My ‘HIGH 54’ TOP Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Games THAT ARE STILL FUN PLAYING NOW (+ 41 MORE GEMS TO MAKE IT AN EVEN 95, EH)
On a global level, 2020 will be remembered as the year of the corona quarantine, BUT, on a nerdy personal level, I will probably remember it as the year that I got back into playing retro video games (which, admittedly, is directly connected to the corona quarantine, so, I suppose, covid still takes the overall 2020 crown).
It all started simply enough, with me getting a Sega Mini to hook up to the first proper TV I’d owned for well over a decade (after winning a 50-inch flatscreen at the local pub’s pre-corona Super Bowl party). Before long, I’d discover that it was possible to hack my Sega Mini to add any old video game from any old video game system from the pre-2000s, which led to me writing blog posts about how I hacked my Sega Mini, which involved me playing and sampling hundreds and hundreds of retro games and forming personal ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ opinions on all of them. Eventually, that led to me discovering that I could also play all these retro video game roms right on my old 2009 iMac (where I could convert those ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ opinions into 5-starred ratings and organize my now massive retro video game collection much easier than on my hacked Sega Mini, a Mini that I have since re-hacked and passed on to my mini nieces).
On top of that, my website analytics began revealing that some of my most visited pages were my blog posts about retro video games (despite me mostly being a “music blog”), and most of those visits were coming from google’rs. So I figured that since I also did a lot of searching for “best sega games” or “most underrated sega games” or “best sega games that are still worth playing today” or “hidden gem Sega Genesis games” myself, I should put together some console specific lists of my favourite titles to play. Because SEO, innit?
Please keep in mind that this list is not really in a strict ‘ranked order’ and it is definitely not an attempt at creating a “best Sega games ever” list (so prepare to adjust your “how could you not include ___?!” outrage appropriately)— this is just a list of games that I still find personally enjoyable playing as an elder millennial in the 2020s + the games that I find myself reaching for most often. It should be noted that I don’t really care much for button-mashing fighting games or turn-based strategy RPG games (no matter how ‘critically acclaimed’ they are on the Youtubes & Reddits by more serious gamers).
It is also worth noting that there are some games in my ‘Top SNES Games’ list that are also available on the Sega Genesis and are worth checking (but I did not include them because I knew they were already featured in my SNES list, and vice versa) + there are also some games that are on my ‘Top Sega CD Games’ list that are also available on the Genesis/Mega Drive (but are not featured in my list because the better version to play is probably on the Sega CD + it also creates a spot to shout out games that aren’t featured elsewhere).
Because there’s a lot of games out there.
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And now that we’ve got all the explainers & disclaimers out of the way… here are the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games that my subjective millennial brain still finds engaging enough to play in whatever year it is now:
#1 - NHL 96
Maybe there is some Canadian bias at work here, but when it comes to sports games from the 16-bit era, no sport translated better to video games than hockey. Even people who don’t like sports tend to rate the NHL series from EA highly, and you can’t really go wrong from NHL 94 onwards… but I usually end up reaching for NHL 96. As an aging millennial with other responsibilities, it’s nice to be able to jump in & out for 15 minutes at a time and be able to make forward progress on a season as my trusty Edmonton Oilers (and, not to brag, but my Oilers are currently the best team in the league — which makes playing NHL 96 as much of a fantasy experience as playing as a dragon wizard or something). I also like playing as a fantasy Hartford Whalers team (my fave sports logo), with a roster filled with hockey players I liked back in the mid-90s that I can get on trade-machine-approved trades.
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#2 - Flashback
Flashback is one of those games where the main appeal is not so much that it is a “fun” game with smooth controls (although, you do get used to the controls & things get smoother to play once you realize you’re not playing your typical 16-bit action platformer — on a related note: I highly recommend you find the instruction manual online, unless you want to be stuck forever because you can’t figure out how to make what seems like an impossible jump). Instead, Flashback is so much weirder and more cinematic & confusing than your usual ‘90s video game that you end up being most intrigued to play on just so you can figure out what the hell is going on. It can be frustrating at times (especially in the beginning), and it’s not always clear what you’re supposed to be doing, but somehow that all becomes a positive, especially when compared to the barrage of other retro games where you know you just have to keep moving to the right. Probably my favourite and most satisfying play-thru yet (not that I’ve finished that many games, but still, this one’s a great game).
