Your top 10 favorite Genesis games, and why! [Archive]

Drixxel

08-21-2005, 03:37 AM

In alphabetical order, the top ten would have to be..

Columns: A genuine Genesis standby. There's a lot of depth here that makes extended play more rewarding than your average puzzler, and the Greek atmosphere is a nice, unique touch.

Ghouls 'n' Ghosts: While I think the series hit its peak with Super Ghouls 'n' Ghosts, this Genesis arcade port is undeniably neat.

Mega Turrican: Perhaps not as mindblowing as Gunstar Heroes or Contra: Hard Corps, but still a great run and gun. Gunstar and Contra deserve to be on this list, but for whatever reason Mega Turrican appeals to me more.

Phantasy Star II: An RPG from a less convoluted time, and refreshingly so.

Ristar: I originally played this for Gamegear and was instantly smitten. The Genesis version is fantastic, and for being such a reputed under-rated game, it has many a fan, me included.

Sagaia: The Darius feel is cooly represented here. I think overall I've had more fun with Lightening Force, but blasting freakish robotic fish is so very awesome.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2: I've never much liked the bonus stages, but everything else is bloody amazing. A classic example of a Genesis total package.

Splatterhouse 2: I have vivid childhood memories of playing this game and being so incredibly shocked by the horrors within. I don't have as much fun with it now as I once did, but that nostalgia is enough to maintain a spot atop my Genesis heap.

Street Fighter II' Special Champion Edition: The smooth control has me seduced. The audio shortcomings are forgotten in the face of pure playability, thus ranking as my favourite console SFII.

Super Volleyball: A righteous sports game because of its totally unique take on video volleyball. The horizontal viewpoint makes for a much more streamlined and fun experience.

Electroman

08-21-2005, 11:15 AM

In order, english names:

1.) Lightening Force (TF IV) (IMO, the finest 16 bit shooter for the home ever designed. & I <3 the ending)
2.) Musha (A close second. Metal soundtrack, certainly Complie's best)
3.) Afterburner II (I played this to death but the 32X version kicks its ass)
4.) Gunstar Heroes (classic. Treasure worked so ard on this title and it shows)
5.) Revenge of Shinobi (Best Shinobi ever. Do find the original issue with Batman, Spiderman, Terminator if you can.)
6.) Shinobi III (A very worthy update to RoS. Great effects and quite long. Beautiful music)
7.) Shadow Dancer (for those Shinobi fans that need 100% arcade action)
8.) MERCS (I love commando shooters so it needs to be here. Original mode makes it worth it.)
9.) Thunderforce III (Can't forget this blasterpiece. In some regards, sprites move better in this version. Very colorful, clean music.)
10.) Herzog Zwei (The black sheep with golden blood, I put more hours in this game than most RPG's.)

landstalkerx

08-21-2005, 01:56 PM

1. Sonic 2 ( the first video game I ever owned/played)
2. Landstalker
3. Shining Force 2
4. Streets of Rage
5. Sonic and Knuckles
6. Golden Axe
7. Romance of the three kingdoms three
8.Gunstar Heroes
9. Page Master
10. Aladdin

Wampaa

08-22-2005, 10:27 AM

1. Herzog Zwei (Just read the review on this site to see why. Simply the best Genesis game)

2. Thunder Force 2 (Yes I love it way more than 3 and 4. I love the overhead levels too)

3. Ghouls and Ghost (Great arcade conversion of one of the best games ever)

4. Revenge of Shinobi (Awesome Bosses and Music! Plays like a dream)

5. Mystic Defender (Great music, graphics and overall feel. Very overlooked game. I love how evil the levels look too)

6. Target Earth (Holy crap this game is so hard! Awesome sound and the story is great)

7. Golden Axe (This game made my friends and I so late for High School every morning because of the duel mode. Just one more fight!)

8. Thunder Force 3 (Wow I still am amazed at the fire swirl background effect. Awesome tunes and an awesome shooter!)

9. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (My fave of the series.)

10. Forgotten Worlds (Not fun single player. Really shines 2 player. O so much fun fighting over Zenny! The graphics really captured my imagination)

Honorable Mention: Strider, The Immortal, Gaiares and the Phantasy Star Series.

Allot of my choices are Capcom arcade conversions. They made the Genesis worth owning all by themselves. It was really like having your own little arcade back in the day.

IronKnux

08-22-2005, 10:57 AM

10. Aladdin
9. Vectorman
8. Spiderman
7. Captain America and the Avengers
6. Rocket Knight Adventures
5. Mortal Kombat
4. Ranger X
3. Sonic 2
2. Earthworm Jim
1. Streets of Rage 2

Im into beat-em-ups and platformers, so that's why my list is a little weird. These are the games I grew up with too, so they've grown on me just a bit.

StRiDA CoL

08-22-2005, 11:36 AM

YES

Someone here loves SoR2 and it's not just me

David J.

08-22-2005, 11:42 AM

Here's 10 of my favs... I guess this is my top 10, abet not in order.

Streets of Rage 2
Ranger-X
Chakan
Sonic 2
Crackdown
Shinobi 3
Cool Spot
Mega Bomberman
Columns
Flicky

Wampaa

08-22-2005, 03:01 PM

Man, I am going to have to check out the Streets of Rage games. They made almost everyones list. I haven't played those games for a long time.

Vicman

08-22-2005, 05:50 PM

I can't even make up a list, too many great games to choose just 10.

raystorm

08-22-2005, 07:23 PM

way too many games to choose from..but I'll make up a great top 10 of some of my favs (in no real particular order):

1) Gauntlet 4 (4 players of course and it has some excellent music for a genesis game)
2) Gunstar Heroes
3) Castle of Illusion (gorgeous game)
4) Streets of Rage 2 (great game and its the best SOR out of the 3)
5) Thunder Force 4 (I am not calling it "Lightening Force"..ugh)
6) Shinobi 3 (I love Revenge of Shinobi but feel part 3 is more refined and faster)
7) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (my personal favorite genesis Sonic installment)
8) Strider (I got this for Christmas when it just came out and I was just blown away..it looked amazing at the time and had most of the sound as well)
9) Phelios (it doesn't have the scaling and rotation of the arcade but I loved it and I'm just a sucker for Greek Mythology..would love a sequel namco!)
10) Rocket Knight Adventures (what a superb original game by Konami...great graphics and fun gameplay).

..way too many other games to choose from!

Demonic Weasel

08-22-2005, 08:49 PM

Heh, seems like only a few remember the greatness of the Shining Force series.

Drixxel

08-22-2005, 10:00 PM

To be honest, I've only played Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya for Gamegear, but it was pretty awesome. It's a series I've just never gotten around to.

Vicman

08-22-2005, 11:40 PM

I played around 10 hours of Shining Force 1 & 4-5 of Shining Force CD and really enjoyed them both. It's the Phantasy Star's that I have yet to truly get into with only 3-4 hours into PS4. Personally though I really have liked what I've seen and played of both those series and am more compelled to play them over SNES FF games.

Demonic Weasel

08-23-2005, 10:42 AM

Yeah, the series is awesome. For me I accidentally stumbled across SF1 and loved it. I discovered SF2 and Shining in the Darkness and loved them. Then I moved on to Sword of Hajya followed by Shining Wisdom, Shining the Holy Ark, and all of Shining Force 3. I love the series.

As for Phantasy Star... yeah I was into it for a while but I've been stuck on PS 2 for like 2 years now. Haven't played it much lately.

hadjiquest

08-30-2005, 09:41 AM

10. Mortal Kombat

9. Super Thunder Blade

8. Super Hang-On

7. Revenge of Shinobi

6. Toki - Going Ape Spit

5. MERCS

4. Rolling Thunder 3

3. TMNT - Hyperstone Heist

2. Contra Hard Corps

1. Gunstar Heroes

shinobimusashi

01-23-2010, 10:28 AM

1.shinobi 3 return of the ninja master
2.musha
3.lightening force/thunder force 4
4.sonic 3/sonic and knuckles
5.revenge of shinobi
6.shining force
7.nfl 98
8.sonic 2
9.alien soldeir
10.contra hard corp

TmEE

01-23-2010, 08:32 PM

I am fairly certain that there's a newer thread with such contents that could have been dug out :P

anyway :

1. Sonic3 & Knuckles
2. Ristar
3. Road Rash 3
4. Panorama Cotton
5. Battle Mania Daiginjou / Trouble Shooter Vintage
6. Thunder Force IV
7. Alien 3
8. Wiz 'n' Liz
9. Socket
10. Mega Turrican

NavesRegge

01-24-2010, 12:47 AM

10-Rocket Knight Adventures (Very good platformer. It doesn't rank higher because I've never gotten a chance to really play it in-depth.)

9-Super Street Fighter 2: The New Challengers (Wonderful port. I sometimes even choose this over playing Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition on my Dream Arcade machine.)

8-Vectorman (Everyone knows why this is awesome, I'm sure.)

7-Streets of Rage 2 (Also, everyone should know why it's awesome.)

6-Comix Zone (Very imaginative and plays great with my Dream Arcade machine.)

