Mega Drive

The Sega Mega Drive (called Sega Genesis in the US for legal reasons) is long known as the SNES' rival. It's not as powerful in video and audio output as SNES, but a number of games had faster flowing action in terms of processing power (blast processing wasn't all bullshit), AND it offers backwards compatibility with the Master System (with an add-on), and has two other add-ons (Mega-CD and 32X) for extra power that does make it arguably stronger than the SNES (well, when the games are done well). Get an early model 1 for cleaner audio, a head-phone jack, and maybe a Game Genie so you can get around the region protection. Also, like other early consoles, the PAL version has lowered frame rate (though with a little know-how, you can modify it to flow as fast as an NTSC). For Genesis/Mega Drive gaming on the go, check out the Nomad (made by SEGA), GenMobile (smaller, lighter, cheaper, and better battery life), or Gopher (digital-based version of the former; takes SD cards).

The List

Title	Genre	Description	Game Box
Aladdin	Platformer	Based on the Disney movie and known for its solid gameplay and quality spritework (artwork was done by actual Disney artists). Actually NOT the same game as the also good SNES version; by Capcom. The SNES version is more platform and acrobatic oriented, while this one is more combat-centric. The animation engine was programmed by David Perry (he also helped with the Genesis/SNES Lion King), who went on to form Shiny Entertainment (Earthworm Jim, MDK).
The Adventures of Batman & Robin	Run 'n Gun	Based on the animated series, this is a very fun and fast-paced game which is also fucking CONTRA-HARD. Play alone as Batman or Robin or go co-op with a bro to take on a number of the show's iconic villains. The more you play, the more crazy and hard it gets, and the soundtrack only adds more to the atmosphere. There's also a SNES version made by Konami in the style of a beat 'em up. It's also a good game, but like Aladdin and Sparkster in the sense that it's VERY different from the Genesis version. Another version exists on the Sega CD, but it's pretty much garbage.
Alien Soldier	Run 'n Gun	A boss rush style game. Controls like Gunstar Heroes, but drops combos to let you hold 4 weapons (out of 6) instead. You can also change your shooting style at will, and even find extra weapon types in stages to alter/refill your ammo for the next boss. There's several skills to utilize, so master them early. While lacking in level design, it has a great soundtrack and extremely excellent boss design and attack patterns. There's only two difficulties: SuperEasy and SuperHard!
Alien Storm	Beat 'em Up / Run 'n Gun / Rail Shooter	Blow away aliens with lasers, bazookas and shit. It's a basic beat 'em up with cool features like run 'n gun or shooting sequences at the end of every level. And there is an energy meter. If you run low on your energy then you would find yourself beating aliens in hand to hand combat. Looks and plays a lot like Golden Axe so if you liked that give this a go.
Alisia Dragoon	Platformer	An outstanding platformer developed by Game Arts with help from the famous anime studio Gainax. You play as a sorceress who shoots lightning at her enemies. The lightning autotargets but depletes with repeated use, requiring players to carefully ration their attacks and preventing mindless spamming. You also have access to four different familiars who accompany you, each with different abilities. Gameplay consists of standard jumping across platforms, frying enemies, collecting powerups, and fighting big bosses, but it is executed very well.
Altered Beast	Platformer/Beat 'em Up	RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE! This game was what Genesis was about in 1989 before Sonic came out. Beat zombies and monsters, collect power ups, and become a vicious beast man. It's pretty limited, but it's worth playing at least once, if only for laughs. Had some later spinoffs but they're pretty... different.
Asterix and the Power of the Gods	Adventure/Platformer	This game came out at the end of Genesis' lifespan, so good graphics and music are to be expected. There are some good animations and pretty good detailed backgrounds. Grab Asterix or Obelix and punch all the Romans to the ground while flying all over the world. Cheap deaths abound.
Batman	Platformer	Based on the Tim Burton's Batman. No batdancing.
Battletech	Action/Shooter	The gameplay is similar to Strike series, but here you are piloting fucking MADCAT. How badass is that? There are only five planets to walk around, but still you can destroy a lot of mechs and rape a lot of bases.
Beyond Oasis / Story of Thor	Action RPG	Plays like a melting pot of Zelda, Ys, and Secret of Mana. You use elemental spirits who have different abilities and powers, which can affect certain obstacles. There's a variety of weapons as well, which have skills of their own for extra ass-kicking. Legend of Oasis for the Sega Saturn is a spiritual sequel. A freeware game, Guardian of Paradise plays like a homage to this and the other mentioned games. Defenders of Oasis on Game Gear has nothing to do with this series.
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse	Platformer	A simple and easy, yet undeniably polished and fun platformer. Guide Mickey Mouse through levels to save Minnie Mouse from the evil witch Mizrabel. Just give it a shot, even if you never played it before, chances are you'll still get a shot of nostalgia. Had two sequels: World of Illusion, see below, and Land of Illusion for the Master System & Game Gear.
Castlevania Bloodlines/The New Generation	Platformer	Another fantastic entry in the series. This one takes place after the actual Dracula novel, starring John Morris, Quincy Morris' son. John can swing with his whip from certain surfaces. You can also use his pal, Eric, whose spear (when powered up) has 8-way striking like Super Castlevania Simon and a handy high jump. Both can use sub-weapons and mini-versions of item crashes. The PAL version is censored so avoid if possible.
