20 BEST Sega Genesis Games of All Time

I am about to betray my country for 20 whole minutes while we call it the mega drive here in Britain which is objectively the cooler name and has no Phil Collins connotations many more people know it as the Genesis so that's what I'm going with yes yes I am a traitor for views I am basically the Alec trellion of YouTube I may as well stop pouring tea out at peers as well scoundrel that I am the Sega Genesis holds a special place in the hearts of many gamers and with good reason one of the most successful fourth generation video game consoles sega's 16-bit platform boasted a wide range of terrific titles the genesis's library was so good that the console even briefly outsold the SNES at the height of the console Wars waged between Sega and Nintendo throughout the '90s there's a beautiful sense of agelessness to the Genesis that not many other platforms can boast I remember playing a lot lot of these to death as a youth and even though many many years have passed since then these games are still so easy to pick up and play today the chip Tunes are still earworms while the visuals remain absolutely beautiful even when compared to how much Sweat Beads we can see it's shining off of kratos's armpits these days so if you can get your hands on a Genesis there's plenty of fun to be had the only problem is figuring out which of the consoles 800 plus titles to start with well old buddy old pal that's where this list of the best Sega Genesis games of all time comes in handy every entry is so good you'll even buy into sega's Infamous Genesis th what nintend don't marketing slogan but Genesis or Mega Drive what do I used to call it let us know down in the comments down below number 20 Tow Jam and Earl blurring the line between Rog likee and platformer tojam and Earl's hard to classify gameplay failed to attract much of an audience when it first hit shelves in 1991 critics loved it though and the game subsequently developed a devoted following among Sega afficionados it's not hard to see why either Tow Jam and Earl combines addictive mechanics and Innovative two-player mode few split screen experiences are Wilder and above all humor to dazzling effect sure its 90s slang and garish Graphics may have aged like Mickey Rock drinking a gallon of milk in the Sun but you'll be having too much fun to notice much less care the series was last seen in 2019 with the fourth game tojam and Earl back in the groove which bizarrely enough had McCoy kulin as an executive producer okay what's next Cory Feldman directs the next James Pond game actually you know what I I would buy that I'd buy it I'd buy a lot of that actually number 19 Dr robotnik's mean bean machine fun fact Dr Robotnik mean bean machine is a reskinned version of another puzzle game poo poo this lack of originality further compounded by poo Poo's own indebtedness to Tetris should make Dr robotnik's mean bean machine an utterly forgettable Affair yet somehow the reverse is true the titles core falling block mechanics are as well executed as any entry in the genre and the inclusion of a Sonic theme story mode as an extra Dimension to proceedings there's also a neat two-player versus mode which gives Dr robotnik's mean bean machine yet another Edge over other less ambitious Tetris clones there are some lunatics out there who think mean bean machine is the best Sonic game ever and while we can't quite agree especially when Green Hill manman exists I mean come on if you want to stretch your brain a little mean bean machine still keeps us Keen after all these years number 18 Herzog FY I would like to see the FY be if the previous entry on this list of the best Sega Genesis games of all time was a tad derivative but obviously still good the same doesn't apply to hertogs F technos soft's 1989 effort is widely cited as one of the most influential realtime strategy games ever released and is credited with inspiring RTS Classics such as June 2 Starcraft and Command and Conquer fittingly what made Herzog F such a big deal back in the day is also what makes it so fun to play now it has a streamlined command system a gam pad friendly icon driven interface and relatively fast-paced tactical gameplay that's just as satisfying on your own or with a friend in fact this game's multiplayer kind of feels like the precursor to taking on your friends for an afternoon in Halo's blood Gulch just hours of killing each other and having a good time all the cartilage still in your knees and no taxes Good Times guys Good Times number 17 Castlevania Bloodlines Kori developed Castlevania Bloodlines also known as Castlevania the new generation in pal territories specifically with the Sega Genesis in mind so while this spin-off follows the same basic platform of template as other earli entries in the vampire themed Castlevania franchise it also more caters to Genesis owners and their love of fast-paced beat them UPS the upshot of this is that Castlevania blood lines's gameplay has a flavor all its own while the inclusion of player character specific branching Pathways bolsters its replay value Castlevania Bloodlines Graphics are also up there with the best the Genesis has to offer with the destruction physics being absolutely Wild for the time another benefit of con army playing to the strengths and weaknesses of the console from the get-go Bloodlines has been released in a couple of different ways over the years and while there are certainly some Castlevania games that