5-Boogerman (Although it has way too many levels and the novelty of boogers wears thin after a while, this is a highly overlooked platformer that I think is fun to play every so often and it never gets any less awesome which is more than I can say for Sonic, which I got tired of shortly after I bought it. That counts for 1 and 2.)

4-Gunstar Heroes (It's great, but I can't say I like it over Contra: Hard Corps.)

3-Contra: Hard Corps (It's Contra and side-scrolling. How can it not be awesome? The soundtrack also kicks ass as all Contra games should.)

2-Shinobi 3 (Just. Awesome.)

1-ThunderForce 3 (What can I say? It's awesome. Not only does it have some of the most memorable music I might even rank above Contra's music, the overall presentation of the game is phenomenal. It's also a blast to play and never loses its awesome. And when I get tired of playing ThunderForce 3 after an 8 hour streak and nearly making my Genesis explode, I can go play it on an emulator on my Dream Arcade machine where it plays almost as if it was designed to be played on an arcade machine. It's friggin' awesome.)

You may notice that there aren't any Sonic games on the list. That is because I don't like Sonic that much. Sure he's fast and it's a good game, but shooting things in a spacecraft or being a one-man (or one-robot) army shooting away cyborgs to a great soundtrack or shooting shurikens while riding a horse or flicking boogers and farting at enemies is much more appealing than a blue hedgehog that runs fast.

Mark Robert

02-05-2010, 10:44 AM

10) Contra Hard Corps (some of the most amazing bosses on the system)
9) Mega Turrican (incredible graphics, music, gameplay, the whole package)
8) Dynamite Headdy (one of the most artistically beautiful titles on the Genesis)
7) Bare Knuckle III (one of the best beat 'em ups ever made period)
6) Streets of Rage II (beat 'em up perfection)
5) Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures II (awesome sequel to RKA that greatly expands upon the use of the jet-pack)
4) Battle Mania Daiginjou (graphics and effects so good you'll think you're playing the Neo-Geo)
3) MUSHA (incredible shmup with the most amazing enemy designs)
2) Gunstar Heroes (technically shouldn't be possible on Genesis. Treasure pulled a proverbial rabbit out of a hat on this one.)
1) Alien Soldier (one amazing huge boss encounter after another)

Several people have mentioned Thunderforce III. I can't deny it's awesomeness, although I absolutely suck at the game. I haven't gotten past the level two boss yet. :(

Jesse813

02-05-2010, 02:26 PM

Alien Soldier
Super Fantasy Zone
Panorama Cotton
Toejam & Earl
Dynamite Headdy
Rocket Knight Adventures
Comix Zone
Forgotten Worlds
Phantasy Star IV
Wonder Boy in Monster World

djshok

02-05-2010, 02:57 PM

1- Sonic 3 & Knuckles - because it's the best 16 bit platformer EVER :cool:

2- Sonic 2 - because it's the second best 16 bit platformer ever

3- Spider-man & Venom Maximum Carnage - because it's my favourite brawler of all time, I'm gonna say it: I like this game a lot better than all the Streets of Rage games combined.

4- X-Men 2 Clone Wars - because it really is the holy grail of X-Men games, and I'm a huge X-fan

5- Phantasy Star 4 - because it's my favourite RPG

6- Comix Zone - because this game is just plain awesome

7- Sonic The Hedgehog - it would he higher up on the list if he could spin dash

8- The Punisher - another awesome brawler

9- Mortal Kombat - because, fuck yeah blood

10- Earthworm Jim - because I spent so much time playing that and watching the cartoon

todd

02-06-2010, 04:45 PM

It's been so long since i had/played the games, but i do remember some of the titles:

Battletech & Desert/Jungle Strike (these 3 types were played hard & heavy)
Golden Axe (gotta love walking around using edged weapons)
Capt. America & The Avengers (Huge fan of Cap & the Avengers comics...'nuf said)
Streets of Rage II (the game that brought me back to the fold, Max is the shit)
Road Rash (the best two player game imo)
688 Attack Sub (Being an avid Tom Clancy reader back then,i was sold easily)
Tony LaRussa Baseball (100's of hours spent playing this with the guys waging beers & bags on the outcome)
WWF Wrestling (not sure the exact title i had, but it sure was fun acting out in 16-bit fashion)

I'm really looking forward to picking these up again & expanding my horizons with other titles as my game taste's have changed, i.e. broadened, over the last 20 years.

Jared

02-06-2010, 05:31 PM

In no particular order:

1. Aladdin
2. Streets of Rage 2
3. Sonic the Hedgehog
4. Monster World IV
5. Mega Turrican
6. Castlevania Bloodlines
7. Zombies ate my Neighbors
8. Super Street Fighter II
9. The Lost Vikings
10. TMNT Hyperstone Heist

MrX

02-06-2010, 05:59 PM

I tried, But i deleted it about 6 times and kept starting again. I can only 100% put 2 in the list.

Streets of Rage 1&2 and Sonic 1&2

BrYaN

02-06-2010, 07:00 PM

1 - Contra Hard Corps
2 - Alien Soldier
3 - Eliminate Down
4 - Thunder Force 4
5 - Sonic 1
6 - Sonic 2
7 - Revenge Of Shinobi
8 - Rocket Knight Adventures
9 - Monster World IV
10 - Shining Force II

Ash

02-15-2010, 03:18 AM

in no particular order:

Sonic 2
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Super Fantasy Zone
Streets of Rage
Mortal Kombat II
Mickey Mania
Thunder Force III
Thunger Forice IV
Splatterhouse 2
Road Rash

runback22

02-15-2010, 09:05 AM

In no particular order....

1. Lakers vs. Celtics - the reason I bought a genesis
2. Sonic 1 - Pure Nostalgia, best sonic ever
3. Streets of Rage 1 - Bumpin soundtrack
4. Madden 93 - Best 16 bit madden
5. Sonic 2 - its sonic
6. Afterburner 2 - Get Ready! Incredibly fun
7. Phantasy Star IV - Best 16 bit RPG
8. Golden Axe - great arcade port
9. Shadow Dancer - Favorite shinobi game
10. Shining Force - best 16 bit SRPG and amazing art design

Why-Disciple

02-15-2010, 10:45 AM

1. Vectorman (Fast paced, satisfying and just epic)
2. X-men 2: Clone Wars (Fast paced again, lengthy, and plenty of variety)
3. Bare Knuckle 3 (Never played it, but I like SOR3 more than SOR2, and BK3 is supposedly even better)
4. Earthworm Jim 2 (Hilarious, fun, plenty of variety)
5. Punisher (Excellent, underrated brawler)
6. Fire Shark (Fun arcade style vertical shmup)
7. Toy Story (Variety, good controls, just fun)
8. Sonic 2 (First Sonic game I played, and I've played it a ton)
9. Castlevania Bloodlines (Creative, near perfect platformer)
10. Golden Axe 2 (Improves on GA1 in almost every way)

Splatterhouse5

02-18-2010, 12:41 PM

In no particular order

01. Toejam and Earl - This was simply an original and incredibly fun way to get thru a game with 2 players. I have beaten it a ton of times (alone and with a friend) and it still hasnt gotten old with me.

02. Herzog Zwei - This was my 2-player competitive game of choice. I spent way too many nights with friends, talking crap to each other over this game. Another game that is still a ton of fun, which is a testament to how good it really is.

03. Streets of Rage 2 - I still play thru this game for a half hour fix of intense gaming every once in a while. This is probably the best game of it´s genre that I have ever played. I would have thought that I would have gotten sick of this game by now, but I guess I was wrong.

04. Trouble Shooter - I remember digging this out of a bargain bin on a cheap impulse, and it was probably the most pleasant surprise that I experienced with a Genesis game. A 2-player co-op schmup that is probably my fave on the system.

05. Alien 3 - I was a huge Aliens fan, so I had to pick this up. This was back in my early teens when I was much more optimistic towards movie licensed games, so it actually wasn´t much of a surprise that I really loved this game. To this day, it is still the best Aliens game i have played.

06. Landstalker - As a huge Zelda fan, I really had to check out what seemed like a Zelda knock-off for the Genesis. What I didn´t know is that I would love this game just as much. I was really hoping that this series would take off like Zelda had, but alas...

07. Flashback - This was the first game to technically blow me away after that first year that I owned the system. I remember being so impressed that I could play such a gorgeous game in the comfort of my bedroom. Actually, there were a ton of these kind of moments during the Genesis era for me, but this one really sticks out, and is still a lot of fun to play thru.

08. NHLPA Hockey 93 - I spent an obscene amount of time playing this game (by myself or with a friend), and I didnt even follow hockey when I got it. Hell, I dont even follow hockey now, which I always thought odd because I learned all of the player names and played this a ton more than baseball games (my sport of preference). Back in the day, only one person could ever beat me in this game, and he didnt do it often.

09. Castle of Illusion - This is my guilty pleasure pick. It was one of my first games, and I thought it was adorable. There was probably a time when I would have been embarrassed to admit that I enjoyed this game, but all these years later it is stll remembered fondly, and is still great for a 20 minute casual run thru.

