Ranking All 42 Games on the Sega Genesis Mini Console!

Our picks for the absolute best — and absolute worst — titles included in the dedicated console playlist

By: Jimbo X

JimboXAmerican@gmail.com

@Jimbo_American

As we all know by now, the Sega Genesis is my all-time favorite home console. In fact, I’ve written so much about the damn system by now that I’m actually kinda’ tired of explaining why the console is, was and always will be so great — and then, something like the Sega Genesis Mini Console gets mass manufactured and released coast-to-coast just in time for the holiday season, and I find myself effectively forced into writing about the Genny, anyway.

While there have been MANY dedicated mini-consoles released over the years allowing consumers to play old school Genesis games via built-in software (or the aberrational cartridge slot welded onto the machine itself), the mini-console released Sept. 19, 2019 is the first to officially have Sega’s endorsement, and for good reason. Aesthetically, the mini-Genesis looks astounding, a near perfect imitation of the first generation system that hit the U.S. market back in 1989, right down to the headphone jack and volume adjustment slider on the front of the deck. Of course, I’m not as crazy about the two wired controllers that come with the micro-console, especially considering they lack the extra three buttons included on the arcade pad, which REALLY makes fighting games easier to play. But hey, it kinda’-sorta’ makes up for it with the HDMI visual upgrade, and if absolutely nothing else, they uploaded all of the original game instructional manuals on the official Genesis Mini website for free, so that ought to keep you entertained for at least a few hours.

But the viability of the micro-console, of course, boils down to its software, and in the case of this particular retro-ware, we’ve been gifted 42 different games to trudge through. As I did with both the NES and Super Nintendo mini-consoles from a few years back, I decided to rank every single game included within the mini-Genesis from worst to best — and from here on out, I think I’ll just let this micro-capsule reviews guide your own judgement as to whether or not this nostalgia-baiting gizmo is or isn’t worth the upfront investment ...

If the game isn't that fun with all of the screen visible, it sure as hell isn't going to be fun with just one-fifth of it unobscured by darkness.

#042

Super Fantasy Zone

This pastel-hued cute-em-up has the less-than-proud distinction of being the worst overall game on the mini-console. But even then, it’s not that Super Fantasy Zone is a truly atrocious game or anything like that; indeed, it’s very well-made, the presentation is nice and the controls are pretty spot-on. Really, it’s more the fact that the game is so slow-paced and simplistic, which is definitely NOT the first thing I think of when I think “Sega Genesis.” The fact of the matter is that there were so many fantastic SHMUPs on the consoles, but this definitely isn’t in the top (or even middle) tier of such genre games on the system. And considering the game’s nonexistent following, there’s simply no reason for its inclusion on the setlist — especially when the Japanese edition of the micro-console came with friggin’ MUSHA, which in my mind, isn’t just the best shoot-em-up on the Genesis, but an easy top fiver in the pantheon of ALL Genesis games ever. 

#041

Virtua Fighter 2

Yeah, this is a game that probably shouldn’t have been made. Since the Genesis really couldn’t handle polygonal graphics, this SEVERELY downgraded port of the beloved arcade brawler lacks a lot of the depth (literally!) of its coin-op older sibling. Overall the gameplay is fairly smooth, and the graphics aren’t terrible, but holy hell, is the tempo of this game off by several beats. Without the ability to sidestep, the game loses a lot of fun and technique, and ultimately, devolves into just another mediocre-at-best fighter, which try as it may, just can’t match up with the likes of Super Street Fighter II or Mortal Kombat II. Again, it’s not a horrible game, per se, just one that I can’t imagine anyone retroactively fawning over. I mean, couldn’t you guys have given us a two-dimensional ass-kicker that actually tickled our nostalgic bones, like Time Killers or something? 

#040

Space Harrier 2

I’ve never been a fan of third-person rail shooters, and that holds especially true for the Space Harrier games. I mean, what does the term Harrier mean, anyway? Like, space, itself, has more hair on it than usual? Inexplicable titling aside, Space Harrier 2 is a pretty standard arcade downgrade port, with very little substance and not that much style to cover up its core gameplay deficiencies. Of course, this being a Yu Suzuki offering and all, the presentation is very well done, and the basic control setup is fairly decent. Alas, the Genesis hardware really can’t process the scrolling as well as the arcade iteration, and the end result is a port that has some very frustrating parallax issues and even some hit detection/collision screw-ups here and there. Really, you’re not going to get too much mileage out of this one, no matter how hardcore you feel about the subgenre — which, I’m assuming, consists of literally twos and threes of gamers out there. 

#039

Tetris

Outside of the game being extremely rare, there’s really not much of a reason to go out of one’s way to play this iteration of the ubiquitous puzzler — which, by the way, was developed and published in-house by Sega and isn’t the Tengen version of the game, which I’ve long-thought was vastly superior. By now you should know the fundamentals of this one — you drop blocks, you clear blocks, you try to keep too many blocks from forming on the screen, rinse, repeat, regurgitate. While on the whole this rendition of Tetris isn’t too shabby, it’s certainly nothing superior to what you’ve played on the Game Boy, NES or Super Nintendo, and even worse, this arcade port seems to have some wonky block-twisting controls, making it a far slower and more sluggish experience than on competing systems. The presentation is pretty lame, too — I mean, those static landscape backdrops were the best you guys could’ve dreamed up, fellas?