feel creakier than the hinge of a vampire's coffin these days Bloodlines has barely age today number 16 Gunstar Heroes another run and gun shooter Gunstar Heroes is an uninterrupted frill ride from the moment players press start this is true regardless of whether you tackle the game seven stages alone or in two-player co-op mode collecting and combining weapons As You Go part of what keeps Gunstar heroes' gameplay feeling fresh is this customized Iz ation element and the consistently inventive level design does the rest Gunstar Heroes looks great too thanks to developer Treasures ingenious work around with the Genesis various graphical limitations but make no mistake this is one of the very best looking 16-bit games out there and we'd argue it's better than a lot of games on the following generation too it also sounds great but the extreme busyness of everything going on at once may be a little overwhelming for those who didn't grow up on a steady diet of WW Worth's pick and mix if you can keep up with it Gunstar Heroes may just pull your trigger number 15 Golden Axe no fors only Axe and also giant Amazon woman yeah my appreciation of Ria Ripley makes a lot more sense now the 16bit era was the Heyday of the sides scrolling hacker slash game which explains why the genre is so well represented on this list that celebrates the biggest hitters on Genesis one of the very best is golden ax sega's 1989 arcade Port that takes it cues from The Sword and sorcery movies popular at the time the close quarters combat is suitably meaty and the inclusion of distinct playable characters and ridable creatures staves off a bit of monotony plus the Genesis version of Golden Axe features an extra stage complete with a new and impressively tough final boss it's also worth exploring other games in the Golden Axe series like Golden Axe Warrior on the Master System which featured fairly high up on our last list go watch that go on number 14 Contra hardcore has ever a game name been so apt it's like calling Boulders gate fre husband simulator all order the Rings Golem a bag of shite Contra hardcore is the first entry in konami's running and franchise to Grace a Sega platform and it proves the maxim that some things are worth waiting for the game sports several features missing from earlier Contra outings including four player characters to choose from a cut scene driven story and branching level design Contra hardcore bundles these Innovations with the same intense gameplay that made its predecessors so great blending eight directional shooting with a new Slide Attack the result is one of the greatest not not to mention hardest run and gun games of the fourth generation Contra has been on the Wayne in recent years but Contra operation guga is a reimagining of the first game that's due to release next year we are so excited for the difficulty discourse on the internet for that for a couple of weeks can't wait number 13 Vector man sega's answer to Nintendo's Mega hit Donkey Kong Country vectorman employed pre-rendered 2D Sprites to emulate 3D Graphics these visuals were jawdropping back in 1995 helping the Genesis to remain competitive against both the SNES and Sony's Playstation and retain a retr charm today seriously take a look at some of its animations and try not to be impressed by the wibbly bits V man does more than just look pretty though it's also a blast to play thanks to the morphing abilities of its robot protagonist and its 16 highly varied secret area filled levels the latter gives Vector man plenty of Replay potential and the straightforward control scheme means you'll be more than happy to give the game at least one more go round while some of the sound effects are a bit too crunchy at times to the point where they sound like farts Vector man remains a technical achievement with one of the best double jumps around does anybody else remember Batman v Vector man dawn of Justice the 400 minute long directors come up with an additional 45 minutes of V demand teabag in the orphan was a bit much in my opinion number 12 Echo the dolphin here's a pretty bold guess if you're watching this you probably have very fond memories of Ekko despite getting stuck for hours and hours at a time why am I shouting at these diamonds why doesn't the dolphin simply lead an Insurrection on land is he stupid echo of the dolphin is hands down the most visually impressive game on this list of the best Sega Genesis games it's also the most unnerving whether you're solving puzzles with echo's Dolphin song or ramming enemies with his nose there's just a strange sense of unas about it that really chilled its young players but kept them coming back to yeah just Spam Echo at everything echo of the dolphin isn't an easy game in part because like a real life aquatic mamal Echo needs to periodically surface for air rather than harshing Echo the Dolphins mellow but weird Vibes the game's difficulty curve further enhances the overall experience with a serious sense of reward awaiting those who figure it all out and that partly explains why so many fans are eager for Sega to revive the franchise would you like to see more Eko let us know number 11 desert strike return to the gulf Jake Dylan Hall's character in Jarhead is just screaming somewhere right now a shoot M with a tactical Edge desert strike return to the gulf drops plays into the cockpit of an ah64 Apache helicopter the overall aim is to bring down the regime of a craze dictator however there's more to