Columns III	Puzzle	A competitive-styled Columns game. Similar to Puyo Puyo/Pop, but this features multiple items capable of causing chaos on your enemy's field, and preventing assaults on your own. Also has a "screw over the other player" button, which makes your enemy's field rise up while lowering your own. Its potential depends on a number gauge on your side, which increases when you play well. Funfact: There WAS a Columns II, it was a japanese arcade-only game though.
Comix Zone	Beat 'em Up	Insanely difficult (but great) game with a cool premise; you play as a comic book artist trapped in his own work. Fell under the radar since it was released at the death of the Genesis. Has interesting elements of traveling between panels and even some minor puzzle and platformer elements. Fun Fact: Composer Howard Drossin voiced the hero!
Contra: Hard Corps	Run 'n Gun	Another great incarnation of the classic series, this one focusing mainly on boss fights. Adds a slide and 4 different characters to play as. Arguably a better game than Contra III (due to no crazy overhead stages), and a fuckton better than the shit sequels to come on the PS1 (Konami finally fixed their shit with the PS2 games and Contra 4). Hint: get the Japanese version because the lifebar is seriously a saving grace and the difficulty is a little bit toned down.
Crusader of Centy / Soleil / Ragnacenty	Action-Adventure	At first it smells of "Zelda-clone", but it soon becomes a great adventure game with its own unique combat, lighthearted story and amusing monsters. Soon after your outset, the hero, Corona, becomes unable to talk with people, but can talk with animals, who ally with him and work akin to gadgets, and some can even combine their skills. After that, your quest to become normal leads into a grand adventure throughout the world and time itself that questions and unravels the "inherent" evil of monster-kind. Music and location design are great, and the game itself even looks like LttP, which is IMPRESSIVE AS FUCK considering the MD's limits. Has a spiritual successor in Linkle Liver Story, which also does its own things, but is sadly untranslated from Japanese.
Darius II/Sagaia	Shoot 'em Up	I've always wanted a thing called tuna sashimi! The Genesis has always been blessed with awesome arcade ports and this is no exception. It may lose the wow factor thanks to being greatly downscaled from the arcade's triple/dual monitor setup, but some of the new levels are more than good enough to make up for that. However, you may want to turn up the difficulty level as it is quite easy on Normal.
Decap Attack	Platformer	Spiritual sequel to Psycho Fox on the Master System, but MUCH cooler. You play a headless mummy. Your main attack is thrusting your guts out, though you can find a boomerang-skull to use, too. In addition, you can use potions, which add many neat effects to your character. Controls are good (though momentum takes getting used to) and graphics are fun and creepy. The horror theme was added for the American release. The original Japanese version is based on an anime: "Magical Hat no Buttobi Tabo Daiboken", is harder, and arguably less inspired. The levels and stage design are different though, so you may want to check it out.
Demolition man	Run'n'gun	A VERY intense game, you have no time stand there, you should run forward and capture the most dangerous criminal of the 21st century! At first game looks too easy, just shoot and run, but actually you have to pay close attention to the level layout and enemies, because John Spartan dies too fast. Very nice sound and animation.
Desert Strike	Shooter	One of the best shooters of all time. You complete tasks and rescue missions on non-linear maps while trying to keep your Apache in the air. Collect fuel and ammo frequently, dude. Has a few sequels as well. Also on DOS, SNES, GBA and other platforms.
Dinosaurs for Hire	Run 'n Gun	Think "Contra with Dinosaurs", throw in a melee button, and you've got one pretty kickass game.
Donald in Maui Mallard / Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow	Platformer / Action	A unique game featuring Donald Duck like you've never seen him before. This time he can shoot a gun and later in the game turns into a ninja and smacks enemies with a quarterstaff. Far superior gameplay when compared to the SNES version. There is also a 1996 PC version which is an upgrade of the Genesis version. All tracks of Michael Giacchino's score were fully orchestrated by Steve Duckworth (instead of MIDI goodness) for the PC version, and it also has updated graphics and a few level enhancements (such as the straw plugs in Muddrake Mayhem).
Dynamite Headdy	Platformer	Quirky platformer. Headdy swaps his head with other various heads to pass obstacles and defeat baddies. Another gem by Treasure. Japanese version has altered difficulty, some boss changes, and as a full story that was removed from English release. A patch exists to fix this.
Earthworm Jim 2	Platformer/Craziness	More levels, more variety (sadly, only half the stages are platformer run n' gun, but others are weird enough to make up for it), more humor, more cows, more Jim. Great sequel with arguably everything improved. GROOVY! Released and reissued on many consoles. Jim is now a Blind Cave Salamander! What color is Jim's RED Gun? The first EWJ was improved and remastered on Sega CD.
Ecco The Dolphin	Action-Adventure	Play as a fucking dolphin while doing flips and shit. Save your Dolphins friends from aliens or something. Great fucking game. Slightly improved on Sega CD. Some differences in the Japanese version of the game, including toned-down difficulty, a couple extra songs, and a level that was left out of the US release, so be sure to keep that in mind when choosing your ROM. Hard as shit!
Ecco: The Tides of Time	Action-Adventure	Much like the first game, which isn't a bad thing. Also known as "What is this I don't even: The Game." Features a level where you cross a jellyfish in the sky. Also hard as shit! One of the creepiest and most fantastic soundtracks on the genesis. A third, 3D Ecco came out on Dreamcast, which was later poorly ported to the PS2. This game has one of the most FRUSTRATING cliffhanger endings in any game ever.
