On the Sega Genesis

[bluepotatosack]

Skitchin'! Think Road Rash. A violent race to the finish line through traffic where you can beat up on your opponents with weapons you find. Only, instead of motorcycles you're on rollerblades. Stick with me on this.

The reason rollerblades serve this type of game better than motorcycles is revealed through it's one of it's featured mechanics. Since there are cars and buses driving along with you, you can grab onto the back of them and slingshot off for a speed boost. Cop cars would also drive along and you could hitch a ride on them, too. You get a nice cash bonus for doing so, but if you stay on too long you get arrested. Risk vs. reward!
You also sometimes get 5 or 6 characters on the back of a single vehicle slugging it out. So you skate, and you hitch rides. Hence the title.

The whole thing is infused with an early '90's grunge aesthetic. Which includes the fantastic soundtrack.

The game is criminally underappreciated.


Other great Genesis games: Comix Zone, Shining Force II, Strider, Toe Jam 'n Earl, Gunstar Heroes

 

[stroopwafel]

Sonic 2 and Phantasy Star 4 were truly fantastic games on the Genesis/Megadrive. I owned a snes myself at the time and was kinda late to the Genesis party so I have the feeling I never really got to know the system. That's one of the great things about those Sega collection discs to find out all the great games you missed out on. Nintendo had some fantastic games as well though such as A Link to the Past and Super Metroid. Both companies were really at the top of their game during the 16-bit days.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Though I do hear the Saturn was the best controller for fighters, as far a standard ones go. Don't know for sure as I've never used it, since nobody I knew owned one.

Well, it kinda goes like this.

First there was the 3-button Genesis controller, which has a great d-pad. Your mileage may vary since it seem like you're much more used to Nintendo controllers, but the disk-shaped Sega d-pad lends itself much better to the kind of circular inputs Street Fighter-style fighters require than the cross-shape of Nintendo d-pads. But, only 3 buttons of course made it less than suitable for fighters.

Then came the 6-button Genesis controller, released alongside Street Fighter 2: Super Champion Edition, which of course had 3 extra face buttons and an extra Mode button on the top, while keeping the same d-pad[footnote]It also meant the controller had the same amount of buttons as its Snes counterpart[/footnote]. The 6 face buttons mean it's much more analogous to the button lay-out in arcades than the Snes controller.

The Saturn controller is pretty much the same as the 6-button Genesis one, only adding an L and R button and dropping the Mode button. Tastes may differ, but yeah, save for plugging in an actual arcade stick, the 6-button Genesis and Saturn controllers are arguably some of if not the best for 2d fighters.

Anyway, I'm gonna give some love to the Sega CD. Like it or not, it is part of the Genesis' history and it did have some great games on it, like:

Lunar: Silver Star
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue
Snatcher
Silpheed
Shining Force CD
Robo Aleste
Lords of Thunder
and of course Sonic CD

Special mentions go to Final Fight CD, Earthworm Jim Special Edition, Eternal Champions and Ecco The Dolphin[footnote]Each probably the best version of their respective game on 4th gen consoles[/footnote].

 

[Callate]

I see your nes version and raise you the C64 one, and you had to load each level!!

Well, in fairness, yesbag did specify console version.

If we want to fight dirty and get into home computer versions, we could haul out the ZX Spectrum version (caution, eye bleed-age ahead.)

 

[Raioken18]

Oh crap! I totally forgot about Shining Force <3

Also the amount of people who reinforced Phantasy Star 4 have made me very happy

 

[Iori Branford]

Monster World 4 -- strong, solid Arabian-flavored platform adventure that missed the boats to US and EU but you can now find in any current console's digital shop.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

I loved Mutant league Hockey on Sega Genesis. I am really surprised more are not mentioning this game. If you like chainsaw wielding games, this one was great!

http://www.gamefaqs.com/genesis/586334-mutant-league-hockey/reviews/review-31681
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutant_League_Hockey

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

Shining Force was, and is, the best console RPG series ever made. Compared with that towering achievement, Final Fantasy is like a few specks of dust on the floor.

 

[dscross]

Mate, seriously, they are all brilliant. I can't think of any I actually didn't like. Maybe steer clear of the strategy games as I remember them being below average (although Theme Park was good).