From shooters and platformers to puzzlers and RPGs, here are the 50 underrated games on the Sega Genesis…
In the late 80s and 90s,Segaenjoyed a golden period of success.
The Sega Genesis became a hugely popular console in America and Europe.
Lovecrafts Cthulhu mythos (yes, really).
If youre into collecting things, the box looks great, too.
At any rate, the resulting game is a bright, breezy bit of fun.
Were still trying to figure out what 90s game designers had against trees.
This is a pity sinceColumns IIIis a great extension of the original.
With a big enough television, the latter can offer hours of bickering and cajoling.
We heartily approve of this alteration.
A cracking little game, this.
There are gigantic amalgams of screaming heads, pistons, and arteries.
A half-giant, half-train monster.
Demonic skulls with wings and nautilus-like monsters.
Oh, and the player character is a muscle-bound hero with Icarus-like wings.
Fun fact:Gynougs developer Masaya would later go on to make theCho Anikiseries of homoerotic shooters.
Inevitably less smooth and flashy than the arcade version,Chase HQ IInevertheless replicates much of its white-knuckle excitement.
Curiously, the game didnt seem to get a particularly wide release in either Japan or the west.
Copies of the Genesis version are now difficult to come by and, as a result, unusually expensive.
Pepenga Pengo
The last first-party game from Sega in Japan,Pengois now a sought-after collectors item.
attempt to rush through a level and youre quickly overwhelmed by enemies and bullets.
Further Reading: 25 Best Japanese Games Not Available in the U.S. Stormlord
Readers of a certain age may rememberStormlordcoming out in the late 1980s.
Its not unlike CapcomsGhosts N Goblins, but less frenetic and far, far more forgiving.
Techno Cop
Seemingly inspired byRoboCop, this British action game was notable for its unusual amount of violence.
Are those guard dogs, foxes, or giant rats?
Released to the rest of the world asMagical Hats Turbo Flight!
With catchy music and timeless gameplay,Devil Crash MDis the very definition of quick-fix gaming.
Elemental Master
Opening with a brilliantly melodramatic cut scene (Is this really what has become of my brother?
The games industry needs more demonic hedgehogs.
(Yes, we did look that collective noun up.)
What separatesFatal Labyrinthfrom other RPGs of the period is its quirky sense of humor.
He must be a nightmare in all-you-can-eat restaurants.
Jump on a chick, and it follows you around as though its attached by an invisible wire.
Strange, but lots of fun.
A modest yet hugely entertaining game,Granadadeserved to get a lot more attention than it did.
Its handful of fresh ideas really stand out, too.
Virtual Bart
This is surely one of the more unusualSimpsonsgames yet released.
Its essentially a series of mini-games held together by a story about a VR helmet.
The agile hero can shoot in all directions and even crawl while doing so.
Despite this, its a shooter well worth seeking out.
Dick Tracy
Dick Tracyshakes up the predictability of theRolling Thunder/Shinobiplatform shooter with a brilliantly-realized machine gun mechanic.
By way of consolation, you could downloadMega Turricanfrom the Wii Virtual Console for just a few bucks.
Maybe its thanks to the deliciously crunchy sound effects, which makes shooting enemy vehicles so satisfying.
Dynamite Headdy
Japanese developer Treasure excelled itself with this adorable and typically strange platform game.
Instead,Monster World IVstands alone as a delightful and all-too-rare one-off.
Further Reading: The Evolution of Handheld Gaming
Treasure pitches the player headlong into one bizarre encounter after another.
Visually stunning by Genesis standards,Bloodlinesis a fast-paced action-adventure in the 80s and 90sCastlevaniatradition.
Considering the technical limitations of the 90s, the imagination and ambition ofBloodlinesis sometimes startling.
In terms of attention to detail and unique touches,Pulsemanis stunning.
The title hero is a half human, half digital being who can enter the digital realm.
Alien Soldier
For some, this run-and-gun game from Treasure is the holy grail of Genesis rarities.
One boss is a giant toad that lays explosives.
Another takes the form of a colossal, steam-powered ED-209 robot that fires rockets.
There are a total of 31 bosses to fight against, each more curious and surprising than the last.
Even when played today,Alien Soldierfeels refreshingly modern and slick.
Its 25th birthday may be fast approaching, butAlien Soldiers ferocious, addictive action remains undiminished by time.