Elemental Master	Shoot 'em Up	FUCK YEAH TECHNOSOFT. You play a sorcerer on a quest to free an enslaved goddess and stop a corrupt warlord or some shit. There's seven levels - the first four can be done in any order, each having an elemental aspect (new shot type) that's assimilated after completing it. Gameplay is pretty standard fare, but you can fire below you. This game has some INCREDIBLE synth music done by the guy behind Thunder Force III/IV that will really get you pumped in game. It's also pretty hard.
Eliminate Down	Shoot 'em Up	Never heard of this one before? No wonder, this is among the rarest Mega Drive games. Quite the injustice, as it also happens to be one of its best shooters. Fantastic graphics, great soundtrack, tight gameplay, insane difficulty.
Fire Shark	Shoot 'em Up	Fantastic vertical shooter where you pilot a biplane across 10 levels. You have a choice of several weapons that can be upgraded to devastating effect. The flamethrower in particular is a monstrous weapon which, at full power, covers the screen with pillars of flame, destroying anything it touches! A lot of the difficulty is spent AVOIDING those shitty blue/green power-ups, like in areas where six blue ones pollute the screen as if the developers are saying "STOP HAVING FUN WITH THE RED ONE!". Scaled down arcade ports are usually bad, Fire Shark sidesteps this limitation by making the action more accessible with reduced difficulty.
Flashback	Adventure/Platformer	Similar to Another World but plays rather differently. The year is 2142, and you suddenly find yourself in an alien jungle with a gun and erased memories. Beautiful graphics featuring rotoscoped animation and a good number of vector cutscenes, very impressive at the time (that's why they called it a "CD-ROM on a cartridge"). Also available for pretty much every platform under the sun, but (ironically) avoid the CD-based ports: they've replaced the cutscenes with CGs that have aged terribly. Had a very inferior sequel, Fade To Black on DOS and PSX.
Galaxy Force II	Arcade Shooter	A really good arcade port. You shoot your way out in 6 superbly sprite rendered levels. A big improvement upon Space Harrier action in every way.
General Chaos	Real-time Tactics	Control a team of troops with different weapons as you assault the enemy team. This often involves storming their fortress. If an ally and enemy get too close, they duke it out, melee style. Smaller teams offer more console-controls, while larger teams are point-and-click, RTS style. Quite impressive for its time, and still good fun with two players, especially since the computer likes to be a cheating jerk at times.
Ghouls 'n Ghosts	Platformer	The infamously hard platformer series returns! Prin-Prin is captured by that damn Firebrand/Red Arremer once again, and Arthur has to fight his way through plenty of medieval horror themed levels to save her! Easier than Ghosts 'n Goblins, but tougher than Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Has a superior port on the SuperGrafx. This one changed A LOT.
Golden Axe	Beat 'em Up	So, you beat up Death Adder and think this is over, like in the arcade, don't you? FUCK NO. Now you travel deeper into the dungeons to kill Death Bringer. Ignore the silver axe and the slightly degraded sound/graphics.
Golden Axe 2	Beat 'em Up	Noted for being more refined and easier than the first Golden Axe and also being the last most similar to it before later sequels and side stories went their own routes. As typical GA fare goes: Commandeer enemy beasts, cast magic, or go melee, all of which are solo or done co-op with a second player. No relation to the arcade game Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder. Both GA sequels on the Genesis are console-exclusive.
Golden Axe 3	Beat 'em Up	Golden Axe featuring new characters and the ability to go through levels by different paths, adding replay value to a solid beat 'em up. Also a little easier than 2, but not by much.
Gunstar Heroes	Run 'n Gun	Treasure's first game, a run 'n gun in the vein of Contra. Best feature is the ability to combine weapons. Great fun in co-op. A remix (but IN THE FUTURE!) titled Gunstar Super Heroes is on GBA, but without combined weapons, though it does a lot of its own things well enough.
Grind Stormer / V-Five	Shoot 'em Up	Very fast paced with gameplay likened to the arcade's DonPachi, or even Recca on the NES. It's a watered down port of the arcade version but still a solid console experience. Be sure to play the Japanese version V-Five as the American Grind Stormer did away with the power-up bar and replaced it with bombs, making an already low res port more restrictive.
Haunting Starring Polterguy	Being a Badass	You play Polterguy, following this family around various houses to scare the living crap out of them by possessing objects in the house. Beware of the family dog! See also: Ghost Trick on the DS, which uses a similar premise of possession and manipulation, but revolves more around a murder mystery.
Herzog Zwei	RTS / Shoot 'em Up	This is the first GOOD console RTS, and still one of the best. Think Advance Wars, but real time, and instead of being limited to a cursor or an out-of-field CO, you're on the field in a transforming jet-mech, assisting your troops by fighting alongside them in shmup-like action. This adds a whole other level of strategy, as concentrating on either alone spells defeat. Incredible soundtrack and great multiplayer fun to be had here.
High Seas Havoc / Captain Lang	Platformer / Arcade	High Seas Havoc, known as Captain Lang (キャプテン ラング) in Japan and just Havoc in Europe, is a platform game developed by Data East for the Sega Mega Drive and a special Data East-made arcade board based on the Mega Drive in 1993. It is the only game for this special board. In the game you play as an anthropomorphic seal named Havoc (Lang in the Japanese version) on a quest to rescue a girl named Bridget from the evil pirate Bernardo. Very nice and sweet platformer with soul put into it.
The Incredible Hulk	Beat 'em Up / Platformer	Vastly underrated beat 'em up game that stays loyal to the '70s Incredible Hulk mythos and comic book style. You play the eponymously Hulk as he smashes and jumps his way through several levels bashing robots and villains from the comics. There are many neat secrets including special fighting moves available in Hulked Out mode and the ability to turn back into Dr. Banner to crawl into tunnels and access other secrets.