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#3 - Aladdin
For me, Aladdin is the best platformer on the Sega (full disclosure: I’m not much of a Sonic guy). For something out of the 16-bit era, the hand-drawn graphics look amazing and the controls and gameplay make for a very enjoyable experience. I also never got to play this one back when I had a Sega in the 90s, so it’s been a mostly new experience for me (although I do remember reading about Aladdin in a video game magazine as a youth, to the point where my dumb brain somehow still remembered how you can get a free life by lining Aladdin’s head up with some Mickey Mouse ears hanging on a laundry line — brains sure are weird with what they choose to store in the memory bank, eh).
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#4 - Zero Tolerance
Zero Tolerance is a first person shooter like Doom or Wolfenstein, except the 16-bit versions of Doom and Wolfenstein are pretty rubbish imho, so Zero Tolerance is quite superior when compared to those more familiar names + I guess I just like games that you can slowly and methodically go through a level with maps and a radar and kill all the baddies one by one + find all the hidden weapons/ammo/health. Something about that is a bit addicting/comforting, which I guess is why this is one of the few games that I’ve played all the way thru since getting back into retro gaming (although this one does start to drag a bit the further you go and the levels become more and more maze-like — there’s even a couple levels near the end where you stop being able to find more ammo, which kinda loses the appeal of playing a shooting game when you have to start punching aliens in the face).
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#5 - The Lost Vikings
The Lost Vikings is a fun little mix of a puzzle game + a platformer, and graphically it looks quite nice. You have 3 vikings to switch between, each viking has different capabilities (one can jump, one can shoot arrows, one can block with a shield, etc) and you have to use those skills strategically, in the correct order, to get all 3 of your vikings to the exit. And then you do it all over again on another level. Addictive and enjoyable and one of the rare games that I've got stuck into enough to play all the way thru (although I played all the way thru on the SNES version only to find out later that the Sega Genesis version actually has a few more extra levels, hence why I've decided to add this one over on my Sega list + also there's a Lost Vikings sequel on the SNES, so now both of my lists have Lost Viking appreciation/representation).
*****
#6 - NBA Live 97
Earlier, I mentioned how hockey is the sport that translates best to the video game world — BUT — when it comes to the sport that I like the most in the real world, basketball is my hands down number one (as in it’s the only sport that I still pay any attention to). And, yes, the first basketball game that comes to mind when thinking of 90s video games is probably NBA Jam, but I often prefer the more ‘realistic’ 5-on-5 gameplay that you find in the NBA Live series from EA Sports. Now, I think you can pick your poison from NBA Live 95 onwards, but, for whatever reason, I tend to reach for NBA Live 97 myself (and, much like with NHL 96, I like to play as a fantasy version of the Vancouver Grizzlies with a roster of fave 90s players acquired via trades that no GM would ever approve). Also worth noting that there are some romhacks out there for NBA Live 96 that can give you updated player and team rosters (so 16-bit Ja Morant in Memphis, if you fancy & if you know how to work the google machine).
*****
#7 - Coach K College
Basketball
I also find myself reaching for Coach K College Basketball, as it is basically the exact same engine as same as NBA Live as far as looks and gameplay, but instead of having outdated player names, you get to play as no-name college players — so it somehow feels a lot less outdated & maybe a little timeless. And since I don’t follow college basketball anymore, for all I know the number 5 lighting it up in my Florida Gators season could just as well be accurate with what is happening in the modern-day college basketball world. Also, the free throw shooting is a little bit better on Coach K than on NBA Live 97.
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#8 - Mega Bomberman
You can’t really go wrong with any Bomberman game, from any retro console, it’s just an airtight concept for a game — ESPECIALLY if you need something that you can play with your younger nieces that range in ages from 5 to 10 years old. Bomberman is such a quick concept to pick up, no matter how old you are, and there’s just something fun and bonding with trying to blow a family members on screen avatar up while they also try to blow yours up in the multi-player mode.
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#9 - McDonald’s Treasure Land Adventure
I didn’t want to like this game because I hated how it was a McDonald’s game and you played as Ronald f*cking McDonald — BUT — I kept hearing this game praised when researching which titles to add to my Mini and when I finally gave it a chance, I had to admit that it is a really well made platformer (it’s made by the folks at Treasure, so it makes sense that it’s as good as it is). This game looks really nice and plays really smooth and it’s got some unique mechanics + it’s really easy to get comfortable with straight away, which makes it immediately fun and relaxing to play (if not a little easy at times) & eventually you get over playing as the capitalist mascot that is Ronald f*cking McDonald.
