Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- sb:recommended:genesis [2015/06/10 12:09]
the_blueberry_hill Recs from page three of the latest thread
+++ sb:recommended:genesis [2017/07/10 11:48] (current)
the_blueberry_hill Fixed some tenses and hyperbole ;) Quotes from 2013 and 2008 threads
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ======SB Recommends Mega Drive / Genesis Games ======
-{{:fig:recommended:megadrive_bag.jpg }}Sega's 16-bit console, home to a good range of action games, most of them being arcade ports. And of course //[[hardware:genesis#audio|that sound chip]]//. It also had lots and lots of [[hardware:genesis#other_hardware_versions|hardware variations]] and [[hardware:genesis#periphera|add-ons]], such as the Mega-CD, 32x, Wondermega, and so on.
+{{:fig:recommended:megadrive_bag.jpg }}Sega's 16-bit console, home to a good range of action games, most of them being arcade ports. And of course //[[hardware:genesis#audio|that sound chip]]//. It also has lots of [[hardware:genesis#other_hardware_versions|hardware variations]] and [[hardware:genesis#periphera|add-ons]], such as the Mega-CD, 32x, Wondermega, and so on.
-=====Recommended (Vanilla Cartridges)=====
+=====Recommended (Base model)=====
   ***//Alien Soldier//** (also on: PS2, Wii VC)
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
   ***//Battlemania 2//**
     *Dessgeega: a must-pirate.
-    *spectralsound: if i was in the 90s again this is what i would picture a [[company:treasure|Treasure]] shooter to be like, before finding out it would just be all browns and greys and Serious Themes. gleefully anarchistic, and bonus points for both having two badass girls for main characters and having a //damned amazing// soundtrack.
+    *spectralsound: if i was in the 90s again this is what i would picture a [[company:treasure|Treasure]] [[genre:shooters|shooter]] to be like, before finding out it would just be all browns and greys and Serious Themes. gleefully anarchistic, and bonus points for both having two badass girls for main characters and having a //damned amazing// soundtrack.
   ***//Beyond Oasis//**
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
     * Sniper Honeyviper: Not a [[company:Treasure]] game, but might as well be one.
     * Felonious Monk: The best //[[game:contra_series|Contra]]//? Lightning-fast and balls-hard.
-    * Ronk: My favorite side-scrolling co-op shooter of all time has satisfyingly challenging stages, fun bosses, kickin' Mega Drive metal music and a werewolf cop wearing jeans and wayfarers. If it's not the best //Contra//, it certainly belongs near the top.
+    * Ronk: My favorite side-scrolling co-op [[genre:shooters|shooter]] of all time has satisfyingly challenging stages, fun bosses, kickin' Mega Drive metal music and a werewolf cop wearing jeans and wayfarers. If it's not the best //Contra//, it certainly belongs near the top.
   ***//Cool Spot//** (also on: Amiga, GB, GG, PC, SMS, SNES)
@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
   ***//General Chaos//**
     * CubaLibre: extremely fun class-based action/RTS hybrid before any of those descriptors were in common use. Lots of different game modes and totally boss for co-op.
+    * thestage: it's like a game from a pc genre that doesn't exist that somehow ended up on a console. it's kind of like //[[game:commandos]]// if //commandos// were more action based, featured proto-//[[game:team_fortess_2|TF2]]// aesthetics, and was confined to one screen per level. and multiplayer. you get a squad of five soldiers distributed between a handful of classes (gunner, grenade dude, rocket launcher dude, flamethrower dude, dynamite dude), you select dudes, move the cursor around, tell them where to go, whether or not they should shoot, etc. if you run into another soldier you get into some white-hot //[[game:NHL 94]]// style brawls. you can call medics. it's great. oh yeah you can even forgot the five dude team for a team of two guys that you control directly, switching between them with like the B button or something. I've never really seen anything like it. maybe you could call it a real time version of //[[game:frozen_synapse_series#frozen synapse]]// with smaller levels
   ***//Gleylancer//** (also on: Wii VC)
@@ Line 92: / Line 93: @@
   ***//Grind Stormer//**
-    *Loki Laufeyson: Fairly late Toaplan shooter, that kind of bridges a gap between the tradition Toaplan games and the bullet hell games they'd go on to create.
