Sega Genesis/Megadrive(+32X and CD) Game disscussion, review, advice and opinion thread

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

Thanks for the responses in the Saturn thread you guys, hope this thread is as sucessful, and sorry for the primary reference of Genesis, I am an american.
 
So get in there and start talking, this should be a great place to get other peoples impressions and comments on various games, models and attachments of the Genesis/Megadrive!

in the spoiler are the rules, and the general purpose of these threads

So I guess best way to start this thread is to state the purpose behind it. This being a sonic forum many of us are fans of classic sega systems in general and like the classic games, so this gives us all a chance to dicuss classic games on the sega saturn and allow people who are new to these games to ask for advice, help and opinions on various games.

So for rules, first off as always, keep it clean, no reason for language and profanity here, we can all be civil.
Second, this is not a place to drop off reviews from random sites, its a place to share your own experiences, you can reference them, but personal experience is a good part of it, only exception I am making to this rule is if Barry or one of the guys decide to post their reviews from Segabits that is the one exception, outside of that unless you are a reviewer yourself, dont quote random websites, but you can write a review yourself.
Third, dont insult someone for liking a game you dont, everyone is intitled to their own personal opinion.
Fourth, if you want to quote info from another site, that is fine, but please use a refutable database such as segaretro

Finaly, please focus on Genesis games, if you want to reference a Saturn game or a dreamcast game thats fine, but this is not the place to talk about them, if this thread proves sucessful, and passes its trial period of 20 replies or so, I will open A complementry Dreamcast threads

Also, if you want to talk or ask about other Genesis related stuff such as various remotes, and Periphials like the CD or 32X attachments thats finr

So lets get to discussion, this will be fun, and this should be a great place to get advice and help from

[spinny]

The Mega Drive was my very first console, considering back in 1990 when my mum and dad were engaged, my dad bought a Mega Drive with Columns as a gift. Of course, in 1991, the first Sonic came out, both of my parents were hooked, they got 2, 3 and Spinball and... yeah. It kinda ended there for them.

 

Last year, I managed to complete our legacy by getting copies of Sonic 3D, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic CD, and Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. ...yeah, I know, I need Chaotix. But...

 

 

This is my Mega Drive setup here. The problem?

 

The 32X doesn't work.

 

We get sound, but the screen just shows up as black... any advice on fixing would be appreciated.

 

And just to clarify, the Mega Drive and Mega CD work absolutely fine.

Edited August 23, 2013 by Super Spindash

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

sadly, this is the only console I dont have other than the master system, and while I do have an interest, but I am resisting, so far at least, specialy since I am at college and school is about to start

[Tornado]

You have the patch cable, right? Not running video directly from the Genny?

[SkyLlama]

The MD is my all time favourite console and is home to the majority of my favourite games. The console is excellent and IMO still Sega's best. I'll focus on games in another post.

 

Using the MD today is still enjoyable, but you can do so much better with it now then back in the 90s. I see people using composite of RF (gah) all the time still and that's terrible. I'll admit that composite *can* look sort-of okay on old CRTs, but if you're using the system on any half-way modern TV you need to take advantage of SCART and get component from it. Take a look here, you'll be glad you did: http://www.retro-otaku.com/2010/07/getting-component-video-out-of-a-sega-mega-drive-works-for-other-rgb-signals-as-well/

 

Also it's no secret some of the old games are expensive now (MUSHA anyone?), but there are a TON of homebrew and fanhacks out there that are awesome to play. Normally you'd have to play the roms on an emulator, but that doesn't have to be the case. If you've got an MD you really should pick up an EverDrive MD. The EdMD can play basically any rom you throw at it on the real hardware, it's awesome and hard to beat even at it's price.

 

If you're going to be buying an MD for the first time, look here to decide on one and know which to avoid. Not all revisions of the MD were made equal and some have better audio and video then others. I have a launch VA2 and it's excellent.

 

Also I'm going to drop this link here although I doubt any of you will find use in it: https://mega.co.nz/#!bVkXnbRZ!DhQc4n8HE0Un0M5irYME-HutqUlt782pVLD2w-0d_WY It's a bunch of dev tools, compilers, examples, graphic converter, audio converter, etc. It's by no means complete in what it offers, but it's got some useful tools.