*****
#10 - True Lies
I never played this game back in the 90s, but we did have True Lies on VHS and I did watch that movie quite a bit (and, yes, maybe that Jamie Lee Curtis attempt at a strip tease scene got more than a few replays by the pre-internet teen version of me). This game can sometimes be a bit frustrating with how the gun aiming goes, but overall it’s a pretty good looking action game that seems to be loosely sticking to what I remember of the movie script so far. And even though it only comes in written text, I swear I can hear Tom Arnold’s voice when he passes on messages during gameplay (and you can take that as either a positive or a negative).
*****
#11 - Madden 97
I definitely used to like the Madden series of games A LOT back in the 90s as a youth who actually paid attention to football. As an adult, football became one of those sports that I don’t really care for much—in fact, after living in England for many years, I started becoming one of those annoying North American people who sometimes call it “American Football” because I got used to calling ''soccer” football. But, having played this series so much as a kid, it’s one of those titles that doesn’t take too long for me to jump straight back in and remember how to play + since this was the era of football where I actually followed the sport, I actually know most of the players (s/o playing as Barry Sanders) — which is not something I could say if playing the more modern Madden games.
*****
#12 - Frogger
Sometimes you just want to play a game that is as basic as you are. And with Frogger, you just try to move your frogs across the road and over the pond without getting run over or falling in the water (even though real frogs can go in the water without dying, just saying). It’s simple and addictive and nostalgic + there’s also a part of me that feels connected to one of the great Froggers of history, George Costanza, whenever I play—and that’s a unique feeling that most video games just can’t give you.
*****
#13 - Skeleton Krew
First off, this game looks really good graphically. Second off, you just go around shooting aliens with infinite bullets, so what’s not to like? Sometimes I wish there were a few less baddies on the screen at one time, as I much prefer walking around slowly and methodically when playing a shooter, but once you get a handle on the controls/aiming, it’s a pretty fun isometric shooter. And, again, it looks really nice + you can also go 2-player.
*****
#14 - Triple Play 96
Just like with Madden, baseball is another sport that I paid way more attention to as a youth in the 90s than I do as an adult in the 2020s, and Triple Play 96 was a game that I remember playing a lot back in the day—so jumping back in has been fairly quick + this is also the era of baseball where I actually know most of the players on the team, which I DEFINITELY could not do with a modern baseball game. Also, this is pretty peak era as far as Canadian baseball goes, as the Toronto Blue Jays were quite good + the Montreal Expos still existed. All in all, a good nostalgic play that goes well with a lazy Sunday afternoon
*****
#15 - The Lost World: Jurassic Park
When it comes to the movies, obviously the first Jurassic Park was much better than it’s Lost World sequel (all the other sequels tbh, if anyone’s still counting), BUT, when it comes to the large selection of JP video games that came out in the 90s, The Lost World on the Sega is hands down the best one (and also one of the last games to get released on the Genesis). Some of the other JP games are ok, and at first this one almost seems like a shrunk down version of the SNES Jurassic Park game (ie. not a left-to-right view), but once you start playing The Lost World you quickly realize that this one has got A LOT more playability to it. Tonnes to explore & collect, both dinosaurs AND humans to shoot — you can even jump into vehicles that control kinda weird – and it all works fine enough and makes you want to keep on playing.
*****
#16 -
Zombies Ate My Neighbours
If you’ve never played ZAMN before, it’s just a simple/fun cartoon-y game to jump straight into and start shooting zombies/monsters while trying to rescue your neighbours. It has a fairly unique style and approach when compared to the usual left-to-right platformers of the 80s and 90s era + it looks & controls quite nice. It’s also a good two-player game, and there are a lot less of those than you would think from the retro era, so that’s another plus in the Pros column.
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#17 - NBA Jam T.E.
How can you have a list of retro games and not include an all-time classic like NBA JAM — even if the cartoon-y gameplay experience maybe has not aged as well now that you’re an adult who is usually playing on your own against the computer? (ie. you almost need to be playing with someone else to get the proper NBA Jam experience) As I said previously, I now lean much more to turning on the more realistic gameplay of NBA Live / Coach K if I’m looking to jump into some 90s 16-bit b-ball, but NBA JAM is still a fun nostalgic ‘pick-up-and-play’ arcade port and I think it’s an especially good addition to the collection whenever you’ve got friends over wanting to re-live their 90s youth too.
