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Sega’s Shinobi series is recognized for its greatness on the Genesis, but the Game Gear is home to two excellent entries in the series. The first game features solid gameplay and great presentation, and it captures the essence of what makes the series so popular with fans. This is definitely one to have in your Game Gear library.
If you’ve only played the Genesis version of Columns, then you need to track down a Game Gear and play the portable edition. It offers different options and a whole other feel to the gameplay that makes it more than just a watered-down port of its 16-bit sibling. It’s one of the best puzzle games on the Game Gear and arguably the best version of Columns overall.
Mickey Mouse debuted on the Game Gear in spectacular fashion, as Sega’s Castle of Illusion gave the machine a stellar platformer at launch. It also marked the start of a great handheld franchise that sparked two sequels. The original is still a great game to play and one that should be in every Game Gear owner’s library.
Chess, the game of kings, actually had an official release for the Master System, though it was only in Europe. Though competent, the game pales in comparison to its unlicensed Genesis sibling. Still, if you’re a fan of the game and really need to play an 8-bit version of it, then Sega Chess might be something worth looking into.
Chuck Rock was fun on the Genesis and Sega CD, but the Master System port left a good deal of that charm back in the stone age. Poor visuals and uninspired gameplay make this the low entry on the franchise’s evolutionary scale, and it plays like a real fossil compared to other platformers. Move on to something else before we run out of puns.