10. Sonic1 & Sonic2 - It´s tough for me to pick one. Sonic 1 was my first 16-bit gaming experience, and it made my jaw drop (something I wish would happen more often these days), but I ultimately had more fun with Sonic 2. I will just slip them both into the 10 spot.

acdc

02-18-2010, 05:03 PM

no order

1. street of rage 2
Best fighting game there is

2. ghoul n ghost
Yeah loved it as a kid that medievil theme with great looking bosses

3.ghostbusters
loved the cartoons and than this awesome game best ghostbusters there is and great bosses

4.story of thor
rpg/beat em up men everything i like combined with some great characters that join you
i still like that plant that eats everything

5.truxton
great shooter one of the best for me simple but addictive and with one of the best looking bombs there is

6.twinkle tale
great great shooter and some nice bosses

7.castlevania bloodlines
yeah again top notch platformer with good music and bosses to defeat and there are many

8.columns
easy learn and fun to play more fun against your girlfriend

9.phantasy star 4
great sciencefiction story nice graphics and good gameplay i wish this was a standerd for all rpg s

10.james pond 3
it s 2 or 3 for me but 3 is more fun so much things to and so much exploring gotta love it

Milkymagic

08-24-2010, 01:40 AM

I'd say my list would look like this at the moment:

1. Rocket Knight Adventures -Original rocket pack gameplay and level layouts that made me think how to use my rocket pack better. The bosses were very unique as well.

2. Gunstar Heroes - Tons of great bosses, nice weapon combinations, and it's even worth a playthrough with one of you being Fixed Shot and the other being Free Shot to have a rather balanced attack if I say so myself.

3. Dynamite Headdy - Very colorful presentation and a great usage of the head gameplay that lets you sample various styles of combat. The level design was also very different and required knowledge of your surroundings as well.

4. Streets of Rage 2 - More move combinations than the original, or even Final Fight for that matter. The combinations of attacks and mobs of enemies make the game's execution quite addicting for me.

5. Sonic 2 -A sprawling game length combined with memorable level and boss design makes for a wonderful experience.

6. Alien Soldier - A boss lover's dream come true. Master boss patterns and find your mix of favorite weapons to lay on the attack, yet there's room to master the evasion system to keep yourself alive at the same time.

7. Shining Force II - My favorite SRPG, this game has a fun cast and excellent battle sequences. The soundtrack is really great too.

8. Shinobi III - Highly flexible gameplay and a nice variety of levels, this game never fails to entertain. It even has a surfboard level too! :D

9. Phantasy Star II - Love the futuristic setting of this game, the main story is great, and the combat provides a wonderful challenge for seasoned RPG gamers.

10. Alisia Dragoon - Very challenging gameplay, mastering the levels takes time and the bosses require just as much. I like the familiars that you have too.

Bablefish

08-24-2010, 10:16 AM

in no particular order:

Sonic 2 - just plain fun
S&K - same reason
Zombies ate my Neighbors - I always find something new every time I play it.
SOR2 - the greatest fighting game of all time
Contra Hard Corps - I love the multiple ending
Cool Spot - it's fun
Quackshot - A game that is more than just a game. Lots of action...lots of thinking your way through the levels.
Phelios - One of the best shooters I ever played
Pitfall - same as quackshot
Garfield Caught in the act - I love everything about this game
Phantasy Star 3 - Next to Beyond the Beyond on the PS1 my favorite RPG.

sheath

08-24-2010, 11:31 AM

In chronological order by year, then alphabetical:

Revenge of Shinobi - Smart AI, great graphics and music, different from other Shinobi games and totally unique in gameplay besides.

MUSHA - Ineffable overhead shooting perfection. A great soundtrack that needs to be redone with real instruments some day.

Strider - simply one of the best action platformers ever made.

Super Monaco GP - Great graphics, very technical and addicting, one of the few games of its type to actually convince me to play through the entire championship.

Target Earth - Great music, great gameplay with varied levels and weapons upgrades, had a good story before stories in action games were common. I own Cybernator on SNES and Assault Suits Leynos 2 on Saturn, but they just don't do it for me like Target Earth did and does.

Batman (Sunsoft) - Again, great soundtrack, but the gameplay on this one is incredibly unique and the shooter style vehicle levels are unmatched.

Rolling Thunder 2 - Probably the only Namco game I have ever liked enough to play through without forcing it. Splatterhouse 3 would be the only other Namco game I ever cared about.

Shining in the Darkness - The only first person dungeon crawler I have ever liked, very addicting, great graphics and level variety, and mesmerizing music.

Hmm... only ten games? Then I have to pick Streets of Rage 2 and Shinobi III as my last two for reasons that should be obvious. Oh, okay:

Streets of Rage 2 - Unmatched in frenetic beat-em up bliss thanks to the final elevator level and Mania difficulty, not to mention the exquisite moves lists, 2-Player gameplay, and the music and sound effects.

Shinobi III - The way a sequel should be done, similar enough to Revenge of Shinobi that it is recognizable, but so wonderfully more advanced in every way. Shinobi III is the only action platformer that can come close to Strider's awesome perfection.

villahed94

08-24-2010, 04:14 PM

Too much games are my favourites, almost all, nearly 20

iluvclassicgaming

08-24-2010, 04:45 PM

M.U.S.H.A.
Why? Best 16-bit shooter with nonstop action, super graphics, and sound

Rocket Knight Adventures
Why? It just kicks arse!

Sonic Classics (Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Dr.Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine)
Why? THREE great games on one cart including two of the best Sonics!

Rolling Thunder 3
Why? Great shooting cart with cool levels, graphics, and sound

Madden '93
Why? My preferred football game of choice that offers great control, lots of
plays, strategy, and replayability

Mega Turrican
Why? Challenging, cool battle graphics, great control, and fun!

NHL '94
Why? Simply the best hockey simulation ever made, THAT'S WHY SON!!!

Gunstar Heroes
Why? Thrilled with the game since I bought it in the early '90's!

Road Rash 2
Why? Really fun bike race with some battling thrown in

Tecmo Super Bowl
Why? Fun, fast-paced, arcade-style football

Sega Genesis

08-24-2010, 10:40 PM

In the order that I thought of them:

Strider
Ghouls'n'Ghosts
Forgotten Worlds
Truxton
Super Hang-on
Shinobi 3
Streets of Rage 3
Golden Axe 2
Eternal Champions
Alien Soldier

As far as reasons why, I'm not sure. Just my top 10.

ThugsRook

08-24-2010, 10:50 PM

Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Golden Axe
Monster World 4
OutRun
Phantasy Star 2
Phantasy Star 4
Super Fantasy Zone
Vectorman
Vectorman 2
Wonderboy in Monster World

not sure why, but these are the games i replay the most.

salsays

08-25-2010, 12:32 AM

1.Gunstar Heroes
2.Pulseman
3.Sonic 1
4.TMNT Hyperstone
5.Sonic 2
6.Battle Mania 2
7.Dynamite Heady
8.Wonderboy in Monster World
9.Beyond Oasis
10.Phantasy Star 3

Lordnicon999

08-25-2010, 01:50 AM

I cant do this... and in order?! *sigh* I almost dont even want to try lol.

maxxfarras

08-26-2010, 12:17 AM

Mmmmm...Only ten... ? there are to many great games...Ok, lets give it a try.

In no particular order:

1. Road Rash 2 (great graphics, impresive scaling, realistic feel, and mainly: very fun!)

2. thunder force 3 (my favorite shooter. Awesome graphics, sound and action).

3. Gunstar heroes (In only a word: amazing!)

4. Alien Soldier (Cool graphics and sound, great action).

5. Phantasy Star 4 (Favorite rpg).

6. Streets of rage 2 (This and BK3 are my favorite fighters!)

7. Bare Knucle 3 ( See above :D)

8. Comix Zone (Very creative and fun)

9. Strider (greater than the arcade original!)

10. Shadow Dancer (Great, elegant and stylized graphics, Shinobi is the best! :D)

This tread bring me memories and make me to realize that the sega genesis have too many, many amazing titles...

evil_ash_xero

08-21-2011, 09:55 PM

Ten? This will make it tough.

These are in random order:

1. Sonic 3 and Knuckles- One of the best platformers ever. And that's one of my favorite genres. Great graphics, sound, and the length of the game is great too. My only complaint: it's a little easy.

2. Ristar- Another great platformer, from Sonic Team. The graphics are great, and the gameplay is really different from Sonic.

3. Bare Knuckle II(Streets Of Rage 2)- Probably my favorite beat 'em up ever. It does drag a bit, but everything else about it is classic. And what a step up from the first game!

4. Thunder Force IV(Lightening Force)- Such an incredible shmup. I love this genre, and this always stands out as one of the best. Great graphics, soundtrack, and difficulty. EPIC.

5. Gunstar Heroes- A really cool take on the run n' gun. And this is just a no-brainer. Graphics, sound, gameplay, and original designs..it's got it all.

6. Alien Soldier- When you want to just fight bosses, and toss out the rest of the "run" out of run n' gun, this is where you go. Really hard to get into(confusing controls), but once it clicks, it clicks hard. Amazing graphics, for the MD.

7. Sonic The Hedgehog 2- I hesitated to put 2 Sonics on here, but everyone knows this game is the shit.

8. Rocket Knight Adventures- I have some problems with the cutesy graphics(maybe it's the pigs?)...but this is a really original mascot game, and is designed wonderfully. Crazy fun.