*****
#18 - Boogerman
So, Boogerman definitely has some immature kid humour to it, what with the burping and farting and booger powers, but when you get down to gameplay, it’s a pretty smooth looking/feeling platformer (which is not something you can say about the similarly immature Beavis & Butthead games from this era). And the more games you try out from the 80s/90s, the more the really well-made ones start to stand out as far as just being enjoyable to keep playing beyond the first couple tries — and Boogerman, so far, seems like one that’s worth sticking to (eh, eh). Also, my little niece gets a kick out of saying the “Booogger!” catch phrase, and that’s gotta be worth something too.
*****
#19 - Mega Turrican
This game feels like if Metroid and Contra had a baby and let Bionic Commando raise it — which is another way of saying that this is a pretty sweet game that’s got a lot of good things going for it. On top of all the running and gunning and swinging from a rope, it both looks & sounds really great — and once you get used to the mechanics and controls, it really stands out as both a fun and challenging play. Just make sure that you don’t get the Turrican sans Mega that also exists on the Sega by mistake, as that one is very much less mega than this one — but I guess that’s why this one got the “Mega” added to the front. My only complaint is that they put a timer on the levels while also having levels that are worth trying to spend time exploring.
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#20 - Soldiers of Fortune
Soldiers of Fortune has a similar look to the True Lies and Skeleton Krew games I’ve recommended previously, which I guess means I quite prefer that isometric/overhead view for games (especially for games where you walk around shooting things). It just makes stuff feel more open and less chaotic / claustrophobic (ie. like on a Contra or Gunstar Heroes). Soldiers of Fortune looks and handles quite well, although it is weird that you can’t shoot and move at the same time — but once you get used to that limitation, it’s pretty fun to play + it’s nice that when you’re playing solo on one player mode the second player gets controlled by the computer… which makes me feel like I have a friend to play with, and that’s a priceless feeling (especially during those quarantine days).
*****
#21 - Flicky
You’ve probably clocked that I have an appreciation for simple games that are easy to just pick up & start playing for short bursts of time — and Flicky is one of those classic arcade games that’s quick to jump in and out of. You run around collecting a train of yellow birds that you need to get to the exit without getting caught by one of the many pesky cats running around (who you can shoot with items you pick up along the way, although you can’t hold onto those items while jumping). And sometimes there’s little bonus games in between the levels. That’s it, that’s the whole thing — a good old fashioned time-killer that doesn’t require too much thought, just quick reflexes.
*****
#22 - GRANADA
I’m not usually the biggest fan of “shooters”, but Granada takes the part that I liked about Thunder Force 2’s first level (ie. that you could move in any direction instead of being either a vertical or horizontal shooter) and they replaced the fighter jet with a fast-moving tank that doesn’t have to always be in motion. Plus they give you a radar where the baddies are and they threw in some elements that feel like Gauntlet and… well, I guess I like that kind of “shooter”. My only complaint, and this complaint goes towards all games that do this, is that the levels have timers on them, as it always sucks when you suddenly die just because you wanted to take your time exploring the whole level (if you ask me, all games that have timers on levels should have an option in the options that allow you to turn off the timer, in the same way that you can usually adjust difficulty levels).
*****
#23
Earthworm Jim + #24 Earthworm Jim 2
Earthworm Jim is a certified classic from the retro era and Earthworm Jim 2 carried on the unique/humorous style that made the original so popular, which is why I’m giving them both an official spot on my list of 54 (even though Earthworm Jim on the Sega CD is probably the best way to play the first one). Definitely one of the best-looking games to come out of the 16-bit era and top marks for creativity + originality (and they really stand out from their platforming peers).
*****
#25
Vectorman + #26 Vectorman 2
Beyond the obvious very nice graphics for the 16-bit era that Vectorman still impresses with, I also find the controls & gameplay to be quite smooth & enjoyable (ie. the shooting and the jumping) + there’s something about playing Vectorman that makes me feel, if I use my imagination a bit, like I’m playing as The Iron Giant (from the Brad Bird cartoon movie). Which makes Vectorman, released in 1995 (and it’s also very good sequel Vectorman 2), seem really ahead of their time given that The Iron Giant did not get released in theatres until 1999. Which, I guess, makes Vectorman like an unlicensed prequel to The Iron Giant film — adding even more replay value (at least to me in my head).
