Hey bombsquad-duders. I never owned a Genesis (Mega Drive), I'd a SNES at that point. Anyway thanks to the dubious(?) glory of emulators I'm fully stocked on Genesis (Mega Drive goddammit) games have bee great fun so far.

It's a big catalogue, I've got plenty of info from YouTube channels such as Game Sack, Metal Jesus Rocks etc and they've highlighted many clearly great games one may not come across in the long list of roms, soooo....

Anyone with major love for great games and, perhaps more interestingly, lesser known games on the system should have a few games I've never player or came across. My friends back then had some great games of course and I had a great time with them but outside the obvious stand out classics my knowledge is limited.

Any GeneMegaSisDrive die-hards on here who favourites and stand out games to mention lemme know. I'd like to form a list of the quality games you suggest and your brief thoughts on each game either from thinking back to times now passed or as im sure if you still go there for the 16bit glory fix at times.

Anyway - Money is tight, Im currently living in a homeless shelter at the minute in Belfast (N, Ireland) also as I'm working I save whatever I can weekly when paid to get myself out of this unexpected and admittedly stressful situation. While I do get great enjoyable episodes from Game Sack, Metal Jesus Rocks that focus on Broad game types, i.e. shooters, brawlers, rpgs (shadow run on the SNES, which I missed but have played the remakes, that SNES game is really something, non linear from the word go and full of criptic cyberpunk rpg glory.

I'm not concerned by what, if anything at all I will get back from posting but I am hopeful that duders reading this will immediately think of overlooked Genesis beauties and truly great mould breaking games / sequels etc that in their opinions I should play and reach my own conclusion.

So, if this not a rambling ramble I would be very pleased to know what you think.

I will look at each of these games.

I am exceedingly grateful to any of you who take the time to read this and would offer me your thoughts.

Your Friend,

Lenny

Here's a genre breakdown of what I consider essential Genesis/Mega Drive games

Action:

• ToeJam & Earl

Action-Adventure:

• Beyond Oasis
• Ecco the Dolphin
• Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole

Action Platformer:

• Castlevania: Bloodlines
• Disney's Aladdin
• Dynamite Headdy
• Earthworm Jim
• Pulseman
• Rocket Knight Adventures
• The Revenge of Shinobi
• Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
• Vectorman

Beat 'Em Up:

• Comix Zone
• Streets of Rage
• Streets of Rage 2
• Streets of Rage 3

Platformer:

• Ristar
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3
• Sonic & Knuckles

Racing:

• Road Rash II

Real-Time Strategy:

• Herzog Zwei

Role-Playing:

• Phantasy Star II
• Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium

Run and Gun:

• Alien Soldier
• Contra: Hard Corps
• Gunstar Heroes
• Ranger X

Scrolling Shooter:

• M.U.S.H.A.
• Thunder Force III
• Thunder Force IV

Sports:

• NHL '94

Tactical Role-Playing:

• Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention
• Shining Force II

Landstalker - Isometric Action Adventure game that does Zelda better than Zelda in terms of dungeon & world design.

Combat Cars - Top down Mario Kart, balls hard until you get to remembering the courses

The Strike series (Desert Strike, Jungle Strike, Urban Strike) - Not really hidden gems per se. They're were big games back in the day. Isometric action game where you truly identify as an apache helicopter lol. But classics nonetheless.

Eh I could go on but I have to work, might swing by later.

Edit: @truer This list is pretty fucking solid. Add Fantastic Dizzy & Mega Bomberman and you've pretty much got gaming heaven.

@truer: Much appreciated duder!!! Thanks for taking some time to put that together. I appreciate it greatly!

I hope I get a few other responses too. More the merrier. I'll write up a list and work my way through each game in the order they're suggested.

It'll be a fun time. Can't wait to get crackin' at this.

MUSHA looks great, saw it discussed on a Game Sack episode, they spoke very highly of it indeed. Your suggestion makes that recommendation no longer up for discussion.

P.S., I've a few hours put into Phantasy Star IV already. It clearly merits its place in the hearts of SEGA fans. I have loved Streets of Rage, played those a lot on friends machines. Going back will be great, there is no question about that. I played Gunstar Heroes for two hours last night, it's challenging alright but the health and regen pickups really help keeping things going.

Nice list @truer it's a great help.

Wow this is a perfectly timed post, I literally just bought a Sega Genesis model 1, chasing my youth and what not. They're not "hidden gems" but I started my collection with Road Rash 2, NBA Jam, Jungle Strike, and the Sega 6-Pak.

@rebel_scum: The Strike Series was great. Played those on someones amiga. I'll def play those again.

Landstalker gets a yes. I'll check Combat Cars too.

As for Fantastic Dizzy - All my Dizzy games were on the ZX Spectrum, I'll check it out of course but I may be biased in favour of 128k barebones graphics of the Dizzy games made by a pair of identical twins in their bedroom.

Thanks for taking the time to give it a little though and get back to me! It's very much appreciated.