Tasha’s Top 20 Best Sega Genesis Games
My personal list of the Greatest Sega Genesis Games of All-Time
By: Tasha
Published: 24 April 2020, 5:02 pm
Hello, and welcome to Tasha’s Top 20 Sega Genesis Games! Now, this is entirely opinion based, so try not to hate on me too hard if you dislike my picks or believe I missed a good one. Just drop me a comment on Twitter or Facebook and let me know what you would have liked to have on the list.
10. Landstalker: Treasure of King Nole
I had actually forgotten about this one until I was reminded of it. I was actually terrible at it at first, but I persisted and found a game I really liked. Looking back, little dude resembles Link quite a bit, but I digress. You are treasure hunter Nigel on a noble quest to help a little fairy, Friday. And get rich while he’s at it. Friday is being hounded by bandits looking for King Nole’s treasure, the location of which she knows. In true RPG fashion, you gotta hack and slash your way through monsters to uncover the treasure before the bandits do. This was among the early RPGs that helped me fall in love with the genre as a whole.
9. Golden Axe
Coming out the year after Altered Beast hit the Genesis is my next pick, Golden Axe. Golden Axe has a gameplay style similar to the much later released Streets of Rage with a fantasy backdrop. The titular Golden Axe has been stolen by an evil dude who also kidnapped the king and princess. Choosing between a barbarian, amazon, or dwarf, you set out on your epic quest to kick evil’s butt and get back that axe. With your weapon in hand and your trusty mount (which varies with the character), you can hack, slash, tail whip, and fire breathe your way to victory. Each hero also has access to their own type of magic, which can damage every enemy currently on the screen. The enemy variety and the challenge of the game are just part of the reason I still love and play this one. It only has a special place in my heart, and I think it’s a keeper.
8. Comix Zone
Comix Zone graced the Sega in 1995 and still gets some serious playtime with me. Putting you in the shoes of shoulder rat having comic book artist, Sketch Turner, you are trapped inside your own comic by an evil character who wants to be real. The only way for him to become real is to kill you, but he can only do it in his own fictional realm. Hopping and tearing between panels, you must destroy the freaky enemies, some of which the bad guy keeps drawing in to defeat you. You can beat them to a pulp (sorry, bad paper joke) and can also find knives, explosives, health potions, and other helpful items hidden around the panels. Many of the panels give you a choice in which direction you want to proceed and will offer different challenges. Get ready for some 90’s jokes and bad puns in this comic book free for all.
7. Mortal Kombat
Now, I would be surprised to find someone who has never played Mortal Kombat. Even now, we make terrible jokes about Scorpion’s catchphrase, “Get over here!” This was one of the first games I recall having a lot of blood and gore, and many of my friends could not believe my parents let me play it. For those (seriously strange) few who don’t know, Mortal Kombat is a fighting game with a host of human, cyborg, and monster characters to play as or go up against. The general premise of the game is that you must fight your way through the ranks in a deathmatch to come out victorious. The finishing moves in this game are some of the most brutal to ever grace the gaming scene. With my personal favorite being spine removal perpetrated by the badass in blue, Sub-zero. This violent fighting thrill ride is still top of its game in the fighting genre.
6. Contra: Hard Corps (aka Probotector)
This is another one that takes me back to my childhood. My dad and I used to play this game together all the time. It was one of the few games we bonded over since we have such different game tastes. This was one of the first shooters that I fell absolutely in love with. I still play this one as well. If you are a fan of destruction and explosions, Contra is for you. This action-packed shoot-em-up is one that definitely stands the test of time and still gets your adrenaline pumping. There are various weapons you can unlock with powerups as well as many different kinds of enemies to face off with. Enemies come at you from the ground, from the air, on motorcycles, and several other modes of transportation, so you better keep your finger on the trigger. Choosing from one of four playable characters that make up the Hard Corps, two humans, a small robot, and a wolfman, every playthrough can be a different experience. Contra is a nonstop thrill ride that begs to be played and appreciated.