#038

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle

This rare Genesis appearance by the unofficial Sega Master System mascot is undoubtedly a cute little offering, but let’s be frank: this thing just doesn’t offer enough challenge or unique gameplay components to be worth going out of one’s way to experience. While the attempt to merge the finer elements of  Zelda II with Super Mario Bros. is noble, the core gameplay is just too simplistic and straightforward to warrant too much of an investment, especially when even novice players can likely beat the whole game in less than an hour (and, obviously, the game offers virtually nothing in the way of replay value, either.) It has its charm, for sure, but beyond the adorable aesthetics and comfy dressings, there’s just not a whole lot of substance here at all. 

Compared to the NES version, this thing was like getting a blowjob from a PlayStation10.

#037

Strider

This arcade port from Capcom is pretty much the epitome of a game that’s all style and hardly any substance. For its time, there is NO denying that this game looked downright incredible, offering an arcade port that didn’t just blow the NES version out of the water, it downright embarrassed it. And while Strider is still a fairly impressive-looking 16-bit graphical showcase to this day, unfortunately, it just doesn’t have the core gameplay to complement that visuals. In fact, with some iffy controls and some really annoying hit detection issues — not to mention the steep difficulty curve — Strider is a game that’s genuinely more enjoyable to watch than play. And even then, I’m not sure how long you’ll last before the ennui kicks in, honestly. 

#036

Columns

Sega’s response to Tetris didn’t quite have the same cultural impact as Nintendo’s unit-shifting puzzling classic, but even now Columns remains an engrossing experience — albeit, one that feels incredibly bare bones, even by contemporary 16-bit standards. By now, you certainly know the drill: pillars of gems of varying hues keep falling from the sky, and you have to do your damnedest to line them up in rows of three to clear the screen. It’s a fun game, for sure, but honestly, if they were going to include any gem-dropping title on the Genny they should’ve vouched for the FAR more entertaining and feature-packed Columns III, which not only has a fantastic multiplayer mode, but some of the most underrated music on the system, to boot. 

#035

Altered Beast

The Genny’s original pack-in game has long been considered one of the best “bad” games of all-time, and by now, you’ve either grown to love its crude, minimalist arcade charm or been bored out of your gourd by its extremely straightforward gameplay. There’s not a lot of depth to the experience at all, and I think most gamers would say the gameplay is more frustrating than challenging thanks to those rigid ass controls, but at the same time, it’s pretty much impossible to not get some amusement out of the experience. The two-player mode is especially enjoyable — if nothing else, for giving you the unintended option of engaging in beastial sex when you and your buddy transform into bear warriors in level three.

#034

Thunder Force III

There are a lot of great SHMUPs on the Genesis, and Thunder Force III is definitely a good genre offering — although it’s FAR from being one of the best of its breed on the console. In fact, I’m not even sure Thunder Force would crack a top 25 countdown of the best shoot-em-ups on the Genny, and I think we can all state that we would’ve MUCH preferred getting Thunder Force IV than this one. It’s certainly a fun game, on the whole, but time hasn’t as been as kind to this game as it has some of its contemporaries. For one, the level design is very basic, and the shoot ‘em up action just doesn’t have the same rhythm, tempo or intensity of some of the superior subgenre cartridges on the system. While I still consider it a vast upgrade over the first two Thunder Force games — and, pound-for-pound, a better-playing game than its SNES counterpart Thunder Spirits — TF III is nonetheless a rather disappointing inclusion, considering such vastly more enjoyable games like MUSHA, Gleylancer, Eliminate Down, Grind Stormer and Fire Shark were left out in the proverbial cold.

#033

Eternal Champions

Sega’s ill-fated attempt to mimic the rousing success of Street Fighter II is mostly a dud, but at least they tried to give it some aesthetic charm and a halfway decent sense of identity. Alas, the wacky time-displaced motif just doesn’t give this one enough of a competitive edge, and the combat system itself leaves a lot to be desired. Even with the virtually prerequisite six-button fightin’ pad the controls feel kinda’ clunky and there just ain’t a whole lotta’ replay value to be found here at all — I mean, sheesh, at least its sequel on the Sega CD spiced things up with all of the INSANE blood and guts. Unfortunately, the 16-bit original on the Genesis feels like a potpourri of decent ideas that never really gel into an appetizing whole. Throw in the muted color scheme and the surprisingly substandard animations and you’ve got yourself a Sega original that, ultimately, just feels like a really watered-down SNK wannabe, without the visual appeal or meat to the core gameplay. 

#032

Ecco the Dolphin

No, I’ve never been a big fan of Ecco, and unless you really have a penchant for porpoises, I can’t imagine you being enthralled by the action-adventure hybrid too much, either. Essentially an unlicensed Free Willy game, Ecco definitely has some pros — the level layout is nice, the ambiance is really endearing and atypical for its timeframe and the more leisurely-paced gameplay is a somewhat refreshing change of pace from the norm — but ultimately, the title is hampered by iffy controls and a “combat” system that feels about as refined and fine-tuned as a 1992 Yugo Cabrio. That, and the difficulty curve ramps up way too fast in the later levels, when the game takes a hard left hand turn into sci-fi horror category, complete with some enemy designs that I’m sure made H.R. Giger’s lawyers quite happy. The follow-up, Tides of Time, was a better game overall, and even the pared down Ecco, Jr. has more oomph to it; while its idiosyncratic style makes it a good thematic fit for the collection, in terms of sheer gameplay I can’t help but feel as if Sega could’ve chosen a multitude of better titles to retroactively highlight the console library. 

