RF Generation Message Board

February saw the Super NES poll get great turnout, with some interesting results. In March, we'll be taking lists for...

[img width=500 height=312]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Sega-Genesis-Mod1-Bare.jpg/220px-Sega-Genesis-Mod1-Bare.jpg[/img]

Genesis does...what Nintendon't!

The Sega Genesis took a different approach to its titles, focusing on blast processing and less censorship. This created a large variety of games with a large target audience.

But what are the best games for the Genesis? Your voice is the deciding factor.

We had a great turnout for the Super NES list, so let's get solid participation for the Genesis as well-

How to participate:

1. Make an ordered list of whatever games are your favorites for the system being covered that month.

-Make your list about what games you think are the best that system has to offer, NOT necessarily the most important. (For example, Super Mario Bros. is one of the most influential games in VG history, but not many would call it a better game than SMB3)

-Also, your list needs to be limited to games you have personally played. Don't include a game just because you've heard it's good, include a game because you know it's good.

-For a few of the games, try to include a few thoughts on why that particular game made your list. That way, those not as familiar with the game can see why it's one they should put on their radar.

2. Personal Message EZ Racer with your ordered list.

Just put "Top 20 games for the (whatever system we're covering that month)" in the subject line. Throughout the month, I will be compiling the results, and release a full list based on votes sent in. I will be putting extra weight on games voted for the top of the lists, so please make sure that your games are listed in numeric order. The reasoning behind a private vote is so that each member's vote can be their own, not influenced by what they think others would want.

The voting cutoff each month will be the last day of the month at 11:59 EST.

Participants:

singlebanana*
Douglie007*
Shaggy*
Mr_Stubbes
Crabmaster2000*
Disposed Hero*
MetalFro*
EngineerMike*
Seno*
Misto*

*-list submitted

Awesome! I'm definitely in for this!

I'm assuming we aren't lumping 32X or Sega CD titles in with Genesis?

Sorry, I had the worst February in years. So I didnt get to the SNES list.  Genesis is my baby so I'll get it done early this time. 

Hope everything is better now Douglie!

I’m might be able to throw something together for the Genesis. I’ll start on my list soon.

I'll try to get one in.

[img width=467 height=350]https://media.giphy.com/media/BaSHs78BU2ZYQ/giphy.gif[/img]

Sega Genesis is my jam! I will definitely need to compile a list for you...

Sorry your February wasn't great, Douglie. Hopefully things are looking up.

I will get in on this too.

Thanks guys.  We just had both Van's die, one was repaired. So we had to order the $50,000 van to hold both girls safely (they are in wheelchairs if you didnt know). So I've been freaking out a bit about the go fund me slowing down.  Also on top of that  I've been looking for a new job because my department is moving to Austin. At least the management is not that good so it went from no job in April to now June is closer... maybe.  Just wanted to vent a little and let you know.... here is the van and the layout it will have. [img width=600 height=800]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200303/3231ad5e81c3be6ef3347127ce5cdb02.jpg[/img][img width=569 height=421]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200303/a92c00898eb629ce36f60e156e38b7ee.jpg[/img]

You could totally make that can into the TMNT Party Wagon!! Hope March is much better for you Douglie.

I'm also in on this Genesis list!

Sorry I'm a little behind in responding, was a crazy busy week last week, and I wanted to make I got things caught up with the SNES list first.


I think it's better to stick with games that use the base system, as it makes for a better resource for people wanting to find out about the best games for it.

@Douglie007- Good luck to you with all you've been going through. Hopefully things start calming down.

Man, I'm surprised but this one is hard for me to rank.

Ernest Evans #1 no contest. Ha ha!

Hardest list to put together. Got it submitted last night.

With five lists in, it's crazy how much variety there is in the choices. Only 1 game has been on at least four lists. Complete 180 from the Super NES list, where about 6 games were on almost every list. Interested to see where the month finishes up.

March is almost over. I wonder if we need more time.

I've compiled my list, so now I'm just putting together my thoughts on each game, before I submit.

My list is more or less finished, but I'm waiting until the last minute as usual just in case I play something new and want to factor it into the list.

