Frustrated by the lack of success following the launch of their 8-bit Master System console in America, as well as their continued struggles against rival Nintendo in the Japanese home console market, Sega quickly began working on their next iteration of gaming hardware. During this time frame, another contender entered the arena - - Japanese computer company NEC, with their PC Engine (the Japanese counterpart to what would eventually be released in North America as the TurboGrafx-16). This would prompt Sega to incorporate a 16-bit CPU into their specs, as well a to focus their design on closely modelling the architecture of their popular System 16 arcade hardware.
In contrast to Nintendo's strategy, the external appearance of Sega's new console would be designed to appeal to a more mature audience. To that end, the console's design would be inspired by, and specifically modeled to resemble, a high-end CD player (which, at the time, was still an increasingly popular luxury device); to the point that it would even end up including a volume slider and headphone jack. While Sega would dub the console the "Mega Drive" in most other regions, Sega of America chairman, David Rosen, would change its moniker to "Genesis" for the North American market, as he thought it sounded better and wanted the system to represent a new beginning for Sega.
Sega would officially launch their Genesis/Mega Drive console in the fall of 1989, in Japan, and then on September 15th, 1989, in North America (following a limited test release, a month prior). While the Mega Drive would fail to achieve much additional success for Sega in the Japanese market, the North American Genesis would prove to be quite a different story. As a result of Sega successfully beating NEC's TurboGrafx-16 and Nintendo's 16-bit Super Nintendo to market, in addition to a brilliant and relentless marketing campaign, Sega was able to not only gain the lead in the 16-bit console race, but hold on to it for the majority of its duration.
Of course, the success of any game console is always largely dependent on the size and quality of its library of titles, and the Genesis most definitely did not disappoint on that front. Between legendary arcade ports, outstanding third-party fare, and some of the greatest sports titles of all time, the Genesis arguably boasted on of the greatest libraries in gaming history. It took some doing, but we have managed to whittle their impressively large list of hits down to just 12 of the greatest to ever grace the console; which we proudly present to you without further ado:
In contrast to Nintendo's strategy, the external appearance of Sega's new console would be designed to appeal to a more mature audience. To that end, the console's design would be inspired by, and specifically modeled to resemble, a high-end CD player (which, at the time, was still an increasingly popular luxury device); to the point that it would even end up including a volume slider and headphone jack. While Sega would dub the console the "Mega Drive" in most other regions, Sega of America chairman, David Rosen, would change its moniker to "Genesis" for the North American market, as he thought it sounded better and wanted the system to represent a new beginning for Sega.
Sega would officially launch their Genesis/Mega Drive console in the fall of 1989, in Japan, and then on September 15th, 1989, in North America (following a limited test release, a month prior). While the Mega Drive would fail to achieve much additional success for Sega in the Japanese market, the North American Genesis would prove to be quite a different story. As a result of Sega successfully beating NEC's TurboGrafx-16 and Nintendo's 16-bit Super Nintendo to market, in addition to a brilliant and relentless marketing campaign, Sega was able to not only gain the lead in the 16-bit console race, but hold on to it for the majority of its duration.
Of course, the success of any game console is always largely dependent on the size and quality of its library of titles, and the Genesis most definitely did not disappoint on that front. Between legendary arcade ports, outstanding third-party fare, and some of the greatest sports titles of all time, the Genesis arguably boasted on of the greatest libraries in gaming history. It took some doing, but we have managed to whittle their impressively large list of hits down to just 12 of the greatest to ever grace the console; which we proudly present to you without further ado:
Altered Beast (SEGA, 1989)
In 1988 and '89, Sega released two big action titles that took the arcades by storm, Altered Beast and Golden Axe. Both would also receive pretty excellent ports for the Sega Genesis. While the fantasy beat 'em up, Golden Axe, wouldn't grace Sega's new 16-bit console until early 1990 in the West, Altered Beast would be released as a launch title.
Its popularity in the arcades actually led Sega to make Altered Beast a pack-in title in the West. As such, the game would become the first big hit for the console. A sort of hybrid platformer/beat 'em up with an epic Greek setting, Altered Beast was famous for its memorable lines delivered via digitized voices, and for its unique power-up system; allowing the hero character to progressively bulk up, and then transform into various powerful "altered beasts", over the course of the game.