+    *Loki Laufeyson: Fairly late [[company:Toaplan]] [[genre:shooters|shooter]], that kind of bridges a gap between the tradition Toaplan games and the [[genre:shooters#Bullet Hell|bullet hell]] games they'd go on to create.
   ***//Gunstar Heroes//** (also on: PS2)
@@ Line 104: / Line 105: @@
   ***//Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road//** (Also on: Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad, Atari ST, C64, DOS, Game Boy, Game Gear, Lynx, Master System, NES, SNES, ZX Spectrum)
     * YoutImaginaryFriend: //Super Offroad// is actually one of my favorite multiplayer games. Me and my little brother spent a lot of time playing that game together (along with //TMNT Arcade// and //Super Contra//) and we got hours of entertainment out of it. I love the way it feels, and it's the only racer of [[genre:single-screen_racers|its type]] that I've enjoyed playing.
+  ***//Jennifer Capriati Tennis (NA) / Grandslam: The Tennis Tournament (PAL) / Grandslam: The Tennis Tournament '92 (JP)//***
+    * Chris B: Seriously, this thing is ace and a must have for anyone remotely interested in tennis games. It feels like an inofficial sequel to the legendary //[[game:Final Match Tennis]]//, which says it all really.\\ Imo it's way better than //[[game:Super Tennis]]// (or any other 16bit tennis title) and the engrish voices are priceless.
   ***//Kid Chameleon//**
@@ Line 114: / Line 118: @@
   ***//Landstalker//** (also on: Wii VC)
     * Rudie: Your [[pattern:isometric_perspective|isometric]] //[[game:the_legend_of_zelda_series|Zelda]]// game with great towns and great dungeons and great music.  I did say it was isometric though.
+    * Toups: landstalker is a great game that requires a lot of patience and maybe a somewhat broken brain capable of dealing with its biased isometric controls. but the music is so good and it just is dripping with ADVENTURE in a really lovely and engaging way.
   ***//Light Crusader//** (also on: Wii VC, PC)
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   ***//M.U.S.H.A.//**
-    * Felonious Monk: The apotheosis of [[company:Compile]]'s 16 bit shooters. Gorgeous graphics and a nifty setting ([[theme:mecha_games|mecha]] in medieval Japan). Also, like most Compile STG's, once you get past the first level, you can generally cruise and enjoy the eye candy. One of the only games i've completed on a single credit.
+    * Felonious Monk: The apotheosis of [[company:Compile]]'s 16 bit [[genre:shooters|shooters]]. Gorgeous graphics and a nifty setting ([[theme:mecha_games|mecha]] in medieval Japan). Also, like most Compile STG's, once you get past the first level, you can generally cruise and enjoy the eye candy. One of the only games i've completed on a single credit.
   ***//McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure//**
@@ Line 133: / Line 138: @@
   ***//Michael Jackson's Moonwalker//**
-    * Tuxedo: You can sacrifice half your health to make some dogs dance to Smooth Criminal w/ [[hardware:genesis#audio|Genesis synth]], and I have found no such joy in any other Genesis game.
+    * Tuxedo: You can sacrifice half your health to make some dogs dance to Smooth Criminal w/ [[hardware:genesis#audio|Genesis synth]], and I have found no such joy in any other Genesis game.\\
+    * Tuxedo: I legit like Moonwalker.\\ As a kid my cousin had this, //[[game:sonic_the_hedgehog|Sonic]]//, and a ton of other games and I basically played //Moonwalker// as much as every other game combined.\\ I can't say I like the arcade version as much, it's more polished but there are way less dumb neat little touches, and isometric action w/ 8 direction movement/attacking cannot be anything but awkward. Charge attacks matter, and charge attacks are no fun.