Not only was this the funnest part of the game, it really should've been the ENTIRE game.

#031

Golden Axe

Golden Axe is just pure arcade action, and that’s both its greatest strength and its most glaring weakness. Basically, you just travel left to right, beating the shit out of the same generic foes over and over again — which is actually WAY more fun when you’re riding one of those monsters that slaps motherfuckers with its tail, or especially that fire-breathing dragon thing that would’ve made Yoshi its bitch in like, half a nanosecond. Overall, it’s a painfully short single-player game that has a little bit more shelf-life thanks to its solid multiplayer component. And yes, all these years later, it’s still fun as shit being able to punt dwarves until they give you all their life-saving elixirs. That said, I really wish they would’ve swapped this one out for Golden Axe III, which isn’t just one of the most underrated action games on the Genesis, but really, one of the most underrated belt-scrollers of the entire 16-bit era. 

#030

Darius

No, not Darius II, the shoot-em-up that was actually released on the Genesis in hard copy a good 30-or-so-years-ago. Nor is it even a retro-fitted, 16-bit port of the original arcade game. Indeed, this is literally a home-brewed game built using the Genesis’ tech specification, and to be honest with you, fam, it ain’t too bad (although, the purist I am, I am VERY critical of its inclusion on the micro-console, for obvious reasons.) Ultimately, the game plays A LOT like the afore-mentioned Darius II, to the point it seems like some of the level backdrops and enemies were kindly, ahem, recycled, from the source material. While the blast-tactic action might be a tad too straightforward for some folks, the pace is pretty good and the pastel graphics at least makes it pop a little. And with roughly one hour of content, it’s certainly one of the longer SHMUPs to be found in the pantheon of Genesis games — you know, had it actually been released as a real Genesis game and whatnot.

#029

Landstalker: The Treasure of King Nole

Isometric action-adventure games are pretty hard to pull off, and Landstalker is certainly one of the better efforts to come down the pipes during the 16-bit era. It may take a while to get the controls down (which they always do in isometric games, naturally) but the combat system in Landstalker is actually pretty fun and intuitive once you get the hang of things. The sprites are colorful, the animations are great and the core gameplay is quite satisfying. Alas, as a bare bones dungeon crawler, there’s not a terrible amount of variety to the action, and after awhile the derivative level design does get kinda’ boring. With a bit too much exploration to titilate hardcore action fans and a bit too much button-mashing for the RPG/strategy enthusiasts out there, Landstalker is just a game without a country, it appears; which is a shame, really, because with a bit more polish, this already quite good game could’ve been legitimately outstanding. 

#028

Wonder Boy in Monster World

This very high-end SMS port is pretty much what would happen if you merged Adventure Island, Zelda II and Metroid into a single game. And while a game of its ilk would’ve been highly prized on the Master System, I’m afraid this re-do/remake just doesn’t have enough going for it to make it an absolute must-play experience. Yes, yes, the controls are good, the graphics are great and the overall gameplay is rather satisfying, but at the end of the day, the level-design is too repetitive and the combat too unrefined to warrant anything more than a one-and-day playthrough. But really, it’s the ease of the game that just breaks this one; on a totally blind virgin run, expect to plow through this one in 90 minutes, two hours tops.

#027

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

This was a huge game back in the day that really underscored just how massive a technical upgrade the Genesis was from the NES. Alas, while the game still has its merits, on the whole I’d say it really hasn’t held up all that well over the years, today playing like a VERY simplistic and unimaginative mascot platformer that doesn’t offer that much beyond the Disney branding. Yes, it’s charming and some of the sprites still look quite solid 30 years down the road, but frankly, there are so many better games of the ilk to be found on the Genesis, especially some Japanese-only releases like Pulseman that I think modern gamers would’ve enjoyed seeing on the micro console substantially more. And hey, if we’re going to down the Disney-on-Genesis route, how about giving us The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin instead, guys?

#026

World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck

It ain’t perfect, but World of Illusion’s co-op mode makes this one a licensed game worth playing through at least once. Essentially harnessing the same engine as Castle of Illusion, WOI is a game that ups the ante with brighter visuals, better animations, more challenging gameplay and significantly better controls. Granted, some of the platforming sequences are still a tad too slippery and the level layout is a tad too predictable at spots, but overall this is still a solid mascot platformer with lots of character, outstanding music and at least one or two truly memorable boss fights. While I still think Sega hunched the pooch by including this game over Aladdin on the microconsole, I suppose I can’t complain about the decision too much … or, at least, too much for too long

Yeah ... don't ask me to explain '90s humor, ever.

#025

Earthworm Jim

It takes a while to get used to the control set-up, but once you do, Earthworm Jim becomes an absolute hoot and a half to blast through. A Gen-X humor-laden action/platformer hybrid, EJ has plenty of shooting and jumping action, with superb animations and an impressive framerate, considering the lightning fast speed of the gameplay. The level design is downright fantastic, and all of the boss fights are super quirky, super memorable and super enjoyable. Pretty much the only thing hurting this one is bungee jumping level and the final stage of the game, where the already iffy controls sometimes become frustrating beyond words. Still, if you can overlook those (admittedly, pretty big) setbacks, I reckon you’ll find Earthworm Jim to be an entertaining blast from the past — although, I think we can all agree, Earthworm Jim 2 is still a substantially better game. 