 

Here's my MD/genny, the dusty disaster that it is. I really don't like the 32x on it, but it makes the outputed image better so I keep it hooked up.

 

(you'll have to ignore the dust. it's summer, I can't help that much)

 

 

 

The 32X doesn't work.

 

We get sound, but the screen just shows up as black... any advice on fixing would be appreciated.

 

Can you show us the back and how it's all hooked up? I'm sure we can help you get this working, just need more info.

Edited August 23, 2013 by SkyLlama

[RK64]

 The genesis looks that big with all add-ons with it, man it looks like a transformer or something!

 

As for game recommendations, I never owned a Genesis (the remotely similar thing to a Genesis is a cheap one with some games pre-installed on it I got last year), between digital downloads and the Sonic's Genesis Collection, some great games on the system have to be:

 

The Classic Sonic Trilogy (obviously )

Ristar

Gun Star Heroes

Sonic CD

Streets of Rage Series

Golden Axe Series

Phantasy Star Series

Eco the Dolphin Series

Vectorman 1/2

Comix Zone

Shnobi III

Dynamo Heady

Knuckles Chaotix

Sonic Spinball

 

And that's just a few of them of the top of my head; the Genesis is a great system and there are many more great games than the ones I listed

[SenEDDtor Missile]

 The genesis looks that big with all add-ons with it, man it looks like a transformer or something!

Genesis wage the battle to destroy, the evil forces of...the SNES !

Edited August 23, 2013 by 743 ED Missile

[SkyLlama]

In terms of game I recommend here's a short list, by no means complete, but for now it'll have to do.

 

Sonic 1,2,3, K

Rocket Night Adventures

Sparkster

The Revenge of Shinobi

Shinobi III

Echo the Dolphin

Truxton

M.U.S.H.A

Gunstar Heroes

Dynamite Headdy

The Road Rash series

Thunder Force 2,3 (never played 4)

Another World (not the best version of the game, but a very worthy one)

Herzog Zwei

Ristar

Mega Turrican

 

 

And while not an official game Sonic 2 Heroes is fun.

 

 

 

 The genesis looks that big with all add-ons with it, man it looks like a transformer or something!

 

Ya, it's quite big when all's said and done. What you don't see is the four power transformers my setup needs 0_o. Really though unless you're a collector or have some reason to own the CD and 32x it's just best to stick with a MD and nothing else.

Edited August 23, 2013 by SkyLlama

[mikeblastdude]

The Sega Genesis remains my all-time favorite console to this day (admittedly mostly because of Sonic, but for other reasons as well). I'll never forget the moment I saw Sonic for the first time (Sonic 2) at a friend's house. The bright colors, cool characters, catchy music, and extremely speedy gameplay all made it seem so amazing. It was decided that day that I NEEDED a Sega Genesis. I ended up getting one around the end of that year (1993), and was completely enamoured with it for the rest of my childhood. Obviously the Sonic games were what I played the most, but there was also Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Aladdin (in my opinion the better version), the "cool" version of Mortal Kombat with the blood in it, and many others. I also had this amazing thing known as the Sega Channel, which gave me access to ~50 different Genesis games every month. That thing was so incredibly ahead of its time. So yeah, lots of really good memories with the Genesis.

 

The Sega CD I have fond memories with as well. I was totally suckered into the whole "movies in video games!" thing that they kept advertising with it. I thought it was so awesome seeing actual video sequences in games, and hearing music with actual instruments and vocals. Also, I absolutely loved that boot-up song (version 2.0). I started out with Sonic CD and Sewer Shark, the pack-in game for it, and for a while those were all I really played on it. My library never grew very big for the system, but I'll still come back every now and then for some Sewer Shark (I love that cheesy acting so much!). It was ahead of its time when it was released, but sadly the majority of the games on it were horrible, and it never really got anything great besides Sonic CD.

 

As for the 32X... I really don't understand why it was made. I got one a few years after it was already dead (1998) for hardly anything, and the only reason I got one was to play Knuckles' Chaotix. I mean, with the Saturn already coming and everything, the purpose of this system confuses the hell out of me. Not to mention that setting it up with the Genesis and Sega CD together is a hassle that I would usually rather not deal with (all of those huge plugs...), so I really don't play it at all any more.