Desert strike return to the golf's gameplay than jumping in your chopper and blowing up the bad guys but there is quite a lot of that too to win you'll need to engage your brain as often as your Trigger Finger by managing your ammo and fuel levels and even choosing the right co-pilot for the mission at hand or you could be like us and leave your brain in a jar and blow everything up with some of the wildest visuals committed to 16 bit desert strike return to the gulf is one of the deeper more strategic shoot Mups while also offering surface level fun to those who want it stick on some T-Rex albums put on some Aviator sunglasses and bring some freedom number 10 NBA Jam tournament Edition few sports games can make their way onto our best games ever lists without some eyebrows being raised Tony Hawk's Pro Skater would be won even though we left it off our best PS1 games list sorry and maybe also PS2 era Pro Evolution Soccer for letting you play as a bunch of Penguins against a bunch of raptors NBA Jam is another and is possibly the best basketball game of all time few sports games from the fourth generation of video game consoles still hold up today largely because of the technical limitations of the time NBA Jam tournament Edition is a rare exception to this rule simply because it doesn't really try to ape real basketball instead NBA Jam emphasizes superhuman slam dunks and blatant fouls over realism and rules and it's just much more enjoyable for it lightning quick Hoops aside the game is also briming with secret characters and Easter XG to unlock boosting its overall replayability that makes it feel truly timeless boom Shaker lacer number nine Shadow run Shadow run is one of the most grownup titles on this list and underscores how well the console catered to older Gamers a cyberpunk themed action RPG Shadow run Faithfully recreates the complex mythology and dark tone of the pen and paper role playing game it's based on the story is compelling the top- down exploration and combat are equally worthwhile and the character customization options are suitably granular shadow run also includes special stages set inside a vast computer network that provide a welcome break from its core gameplay Loop this lend Shadow run a real era Freedom a sensation further reinforced by The Game's sandbox design Shadow run has had a few other video game iterations in the Years following but has been pretty much dead as a series since 2015 Shadow rung Hong Kong a game which I truthfully didn't know even existed number eight Beyond Oasis no not a documentary about what Liam Galaga has been doing for the last decade since Oasis broke up apart from being a gigantic jebend but instead it's one of the best action adventure games on the Genesis that never really gets the flowers it deserves Sega Genesis owners missed out on SNES exclusive The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past but beyond Oasis did a decent job of filling the consol's Legend of Zelda Gap hell ancient 1994 action adventure game even brings some new ideas to the table as well as an absolute knee slapper of a soundtrack from yo KIRO notably the title spices up its hack and/ combat with magic powered special attacks Beyond oasis's vibrant anime inspired Graphics are a delight as well and for outshine A Link to the Past more simplistic visuals it's not quite as good overall of course but if you're searching for one of the most underrated games in the Genesis this is beyond an easy recommendation number seven flashback the Quest for identity US Gold build flashback the Quest for identity as a CD ROM in cartridge back in 1992 and if that was overselling this sci-fi game just a little Tad it wasn't too far off the money either developer deline software International brought flashbacks player character Conrad and his alien enemies to life via rotoscoping resulting in the most fluid animations possible with 16-bit technology this heightened sense of realism coupled with the game's intense platform of action and cinematic storytelling sensibilities made flashback the Quest for identity one of the most immersive titles in the Genesis Library it feels like a successor to early Prince of Persia games while also teeing up something like Oddworld flashback has been ported about 10 times since and even has a sequel that may be out by the time this video releases here's hoping reviewers try and calm the amount of flashback puns they reel off within one single review eh number six Shinobi free Return of the Ninja Master Shinobi free Return of the Ninja Master isn't just one of the best Sega Genesis games of all time it's also one of the best ninja games of all time too though still plenty challenging Shinobi 3 eases up a bit on the punishing difficulty of its 1989 predecessor the Revenge of Shinobi with this hacken slash platformer hybrid expanding the number of attacks at protagonist Joe Musashi's disposal I don't know what it is but whenever I say slash I just feel like I'm Sean conri I can't not say it like Sean Conor slash this means more fun for players as does the sequel's faster paced gameplay shinobi3 even features special stages with Joe on either horseback or motorized surfboard that encapsulate the franchise's welcome pivot to More uptempo Level design Shinobi purists may adore the early entries in the series more but for us that's just a bit more of a fun Factor here we only need to take a couple of painkillers after playing this one for instance as we mentioned