#024

Toejam and Earl

Toejam and Earl, really, is a genre unto itself. Nominally an action-adventure game, the bulk of the title has you ambling around these weird level-scapes on the prowl for all sorts of bizarre knickknacks. While it seems like it would have all the makings of an uninspired and annoying feature-length fetch quest, the game actually does have a strangely charming (and addictive) element to it, with these absolutely massive levels that will likely take first-time players hours to chart out. While clearly it’s not a game for all tastes, if you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind game with a more leisurely pace and a TON of exploration potential, I think you’d get a kick out of this one — especially with a buddy by your side, since the co-op mode here is the PERFECT 16-bit experience for two dudes and dudettes absolutely roasted out of their minds on pot brownies.

#023

Sonic Spinball

This is a weird one that I actually appreciate a lot more now than I did as a kid. While the idea of a Sonic-themed pinball game is pretty much the most obvious thing in the world, you have to admire Sega for taking a few chances with the guaranteed concept, in turn giving the gaming cosmos what may very well be the first ever hybrid pachinko/platformer/strategy game on any mainstream home gaming console. Furthermore, this is an absurdly difficult game, providing way more challenge and nuance than you’d probably anticipate heading into a game literally called “Spinball.” The controls, admittedly, take a while to get used to, but once you have the mechanics down pat, this one becomes a deeply enjoyable (and addictive) little genre-fuser that, in many respects, was way ahead of its time — or at least, two or three years ahead of the curve. 

#022

Monster World IV

This cult favorite platformer from Westone Bit has long been described as a jambalaya of Zelda, Sonic and Metroid, and while that’s conceptually valid in some regards, really, Monster World IV deserves WAY more credit for drumming up a unique gaming experience all its own. As one of the longer platformer hybrids on the console (the whole thing will take you AT least five hours to finish), MW IV gives you a little bit of everything, at times feeling like a high-end Alex Kidd and mayhap even a proto-Shantae. The controls are smooth and fluid, the character design is great and some of the boss battles are truly impressive — especially the grand finale against that one-eyed, multi-tentacled pink demon thing, which is way more terrifying than anything a game so seemingly kid-centric should ever throw at its core audience. If you’re looking for an exploration-heavy action-adventure experience that’s immediately accessible and instantly engrossing, you DEFINITELY need to invest at least a weekend or two in plowing through this one. 

#021

Comix Zone

One of the most challenging side-scrolling beat-em-ups of the 16-bit era and certainly one of the most inventive. Commandeering a Dee Snider lookalike who get sucked into his comic book creation, Comix Zone plays up the sequential art motiff for all its worth, ultimately giving gamers a slower paced, more methodical puzzle-based beat-em-up with plenty of cool visuals and gameplay mechanics that you don’t normally encounter in virtual ass-kickers of the like — indeed, there is a LOT of platforming to be find in this one, and probably more rope-shimmying than in ANY other 16-bit title released in the 1990s. It’s a bit on the short side, but with a steep learning curve, it’s going to take you a couple of hours to get all of the fundamentals down on this one — that is, if it isn’t too hardcore for you from the get-go.

#020

Alisia Dragoon

I’m not sure where I first heard the descriptor used, but however told me Alisa Dragoon should’ve been called Altered Beast, But Actually Good, you were right on the money. An action offering with a heavy emphasis on platforming and blowing shit up, Alisia Dragoon utilizes a really novel electro-shock combat system, where basically all you have to do is press one button, aim your attack and you shoot constant death all over the cathode ray tube screen. But you see, this is no mindless button masher, mind you; the way the levels are laid out and the attack patterns of the enemies require you to be highly selective with what kind of other lightning death you dole out, and some of the boss battles really force you to use your grey matter when it comes to determining which attack and when is the best course of action. And this game is worth going out of your way to experience for two things alone: the absolutely brilliant stage six (which has you crawling up, down, over, and out a wrecked lab or factory or some shit, complete with some of the best rotational graphics you’ll ever see on the Genny) and its superb soundtrack, which features some of the most beautiful tinny-ass proto-techno music you’ll ever hear produced by a Yamaha YM2612 sound chip.

Hey, you know what Mario never had? A motherfucking hooverboard power-up, that's what.

#019

Kid Chameleon

I know that Sonic often gets the accolade, but deep down, we all know that this game was Sega’s TRUE answer to Super Mario World. Taking the core concept of Super Mario Bros. 3 to the nth degree, Kid Chameleon is a super-challenging, secret-hidden platforming joyride that, in sharp contrast to most genre games of the like on the Genny, will actually take you HOURS to complete. While, at first glance, the game may not seem to bring anything new to the platforming arena, that all changes after the first few levels, when Sega decides to vault your ass to the next level whether you want to or not. Think it was “kewl” watching Mario don the Hammer Bros. suit in SMB3 and turn into a tanooki? Well, that’s bullshit compared to the power-ups in this game, which turn your titular avatar into, among other things, a fuckin’ shogun/tank cyborg hybrid and a LITERAL hockey-mask-wearing axe-murdering. And let’s be real here: if you’ve never said to yourself “wouldn’t it be great to play a Mario game where Mario turns into Jason Voorhees?” you obviously have no rightful place in OUR society, amigo.

