Top 100 Mega Drive Games Update

[jesus.arnold]

I've been thinking of overhauling a lot of my website write-ups by the end of the year and would really appreciate some feedback on mistakes people feel I have made with my older lists so I can work on improving those areas for the updates.

My own thoughts on mistakes

Should these games come out?

Robocod - Now that I've had a lot of experience with the Amiga original I feel that the Mega Drive version falls down a bit. Not only this but at the beggining I wanted to make sure I represented more un-linear style platformers with big explorable levels, I thought about this for a while and feel that both Rolo to the Rescue (from the same developers) and the Addams family do a better job of representing this style (Rolo for instance is more rewarding to players who search out the levels as it has more useful items to collect, and two separate endings)

Cool Spot - it's a great game but I'm not sure if it should be there taking up a place in the list pushing other games out.

Bonanza Bros - it's got a pretty nice co-op and the gameplay's pretty good but it is a little bit short

Robocop Vs Terminator - Not sure if it deserves to be there, it really excells in some areas though and also I feel it might be important to keep it in to represent the more violent aspect of the Genesis library (I want the top 100 to reflect the system as a whole)

Chiki Chiki Boys - It's great but is a little bit short and simple

Games that should be Higher

Ristar - I think maybe I overcompensated my "Gameplay is the most important thing" idea at the time, yeah gameplay is important but graphics, style and charm should still stand for something especially when they are of this quality.

Sonic 1 - I wanted to split up games of the same series originally so as not to have an unbalanced list, but damn is Sonic 1 great so I was thinking that I should make an exception here

Strider - I feel I underated this game, whilst a little inaccessible at the beginning it really grows on you over time, and really has a timelessness to it.

Shining in the Darkness

Tiny Toons Adventures - I think I was too hard on it, the gameplay and graphics are both excellent, it has a nice amount of levels and a password save feature too (which is sadly missing from a lot of MD games)

Hyperstone Heist - I was thinking of a minor increase in it's placing as whilst it's no Turtles in Time when looked at it for it's own merits it's still one of the best Beat-em-ups on Mega Drive

Games I'm thinking of adding to the list

Atomic Runner - I find this a lot of fun and it's pretty quirky and unique

Sparkster - This is definately going in, great graphics, unique gameplay

Bubble and Squeek - nice and fun platformer and puzzle hybrid, it get pretty clever later on too, also I feel as though the puzzle genre isn't that well represented in the list at the moment

Addams Family 2 - this is another definate as the Action Adventure/RPG genre is not well represented in the list at the moment (only really has Beyond Oasis and Crusader of Centy) and the game is of very high quality.

Buck Rodgers - I've heard very good things about this game but have yet to spend enough time to form an opinion

Spider-Man Vs the Kingpin - I love this game but know that it can be a little bit inaccessible (takes a while to master it) I find it quite a rewarding game to spend time with though.

Eswat - I think this is pretty cool now, the weapon system and robot sections contain quite a lot of depth and interesting gameplay

Sorry for the massive write-up there :( as before any help would be appreciated but i'm not going to be surprised if no-one replies :)

[Mamba Tabac]

Well personally I think any top 100 is going to be reflective of the time when you did it. My top 100 MD games would probably be rather different than it was, say 2 years ago. Bear in mind if you change it now you probably wont be happy with it again at some point in the future.

Cool site btw

[jesus.arnold]

Well personally I think any top 100 is going to be reflective of the time when you did it. My top 100 MD games would probably be rather different than it was, say 2 years ago. Bear in mind if you change it now you probably wont be happy with it again at some point in the future.This is certainly very true, though where some games I want to add are concerned I simply hadn't played them yet when I originally made the list


Cool site btwThanks, it means a lot as It's rarely complimented and often criticised, though I think this is just the nature of people (myself included)

[Mamba Tabac]

This is certainly very true, though where some games I want to add are concerned I simply hadn't played them yet when I originally made the list

I suppose you could put new games in and label them 'new entry' or something - kind of like a rolling top 100 if you will...


Thanks, it means a lot as It's rarely complimented and often criticised, though I think this is just the nature of people (myself included)

I always find these top 100 lists essential reading as you can almost always guarantee to find a few gems that you may have otherwise missed. (Currently making notes from ur MS list ;))

There is no point criticizing this kind of thing as they are all 100% opinion.

[Zebbe]

Zebbe's fine comments
Chiki Chiki Boys - Has a nice original shop system and therefor it should be where it is.

Sonic 1 - This game changed the platform genre forever. It must be high up, probably more than top 20.

Strider - This game is so full of uncompressing slowdown, enemies that appear out of nowhere when you're standning next to them, the music is just awful and it's not much fun to play no matter how accurate the porting is. Should be quite far down IMO.