Jungle Strike	Shooter	Huge improvement over Desert Strike. You are a pilot of a modern chopper and only you can save the world from mass destruction. Now every map is completely unique and sometimes you can use other types of vehicles. Arguebly is the best in the Strike series.
Jurassic Park	Action	Action platformer loosely based on the movie. You can play as either Dr. Grant, or an escaped Velociraptor. Grant has access to a bunch of different weapons that let you take on various dinosaurs in different ways, whereas the raptor has only its claws and a leaping attack. Iffy collision detection can make it frustrating at times, but still a damn fun game.
Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition	Action	Not the same game as the first. Uses the same graphics and sounds, but if you wanted more levels to trounce, then Rampage Edition's got you covered with a new Velociraptor to play as and a different human to go through levels. Almost like an expansion with a full game's worth of levels.
Kid Chameleon	Platformer	Platformer in the vein of Mario, but with a ton of unique powerups. The game sports a ton of levels, that depending on how you exit them, will play out in a different order, creating opportunity for a lot of replay value.
King Colossus	Action RPG	A game in the vein of Startropics, Ys, and Zelda, with elements of each (platforming, multiple weapons, and hidden passages). Starts a bit slow, but picks up fast. The action's a little stiff, but still enjoyable. The bosses start small, but some TAKE UP MORE THAN THE SCREEN CAN SHOW. The story has some neat twists that'll keep you playing and the action only gets better. Japanese only, but there's a translation here
Landstalker	Action-Adventure	Think isometric Zelda, but puzzles require more logic and less gadgets. You can also jump. The controls take a bit of time to get used to, but once you get them down, you'll be set to enjoy this mighty fine game. The team members who made this went on to make similar games, such as Dark Savior and Alundra.
Light Crusader	Action-Adventure	You are a crusader on vacation in king's domain. But then you realise that many of the townsfolk have disappeared and you should go into the dungeons to save them. It feels like Zelda and Landstalker, but with magic, cool bosses and interesting puzzles. You can combine 4 elements: fire, water, earth, wind for lots of different spells.
Lion King, The	Platformer	Based on the movie with artwork done by Westwood and Disney studios. Great visuals and music for the Genesis. First levels are for the little Simba, but then you play as the grown up lion Simba. Very challenging and touching game. Also on SNES with worse music and worse graphics. Has notoriously tough level design, especially the second stage. Impossible as fuck without all the hidden health upgrades.
Lost World: Jurassic Park (The)	Action / Adventure	In a complete different style of gameplay than other JP games, you explore Isla Sorna in an isometric view as a nameless mercenary capturing dinosaurs and completing varied missions like collecting velociraptor eggs or bombing rival mercs. Tense exploration, as dinosaurs and other mercs can ambush you suddenly from any direction. Capture dinosaurs alive with tranquilizer darts to receive supplies from the HQ. Kickass boss battles at the end of each of the 4 acts. Great fun on co-op, with the possibility of enabling friendly fire just for kicks.
Marvel Land / Talmit's Adventure	Platformer	Despite the cover looking creepy as fuck, it's a whimsical little platformer from the arcades. Actually, it's more fleshed out stage-wise than the arcade version with difficulty altered (some parts are harder, others easier). As Prince Talmit, you go to "Coni" Island (yes, seriously) to help your kidnapped princess friend and her fairy galpals and defeat the goofy stooges of some Mole King douchebag. The platforming parts have well done level design and even secret warps. You can also get power-ups like gliding, or shadow-clones to attack with. The bosses are mini-game styled, but amusing and fair enough. There's just something fun about this game. Well, it is Namco!
McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure	Platformer	I know what you're thinking, but it's made by Treasure (coincidence?) and features pretty good level design. It's not game of the year, due to being short and a little generic, but at least Treasure made it well polished and did some creative things for a license game. You can obtain magic and power-ups and use your magic scarf to grapple onto hooks. Even in a different game and system, you will NEVER have enough golds...
Mega Turrican	Platformer	Turrican 3 in Genesis Form. We try to avoid personal inputs, but... THIS GAME IS FUCKING GREAT. Take Contra‘s style of weapons, add Metroid's atmosphere, give the player an aimable Bionic Commando wire, now top it all off with great gameplay from Factor 5 and an incredible soundtrack from the legendary Chris Hulsbeck, and you have Mega Turrican. If that doesn't have your mouth watering and make you want to play this, then you need to go see a doctor.
Moonwalker	Beat 'Em Up(?)	A jamming sidescroller that has you take control of the King of Pop as he ventures out to save kidnapped children from Joe Pesci who always shows up to taunt you near the end of levels. Features hat tossing, magic fingers, and of course, the dance number desperation move (This takes up a good chunk of health, but each level set has a different dance). Plus, Michael Jackson can turn into a giant robot and wreck shit on screen. Also available on the Master System, which has a few minor differences, but the MD/Gen version is definitely the way to go. Note: The soundtrack is highly recommended. MJ's songs transition marvelously into the Sega sound. This game was notably made by the guys who went on to make the Shinobi games, which explains why it's so well made. Also, that 'ring' sound effect famous to Sonic actually debuted here.
Micro Machines (series)	Racing	Arcade racing with a top down view. It's all about little cars, tanks, etc. racing on tables, work-benches, beaches. There are, like, four of these games on the Genesis. Take any of them, they are all good.