Its popularity in the arcades actually led Sega to make Altered Beast a pack-in title in the West. As such, the game would become the first big hit for the console. A sort of hybrid platformer/beat 'em up with an epic Greek setting, Altered Beast was famous for its memorable lines delivered via digitized voices, and for its unique power-up system; allowing the hero character to progressively bulk up, and then transform into various powerful "altered beasts", over the course of the game.
John Madden Football (Electronic Arts, 1990)
As a part of his initiative to make the Genesis competitive with Nintendo's console(s) in North America, (then) Sega of America CEO, Michael Katz, decided that the company should strive to set the console apart with an incredible lineup of sports titles, all featuring some of the great athletes and coaches of the day. Lacking the resources at the time to develop a football game, themselves, Sega of America opted to contract the job out, first to Mediagenic/Activision, and then to Electronic Arts. Electronic Arts accepted the job, despite the fact that they were already in the midst of creating their own Genesis football title, which they had no intention of shelving on Sega's behalf.
As a result, their Sega title, Joe Montana Football, essentially became an intentionally watered-down version of their more superior offering, John Madden Football. The Sega game would also end up missing its critically important targeted release window leading into the 1990 Christmas season. A window which EA's own game would just so happen to hit. Ultimately though, EA's game would arguably do more for Katz's initiative than Sega's own lineup of sports titles ever could.
Although the game didn't include all the teams in the NFL at the time, or even the actual team names - - of which it lacked the licenses for - - its somewhat unique-angled, overhead perspective, excellent graphics, and plethora of options were all very well received by fans and critics at the time. Upon release, John Madden Football would prove to be a massive hit for both Electronic Arts and the Sega Genesis, selling well beyond EA's wildest expectations. The success of the game would inspire Electronic Arts to branch out into several additional sports as well, with them often releasing those titles on the Genesis first, further serving to bolster the console's already growing reputation among sports game enthusiasts. The Madden series, meanwhile, would soon after morph into the fully-licensed, annually released, multiplatform juggernaut that we all know and love today.
As a result, their Sega title, Joe Montana Football, essentially became an intentionally watered-down version of their more superior offering, John Madden Football. The Sega game would also end up missing its critically important targeted release window leading into the 1990 Christmas season. A window which EA's own game would just so happen to hit. Ultimately though, EA's game would arguably do more for Katz's initiative than Sega's own lineup of sports titles ever could.
Although the game didn't include all the teams in the NFL at the time, or even the actual team names - - of which it lacked the licenses for - - its somewhat unique-angled, overhead perspective, excellent graphics, and plethora of options were all very well received by fans and critics at the time. Upon release, John Madden Football would prove to be a massive hit for both Electronic Arts and the Sega Genesis, selling well beyond EA's wildest expectations. The success of the game would inspire Electronic Arts to branch out into several additional sports as well, with them often releasing those titles on the Genesis first, further serving to bolster the console's already growing reputation among sports game enthusiasts. The Madden series, meanwhile, would soon after morph into the fully-licensed, annually released, multiplatform juggernaut that we all know and love today.
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (SEGA, 1990)
In 1989, Capcom released a platform game based on Disney's hit animated television show, DuckTales. The game was developed by much of the same talent that had created Mega Man 2, one of the greatest video games of all time. Unsurprisingly, DuckTales was also incredibly good.
Clearly, somebody at Sega took notice, because in 1990, they released their own Disney platformer for the Genesis. Though stylistically similar to DuckTales, Sega's game would swap Disney's vast assortment of duck characters for their most famous mice. In Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, you get to play as the big "M", himself, as he sets out on a quest to save his beloved Minnie from the clutches of an evil witch named Mizrabel.
Featuring excellent DuckTales-inspired gameplay paired with beautiful, impressively detailed graphics, thanks to the vastly superior 16-bit power of the Genesis, Castle of Illusion enjoyed a very positive reception upon release. The game would play a somewhat pivotal role as one of the sole high-quality family-friendly platformers to exist on the console during its earlier period (prior to the arrival of Sonic the Hedgehog). It also opened the door to the plethora of Disney games that would follow on the Genesis (and elsewhere), both Mickey-related, and otherwise.