This was the easiest list for me. Pairing it down to 20 was pretty simple compared to the previous 2 lists

I’m thinking that this will be the most diverse list, among all of us.

Surprising hard to pick just 20, list submitted.

Obviously you all have terrible taste if Greendog isn't number 1

👆 This right here is what I am referring to. 😅

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2rrs9hvWRg

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNDOOOOOOOG!

Had several lists come in over the weekend, out of nine lists in so far, eight different games got a 1st place vote, and nearly 100 different games have got a vote. Very reminiscent of how the NES list went in January.

Still time to get in on the Genesis vote!

Just sent you my Genesis, as everyone else March sucked

So, after getting 10 lists, a whopping 105 games got at least one vote! One submitter was from PAL region, so that list included PAL titles. I have listed those by both their NA title and PAL title when necessary.

There were a bunch of single vote games, so here's the ones that got an 11-20 rank-

20th place vote

Virtual Pinball
NFL Sports Talk Football '93 Starring Joe Montana
Championship Pro-Am
Fifa '95- "Hours playing this with my Dad, who was a cheating git who figured out you're free to foul any player after they pass the ball. Fast paced and fun."
Bill Walsh College Football- "This game doesn't get the love that Madden gets, but it's essentially the same engine. I have fond memories of playing this game during a sleepover, and despite being terrible at sports games, it was still a blast."
Shadow Blaster- "Kind of a quirky game, but a decent action-platformer for the system."
Altered Beast- "Another fun, classic arcade port for the Genesis. I loved this game in the arcade and bringing it to the home console was magical to me as a kid. The music is awesome!  'Wise From Yah Gwave' and give this one a go."

19th place vote

Kid Chameleon
Mutant League Football
Robocop vs Terminator
Mystic Defender- "A nice, Asian folklore inspired platformer that is a bit of a hidden gem. Fun magic power-ups and boss battles."

18th place vote

Mega-Lo-Mania/Tyrants: Fight Through Time
Sword of Vermillion
M.U.S.H.A.- "High in price, but also high on fun. Robo Aleste on the Sega CD is better, but this is a great early effort."

17th place vote

Awesome Possum
Desert Strike
Road Rash
The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare- "People like to rag on the old simpsons games, but I have always loved many of them and Bart’s Nightmare is one of my favs. Lots of neat little mini-games to mess around with and tons of references to the show. Do the Bartman!"

16th place vote

Taz-Mania
Vectorman 2
Crackdown- "A really fun, overhead 2 player strategy-based shooter. Can be tough, but it's addictive. This little gem also deserves much more attention."

15th place vote

Punisher- "I loved this game in the arcade as a kid. While the home version was no where near as good as the arcade, it still was a fun enough beat 'em up, featuring Frank Castle and Nick Fury."
Revenge of Shinobi- "It’s not quite Ninja Gaiden levels of awesome, but it’s about as close as we got on the Genesis."

14th place vote

Alisia Dragoon
Road Rash 2
Alien Storm- "A fun and quirky beat 'em up that feels somewhat similar to Golden Axe, with the addition of those awesome first-person shooting stages!"
Gaiares- "Another incredible shmup on a system full of great ones."
Earthworm Jim 2- "Its got most of the charm and action of the original, but stacked up head to head just has a few stages that aren't quite as much fun as EJ1."

13th place vote

Zero Tolerance
Landstalker
Super Street Fighter II
Sonic 3- "I'm not the biggest Sonic fan, but this game is the best of the bunch in my opinion."
Elemental Master- "A really different and awesome vertical shooter where you play as a walking magician instead of a spaceship. A game that deserves more attention."

12th place vote

PGA Tour Golf III
Light Crusader
Super Hang-On
Sonic Spinball
Ranger X- "Incredible graphics with interesting game mechanics."
Road Rash 3- "An old guilty pleasure of mine. Just straightforward campy violence."
Starflight- "A game I spent countless hours on as a kid (the PC version, anyway), this space exploration sim gives you a large galaxy to explore, lots of things to do, fun ways to upgrade your ship, a variety of different alien species to recruit as crew members for your star ship, and enough story and RPG elements to help it cross over. The procedurally generated universe also meant that each time you started a new campaign was a unique experience."
Sunset Riders- "While I prefer the SNES port (mostly for the music) this game is amazing on Genesis, regardless. I love this run-and-gun style, platformer, that features cowboys and a wild west setting."