Monster World IV	Platformer	Final title in the long-running Wonder Boy/Monster World series. You play a cute green-haired Arabian girl with her bird-critter companion as you explore, solve puzzles, and battle in various themed caverns and temples along with a central hub town. Lots of personality in the girl's animation and some lush, colorful locales. Japanese only, but there is an English translation patch. The twists in the story will make you cry.
M.U.S.H.A.	Shoot 'em Up	Another delicious shmup in Compile's Aleste line (known as Musha Aleste in Japan). In addition to killer gameplay, it has one of the best soundtracks on the Genesis as well as some pretty crisp graphics. Sadly, an actual cart will cost you a pretty penny, but at least you can make do with the 800 point price on Wii's VC. Seriously, this is one of those games you'd feel bad not to spend money on, no matter what the medium.
Mutant League Football	Sports	Same as below, but HANDEGG. Different rules apply as well (of course). There's also some different mutilation methods.
Mutant League Hockey	Sports	Mutants and Leagues go together like video and games. If you thought HUMANS weren't entertaining enough, try this. You can play dirty, mutilate the other team as much as HUMANLY possible (although there's still 16-bit limits), and even score a goal! (PROTIP: Kill the goalie with a chainsaw to make scoring goals easier!)
Panorama Cotton	Shoot 'em Up	Have you played Cotton? Yeah, this is like Cotton, but with SPACE HARRIER mixed in. Has the cool and beautiful music Cotton is known for, but the effects and visuals are stunning considering Genesis has no special FX chips or nothing like that. The action can also move pretty damn fast. It will cost you a fortune though, so emulate unless you're loaded. Japan only, but needs no translation since menus are in English.
Phantasy Star II	RPG	The first 16-bit Phantasy Star. A number of things have been removed or added since the original, but for the most part, everything has been improved. Although a bit old, it is an RPG with some strongly emotional scenes, which makes up for the difficulty. For a very early title, this game has some pretty impressive visuals.
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom	RPG	The "black sheep" of the Phantasy Star series. Several things here work unlike any other entry. One interesting aspect is that at end of the first two "generations" of heroes, you'll choose who to marry. This affects your child's stats and abilities, alters what adventures they go on, and adds replayability as well. Sadly, previous generations do NOT help their kids (due to plot restrictions), but your two robot pals are always ready to help any generation combo. An EASY MODO patch is available here and makes the experience much more accessible and enjoyable.
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium	RPG	Quite possibly the largest Mega Drive/Genesis game made, Phantasy Star refined the franchise formula further, creating a more forgiving difficulty curve, adding macros and spell/skill combos, and a more enjoyable experience overall. Great story, characters, music, and comic/manga-style cut-scenes. Beware level 99 without a patch or cheat device to fix the bug. This team would later make Skies of Arcadia on Dreamcast, which is also great.
Pirates of the Dark Water, The	Action / Platformer	Based on the 90's cartoon, this game is pretty well done. You are a prince, your dad died, you find a flying ape, a port gal and an old pirate to save your planet from the dark water. Hack 'n slash bad guys using all of your characters, which you can swap them in the middle of the action. Very good visuals and plot. There is also a The Pirates of the Dark Water on SNES, but it is a bad clone of Final Fight.
Pulseman	Platformer	Also known as Seizures: The Game. Pulseman is fast like Sonic, but with some features like Megaman. While Pulseman can't get boss weapons, he can use all of his own cool electric powers from the get-go. Most of these rely on charging up static by running, or "swishing" (a quick nigh-invulnerable dash similar to Megaman's slide), and using stored up energy. Pulseman also hacks into trippy digital worlds. Short, but fun. Released in Japan only, though it did pop up on Sega Channel. Now it's on Wii's Virtual Console everywhere.
Punisher	Beat'em up	Great arcade port. You can play as Nick Fury or Frank Castle and shoot all bad guys on your way in their balls. Literally.
Quackshot	Platformer	A really fun platformer starring Donald Duck. Donald finds a treasure map and goes searching for more clues to the treasure's whereabouts. The levels are varied and the gameplay is inventive. Donald has a gun which shoots plungers. He can shoot them at walls to climb up them, at enemies to stun them, or even at flying enemies which become moving platforms. Quite short, but really fun if you're looking for a game to play on a boring afternoon. Had a sequel of sorts in World of Illusion.
Ranger-X	Platformer / Shoot 'em Up	Play as a transforming mech, blow shit up. This game is really amazing, it actually uses twice the amount of colors the Genesis will allow and it manages to be amazing in every other department too.
Red Zone	Shooter	THE MOST impressive and technologically advanced game on Genesis. It looks like the mix of Strike game and Sub-Terraria (which is not surprising, because it was done by the same guys). At the first glance gameplay is basic - you fly around, blowing up targets, picking up ammo, but actually the formula was improved in many ways: damage now affects copter - you can lose radar, ammunition and such. Also sometimes you complete missions on foot. And these sections was very well done too. You definetly should check out the intro - it will blow your mind.
Revenge of Shinobi (The)	Platformer	A 16-bit sequel to the arcade/Master System classic. Joe Musashi is back with more moves, more ninja magic, and more enemies. Departs from the original in that it is more straight forward with only Joe's girlfriend being the only hostage you have to save. Unfortunately, Joe's got some tough competition: enemy ninjas, disco dancers, a brain in a tank guarded by lasers, ninja nuns, a kabuki master, and (depending on the version you play) Batman, Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, The Terminator and Godzilla.
