backinjag

My criteria will be most time spent playing the games; it seems a good indicator of which games weere best: Starcraft (PC) Diablo (PC) Goldeneye (N64) Tetris (Gameboy) Gate of Thunder (Turbo Duo) Soul Calibur (Dreamcast) Tempest 2K (Jaguar) Bust-a-Move (N64) Wave Race (N64) Advance Wars (GBA) Honorable mention: Castlevania Bloodlines (Genesis), Klax (Lynx), Comix Zone (Genesis), Legendary Axe 2 (Turbografx), Street Fighter 2 (Genesis), Adventure (2600), Quake II (PC), Asteroids (Arcade)

I think Rampart on the Lynx may be the best home version. I have the Genesis version, and while it's good, I think the Lynx version is superior.

I've actually done this once to my Lynx years ago. The only worrysome part as I recall was the big ribbon connecting the video to the logic board. But I remember it being a fairly easy operation (and I almost never open my electronics - I'm not that handy)...

If vehicular combat games count, don't forget Battle Wheels...

Here's a list of some of my favorites (all commons): Shanghai (best version of Shanghai yet made - I never tire of this game!) KLAX (best version of KLAX made, a fun puzzler with awesome music and sound) Rygar (if you like sidescrolling hack'n'slash, this is top notch) Zarlor Mercenary (if you like shooters, this is the best commercial release) Xenophobe (great run'n'gun, best played linked with friends) Ms. Pac Man (great version of a great game) Joust (another arcade classic that's near-perfect on the Lynx; its difficulty level is a little more forgiving than some other versions I've played). Checkered Flag (excellent racing game, although the computer can be a little cheap and "tag team" you at times) Rampart (great puzzle/action hybrid game) Robotron (controls take some getting used to, but this is a top-notch conversion considering the limitation of a single digital pad) Enjoy!

The default "Dragon" layout is indeed difficult to clear. I think some of the shapes are easier and others are harder, but I like the Dragon so that's all I play. I can clear it maybe 10% of the time (or perhaps even less). However, there is some skill involved. If you just look for matching tiles randomly, you will likely never clear it (or after an inordinate number of tries). As states above, there are some strategies you can use. You also need to pay some attention to what you've cleared and make note of any "problem" pairs you find (i.e. ones that would be almost impossible to clear, meaning you would have to ensure you don't clear the other two remaining tiles of that kind as you'll need to "save" them to clear the problem pair, if that makes sense). Good luck!

I only own a Genesis, but here's my two cents worth. Shooters: Thunder Force 3 Lightening Force MUSHA (by reputation only - I don't own this one, but it's universally acclaimed, i.e. expensive) Hellfire Biohazard Battle (common and quite fun) Truxton Sagaia Run'n'Gun: Gunstar Heroes Contra Hard Corps (I'm sure Contra on the SNES is just as good) Vectorman 1 & 2 Earthworm Jim 1 & 2 (EWJ is also available on the SNES) Beat'em'up: Streets of Rage 1, 2 & 3 Comix Zone (highly underrated and common game) Other Action Titles: Castlevania Bloodlines (one of the Genesis' best titles, period - Castlevania IV for SNES is considered superior by some, although i've never played it) Arcus Odyssey (action/RPG) I'm sure there are others on both platforms, but these are some of my favorites (and my gaming tastes skew towards action games).

A friend of mine gave me Pulseman (for the Megadrive). I hadn't heard of it and had no way of playing Japanese games. I looked on eBay and didn't see any listed (for price reference), so I ended up giving it away to goodwill. I later got an adapter to play Japanese games and found that Pulseman is not only a good game, but moderately pricey. Oh, well; at least I gave another collector a good thrift find...

I had forgotten about the Virtual Console. It's even easier to get than I thought!

Comix Zone. This gets occasional love on the net, but not the respect it deserves, IMHO. It is incredibly original (the comic graphics, the jumping between frames, etc.), has very easy and intuitive controls (punch, kick and jump buttons, with the top 3 buttons are for accessing inventory), is very easily attainable (either on the Genesis or as part of the Genesis Collection for PS2 or PSP) and it just flat out fun to play. Of course, if you hate brawlers, this won't be the game for you, but everyone else should pick it up.

I'd also have to go with AvP. The low framerate has become more noticeable over the years, but as mentioned above, the varied gameplay, the atmosphere, and the overall quality of the graphics (framerate aside) make this one of the all-time classic games (not just on the Jag).

I haven't bought any of the newer games (although I'm eying Super Asteroids/Missile Command), but I'd pay for this game.

I wish Vindicators had come out; I always liked that game, and the screenshots I've seen make the port look pretty good. Also, a good platformer, like Sonic, would have been nice...

You're correct; I can't really recommend any of those sports games as being good (although some are passable). The fielding in Baseball Heroes basically ruins that game. Another sports game I forgot is Malibu Bikini Volleyball (or whatever it's called). That's a good game as I recall (haven't played it in some time). I didn't mention Pit Fighter because I was just trying to list out good games to get. Pit Fighter is the only true fighter on the system, and it blows pretty badly. Kung Food is more of a brawler. I like Kung Food, but I know a lot of people are frustrated by its collission detection (which is unforgiving for the player, but not your enemies). Good call on Bill and Ted. While not a traditional "swords and sorcery" RPG, it is a true RPG. I've never played it (I'm not into RPGs), but I understand it's quite good. Slimeworld was meant for the Lynx. The port to the Genesis is bad for a number of reasons (graphics, inability to play more than 2 player, and even control, from what I've read). The games you started with (Ninja Gaiden, Rampage, Rygar, Roadblasters, and Paperboy) are some of the cream of the crop in Lynx gaming, but there are other games of that caliber out there (some of which are listed above).

When I went to their website, all of the "questionable" games are listed as "Out of Stock", including Eye of the Beholder and Rolling Thunder...