If you’re looking for another RPG to play, there are probably a bunch of Electronic Arts PC ports that you haven’t tried yet. Many gamers shied away from what appeared to be daunting quests, and the like of Might & Magic II: Gates to Another World, King’s Bounty, and Rings of Power were passed over by far too many would-be adventurers. That last title boasts one of the largest adventure worlds on the console, and if it weren’t for the incredibly slow-paced gameplay, more people would have enjoyed what is otherwise a great Tolkien-like adventure.
Tag: 1991
Wrestle War
Wrestling games are a dime a dozen now, but there was a time when Genesis owners had literally none to play. After teasing us with a blurb for Wrestle War in two of its pack-in posters, Sega decided against releasing the game in America. Maybe the company knew better after all, as we really weren’t missing much. Bland, generic characters and stiff gameplay made it a title to forget, and we could always play Tecmo World Wrestling on the NES. At least that one was good.
Growl
Beat-’em-ups are quite common on the Genesis, and there are those that are truly memorable, such as Streets of Rage 2 and Final Fight CD on the Sega CD. However, for every light there is a darkness; for every ying a yang; for every Streets of Rage, there is a Growl. While Taito’s brawler might not seem so bad in isolation, compared to other releases in the genre – specifically those released before it – the game is substandard. Another victim in Taito’s line of neutered ports, Growl is a title only worthy of playing out of momentary curiosity.
Mystical Fighter
Most people wouldn’t think of Kabuki theater when talking about martial arts, but hey, why not? Dreamworks’ Mystical Fighter brings all the splendor and mysticism of Japan’s classic drama to a side-scrolling beat-’em-up. The weird thing? It’s actually kind of fun!
Rampart
Today, many console gamers enjoy the tower defense genre of games. The genre wasn’t so well known back in 1990, when Atari games released Rampart in the arcades. Featuring play for up to three people simultaneously, it was ported to every console known to man, including the Genesis. Handled by Tengen, the 16-bit version is actually pretty darn good.
