Convince me that a Genesis is worthwhile, if you will!

[atarilovesyou]

I usually am game for free stuff, but I don't want to end up with too many systems outside of my original gaming era...I added an SNES for a few choice titles, and could already feel me slipping deeper into the rabbit hole! And now I can get a 2nd edition Genesis with some nice six button pads...but, there's really only a few games I really thought the system did well. Here's a few:

 

Alladin

Earthworm Jim

Super Street Fighter II (better than SNES, with the six button pad)

Desert Strike series

Gunstar Heroes

Sonic Series (not a huge fan, but they were great games)

NHL Hockey and Madden series (up to about 95 or so)

 

 

 

...other than that, I found the SNES did most of the other ports better.

 

I'm kinda kicking myself for not grabbing a TurboDuo recently, and that system had a lot of great games that were close enough to NES, just with much better graphics. But the Genesis never really did anything extremely well, IMO.

 

If you feel like it, please put down a few choice titles that you liked for the system (maybe some great arcade shooters?....and thanks!

[Austin]

The Genesis had way more arcade conversions than the SNES.. so there's that.

 

Like shoot 'em ups? I think arguably the Genesis is the superior platform for those as well.

 

For random suggestions, um.. I'll toss out Mega Turrican, MUSHA, Lightening Force/Thunder Force IV, Sub Terrania (not for everyone, but I dig it), Streets of Rage 2, X-Men 2: Clone Wars (great with two players), TMNT: The Hyperstone Heist, Contra Hard Corps, Castlevania Bloodlines, Dynamite Headdy.. and the list goes on, and on, and on, and....

[rsb0204]

honestly as much as I like my genny there art many games to list. but here some of my favs

 

Super off road

beavis and butthead (WAY better than the snes version)

race drivin' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1DFK0hw_s0 - nuff said)

dick tracy (totally different from the nes version)

virtua racing

and of course the desert strike series

 

I mostly play my sega cd tho, I have a thing for 90's rail shooters, and the sega cd has PLENTY of them.

[NIKON]

Wellll since I do not know your gaming preferences...this will only be a shot in the dark.

 

Shooters

1. Thunderforce 3

2. Lightening Force aka Thnderforce 4

3. Twin Cobra

4. Sol Deace

5. Battle Squadron

6. Hellfire

7. Grindstormer

8. Zero Wing

9 Truxton

 

Beat em Ups

1. Streets of Rage

2. Streets of Rage 2

3. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

4. Battletoads

5. Battletoads Double Dragon the Ultimate team

 

Racing / Driving

1. Outrun

2. Road rash

3. Road Rash 2

4. Road Rash 3

5. Super Monaco GP

 

Platformers

1. GODS

2. Zool

 

Sports

1. John Madden Football

2. John Madden Football 2

3. Tommy Lasorda Baseball

 

Misc.

1. Zoom

2. Ultimate Qix

[karokoenig]

What Nikon just said. I'd add Splatterhouse II to Beat em Ups and Wonder Boy in Monster World plus Ristar to platformers

[BSA Starfire]

Road Rash series.

Bio Hazzard Battle.

De-Cap Attack.

Dragon's Fury and Dragon's Revenge.

Arrow flash.

Insector X.

Pacmania.

[bomberpunk]

my favorites:

RISTAR

TOEJAM & EARL

FATAL LABYRINTH

 

4-player:

Mega Bomberman

Micro Machines

 

oh and you should play Eternal Champions, just for a laugh.

[Blazing Lazers]

Don't forget Vectorman 1 & 2!

[robotwo]

I can't praise Dynamite Headdy enough.

Gotta' love that game for the tremendous amount of platforming mechanics it hurls at you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6d6xlX7yCw&t=13m50s

 

Other than that I'd say Ranger X and Animaniacs are pretty solid games too.

Oh, and if you like top down adventure games, I'd definitely say you need to try

Story of Thor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H40274WHGhI

and Soleil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq7fDSYeM84&t=6m06s

 

I also see no mention of the Adventures of Batman and Robin.

Completely different from the SNES game, this is a pretty technically impressive Run'n Gun/ Beat 'em Up game with plenty of perspective raster effects, software based rotation etc.