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#27 - Insector X
Speaking of games where I manage to get a bit more enjoyment out of them by imagining that they are an unofficial movie tie-in for movies that came out after the game, there’s something about flying around as a little red man shooting giant insects that make it easy for me to pretend that Insector X is really just a retro Ant-Man game. Add on top that this is a horizontal shooter that manages to allow me to do enough satisfying bullet-dodging / enemy blasting to get me further on levels than a lot of other retro shooters let me get and, well, for me, that’s a recipe for an addictive game that makes me want to keep coming back to try and get a little further than I did last time.
*****
#28 - Ms. PAC-MAN
It probably comes as no surprise that the guy who has already put Frogger and Flicky on his fave list ALSO likes Ms. PAC-MAN. But that’s also because the whole PAC-MAN concept is just a great overall game to jump into whenever you’re not entirely sure what you want to play, but you just know that you’d like to distract your brain a bit with something + this Sega version handles quite nicely (especially compared with some of the other PAC-MAN’s available on the other retro consoles). It also comes with a lot of different features (like multiple multi-player & maze options + you can give yourself a Pac boost button, which I like because it helps me make up for dumb mistakes). Throw in the fact that this one is another great game for playing whilst multi-tasking a podcast/audiobook…and I find myself reaching for the Genesis/Mega Drive Ms. PAC-MAN a lot more often than a bunch of more highly regarded 16-bit era games (and ‘return-ability’ for me is a pretty high factor for what makes it on a subjective personal list like this… and I return to this one quite often).
*****
#29 - Out Of This World
Take everything I said about Flashback being addictively confusing and multiply it by 20, because Out Of This World is a whole other level of weird and ‘not really knowing what the hell you’re supposed to do next’ (unsurprisingly, both games are made by the same company). And just like with Flashback, the frustrating gameplay (aka: you will die A LOT) somehow intrigues me to want to keep coming back to figure things out and see where this story is going (and thank god for being able to check Youtube for play-thru examples on what to do next, because this game will have you getting stuck often, way more than Flashback). On paper, this shouldn’t work, and in a way it kinda doesn’t at times, BUT, at the same time, I keep finding myself wanting to move the story along a few more weirdly animated cut scenes further. An extremely intriguing play.
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#30 - Sonic 3D Blast
It would almost be sacrilegious to make a list of Sega games that doesn’t include any Sonic games. The problem is that, despite all 16-bit era Sonic games being undeniably super well-made and designed… I don’t really like the whole ‘run super fast through a level and not be able to see what you’re even running past most of the time… until something you couldn’t see hits you and all your rings spill everywhere’ gameplay from all the classic Sonic 1 thru 3 thru Knuckles titles. Just doesn’t appeal to me. But, I actually do quite enjoy the much more slowed-down approach that is used on Sonic 3D Blast (also, there’s a Flicky callback connection to the gameplay). So, even though I’m sure this is not the Sonic title that most people would pick if choosing to highlight just one Sonic title for their list (and it’d probably be considered criminal to include Sonic 3D over the other Sonic titles), f*ck it, it’s my list and this is the 16-bit Sonic that I enjoy playing the most.
*****
#31 Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master + #32 Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi
If you like one Shiboi game on the Genesis / Mega Drive, you’re going to like all the Shinobi games, BUT, if you were to ask me to only pick one Shinobi game to play, it’s gotta be Shinobi 3. Visually it looks great/best, and the gameplay and music is also top notch, with a nice variance in level design (from standard left-to-right ninja-ing, to riding horses, to keeping up with a vertically scrolling elevator and etc). And if you were going to ask me to only pick two Shinobi games, then the other one would definitely be Shinobi 2 (aka: Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi, aka: the one with the attack dog), as it has its own unique style/feel when compared to the other 16-bit Shinobi offerings.
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#33 - Sega 6-Pak
Now, some might consider it cheating to only use up one spot on my list for a cartridge that includes SIX games on it — BUT — who really cares what some might consider? Also, I used to have this 6-PAK back in the day, so I am genuinely nostalgic for playing these six games from that single cartridge menu screen. Also also, this seemed like the best way for me to get to include a Columns game (in a previous iteration of this list I had included Columns 3, so this 6-PAK took that place) + Revenge of Shinobi (which I was ‘this close’ to including up in my multi-Shinobi spot above) + I also have a lot of nostalgia for Super Hang-On, but could never quite find a spot for it on the list before realizing this work-around. Also, now I also get a more traditional Sonic game in my HIGH 54 + some good 2-player beat em’ ups with the first Streets of Rage and Golden Axe.