#018

Dynamite Headdy

Treasure’s high-octane platformer plays a lot like Gunstar Heroes meets Kirby’s Adventure, and if that doesn’t have immediate appeal to you, clearly, you’re reading the wrong website. While there are certain portions of the game that clearly try to emulate the breakneck tempo of Sonic, for the most part Treasure seeks to forge its own path with this inventive genre offering, which benefits greatly from its smooth controls, beautifully-designed levels and extremely awesome boss fights. Even better, there’s actually an incentive to explore the levels in this one, and the mini-games included in the cart are actually fun enough to probably warrant a full-scale, standalone release — I, for one, played the shit out of that one basketball variation when I was a kid. And if you’re looking for a lengthier platformer, Dynamite Headdy ought to do you; I suspect it’ll take about 3-5 hours for the average gamer to beat it, and that’s WITHOUT doing enough to unlock the super secret hidden final level ...

#017

Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine

To this day my favorite Puyo Puyo game, and it isn’t even close (although Puyo Pop Fever on the Gamecube does give it a run for its money, thanks to giving video gamedom what is probably it’s first ever homosexual skeleton character.) Mean Bean Machine is one of those titles that proves gameplay trumps everything, with an ultra-simplistic, pseudo-jewel-dropping game mechanic that’s instantly accessible, instantly satisfying and damn near impossible to put down. Yes, the story mode is way too brief, but the outstanding two-player mode and the game’s impossibly catchy music more than makes up for the brazen lack of plot. Hardcore puzzler afficianados definitely need to give this one a try — and if you ask me, it beats the pants off the almost identically-themed Kirby’s Avalanche on the SNES, and badly.

#016

Road Rash II

Even now, Genesis fans like to argue over which of the three Road Rash games on the console was superior. While I personally prefer the third game in the series — what, with its’ jagged-ass pseudo-photorealistic sprites and the ability to cause a ruckus in the wastelands of Africa while zebras and nonstop chiptune isicathamiya music playing in the background, how could it not be? — I think, on the whole, this was probably the better game to include on the micro console to demonstrate the intrinsic strengths of the series. In sharp contrast to Mario Kart on the SNES, this bad boy from EA instead gave you crotch rockets, breathtaking jumps, fuckin’ melee weapons like chains and, perhaps most enjoyable of all, the ability to wedge your opponents into oncoming traffic for extra guffaws and style points. When it comes to multiplayer arcade racing experiences on the Genny, this is pretty much as good as it got, and even now, I think way too many retro gamers sleep on just how polished and fine-tuned these games are. I mean, it’s not as good as that one Road Rash game on the 3DO that had you blazing over the foothills of Silicon Valley while Monster Magnet and Soundgarden blared in the soundtrack, but honestly — how many things in this wacky little world of ours actually are?

#015

Light Crusader

If you ever needed proof that Treasure CAN do it all, look no further than this supremely underappreciated action-adventure game, which has to be one of the best isometric games of the 16-bit era — if not the absolute best of its breed. For starters, the controls are actually pretty manageable and fluid, which I can assure you is VERY rare for these types of games. Secondly, the game itself is downright humongous for its genre, with a main story that will likely take you AT LEAST five hours to finish. Furthermore, the puzzles in the game are actually pretty clever, and the combat system — while simplistic in design — is nonetheless satisfying and intuitive. Moreover, the game world itself is pretty freaking huge, giving you a ton of stuff to mess around with when you aren’t clearing out dungeons and doing battle with giant intestine monsters and morbidly obese cherubs that barf fire at you. Indeed, this is a game that’s a hoot and a half to simply explore and for those of you who overlooked the title way back in the day, now is a most opportune time to make amends for your 16-bit sins.

#014

Ghouls ‘N Ghosts

This early, EARLY Genesis release truly showcased the power of Sega’s new home console. Although I probably wouldn’t use the term “arcade perfect” to describe its visuals, it’s certainly a MUCH better looking game than the title we got on the NES, and honestly, I kinda’ dig this one even more than the much-ballyhooed re-do the Super Nintendo got a couple of years later. At heart, though, this is just an immensely entertaining, super-challenging, old-school, two-hits-and-you’re-fucking-dead arcade classic, through and through, that’s just as much fun to blast through now as it was way back in ’89. And let’s not overlook the beautiful presentation in this one, either — indeed, that final battle against Satan himself has to be one of the most gorgeously grotesque things ever put in a 2D game, and frankly, I STILL get kinda’ freaked out whenever I see one of those pitchfork-carrying pig-headed demons that barfs acid one platform above me. It may not be the best overall action-platformer on the system, but the impact it made as one of the pioneering titles on the Genesis certainly makes it a worthy addition to the micro-console library — and it’s also a great game to show all of your Gen Z relatives, to let them know how goddamn hardcore us kids of the late ‘80s and ‘90s TRULY were. 

OK, the character design could've used some work, but at least they didn't call him Ball-Man.