9. The Super Shinobi II(Shinobi III)- The culmination of the Shinobi games, I think. Other than the weaker soundtrack(compared to Revenge), it's the best Shinobi game.

10. Monster World IV- Just got into this game, and I think it's great fun. The graphics are some of the best on the MD, the gameplay is fun, and the stages, although a bit long, are well designed, and take some time to figure out.

If there was 11, Pulseman would be on here.

Olls

08-21-2011, 11:00 PM

How'd I miss this thread?

10. Phantasy Star IV - My favourite Mega Drive RPG. There aren't that many good ones, so this one especially stands out.

9. Streets of Rage 2 - I actually prefer playing BKIII nowadays, but I've played this game so much more and since this is a nostalgic/favourites list and not "best", this one gets the spot.

8. Micro Machines Turbo Tournament '96 - The ultimate party game.

7. Wonder Boy in Monster World - The best Wonder Boy game, IMO, so it deserves a spot.

6. Monster World IV - I like this one because it's so polished and cutesy, very un-Sega. Looks and plays like a good SNES game. Which is rare, on the Mega Drive.

5. Shinobi III - The ultimate ninja game.

4. Sonic 2 - It's fuarkin' Sonic.

3. Sonic 3 & Knuckles - It's fuarkin' Sonic.

2. Rocket Knight Adventures - One of the best 2D platformers ever made. Perfect pacing, graphics, level design, variety, length, style, etc.

1. Toejam & Earl - MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNESSSSSSS. This game was years ahead of its time. Amazing replayability. It has unique gameplay, music, style, everything.
Yeah, it's slow, but you don't want it any other way, because this is the ultimate game to play after getting messed up.
I guess that pretty much makes it the perfect game. Did I mention the game goes into split screen mode after two players seperate? Unheard of!

Breetai

08-21-2011, 11:12 PM

Well, ok. I'll try. These are the ones I either play the most, or have the fondest memories of. In no particular order:

1. Sonic the Hedgehog- The is the game that made me realize that the Genesis could hold its own against the SNES, and the main reason I went with the Genny during the 16-bit era. Yup, I was totally on the Sonic bandwagon. I still love this game. When I need my Sonic fix, this is the game I pick up. Not Sonic 2, not Sonic 3&K, not Sonic CD... it's the original.

2. Castle of Illusion: Starring Mickey Mouse- This is the first Genesis game I had the pleasure of playing. It was also the first Genny game that make me think, "I wish I had the money for a Genesis. This is so much better than my NES or the SMS."

3. Golden Axe- This was the first arcade game that I ever beat. When the Genesis first came out, I was looking through the Sears catalog and noticed that this game was out for the Genesis. I wanted it. This was the killer app for me that, a bit like Castle of Illusion, make me think, "I wish I had the money for a Genesis. I NEED THIS GAME AT HOME."

4. NHL Hockey- When this came out, my friends, myself and people I didn't even like from my class used to get together and have NHL Hockey tournaments. This was a must-have where I am from in Canada. This game probably sold more Genesis systems than Sonic did in my town. Mario Lemieux Hockey was fun, but this was THE hockey game and THE ultimate 2-player game.

5. Evander Holyfield's "Real Deal" Boxing- Like NHL Hockey, we used to have tournaments with this game. In fact, we used to have simultaneous tournaments with two TVs, two Genesis' systems on at the same time; one with this game, and the other with NHL Hockey. Lots of good memories here.

6. Sonic 2/Sonic 3/Sonic & Knuckles- I have two younger sisters. While the SNES kids were spending hours playing Super Mario Kart, my sisters and I would spends hours on end playing the 2-player split screen mode on Sonic 2 and 3. Then I'd play through the games with one of my sisters pissing me off as Tails. Playing through the bonus stages on Sonic 2 with your sisters playing as Tails was... well, I've since forgiven them. Yeah, I cheated by putting three different games as one, but for me, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sonic games all blend into one. Why not? It's the same continuous story anyway.

7. Phantasy Star IV- I had Phantasy Star II. It was good overall, but so monotonous. The dungeons were never-ending, the battles were every three steps, and... well, those are the only real bad things. The music in that game is forever ingrained into my mind. However, I'm not talking about PSII. I'm talking about PSIV. It fixed the problems that PSII had, and improved on in every possible way. While my SNES friends were playing Final Fantasy III, I was perfectly happy with PSIV. I remember picking up my pay from my job at McDonald's, cashing it, walking to Wal-Mart and paying $99.97 plus 15% tax to take this game home when it first came out. It was the most expensive game I had ever bought before getting into imports on the Saturn years later. It still play through it every couple years.

8. Joe Montana Sports Talk Football '93- I'm not a huge NFL fan, but the idea of commentary in a game intrigued me. During my grade 9 year (and I think my grade 10 year as well, at least part of it), one of my friends (defensive MVP of my high school for 1997, yeah!!!!) used to come to my place a few times a week during lunchtime, since I lived just a couple blocks from school, and we'd play a game while we ate. I was ALWAYS the Bills (had a soft spot for them after loosing so many Superbowls in a row), and he was ALWAYS the Lions (why he likes them, I'll never know). So, while I had played Madden and knew that was the common favourite, for me, Joe Montana was the premier Sega football game.

9. Shining Force- I'll admit it; I was jealous of my SNES friends who liked RPGs. Even in 1993, it was clear that the SNES was the best RPG system. I was lamenting this as I was hanging out at a friend's house watching him play... Final Fantasy II, Mystic Quest, Secret of Mana, Soul Blazer, or something that I wish I could have at home. One of our other friends who was also there mentioned that the Genesis had a really good RPG called "Shining Force". Well, it wasn't exactly an RPG, but, after going to Wal-Mart a few days later and picking it up based on that advice, I was NOT disappointed. I still play through this and Shining Force II every couple of years. Amazing game.

10. Disney's Aladdin- I got this game when it first came out, based on the great review that Gamepro gave it. Like the Sonic games, this is also a game that my sisters and I used to (and still do, when we get a chance!) play together. The graphics on this game were simply amazing. The animation was just... so... smooth... It's one of the games that both my sisters could beat, as well as myself. I have a lot of good memories with it, and it still holds up very well today. The ONLY bad point is that the controls and scrolling are a bit loose. Other than that, this is a perfect game.

I really wanted to put in a shoot 'em up like Thunder Force III or IV or Truxton/Tatsujin here, but, for me, my top experiences on the Genesis were the games I listed above. Some other games that I really enjoyed back in the day were Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter II: SCE, Super Street Fighter II, Bubsy (no, really!), Moonwalker, Outrun, Ecco the Dolphin, Columns, Streets of Rage 1-3, all three Road Rash games, Skitchin', all three WWF games, the Neo Geo fighter ports (Samurai Shodown being the best one, IMO), Herzog Zwei, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Comix Zone, Lotus Turbo Challenge, Mutant League Hockey, NHLPA Hockey '93, NHL '94, NHL '95, World Series Baseball '95, FIFA '94, Super Monaco GP, Virtua Racing, Gunstar Heroes, Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi III, Mean Bean Machine, Shadowrun, Beyond Oasis, Sonic Spinball, TMNT: THSH, Toejam & Earl, and a TON of other games. I generally rented one of two games every weekend. The games above, I either owned, borrowed from friends or rented multiple times. I didn't really include games I've played after the 16-bit era finished, since most of the games I play now are ones I also played back in the day.

Strangely, I never played Contra: Hard Corps or Castlevania: Bloodlines back in the day, despite wanting to. Of course I have now!

Curryman123

08-21-2011, 11:18 PM

Not in any order, except for the First one.

10.Ghouls n' Ghosts-come on...you gotta have ghouls n ghosts on your genesis list. The game play is simple, yet addicting as crack. I can't get enough of it. A strong arcade translation.

9.Gaiares-You know this was going to make the list. The game play is top notch from start to finish. The difficulty strikes the right balance...hard, but not unbeatable. The music is great as well.

8.Streets of Rage 3-Best in the series! There is so much game play technique here that it blows the other 2 out of the water. It's all about game play for me, and the music and graphics take a back seat.

7.Landstalker-One of the best adventure games out there. The puzzles are some of the best in the genre, and you get completely submerged in the world of land-stalker. The music rocks!

6.Thunder Force III-One of the best shooters on the genesis. The music, graphics...and game-play are superb...total package for shooter fans. Just don't forget to crank up the difficulty to hard.

5.Shinobi 3-This is the Shinobi for my list. It improves upon almost everything from Revenge of Shinobi. The music is not as memorable as revenge of ROS, But that's a minor complaint.

4.Gunstar Heroes-The best action game on the genesis; barely edging out Contra Hard corps. Each level is unique, and offers something new to break the monotony.

3.Castlevania Bloodlines-This should be no surprise. I love the series...so it's natural for me to include bloodlines. It's greatness that you've come to expect for Konami.

2.Alisia Dragoon-Very underrated and that is just sad! This is one of the best action/adventure games on the Genesis. Although many people rave about the music, I found it to be average.