11th place

Separation Anxiety, Spider-man and Venom
Steel Empire

More to come...

Only 4 of mine are out so far! That's a good start :)

Wait, did other people put General Chaos on their lists, too!?!? Lol I see what looks like two of my picks out. The thought plickens, as my English 11 teacher, used to say.

5 of mine in there. Also some pretty big releases only got one vote, looking forward to the top ten.

2 of mine so far. Will be curious to see how many in my top 10 are single-vote, and how many are more common choices.

Ooooooh, 6 of mine in there. What prize do I win?.....

More also rans!

Single votes from 10-1

10th place

Vapor Trail
Phantasy Star II

9th place

NBA Jam T.E.
Crusaders of Centy- "A solid Zelda style game that doesn’t take itself too serious and is just as bright and colorful as you could possibly hope for."

8th place

Adventures of Batman and Robin- "As a huge fan of the show this game is just a great piece of fan service. Decent beat em up too."
Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II- "One of earliest simulation style racers. Not perfect, and probably not for the casual player, but for diehard fans of the genre, it does so much right."
DUNE: The Battle for Arrakis- "Another 'IP' I love is DUNE. This game satisfied my love of DUNE, and tactical games.
Strider- "Sega takes on the task of converting Capcom's monster arcade hit action game to the Genesis, and succeeds admirably. Great graphics and sound, and all the crazy set pieces from the arcade game are here. It's a very faithful version of the arcade hit, and was an early boost to the library of the Genesis, to help set it apart from what the NES was capable of."

7th place

The Ooze- "Has it's flaws, but one of the most unique games I've ever played."
Streets of Rage 3- "While the mechanics of SoR 3 are improved over SoR 2, the game was a step back in pretty much every other way. Inferior soundtrack and level design, plus the localization was notoriously botched. Still a very solid beat 'em up, though."
NHL '94- "Growing up in Canada, made Hockey a staple. I played ice hockey as a kid, but I wasn't very good. I preferred Blades of Steel at 9AM, over getting up at 5AM, for REAL practices. Going from Blades of Steel, to the EA hockey games, was an evolutionary jump. Always a great couch CO-OP game."

6th place

Jewel Master- "I see this as a spiritual sequel to the early Genesis game Mystic Defender, as it takes the idea of a magic-wielding action game to the next level. More varied, and with more to do than Sega's own Alisia Dragoon, as well, this game brings solid level design, good graphics, a great soundtrack, and an interesting magic system to the table. As you play, you find and collect magic rings. Depending on which rings you wear, and in what combination, enables different types of magical attacks and effects, and finding the right combinations to use in different situations is key to the game. Highly underrated."

5th place

Micro Machines Turbo Tournament '96- "J-Cart allow 4 controllers without an adaptor and fantastic close racing"
Phantasy Star III- "This was my introduction to the Phantasy Star series, and the only one I have played on Genesis. I remember my first experience of renting it while on a sleep-over at my cousins. My cousin and I, both were and are, huge RPG/tactics game guys. We had played the Final Fantasy's on NES/SNES, and were curious, what Genesis had to offer. While we both still prefer the FF series, Phantasy Star III showed us, that there was indeed decent RPG's, on other consoles."

4th place

Maximum Carnage, Spider-man and Venom- "Takes a very cool comic arc and pulls all the awesome action heavy encounters from it to form a truly amazing beat em up. Lots of references to the source material and cool secrets to discover."

3rd place

Zombies Ate My Neighbors

2nd place

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker
Arcus Odyssey- "A fun little isometric dungeon crawler, shooter, RPG....basically all of my favorite genres all in one. 2 player mode is fantastic. Why do you not own this?"

1st place

Shadowrun- "In the near future, technology is even more so than now and magic has emerged, causing some people to spontaneously change overnight into elves, trolls, orcs, and other magical creatures. I fell in love with the IP in the mid 90's, and played many hours of both the SNES and Genesis games. I always preferred the Genesis version more though. Whenever I think of my favorite for Genesis, this game always comes to mind."