#013 

Vectorman 

Released in 1995 and oddly touted as the Genesis’ retort to Donkey Kong Country, Vectorman was a critical and commercial flop that seemed destined to be relegated to the same discount bin of history where the likes of Garfield: Caught in the Act and Primal Rage on the 32X are forced to fester for all of time. But the ensuing years have been much kinder to BlueSky Software’s superb action-platformer, which plays out sort of like a cross between Mega Man, Gunstar Heroes and Earthworm Jim. And while it would be easy to write the game off as all style and hardly any substance, I assure you Vectorman actually packs quite a bit of challenge and replayability, to boot, thanks to its massive game worlds, super smooth controls and exquisitely designed levels. And that’s to say nothing of the game’s music, which has to be some of the funkiest, awesomest chiptune sounds to ever grace ANY 16-bit console. Of course, all of this lofty praise on my part sorta’ begs the question — how come the suits at Sega didn’t include Vectorman 2 on this setlist, too?

#012

Shining Force

Naturally, Shining Force II is the vastly superior game, but that’s not to say its predecessor wasn’t pretty damn good, either. Indeed, Camelot’s pioneering turn-based, tactical role-playing-game actually holds up WAY better than you’d expect, with a deeply immersive combat system and some all out wars in the latter half of the game that are about as riveting as 16-bit gaming got. Yes, we can get bogged down into the details of the story, but the true selling point for Shining Force has been its downright exquisite turn-based combat system, which lends itself very well to some epic, positively humongous donnybrooks that sometimes take in excess of 30 minutes to wrap up. And I don’t care how hardcore you think you are, all these years later I’m convinced it’s impossible for anybody to finish the final dungeon in this game in less than an hour. I mean whole-heartedly convinced, folks. All in all, this is a terrific game with a ton of content, and if you have just the teeniest, tiniest appreciation of strategy games, you ought to love the shit out of this game — if you can beat the whole thing in less than 20 hours, do consider yourself fucking elite. 

#011

Beyond Oasis

What do you get when you take A Link to the Past, Aladdin and Streets of Rage, put ‘em in a blender and hit puree? Odds are, the final product would probably look a lot like Beyond Oasis, a rare top-down action-adventure brawler that definitely deserves more appreciation and admiration from the retro-gaming masses. With huge levels, beautiful sprites and some downright stunning music that brings almost symphonic quality music to the Genny (the enemies even emit a crystal clear Wilhelm Scream when you vanquish them!) there’s no doubt that the presentation in Beyond Oasis is among the best you’ll find on the system. Thankfully, the core gameplay is just as fantastic as the slick audiovisuals, featuring an excellent combat system, plenty of challenging (and inventively laid out) levels and some unexpectedly great platforming sequences, which the guys at Nintendo certainly could’ve learned a thing or two from back in the day. And even better, it’s a pretty damn long game, too — even blazing through the title, expect at least four or five hours ’til you reach the title’s concluding boss fight, which, without any spoilers, HAS to be one of the freakiest things you’ll EVER see in a Sega Genesis game that isn’t home-brewed hentai.

#010

Sonic The Hedgehog

Almost 30 years later, Sega’s beloved platformer remains every bit as enjoyable as it was back in 1991. Even now, there’s just something marvelous about seeing the title screen fade into the first level of Green Hill Zone. Those beautiful, eye-catching sprites. That amazing, ultra-catchy, almost eye-watering music. And, of course, the absolute thrill of hitting top gear and landing that first loop-de-loop — man, that shit NEVER gets old. At this point, there’s not a whole lot more I can say  about how great this game is, but what I can say is that this is one of the few games on any console that I would deem literally, objectively timeless. It looked great then and it looks great now, it played fantastically in 1991 and it’s going to play fantastically in 2091. Odds are you’ve already played this one a million times already, but you know what? I earnestly can’t think of a reason to not play at for a millionth-and-first time on this newfangled micro-console doohickey.

#009

Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master

While the Revenge of Shinobi may score more nostalgia points (primarily, due to unauthorized cameos from Godzilla, Batman and The Terminator, among others), Shinobi III is actually a much better game in just about every categorization. It has better animations, better music, a better combat system and more well-designed levels, not to mention WAY smoother controls. But really, the big attractor here has to be the nearly flawless action-platforming, making this game an absolute delight-and-a-half to simply jump and shuriken shit through. Factor in the outstanding graphics, killer boss battles, stellar sound effects and unique gameplay components (why not include a ninja surfing stage, after all?) and you have what has to be one of the best pound-for-pound action offerings of the 16-bit era. And don’t you even TRY to tell me that final battle in that trippy ass wireframe hellscape ain’t one of the coolest — and most memorable — final stages in the annals of gaming. Go ahead, pleb, I dare you. 

#008

Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition

While it may be an obvious graphical downgrade from Street Fighter II Turbo on the SNES, I’ve always thought this iteration actually played better — especially if you were rocking that bad ass six button control pad, or even better, that ginormous, proprietary ARCADE STICK that weighed damn near as much as the system itself. The long, long-awaited port of Capcom’s coin-op classic is perhaps most revered for its downright exquisite “Hyper Fighting” mode, which pretty much all non-retards will tell you makes SFII Turbo look like two 80-years-old trying to peg one another while blindfolded. While I still prefer the Genesis iteration of Super Street Fighter II more, personally, this one ain’t a bad consolation prize at all; indeed, from my vantage point, it’s still the second best fighting game on the Genesis, overall, and something you definitely need to check out if you haven’t, for whatever stupid ass reason.

Oh, the early 1990s: back when 12-year-old black kids getting machine gunned was whimsical entertainment.

