Longing to get out from under Nintendo’s brutal licensing contract, Namco finally managed to release a few gems early on for the Genesis. One of those first games was Marvel Land, a cutesy platformer that did a decent job of emulating its arcade sibling. Our full review has all the details, so read on and see where the Sega/Namco collaboration got its roots.
Tag: 1991
Zero Wing
Everyone knows Zero Wing. What’s ironic is that the most famous Genesis shmup of all time isn’t known for its gameplay, visuals, or sound. What makes it so special is a hilarious mistranslation in the opening of the PAL version. Toaplan’s “All your base” line will live in infamy for sure, but how does the game itself stand up?
Battletoads
Rare’s amphibious trio came to the Genesis in 1991, and while fans were expecting a whole new adventure, what they got was a solid port of the NES original. They’d have to wait for the SNES release to get the new game they wanted, but as always, the Genesis came through with a some great gameplay….all the difficulty too!
Fantasia
Based on one of Disney’s most memorable films, Fantasia fails to capture any of its magic. The poor controls, vague objectives, and repetitive gameplay make this one of Mickey’s poorer adventures. It’s best to leave this one and just watch the movie. You’ll enjoy it more.
Master of Weapon
Ah shmups. Call them shooters or what you will, there’s no denying their appeal. Dashing through space, killing all in your path…it’s a most satisfying way to spend an afternoon; however, sometimes the glory isn’t worth the pain. Take Taito’s Master of Weapon, for instance. If ever a game should have stayed in the arcade, this was it.
