When most people think of RPGs, they don’t think of the Genesis. That’s unfortunate, as the console boasts a great library of quality titles (almost as many as it has shmups!). When you’re done with the Phantasy Stars and Shining titles, there’s another game awaiting your attention. Nowhere near as pretty or manageable as those games but boasting a quest almost three times the size, Might & Magic: Gates to Another World is the one Genesis RPG that will make you humble. Trust us, any game with a 169-page instruction manual is one that doesn’t pull its punches.
Tag: 1991
Back to the Future Part III
Sometimes, a game comes along that totally justifies the stigma attached to licensed titles. We’re talking utter trash here, and a few releases can be quickly named when one is asked to mention which ones stand out the most (anyone remember LJN’s abysmal X-Men game for the NES?). Back to the Future Part III is a card-carrying member of that sorry list.
Out of This World
It’s been ported to almost every single console you can imagine (I think there’s a Game.Con rev somewhere), and Genesis owners were enthralled at the way Out of This World seemed to push their consoles harder than any other game. Even today, the fluidity of the animation and the polygonal cut scenes are something of a marvel, considering the hardware pushing them.
Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation
One thing Genesis owners could count on was a steady stream of games, courtesty of Renovation. The prolific publisher covered all the bases, from action/RPGs like Arcus Odyssey and Wanders from Ys to that most recognizable of Genesis genres: the shmup. The company that gave us Gaiares also released a few arcade ports, and among them was Vapor Trail, a vertical shooter that was big on action and bosses. Is it worth adding to your library?
Double Dragon II: The Revenge
While NES owners were relishing the awesome experience that was Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Genesis gamers were left wondering why they never got to play Technos’ long-awaited sequel. It turns out that the localization gods were looking out for us, and The Mega Drive port just plain stunk. The NES version was an incredible adaptation that made the most of the hardware, while the Pal Soft translation went out of its way to do everything wrong.