     * kiken: [[company:Sega]] could have ported the arcade game respectably to the MD/Genesis... yeah, it would have been toned down aurally and visually, but I think the heart of the game could have been preserved. Plus, the arcade game supports multiple simultaneous players.\\ My opinion of the home port of //MJ's Moonwalker// has and always will be: disappointing.
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     * Mr. Toups: part 2 is really amazing once you get past how clunky it is. The music and artwork are fantastic and it's got some of the most interesting dungeons of any RPG that I've played.
     * diplo: An absolute nightmare. There's not much special about PS2's dungeons, except that viewing the totality of a given one on a site like VGMaps might make you legitimately angry. PS2 has random enemy encounters, so the layouts don't need to account for dynamic enemy positioning. Therefore, dungeons must rely on creative geometry to generate interest. However, there's often a fierce dedication to symmetry/inverse mirroring (either in an individual floor plan or floors' plans in relation to one another), greatly lessening the possibility for surprises. Layering, overlapping, or revelatory interconnectivity in paths are pretty much nonexistent. Tension comes either from sheer dungeon size or the worry of reaching a dead end. Getting to a dead end means having to backtrack and risk more (drab) random fights. This is a kind of tension that is boring, purely attritional, and easily made. Compositionally, one of the worst Genesis soundtracks I've ever heard: it makes me feel like the death of music is happening in real-time. Thankfully, the composer, Tokuhiko Uwabo, stopped making music a few years after the release of PS2.
+    * Toups: the music is sparse and minimal and is impressive to me because of its effective use of the [[hardware:genesis#audio|genesis sound chip]]. I love FM synth sounds but lots of genesis soundtracks are made with such an awkward grasp of how to use FM synth that they sound all warbly and poorly mixed and weird. I also disagree with diplo because many of the compositions (though simple) feature interesting and unpredictable harmonic structures. lots of subtle, jazzy modulation which is used effectively to communicate the kind of ambiguous unease which is a major theme of the game. \\ the main thing about //phantasy star II// is how impressively atmospheric it is. it is a very minimal game; it only splurges on the monster designs and animations, which are among the most excellent I have seen from that era, and arguably the real star of the game. the massive and confusing dungeons populated with horrifying mutant creatures create a palpable sense of dread. the writing is sparse but actually pretty good and thoughtful and purposeful.
   ***//Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium//** (also on: 360, GBA, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii VC)
@@ Line 190: / Line 197: @@
   ***//Revenge of Shinobi//**
     * dementia: I remember someone retroactively describing it as Genesis' //[[game:Super Mario World]]//. It's a total statement game that played to the system's strengths in that sense.
+      * Revenge of Shinobi is flawless.
   ***//Ristar//** (also on: 360, GG, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii VC, XBLA)
@@ Line 217: / Line 225: @@
     *Tulpa: For the longest time people just talked about the [[game:shadowrun_snes|SNES game]] and I felt so alone in thinking genny was far superior a game.
     *Swimmy: Genesis //[[game:shadowrun_genesis|Shadowrun]]// is proto-//[[game:deus_ex|Deus Ex]]//. (More progressive in some ways, even!)
+  ***//Shining Force//**
+    * Texican Rude: I really enjoyed //Shining Force I// because it was sort of [[genre:srpg|SRPG]] lite. The worst part of any SRPG for me is all the meta-gaming you have to do. Delay the battle to level up your guys more (particularly your healer.) Balance a dozen character's equipment. //SF1// is simple enough that I could handle the equipment stuff between missions. I also loved that it gets progressively more ridiculous in what you're doing. The world goes from whatever-fantasy to anything goes you get a super fast wolfman to help you with the stage involving a super laser. You get a baby dragon that could be super powerful, but takes a whole lot of work to make him that way.\\ I can understand why SRPG fans might hate it, but as someone that would like to enjoy the genre but hates all the between mission stuff, I like it a lot.
   ***//Shining Force II//**
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     * Schwere Viper: The one and only. Certainly slower than its successors, but has the best level design of the lot. Each zone has its own "personality," challenging [[character:sonic|Sonic]] in a different way. It has enough variety to keep things fresh, and doesn't outstay its welcome at just under an hour long (for a relaxed session). Love or hate the 'hog, this is one of the most solid platformers on the system.