on our Master System list the Shinobi IP has been oddly dormant for quite a few years now which is surprising considering just how popular ninja and Samurai games are right now it's time for this Ninja Master to return for good number five Mortal Kombat 2 Mortal Kombat 2 is so much better than the original Mortal Kombat that it's almost embarrassing but not as embarrassing as special forces we'll see you in another video soon the second entry in the Mortal Kombat franchise retains the graphic violence that made its predecessor such a phenomenon only this time it's paired with more robust fighting game mechanics as sequels go you could say it's a Flawless Victory Mortal Kombat 2's graphics and audio have both undergone a noticeable upgrade as well lending the game a more atmosph mospheric Vibe true it lacks the depth or audio visual polish of its successors but its fantastic roster of Fighters and more accessible mechanics Trump The Superficial improvements also this one doesn't try and charge you 10 quid for a finisher which is more than Fine By Us number four Fantasy Star 4 the end of the Millennium Fantasy Star 4 the end of the Millennium was the final installment in the original non-online multiplayer franchise and it sure did end things on a high note the team at Sega outdid themselves with the four Fantasy Star game adding new wrinkles to the turn-based combat system and beefing up the storytelling with manga inspired cutcenes Fantasy Star 4 also included some welcome updates to the exploration aspect of the franchise's established formula now players could interact with background items making the Alo star system feel more alive than ever before couple that with the Deep battle system the miles deep story line and an absolute shagger of a soundtrack and you have one of the best games of its Millennium jrpgs really came as their own during the 16-bit era and fantasy star 4 was at the Forefront of this revolution number three Street Fighter 2 Dash special Champion Edition Mortal Kombat devotees are probably howling right now but let's be real Street Fighter 2-h special Champion Edition deserves to rank higher on this list of the best of the Genesis as good as Mortal Kombat 2 is it comes up short compared to Street Fighter 2 Dash in every way that matters which was also the First Street Fighter to make its way to a Sega system Street Fighter 2's mechanics are deeper its animations more fluid and it's roster better balanced and more varied the special Champion Edition Builds on these strengths by making the original games four boss characters playable proving that it is possible to improve on Perfection no wonder people are still playing it today across the 16 million different ports over the years Street Fighter as a hall has become a much bigger shiny IP in the decade since this game but this is arguably where it is at its most pure and fun number two Streets of Rage 2 while there is something to recommend about every entry in the Streets of Rage series for our money the best of the bunch is Streets of Rage 2 a s squalling beatam up it improves on the core mechanics established by its predecessor by adding more distinctly different playable characters and broadening the move set at the play's disposal Street of Rage 2 picks things back up after Mr X's defeat not that one with the Syndicate real missed opportunity call them the ragers in my opinion and new character skate teaming up to take on Mr X and eat chicken once again the graphics are also sharper and cleaner and composer yuzo kiro's techno soundtrack with contributions by motah Hero kawashima straight up slap subsequent Streets of Rage installments are essentially Rifts on Streets of Rage 2 yet rarely reach the same Heights as this absolute 16 bit icon but nothing reaches the same height on the Genesis as number one Sonic the Hedgehog free Sonic the Hedgehog free is arguably the platonic ideal of what a Sonic game should be all the core components of the franchise the frenetic platform of gameplay bright Graphics Smart Level design and ability to instill a deep fear of water into a whole generation of children are present and accounted for here and Polished to the nth degree yet Sonic the Hedgehog 3 does more than just iterate it innovates too there's a greater emphasis on exploration and nonlinear gameplay in this third and and to sega's credit these additions gel well with the franchisees speed oriented formula from the first second to the last Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is just pure fun honestly we only have one complaint about Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and it's that it's best enjoyed in tandem with Sonic and Knuckles but really who ever complained about having too many Sonic games on their shelf unless it's 500 copies of Sonic forces and several terabytes of ban drum hacks in which case you got to go to jail and that was our list of the best Sega Genesis but really Sega Mega Drive games of all time let's hand it to you what did you think we got right what do you think we got wrong what was too high what was too low be sure to let us know down in the comments down below and join us next week for the Sega Game [Music] Gear well we call it the mega drive here in Britain

Channel: Cultured Vultures

Views: 68,232

Keywords: gaming, best games, mega drive, sega genesis, best genesis games, best sega genesis, best sega games

Id: u5KpKPrJLwY

Length: 21min 36sec (1296 seconds)

Published: Fri Nov 24 2023