Clearly, somebody at Sega took notice, because in 1990, they released their own Disney platformer for the Genesis. Though stylistically similar to DuckTales, Sega's game would swap Disney's vast assortment of duck characters for their most famous mice. In Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, you get to play as the big "M", himself, as he sets out on a quest to save his beloved Minnie from the clutches of an evil witch named Mizrabel.
Featuring excellent DuckTales-inspired gameplay paired with beautiful, impressively detailed graphics, thanks to the vastly superior 16-bit power of the Genesis, Castle of Illusion enjoyed a very positive reception upon release. The game would play a somewhat pivotal role as one of the sole high-quality family-friendly platformers to exist on the console during its earlier period (prior to the arrival of Sonic the Hedgehog). It also opened the door to the plethora of Disney games that would follow on the Genesis (and elsewhere), both Mickey-related, and otherwise.
Sonic the Hedgehog (SEGA, 1991)
In the late '80s, as Nintendo was dominating the home console market with their Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega was hoping to turn the tide with their new Sega Genesis console. One way they hoped to counter Nintendo's success was by coming up with their own iconic mascot that would rival Nintendo's beloved Mario character. After years of effort and an internal staff contest, a mascot was finally chosen. A speedy, spiky, Sega-blue hedgehog with attitude, featuring a face, body, and shoes, all inspired by world-famous characters such as Felix the Cat, Mickey Mouse, and even Santa Claus. A legend was born.
For the game, itself, the design was undertaken with action, speed, and simplicity in mind. Taking inspiration from Nintendo Superstar Shigeru Miyamoto's incredibly popular work, Sega programmer, Yuji Naka, strove to make the new game feel similar to Mario titles, but faster. The stage designs were influenced by everything from pop art, to Sega's biggest arcade hits, to the state of California.
By any measure, the staff at Sega accomplished their goal. Upon release, Sonic the Hedgehog became an instant smash hit and best-selling title, and even managed to outperform Nintendo's Mario games. Sega quickly made Sonic the Hedgehog the new pack-in title for the Genesis which actually led to it pretty handily outselling the just-released 16-bit Super Nintendo console throughout the entire final quarter of 1991.
Like Mario, Sonic quickly became a household name. Sega would launch an entire media and merchandising franchise around the character, which would eventually grow to include everything from toys, to comics, cartoon shows, and even big-budget theatrical films. Sega also, of course, would create dozens of fantastic Sonic the Hedgehog sequel and spin-off video games, for the Genesis and its two add-on peripherals, multiple other Sega devices, and even for the consoles of their eventual former rivals - - including Nintendo.
For the game, itself, the design was undertaken with action, speed, and simplicity in mind. Taking inspiration from Nintendo Superstar Shigeru Miyamoto's incredibly popular work, Sega programmer, Yuji Naka, strove to make the new game feel similar to Mario titles, but faster. The stage designs were influenced by everything from pop art, to Sega's biggest arcade hits, to the state of California.
By any measure, the staff at Sega accomplished their goal. Upon release, Sonic the Hedgehog became an instant smash hit and best-selling title, and even managed to outperform Nintendo's Mario games. Sega quickly made Sonic the Hedgehog the new pack-in title for the Genesis which actually led to it pretty handily outselling the just-released 16-bit Super Nintendo console throughout the entire final quarter of 1991.
Like Mario, Sonic quickly became a household name. Sega would launch an entire media and merchandising franchise around the character, which would eventually grow to include everything from toys, to comics, cartoon shows, and even big-budget theatrical films. Sega also, of course, would create dozens of fantastic Sonic the Hedgehog sequel and spin-off video games, for the Genesis and its two add-on peripherals, multiple other Sega devices, and even for the consoles of their eventual former rivals - - including Nintendo.
Streets of Rage (SEGA, 1991)
In 1989, acclaimed video game maker, Capcom, released a fantastic new beat 'em up title that would quickly take the arcades of the world by storm. That title, of course, was Final Fight. In light of the game's incredible popularity, it wasn't long before Capcom began work on a Super Nintendo port.