[spinny]

 The genesis looks that big with all add-ons with it, man it looks like a transformer or something!

 

Yeah, it's pretty massive. Actually weighs quite a ton too.

 

And you other guys, I'll get a piccy of the wire setup at the back in a bit...

Edited August 23, 2013 by Super Spindash

[Jet Prower]

I've had a genesis and Sega CD hook up for my model 2 for awhile now. I'm still missing a 32X though, since I can't seem to find one for a cheap enough price at the moment. The main reason I would want one is for Knuckles Chaotix, since its one of the only sonic games I've not even tried before yet. I've had some tricky times with the CD unit, but overall it works fine. It can be tricky sometimes getting the CD unit to work if its not connected to the genesis just PERFECTLY. I've sat there for a long time the last time I played it wondering why it wasn't working. Apparently I didn't push it in hard enough to click fully, which finally made it work. I only have two games for my CD unit, Sonic CD and Wonderdog, which are both good games in my opinion.

 

As for the normal genesis, I did grow up with the Super Nintendo and nintendo systems in general, but I did get one long after the console was out of date from my dad buying it at a pawn shop and coming home with it. My of my games are the sonic games of course, but I do have some others you are welcome to ask about such as:

 

Alladin

Castlevania

Earthworm Jim

Gunstar heroes

Jurrasic Park

Mega Bomberman

Rocket Knight Adventures

 

Other than the sonic games, I do have some other games for it, but thosse would be some of my favorites OTHER than the sonic games. Its been a good system overall of course. I do use a Red, White, Yellow cable now over the old connection it came when after it stopped working long ago. I much prefer them over the older cables, since they are so easy to connect. Plus, I've worked my tv to have a special cable connection area away from the back of the tv, so I dont have to go behind the tv anymore to hook consoles into the tv.

[Urban Flow]

Its my favorite console of all time next to the dreamcast. I was a genesis kid growing. I prefer it over the SNES if I was forced to choose. I love from the classics to the very obscure.

[Kat]

I guess my all-time favourite game on the Mega Drive next to the Sonic Series would be Shining Force. Somehow that game managed to make me curious about every single character, and the story is simple but really engaging with an interesting fantasy setting to boot. It's sad that there are no recent actual Shining Force games anymore.

Shining Force II is a little more challenging and polished, but could never quite convey the same atmosphere as its predecessor (to me).

 

I played Phantasy Star IV and Final Fantasy VI at around the same time many years after their initial release and, while FF6 is an awesome game, I found PSIV in a lot of ways fresher and better paced than its competition. If you can get over the non-chibi looks of the avatars, go for it.

 

Landstalker, one of the rare action-adventures (aside from Crusader of Centy and Story of Thor) with those "famous" diagonal controls. I love it, but it's probably not for die-hard Zelda fans =). (Doesn't work on emulators BTW, the final dungeon can't be completed).

 

Mega Probotector/Contra Hard Corps is my favourite Contra game of all, along with the best Soundtrack of the series.

 

Castlevania Bloodlines is pretty easy and rather short, but with a great soundtrack, unusual graphics and interesting settings.

[spinny]

Setup of my 32X and Mega Drive cables for anyone willing to give advice regarding the sound and no picture problem.

 

Edited August 23, 2013 by Super Spindash

[Jet Prower]

I guess my all-time favourite game on the Mega Drive next to the Sonic Series would be Shining Force. Somehow that game managed to make me curious about every single character, and the story is simple but really engaging with an interesting fantasy setting to boot. It's sad that there are no recent actual Shining Force games anymore.

Shining Force II is a little more challenging and polished, but could never quite convey the same atmosphere as its predecessor (to me).

 

I played Phantasy Star IV and Final Fantasy VI at around the same time many years after their initial release and, while FF6 is an awesome game, I found PSIV in a lot of ways fresher and better paced than its competition. If you can get over the non-chibi looks of the avatars, go for it.

 

Landstalker, one of the rare action-adventures (aside from Crusader of Centy and Story of Thor) with those "famous" diagonal controls. I love it, but it's probably not for die-hard Zelda fans =). (Doesn't work on emulators BTW, the final dungeon can't be completed).

