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Bubble Bobble is an all-time arcade classic that made the (100) rounds on just about every console in some fashion. Taito saved the best version for the Master System, doubling the length and adding a lot of new content. It remains one of the best two-player cooperative experiences on the hardware, and any fan of old school, single-screen games should give it a try.
The Game Gear is beginning to get more aftermarket releases, and one you should definitely look out for is Dracula’s Castle. It’s a Japanese, single-screen, action/maze game that is simple enough to get into quickly but that will become quite challenging over the course of its 32 stages. The lack of a password features hurts it somewhat, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had here, and you don’t need to know Japanese to enjoy it!
Indie developer badcomputer is back with another stellar Master System release, one that rivals even the best shmups on the console. Razing core is a fast-paced vertical shooter that will challenge even the most hardened 8-bit pilots, and it does so with virtually no slowdown or flicker. It shows what the Master System can do in capable hands and should definitely be on the radar of any shmup fans., especially for such an amazingly low price.
Sega tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with Shinobi, an action-packed title that launched one of its longest-running and beloved franchises. Joe Mushashi’s initial adventure set arcades on fire and gave players all the ninja action they could ask for, and it still holds up damn well. With varied stages, huge bosses, and great sword-slashing action, the game remains as tough to conquer today as it was in 1987. It’s still as much fun, too, and a game every action fan needs to play.
Sonic has made appearances in just about every genre out there, so why not a puzzle game? Sonic Eraser does a decent enough job representing the Blue Blur, but it’s not as deep as Columns or Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine. It was only released in Japan as a downloadable title for the Mega Modem, so simplicity is was baked into its DNA.