#007

Streets of Rage 2

Yeah, I personally consider Streets of Rage 3 to be the best game in the series — especially the uncensored, original Japanese version of Bare Knuckle III, complete with all its gloriously unabashed homophobia. That said, SOR 2 is nonetheless an outstanding side-scrolling beat-em-up by its own merits, with some of the finest controls, dandiest co-op play and best overall music to be found on the Genesis. The levels are expertly designed, the combat is simplistic but satisfying and like I even need to tell you how fun it is teaming up with a buddy and beating the shit out of the yakuza, preferably while one of you is pretending to be a 12-year-old black boy on roller skates. It doesn’t do anything terribly new with the subgenre, per se, it just gives you the best the beat-em-up breed has to offer in a 16-bit cartridge form; trust me, kids, NOTHING on the SNES came anywhere close to matching the sheer viscerality of this ‘un.

#006

Sonic The Hedgehog 2

Expectations were sky high for Sega’s signature mascot platformer, and I think it’s safe to say the final product more than lived up to the hype. Rather than totally (and needlessly) reinvent the wheel, the suits at Sega instead opted to enhance all of the stuff that made the original the decade-defining classic it was. Bigger levels. Larger enemies. Grander stages. And, of course, the big one, even FASTER gameplay, which pushed Sega’s Blast Processor to its limits. Of course, the game also deserves plenty of props for introducing a steller and inventive co-op mode, which definitely gave the title an edge of Mario’s boring ass let’s take turns two-player mode. The real unsung hero here, there, is the tremendous level design. Indeed, just about ANY stage plucked out of this game would be far and away the best in 99 percent of most other 16-bit platformers, and that’s to say nothing of the game’s all-time classic soundtrack, which even now, is considered by most non-idiots to be among the most beautiful chiptune music ever recorded (go ahead, just try and listed to the Sky Chase Zone music and NOT breaking out into a tremendous grin — it’s practically impossible.) Well I still think Sonic 3 is ultimately the better game, there ain’t no way in hell I’m going to badmouth this one, in any manifestation — this game is a platforming masterpiece, and anybody who thinks otherwise is a real piece of work. 

#005

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Believe it or not, this game received pretty lukewarm scores when it was initially released — and now, there’s an ever-growing Web contingent that’s retroactively praising this one as superior to Super Castlevania IV, because of course they would. Really, Bloodlines kinda’ plays out like a mix between Super Castlevania IV and Castlevania III, complete with the option to play through the game as one of two stylistically diverse protagonists. In a way, this was probably the last truly great, linear-Vania cartridge released on a home console, giving us some downright FANTASTIC side-scrolling action, complemented immensely by some of the best level design you’re likely to see on the Genesis. Factor in the fantastic animations, the detailed sprites and core Castlevania gameplay that’s ALMOST as satisfying as Rondo of Blood and you have what may very well be the second best ‘Vania of the 16-bit era. Not only is this thing a must-own for any Genesis fan worth his or her salt, it’s an annual playthrough is pretty much mandated each Halloween.

#004

Contra: Hard Corps

As far as I’m concerned, this one is even BETTER than Contra III, and lord knows it’s certainly WAY more challenging. Indeed Hard Corps MORE than lives up to its namesake, giving gamers one of the most ass-blisteringly difficult games of the console cycle. Alas, as hard as they game be, it’s totally worth it, because this thing is just total, nonstop INSANE action from start-to-finish. On one stage your platforming your way through giant Tinker Toy contraptions at 300 miles per hour, and in the very next it’s forward-scrolling pseudo-racing stage where you’re being chased by a giant Go-Bot with metal spikes and shit all over it. If you like your run-and-guns inexplicably psychedelic, this one ought to suit you well, since the highlights of the idiosyncratically Japanese blast-fest includes flamethrowing a dinosaur’s head, doing battle with evil telekinetically-controlled house plants and, for the grand finale, going toe-to-toe with something that looks like something H.R. Giger’s nightmares would throw up atop a spaceship hurtling through the sky at a couple thousand kilometers per hour. Factor in the stellar co-op mode and you have what is undeniably one of the all-time icons of the run and gun genre — if you’re looking for a game that is simply SHEER exhilaration, you won’t find too many games, on any console, that can match the testosterone-addled adrenaline rush of this ‘un.

#003

Mega Man: The Wily Wars

How the hell Capcom DIDN’T release this as a physical, commercial cartridge in the States is simply beyond me, people. I mean, did those people actually think us American consumers DIDN’T want to play a 16-bit update of the first three Mega Man games, complete with a ramped up difficulty level and some AWESOME graphical tweaks? I mean, the inherent greatness of this compilation pretty much speaks for itself. You’ve got three of the greatest NES games of all time, injected with 16-bit steroids, complete with enhanced animations, music and even the addition of an all-new, console-exclusive mini-game — Willy Tower — that actually has enough content and replayability to ALMOST be considered a full-fledged title in its own right. Even better, the game gives you the ability to save your progress, which is something I’m sure ALL of us Nintendo kids who were real bad and keeping track of passwords would’ve been enamored by back in 1991. I don’t need to tell you how outstanding this whole package is — indeed, having this game included on the set might be enough economic incentive to purchase the micro-console all by itself, really. 