 

Mega Probotector/Contra Hard Corps is my favourite Contra game of all, along with the best Soundtrack of the series.

 

Castlevania Bloodlines is pretty easy and rather short, but with a great soundtrack, unusual graphics and interesting settings.

 

I've always heard great things about shining force, but its one of those games I've seen people charge quite a bit for so I've never gotten a copy for myself. The same goes for the saturn version of shining force. It is one of those games that are priced so high that unless I have lots of cash to spare, I'm not likely to be getting a copy any time soon.

 

I'll definately agree with you about Bloodlines, since I do own it. It is a short game, but it does have the usual castlevania difficulty to go along with it, just not the cheap castlevania 3 difficulty, which is why I've never completed that one.

[Tornado]

If you've got it hooked up properly and you're still not getting video, one of the caps on the 32x probably blew.

Also:

Oh you lucky asshole I always wanted one of those. I don't think they would fit on mine, though.

[AzureHedgehog]

Megadrive and Sonic 2 were my first video games, along being Sonic the Hedgehog was my first video game character Idol.

 

I had been about 4 or something it was so long ago I can't remember but it was when we were all little kids so I guess that was a long time ago anyway.

 

 

My cousins got me into it and we always used to have the best times playing it and they also had Sonic 1, Ren & Stimpy : Stimpy's Invention and Aladdin, where in that game we discovered a cheat that would let you pause the game and beat every level just so you could get up  to  the final boss and I don't think I have never actually played that game properly lol.

 

I used to be an expert in Sonic 2 and I loved to make Sonic run out of the screen for a couple of seconds and could always get up to the top of the blocks in Chemical Plant Zone act 2 before the water had a chance to rise.

 

Chemical Plant was my best level.

 

I was never used to Sonic 1 because that didn't have the spin dash yet but now a bit later on I am used to it and still enjoy playing it (Especially in Sonic Jam, where the Spin Dash is added as a bonus).

 

Just recently I managed to buy a Mega Drive (what you americans call Genisis) and it works well and it is as if it's in brand new in the finest condition (Only $100 for everything, including the wires and plugs!)
They actually even cleaned the controllers for me in the store!

I have no clue how to set it up though......I tried once on a Digital TV and lost our AV2 Connection because i think a plug was disconnected by accident, but I know you have to put the antenna in the plug connected to the console.

Get this guys, my dad is so used to me playing recent games and older ones with av cables that he didn't even believe that I was supposed to plug this in to the TV Arial, ho ho HO.

 

I got a "Gold Edition' of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, also fully boxed, and I have some other Mega Drive Games along with Ecco the Dolphin and Sonic 1. I'm still looking out for Stimpy's Invention and Aladdin. I want to actually play that this time, HEH.

 

I know there is a secret way on how to connect the Mega Drive to the TV Arial on a digital TV but I think the one I have isn't big enough to fit in the console? Or am I getting  the plugs mixed up?

I have a analog TV out in the other room anyway.

That'll be easier to use.

 

http://www.mediafire.com/view/1bv8li7m620y1f7/995787_439256519522157_309915483_n.jpg

Edited August 24, 2013 by AzureHedgehog

[Solkia]

Semi-thorough explanation on how the 32X works with the Genesis:

 

The 32X has it's own seperate video encoder. However for that Video encoder to function properly it has to pull the RBG signal from and Audio from the Genesis main board bios chip. The 32X  has it's own audio mixer, but it has to work in tandem with the Genesis Yamaha YM2612/YM3438, so developers basically said fuck it and used the sound directly from the genesis. It's a clusterfuck in every sense of the word, there's a reason why developers didn't bother with it.

 

So in order for the 32X to work, you need the RGB pass through cable, and if you have a model 1, you'll need a special cable adapter you can find on ebay for about $20. There's only 32 games for it, so the best use you'll get out of it is a superior encoder for Genesis games.

 

Also, the rumor about 32X's ruining genesis games is 110% horseshit, and I have no idea where that fucking moronic rumor even started.

 

 

I have no clue how to set it up though......I tried once on a Digital TV and lost our AV2 Connection because i think a plug was disconnected by accident, but I know you have to put the antenna in the plug connected to the console.

Get this guys, my dad is so used to me playing recent games and older ones with av cables that he didn't even believe that I was supposed to plug this in to the TV Arial, ho ho HO.