Rings of Power	RPG	A very unique game for a console. Here we have a giant open world, nonlinear quests, hundreds of NPCs, tons of text and a good lore. Sometimes it's really hard to say what to do next. So if you want to beat this game you should obtain some walkthrough. But even if you end up wandering and exploring Ushka Bau you still will have a good time. (Framerate and sound are pretty limited though).
Ristar	Platformer	Ristar uses his stretchy arms to swing, climb, swim, lift and throw his way through stages. They are also used to tackle and rocket at enemies and bosses. Features very surreal stages, but pleasant music. Despite being simple, the game is a bit tough, yet manages to be quite creative with its level design as well, making for quite the experience. Feels similar to Sonic (in a good way), and that's no coincidence, it was made by Sonic Team. Homaged by Sonic as the Werehog in Sonic Unleashed.
Road Rash	Racing	Racing on a bike, smacking people in the face and rocking out to nice music. PRO TIP: Get the club to go DONKEY KONG ON YOUR OPONENTS
Road Rash 2	Racing	Same as above, nearly. A third game was released as well; it's basically the same. PRO TIP:This time get the chain for MASSIVE DAMAGE!
Rocket Knight Adventures	Action / Platformer / Shoot 'em Up	A fun platformer with lots of speedy platforming, but lots of action as well. You play as Sparkster, an opossum knight with a sword (that shoots laser waves) and a jetpack to fly around with. Awesome. He was meant to be Konami's "animals with 'tude" mascot of the 90's, but unlike all those hacks (except Sonic of course), he wasn't a stupid asshole, and his game was actually brilliant (although the mind behind Contra always helps). Most stages are action/platforming, but it has a few shmup sequences too. A must have Genesis classic!
Robocop vs Terminator	Action	What if we combine two most iconic characters of 80's in one game? We get the game that kicks ass! Gore, lots of enemies, nice visual style, tough boss fights, you have it all here. Sad part is that you won't be able to play as the Terminator, but being best cop in Detroit is still cool. Only one downside is music - main theme gets annoying too fast.
Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi	Platformer	Came out after Revenge below but isn't a direct sequel. Game mechanics are more like the original arcade game, as you're out to save hostages and you can only take one hit, so beware! Don't worry, in addition to your ninja magic, blade, and shurikens, you have a new weapon - your trusty dog! Sick him on your enemies to set up easy kills and rescues. Fun Fact: In the Japanese version you're the biological son of Joe Musashi, while in the English localization you ARE Joe Musashi. Look at that badass dog.
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master	Platformer	If you thought Joe couldn't get more pimp, you thought wrong. He's back and decked out with even MORE skills and even cooler and crazier levels, including horseback asskicking and a surfing level that would make Snake Plissken proud. Some prefer the slower pace of Revenge, with Yuzo's music, but this is good if you want a fresh blast of a ninja kicking ass.
Super Fantasy Zone	Shoot 'em Up	Fantasy Zone sequel that stays true to the series roots. Beautiful music, colorful graphics, buying loads of power-ups, and the classic cheap deaths everywhere. Mega Drive only, so get a Game Genie or something!
Shadowrun	Action RPG	Another game with this weird 'Aladdin' effect. But gameplay of the Sega version of Shadowrun is VERY different from the SNES version. Anyway, it's a sandbox action RPG on the Genesis. You can hack cyberspace, you can be shaman, and more importantly you can just kill people on the street. There's a big city populated with a decent number of henchmen to aid you, and a myriad of interesting quests. It's generally considered the closest video game adaptation of the Pen and Paper Shadowrun RPG to date. So go and give it a try. RIGHT NOW.
Snow Bros	Platformer	Oddly, it's even more expensive than the NES Snow Bros. Has the same great music and horrible graphics of the arcade game! Like the NES game, you shoot ice at your enemies, turn them into cool bowling balls, and try to get a "Strike" in every level by steamrolling every foe. It's quite similar to Bubble Bobble, and arguably better. Very accurate to the arcade.
Shining Force	Tactical RPG	Arguably, Sega's answer to Fire Emblem. Both have units with different stats, classes, abilities, and promotions. However, Shining Force has out-of-battle exploration of towns and battlefields to stock up and meet new allies, instead of everything done mid-battle. This has harder odds at times, but is more forgiving as there's no perma-death. The Shining series has great music, decent visuals, and a unique flair that's been spun-off into other games and genres under the its name. This also had a vastly improved remake on the Game Boy Advance.
Shining Force II	Tactical RPG	This is even longer than the first! Exploration has a stronger role with some more freedom. Some classes have alternate promotion options as well. The soundtrack variety is not as strong as the first, and some of the more chatty characters are a little annoying, but the gameplay is much improved, including the difficulty. Not to mention the visuals are vastly superior to the previous games and are some of the best on the whole system. This later had a Game Gear prequel, Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict, that ties some loose ends between this and SF1 (and hints at Shining in the Darkness).
Shining in the Darkness	RPG	Dungeon crawler that started 'Shining' franchise. Visuals really aren't the series best, though they display the well-known whimsical fantasy in character and monster designs. Not so hard for a crawler, but the mazes are somehow complicated, challenging, and have a number of secrets to find. Has some really cool music as well, though the normal battle theme can get annoying. A spiritual sequel/spinoff, Shining the Holy Ark was released on Sega Saturn and is also pretty good.
