Your holy grail 16-bit game

[Adrian M]

Back in 1995, I had a Sega Genesis (IMO, Sega's best system) and remembered seeing a copy of THEME PARK at a local Best Buy. Pretty cool I thought as it was sort of a stealth release for the aging 16-bit system. I decided to pass it up since it was selling for $39.99 and given how the Genesis was on the decline with games dropping in value rather quickly, I figured it was best to go this route.

 

Well, it was a decision I would come to regret. Shortly after that, there were absolutely no copies of Theme Park to be had ANYWHERE. Yes, yes...I could get the game on the other platforms at the time (Jaguar, 3DO, Saturn, etc) but that was not what I wanted. I had to have the Genesis version and that was that.

 

My search continued (in vain) over the next few years. I swear that this has to be one of the RAREST Genesis games ever made because I literally went 2 years without seeing a copy (and this was before eBay and online shopping became mainstream--even EB and Gamestop weren't big into the pre-owned game sales thing yet). I did finally come across an abused copy at a local Blockbuster video (without case and manual), but I passed that up.

 

Finally, around 1997 or so, I walked into a Big Lots store for some unknown reason and there it was...a brand new, still sealed copy of THEME PARK for the Sega Genesis! Only one copy and they only wanted $4.99 for it! I bought it, rejoiced in the fact that I had acquired the nearly impossible, went to my college dorm and dragged out the old dusty Genesis. Upon plugging it and playing it, I was somewhat underwhelmed. The game was fun (once you figured out what everything did), but the Genesis simply choked when it came to running this game with its low color palette and major slowdown when the screen became packed with humans. Was it worth the years I spent searching for it? Mmm...I don't know...probably not. But it is funny to think that at one time before the widestream acceptance of eBay and online forums, this was what gamers had to contend with when it came to seeking out a rare game. Sure, you could have easily called BRE Software or Funco mail order, but in most cases their games were loose (without case/manual) and overpriced.

[Tempest]

I don't think I have anything particularly rare for the 16-bits unless you count Gunstar Heroes or Master of Monsters. Master of Monsters took me many years to find. I played it as a rental and loved it, but didn't see it again for over 10 years.

 

Tempest

[Adrian M]

took me many years to find. I played it as a rental and loved it, but didn't see it again for over 10 years.

 

That's more or less what I'm interested to hear....any "white rhino" hunts one had to go through in order to track down a particular title.

[NE146]

I cant think of any either. I was looking for Shining Force 2 for a while after it's heyday, so it got hard to find. I later just ripped it off from Blockbuster (reported as stolen)

[SimonTemplar]

I picked up PIRATES GOLD two weeks ago at the flea market and I think this is the best GENESIS game so far....it`s also a holy grail for many collectors.

It looks like the 16-bit version of "Legend of Black Kat PS2". :wink:

[Adrian M]

I picked up PIRATES GOLD two weeks ago at the flea market and I think this is the best GENESIS game so far....it`s also a holy grail for many collectors.  

           

 

You hit the nail right on the head with Pirates Gold! To many, that is THE definitive US rare title that's not only scarce, but a good game as well! The true Genesis holy grail, if there ever was one.

I too spent several years searching that one out...sure, loose copies turn up now and then, but complete is something else!

[Lemmi]

i had a hard time tracking down a complete Mutant League Hockey, everywhere i looked i found the Football one, but no hockey

 

this was way before i joined AA and ebay, so it was fleamarkets and trade centers

i joined Ebay and my first purchace was MLH which completed all the Hockey games made for the Gen in my collection

 

as for rarity i have no clue whats rare or not for the Gen, as Sports titles arent rare and over 50% of my games are sports

[spongebue]

I forgot about the mutant league series. Those were great!

 

My favorite gome (though not rare) is jungle strike. fn gamwe, great grafix

[King Atari]

I actually saw both Gunstar Heroes and Pirates Gold (seperately) at Funco last year or so, but I didn't have the $10 for either of them .

 

I don't have any holy grail quests, unless you count searching a lot for Genesis Double Dragon, which I found at said Funco (I actually searched more for Rambo III, which I ended up getting off ebay). My rarest Genesis game is probably M.U.S.H.A., but I got that in trade (I traded a game that only cost me $1 in the first place ) I haven't played Pirates Gold, so I can't account for how fun it is, but I do know that not only is M.U.S.H.A. rare, it's damn addictive.