     * BenoitRen: I think //Sonic the Hedgehog// has aged pretty well, because it relies more on platforming and momentum than going fast. Then //Sonic the Hedgehog 2// added the spin dash and momentum-based platforming was largely thrown out through the window. [...] The original game's zones have more personality to them than Sonic 2's. Sonic 2 just picks a theme and calls it a day, not really bothering with attractive art design. Hill Top is especially boring.
+    * Felix: It's definitely more elegant than later installments, but some of the levels are just too dang slow and the spindash and Super Sonic are like canonical elements of playing a Sonic game, so it's a bummer to forego them.
   ***//Sonic The Hedgehog 2//** (also on: 360, DC, DS, Gamecube, GBA, iOS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSN, PSP, Saturn, Wii VC, Xbox, XBLA)
@@ Line 242: / Line 254: @@
     * misadventurous: Counterpoint: Metropolis Zone is a travesty.
     * Renfrew: My problems with //Sonic 2// are that the special stages are kind of terrible and the game feels way too long. By the time I get to Hill Top I'm ready to go do something else.
+    * Felix: Best first 15 minutes of any Sonic game by far, but the later levels and special stages really aren't that much fun.
   ***//Sonic and Knuckles/Sonic The Hedgehog 3//** (also on: 360, DC, DS, Gamecube, GBA, iOS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSN, PSP, Saturn, Wii VC, Xbox, XBLA)
     * Rudie: Really the only way to play these two games is the locked on catridges or a patched ROM.  Has probably some of the smoothest level and wordless story progression in video games, and it came out in 1993/4.  Having a second player as Tails isn't nearly as viable.
+    * Felix: I don't really like the overall design direction of Sonic 3 -- the huge levels that somehow always give the impression of being on the worst available route, the addition of SRAM for the first time, the too-many shields and bonus stages -- it's all a bit much. The S&K half is actually a lot more enjoyable for me (even if the last level is a little weak); it's probably the single best, comprehensive Sonic game design (CD is at least as strong but too weird and too inaccessible), and I think it suffers from always being counted as S3&K.
   ***//Splatterhouse 3//**
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     *Loki Laufeyson: Tied with //[[game:Alien Soldier]]// for the title of "Best Mega Drive Game", this game doesn't have a single flaw. Gameplay, graphics, and music are all incredible.
     *Sniper Honeyviper: I can think of one flaw: enemies don't flash when hit.
-    *Schwere Viper: A killer horizontal shoot-'em-up and a rockin' thrash metal concert all at once.
+    *Schwere Viper: A killer [[genre:shooters#Horizontal Shooter|horizontal shoot-'em-up]] and a rockin' thrash metal concert all at once.
   ***//Tinhead//** (also on: SNES (unreleased, but completed)
     *Ronnoc: As far as obscure Genesis games go, //Tinhead// is probably my favorite. Bright, colorful platforming with feels-good controls
+  ***//Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars//**
+    * brooks: still think the tiny toons sports game on the md is legit entertaining and i'm glad of the series of accidents that put it in my path many a year ago
    ***//Toejam and Earl//** (also on: PSN, Wii VC, XBLA)
@@ Line 304: / Line 321: @@
   ***//Wings of Wor (NA) / Gynoug (JP/PAL)//**
-    *Sniper Honeyviper: What would be yet another boring Genesis-exclusive shmup is saved by some awesomely grotesque, homoerotic sprite design from //[[game:cho_aniki_series|Cho Aniki]]//'s artist.
+    *Sniper Honeyviper: What would be yet another boring Genesis-exclusive [[genre:shooters|shmup]] is saved by some awesomely grotesque, homoerotic sprite design from //[[game:cho_aniki_series|Cho Aniki]]//'s artist.