1.Phantasy Star 4-It's is no shocker. PSIV is one of the best RPGs ever made! This is a total package for RPG fans everywhere. must have.

Olls

08-21-2011, 11:24 PM

10. Disney's Aladdin- I got this game when it first came out, based on the great review that Gamepro gave it. Like the Sonic games, this is also a game that my sisters and I used to (and still do, when we get a chance!) play together. The graphics on this game were simply amazing. The animation was just... so... smooth... It's one of the games that both my sisters could beat, as well as myself. I have a lot of good memories with it, and it still holds up very well today. The ONLY bad point is that the controls and scrolling are a bit loose. Other than that, this is a perfect game.

Wait for it.

...

QuickSciFi is about to rep you.

segaddict

08-21-2011, 11:52 PM

In no order...

1. Streets of Rage 1 - My favorite beat'em up of all time. Amazing soundtrack and great atmosphere. This game set the standards for beat'em ups at the time IMO. Final Fight got nothing on SoR.

2. Castle of Illusion - So many memories playing this as a kid. A unique platformer and lots of fun.

3. Castlevania Bloodlines - I'm a huge Castlevania fan and this one doesn't disappoint. Platforming at it's finest. It has a different feel to it than any other CV game and I like that, plus it has blood!

4. Road Rash - One of a kind game. Really fun to play.

5. Sonic 2 - What can I say? Classic.

6. Altered Beast - I know this game gets a lot of crap, but it was one of the first genesis games I played and still have fun playing it today despite its briefness. The music will forever be engraved in my head. Riiiissee From Your Graaveee!

7. Columns - Awesome puzzle game. I'll take this over Tetris anyday.

8. Strider - Great action platformer, although a bit too hard. This was another one from my childhood I spent countless hours on.

9. Earthworm Jim - Ahh EWJ. There's nothing like it and probably never will be. Amazing mix of comedy, action and platforming + a solid soundtrack = a winner.

10. Revenge of Shinobi - Top ninja game on the genesis. I prefer this one over 3, mostly due to nostalgic reasons.

QuickSciFi

08-22-2011, 12:04 AM

Wait for it.

...

QuickSciFi is about to rep you.

I'd have to rep the thread starter from 2005 as well then. ;)

Sticking to exclusives, in order: (except for the first three, all are subject to change)

1. Disney's Aladdin (My favorite game of all time. Y'all know that)
2. Phantasy Star II

This is my favorite RPG of all time. There are so many levels of pleasure I derive from this title I don't know where to begin. The nostalgia factor alone may be the primary element. The music, colors and paperback fantasy/anime artwork, heavy-grinding gameplay, mystical story and characters; all of these come together to grant me the best experience in gaming I could possibly ask for. Everytime I plug that cart in and watch that intro I swear my eyes swell-up. It's that good:). In fact, every time I want to be taken aback to a perfect moment in time, all I have to do is either start the cart or look-up that intro on youtube. It soothes my every emotion down to pure serenity.
3. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 This happens to be the first game I ever owned. It came with my Genny model 2, and, together with Aladdin and Mortal Kombat II (my second game ever), I've beaten it hundreds of times. In my opinion, this game is flawless.
4. Vectorman What can I say? This game stamped a much-needed Sega seal of quality during the waning years of the Genny. I don't think I've ever listened to a game's soundtrack more than this one. I remember back in the 90s just sitting in my bed just listening in awe to the awesomeness spewing forth from my Genny. This game single-handedly helped the Genny go out with a Bang! And what wondrous glory that was. :)
5. ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron Like all of the above, the nostalgia factor helps place this game amidst the top 5 for me. 2D sidescrolling platformers have always been my favorite genre (with RPGs and Shmups, together, coming-in a close second). Great music, 2-player co-op, funky bonus levels, rooms and storyline, this game was just pure awesomeness in its heyday and it remains so today.
6. Golden Axe II Like the ones mentioned below, I happened to beat this bad boy only in recent years; and I actually beat it before part I. The thing about Golden Axe II is that, imo, it's the most top-notch game in the series. It unarguably has the best gameplay. And, although it may not have added much to the original, the fact remains that it is the better game. It's like the Sonic series, sometimes more is better ;). And that's just what I got with this one. To cut-down on spoilers, I'm just going to say I'm still amazed at the awesomeness of that final level. :)
7. Sword of Vermilion Honestly, I just want to place another RPG I've managed to play all the way through in this list. This game is very nostalgic to me, as it is one I owned during the system's heyday (I still have the same one from the 90s mint CIB), but I never got around to finish it back then. Rediscovering this gem in recent years actually propelled my enthusiasm for gaming (especially retro gaming). I may place another RPG in its stead in the near future, but I shall never forget how it single-handedly brought me back to my retro-gaming senses. And, come on, the MUSIC!!!
8. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles I played through this one back in '09 I believe for the first time. What a treat that was to be able to get such awesome gameplay out of my favorite console after years of hiatus. I vote this one as the most beautiful and most thorough platformer on the Genny.
9. Fire Shark I could've gone with many other shmups with this one, but the music and gameplay in here is just exquisite. I couldn't pass it up.
10. Gunstar Heroes A game I played for the first time in recent years, this baby managed to withstand the tests of time. It is also subject to change as I course through Contra: Hard Corps and Castlevania: Bloodlines. We'll see once I cross that bridge.

Breetai

08-22-2011, 12:47 AM

There are so many levels of pleasure I derive from this title I don't know where to begin. The nostalgia factor alone may be the primary element. The music, colors and paperback fantasy/anime artwork, heavy-grinding gameplay, mystical story and characters; all of these come together to grant me the best experience in gaming I could possibly ask for. Everytime I plug that cart in and watch that intro I swear my eyes swell-up. It's that good. In fact, every time I want to be taken aback to a perfect moment in time, all I have to do is either start the cart or look-up that intro on youtube. It soothes my every emotion down to pure serenity.
Other than the extremely high random encounter rate, some annoying dungeons and preferring a few other RPGs to PSII, I agree with this. The intro on this game (BOTH the music playing as the camera pans over the world, and the awakening from a dream bit) makes me forget all of the troubles of life temporarily. So does PSIII and PSIV, but this does it even better.

http://www.emuparadise.me/Sega%20Genesis/Titles/Phantasy%20Star%20II%20(UE)%20(v1.2).png
http://lparchive.org/Phantasy-Star-4/Update%209/ps2intro.png
http://cdn1.gamepro.com/article_img/gamepro/33006-221338-2.jpg?rand=4A82534F-C532-9941-BA411AC7A4793DA9
http://www.solarisjapan.com/product_images/e/789/phantasy_star_2_ii_mega_drive_genesis_japan_import __94736_zoom.jpg

knicksfan89

08-22-2011, 03:05 AM

how did I miss this thread as well
anyway my ten are
1. Sonic the hedgehog 1 or the rest of the series(well it was inevitable that one of the sonic series was going to top my charts! and it was so hard to choose because the sonic series is magnificent.)
2. El Viento
3. John Madden 92)but then again it could have been any one of the series, I chose 92 because it has awesome music)
4. PGA Tour golf series
5. NBA live series
6. Road rash 1 or 2(3 is good as well but not up to 1 or 2)
7. Castle of Illusion
8. Quackshot
9. Valis III
10. Aladdin.
It was very hard making up this list because I love so many games for the MD but these are my ten

StarMist

08-22-2011, 04:12 AM

1: PHANTASY STAR II. The greatest game ever by a margin that is truly depressing. As much as I want to and often do nominate other, lighter, brighter games, this is the real god of gaming. Wipeout, Suikoden, Mario 3, and the next on this list are wonderful, but waking wonders; Phantasy Star II is a dream. And as such it makes no difference that it makes no sense: its litany of deficits just don't matter, don't even enter into any equation but idle argument. Blasters, leechers, Nei, Anna, and the teleport girls. Maruera gum and the unexplained people of Roron. Getting lost in the dams when I thought I knew them so well. That once I managed to make it out of Skure with my eyes closed. The unearthly music, the art design, the beautifully anfractuous dungeons, the trompe l'oeil pipeworks, the characters, the sparseness, the monsters, the elusive spell names, the pervading enigma, and the ending make this game not merely perfect but ideal. There is no other 16 bit RPG.

2: KID CHAMELEON. This game has no deficits. It boasts superb atmosphere in the union of music lost on the Redbook subscribers and graphic design lost on the Crayola doodlers. They turn it off before discovering KC also boasts the best platforming level design ever, which shames every platformer but Abe's Oddysee [sic, that stupid gimmick spelling], Mario 3, and Sonic 2. Every level is intricate and interesting; every mask is creative and useful. This calibre of design's awe factor never wears off. And hey, it's even fun.

3: SONIC 2. Brightest game on the Genesis. The spindash, 2-act zones, crappy Tails, and easy emerald stages cheapen it, whilst the finale drags, but it's still great fun alone and offers an extremely underrated versus mode. Hill Top and Aquatic Ruin zones should've been 6 acts, but what can you do? So damned good.

4: SHINING FORCE. A childish game in the best sense. The only game I ever beat on a rental and would later buy...much later, but still. Good combat system, fun characters, sweet balance and pace, plus cutscene attacks and surprisingly solid RPG elements in town.

