiplayer games. It would've been nice if it had more than one save, but it was so much fun I really didn't mind buying 2 extra copies. The sequel on the PS is great too.

[davec]

wonderful thread, it brings back a ton of memories. I loved the Genny too, my all time fave was Populous, I played it more than any Genny title. I loved sending my fully charged up knight to wreak havoc on my enemies civillization. And those damned volcanoes!! EA was the greatest thing that could've happened to the Genny. Starflight was great, loved the clank clank when mining for precious minerals.

Loved Warsong as well, I sold my copy on ebay a couple of months back in a fit of madness.

Kind of liked Eternal Champions though it was kind of cheezy.

[Cauterize]

Strider has to be one of my all time fav's on the genesis...
really hard thou

[Melf]

You guys need to visit my site. :D

[-hellvin-]

mega turrican