 

I got a "Gold Edition' of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, also fully boxed, and I have some other Mega Drive Games along with Ecco the Dolphin and Sonic 1. I'm still looking out for Stimpy's Invention and Aladdin. I want to actually play that this time, HEH.

 

I know there is a secret way on how to connect the Mega Drive to the TV Arial on a digital TV but I think the one I have isn't big enough to fit in the console? Or am I getting  the plugs mixed up?

I have a analog TV out in the other room anyway.

That'll be easier to use.

 

What model is it?

[Tornado]

It might, however, blank the saves if you have a Sega CD RAM cart.

[Jet Prower]

 

Also, the rumor about 32X's ruining genesis games is 110% horseshit, and I have no idea where that fucking moronic rumor even started.

 

 

I always had hoped that rumor was false. No telling where that came from. Maybe it was just some people trying to not get people to buy a 32X. Still, I wish I could find a nice one at a decent price. Ebay seems to have rather high prices for them that I dont think are worth it usually.

[AzureHedgehog]

Semi-thorough explanation on how the 32X works with the Genesis:

 

The 32X has it's own seperate video encoder. However for that Video encoder to function properly it has to pull the RBG signal from and Audio from the Genesis main board bios chip. The 32X  has it's own audio mixer, but it has to work in tandem with the Genesis Yamaha YM2612/YM3438, so developers basically said fuck it and used the sound directly from the genesis. It's a clusterfuck in every sense of the word, there's a reason why developers didn't bother with it.

 

So in order for the 32X to work, you need the RGB pass through cable, and if you have a model 1, you'll need a special cable adapter you can find on ebay for about $20. There's only 32 games for it, so the best use you'll get out of it is a superior encoder for Genesis games.

 

Also, the rumor about 32X's ruining genesis games is 110% horseshit, and I have no idea where that fucking moronic rumor even started.

 

 

What model is it?

 

 

....how do I check?

 

I guess you're talking about the model number right?

1601-03

Runs for PAL versions.

[Kat]

I've always heard great things about shining force, but its one of those games I've seen people charge quite a bit for so I've never gotten a copy for myself. The same goes for the saturn version of shining force. It is one of those games that are priced so high that unless I have lots of cash to spare, I'm not likely to be getting a copy any time soon.

You could try getting the GBA remake "Resurrection of the Dark Dragon". Music and graphics are mostly true to the original, but they added a few characters that don't really need to be there (one of which fights with cards you can now collect throughout the game...), and bonus-missions you can complete during battles. The latter idea might've come from SFIII, but it creates a strange urgency that I didn't feel when playing the Mega Drive version.

[Jet Prower]

You could try getting the GBA remake "Resurrection of the Dark Dragon". Music and graphics are mostly true to the original, but they added a few characters that don't really need to be there (one of which fights with cards you can now collect throughout the game...), and bonus-missions you can complete during battles. The latter idea might've come from SFIII, but it creates a strange urgency that I didn't feel when playing the Mega Drive version.

 

Maybe I'll look into that one day. Would still like the genesis version some day, but if there is another version that is similiar and is not a download title, I would be much more likely to consider it. I've just always heard such good things about the series, but people price the game quite high so often that I've never been able to get a copy yet.

[Mr Loopone]

Well considering that the Mega Drive is my first console, it is also my favourite console even though there are a bunch that I really like. While I actually don't own many games (just Sonic 2,3,K, Spinball, Castle of Illusion, WWF Super Wrestlemania, ExoSquad, Taz: Escape from Mars, Micro Machines 96, PGA Tour Golf II, Desert Strike and the Mega 6 cart), I have played a lot due to the past as a sprite ripper to the point of even playing Taiwanese, Chinese/Russian bootleg games. While I haven't played every single game on the system (due to a quarter of the library being sports games plus Japanese only games) but have played a fair amount.

 

I remember the days of playing Sonic 2 to 10pm at night (back then I had to be at bed not later than 9pm) and getting stuck at a bunch of games like never getting past the waterfall in Revenge of Shinobi or fascinated by certain sound effects (the golf swing in PGA Tour Golf II and the breaking sound in Super Monaco GP). Even my mum played on Columns and Sonic 1 when I was at school.

