Review of Childhood: 10 Best Sega Genesis Games Ever!
Hi Everyone,
Today we are choosing the top 10 sega genesis games.
10. ToeJam & Earl
After all these years, it’s still difficult to classify ToeJam & Earl. It’s part roguelike, part platformer, an early precursor to modern adventure games, and just an all-around hilarious, bizarre, and funky good time. It remains one of the more unique titles on the Genesis, and it holds up fairly well today thanks to its humor, one of the best soundtracks ever, and an innovative co-op mode.
9. Streets of Rage 2
Beat ‘em ups were a dime a dozen in the early ‘90s. Even in such a crowded genre, though, Streets of Rage 2 stood head and shoulders above its competition.
8. Castlevania: Bloodlines
Bloodlines was the last Castlevania game Konami released before the series went full Metroidvania with Symphony of the Night. As you play the game, you’ll soon figure out that Konami wasn’t quite sure about the future direction of the franchise. Neither of Bloodlines‘ two playable characters are even named “Belmont,” and instead of taking place completely in Dracula’s castle, Bloodlines’ six sprawling levels are set across Europe. While Bloodlines‘ gameplay is firmly planted in the earlier Castlevania games, it’s certainly a bit faster than what came before.
7. Beyond Oasis
Released late into the life cycle of the Genesis, Beyond Oasis was largely overshadowed by the hype for the next generation of consoles. Of course, the fact that the game represented a new IP and strongly resembled The Legend of Zelda probably didn’t help. Expectations for this game weren’t terribly high, but those who took a chance on it found more than just another Zelda clone.
6. Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Even at the peak of Sega’s popularity, the company struggled to develop new franchises that could compete with Nintendo’s heaviest hitters. For a short period of time, though, Shinobi was almost as good of a reason to own a Genesis as Sonic the Hedgehog was. Granted, there have been plenty of games starring ninjas over the years, but few have ever matched the speed and variety of moves that Joe Musashi has at his disposal in Return of the Ninja Master.
5. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
The first Sonic game was great. It’s arguably the game that kept the Genesis afloat after its shaky first couple of years. However, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is simply better. Through the introduction of concepts like the spin dash move and running through levels with the assistance of Tails, this game changed the still fresh Sonic formula and set a standard the series has arguably been chasing to this day.
4. Monster World IV
At first glance, Monster World IV looks like a pretty typical ‘90s platformer (albeit quite the colorful one). However, once you actually start playing it, you see just how much depth it boasts. There are tons of upgrades to be found in the game’s sprawling levels, and Asha has plenty of creative moves at her disposal (including the impressive ability to attack in multiple directions in the air). Monster World IV is one of those games that just feels good to play because everything controls so smoothly.
3. Gunstar Heroes
No one outside of this game’s development team believed in Gunstar Heroes initially. It was envisioned by a group of Konami employees who successfully tried to pitch the game to their employer. Desperate, the team behind this game decided to form the now-legendary developer, Treasure. Sega also had no interest in letting that team develop a game for the Genesis at first, and the project almost didn’t get a North American release even when they did approve it. Against all odds, though, Gunstar Heroes finally hit shelves worldwide. It’s now rightfully recognized as one of the greatest action games of all time.
2. Phantasy Star IV
One area where the Sega Genesis really lagged behind the SNES was RPGs. While SquareSoft pumped out hit after hit for Nintendo, the Genesis got….well, not much, to be honest. Except for Phantasy Star. Really, the whole Phantasy Star quadrilogy is excellent, but Phantasy Star IV still stands out as one of the best RPGs ever made thanks to its sprawling interstellar story and an innovative combat system that emphasized combos over just picking the strongest attacks.
1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Yes, this is technically two games, but Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles were originally designed as one massive Sonic game, and, thanks to the revolutionary lock-on technology, they could even be played as such despite technically being released a year apart from each other.
What is your favorite Sega Genesis Games?