Al-Azad's Genesis Gems

Genesis collecting is awesome because the hard cases ensure there are a lot of CIB copies and they're usually in great condition.  But when it comes to the Genesis the question is "What games are there I haven't played?".  Yeah, yeah you know about Sonic and Altered Beast and shit but Sega's consoles have always been a goldmine of buried treasure that gets completely overlooked.

First off, if you're new to Sega I recommend checking out Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for XB360 and PS3.  Even if you don't plan on buying it you can still use it as a reference for the Genesis MUST HAVES.  I'm not interested in must haves because I'm going to tell you about the have nots.  If you're tired of playing Sonic 3 + Knuckles for the 50th time then give this list a look over and see what you're missing.

Now, what can you expect out of the Genesis beyond the standard recommends?  Shooters.  A loooooot of shooters.  This seems to be a staple of Sega consoles and each iteration got a lot of fantastic SHMUPs that Nintendo just didn't have in any noticeable quantity.  If you're looking for more cerebral games like strategy and RPG titles, the Genesis probably isn't your console.  But if you like arcade action games with music that still sounds videogamey before sampling and shit took over (almost like a beefed up C64 sometimes), then it's Genesis all the way.

Obviously this is about the Genesis and I try to mention imports but keep in mind that the names of Mega Drive titles will vary by region.  I intentionally don't list any multiplatform titles that aren't noteworthy because the Genesis versions aren't the greatest.  For example, Phantom 2040 is an awesome underrated title but I would go with the SNES version.  Earthworm Jim is also better on Sega hardware but get the Sega CD version for the complete experience.

==== God Tier: Buy These Now, Holy Crap ====

---- Rocket Knight Adventures ----
[video type="youtube"]-wuEQm5YQyw[/video]
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/8fAd9.jpg[/timg]

Action platforming par excellence.  RKA is a simple platformer with a complex design.  Each level presents a brand new challenge and no two areas are designed exactly the same.  There are few games of its kind with this amount of variety.  This game also contains some of the most memorable boss battles I've seen.

For some reason, Konami thought Westerners were hardcore badasses.  The normal difficulty is "Easy" in Europe and it's called Children in America and everyone else's HARD is America's fucking easy.

---- Gunstar Heroes ----
[video type="youtube"]608MCH6Qn80[/video]
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/DTjjS.jpg[/timg]

Treasure's debut title, there's no finer action shooter of this era.  Multiple weapon combinations, kickass boss fights, pumping music, colorful graphics, and explosions.  Explosions everrrrrywhere.  Gunstar Heroes also contains humorous nods to other video games.  Ever thought it strange the villain looks like M. Bison?  It's not a coincidence, let me tell you.  You can't do this on Nintendo, play this game.

---- Contra Hard Corps ----
[video type="youtube"]4Gf-UUtYb-k[/video]
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/wjv9x.jpg[/timg]

Contra 3?  Heh, no.  Hard Corps is fucking hardcore.  It's right there in the punny title, look at it.  This is hands down my favorite Contra game and it's thanks to the awesome XTREME 90s! art style, impressive boss fights, branching levels, and fast action.  Genesis just did action games right.  Too many similar SNES games suffered from horrible slowdown even if they looked and sounded superior to the Genesis.

Like the rest of Konami's American releases, our Hard Corps is considerably more difficult.

---- Disney's Aladdin ----
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/xHDnp.jpg[/timg]
[video type="youtube"]bp1XvV8BBfQ[/video]

This is my shit, right here!  Disney's Aladdin is a rapid fire action platformer.  Our boy Aladdin got his hands on a sword and he's cutting up every poor fool that gets in his way.  Great music, great graphics, and challenging gameplay.  This is the bar that movie based games have to live up to.

---- Gauntlet IV ----
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/qYDMX.jpg[/timg]
[video type="youtube"]w33q32Sc-VQ[/video]

The definitive home version of Gauntlet.  Arcade perfect port of the original, an RPG-like adventure mode, several variations of the original arcade gameplay, and four player co-op on one screen.  This is an amazing co-op game and if you love Gauntlet you can't go wrong here.

---- Herzog Zwei ----
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/O3JzN.jpg[/timg]
[video type="youtube"]3EO53h7nWEU[/video]

This is probably my favorite classic co-op game.  It's a real-time-strategy/SHMUP hybrid where you control a transforming fighter that has to build units to attack enemy bases.  Your ship is a more versatile fighter so you've got to keep the enemy from destroying your units while you destroy theirs.  Probably the first game with split-screen gameplay, this is one every Genesis owner needs to have.