5: SOL DEACE. Here's a new favourite. This game just has so much more personality than I expected from any shooter on the Genesis it's unreal. Only Grindstormer's close, but it's slowdown plagued and too tough for me. The best weapon system on the console, and after Gleylancer's, a close second, the gulf is enormous, with something like 12 to 16 combinations that can actually be controlled (Darwin4081 has the most, but they don't seem controllable), the ability to spread or focus one's shot at will, and no annoying speed mechanic. Amazing on Advanced, showering one's ship with perfectly fair, aimed attacks---until the final bosses, who play bullet-hell style. The last boss has the most inspired pattern I've yet to see. Sure, in stage 3 there's flicker and slowdown, but I know where all the bullets will be. Stage 2's music could've been the Genesis war cry. Might be a stretch to 1LC.

6: Street Fighter II Championship Edition. ....... EDIT: truth be told I don't care for this game too much anymore but the arcade game and thus the port meant a lot to me way back when.

7: WORLD OF ILLUSION. Another great childish game. Way too short, but that is what keeps one coming back for more. Perfect 2P mode, and, as it should be, Donald's 1P path is the better. Top tier animation, sound, and cartoon choices.

8: CHAKAN. This brutal bastard. It doesn't matter that I'll never beat it, that half the time I can barely play it, that the warrior who bested Death succumbs to dragonflies and rats, it's just fantastic. The kind of simple, obvious thing you'd imagine there'd be fifty of a console: the doomed eternal warrior. But there's only one, and Chakan lets you know it every screen. Only a game this cool can justify being this hard. The potion system is also the best sidescroller inventory use since Faxanadu's.
EDIT -- since beaten.

9: EARTHWORM JIM. Superb in everything but replay value, and that doesn't matter a whole lot since it leaves such a lasting impression. The rare successfully whimsical game, and it plays great to boot. Level 5 is perfection.

10: ALIEN 3. The last two levels suck, but it remains a very good game I've an old soft spot for. Deliberate, exploratory play; as EWJ it's a gun-based platformer that is not a run and gunner (or at least these two aren't awful like the rest). Gives off an apt chilly, slimy vibe, with exactly the feeling of being marooned an Alien game should.

evil_ash_xero

08-22-2011, 07:22 AM

Other than the extremely high random encounter rate, some annoying dungeons and preferring a few other RPGs to PSII, I agree with this. The intro on this game (BOTH the music playing as the camera pans over the world, and the awakening from a dream bit) makes me forget all of the troubles of life temporarily. So does PSIII and PSIV, but this does it even better.

http://www.solarisjapan.com/product_images/e/789/phantasy_star_2_ii_mega_drive_genesis_japan_import __94736_zoom.jpg

I didn't realize the JP cover to this, was so nice. We always got shafted.

Breetai

08-23-2011, 01:25 PM

I didn't realize the JP cover to this, was so nice. We always got shafted.
Not always, just often. ;)

andyk250

08-23-2011, 04:39 PM

In no particular order:

ECCO THE DOLPHIN
ECCO THE DOLPHIN: THE TIDES OF TIME
I love Ecco. I sincerely feel that this game (and its sequel) sported some of the best graphics on the Sega Genesis (excusing the occasional and inexplicable graphical breaks in the backgrounds and foregrounds). This was one of the games that made me want a Sega. Does anyone remember this commercial? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB8z-56QnQA) It sold me from the start. How many other games up to that point had you playing a non-human, much less an animal? It seemed very ground-breaking at the time and still is in many ways. The air meter created a unique style of gameplay in which you always had to be mindful of your surroundings. Lots of puzzles and a difficulty that was both irritating and rewarding for a kid renting it from the video store. I will always love this game and its sequels.

BEYOND OASIS
This game sort of came out of nowhere. I don't remember hearing about it until I saw a friend playing it. I was hooked. Sure, it's a Zelda-clone, but it has a style all its own. The story is interesting and different and has a few twists. There are lots of fun things to find and explore, and of particular note is the grueling 100-Level Pit. One of the coolest games on any system, in my opinion. I still need to play the sequel.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2
Sonic 2 took everything that was mediocre about Sonic 1 and fixed it. I was raised on Sonic 2 and didn't play Sonic 1 until years later...imagine my disappointment at the lack of the spindash. Sonic 2 boasts really great levels, great music, great graphics, and great gameplay. It's everything you wanted in Sonic 1.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 AND KNUCKLES
I'm using lock-on technology and pairing these games as one. The first and last great Sonic epic. Maybe we'll get another one as good as this someday.

CASTLEVANIA: BLOODLINES
Not the best Castlevania game, but definitely the best one on the Genesis. This game is just really cool for a number of reasons, mostly because it's weird. It has a garish color palette that gives it a strange 80s anime look. You get to choose which character you play, and that opens up different areas of the game, making for fun replayability. Loads of minibosses. A tour through Europe around the turn of the last century, which was (and still is) a strange time period for Castlevania games. Fun fact -- Dracula is not the only main villain in this one. The munitions gear boss. Death's card game. The mirror castle. Just lots and lots of weird cool things to make this one a gem.

PHANTASY STAR II
PHANTASY STAR III
PHANTASY STAR IV
These are THE raygun-gothic epic RPG's. I would recommend them to anyone who has ever wanted to wield a ceramic sword, barter in meseta, or go planet-hopping with demi-humans.

OUT OF THIS WORLD
Not sure why I like this game so much, but I do.

HONORABLE MENTION
- Shining Force II
- Dynamite Headdy
- Gunstar Heroes

8: CHAKAN. This brutal bastard. It doesn't matter that I'll never beat it, that half the time I can barely play it, that the warrior who bested Death succumbs to dragonflies and rats, it's just fantastic. The kind of simple, obvious thing you'd imagine there'd be fifty of a console: the doomed eternal warrior. But there's only one, and Chakan lets you know it every screen. Only a game this cool can justify being this hard. The potion system is also the best sidescroller inventory use since Faxanadu's.
I am so glad you wrote this. I know exactly what you mean. I could not have said this better myself. You forgot to mention how amazing the music is, too. It's the coolest franchise that never was. And it kicks my ass every time I play it.

JAFP78

08-23-2011, 05:26 PM

Hard to make "just" 10 Favorites but here´s what´s in my mind right now:

Sonic, Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 & Knukles, my prefered plataform games.
Revenge of Shinobi and Shinobi 3, , best ninja´s games for me.
Streets of Rage, Streets of Rage 2 and Bare Knuckle 3, favourite and IMO best beat n ups ever.
Tmht hyperstone Heist, very easy to finish but the gameplay is just so good, also nice graphics and maniac sound, that this is the game that I´ve beaten more times in any console.
Probotector/Contra Harcops, best run n gun ever IMO, pure fast gameplay together with some of the best visuals and epic soundtrack.

What? 10 already...oh no and what Alien Soldier or Story of Thor/Behond Oasis, Street Fighter 2, World Of Illusion, Quackshot, Castle of Illusion, Aladdin, Gunstar Heroes, Batman, Tiny Toons blablabla etc etc etc got to STOP! So many top 10 worthy games come to mind its ridiculous.:D

But ok, those first 10 that came up first win...

Bastardcat

08-23-2011, 11:31 PM

Mortal Kombat - ABACABB
Castlevania Bloodlines - One of my top 3 Castlevania games, it oozes with atmosphere.
Shinobi III - Best. Ninja game. Ever!
Robocop Vs. The Terminator - I could play that game all day.
Dynamite Duke - I'm not sure why I like this game, but its one of my favorites.
Decapattack - One of the strangest, but addictive platformers I've ever played.
Golden Axe - One of my favorite beat 'em ups of all time.
Mazin Saga - Solid, though at times incredibly difficult, and the giant robot boss fights are epic.
Street Fighter II: CE - The music is damned close to the arcade, and the game play is spot on.
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers -Screw you for judging me.

Cornholio857

08-23-2011, 11:35 PM

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers -Screw you for judging me.

That's actually a very good game. I prefer MMPR: The Movie a little more though. Oh, Robocop vs Terminator with the Real Game code is great!

Bastardcat

08-23-2011, 11:43 PM

MMPR is one of those games that's fun, but you feel dirty for enjoying it. The SNES one is crazy good too.

Breetai

08-24-2011, 12:06 AM

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers -Screw you for judging me.
...Hey, this reminds me of the time I ate a slice of pizza, and then went over to a 60 year old man's house, and...

... SCREW YOU FOR JUDGING ME!

Bastardcat

08-24-2011, 01:30 AM

I knew someone would catch that.

Bones Justice

08-27-2011, 09:00 PM

This was a very tough list to make. I had to leave out so many good games! I really like fighting games (Super Street Fighter 2, the Mortal Kombat series, Eternal Champions, Weapon Lord, Dragon Ball Z) but I just couldn't put them ahead of my top ten. Same goes for some great basketball and hockey games and some great action shooters like Battletech or the Desert Strike series.

1. NFL 94 Starring Joe Montana - great graphics and sound; rotoscoped players with zoom in, multiple camera angles that you can change every play, and the most realistic strategy of the 16-bit era. This game has features that were not even available until later in the 32-bit era (QB's vision, option routes, zoom features, team specific playbooks, real play-by-play commentary, etc.). I still play this game today.