Sega, not yet having formed any kind of relationship with Capcom, didn't want to be left out in the cold; and so, decided to take matters into their own hands. Their solution, Streets of Rage (Bare Knuckle, in Japan), a beat 'em up of their own design, meant to rival Capcom's SNES-exclusive Final Fight port. Except Streets of Rage didn't just rival the Nintendo version of Final Fight, it left it doubled over, lying in the gutter.
Like Final Fight, Streets of Rage was heavily inspired by some of the greatest and grittiest street films of the '70s and '80s. But Streets of Rage took this inspiration to another level entirely, to the point where it practically felt like an awesome '80s movie in its own right. This effect was only strengthened by the games absolutely epic, synth-heavy soundtrack courtesy of the now-legendary programmer/composer, Yuzo Koshiro. It also didn't help Nintendo much that Capcom's SNES port failed to retain the fantastic two-player co-op gameplay of the hit arcade version; a key feature that Streets of Rage just so happened to also offer.
As a result, Streets of Rage was incredibly well-received by critics and gamers alike. The game would quickly become a best-seller for the Genesis and, along with 1992's equally-fantastic sequel, Streets of Rage 2, become another must-have addition to Sega's rapidly growing library of hits. While a pretty outstanding co-op capable version of Final Fight would eventually make its way to the Genesis Sega CD add-on in 1993, thanks to Streets of Rage, its arrival represented more of a welcome bonus for Sega and its fans, as opposed to a long-awaited, key title.
Sega, not yet having formed any kind of relationship with Capcom, didn't want to be left out in the cold; and so, decided to take matters into their own hands. Their solution, Streets of Rage (Bare Knuckle, in Japan), a beat 'em up of their own design, meant to rival Capcom's SNES-exclusive Final Fight port. Except Streets of Rage didn't just rival the Nintendo version of Final Fight, it left it doubled over, lying in the gutter.
Like Final Fight, Streets of Rage was heavily inspired by some of the greatest and grittiest street films of the '70s and '80s. But Streets of Rage took this inspiration to another level entirely, to the point where it practically felt like an awesome '80s movie in its own right. This effect was only strengthened by the games absolutely epic, synth-heavy soundtrack courtesy of the now-legendary programmer/composer, Yuzo Koshiro. It also didn't help Nintendo much that Capcom's SNES port failed to retain the fantastic two-player co-op gameplay of the hit arcade version; a key feature that Streets of Rage just so happened to also offer.
As a result, Streets of Rage was incredibly well-received by critics and gamers alike. The game would quickly become a best-seller for the Genesis and, along with 1992's equally-fantastic sequel, Streets of Rage 2, become another must-have addition to Sega's rapidly growing library of hits. While a pretty outstanding co-op capable version of Final Fight would eventually make its way to the Genesis Sega CD add-on in 1993, thanks to Streets of Rage, its arrival represented more of a welcome bonus for Sega and its fans, as opposed to a long-awaited, key title.
Road Rash (Electronic Arts, 1991)
While in its earliest days, Sega's 16-bit console was notable for bringing home their phenomenal arcade racing title, Super Hang-On (much like their 8-bit Master System did for the original Hang-On), an arguably even better motorcycle game would race on to the Genesis less than two years later. Though it featured graphics and music on par with Sega's Super Hang-On, Road Rash - - another 16-bit game changer courtesy of the talented creators at Electronic Arts - - was more than just about winning. Featuring a bike shop, in addition to more challenging terrain, crazier road hazards, and a better variety of stages, not to mention the banging soundtrack (not that Super Hang-On's wasn't pretty awesome as well), Road Rash primarily set itself apart with the ability to engage in hand-to-hand combat with other riders and/or even the authorities, while in the midst of racing.
Upon release, Road Rash was a massive hit, becoming EA's most profitable game up to that point. It would spawn two additional, equally awesome follow-up titles on the Genesis, and still another for the Genesis Sega CD add-on (in addition to other disc-based consoles). Sadly, the series has since been all but abandoned following its lackluster last release, Road Rash: Jailbreak, in the early 2000s. Hopefully, one day, EA will see fit to get it back up and running again; or, at least, release a compilation or something. Road Rash has been out of the race for far too long.