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#34 - Midnight Resistance
At first glance, it would be easy to write Midnight Resistance off as a Contra knock-off (what with the running & gunning and what not), but, for me, as someone who can never really last long enough in Contra to really get into the game, I find Midnight Resistance to be a much more enjoyable (and therefore addicting) experience. Maybe it’s the great soundtrack, maybe it’s the different options for controlling how you can rapid-fire & aim, maybe it’s the way the one-hit “death” is handled (ie. you lose a life but you don’t go back to the start and can re-pick up your weapons)… maybe it’s a combination of all those things and more.
*****
#35 - Contra: Hard Corps
Just because I suck at Contra: Hard Corps (due to it being hardcore hard), that doesn’t mean that I don’t recognize how well-made of a game it is. And maybe it’s my naivety, but I keep telling myself that even though the difficulty can be brutal, one day, if I keep coming back to things, I’ll eventually be able to master dodging all the bullets & baddies and see myself get a little bit further in the game than I’ve managed so far (I also like being able to play as the little robot or a werewolf).
*****
#36 - Crack Down
The graphics on this game could make you feel like you’re playing something quite dated and unimpressive, especially on 1-player mode with the small amount of screen given to the actual action, BUT, once you start playing, once you start hugging the wall to avoid gunfire & placing bombs on all the X’s and heading to the exit to blow the whole level up & move on to do it again, you’ll quickly discover how satisfying and addicting Crack Down can be. Add on the fact that you can tackle the task with 2-players (which makes the shrunk-down action screen seem less shrunk down when there’s 2 screens being shown), throw in some funky tunes, and this is a great little game.
*****
#37 - Streets of Rage 2
I mentioned at the top that I don’t really care for button-smashing beat ’em ups — just not a gameplay style that holds my attention — but Streets of Rage 2 does everything so well and satisfyingly that it is a deserving exception to my own subjective rule (and it really stands high above everything else in that genre). The music is great, the graphics are top notch, and the gameplay is just so smooth & well done that, whether you’re playing by yourself or you’re doubling the fun with a second player, there’s a reason that you’ll find this game on most people’s ‘best of’ Genesis / Mega Drive lists (including mine).
*****
#38 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist
And much like with Streets of Rage 2, if I ever find myself going rogue from my “don’t really care for beat em’ ups” opinion, it’ll be to turn on something like TMNT - The Hyperstone Heist (fun-related fact: there are romhacks out there that let you play Streets of Rage 2 as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Like with most beat em’ ups, this game is a lot funnier to play if you have a 2nd player to play with, but, even if playing single player, if you’re also an elder millennial than this game comes loaded with an extra layer or two of nostalgia (related tangent: the 2023 animated reboot ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ is an extremely great film and kinda re-ignited my interest for jumping back into this game).
*****
#39 - The Ooze
Speaking of ‘ooze’, instead of playing as turtles that get super-sized thanks to radioactive ooze, with The Ooze you can skip the middleman and just play as the radioactive ooze yourself. This game definitely earns points for originality, in looks and concept, and once you get used to the pace of the game that you need to play at (as you have to be careful to keep your puddle of a body from taking damage), this becomes quite a different take on your usual 16-bit action/adventure game — making it one that makes me want to keep returning to it more than a lot of the others.
*****
#40 - Truxton
Shooters usually don’t hold my attention long enough for me to get pulled in, usually because they are a combination of being too challenging + me being sh*t at them, but Truxton seems to get the balance between challenge & playability just right for my skill / interest level. And, by that I mean, I can manage to stay alive long enough that all the dodging and shooting starts becoming quite satisfying & addictive. It’s worth noting that if you also like Truxton, then the odds are pretty good that you will also like the vertical shooter Fire Shark (which is kinda like Truxton re-skinned as something that more resembles a WWII-style shooter — they’re both made by Toaplan, so the look and feel and quality is very similar… I just give the personal edge to Truxton because I seem to be slightly better at, for whatever reason).
*****
#41 - Steel Empire
Steel Empire ditches the usual space lasers for a steampunk-styled shoot em’ up set in an alternative 19th century… and it's a great change-up for the genre (that really works for my tastes). It’s a horizontal shooter that gives you a choice from a fast small plane or a Zeppelin that can take more hits (perhaps it’s made of led) and there are plenty of power-ups out there to level you craft up. And, best of all, this isn’t one of those ‘one-hit’ and your dead shooters, you can actually take a few hits (as well as regain your ability to take a few more hits), which makes it the kind of shooter that gets someone like me to keep coming back to.