 

Out of the ones that I played, here's some that I can recommend or to try (excluding the Sonic games since well considering the site):

 

Adventures of Batman & Robin - A run and gun based off the cartoon. It is really colourful, uses various effects on the system, fast paced electronia music from Jesper Kyd (Hitman, Assassin's Creed) and 2 player as well. Sort of like a more linear Gunstar Batman mixed with Contra. It is hard though and the Batwing stage goes on for a while.

 

Bonanza Bros. - You might recognise these two from Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. 2 player co-operative action game with addictive gameplay and catchy music, also liked the style of the characters. Now the Genesis version is not the best version of this game, that goes to the almost arcade perfect Sharp X68000 version or the really good PC Engine/PS2 versions [that is on Sega Classics Collection] and the MD version cuts some stuff out plus with an altered story and Engrish (Underground Gold Bars?) but even then still has the gameplay.

 

Gauntlet IV - Not just an almost arcade port of the game (done by M2) but also has a Quest Mode that extends the game making it more like an RPG mixed with a dungeon crawler and really really atmospheric/orchestra feeling music, a type of music that usually the Genesis doesn't do well on at all (the Sortie song makes you feel like a King or Queen).

 

Mega Bomberman - A port of Bomberman 94, it is a splendid version of Bomberman in terms of both single player and as most Bomberman games the multiplayer that supports the multitap. Mega Bomberman is usually ranked along side with Saturn Bomberman to be one of the best ones (I also like Super Bomberman 2 as well). Now if you have a PC Engine, Mega Bomberman is not as good as its PC Engine counterpart due to some animation cutbacks and simplified the graphics making it not as pretty however Mega Bomberman is in English so unless you can understand the Japanese menus, go with this one.

 

Mega Turrican - The Turrican series isn't as well known except maybe in Germany and possibly the UK but basically it is Metroid, Contra and a tiny bit of Mario (stomping on the walker enemies) mixed in a futuristic world. It uses many effects, good graphics (mostly), well designed bosses [plus Alien/Terminator references], great level design, responsive controls and the music makes it a really good game. The only downside is the intro, the Germans tried to make this an anime look but ended up looking really awkward. Many fans don't like this one cause it cuts back on the exploration compared to the previous Turrican games though but in terms of the Mega Drive, it is really good.

 

Micro Machines 96 - This was only released in Europe but Micro Machines are top down racing games using miniturised sets such as a kitchen sink, the back garden with a barbeque, a pool table, an office table with a stamper moving across, a beach and the vehicles are small cars, boats, buggies. This is one of the few cartridges that has extra controller ports so up to 4 players can play this game [called the J-Cart] and to top things off, this one [96] has a Construction Set where you can make courses for yourself to race on.

 

Monster World IV - The last game in the Wonder Boy/Monster World series, you play as Asha and it is an action/adventure game with a tiny bit of RPG element. It is more linear and faster compared to the other Monster World games however it has a different feeling like an Arabian Nights, like Arabian Days. Sorry, oh yes the graphics are really nice and the gameplay is good. For years, this has been Japanese only with a ropey fan translation cutting out some of the game however there is an official translation on PSN/XBLA/Virtual Console if you want to play the game in English and support Sega.

 

RoadBlasters - An arcade port that was actually pretty respectable for its time with only the far backgrounds not looking very good. The gameplay is addictive to see how far you can go in the game and even though the original arcade version has been emulated by Backbone, this version is still recommended as it controls much better [probably more closer to how the arcade did it than Backbone's take on it]. The only parts that got cut out are the voices and the T Shirt contest. Oh and the programmers of Sonic Spinball worked on this game even though it is much much faster here.

 

Rolling Thunder 3 - Even people who are fans of the system don't talk about this game very much if at all which is a shame as it is a pretty good game, basically a 1 player action game where you shoot enemies, go into doors to get power ups and make it in at one piece. As well as the admirable gameplay, graphics and sound, there is also a decent story told in cutscenes that is engauging even if there is a tiny bit of Engrish since not many games at the time (excluding RPGs and Point and Click Adventures) that had a lengthy story with a upsetting twist. There are also stages on the motorbike and the jet ski plus the choice of weapon to prevent reputation, there is even a code to unlock a female player if you don't want to play as Jay.