Upon release, Road Rash was a massive hit, becoming EA's most profitable game up to that point. It would spawn two additional, equally awesome follow-up titles on the Genesis, and still another for the Genesis Sega CD add-on (in addition to other disc-based consoles). Sadly, the series has since been all but abandoned following its lackluster last release, Road Rash: Jailbreak, in the early 2000s. Hopefully, one day, EA will see fit to get it back up and running again; or, at least, release a compilation or something. Road Rash has been out of the race for far too long.
Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar (Technosoft, 1993)
In addition to Altered Beast, one of the other fantastic titles that was available for the launch of the Sega Genesis was a mixed-view shoot 'em up called thunder Force II. Sequel to an obscure 1983 Japan-exclusive multi-directional computer shmup, developer Technosoft decided to supplement the multidirectional overhead gameplay with more traditional side-scrolling stages for the second installment. The game was fairly-well received and, by the time their outstanding third installment was release, a year later, they had dropped the mutidirectional gameplay entirely.
Thunder Force III was even better-received than the second installment and featured some of the best graphcis and side-scrolling action yet seen on the Genesis. Though its high level of difficulty would be a sore point for some, it seemed unlikely that the game would ever be topped. In 1993, however, Technosoft did just that, with what would be the final Genesis installment to the series.
Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar (or Thunder Force IV, as it was known outside of North America) would arguably be the best-looking title to ever grace the Sega Genesis, even managing to surpass the visual splendor of the previous installment. In addition, it featured the same top-notch gameplay of Thunder Force III, but this time around with a much more balanced challenge. It is for these reasons that Lightening Force is often regarded, to this day, as one of, if not the greatest shoot 'em up, of all time - - side-scrolling or otherwise, and on the Genesis or anywhere else.
Thunder Force III was even better-received than the second installment and featured some of the best graphcis and side-scrolling action yet seen on the Genesis. Though its high level of difficulty would be a sore point for some, it seemed unlikely that the game would ever be topped. In 1993, however, Technosoft did just that, with what would be the final Genesis installment to the series.
Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar (or Thunder Force IV, as it was known outside of North America) would arguably be the best-looking title to ever grace the Sega Genesis, even managing to surpass the visual splendor of the previous installment. In addition, it featured the same top-notch gameplay of Thunder Force III, but this time around with a much more balanced challenge. It is for these reasons that Lightening Force is often regarded, to this day, as one of, if not the greatest shoot 'em up, of all time - - side-scrolling or otherwise, and on the Genesis or anywhere else.
Shining Force (SEGA, 1993)
Sequel to the 1991 RPG hit, Shining in the Darkness, Shining Force switched things up a bit by trading in the more traditional turn-based dungeon-crawler gameplay of the original for grid-based tactical gameplay similar to that of Nintendo's (then) Japan-exclusive Fire Emblem series. As such, Shining Force was notable (along with Master of Monsters and Warsong) for being one of the first tactical RPGs to ever be released for a Western console. Shining Force was also unique in that it combined that tactical gameplay with more traditional JRPG elements, while still maintaining an aesthetic that was strongly reminiscent of Shining in the Darkness. Shining Force would become a fairly big hit for Sega and be followed by the equally fantastic Shining Force II, in 1994 (as well as additional sequels and spinoffs, over the many years since). Together, Shining Force I & II would go on to essentially popularize the tactical RPG genre in the West, in very much the same way that Fire Emblem did in the East.
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (SEGA, 1993)
Two of the better titles to be released by Sega during the early days of the Genesis were both follow-ups to their arcade and Master System hit, Shinobi. The Revenge of Shinobi and Shadow Dancer were each outstanding entries to the ninja platformer series that expanded on the mechanics and gameplay of the original quite nicely. But in 1993, Sega would deliver the greatest Shinobi title of them all.