Plenty more to come, with several titles getting multiple votes, but not enough to make HM territory...

3 more of mine down. Sounds like I need to add Jewel Master to my wishlist, not familiar with that one. Thanks to whoever had that on their list!

2 more of mine down. My precious Jewel Master, when will you get your due?

Rest of the Also-rans-

All these games got at least two votes, but not enough to make the top 20 or honorable mention.

Ghouls n Ghosts (#19, #18)
"I'm not a big fan of this series, and this game didn't change my mind, but it's the best of the bunch in my opinion."

Bio-Hazard Battle (#16, #16)
"Originally known as 'Crying' in Japan, this is the only shoot-em-up Sega ever developed themselves. The game has a unique approach, with 4 different flying insect creatures to control, and a bevy of weapons to choose from. The art style is true to the name as well, with various other insects & creatures as foes, and some body horror elements. The odd soundtrack helps set the mood, as well."

X-Men (#19, #11)
"Ok. I will admit, that this game is not the best. That being said, this game was released at a time, when Marvel's X-Men were at the peak of their popularity. You got to play as many of the core X-men, and several others were featured as "special attacks". The bosses were also cool and very niche for the time. (Mojo isn't too popular or well known). The soundtrack was enjoyable too. This was my favorite X-men game, until I discovered the Konami arcade game."

"This was one of those games as a kid I owned and was stuck with. It’s hard as hell, but eventually in my adult life I put the time and effort in to actually beat it. It’s one of the games I’m proudest I was able to complete so it has a special spot in my library."

Mortal Kombat (#15, #14)
"When Mortal Kombat came out for home consoles, the choice for me, was a no brainer. The Genesis version didn't require a code to see red blood, the play control was better, and Fatalities were as intended."

General Choas (#20, #9)
"This game is best enjoyed with a buddy. Pick your soldiers, based on their skill, weapons, etc, and sick em on the enemy, across the screen. Simple in concept, but surprisingly entertaining."

Contra Hard Corps (#15, #10)
"A great installment in the run n gun series for the Genesis. Tough as nails, but lots of fun."

"Absurd difficulty aside, this game can still be a lot of fun once you get a feel for it. It's my least favorite of the classic Contra games though."

Rolling Thunder 2 (#16, #9)
"A great run 'n gun action game that feels very different from most other games in the genre."

"I love the Rolling Thunder series and this is the best of the bunch. You get to choose from two great characters. Some outdoor levels, but definitely keeps the spirit of the series."

Decap Attack (#18, #8)
"A game that is somewhat unfairly criticized for being "slippery" due to the physics, this game took the original Japanese release, Magical Hat no Buttobi Tābo! Daibōken, and improved upon it in a number of ways, and gave players a wacky protagonist to control. The game's bright, colorful graphics, excellent soundtrack and overall sense of whimsy help elevate it above many of the other character-based platform games of the time."

Jurassic Park (#14, #9)

Beyond Oasis (#15, #8)

Ristar (#12, #9)
"A creation of Sonic Team, this fun platformer takes the colorful design of a series like Sonic the Hedgehog and takes it in a different direction. The grabbing/pulling mechanic is very tight, and is used in some fun and creative ways in the game. It's got great graphics and sound, and is very charming and fun to play."

"Super fun platformer and one of the best on the system. I have no idea why a series was never attempted for this character."

Haunting: Starring Polterguy (#17, #6)

Flashback (#11, #9)
"One of the earlier examples of the "cinematic platformer" sub-genre, Flashback took a very different approach than most platform games. Rather than make you a big-gun-toting hero character, who can blow away all the baddies, you are instead just a regular guy, suffering amnesia, and being assaulted by aliens. The game play is much more methodical, like Prince of Persia, and each area has various dangers to avoid, and puzzles to solve. The game's atmosphere really helps sell the experience."

Street Fighter II Special Champion Edition (#17, #5)
"While the SNES might have got in on the Street Fighter II action earlier, the Genesis game is arguably the better, and more complete, package. Bringing in the 4 bosses as playable characters, and consisting of both the "Champ" mode, and the "Hyper" mode (with Hyper Fighting rules), this game packed a lot of content into a single, 24 megabit cartridge, which was huge for its time."