#002

Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millenium

While the Super Nintendo may have mopped the floor with the Genesis when it came to its RPG library, that’s not to say the Genny didn’t have a few all-time classic role-playing-games of its own — and there’s no better genre offering of the sort to be found on the console than Phantasy Star IV. Well the preceding two PS games on the system were quite good, The End of the Millennium really takes things to the next level (pun probably intended) with a massive game world, a tremendous combat system, outstanding music and one of the best stories you’ll find in any 16-bit game, regardless of the genre or platform. And let’s be real here: not only is the final boss battle against The Profound Darkness one of the greatest in the annals of gaming, I’m willing to go on record and say it’s even more memorable and visceral than the battle against Giygas at the end end of Earthbound. Oh, and just so you know — despite their uncanny similarities, Phantasy Star IV came out nearly a full year before Nintendo’s beloved RPG did.

#001

Gunstar Heroes

Yeah, this one is hardly a surprise, but Treasure’s all-time classic side-scrolling shoot-em-up platformer action masterpiece is easily the best all-around game included on the Sega Genesis Mini. As a strong candidate for best run-and-gun game EVER, Gunstar Heroes gives players the ULTIMATE 16-bit co-op blasting experience, with beautiful sprites, memorable music, brilliant boss battles, fluid controls and, of course, some of the best goddamn two-dimensional explosions you’ll see anywhere (and for all of you Johnny Come-Latelies, you better believe there’s a fuckin’ TON of ‘em in this game.) Instantly accessible, undeniably challenging and almost inherently satisfying, Gunstar Heroes is the epitome of a Genny masterpiece; not only is it one of the best Sega releases ever, it’s undoubtedly one of the greatest video games you’ll play on ANY console.

The original subtitle of the game, by the way, was Suck it, Super Nintendo.

In case you’re curious, the Japanese version of the mini-console has a significantly different lineup of games, swapping out 17 NA/PAL titles (including Earthworm Jim, Vectorman and the first Sonic) for some decisively more Japan-centric titles, including Langrisser II, Lord Monarch and Party Quiz Mega Q that quite frankly, you probably don’t give a shit about ever playing. Still, the Japaheenos also got some GREAT games that us Yanks and Europeans didn’t, including The Revenge of Shinobi, Rent A Hero and the one that REALLY miffs me, motherfucking’ MUSHA, which I’ve long celebrated as one of the single greatest SHMUPs of all-time. And oddly enough, the Chinese and Korean releases of the micro-console also include a couple of exclusive titles that no other region got, including two of the absolute best Genesis games ever — Alien Soldier and Shining Force II.

Of course, we can quibble all day long about the 42 games chosen for the assortment, but on the whole, I think it’s a pretty good mix. At least a dozen of the games included are legitimately great, while another dozen or so I’d consider really, really good, almost bordering on great. And even on the lower end of the software spectrum, there still isn’t anything on the console I’d consider terrible, or even mediocre. 

I guess my biggest complaint with the micro console is the number of games included on it. Really, there’s no excuse for this thing to not have AT LEAST 200 or so games on it, and the fact that we’re being asked to pay $60 for just 42 games we could play for free, in-browser, anytime we want is pretty damn absurd. I can think of at least one officially-licensed mini-Genesis handheld out there that EASILY lets you store ROMs on it, and as brittle the quality of said portable may be, you really can’t argue with the intrinsic value of something that, feasibly, could allow you to play EVERY Genesis game ever, from every region, ostensibly for free. Yes, this micro console is a sturdier build with much better technical specs, but on a dollar-for-dollar basis, it just can’t compete in this, the post-Internet Archive consumer epoch.

Now, if you wanted to talk about oversights, fella, we could be here all day. Of course, it’s pretty easy to lament the obvious omissions (Sonic 3, Streets of Rage 3, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Rocket Knight Adventures, so on and so forth) but what’s REALLY disappointing is the lack of games from the two genres that pretty much built the bedrock of the Genesis library — sports games and SHMUPs. Naturally, the players’ association bylaws legally make ports of Madden ‘94 and NHLPA Hockey ‘93 an impossibility on a micro-system like this, but still, that doesn’t mean we couldn’t have gotten stuff like Sensible Soccer, Mutant League Hockey or Super Monaco GP 1 and 2 up in this bitch. And the fact that this micro-console is sans Eliminate Dawn, Wings of Wor, Grind Stormer and Gleylancer ain’t just irksome, it’s downright infuriating — I mean, shit, I would’ve settled for Fire Shark and Whip Rush if I really had to, fellas.

But perhaps the strangest omission of them all is the stunning lack of any number of Disney-branded games that weren’t just among the best to be found on the Genesis, but objectively among the most iconic on the console. I mean, IF you can get the clearance for Castle of Illusion, why couldn’t they have included Aladdin and The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin on the set as well? That kind of decision-making is just plain befuddling to me, and kinda’ reiterates why the Dreamcast went down the economic shitter in the first place, in many respects.

That said, I’m sure you’ll still get a lot of fun out of the micro-console if you just so happen to scoop it up on clearance or somebody buys it for you on your birthday. That, and assuming it sells well enough, that MIGHT result in subsequent dedicated mini-console releases from the house that Alex Kidd built — and you motherfuckers don’t want to know what I’d do to get my hands on a Sega Saturn replica with 50-plus games. You really, really don’t, especially if at least three of them are Baku Baku, Three Dirty Dwarves and Guardian Heroes ...