Sonic the Hedgehog	Platformer	Awesome, fast platforming. Classic Sonic. Re-released on nearly every console since the Saturn. The Game Gear/Master System games of the Sonic series that share the same names are different games, but also good.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2	Platformer	Added the spin dash and became slightly faster. The best of the 2D Sonic games in most opinions. Adds a second player, Tails, for co-op and competitive multiplayer.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3	Platformer	The debut of Knuckles and, when combined with Sonic & Knuckles, the pinnacle of the series. Features the hardest level select code ever. Protip: For a certain platform in Carnival Night Zone, up and down on the D-pad can save your life. Curiously, a few songs in 3 change when the S+K lock-on is used!
Sonic & Knuckles	Platformer	Combines with Sonic 3 to make one of the best platformers ever. A good game in its own right, though; Tails is not included (unless combined with 3)! Can also be combined with the original Sonic and Sonic 2, the latter of which adds Knuckles into the game. The former unlocks a huge extended Blue Sphere mode.
Sonic Spinball	Pinball	Honestly fun kind of game. The concept of sonic being in a pinball game seems rather obvious because he's in a fucking ball all of the god dammned time. Ported to various collections. Fells like it deserves an arcade port honestly. CLUCK ALERT!
Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2	Action / Platformer / Shoot 'em Up	The sequel to Rocket Knight Adventures, Sparkster got a wild new hairdo and is ready to come back and kick some ass. Everything great about the first is here, but has been improved. Level designs are more extravagant, the graphics are better, and the jetpack is much more accessible. A must-have sequel to a must-have Genesis classic. Sparkster has the Aladdin syndrome: there's two games on opposite consoles with the same name and cover art, but are two different titles (aka go look up Sparkster in the SNES section). Both are different, great games, so get em' both! The spiritual sequel released on XBLA/PSN, but is a bit different.
Splatterhouse 2	Beat 'em Up	The gory, horror themed beat 'em up is back! Rick has to go back to the haunted house to beat the shit out of more ghosts, zombies, and aliens in the most gruesome manner to save his girlfriend. Fuck yeah!
Splatterhouse 3	Beat 'em Up	The third and final chapter in the original Splatterhouse saga. Rick and Jen got married and had a kid, but the damn cursed mask draws Rick back to the house. Is a more traditional beat 'em up compared to the previous Splatterhouse games. Also has some disturbing as hell endings. NTSC only, Sorry Eurobros.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Echoes From The Past	Adventure	Being a kid in the mid-90's who watched the original run of TNG this was a must have game. Just look at that goddamn box art, how badass is that? You kinda play this headless entity who commands the crew of the Enterprise. The bulk of the action occurs on away missions, which consists of sending members of the main crew or redshirts down to planets to solve puzzles or phaser shit. You can also fly the enterprise from destination to destination and have random encounters with enemy ships. The game has a lot of interesting filler, like being able to access the computer and learn about the universe, and you can travel to hundreds of stars and scan stuff. This game is also on the SNES but slightly different as it was made by another company. There's also a PC version which is entirely different.
Stimpy's Invention	Platformer	Ren and Stimpy need to make an invention together, and they traverse across the motherfucking world to get the parts. Art done by Doug Tenaple of Earthworm Jim fame, as well as some cassic Ren and Stimpy humor and good platforming as well. If your a fan of the show, this is pretty loyal to it.
Streets of Rage	Beat 'em Up	The Streets of Rage series may not be the first, but it is one of the best. Each entry has a choice of characters, each with unique stats. Not to mention each one has Yuzo Koshiro working on music. The first entry is a bit basic, but it manages to provide a solid foundation. There's not too many skills to use, but it does let you call for bazooka support from the local police.
Streets of Rage 2	Beat 'em Up	Arguably the best of the three entries. Features new moves, two new characters, better visuals, better tunes, better control, better enemies, better bosses, etc. This is one game for Sega's 16-bit baby that you don't want to miss. As you can guess, having multiplayer is a huge plus and provides large quantities of high quality fun.
Streets of Rage 3	Beat 'em Up	The gameplay of this entry is a bit different from previous entries, and for the most part, it's a bit more refined. However, many players will agree that it just lacks the magic that made SoR2 so exemplary. You'll have to play it to see what they mean. Whether it's the music, the new characters, and/or anything else that feels off is up to you. (Some people argue that this is due to the fact that the player's attacks lack priority, essentially making you feel helpless against the enemies) Like SoR2, the Japanese version has altered difficulty, and a better story (A patch does exist to fix this for the American version).
Strider	Action / Platformer	An arcade port done right. You are a "strider" destroying commie forces. The main hero has cool hair and a big sword, which slices communist scum like a knife goes through bread, so you have no excuse not to play this game. 8MEGA MEMORY!
Sub-Terrania	Shoot 'em Up	What? A shmup which plays like an adventure? And has a decent storyline? Sign me up! This game is for those who tired to be l33t MEGA SUPER STAR DESTROYER. So you are a pilot of a prototype space ship and your mission is to counter attack aliens on a little planet far away from Earth. Controls are somewhat unusual but if you play for a bit you'll grow used to them. Every level has a briefing so you will know what to do. This is an undiscovered gem and you should try it. The team also made Red Zone, a game that pushed the Mega Drive to it's limits and beyond! The team would later form IO Interactive, the guys behind Hitman.