Jungle Strike (#13, #7)
"Improved on Desert Strike in every-way."

That takes care of the also rans, lots of great games already, with the top 20 and honorable mentions dropping soon.

Woot! Only one this time and it was one I didn't think would make the final cut anyway. More than half of my picks ranked this time around!

I think half my list is gone!

Holy cow 8 of mine were in the bottom 10.  I can't believe that because several of them were known games.

I have Jewel Master but haven't played it yet.  I do like the premise, though, from the back of the box.  I really need to play this one.  I think it's actually a sequel to a genesis or SMS game.

I had none in the single vote top 10 but I had 3 in the double vote list.  I'm down to 9 games left.  :laugh:

Damn 4 more of mine out, 11 still in the running.

Results are live on the front page, so I'm posting my list. I didn't have enough for an honorable mentions section this time.

1. Streets of Rage 2

Arguably the best beat 'em up of all time. An impressively deep moveset, a rockin soundtrack, great level and enemy design, and the game just oozes style. Always a co-op favorite for my friends, and it's a game that we play through very frequently.

2. Golden Axe

A great beat 'em up with a very distinctive style and feel. This is one of the very few games in existence that I actually wish was longer.

3. Shining Force

I feel like Shining Force II is the better game, but something about the original just stands out to me more. Shining Force just has more charm and character than most other strategy RPGs.

4. Golden Axe II

A little different than its predecessor, but still a great game that I love almost as much as the original.

5. Shining Force II

I rented this game a ton as a kid and will always have a certain nostalgia for it. A great strategy RPG that every fan of the genre should play.

6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist

It's kind of a pale imitation of Turtles in Time, but this is still a great beat 'em up and well worth playing, even if you've already played Turtles in Time to death.

7. Streets of Rage 3

While the mechanics of SoR 3 are improved over SoR 2, the game was a step back in pretty much every other way. Inferior soundtrack and level design, plus the localization was notoriously botched. Still a very solid beat 'em up, though.

8. Streets of Rage

The beginning of a great series. It can feel a bit barebones compared to its sequels, but it's still a great beat 'em up that every fan of the genre should play.

9. Castlevania: Bloodlines

Sort of the black sheep of the series, but this is still a solid game that every Castlevania fan should play.

10. Gunstar Heroes

A great run 'n gun action game that is a definite must-play!

11. Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi

Tends to get overshadowed by Shinobi III, but this is the better game in my opinion.

12. Phantasy Star IV

I've often heard that Phantasy Star IV was Sega's answer to all the great SNES RPGs and is just as good as anything that Squaresoft was producing at the time. That ain't even close to being true, but this is still a pretty good RPG that's well worth checking out.

13. Sonic the Hedgehog 3

I'm not the biggest Sonic fan, but this game is the best of the bunch in my opinion.

14. Alien Storm

A fun and quirky beat 'em up that feels somewhat similar to Golden Axe, with the addition of those awesome first-person shooting stages!

15. Contra: Hard Corps

Absurd difficulty aside, this game can still be a lot of fun once you get a feel for it. It's my least favorite of the classic Contra games though.

16. Rolling Thunder 2

A great run 'n gun action game that feels very different from most other games in the genre.

17. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

18. Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

Kind of a sluggish feeling game, but pretty fun once you get a good feel for it.

19. Ghouls 'n Ghosts

I'm not a big fan of this series, and this game didn't change my mind, but it's the best of the bunch in my opinion.

20. Shadow Blasters

Kind of a quirky game, but a decent action-platformer for the system.

Thanks again for your contributions to the video, including going the extra mile with a special request.

Not a problem! It was fun to do.

I can't wait until we get to the more unpopular systems.  See what we can come up with with them!

You absolutely need to play Jewel Master! I don't know that it's a sequel, it just feels like a follow-up to Mystic Defender.

