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Unlicensed Mega Drive games are actually quite common outside the U.S., and many come from Taiwan. Over the last few years, many have surfaced in some form or another, allowing western gamers to finally get a chance at playing them. Among them was this shmup by Gamtec, which is worth a glance, despite its sweet look and derivative gameplay.
Before you check out the fanmade Barkley: Shut Up & Jam Gaiden and its prequel, spend some time with the game where it all began. Accolade’s take on the NBA Jam formula generated a title that may not have been as good as its inspiration but still provided some solid street-style basketball gameplay. And it has Sir Charles himself!
The Genesis has lots of shooters, including many that never made it to all territories. This has given them a special type of charm that makes import buyers eager to get their hands on the next great foreign hit, like Gleylancer or Panorama Cotton. Unfortunately, some, while not as exceptional, are still worth playing for a low price, providing one takes the trouble to track them down.
There are a ton of golf games on the Genesis. Some are true simulations, and others try to spice things up with a bit of fantasy or putt-putt mechanics. T&E Soft made such an attempt with Devil’s Course, which has some of the more outlandish and imaginative courses on the Genesis. Unfortunately, this import-only title suffers intensely from the pains of 16-bit 3D mechanics.
There are lots of racers on the Genesis, and while most are worth playing, relatively few stand out above the pack. The majority tend to fall somewhere in the middle – not bad and not great. Nigel Mansell fits that description pretty well, as it doesn’t manage to pull ahead. Simplicity isn’t always a bad thing though, and despite its mediocre gameplay and visuals, some might still find it worth a few spins.