Shining in the Darkness - Total jawusumness. At least top 30 IMO.

Hyperstone Heist - No throwing footsoldiers to the screen, black border behind the energy bar, missing levels, level 4 is a complete rehash except for the boss, voicesamples lacking quality, graphics too, NES resolution etc. etc. etc. Put it at place 100!

[Mamba Tabac]

Sorry Zebbe but Strider is AWESOME

[jesus.arnold]

Strider - This game is so full of uncompressing slowdown, enemies that appear out of nowhere when you're standning next to them, the music is just awful and it's not much fun to play no matter how accurate the porting is. Should be quite far down IMO.One thing I need to ask in regards to Strider is are you playing on 50hz? when I was playing Strider on 50hz I always thought it was very cheap and scrappy looking as the lower update rate was causing the sprites and character to flicker quite badly in comparison to the relatively stable original NTSC version.


Hyperstone Heist - No throwing footsoldiers to the screen, black border behind the energy bar, missing levels, level 4 is a complete rehash except for the boss, voicesamples lacking quality, graphics too, NES resolution etc. etc. etc. Put it at place 100!But say we're forgetting about the existence of Turtles in Time and just compare Hyperstone Heist to just other Mega Drive games such as Golden Axe, Alien Storm and the Streets of Rage series do you still feel it's really that bad? I mean maybe the games a bit short and the presentation isn't of the highest order but I do feel the fighting system is pretty fast and fluid and the game plays pretty well.

Also thanks for the feedback.

[Zebbe]

One thing I need to ask in regards to Strider is are you playing on 50hz? when I was playing Strider on 50hz I always thought it was very cheap and scrappy looking as the lower update rate was causing the sprites and character to flicker quite badly in comparison to the relatively stable original NTSC version.

But say we're forgetting about the existence of Turtles in Time and just compare Hyperstone Heist to just other Mega Drive games such as Golden Axe, Alien Storm and the Streets of Rage series do you still feel it's really that bad? I mean maybe the games a bit short and the presentation isn't of the highest order but I do feel the fighting system is pretty fast and fluid and the game plays pretty well.

Also thanks for the feedback.

Yes, I did play it in 50 Hz. I'll try it in 60 next time, although 60 Hz gives more slowdown (perhaps less flickering as you state though).

Those three brawlers you compare are all at least 2 years older than TMHT, so it's unfair to compare them to a game that is lacking because the developers were lazy. TMHT is a fine game indeed, but should have been much better, even if there was no TiT.

You're welcome :).

[TheEdge]

Thanks buddy, I'll look it over in a bit.

[The Sports Guy]

Thoughts (with no offense intended):

Sonic 2 at 70? I firmly slam my beer mug on the bar and raise a hearty "What the F***?". Madden '94 is better than '93. Gotta love Starflight, boy could you imagine if that game had a Star Trek license? It's spelled Gaiares not Gaeares. I hate the Addams Family game. Vectorman is a little low, and I think that Virtua Racing is a little high. I mean, that game is graphically spectacular, but it's rather limited IMO. Alien Soldier is too hard.

And, finally, too many imports IMO. I haven't ever played a good 10 of these games, so how do I know that they belong in a top 100?

But, these complaints are mainly the reason you have not seen a top 100 on this site: everyone has a different opinion about it, and some people aren't going to like much about it.

[Zebbe]

Alien Soldier is too hard.

Pick the "super easy" difficulty mode and don't play it on an emulator then :P.


And, finally, too many imports IMO. I haven't ever played a good 10 of these games, so how do I know that they belong in a top 100?

Why should foreign libraries be left out? "Sorry japs, your games don't count because they weren't released in my country!" The Mega Drive was a world-wide console. If you try games like Pulseman out you will see why they are on this list.

[Christuserloeser]

If it's a list of the Top-100 PAL games for Mega Drive, then drop the imports. If it's a list of the Top-100 MD games in existance, then imports do belong on a list like that.

[Alianger]

The list is okay by me, we obviously have different tastes in games and in the end it's your list so it doesn't have to represent the popular opinion on each and every game.

That said, I'll share my thoughts on some of those titles:

Robocod - A much better game than Rolo or Addams Family. Those two have really floaty controls, pointless item collection (They didn't even bother to make sprites for the points in Rolo) and some really tedious platform segments. Rolo also has some of the shittiest scrolling I've seen in a 2D platform game.

Cool Spot - All these "Perry" games have crappy scrolling and floaty controls. This one also repeats itself after level 5 or something, and there are no bosses at all, just generic item collecting.

Chiki Chiki Boys - Not a bad Wonder Boy clone, but would've been better with a 2-player mode. And do you have something against Monster World IV or you just haven't played it yet?