 

Shui Hu Feng Yu Zhuan (Water Margin) - A chinese hack and slash beat em up on the lines of Knights of the Round but set in China and for a mostly original game consider its origins is actually a really good game, beating some of the games on the system. There are 3 characters to choose from each with their differences and a various amount of enemies and bosses with pretty good and detailed graphics. Unlike many Chinese games, the controls and the collision detection are solid without much problems. Now not everything in this game is original; one of the enemies is Simon Belmont, some of the music is from Final Fantasy and the burnt sprites are from Street Fighter II plus some people consider this ripping off Knights of the Round however if want a game and you played Golden Axe to boredom, this will be okay. Now the chances of finding this game to buy is actually pretty tough even in China/Taiwan so you would have to make do getting the ROM and using an Everdrive if you want to play it on an actual console.

 

Squirrel King - Another Chinese game on the system from Taiwan, this time done by Gamtec. Like Hummer Team on the NES, Gamtec was one of the go to company in terms of Chinese made games since they were actually decent of making games (Legend of Wukong that Super Fighter Team published is their most known game). C&E and Chunpu were other decent companies as well if you like RPGs. Now most games in China/Taiwan were either Mahjong [proper Mahjong, not Shanghai Mahjong Soltaire style], a really bad bootleg of a fighting game or poorly porting a Mario/Donkey Kong game or ripping off another game and changing the characters sprite. Yes, this is a rip off of Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers on the NES (that the Russians later remade) but the parts that it ripped off are the good bits such as the controls and the gameplay plus Chip and Dale appear in this game (one of them wears a pimp hat). However there are original stages, enemies and bosses in this game with a cartoony sprite style. The music however isn't original since the 2nd stage plays the main theme from Donkey Kong Country. While there are some bugs in the game, it doesn't negatively affect the game to the point of save stating unlike some made from this region. Towards the end of the game, it seems rushed probably due to lack of the time to finish and polish though but it is common in most Chinese made games and in some American made games too. If you ever played Super Mario World/Super Mario Bros. [not Super Mario World 64 the port of SMW or Super Mario Bros. 2 98 the SMB All-Stars port], that is a hack of this one with less stages, more bugs and pure laziness (after you beat Bowser it goes to one of the stages in this game).

 

Streets of Rage 2 - Considered many to be the best beat em up ever made, Streets of Rage 2 has 4 playable characters 3 that are really likeable (only Stake isn't as liked but he is the only one who can run), amazing stages with variation such as a street leading into a bar, a theme park, a baseball stadium

that ends up having an underground base

, a jungle. Controls are easy to learn but with enough moves to prevent from being repetitive, recognisable enemies from the lowly Galsia and Donovan to Big Ben and the bosses as well including Mr. X, great graphics with large and well animated sprites, up beat techno music hinting strongly to a nightclub feeling (one of the songs is Move Any Mountain) mostly from Yuzo Koshiro and good sound effects/decent voices (e.g. Grand Upper). The only downside is that if you played Bare Knuckle 3, it might seem a bit slow. Oh and if you have the Japanese/European cartridge, Blaze shows her panties when she does a jump kick.

 

Thunder Force IV (aka Lightening Force but most people just use the former name anyway) - If Streets of Rage 2 is considered the best beat em up on the system, Thunder Force IV gets that title for the horizontal shoot em ups. Each stage has variation, more room in the stages as that you can go up and down a stage, decent and detailed graphics, gameplay with tactics for the bosses and pounding music that many people really really like (especially Metal Squad). Apart from the grainy voices, the only problem is that some stages have slowdown especially at the bosses. Also this game can crash on some emulators so if you play this on a PSP, you have no chance clearing the first stage.

 

If you have an Everdrive or play on emulators, there's also a couple prototypes that's worth a look.