*****
#42 Rolling Thunder 2 + #43 Rolling Thunder 3
If only picking one game, I’d give a slight edge to Rolling Thunder 3 because, even though Rolling Thunder 2 comes with a 2-player option, I tend to play most games solo and Rolling Thunder 3 has some extra mechanics that appeal more to me (namely the fact that you can shoot in multiple directions + there is also no level timer to have to worry about and I hate level timers). But since I don’t have to pick just one game, and since both games have a great graphic presentation + soundtrack + gameplay (once you get used to the style of play being slower and more methodical than you’re typical retro “run & gun” game), I’m gonna put both games on my list (especially now that I’ve expanded the list to 54 of my fave Sega games).
*****
#44 - Castlevania: Bloodlines
Castlevania is one of those highly regarded video game series where I get the high regard, even if I oftentimes find myself not being totally won over by the game play (annoying re-spawning enemies + sometimes cheap feeling deaths = a difficulty that doesn’t always have me pining to come back for more). But, like with Super Castlevania on the SNES, the element that helps Bloodlines keep returning to my game queue, besides the great visuals and sound, is the ability to play as a character that can swing their standard weapon in multiple directions (for this option on Bloodlines you gotta lose the guy with the whip and go with Eric & his spear). It’s a simple addition, but it goes a long way for the playability for me (also this game looks and sounds great).
*****
#45 - Robocop vs Terminator
When thinking back to the controversial ‘violent’ video games of the 90s, it’s usually Mortal Kombat that comes to mind as the one that got all the outrage (for all its blood and finishing moves), but it doesn’t take too long playing Robocop vs Terminator before you start wondering how this game seemed to avoid all the pearl-clutching in the media. Because this is a very bloody game (ie. everyone you shoot explodes into a pool of blood… and you shoot A LOT of people). However, that’s not why this game makes the list, it’s just a fun & competent 'run & gun’ that is really more of a ‘walk and gun’. You also get to play as Robocop and shoot a bunch of Terminators, so there’s that too.
*****
#46 - DEcap Attack
This unique looking and feeling platformer sees you playing as a mummy-like character who can either throw their head at enemies or, if you get hit and lose your head-throwing abilities, extend a face-like hit from out of your abdomen (you can also jump on enemies, although they often take a couple bounces into the ground before defeated). Your character handles a bit ‘fast & loose’ (gaining speed the more you move in one direction), but once you get used to that, it is quite a fun and satisfying platformer to keep returning to. And if you’re one of those people that likes playing ‘halloween-ish’ games during that time in October, this is a good one to pull out when the spooky season is upon us (not that the game is very spooky, it’s just got that halloween-y vibe to it),
*****
#47 - Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
This spot could just as easily go towards World of Illusion (which has the added bonus of being able to play 2-player with a duck named Donald), but, since my and the missus flew threw that game on an early playthru when first getting the Sega Mini, I’ve been finding myself lately returning to the kinda ‘floaty’ 1-player platforming found on Mickey Mouse’s earlier outing on the Genesis / Mega Drive. Now, Castle of Illusion can sometimes feel a bit aimed towards kids in its gameplay/difficulty/story (what do you expect from a Mickey Mouse game), but that doesn’t mean that the platforming found here won’t pull you in all the same with it’s execution. In other words, it’s just an enjoyable game to throw on when you’re looking for something that doesn’t require much mental effort to jump back into, no matter how long it’s been since you last played or how little time you have available to play again.
*****
#48 - Pocahontas
Like with Aladdin, this Pocahontas game is very nice to look at and gets about as close as the 16-bit era can get to have you feeling like you’re playing an alternative version of the Disney movie. Some ‘SEGA!’ fans might find the gameplay a bit ‘boring’ or 'lame’, but if you approach this game like a relaxing puzzle platformer with chill nostalgic tunes (where you switch between Pocahnotas and her raccoon mate, kinda like a more subdued The Lost Vikings), what you might find is a comforting playthru of a unique game that does its own thing (and does it pretty well). And if you have little ones in your life, this game wouldn’t be a bad one to introduce them to.