Here's my list:

1. Sonic the Hedgehog
2. Streets of Rage 2 - I remember playing this over and over again with my friend.  This game never disappoints and is the best in the series.
3. Aladdin - This is the ultimate version of Aladdin from the music to the gameplay.  This is Aladdin done right.
4. Castle Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
5. Ecco the Dolphin - Who thought a game about a dolphin could be fun?  Sega sure knew how to make Genesis games.
6. ToeJam & Earl
7. Dynamite Headdy
8. Decap Attack
9. Golden Axe
10. Rocket Knight Adventures
11. Sonic & Knuckles
12. Light Crusader
13. Super Street Fighter II
14. Jurassic Park
15. Mortal Kombat
16. Taz-Mania
17. Road Rash
18. Sword of Vermillion
19. Kid Chameleon
20. NFL Sports Talk Football '93 Starring Joe Montana

I was the one that had combined Sonic 3 with Sonic & Knuckles. If I were going to split them Is definitely give the spot to 3 though.

This was one of my favorites to take part in so far.


1. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - This is not just my favorite Sonic game I think it’s also the best game on the Genesis. I never get tired of running through the confusion that is the Chemical Plant Zone, grooving my way through the Mystic Cave Zone or methodically navigating past the Metropolis Zone. Maybe my favorite bonus stages of all time with the halfpipes. And if you can get enough emeralds to unleash Super Sonic you just feel truly invincible. The tense final battle against both Metal Sonic and Robotnik is a true test of skill. That boss music is second to none.

2. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles - (I hope it’s not cheating to have these 2 combined) Just a huge sprawling Sonic game. Knuckles is great, new shields are great, new zones are great, 3D bonus stages are a nice addition, and wowzers some of those songs are always on my playlist.

3. Earthworm Jim - What a great blend of comedy, action and style! It can be pretty hard at times, but it's fair in its design and with the jamming soundtrack and stunning look I've always found it impossible to get frustrated with this gem. It’s also got that extra funky bass sound that the SNES can’t quite pull off.

4. Maximum Carnage - Takes a very cool comic arc and pulls all the awesome action heavy encounters from it to form a truly amazing beat em up. Lots of references to the source material and cool secrets to discover.

5. Comix Zone - Still to this day has one of my favorite visual styles in any game. The presentation of the game being done in comic style panels is gorgeous. The gameplay is no slouch either with a strong beat em up mechanics and some cool opportunities for secrets hidden inside the comic book!

6. TMNT hyperstone heist - Even if you’re not into TMNT there is a really strong beat em up here with a great variety of levels, enemies and bosses. One of the best beat em ups around!

7. Streets of Rage - Most will go with 2, but when I think Streets of Rage I think of the first one. This has a really cool soundtrack, great visual style to it and lots of street thugs to beat down!!

8. Adventures of Batman & Robin - As a huge fan of the show this game is just a great piece of fan service. Decent beat em up too.

9. Crusader of Centy - A solid Zelda style game that doesn’t take itself too serious and is just as bright and colorful as you could possibly hope for.

10. Dynamite Headdy - Such a unique way to approach an action platformer. Being able to change your head out to a variety of specialized heads makes for all sorts of interesting levels and ways to play. Lots of fun and very bright and colorful.

11. Castlevania Bloodlines - Pretty solid entry into the Castlevania franchise. Great tunes, cool levels all the way through.

12. Road Rash 3 - An old guilty pleasure of mine. Just straightforward campy violence.

13. Rocketknight Adventures - Very bright and cheerful action heavy platformer. Has some really cool moments in some levels with the rocket pack abilities.

14. Earthworm Jim 2 - Its got most of the charm and action of the original, but stacked up head to head just has a few stages that aren't quite as much fun as EJ1.

15. Revenge of Shinobi - It’s not quite Ninja Gaiden levels of awesome, but it’s about as close as we got on the Genesis.

16. Vector Man - One of the best run n gun shooters of the era showing that the SNES isn’t the only one that can prerender their games

17. Simpsons Bart's Nightmare - People like to rag on the old simpsons games, but I have always loved many of them and Bart’s Nightmare is one of my favs. Lots of neat little mini-games to mess around with and tons of references to the show. Do the Bartman!

18. Sonic the Hedgehog - I’m a sucker for a good platformer. While the sequels may have outdone it (as they should) there is still a lot of charm in the original.