Sonic 1 - It's definitely one of the better platformers for the system, but better than 2? I'm pretty clueless as to why 2 is at 70+ with games like Marvel Land and Addams Family above it, the comments in the list don't give much of an explanation.

Strider - What Zebbe said, basically. Also the sword slash sound is painful to the ears.

Tiny Toons Adventures - This one is pretty good, up until the ghost ship and afterwards where cheap hits and leaps of faith await in every level.

Hyperstone Heist - "It's still one of the best Beat-em-ups on Mega Drive" - Right on.

Sparkster - Too much of a sonic 2/3 clone and the bossfights take forever witout being challenging.

Spider-Man Vs the Kingpin - Love this one as well. Could've had better controls and graphics of course, but they did get the atmosphere and web slinging right.

Eswat - Not bad, but there are many better games.


Really do like the site btw, I try to visit it from time to time to read those comparisons.

[jesus.arnold]

Sonic 2 at 70? I firmly slam my beer mug on the bar and raise a hearty "What the F***?".


I'm pretty clueless as to why 2 is at 70+ with games like Marvel Land and Addams Family above itSonic 2 is one of the only games on the list which I've got no intention on budging on, every now and again I get the idea in my head that "all these people like it, I must be missing something" and I'll put it on again to try to work out what it is i'm missing.

I've completed Sonic 2 another two times since I made that list and both times my opinion of it dropped, forcing myself to play through that "game" is painfull, half the game is a rehash of Sonic 1 and the other half is a tech demo where I get to sit around watching the game play itself.


Why should foreign libraries be left out? "Sorry japs, your games don't count because they weren't released in my country!" The Mega Drive was a world-wide console. If you try games like Pulseman out you will see why they are on this list.This is the truth, also, half the people on the site are from the US and half are European, I'd have to leave out US and PAL exclusives. Not to mention these days it's relatively easy to import games anyway.


stuffSorry for no full quote but it was a long post and I've got to go out in a minute

I've never really noticed the floaty controls you speak of in regards to Rolo or Addams Family, though enough people mention them that I guess it must be at least a minor issue, personally I actually hold the run button down at all times during Rolo so I'm sure that most people could get to grips with at least walking everywhere.

I can't play Monster World very well as I can't read Japanese, and I'm trying to rate Mega Drive games not online download hacks of Mega Drive games

I agree with the Cool Spot scroll, I don't like it but It doesn't bother me too much. Also have you ever wondered that maybe the "Generic item collection" is what people like about the game?

How much time have you spent with Sparkster at the moment? I've found that proper use of the jet pack usually makes short work of the bosses (except that relatively annoying un-screw boss close to the beginning) the key to that game is learning the jet pack well and not trying to play it like Rocket Night Adventures, with a certain level of proficiency with the jet pack you can pretty much stay in the air for most of the game charging and bouncing from one section to another.

Where the Addams Family is concerned I really don't understand the ill feeling that I often see around here, I feel that it's clearly a stone cold classic, and most of the reviews of the time seemed to consider it a stone cold classic too. I worry that many people haven't even explored it enough to realise that you can pick up a permanent health power-up about 4 minutes into play making the game substantially easier :(

Sometimes I must admit that I'm concerened that the Mega Drive is so good at accessible action games that it's scene has been built around those styles of games, meaning that possibly most of the MD fans might have really low attention spans :D

[Why-Disciple]

Considering they weren't using the "one game per franchise" rule, I think they should have included sequels from more than just Sonic and Shinobi. I was surprised Ecco 1, Vectorman 2, and Earthworm Jim 2 weren't there.

My thoughts:

Vectorman should have been way higher.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Fire Shark, and X-men 2 should have at least made it past 100.
If Jungle Strike made it, then Battletech should have as well.
Sonic 2 is my personal favorite, so it should have been higher than 70.
Columns and Bean Machine were too far apart, being so similar gameplay-wise.
Mortal Kombat 2 I felt was a crappy port and should not be that high.

[Cornugon]

Interesting list, I only recently got myself a Megadrive finally and in the process fired up all games through emulation for making a wish list and most of this top-100 also got a place on my 'wish-list', although personally I find some games missing from this top-100 (like the aforementioned X-Men 2 )

I'm kindly surprised about the number 1. I have played the first Sonic quite often years ago so I was quite familiar with it, but the second and third parts I only played recently intensively (on the real thing ofcourse, I also managed to get some real carts ;). And my opinion was that while 2 was great it didn't improve very much on the already great first part. But while playing 3 it grew on me and I got more and more the impression that it's just a brilliant game! It's fairly obvious Sonic & Knuckles is required (which I don't have yet) for it to become one of the most ultimate games, but even without it it's fantastic! My only issue with it is that the 10 minutes inherited by it's predecessors is too short to explore an entire level :p

[Alianger]

How much time have you spent with Sparkster at the moment? I've found that proper use of the jet pack usually makes short work of the bosses (except that relatively annoying un-screw boss close to the beginning) the key to that game is learning the jet pack well and not trying to play it like Rocket Night Adventures, with a certain level of proficiency with the jet pack you can pretty much stay in the air for most of the game charging and bouncing from one section to another.

