racketboy.com

Update: Full Article published in May 2020
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/the-best ... idden-gems
Thanks to all involved in helping this come together


OK -- so we did a pretty great job rebuilding the Master System Defined guide in this thread
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=51606

I took some of the misc recommendations from that thread along with some others I've collected along the way and this is kinda rough list that I have come up with. I also included some titles that were technically included on the Defined guide, but in Honorable Mentions or lumped into something like movie licensed games. You can find that guide here http://www.racketboy.com/retro/games-th ... ter-system

Now I still consider myself a Master System novice, so I need some help here. Feedback in the thread is great, but if anyone wants to help flesh out the guide on a Google Doc, lemme know.

Primary list:
Master of Darkness
Power Strike (Aleste)
Power Strike II
Kenseiden
Penguin Land
Lord of the Sword
Kung Fu Kid
Cyborg Hunter
Black Belt
Enduro Racer
The Ninja (Sega Ninja)
My Hero
ALF
Quartet
Miracle Warriors
Alien 3

Quality Ports of Games That May Not Get Proper Attention
Sagaia (Darius II)
Kings Quest
Rastan
Ninja Gaiden
Rampage
Shinobi?
Double Dragon
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Popular in UK, But Unappreciated in NA
Asterisk

Defined Honorable Mentions
Zillon
Astro Warrior
Govellius: Valley of Doom

Defined Movie Licenses
Rocky
Ghostbusters

I'm saying this not knowing how you're defining it, so I'm sorry if I'm telling you something you already know, but it might be worth noting that Ninja Gaiden isn't really a port. It's a unique game different from any other version.

Still a good game, and I would say it fits great on the primary list.

Ninja Gaiden in the Sega Master System is it’s own thing; not a port. Definitely belongs on the Hidden Gems list.

Double Dragon on the Sega Master System looks better than its NES counterpart, but the gameplay is garbage. It is also a really popular game. I’d leave it off.

Just a heads up -- Ninja Gaiden is not a port. It's a wholly original game and a SMS exclusive.

The rumor going around is that Ninja Gaiden isn’t a port. Have you heard the news?

Lol now that you mention it I think I actually knew that but forgot

marurun wrote:The rumor going around is that Ninja Gaiden isn’t a port. Have you heard the news?

I heard that the Game Gear version of Ninja Gaiden IS a port, though...of the Sega Master System game.

prfsnl_gmr wrote:

marurun wrote:The rumor going around is that Ninja Gaiden isn’t a port. Have you heard the news?

I heard that the Game Gear version of Ninja Gaiden IS a port, though...of the Sega Master System game.

Nope, it's its own game too.

So how about thoughts on games other than Ninja Gaiden?

It’s solid. I’d probably remove Shinibi and Doubke Dragon from the ports list, though, since you covered those in the last article. If you are going to include any arcade ports, I think you should include R-Type and Wonder Boy, which were both pretty spectacular. (The Double Dragon port is pretty bad, IMO, and I always found the Shinibi port to be a bit ho-hum.)