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master featured better moves, more detailed graphics, and faster gameplay than ever before. The game was near universally praised by critics and fans with many considering it to be one of the greatest action titles to ever grace the Genesis. Sadly, quality Shinobi titles have been pretty few and far between in the decades since Return of the Ninja Master came out but the recently released, retro-inspired title, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, was certainly a welcome exception to that trend.
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master featured better moves, more detailed graphics, and faster gameplay than ever before. The game was near universally praised by critics and fans with many considering it to be one of the greatest action titles to ever grace the Genesis. Sadly, quality Shinobi titles have been pretty few and far between in the decades since Return of the Ninja Master came out but the recently released, retro-inspired title, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, was certainly a welcome exception to that trend.
Gunstar Heroes (Treasure, 1993)
The team that would come together to form the Japanese development studio Treasure, in 1992, was composed of former Konami employees that had worked on such massive hits as The Simpsons arcade game, Super Castlevania IV, and Contra III: The Alien Wars. Their debut title as the newly-formed developer would be Gunstar Heroes, a Genesis-exclusive action platformer, featuring mechanics and gameplay fairly similar to those of Contra III. The game, itself, was arguably the the main impetus for starting Treasure as the request to make it had been rejected when originally pitched at Konami. To their detriment, clearly, as not only Gunstar Heroes, but a number of future Treasure releases would all become highly-regarded, successful titles for the new company.
But Gunstar Heroes, in particular, was pretty phenomenal. The programmers worked tirelessly to make the game look as visually impressive as possible, experimenting with scaling and sprite rotation, utilizing various hardware tricks, and generally getting every last ounce of processing power possible out of the (even by then) still respectable 4-year-old Genesis hardware. The game also featured a unique weapon combination mechanic for added variety and fun.
Gunstar Heroes would be a massive success for Treasure, far exceeding their wildest hopes and expectations. The game would receive an overwhelming amount of praise from the gaming community and go on to win multiple end-of-year awards as well. It would also solidify Treasure as a force to be reckoned with, paving the way for the many outstanding titles that would follow, including their almost equally-good 1994 Genesis hit, Dynamite Headdy, as well as their fairly fantastic 2005 Game Boy Advance Gunstar Heroes sequel, Gunstar Super Heroes.
But Gunstar Heroes, in particular, was pretty phenomenal. The programmers worked tirelessly to make the game look as visually impressive as possible, experimenting with scaling and sprite rotation, utilizing various hardware tricks, and generally getting every last ounce of processing power possible out of the (even by then) still respectable 4-year-old Genesis hardware. The game also featured a unique weapon combination mechanic for added variety and fun.
Gunstar Heroes would be a massive success for Treasure, far exceeding their wildest hopes and expectations. The game would receive an overwhelming amount of praise from the gaming community and go on to win multiple end-of-year awards as well. It would also solidify Treasure as a force to be reckoned with, paving the way for the many outstanding titles that would follow, including their almost equally-good 1994 Genesis hit, Dynamite Headdy, as well as their fairly fantastic 2005 Game Boy Advance Gunstar Heroes sequel, Gunstar Super Heroes.
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Compile, 1993)
While one of the better puzzle games to appear on the Genesis was the popular 1990 Tetris-inspired, match-three title, Columns, Puyo Puyo was arguably more noteworthy. Particularly in retrospect. Though originally created for the MSX line of personal computers by talented Japanese developer, Compile, Puyo Puyo would later be brought by Sega, first to the arcade, and then to their Mega Drive console in pretty short order.
As the game was created by Compile, Puyo Puyo featured characters from another of their MSX titles, which has since become known in the West as "Sorcery Saga". Since this game/franchise was still unknown outside of Japan at the time, for the Western release of Puyo Puyo, Sega decided to replace most of the characters with those of their extremely popular Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Specifically, the then-running "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" animated television series. They also decided to drop the Japanese title, "Puyo Puyo", and instead release the game as "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine".