Sylvester and Tweety in Cagey Capers	Platformer	A really good platformer based on Looney Tunes characters. Visuals and sound are very close to cartoon which is very impressive. Your main objective in this game is to capture Tweety from level to level. You can use your items buy pressing start and cycling needed item to Sylvester. Controls have slight inertion but you'll get used to it soon.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist	Beat'em Up	Yes, it's not an arcade port as TMNT IV on SNES, but it's something better - it's a half remix of arcade titles/ half complete new game about ninja turtles. This game features new levels, new bosses, more enemies on the screen and smarter AI. Add faster gameplay and more challenging fights than on snes and we have here a solid beat'em up. If you want more of the TMNT or just want to play a good game you should try it. Have fun kicking shredder ass with your buddy.
Thunder Force III	Shoot 'em Up	Thunder Force is Technosoft's amazing horizontal shmup series. Features multiple upgradable weapons which you can switch on the fly, options that have multiple settings, lush and colorful stages, wonderful soundtracks filled with that Technosoft flair. The stages are filled with enemies and enemy fire and the bosses will beat you down. Really nice use of the Genesis' sound chip.
Thunder Force IV	Shoot 'em Up	Released in the US as "Lightening Force" (wtf), this is possibly the hardest, grandest Thunder Force of the 16-bit games. You choose your stage order (unlike 3, where you just chose the first stage), and every stage is gorgeous, filled with enemies, and absolutely colossal. This follows the usual weapon system, but you also get a powerful laser cannon later on. Oh yeah and this game also made the sound chip do naughty, sexy things. Beautiful soundtrack.
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure	Platformer	Very well done platformer by Konami, so you know it was in good hands. One of the better looking games for the Genesis, and it's Tiny Toons!
Toejam & Earl	Adventure	Travel through a twisted version of earth in order to repair your broken space ship and find your way home. Has a number of roguelike features, such as the option to play with randomly generated items and levels, but is not really an RPG. Features two-player co-op. Earl is a Weiner.
Toejam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron	Platformer	A bit more streamlined than the original as you're now restricted to a more platformer-esque planes of movement and stages are more set in stone. The action is faster and controls better to make up for this.Your purpose now is to capture earthlings stowaways from the first game. Do this by throwing jars at them. Also features a hard item hunt for the true ending. Features Co-op just like the first game. The third game was released on Xbox (Which is a censored version of the canned Dreamcast original). You'll want to avoid that game though.
True Lies	Run 'n Gun	Based on the movie, this is a top down shooter with Arnold Schwarzenegger. This game actually follows plot of the movie. Roll around, kill everyone with uzi. And you can use landmines and flamethrower too! And try not to kill civilians or it would lead to a mission failure. There's no erotic dancing though.
Truxton	Shoot 'em Up	One of the earliest games on the Genesis and also one of the best. Immensely difficult, known to make even those hardcore bullet hell fanatics cry. (Though thankfully, this version just so happens to be the easiest compared to the arcade/TG-16 ones.) If you've ever played and enjoyed Raiden, pay your respects to the game that inspired the series. You'll even see a prototype of the toothpaste laser!
Twinkle Tale	Run 'n Gun	One of the most gorgeous and underrated titles on the Genesis, only released in Japan. Despite her size she just SPRINTS through those nine vibrantly detailed levels, exploring tons of branching paths and side rooms with goodies to collect. Bomb pick-ups just rain from the goddamn sky, so you'd do well to exhaust your stock on each challenging midboss and boss. It can get hard but you're more than equipped to take on the enemy hordes. Just look at that cover art, she wants NO trouble.
Urban Strike	Shooter	And again only one chopper can save the whole world. Now there are even more action and more enemies to kill! Sometimes you play even on foot, but some levels are not as good as in Jungle Strike. The last really good one, two PS1 titles are just mediocre in every way. Stick with genesis version and you should be fine, soldier.
Vectorman	Platformer / Run 'n Gun	You are a pile of balls who shoots energy balls at robots. Freakin' sweet. Also, some morph power-ups to change shape into different forms.
Vectorman 2	Platformer / Run 'n Gun	Same as above. Can't get enough balls! Has some neat morphs as well.
Wonder Boy in Monster World	Metroidvania	Fairly forgotten title from the earlier days of the Genesis/Mega Drive. Sequel to Wonder Boy III: Dragon's Trap, this game has charming colorful graphics and solid gameplay with upgradable armor & weapons; not to mention helpers along the way.
World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck	Platformer	A single sequel to two different games: Castle of Illusion and QuackShot - now that's something unusual. When playing solo, Mickey or Donald play the levels in different order, with altered layouts. When playing together, both players must cooperate in order to get past certain obstacles. The levels are massive, the graphics and sounds are stunning, and the gameplay is tight!
X-Men 2 - Clone Wars	Action \ Beat'em up	It's one of this visual gorgeous games that came out in 1995, when the death of Mega Drive was near. It pains me to think that not so many gamers saw this beaty. It's so long, so hard, so stunning, it's one of the best X-men games out there. There are 6 heroes to command, each of them has unique skills (pick Wolverine, Gambit or Cyclops for the win). Has 'Cold start' which is very unique for its time - the first level just starts with no title screen and you begin playing. Awesome.
Zero Tolerance	FPS	An FPS, on the Genesis? Yes, there are a few, and Zero Tolerance is the best. This game has an amount of depth that surpasses even some recent games of the genre: vast and complex maps, non-linear progression, and unique non-combat items.
Zero Wing	Shoot 'em Up	It's Zero Wing, you know how this shit goes already. What some people don't realize is that there's actually a pretty decent shoot 'em up once you finally get a hold of your laughter and press start at the title screen. Slightly better than the arcade version due to the fact you can actually kill that base stealing asshole CATS and end the game properly instead of looping indefinitely.

Genesis does what Nintendon't.