2. Herzog Zwei - one of the earliest real-time strategy game and still the best, in my opinion. The action elements are in perfect balance with the strategy. Plus, this game as one of the best soundtracks ever. I don't get tired of the music even after hours of playing -- and every time we play, it ends up being for hours!

3. Cyberball - the arcade favorite mix of football and sci-fi robots, it's even better on the Genesis with full league play similar to the NFL schedule. It also has modem play!

4. X-Men 2: Clone Wars - excellent action platformer, great graphics and sound. Each character has different abilities so you can replay it with a different one for a new game experience. Best of all, you can play it with a friend.

5. X-Men - the original Sega X-Men game is not as good as the sequel but it's still great for the same reasons; each character really plays differently. Plus, you can play it with a friend and even call in extra team members for even more mayhem.

6. Virtua Racing - the best racing game on Genesis, period. If it weren't for the amazing 32X version, I probably would still play this game a lot. I still play it on my Nomad.

7. Mutant League Football - brutal mix of mutants, robots, and football with a great sense of humor, too. This was the first football game that I played that had real strategy for substituting players that were injured (or dead!).

8. Road Rash - my second favorite racing game for Genesis, this game has crazy hills and traffic. Plus you can fight, nothing like kicking an opponent's bike into an oncoming car! This game also has a great soundtrack.

9. Yu Yu Hakusho - Treasure! Four player versus fighting, 2-on-2, 3-on-1, or all-against-all, with a great combination of street brawling and magic powers.

10. Streets of Rage - when I got this game, I was a huge fan of Final Fight and Golden Axe from the arcades but Streets of Rage is even better with all of the cool weapons and the combination moves that you can make with your friend. I love the ending...

I love the ending when you and your friend crash into on the big boss in his office. Rather than fighting you, he makes you an offer to join him. I remember the first time me and my friend made it to the big boss, I said "no" and he said "yes" to join. Then the big boss told my friend to attack me. So I had to beat the living credits out of my friend with a lead pipe. Very cool!

dolphinkiller24

08-28-2011, 04:47 AM

1- Streets of rage 2 : for me the best game ever...
2- Sonic 2 : first video game i ever play, still speedrun it a lot
3- Sonic 3 and knuckles
4- Streets of rage 1
5- Revenge of shinobi : classic...
6- street fighter 2 champion edition
7- battletoads
8- mortal kombat II
9- Golden axe 1
10- Sonic 1

goldenband

09-29-2011, 01:10 AM

A loose top 10, sort of in order. I've beaten all of these games -- where appropriate, on their highest difficulty settings -- except #8 and #10.

10. Sunset Riders (a perfect port? No, but still a blast to play)
9. Sword of Sodan (this will shock some of you, and come as no surprise to others...what can I say? I'm quite fond of this deeply damaged, but bizarrely compelling game)
8. Granada (probably my favorite shooter on the system -- unlike so many others, it's always fun to play even when it's kicking your ass)
7. Shadow of the Beast (purists prefer the Amiga original, but I was totally hooked by the Genesis version)
6. Landstalker (terrific isometric action RPG with intriguing puzzles and lots of TLC)
5. Columns (haven't played it in some time, but Doubles mode used to be a nightly staple around here)
4. Golden Axe II (this could easily be any game in the series -- absolute blast to play co-op with my girlfriend)
3. World of Illusion (I like everything about this game -- the aesthetics, the stage design, the music)
2. Marble Madness (Tengen/JPN version) (easily one of the best arcade ports I've ever played in my life)
1. Light Crusader (sticks with me more than any other game I've played on the system; not flawless, but still exquisite, with the most compelling and memorable music I've heard on the Genesis)

TailsAlone

09-30-2011, 01:39 AM

10. Shining Force
9. WWF Royal Rumble
8. Sonic the Hedgehog
7. Primal Rage
6. Golden Axe
5. Phantasy Star IV
4. Castle of Illusion
3. Buster's Hidden Treasure
2. Sonic 2
1. Vectorman

I have good memories of playing Shining Force with my youngest brother and Primal Rage with my middle brother. I have a soft spot for Sonic and other platformers, especially VectorMan, which I've beaten a hundred times but never get sick of. I love the fun gameplay and great theme music on Royal Rumble.

llj

09-30-2011, 10:56 PM

McDonald's Treasure Land
Trouble Shooter
The Super Shinobi
Gunstar Heroes
El Viento
Wonder Boy in Monster World
Valis 3
Streets of Rage 2
Quackshot
Rolling Thunder 2

Actually, to be fair, that's really just about my entire Genesis cart collection, started about 4 weeks ago, so it's not really a top 10 list! But, I have basically enjoyed every once of them, even if a lot of them aren't perfect! Now, if we include the ones I've played on the Genesis collections for the latest consoles, well, I'd probably throw in Shinobi 3 and Bonanza Bros. I'd like to try out some more shooters too, at least one of the many Genesis shmups has to make my list sooner or later. It would probably end up being a "mediocre" one like Arrow Flash, where I just like it solely because of the girl. :lol:

OttawaJim

10-01-2011, 10:13 PM

This is going on titles I current own and/or played as a kid:

1. Sonic the Hedgehog: The essence of what I love about Genesis. Fast-paced, colourful and extremely fun to play.
2. Ristar: My favourite platformer outside the Sonic series.
3. Columns III: Thinking game with a wonderful 2-player mode.
4. Thunder Force II: Frantic action and lots (and lots) of continues. One of my faves in the shmup category.
5. Street of Rage: Great stress reliever after a long day at work. Solid soundtrack too.
6. Vectorman: Innovative title that showed what the Genesis chipset is capable of.
7. Ghostbusters: My first Genesis game. Far superior to the crappy SMS or Nintendo ports.
8. Altered Beast: Screams vintage coin-op goodness. And hell, it was the original pack-in title.
9. NBA Jam: Fond memories from my teenage years wasting hours on this game with my buddies. "Swish!"
10. Skitchin': Is it repetitive? yes. Is the concept totally ridiculous? yes. Is it still among my favourite games? definitely.

Night Driver

10-02-2011, 01:15 PM

Sonic 1 -- The King of 16-bit games. Unfortunately, none of its sequels could ever quite recreate the magic for me, especially when it came to that wonderful background music. Probably the best soundtrack ever.

Road Rash -- I vividly remember my first impression of this game, literally the first two seconds of gametime, and thinking to myself, "WOW, what a fantastic game!". Actually, I think I said something out loud to that effect. Great graphics, great racing, great music. But another instance where none of its sequels ever equaled it, let alone surpassed it. The BGM of the Genesis sequels was crap in comparison (IMO), and the 2P split-screen never really delivered the goods. And when the franchise was ported to other systems, it was clear that no one understood that the "soul" of Road Rash was actually the racing. The 3DO/PS1 versions are especially bad with their long load times, dated music, and cheesy FMV. It's no surprise that this franchise is dead. :(

Vectorman -- Don't have any deep thoughts on this one. It's just a quality game.

Gauntlet IV -- This is the only actual "Gauntlet" game that I feel has ever worked on a home console. The true Gauntlet experience requires quarters, and that dynamic obviously doesn't translate to home consoles. Give Tengen credit for figuring out how to adapt the game's fundamentals to come up with something that worked on a console. Unique music too.

Flashback -- Style, atmosphere, and rotoscoped animation. Just about the coolest game ever.

Out of this World -- See Flashback.

PGA Tour Golf 1, II, & III. -- These are all basically the same game, so I'd take any one of them. As far as 16-bit golf goes, the PGA series was far and away the best. I still find these game as addictive as ever.

NHL '94 -- I'm not really a sports guy. I don't follow hockey or even care about it, but I LOVE this game. I will always keep a Genesis around just to play this one game.

Joe Montana Football -- Again, I couldn't care less about Football and sports in general, but this game is just simple, stupid fun. No complex AI to get in the way here. Just huck the ball downfield, and play lots of cheap, smothering defense. One of the best 2P games ever.

Bulls vs. Lakers -- For a guy who isn't in to real life sports, I sure have a lot of sports videogames on this list, don't I? Did I mention that I was in college during the Genesis' heyday, and that I had roomates? Anyway, pure nostalgia on this one because, honestly, it hasn't aged well.

Olls

10-02-2011, 01:23 PM

3 years old at only 50 posts; respect.

Bones Justice

10-03-2011, 09:20 PM

Road Rash -- I vividly remember my first impression of this game, literally the first two seconds of gametime, and thinking to myself, "WOW, what a fantastic game!". Actually, I think I said something out loud to that effect. Great graphics, great racing, great music. But another instance where none of its sequels ever equaled it, let alone surpassed it. The BGM of the Genesis sequels was crap in comparison (IMO), and the 2P split-screen never really delivered the goods. And when the franchise was ported to other systems, it was clear that no one understood that the "soul" of Road Rash was actually the racing. The 3DO/PS1 versions are especially bad with their long load times, dated music, and cheesy FMV. It's no surprise that this franchise is dead. :(

That was my reaction when I played Road Rash for the first time, too. Wow! Of all the games on my top ten list above, Road Rash is the only one without simultaneous play. I love multiplayer games but the first Road Rash with two players taking turns was always better. It's like they kept the same control responses of full screen for the smaller split-screen in Road Rash 2, making the controls too sensitive. And you're right, the best music was in the original game.