Despite the game's simple presentation and challenging difficulty, Mean Bean Machine proved to be an excellent, well-received addition to the Genesis library. The game was particularly praised for its colorful visuals, addictive gameplay, and welcome two-player mode. In the years following Mean Bean's release, the Puyo Puyo franchise has popped up on several occasions in the West - - first on the Nintendo GameCube, with the pretty fantastic and slightly-retitled arcade port, "Puyo Pop Fever"; and then much more recently, with the modern console releases of Puyo Puyo Champions, as well as the two Puyo Puyo Tetris spinoff/mashup titles. Although Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, may not have ever received any direct sequels, per se, the outstanding 2017 Genesis-inspired Sonic Mania game did happen to include a pretty iconic callback to the title, in the form of a Puyo Puyo boss battle between Sonic the Hedgehog and Dr. Eggman/Robotnik, himself.
As the game was created by Compile, Puyo Puyo featured characters from another of their MSX titles, which has since become known in the West as "Sorcery Saga". Since this game/franchise was still unknown outside of Japan at the time, for the Western release of Puyo Puyo, Sega decided to replace most of the characters with those of their extremely popular Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Specifically, the then-running "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" animated television series. They also decided to drop the Japanese title, "Puyo Puyo", and instead release the game as "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine".
Despite the game's simple presentation and challenging difficulty, Mean Bean Machine proved to be an excellent, well-received addition to the Genesis library. The game was particularly praised for its colorful visuals, addictive gameplay, and welcome two-player mode. In the years following Mean Bean's release, the Puyo Puyo franchise has popped up on several occasions in the West - - first on the Nintendo GameCube, with the pretty fantastic and slightly-retitled arcade port, "Puyo Pop Fever"; and then much more recently, with the modern console releases of Puyo Puyo Champions, as well as the two Puyo Puyo Tetris spinoff/mashup titles. Although Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, may not have ever received any direct sequels, per se, the outstanding 2017 Genesis-inspired Sonic Mania game did happen to include a pretty iconic callback to the title, in the form of a Puyo Puyo boss battle between Sonic the Hedgehog and Dr. Eggman/Robotnik, himself.
Castlevania: Bloodlines (Konami, 1994)
Though Treasure would beat Konami to the punch with a Contra-style game on the Genesis (and arguably do it better, as well), their 1994 release, Contra: Hard Corps, still made for a pretty fantastic addition to the Sega console's library. They would also release other phenomenal Genesis titles throughout much of the 16-bit system's run, such as Sunset Riders, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist, and Rocket Knight Adventures, to name a few. But there was one Konami Genesis title that stood above all others - - Castlevania: Bloodlines.
As the first Castlevania title to grace a Sega console (and the only one to do so in the West), Castlevania: Bloodlines would have been special even if it hadn't been one of the greatest games ever to hit the Genesis; thankfully though, it was that as well. Castlevania titles have long been praised for their top-notch soundtracks and Bloodlines did not break with tradition on this score. The game did manage to set itself apart a bit, however, with its faster gameplay, more graphic visuals, and for allowing players the choice of one of two different characters to play as from the start - - each with their own unique weapon and abilities.
Castlevania: Bloodlines was a hit with fans and critics alike and has even been compared very favorably to both of Konami's Super Nintendo Castlevania titles. A not so insignificant fact, considering that Nintendo often seemed to get the lion's share of Konami's attention in those days. While Bloodlines has never received a remake or a direct follow-up, it has been ported to modern consoles, via the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, and was also included (along with several other titles on this list) on the Sega Genesis Mini that was released in 2019.
As the first Castlevania title to grace a Sega console (and the only one to do so in the West), Castlevania: Bloodlines would have been special even if it hadn't been one of the greatest games ever to hit the Genesis; thankfully though, it was that as well. Castlevania titles have long been praised for their top-notch soundtracks and Bloodlines did not break with tradition on this score. The game did manage to set itself apart a bit, however, with its faster gameplay, more graphic visuals, and for allowing players the choice of one of two different characters to play as from the start - - each with their own unique weapon and abilities.
Castlevania: Bloodlines was a hit with fans and critics alike and has even been compared very favorably to both of Konami's Super Nintendo Castlevania titles. A not so insignificant fact, considering that Nintendo often seemed to get the lion's share of Konami's attention in those days. While Bloodlines has never received a remake or a direct follow-up, it has been ported to modern consoles, via the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, and was also included (along with several other titles on this list) on the Sega Genesis Mini that was released in 2019.
