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Sega gave EA Sports a run for its money with a line of quality titles that covered all types of sports. One of its strongest series during the 16-bit era was NBA Action. Real teams and players and solid gameplay made up for the weak graphics, and the game is worth playing for fans of B-ball action, particularly the multi-player mode.
Sega’s classic racer zoomed onto the Master System in 1987 in a port that managed to capture the magic of the arcade original, despite the downgrade in hardware. Though outclassed by its Genesis and Saturn siblings, the 8-bit version of the game is still well worth playing, and it shows how well Sega’s arcade titles could transfer to the Master System.
The classic game of chess comes to the Genesis, and it has never been better. It’s ironic that an unofficial release, available as a download for flash carts or as a reproduction cart, is perhaps the best version of the game on the console. No gimmicks, no licenses – just classic chess simulation for the serious enthusiast. If you’re a chess fan, you’ll want to play this one.
Altered Beast is an arcade and Genesis classic, but the Master System version is woefully inferior. Horrible graphics and sound, reduced stages and gameplay elements, and poor control make this one beast that deserves to be put down. Do yourself a favor and get the superior Genesis version instead.
Chuck Rock was fun on the Genesis and Sega CD, but the Master System port left a good deal of that charm back in the stone age. Poor visuals and uninspired gameplay make this the low entry on the franchise’s evolutionary scale, and it plays like a real fossil compared to other platformers. Move on to something else before we run out of puns.