Where the Addams Family is concerned I really don't understand the ill feeling that I often see around here, I feel that it's clearly a stone cold classic, and most of the reviews of the time seemed to consider it a stone cold classic too. I worry that many people haven't even explored it enough to realise that you can pick up a permanent health power-up about 4 minutes into play making the game substantially easier :(

Sometimes I must admit that I'm concerened that the Mega Drive is so good at accessible action games that it's scene has been built around those styles of games, meaning that possibly most of the MD fans might have really low attention spans :D

You could use gamefaqs to play Monster World IV, or watch my playthrough on youtube :)

I don't see the fun in collecting when there's no reward for it, and the red dots aren't exactly making me drool either. The game is an obvious cash-in to me.

I've beaten sparkster once, and I really forced myself through like half the game. Almost every boss follows the pattern "wait until it uncovers its weakspot, attack once or twice, then wait again while dodging the attacks". It's tedious and doesn't make much sense. Then there's the horrible pacing, sometimes you fight like 5-6 bosses in a row and none of them are even challenging!
And it's funny how you complain about sonic 2 playing itself when sparkster borrows exactly those pipe parts from the game, and also adds tedium by adding an actual maze of pipes.

No worries, the "platform adventure" genre is my favourite by far, next to strategy games (real time anyway). But on the MD, the action games are just better overall.
I didn't find Addams Family very entertaining as it starts out too open ended and the music is pretty boring. Kinda like the original Metroid. Maybe I'll give it another try sometime.

[jesus.arnold]

No worries, the "platform adventure" genre is my favourite by far, next to strategy games (real time anyway). But on the MD, the action games are just better overall. I didn't find Addams Family very entertaining as it starts out too open ended and the music is pretty boring. Kinda like the original Metroid. Maybe I'll give it another try sometime.The Addams Family is a game that you'd really need to spend a long time playing to get to grips with, as not only does it throw you into the deep end of a massive world with few hints on what to do but it's also generally a pretty difficult game. The way to play it is to not get too hung up on which way you go, just try a direction and if you die try a different way next time, it's not really that similar to Metroid when you get down to it (I used to think this too) in Metroid there's usually a right way to go and a wrong way whereas you can literally go wherever you want in Addams Family and do it in any order, it's just that some ways are easier than others (I think the easiest start is through the left door in the mansion, climb the tree and beat the boss, then enter the tree and search for secret areas)

[jesus.arnold]

Seeing as I'm getting a kinda' limited response here I'm going to ask this in a few other forums too to see what I can find out. Thanks everyone who posted in here.

as a final note I just wanted to ask opinions on Warsong, The Immortal and Haunting Staring Polterguy as I've seen these being brought up recently as classics and am wondering whether I should give them a proper run through.

[TmEE]

Sonic3 is the game no. 1 and that's enough to make me love that list :P

[jesus.arnold]

Right, after finishing my top 100 SNES games I really felt like I should finally go over and improve my Mega Drive list, instead of adding some games here and there as I intended to I ended up changing the order, writing and screenshots of virtually everything, which, I feel shows me in a pretty stupid and fickle light but oh well LOL. I'm much happier with the present list, its not perfect but I think its good enough for the foreseable future, I always felt there was something a little off about the previous list, but its still hosted on the site if people want to see it.

this is the new list, I did take some of the suggestions from here on board when making it

http://retro-sanctuary.com/Top-100-Megadrive-Games.html

[Mordan]

http://retro-sanctuary.com/Top-100-Megadrive-Games.html

nice read. nice list.

I would add

Adventures of Batman and Robin
Gauntlet IV
Dizzy
a box game such as Heavyweight

[shinobimusashi]

Zebbe's fine comments
Chiki Chiki Boys - Has a nice original shop system and therefor it should be where it is.

Sonic 1 - This game changed the platform genre forever. It must be high up, probably more than top 20.

Strider - This game is so full of uncompressing slowdown, enemies that appear out of nowhere when you're standning next to them, the music is just awful and it's not much fun to play no matter how accurate the porting is. Should be quite far down IMO.

Shining in the Darkness - Total jawusumness. At least top 30 IMO.

Hyperstone Heist - No throwing footsoldiers to the screen, black border behind the energy bar, missing levels, level 4 is a complete rehash except for the boss, voicesamples lacking quality, graphics too, NES resolution etc. etc. etc. Put it at place 100!


totally agree about hyperstone hiest