19. X-Men - This was one of those games as a kid I owned and was stuck with. It’s hard as hell, but eventually in my adult life I put the time and effort in to actually beat it. It’s one of the games I’m proudest I was able to complete so it has a special spot in my library.

20. Golden Axe - Writing out this list really highlighted how much I enjoy beat em ups on the Genesis. This one is pretty basic, but it’s fun in its simplicity. I love the swords and sorcery theme and Gilius is the man!

Okay, here's my list:

1. Lightening Force - There's no doubt this was going to be my #1 pick. The BEST shoot-em-up of the 16-bit era, bar none. This game is Technosoft's crown jewel, with amazing levels, graphics that pushed the Genesis to the limit, an astounding soundtrack that is among the most famous of its time, and legendary difficulty. This game has everything you want from a shooter, and is just so good, nothing else can even touch it.

2. Gunstar Heroes - This game sees Treasure beating Konami (who formerly employed several of these designers) at their own game. This is arguably the finest "run and gun" game of the 16-bit era, with amazing set pieces, fun weapons to use, colorful graphics, interesting locations, cool game mechanics, and a wacky sense of humor that permeates the whole thing. If Contra: Hard Corps hadn't been made more difficult in its localization, it's possible that could have been a contender, but ultimately, Gunstar Heroes just does almost everything better.

3. Streets of Rage 2 - THE quintessential console beat-em-up game, this took the original game's formula and amped it up in almost every conceivable way. The character sprites are bigger, more detailed, and better animated. There are 4 characters to choose from now, instead of just 3. The action is better, with more moves, and individual super moves, instead of just callig in reinforcements. And Yuzo Koshiro's soundtrack is masterful, and one of the most iconic of the era. A must-own for action game fans.

4. Shinobi 3 - Many would point to this game's predecessor, Revenge of Shinobi, as the favorite, but I believe this is arguably the better game. While not a Yuzo Koshiro soundtrack, it's still a fantastic set of chiptunes to listen to. Also, the game's levels are interesting and varied, and the addition of the jump kick move gives the game even more versatility. The new autoscrolling levels bring in more variety, as well.

5. Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition - While the SNES might have got in on the Street Fighter II action earlier, the Genesis game is arguably the better, and more complete, package. Bringing in the 4 bosses as playable characters, and consisting of both the "Champ" mode, and the "Hyper" mode (with Hyper Fighting rules), this game packed a lot of content into a single, 24 megabit cartridge, which was huge for its time.

6. Jewel Master - I see this as a spiritual sequel to the early Genesis game Mystic Defender, as it takes the idea of a magic-wielding action game to the next level. More varied, and with more to do than Sega's own Alisia Dragoon, as well, this game brings solid level design, good graphics, a great soundtrack, and an interesting magic system to the table. As you play, you find and collect magic rings. Depending on which rings you wear, and in what combination, enables different types of magical attacks and effects, and finding the right combinations to use in different situations is key to the game. Highly underrated.

7. Sonic the Hedgehog - Most people would expect to see the game's sequel on the list, but I still prefer the original. Yes, the spindash was a great upgrade, but the level design in the original is tight. The graphics are colorful, without being too bright and garish, and the soundtrack is sublime. The sequel is a worthy game, but the original will always have my heart.

8. Strider - Sega takes on the task of converting Capcom's monster arcade hit action game to the Genesis, and succeeds admirably. Great graphics and sound, and all the crazy set pieces from the arcade game are here. It's a very faithful version of the arcade hit, and was an early boost to the library of the Genesis, to help set it apart from what the NES was capable of.

9. Ristar - A creation of Sonic Team, this fun platformer takes the colorful design of a series like Sonic the Hedgehog and takes it in a different direction. The grabbing/pulling mechanic is very tight, and is used in some fun and creative ways in the game. It's got great graphics and sound, and is very charming and fun to play.

10. Golden Axe 2 - Objectively a better game to the original Genesis conversion of the arcade hit, this game sees improvement in the graphics and music, as well as to the overall formula, even if those improvements are slight. Most noticeably, the magic system is upgraded, allowing you to hold down the button to decide how much magic power to use, or press once for a small magic attack.