   ***//Wonder Boy in Monster World//** (PCE, PSN, Wii VC, XBLA)
@@ Line 320: / Line 337: @@
   ***//[[game:Zero Tolerance]]//**
-    *The Blueberry Hill: Stylishly presented [[genre:Doom Clone]], that, along with its unreleased sequel, is now public domain. Lives are represented by a team of player characters, with differeing abilities; the enemies are agressive; there is jumping!, and a flame-thrower. It may get repetitive after so-many levels, but highly recommended until that point.
+    *The Blueberry Hill: Stylishly presented [[genre:doom_clones|Doom Clone]], that, along with its unreleased sequel, is now public domain. Lives are represented by a team of player characters, with differeing abilities; the enemies are agressive; there is jumping!, and a flame-thrower. It may get repetitive after so-many levels, but highly recommended until that point.
   ***//Zombies Ate My Neighbours//** (also on: SNES)
@@ Line 354: / Line 371: @@
 =====Recommended (32X Games)=====
-{{:sb:recommended:32x.png?120 }}The 32X was a bulbous mushroom intended as a life support device for the Megadrive. It requires two proprietary cables to hook up to a Model 1, and one cable and a plastic spacer for a Model 2. It sold less than half a million units and is generally hated by everyone today, usually only warranting mention for //Chaotix//. Many of the games for it were barely upgraded ports of Megadrive titles, or re-releases of Mega CD FMV games that used the extra hardware for better video quality. However, it remains my favorite unpopular console. There was a handful of highly experimental and interesting polygonal games, and arguably the best versions of some AM/2 arcade ports. There were scrapped plans to release it as a standalone console, the Neptune.
+{{:sb:recommended:32x.png?120 }}The 32X is a bulbous mushroom doo-dad intended as a life support device for the Megadrive / gap-bridger till the [[hardware:saturn|Saturn]] launch. It requires two proprietary cables to hook up to a Model 1, and one cable and a plastic spacer for a Model 2. It's sold less than half a million units and is generally hated by everyone today, usually only warranting mention for //Chaotix//. Many of the games for it were barely upgraded ports of Megadrive titles, or re-releases of Mega CD FMV games that used the extra hardware for better video quality. However, it remains my favorite unpopular console. There are a handful of highly experimental and interesting polygonal games, and arguably the best versions of some AM/2 arcade ports. There were scrapped plans to release it as a standalone console, the Neptune.\\ ---Sniper Honeyviper (with edits)
-- Sniper Honeyviper
   ***//Chaotix//**
@@ Line 364: / Line 380: @@
   ***//Kolibri//**
-    * Rudie: Still possibly the finest hummingbird based shooter for the Sega 32x.
+    * Rudie: Still possibly the finest hummingbird based [[genre:shooters|shooter]] for the Sega 32x.
   ***//[[space_harrier_series#Space Harrier]]//** (also on: 3DS, Amiga, C64, GBA, GG, PS2, SMS, SS, TG16, Wii VC)
@@ Line 378: / Line 394: @@
 =====See Also=====
   *[[master_system]] - playable via [[hardware:genesis#master_system_converters|converter]].
+  *[[https://selectbutton.net/t/coolest-mega-cdcd-and-turbografx-games-that-i-can-emulate-on-my-psp/4923|coolest mega cdcd and turbografx games that I can emulate on my psp]] - July 2017 forum thread.
   *[[http://forums.selectbutton.net/viewtopic.php?t=44571|Top 25 or so Genesis/Mega CD/32X/Megadrive games]] - June 2015 forum thread.
-  *[[http://forums.selectbutton.net/viewtopic.php?t=40143|The Genesis Experience]] - January 2013 forum thread((still need to scrape it for comments)).
+  *[[http://forums.selectbutton.net/viewtopic.php?t=40143|The Genesis Experience]] - January 2013 forum thread.
   *[[http://forums.selectbutton.net/viewtopic.php?t=30033|Mega Drive Mega Thread (A.K.A The Sega Genesis tread)]] - October 2010 selectbutton forum thread.
+  *[[http://forums.selectbutton.net/viewtopic.php?t=12748|[SW] Must-have Genesis/Megadrive games?]] - March 2008 selectbutton forum thread.