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The SEGA MEGA DRIVE was one of the most popular consoles in the 90s and for many of us it actually was the console that marked my childhood. With amazing games, intense gameplay and cool stories, it delivered some of the most interesting moments in my life, so let’s look back at some of the games that made this console famous. This is by no means my top 10, just a warm up for that and some random thoughts written down on a lazy Sunday.
Strider
Playing the role of a ninja that attacked the Soviet Union and which used his ultimate powers to stop them made us feel like a bad ass. Strider still remains one of the craziest games from my childhood, because it included dinos, futuristic cities and even flying battleships. It definitely delivered some of the most intense moments in our lives.
Disney’s Aladdin
Disney’s Aladdin was a great platform game and adding in a sword for the main character clearly nuanced and improved the entire genre. It still is a nice game to play via emulator and people still enjoy it often!
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
This game sold 6 million copies and it’s still considered as being the ultimate Sonic game. It included 3D bonus stages, lots of cool game mechanics as well as the great Spin Dash technique that we can still find in the modern Sonic games. It’s only nowadays I’ve modified my console for 60hz I can fully enjoy the speed of the game as it was intended. It sucks how in Australia and Europe we got 50hz consoles that ran slower, but that’s a topic for another blog.
Streets of Rage 2
Even if this game was great in the arcades, its true home was on the MEGA DRIVE and I can still remind myself about the hundreds of hours spent with this game alongside my family and friends. It was no doubt one of the standout moments of owning this console. You must try this game if you haven’t already!
Castlevania Bloodlines
What made Castlevania great for me was the diversity of its game world, the gruesomeness of the enemies and the premise of the game. All of this, combined with a great set of levels and visuals, added up to create a memorable, refined and exciting game.
Comix Zone
As a comic book lover, I found Comix Zone to be a dream come true. Being able to explore a comic book and live the action that takes place in it still is one of the best experiences that I was able to find in a video game. They also added in some good combat and the mandatory text bubbles that deliver its comic book feel.
Street Fighter II
I grew up in the arcades and video shops playing Street Fighter II. It was the ultimate game, I mean what was better in 1992? When it was released on the Sega Mega drive I was pretty excited, and I lined up to get one of the first games off the shelf. The game-play was excellent and was “arcade ish” but it was not quite up to the job. I remember the sound being a bit weak and blocky, especially compared to the SNES version, but I didn’t care. I went on to invest many hours into it and loved every second. For those who are interested, I consider the Sega Saturn version of Street Fighter II to be the ultimate port from the arcade. Do yourself a favor and check that out. It’s on the Japanese exclusive release “Street Fighter II - The World Warrior - Capcom Generation Vol. 5: Fighters”
Vector Man
This one was a very interesting game just because it managed to bring in front a story about space, sacrifice and what people have to do in order to survive. The run and gun platforming found in Vector Man still inspires game creators all over the world, a testament to the legacy of this amazing game.
Golden Axe
You can’t create such a list without adding in Golden Axe, and that’s true. For me, this game was and still is the epitome of beat’em’ups as it offered the ability to kill cavemen, squirrels, gnomes and so on, including some powerful bosses with your trusty axe.
As a whole, I feel that SEGA MEGA DRIVE did have some of the best games at of the era, as most, if not all of them are now considered classics. If you hunger to play some good retro games, just check out the ones in the list above, you will definitely love them!
I'm still thinking of my top 10 list which I'll post up soon.