---- Thunder Force 2, Thunder Force 3, and Lightening Force: Quest for Darkstar ----
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/b0ggX.jpg[/timg]
[video type="youtube"]TRKFja574yQ[/video]

The Thunder Force series needs needs no introduction among SHMUP fans.  If you want to know what 90s console shooters were all about, this series is the poster child.

---- M.U.S.H.A ----
[video type="youtube"]kDoac4j2E2g[/video]
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/nrGFM.jpg[/timg]

Another shooter that needs no introduction from a company that needs no introduction.  If you like SHMUPs there's no reason not to own this.  Compile was at the top of their game.

---- Ranger X ----
[video type="youtube"]6APRO7JH_B0[/video]
[timg]http://i.imgur.com/1DLns.jpg[/timg]

An amazing shooter that doesn't get the attention it deserves.  Most shooters give you a helper drone of some sort but this game gives you a little motorcycle that assists you in battle or you can mount it to share its health bar.  Visually this is one of the strongest Genesis titles and the music is the best on the system.


==== Great Tier ====

---- The Adventures of Batman and Robin ----
AKA Gunstar Heroes lite.  The mechanics are almost similar, being a hybrid SHMUP/platformer.  Batman and Robin have infinite ranged weapons to take down the iconic villains of the cartoon show.  This game is picture proof that good coding can overcome inferior hardware and this game looks and runs better than a lot of similar SNES titles.  The ridiculous difficulty keeps it out of God Tier range.

---- Alisia Dragoon ----
A hybrid SHMUP/platformer.  There's a lot of these on Genesis but that's because Genesis gets it right.  Blast monsters with magic power and upgrade your dragon familiar who has multiple forms to help you fight.  There's not much to say about this game, it's just very well designed.

---- Crusader of Centy ----
Beyond Oasis is considered to be Sega's "Zelda" but no, that honor goes to Crusader of Centy.  There's some RPG and puzzle solving mechanics but the star of the show is the battle system which includes animal familiars that help you out on combat.  This game also makes me wish I could throw my sword in every action title.

---- Castlevania Bloodlines ----
This game is caught somewhere between Super Castlevania IV and Rondo of Blood.  It lacks the tight controls of the former and the level design of the latter but it's a solid Castlevania game in its own right.  Buuuut Konami must have had a hard on for giving Americans a challenge because this game is ridiculous.  Just like Hard Corps, the Japanese version is considerably easier.

---- Eliminate Down ----
This is like Sega's R-Type.  It's very well done, has some pretty intense levels, and memorable boss fights.

---- Fire Shark ----
Visually this is an unassuming, plain looking game but it's really like an updated 1942.  Overall it's just a well designed game and if you like horizontal shooters this is definitely one to check out.

---- Gaiares ----
Another really strong horizontal shooter.  Yeah, this genre really shined on Sega's hardware.

---- General Chaos ----
The competitive co-op game that will destroy friendships.  I like to think of this as the precursor to Team Fortress.  You've got a variety of classes, some obviously more powerful than others, and you just slug it out in ridiculous fights to the death.

---- Light Crusader ----
Everyone knows Treasure for Gunstar Heroes but Light Crusader is that one title that never gets a mention in any conversation. It's certainly not their best title, but it has all the dungeon crawling, puzzle solving elements that made Landstalker popular but I think the controls and combat are tighter overall. This game also has a really kickass soundtrack.

---- Micro Machines ----
There are four Micro Machines games on Genesis and they're all fantastic.  Only the first game was released in America but the other three Micro Machines games (MM2, Turbo 96, and Military) are great imports.  MM2 in particular has an 8 player mode(!) where two people share a controller.  The controller ports are actually built into the cartridge.

---- Mega Turrican ----
Although released on the Amiga first as Turrican 3, Mega Turrican was initially designed on Genesis and went unreleased because Factor 5 couldn't find a publisher. This is my favorite game in the series because the levels are larger and more involved than previous iterations in the series. Huge bosses, great graphics, kickass music... this is everything Genesis action games were about.

---- Quackshot Starring Donald Duck ----
Disney in the early 90s was hitting homeruns left and right.  This one is a slower, more methodical platformer with an emphasis on proper employment of your gadgets.  I really love the graphics which are big, bold, and colorful.

---- Robocop Versus Terminator ----
Two of the biggest 80s action movie franchises crossover into a kickass action game. You play as RoboCop who nonchalantly patrols the streets turning people into red paste. It's a tough game, no thanks to some cheap moments and a huge hitbox, which is why this is lower on the list. The Genesis version was developed first and is based on a comicbook mini-series. Avoid the SNES version: it's a completely different game by another developer and it's no good.

---- Shadowrun ----
The Genesis Shadowrun is an adaption of the PnP rules and is more of an action focused RPG than the adventure style SNES version.  You get three classes and all the awesome tech of the tabletop game.  Plus it has REAL Matrix levels and they're pretty damn trippy.