11. Flashback - One of the earlier examples of the "cinematic platformer" sub-genre, Flashback took a very different approach than most platform games. Rather than make you a big-gun-toting hero character, who can blow away all the baddies, you are instead just a regular guy, suffering amnesia, and being assaulted by aliens. The game play is much more methodical, like Prince of Persia, and each area has various dangers to avoid, and puzzles to solve. The game's atmosphere really helps sell the experience.

12. Starflight - A game I spent countless hours on as a kid (the PC version, anyway), this space exploration sim gives you a large galaxy to explore, lots of things to do, fun ways to upgrade your ship, a variety of different alien species to recruit as crew members for your star ship, and enough story and RPG elements to help it cross over. The procedurally generated universe also meant that each time you started a new campaign was a unique experience.

13. Earthworm Jim - Most of the highlights of the Genesis library would be Japanese games, but this is a Western developed title that deserves recognition. Earthworm Jim is an unlikely, yet affable hero that has loads of personality. The game won audiences over with smooth animation, fun music, and a lot of good sight gags. Underneath all that, there's a pretty good action platformer here, as well!

14. Outrun - I'm no fan of racing games, but Outrun was always more of a driving game, seeing you cruising the countryside in your Ferrari, while cranking up great tunes on the car radio. The Genesis port isn't 1:1 with the arcade game, but it does a pretty good job of capturing that experience as much as it can, on the hardware. The Genesis renditions of the different music in the game do an admirable job of sounding like their arcade counterparts.

15. Quackshot: Starring Donald Duck - This is an early example of a "Metroidvania" lite kind of experience on the Genesis. It's also one of the best non-Capcom Disney licensed games out there. Rather than killing most enemies, you stun them with your plunger gun, to safely walk on by. You also use plungers to help you climb walls, and solve puzzles. You find new things to aid you in your journey to find lost treasure as you go, and some backtracking will be required to complete a couple levels. It's a very charming game, with great graphics, a great soundtrack, and a lot of personality.

16. Bio Hazard Battle - Originally known as Crying in Japan, this is the only shoot-em-up Sega ever developed themselves. The game has a unique approach, with 4 different flying insect creatures to control, and a bevy of weapons to choose from. The art style is true to the name as well, with various other insects & creatures as foes, and some body horror elements. The odd soundtrack helps set the mood, as well.

17. Columns - Sega's answer for the popularity that was Tetris. The primary game mode can be quite punishing, but the endless mode is a ton of fun, with the game slowly ramping up speed and difficulty, giving the player an opportunity to score massive amounts of points. The 3 songs complement the game's minimalist, zen presentation, and are memorable companions while you play.

18. Decap Attack - A game that is somewhat unfairly criticized for being "slippery" due to the physics, this game took the original Japanese release, Magical Hat no Buttobi Tābo! Daibōken, and improved upon it in a number of ways, and gave players a wacky protagonist to control. The game's bright, colorful graphics, excellent soundtrack and overall sense of whimsy help elevate it above many of the other character-based platform games of the time.

19. Vectorman - Sega's answer to Donkey Kong Country on the SNES, Vectorman was visually impressive, as well as being fun to play. Vectorman as a character lacked something, but it did allow you to kind of put yourself in his place, since he's just a blank avatar.

20. Bill Walsh College Football - This game doesn't get the love that Madden gets, but it's essentially the same engine. I have fond memories of playing this game during a sleepover, and despite being terrible at sports games, it was still a blast.

I realize after doing the list, there are a couple changes I would make now, having had even more time to consider it, but it's okay. It was still fun to come up with the games on the list.

The most predictable pick off of any list. ;D

I would imagine so!  :laugh:

Here's my list:

1. Rocket Knight Adventures
2. Sonic
3. Streets of Rage 2
4. Thunder Force 4
5. Micro Machines: Turbo Tournament 96
6. Gunstar Hero's
7. Jungle Strike – Improved on Desert Strike in every-way.
8. Story of Thor (Beyond Oasis)
9. Flashback
10. Shadow Dancer
11. Sonic 2
12. Ranger X
14.Road Rash 2
15. Dynamite Headdy
16. Ecco
17. Street Fighter 2: Special Championship Edition
18. Mega-lo-Maina
19. RoboCop Versus The Terminator
20. Fifa 95