MacWha’s Top 6 Sega Genesis Games of All Time

Sega Genesis Top 6

Hello again all! I welcome all of you in the Non-Fiction Gaming Nation and beyond to continue reading my overly opinionated, devastatingly charming and possibly nail-biting list of my top games separated by console.

Now I remind you this list is for me, personally you shouldn’t even be reading it. But alas you are and here we stand. The rules to my lists are as follows…

1. It’ll have as many games on the list as I feel inclined, why you ask? It’s my list suck it.
2. It’s a list of games that have meaning to me, not the best games in the history of time.
3. In many cases I’ll state a franchise and then go into the which was the beast of the bunch.
4. Sometimes I’ll list a game I disliked, felt was overblown, or heck something I just have irrational hatred for.
5. If you disagree, post your list below. Hell if you make a good enough argument, I might even add to the list.

Yup that’s it, no more to worry about. What I want to talk to you today about is a console that is very near and dear to my heart, in fact it was the first ever console I could call my own.

The Sega Genesis came out in late 1989 and secured itself quickly as a sales juggernaut. Owing much of its initial success with a low price point, a huge gallery of games and a two-year head start on main competition The Super Nintendo.

For me much of my memories of the Genesis was playing it with my brother in our tiny apartments living room, as such you’ll see very quickly that most of the games I hold near and dear on this console are co-operative in some capacity.

This week I’ve opted for a Top 6 and an honorable mention, why? Again, I’m sick of you all questioning my motivations, it’s not your business…

6. Battletoads and Double Dragon

A great early Rare title, Battletoads and Double Dragon follows the adventures of Billy and Jimmy Lee of Double Dragon fame as they team up with our three favorite Battletoads Zitz, Pimple and Rash.

No one cares about the plot… Bad guys from both games team up to be douche bags, really is any more actually needed? The game is a wonderful side scrolling beat em up adventure much in the vein of Contra and my previously mentioned Turtles games.

For me the only negative thing I can remember about this game was that when one player failed, both had to restart. Ultimately I found this annoying as my brother would often drag us back over and over to the beginning of a level. I still haven’t forgiven him…

5. Super Street Fighter 2

I remember this title as being my first real foray into fighting games. The story if you could call it that revolves around M. Bison and a few cronies being dicks. Ryu, Ken and a few others are the good guys.

Honestly, most early fighter video games had little to no real plot, the focus was beating the tar out of one another in as flamboyantly and efficiently as possible. My memories attached to this one revolve around me and my brother fighting over who could be who and mom taking away the game… Street Fighter II is available on iTunes now but it’s not really the same as the Genesis days.

4. Aladdin

Disney’s Aladdin was a wonderfully amusing and well made movie, surprising was that it spawned a really fun platformer of a game. The player controls Aladdin, who must make his way through several levels based on different locations from the film: from the streets and rooftops of Agrabah, the Cave of Wonders and the Sultan’s dungeon to the final confrontation in Grand Vizier Jafar’s palace.

The Sultan’s guards and also animals of the desert want to hinder Aladdin in his way. Great music accompanies a fantastic game which to this day I would be more than happy to play.

One point of note, on my Top 5 of SNES someone commented that they felt Aladdin should have been on the SNES list. I never played the SNES version but upon some research found out apparently it is a significantly different game than the Genesis version. Perhaps one day I shall need to track down a Nintendo version of the game and see if it stacks up.

3. Streets of Rage 3 (Streets of Rage Franchise)

Streets of Rage was nothing more than a well done Double Dragon rip-off. Features essentially the same gameplay with a few special moves and power ups for difference. I guess there was a story to it, but honestly the game was a beat em up fest.

You and a friend move from level to level beating up thugs and whatnot, eventually culminating in a boss fight with a villain of disproportionate strength and health.

Honestly there isn’t that much else to be said about the game, I had a lot of fun with it when I was young and put a decent pile of hours into it. Like most of these games, it’s now available on iOS if you’re keen to give it a try.

2. Golden Axe (Golden Axe Franchise)

What can I say about Golden Axe that you probably don’t know? I think every person I ever have met who has owned the Genesis has owned this game, for me it is as much a staple of the Genesis as Sonic himself.

In Golden Axe you are presented the choice of being the burly strong man and amusingly named Ax Battler , the battle babe Tyris Flare or the power house dwarf Gilius Thunderhead . You then make your way th through arious side scrolling levels to take on the legions of the evil Death Adder.

Are you all beginning to see a trend in the kind of games I liked as a kidlet? Yeah what can I say, I liked me some beat em ups.

1. Sonic 2 (Sonic Franchise)

Really I don’t think this should be a surprise to anyone, Sonic is Sega and equally so Sega is Sonic. I chose Sonic 2 over the original and 3^rd games because really it was the best.

The second game got our first showing of Tails as not only a character in the universe but also as an informal co-op player two. Tails could be controlled by another user at any point just by picking up a second controller. Tails then could attack enemies pick up rings for Sonic and even pick him up and fly him to an unreachable perch.

Sonic 2 also featured in my opinion some of the best levels seen in any Sonic game to date. What more can I say about this iconic little hedgehog? All the games were great, and if you have the power go invest in Sega’s Genesis Collection and reacquaint yourself with this awesome title and amazing franchise.

Sega have ported the old Sonic games to both Android and iOS devices, though Sonic 2 seems absent from Google Play.

Honorable Mention: Sonic Spinball

What can I say? This game was silly fun having very little to do with anything in the Sonic cannon. Spinball features our favorite little blue dude bouncing around cleverly designed Pinball table inspired levels.

You bounce Sonic around trying to accomplish goals throughout each level, with the eventual and inevitable goal of beating down Dr Robotnik (He wasn’t Dr Eggman yet…). Like I said what can I say, you all know why it’s here on the list.

Well that is it for me this week, join me whenever to read my list of Gameboy Advanced Games. If you have opinions that differ from mine let us know your top 5 or whatever the hell number you think it should be in the comments below.

The MacWha lives by his own rules, see if his Top 5 Gameboy Games and Top 5 NES Games meets your expectations.