[Tempest]

That's more or less what I'm interested to hear....any "white rhino" hunts one had to go through in order to track down a particular title.

 

Not much to tell. I played it when it came out at a local rental place, rented it a couple times, and then went to go look for it in stores. I didn't see it and forgot about it for a few years. When I started collecting classic games again I always looked for it, but never saw it. I finally found a copy at the MWGC for $20 (boxed but not instructions).

 

Tempest

[ninjarabbit]

For me it's Ogre Battle and Chrono Trigger for the SNES.

 

I first played Ogre Battle my freshman year of college because my friend's roomate had it, I spent the next two years looking for it, finally finding a copy at a electronics store that was closing down, got it for $30.

 

Chrono Trigger I rented once from Blockbuster and loved it but couldn't find a copy of it, finally last week I scored a copy of it from a used record store for $2.50

[Trip_Cannon]

I spent years looking for a copy of Super Turrican 2 for the SNES. Finally I found a copy on eBay not too long ago. I remember it was one of the rarer titles that came out for the aging system. But it was well worth the wait IMO.

[geosteve]

'Blazin Lazers' and it's unofficial sequel 'Super Star Soldier' on the TG16 system, these vertical shooters rock!

[Saikyo]

Mine would have to be Gaiaires.

And my others are

Valis

Syd of Valis

and Streets of Rage 2

 

Yeah I havent found too much rarites in the Mega Drive/Genesis department

yet!

[figgler]

For me it's MegaMan 7 on SNES. Great little game and actually lost in the shuffle to a lot of gamers because of the MegaMan X franchise

[MattyXB]

Final Fantasy IV Easy Type

or

Starwing Competition

[Vic George 2K3]

Had Infogrames released The Smurfs for SNES stateside, I would have qualified that as such. Alas, though, I ended up getting Arcade's Greatest Hits -- The Atari Collection for the SNES.

[EricDeLee]

My only real hunt was trying to find a reasonablly priced Crystal Castles for Atari 2600. Took me FOREVER to get one. I had a Pitfall II a while back and then sold it. Then it took me over a year to replace it as I refused to pay $15 that the local store was selling it for. The same thing with my Star Wars Arcade Atari 2600 cart. A friend bought a system off of me and then noticed I had that cart (I was playing it last in my system... and he saw it in the slot still). He bugged me for it, offered $10 and a case of beer. I took the deal... and now regret it. lol

 

[EricDeLee]

Oh... well... I guess that isn't 16-Bit... sorry about that

[Kialan]

Pocky and Rocky 2 for SNES. My friend and I used to rent the game all the time at this little mom and pop rental store. They went out of business and I haven't ever seen the game in the wild. So I got Pocky and Rocky 1 off ebay real quick...but 2 is like 7 out of 10 rarity so it took awhile before I snagged one.

 

(Btw..Pocky and Rocky with Becky for GBA sucks donkey balls compared to the originals. Besides the fact that PARWB sucks in general..1 and 2 have much more gameplay...2 player simultaneous!)

[JB]

I never even checked my puny Genesis collection for rarity...

 

I have Gaiares. Picked it up at Gamestop recently. Just a cart, though.

 

Got Alisia Dragoon too. Boxed but no manual.

 

And a complete Sonic 3D Blast. Yay, I guess...

[Xot]

I never even checked my puny Genesis collection for rarity...

 

I have Gaiares. Picked it up at Gamestop recently.  Just a cart, though.

 

Got Alisia Dragoon too. Boxed but no manual.  

 

And a complete Sonic 3D Blast. Yay, I guess...

 

I used to have Alisia Dragoon. I loved that game. Wish I'd never gotten rid of it.

 

My holy grail game's probably Mega Man 7 as well. Looked forever for it, went on a three state road trip determined to find it once, finally snagged it from a video store for $10.

 

Mega Man X3 was the same story, I ended up buying one off Yahoo Auctions for a mere $20. Later found another copy at a video store and ended up auction it off for like $70, so I was indeed pleased. I also completed my SNES Mega Man collection that day with Mega Man Soccer.

[chrisbid]

i found a lot of those semi rare rennovation games at gamestop for 2 or 3 bucks, but now all the gamestops here have dropped classic games so meh

 

 

 

i would add Phantasy Star IV to the list of grail titles, it was 90 bucks when it was first released, and it came in one of those crappy cardboard genesis boxes (though they were still better than SNES boxes).