It also has a very distinct Jesper Kyd soundtrack (same guy who did the music for Subterrania, Red Zone and A.M.O.K.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjcwQ8uvdMA&t=3m42s

Edited March 14, 2014 by robotwo

[R.Bear]

Robocop Vs. Terminator, Starflight (Great open world Space RPG), Outrun 2019, Streets of Rage series, Golden Axe series, Phantasy Star series (If you like RPGs), Road Rash series, Virtua Racing,Thunder Force III and IV, Street Racer, TechnoClash.

 

I don't know your taste in games though so most of these are just guesses...

[Jess Ragan]

I was writing a series on my favorite Genesis games for my occasionally updated blog, Kiblitzing. Maybe you ought to give that a look!

 

http://kiblitzing.blogspot.com

 

But yeah, Genesis systems are relatively cheap (although starting to rise in price) and the software selection is strong, although maybe not quite as strong as the Super NES. No reason not to take the plunge unless you don't have much space or money.

[Charlie_]

I like all the Mickey Mouse games on Genesis.

 

http://youtu.be/OGOQdLQwrhg

[Wyluli Wolf]

I'll add:

 

Mutant League Football

Mutant League Hockey

Pigskin Footbrawl

 

All good fun!

[Rex Dart]

Shooters:

Gleylancer

MUSHA

Panorama Cotton

Phelios

Trouble Shooter Vintage / Battle Mania Daiginjou

Twinkle Tale

Undead Line

Action/Platformers:

Aladdin

Dynamite Headdy

Kid Chameleon

McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure

Misadventures of Flink

Pulseman

Revenge of Shinobi

Ristar

Rocket Knight Adventures (& most of Konami's games, really)

Shinobi 3

Tinhead

X-Men 2: Clone Wars

[+Gemintronic]

Gaiares

[akator]

Of all the systems, the Genesis is one that easy to emulate and play on Mac, PC, and Android. If you're trying to decide to buy the hardware, see if you like it via emulation first. The ROMs can be easily downloaded on Archive.org, just search for "TOSEC Genesis."

[ls650]

I agree with the suggestion to use emulation for a little "try before you buy".

The Genesis is an easy to buy system with a lot of good games - but there's also plenty of cruddy games too!

[NinjaWarrior]

No one said "Super Hang On"

[Austin]

No one said "Super Hang On"

 

Man.. The Genesis version is kind of.. crappy. But that's just my thought about it.

[fiddlepaddle]

Lots of great games as stated (especially shooters), and for some reason the Genny game prices haven't been pumped up like Nintendo yet...

 

Apparently self-evident, but I'll mention it anyway:

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 & 3, and Sonic CD if you find the CD add-on.

Also, you can play Master System games with an adapter, and you'll be able to check out the 32X games with another...

[karokoenig]

...and the console looks badass. As far as I understood it, you have your hands on a model 2. Granted, the model 1 is even more badass, but one can't have everything.

[Jess Ragan]

Wait, someone offered you a free Genesis... and you're having a tough time deciding whether or not you want it?! You're blinking nuts! Man, I'd take a game.com if someone just gave it to me. (As long as I didn't have to play it.)

[atarilovesyou]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys...I knew I forgot some gems from back in the day. Yes, this console would be close to free, but only if I don't resell it later , as it's coming from a good friend. My issue is space. My retro consoles were set to three, but now with my 16-bitters and my decision to keep my PS2 (for backwards compatibility whenever I jones the PS games), I'm almost afraid I'm going down the road to getting a lot more games. My secret weapon against that will be multicarts!...but I don't wanna drop a hundred bucks on a multicart when there are fewer games to choose from amidst the crap.

 

I've decided to take it, anyway!...thanks again, feel free to add any that aren't here.

[+frankodragon]

You're best off keeping it. I've seen thrift stores selling them at high prices.

 

There's also the Phantasy Star series (II through IV) if you're an RPG guy. There's also Beyond Oasis which is like Zelda.

 

Other games that haven't been mentioned: Comix Zone and Zombies Ate My Neighbors

[CGQuarterly]

Wow. The Genesis is an awesome console that doesn't really require convincing to get in to, like some of the more obscure machines. Definitely one of my all-time favs.