---- Soldiers of Fortune ----
A console port of Bitmap Bros. The Chaos Engine.  This is a really solid top down shooter with a large cast of characters and 2 player co-op.

---- Sunset Riders ----
Despite being visually inferior to the SNES version, the Genesis version is notable for containing original levels and altered stages and a competitive battle mode.  It wasn't released in Japan and it's hard as fucking shit.  Noticing a pattern with Konami international releases on Genesis?

---- TMNT: The Hyperstone Heist ----
The Genesis version of Turtles in Time features remixed levels and original boss fights.  It's not as impressive as the SNES version but it's just as good and the original material makes it worthy of at least one play.

---- Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure ----
A really solid platformer that's closer to traditional Mario.  Breaking the mold, this is a noticeably easier game than Konami's other offerings.

---- Two Crude Dudes ----
One of my first Genesis games, this is a 2D single plane beat 'em up.  It's got a great visual style and memorable boss fights even though the basic mechanics are pretty simple.

---- The Jungle Book ----
Not my favorite Disney movie based game but The Jungle Book is an action packed colorful platformer with a large variety of items to toss at evil monkeys and snakes.

---- Warsong ----
The only Langrisser game I know of to make it out of Japan.  It's a basic strategy game but still holds up well on its own.  Definitely worth it for the curiosity value as it's part of a long running series Western audiences are pretty unfamiliar with.

---- Wonderboy in Monster World ----
One of the best in the series, Wonder Boy is a action sidescroller with some light RPG elements.  It's a simplistic game by today's standards but it's still a great game.

---- X-Men 2 Clone Wars ----
The first X-Men is okay but they really went all out for this one.  Multiple characters with their own unique powers, awesome graphics, and fast paced action.  It doesn't do anything new or interesting but the basic gameplay mechanics are tight.

==== Your Mileage Will Vary Tier ====

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
Chiki Chiki Boys
Crackdown
Crue Ball
Trouble Shooter
Devil's Crush
Dick Tracy
Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun
Elemental Master
El Viento
Forgotten Worlds
Ghouls N' Ghosts
Ghostbusters
Grind Stormer
Granada
Haunting Starring Polterguy
Hellfire
Insector X
Jewel Master
The Lion King
Mercs
Mystic Defender
Phelios
Prince of Persia
Rings of Power
Rolling Thunder 2 and 3
Sagaia (AKA Darius II)
Sol Feace
Sparkster
Splatterhouse 2 and 3
Starflight
Star Odyssey
The Steel Empire
Super Fantasy Zone
Super Thunder Blade
Target Earth
Truxton
Valis 3
Vapor Trail
Viewpoint
Volfied
Wings of Wor
Wolfchild
Ys 3
Scooby Doo Mystery
World of Illusion

==== Import Tier ====

---- Battle Mania: Daiginjo ----
The sequel to Trouble Shooter and an all around better game.

---- Alien Soldier ----
Treasure follows up on Gunstar Heroes with an even more ridiculous, over-the-top run-and-gun shooter.  This is another technical feat on the Genesis and just kicks ass overall.

---- Advanced Busterhawk Gleylancer ----
This is a traditional horizontal shooter but the visual presentation packs such a punch.  Genesis gets a bad rap for looking inferior to SNES but that's only because nobody played its best looking games.

---- The Hybrid Front ----
This is Sega's Famicom/Advance Wars style game.  Being a strategy title it's not very import friendly but it's a cool premise and it sucks we never saw an English translation.

---- Mega Man: The Wily Wars ----
An enhanced version of Mega Man 1-3.  Only released in Europe and Japan, you'll have to settle for a repro cart if you want an American edition.

---- Monster World IV ----
The best of the Wonderboy games and a really solid action game with RPG elements.  Another example of great graphics on the Genesis.

---- Pulseman ----
This game is described as a combination of Mega Man and Sonic which isn't an inaccurate assumption.  It's a momentum based sidescroller with an equal focus on reflexive action and platforming.  It's a shame it didn't get a wide release because I think it could have found an audience internationally.

---- Panorama Cotton ----
Not my favorite Cotton game but pretty good nonetheless.  It's a straight on shooter kind of like Space Harrier.  I also hope you have a lot of money to plop on this one.

---- Twinkle Tale ----
Top down shooter with freedom of movement.  Plays similar to Pocky & Rocky in this regard.

---- Vixen 357 ----
This is like Genesis' Front Mission.  It's not at all import friendly but just like The Hybrid Front it's worth for the concept alone.

---- YuYu Hakusho Makyo Toitsusen ----
A Treasure made fighter, this is a fast paced multi-plane tournament fighter.  You can see a lot of elements of Guardian Heroes in its design.