*****
#49 - Beyond Oasis
The Super Nintendo is more the console that people think of when it comes to action-RPGs (what with Zelda and Secret of Mana being so highly acclaimed, for good reason), but the Genesis took a few cracks at the genre as well. And if one were looking for the most SNES-feeling option, the correct choice would probably be Crusader of Centy (which almost screams ‘Zelda clone’) — BUT — if one were looking for something that felt more like Sega’s attempt at doing an action-RPG, than Beyond Oasis would definitely be the correct choice. The graphics here look more like a Genesis beat em’ up than an RPG, and even the game play feels a little more beat ‘em up than what one comes to expect from this genre. I always find RPGs hard to get into (as they’re hard to jump in and out of, especially with long gaps in between playing), but Beyond Oasis is definitely high on my list of games I’d like to dip my toes in for even longer than I have so far.
*****
#50 - Phelios
Looking for a shooter where you pilot a winged pegasus instead of a spaceship? Well, then, Phelios is for you! It's a vertical shooter with a unique twist on the usual shmup offerings, and the approachable challenge level keeps you coming back for one more ride at the mythological rodeo. And, as always, bonus points from me for allowing the player to take more than one hit before sending them back to the start.
*****
#51 - Wings of Wor
Take Phelios, except ditch the flying horse because now you’re a dude with your own wings in this ace horizontal shooter (that reminds of Lords of Thunder on the Sega CD, minus the soundtrack). The challenge is real, but the responsive controls and variety of power-ups make dodging enemy fire and blasting back a satisfying dance (and, like all shooters that gain favour with me, I’m able to stay alive much longer than I do on a lot of other shooters).
*****
#52 - Trampoline Terror
At first glance, and even at first play, Trampoline Terror can seem like a game of a slightly lower quality (like some weird computer game instead of a Genesis game) — BUT — the more you play it and the more levels you get through by setting off all the switches and avoiding all of the weird enemies, the more addicting this game becomes. Before you know it, you’ll be forgetting your initial first impressions and forming a bit of a surprising appreciation for what’s on offer here.
*****
#53 - Shove It! ...The Warehouse Game
This is basically the Sega version of a Turbo-Grafx16 game I like called BOXYBOY, but I guess that just means I kinda like games that are like the video game version of playing Suduko. In Shove It! you play as a warehouse worker shifting boxes to the correct spot on the floor in order to earn money to get a girl and a car (y’know, the basic American Dream consumer fantasy from the 90s). I like to imagine that my character is a union worker sticking it to the man by taking a long-ass time to figure out how exactly I’m supposed to get all the boxes to the correct spot (as this is a puzzle game, so the challenge ramps up pretty quickly and you’ll need to use you’re noggin’ and/or the ‘undo last step’ + ‘try again’ option quite often).
*****
#54 - PGA Tour Golf II
I am definitely not a fan of golf in real life—seems like way too frustrating and expensive of a sport to even attempt to get into, don’t even get me started on the use of good land— BUT, as a video game, it can provide you with a fairly relaxing play. One that goes especially well with multi-tasking with a podcast or audiobook on in the background (as there are a lot of gaps in actual gameplay beyond those few seconds where you have to concentrate really hard to make sure you time the hit meter & don’t shank your shot into the woods/water). And I’m always in the need of a low-stakes multi-tasking thing to do while listening to a podcast or audiobook.
*****
Ok, that’s it for my personal “HIGH 54” Top Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Games That Are Still Fun To Play Now list — I know that there may be some classic titles that seem crazy not to have included, BUT, again, this is not meant to be a ‘Top 54 All-Time Best Ever’ list and it’s also not meant to be your list. Besides, reading another list that just confirms what’s on every other ‘best of’ list is a bit boring and pointless, especially if you’re looking for games that might not be top of mind (and especially when you consider how all this stuff is individually subjective & doesn’t really matter beyond the enjoyment that comes from thinking/talking about your own experience & finding temporary moments of connection/agreement/discovery with others).
So, on that note, here’s FORTY-ONE more Genesis / Mega Drive games (the cover art is linked to Youtube gameplay) that are of the kind of quality that have them constantly circling just outside my personally subjective “HIGH 54” list looking for an opening (and for fans of math, yes, that does make this a list of 95 Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Games That Are Still Fun To Play Now):
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And while we’re listing things, here’s my other lists of retro video games that are still fun playing today… if you happen to be looking for more than just Genesis / Mega Drive games to check out (and if you think you might have some crossover tastes in retro games with me):
Finally, please feel warmly encouraged to hit up the comments below if there’s any games that I left off that would definitely be on your ‘Fave Genesis / Mega Drive Games’ list (whatever number you cap your list off at, whichever factors you consider more), as I’ve been known to make tweaks to my lists when a new ‘old game’ starts making a stronger case for more of my limited attention span.
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JEREMY / @HI54LOFI
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