I have enjoyed two other Road Rash games on newer consoles, though:

Road Rash 3D for Playstation is great because you can "ride" forever if you choose to -- just ignore the closed road signs, go off the path, and you can enjoy a free ride as long as you want! The game map is huge and you can explore for hours. I don't know why they didn't include a race over the entire map at some point in the game. The soundtrack is great, too, I even bought the audio CD.

Road Rash 64 is fun because you can actually play four players at once and the controls are as good in split-screen as they are in the solo game. Multiplayer Road Rash at it's finest!

Night Driver

10-04-2011, 12:32 AM

I have enjoyed two other Road Rash games on newer consoles, though:

Road Rash 3D...
You're right. RR 3D is a decent game.

I didn't care for RR64 though.

gglol

10-07-2011, 11:22 PM

had the best times with road rash 3d, and road rash for psx

Clessy

10-07-2011, 11:27 PM

Ionno how I missed this topic.

1) Sonic 3 & Knuckles
2) Sonic 3d blast
3) Sonic 2
4) Phantasy Star 4
5) TMNT: Hyper Stone Heist
6) Megaman Willy Wars
7) Langrisser 2
8) Castlevania Bloodlines
9) Pier Solar
10) Thunder Force 4

And what just blew my mind is just trying to name 10 good genesis games was really hard for me to do.

Olls

10-08-2011, 04:55 AM

2) Sonic 3d blast

And what just blew my mind is just trying to name 10 good genesis games was really hard for me to do.

Apparently, it wasn't hard enough.

Barone

10-08-2011, 09:16 AM

Apparently, it wasn't hard enough.

The saturn version is in every way better but, I enjoy both versions. This is surprisingly one of my most played Sonic games.
He likes the game, what's the problem with that?
The thread title is "Your top 10 favorite..." and not "Olls's top 10 favorite..."

fa·vor·ite [fey-ver-it, feyv-rit]
noun
1.
a person or thing regarded with special favor or preference: That song is an old favorite of mine.

Clessy

10-08-2011, 12:27 PM

Apparently, it wasn't hard enough.Thats not what she said! But does this mean we cant be lovers anymore :'(

robot-boy

10-09-2011, 10:24 AM

Pick 10 Genny games? Very hard for me to do because there are so many I find favorite. I love the Genesis era of gaming, many memories. That is why I am a retro gamer and spend much of my time still playing those games. No special order,
Bio Hazard Battle- love the atmosphere this game has, I play this one often
Outrun- love this game, graphics, music, gameplay, I like the arcade genre racers. This port is just a dream to play.
Gunstar Heroes- I remember when I first purchased this game, my first thoughts were, "No way that I am playing something like this on the Genesis!" This game is an all out brawl and showed how so many other programmers sucked with their Genny offerings.
Mega Turrican-One of the best Turrican games that I have ever played. The graphics and gameplay are tops.
Kid Chameleon- I fell in love with this game from the first time that I played it. I find it so addicting. And some day I am going to finish it! One of the best platformers.
Phantasy Star 4- I slowly developed a love for RPGs over the years and went back and stared playing them. This total package remains one of my favorites.
Strider- Some of the most fun that can be had with a "arcade to home" port can be found in this game.
Truxton- I think that shooters are my favorite genre. This is a great top down shooter and a great arcade translation.
Streets of Rage 2- One of the best side scrolling beatem ups available. I have tons of fun with this one.
Lightening Force- I cannot count the times that I have played through this top notch shooter. My memories of first laying hands on this back during the glory days are still burned into my brain. Love the Thunder Force series.

So many games that I would like to list here. Maybe we should have a favorite 25 games. That would be easier for me to list. I want to list Chuck Rock 2, Dynamite Headdy, Vectorman, Fire Shark, Arrow Flash, Aero Blasters, Aladdin, and the list can go on and on. Lots of great games on this system still worth playing.

Obviously

10-10-2011, 12:32 PM

This always changes depending on what mood I'm in but as of 10/10/11 these are my top ten Genesis games.

1.) Sonic 3 and Knuckles: I know this is two games technically but it's always been one giant game to me. This game was an obsession for me when I was a kid and it's still one of the greatest 2D platforming epics ever assembled. It pushed the Genesis to its limits and beyond. It's fun, addictive and simply fantastic in every way. As much as I enjoy the other Sonic titles to me, this one is special.

2.) Gunstar Heroes: Very close to being number one, this game is probably my favorite action title in existence. It's just pure, kinetic fun. Explosions everywhere, awesome weapons system and unique levels and bosses. I also love the Mega Man style level selection. It's got endless amounts of replay value for me, especially when playing with a friend.

3.) Shinobi III: When I think about the best action adventure games of the 16-bit era sometimes I drift over to the SNES for games like Mega Man X and Super Metroid. Shinobi III however is ever bit as good and perhaps even more so. This is the definitive ninja sidescroller with amazing level design and beautiful play control. I like the Ninja Gaiden games but compared to this they can go suck an egg.

4.) MUSHA: One of my favorite shmups of all time. Some may call it overrated but I feel MUSHA is the Radiant Silvergun of the Genesis in terms of quality (and occasionally price). Beautiful graphics and sound not just for such an old game, but for the Genesis in general. The action is balanced perfectly for me and I love the weapons, enemies, levels and bosses. It's the total package. Compile was really a master of the craft.

5.) Rocket Knight Adventures: A lot of mascot-style platformers fell flat on their faces but Rocket Knight Adventures stands above the pack as an incredible offering from Konami. This game pushes the Genesis graphically in ways I didn't think possible and is one of the prettiest titles on the console. The gameplay is fast paced and fun and exactly what I'd expect from a classic Konami title. I also feel the original game blows its sequels out of the water (though I haven't played the modern remake yet).

6.) Streets of Rage 2: If I had to narrow it down to one beat'em up on the system, this would be it. I've spent countless hours playing this and the original Streets of Rage with friends. The music is top notch and I tend to have more fun playing this game than a lot of more advanced titles in the genre. I don't know what makes it special, it just is.

7.) Ghostbusters: This is just a personal nostalgia one for me. I rented this game more times than I care to remember and it was one of the first games I hunted down when I started collecting. Yeah it's a mediocre little platformer but at the time it was the greatest Ghostbusters game available and I was completely in love with it. I still have a lot of fun playing this game today. It brings back a lot of good memories.

8.) Ranger-X: It's getting hard now because there's lots of games I still want to list but I can't leave out Ranger X. This game is beautiful and as a huge mecha fan it's one of the best robot combat games on the Genesis.

9.) Target Earth: Another game that tugs on my mecha fanboyism. I love the Gundam/Macross style themes going on in this game. It's brutally difficult but that only adds to the fun for me. The mission-based levels are a pretty uncommon and welcome thing for a Genesis game and the variety of weapons is really cool. It's probably my favorite game in the Assault Suits series though I'm also a fan of Cybernator for the SNES and it's "spiritual sequel" Metal Warriors.

10.) Lightening Force: Arbitrary misspelled name change aside, this is a true shmup classic along with Thunder Force 3 which could easily take this game's place on my list depending on what mood I'm in. A horizontal shmup masterpiece, the reason I probably listed this over TF3 is because it feels like it's on such a grand scale. That mission where other ships show up to fight along side you was particularly memorable and something I'd never seen in a shmup before. I can't heap enough praise on this game.

Honorable Mentions (because 10 is not enough):

Outrun: I'm not much for racing games but Outrun is so laid back and fun. I guess that's because it's a "driving game" as Yu Suzuki put it.
Truxton/Steel Empire/Fire Shark/Gaiares/Thunderforce III/etc. : You could probably add some other fantastic shmups here as well that I adore. They're all amazing.
Vectorman/Vectorman 2: These games get a lot of flack and a lot of praise. I really love them though.
Earthworm Jim: A classic and a work of art.
Herzog Zwei: Not just a great innovator but a fantastic game and one of the best multiplayer titles of all time.
Subterranea: Another wicked hard and very unique mission-based game that's close to my heart.
Pulseman: What an awesome little platformer! I feel like Mega Man Battle Network really took a lot of inspiration from this one. I wish it would have been released in the US. Plotting on buying a reproduction.
Shadow Squadron: My favorite 32X game. Really cool sci-fi flight sim.
Castlevania Bloodlines: It's classic Castlevania what's not to love?
Road Rash Series: My favorite racing games of all time. Like I said I don't really like racing games but when you add a baseball bat to the equation that changes.
General Chaos: Always found this one fun and addicting.
Strike Series: Really cool mission based helicopter games. I used to rent these games all the time. I like Battletech for the same reasons.
Starflight: What an incredible adventure/simulator. You can lose days of your time exploring this game.
Phantom 2040: The closest you can get to Metroid on the Genesis and a damn fine game.
Aladdin: Even today the animation is incredibly well done.

I'll stop myself now since I can go on forever.

Mark Robert

10-10-2011, 11:41 PM