Though they took a bit of a beating with their Master System console, Sega learned from some of their missteps in the 8-bit battle with the seemingly unstoppable Nintendo Entertainment System. By beating their rival, Nintendo, to the punch in the 16-bit arena, however, Sega managed to gain a distinct advantage, as well as a sizable early lead, with their impressive Genesis console. They even managed to get the better of would-be upstart, NEC, and make their pseudo 16-bit TurboGrafx-16 look somewhat pathetic by comparison (at least, in North America). Sega also made sure to maintain protect their lead throughout the majority of the 16-bit era with a number of smart strategic moves.
Firstly, they made sure to play to their strengths by porting over some of their biggest arcade hits of the day. Then they invested heavily in making sure that the Genesis was the number one console for sports titles. They also launched an aggressive advertising campaign against NEC and Nintendo to make sure that everyone knew that the Genesis was cooler and better than their competitors' hardware. Lastly, they successfully created a new mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog, who would go on to rival Nintendo's main man, Mario, not only in terms of general popularity, but also in regards to the quality of his associated game titles.
As a result of these brilliant decision, NEC ended up removing themselves from the race early, and Nintendo was forced to play a very long and hard-fought game of catch up with their 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Some of Sega's choices during this period were a little more questionable, however, like the decision to divide their fan base with their comparatively less successful Genesis console add-ons, the Sega CD and the 32X. While these accessories also boasted a decent number of impressive and unique titles between them, they ultimately mostly served to confuse and/or frustrate their intended audience.
Sadly, the Genesis would represent the height of Sega's success in the home console market. Due to the combined effects of the stunningly inept launch of their overpriced Genesis successor console, the Saturn, and the entrance of hungry new market player, Sony - - with their far more affordable and consumer-friendly PlayStation console - - the 32-bit generation would be an unmitigated disaster for Sega. Sadly, despite coming back strong with a much more thoughtful and compelling option in their Saturn follow-up, Dreamcast, console, it would ultimately prove to be Sega's final flourish in the hardware market, once Sony's simply incomparable PlayStation 2 arrived on the scene. But Sega's status as a creator of some of the most legendary titles ever created has persevered, and recent years have actually seen a renewed focus on some of those same franchises that helped make their Genesis console the incredibly iconic success that it was.
Firstly, they made sure to play to their strengths by porting over some of their biggest arcade hits of the day. Then they invested heavily in making sure that the Genesis was the number one console for sports titles. They also launched an aggressive advertising campaign against NEC and Nintendo to make sure that everyone knew that the Genesis was cooler and better than their competitors' hardware. Lastly, they successfully created a new mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog, who would go on to rival Nintendo's main man, Mario, not only in terms of general popularity, but also in regards to the quality of his associated game titles.
As a result of these brilliant decision, NEC ended up removing themselves from the race early, and Nintendo was forced to play a very long and hard-fought game of catch up with their 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Some of Sega's choices during this period were a little more questionable, however, like the decision to divide their fan base with their comparatively less successful Genesis console add-ons, the Sega CD and the 32X. While these accessories also boasted a decent number of impressive and unique titles between them, they ultimately mostly served to confuse and/or frustrate their intended audience.
Sadly, the Genesis would represent the height of Sega's success in the home console market. Due to the combined effects of the stunningly inept launch of their overpriced Genesis successor console, the Saturn, and the entrance of hungry new market player, Sony - - with their far more affordable and consumer-friendly PlayStation console - - the 32-bit generation would be an unmitigated disaster for Sega. Sadly, despite coming back strong with a much more thoughtful and compelling option in their Saturn follow-up, Dreamcast, console, it would ultimately prove to be Sega's final flourish in the hardware market, once Sony's simply incomparable PlayStation 2 arrived on the scene. But Sega's status as a creator of some of the most legendary titles ever created has persevered, and recent years have actually seen a renewed focus on some of those same franchises that helped make their Genesis console the incredibly iconic success that it was.
[Images: SEGA, Electronic Arts, Technosoft, Treasure, Compile, Konami]
 | AJ Amideo |