The Bitmap Bros. are renowned for their excellent games, titles that are both well-presented and that play great. Speedball on the Genesis is a great example of that, but the Master System port, done by Mirrorsoft/Image Works, doesn’t fare as well. Everything that made the Genesis version so good is missing, so there’s no reason to bother with this version.
Reviews
Ninja, The
The ’80s were all about ninjas, and the Master System did its pop culture duty in stellar fashion. The imaginatively-named “The Ninja” is a cool little run-‘n-gun that has all the shadow warriors, shurikens, and action you could ask for! Find a copy and get ready to save the Ohkami Province and its princess from the forces of evil!
Stargate (Game Gear)
What’s the best way to make a video game version of a Hollywood action blockbuster? Why, make it a puzzle game, of course! Well, maybe not. Stargate for the Game Gear ditched its shooting action persona and tried to emulate games like Columns and Tetris. The result? Well, we now know where Kurt Russell should have put that nuclear bomb…
Mortal Kombat (Game Gear)
TEST YOUR MIGHT! The arcade smash Mortal Kombat jumped kicked its way onto every console imaginable, including the Game Gear. Significantly watered down to fit on Sega’s handheld, the game still retained a lot of what made it so fun, but a lot was definitely lost in translation.
Streets of Rage (Game Gear)
Streets of Rage on the Genesis is considered a classic. Unfortunately, It’s portable cousin wasn’t able to convey the rage quite as well, and it comes off more as “Alley of the Mildly Annoyed.” While it’s not a terrible game, it lacks the polish of the 16-bit original, and the experience suffers overall. Still, it’s worth playing for the Yuzo Koshiro music alone!