 

ResQ - The game was made in my home city [only a few games have that distinction like the port of Midnight Club 3 on the PSP] and probably the saddest reason why this wasn't released [Psygnosis its publisher decided to jump straight to the PlayStation cancelling 12 Mega Drive games that were in development: Bill's Tomato Game from the same developer as this game, Shadow of the Beast 3 port by I think Reflections, Hardcore by DICE and possibly a Blood Money port were some of the others that got axed]. Anyway, you play as a Centerion where you have to rescue people on this mining planet you move your transporter and land to go on foot to reach a person and make it back to the ship. It is harder than it sounds due to enemies and traps along the way so you would have to defend yourself and the miners plus some puzzle elements. The music by Matt Furniss is amazing and the controls are decent. Even then, there is more to it since the bonus stages are (drum rolls):

 

A STAR FOX STYLE STAGE! That's right, the 3 bonus stages where you control a polygonal ship like an Arwing, flying through polygon hoops and defeat polygonal enemies at a decent frame rate with a scaling background without help from the SuperFX chip or any enhancement chip, just the standard Mega Drive processor in action. If this game came out, it would have been impressive. Don't believe me? Have a look at this video and if you ever do play this game use these passwords: PHGAC, IHIBA and SHCIB.

 

Time Trax: Now, this game is on the SNES so it is more like an alternative version that wasn't released however the difference between the SNES version and the Genesis version is the sound and music. The Genesis version has Tim Follin who is known for works on various systems and this was his only Mega Drive work. The SNES version was done by Richard Joseph and it is his more disappointing works (considering that he worked on Cannon Fodder, The Chaos Engine and Sensible World of Soccer, all of them having good music). Not to say that the SNES version is bad (I like the SNES as much as the Mega Drive), it's just that the sound can make a difference in terms of choosing which version to play.  It is hard though and it is a licensed game.

 

Oh and Aladdin, Castle of Illusion, Castlevania Bloodlines, Gunstar Heroes, Rocket Knight Adventures and Sparkster are really good games but they are very well known.

 

On the Mega CD, as well as Sonic CD I enjoyed the driving mode of Batman Returns (its like OutRun and Special Criminal Investigation in Gotham City) compared to the rest of the game, Final Fight CD is a good recommended arcade port and better than the cutdown rushed SNES version with arranged sound and extra modes but the graphics could be a bit better in terms of colour, Eternal Champions: Challenge of the Dark Side is a good fighting game on the system [its no Street Fighter II or top tier fighting games but it is much better than the Genesis version] especially when you play as the Senator on his stage, Keio Flying Squadron is a quirky shoot em up, Mickey Mania has more stages than the MD version [even though I prefer the MD soundtrack] but not as many as the PS1 and Formula One: Beyond the Limit is really impressive in terms of the overall effort in the game but its really hard and punishing unless you know exactly what setting to have it on.

 

To be honest, I haven't gave the Mega CD a pure play (except completing Sonic CD) but out of all the FMV games, the only one that I liked was Midnight Raiders even though I have yet to pass the first direction of Road Avenger.

 

As for the 32X, there weren't many games on it and a couple are really expensive to buy but I recommend these:

 

After Burner II - An almost arcade perfect port of the game with the only differences being a slower frame rate (this version was the basis of the Saturn version) and some slight alterations. Better than the MD version.

Space Harrier - An almost arcade perfect port of the game with the only difference being a slower frame rate (this version was the basis of the Saturn version).

Virtua Fighter - A good arcade port of the game even if the graphics are more simplified. Not sure whether a more recent port has been released but in some ways it was better than the Saturn version (the Saturn version was rushed to the point of a remake, still a good game though).

Virtua Racing Deluxe - This version doesn't need an enhancement chip unlike the Genesis version since the 32X does the work. Better graphics (not as good as the arcade and the PS2 remake though), much better voice quality, two extra courses compared to the other versions, two extra car types (instead of just the F1/Indy car), slightly longer jingles plus new and good music and if you have the Japanese version, you can save your times. Good luck completing the game since its really hard.

 

I have yet to play Stellar Assault, Darxide and Kolibri. I can't remember Star Wars Arcade except that it looked good and was hard plus can't remember much of Chaotix as well even though I played that one more. Only played Metal Head once and that was with the hidden portrait mode.

 

Oh and Shining Force, I'm sure that was on the Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection/Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection on the 360 and PS3 even though emulation isn't the best.

Edited August 24, 2013 by Yawackhary

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

anyone know of any good game stores in Pheonix AZ that would carry Genesis games? Just wondering if we have any members in the area who knows of a shop who is good, efficent, and has a decent supply at a decent cost