Console of the Month (Sept 2023) - Sega Mega Drive/Genesis

[Note]

Awesome to read everyone's experiences with the console and see the Genesis get some love on the forum!

My experience with the Genesis might be a little different than others, as I actually got a Genesis Model 2 with the Sonic 2 pack in game as Christmas gift in 1993, a year after I received my Super Nintendo. I had played the console at my cousin's place, who had it pretty early on, and was impressed by the graphics and selection of games. Sonic seemed like a fun and different take on the platformer genre. Altered Beast, Streets of Rage, and Golden Axe had a dark and gritty aura, something that wasn't available on the SNES. I was young at the time, but I wasn't caught up in the school yard console wars. My cousins were open to all consoles, and I took a similar approach. Other than Sonic 2, the other early game I had was Mick & Mack: Global Gladiators.

Some time later, I came across a few Genesis games that I would end up becoming obsessed with. The first would be Streets of Rage 2! I saw this game at my cousin's place and was amazed by the graphics, gameplay and loved the music. One Friday evening, my dad who was about to make his way home from work called our apartment and asked my mom and I whether we needed anything. I think he meant like snacks, drinks, basic household stuff. However, my kid self took "anything" pretty far and I blurted out "Streets of Rage 2!" and explained to my dad it was a Genesis game. I think I even tried to explain how the cover looked. Lol. Over the phone, he didn't confirm he was going to get the game, but later that night when my dad returned home, he had actually picked it up! I had a blast playing it on my small faux wood grain Zenith TV, color issues and all. That will always be a special memory for me, as SOR2 is still one of my favorite games to this day and it's just funny to look back on. I've spent countless hours playing this with family and friends and enjoying the OST even when not playing the game.

Another game I became obsessed with was Shining Force 2! I originally played (and watched others play) the first Shining Force at a friend's house during one of his family's get togethers. I had never seen a tactical RPG before, so this was something very different and unique to me. I was hooked on the battle system from the get go. However, that particular friend I didn't get to hang out as much, so that was only experience with the game for a while. Until a year or two later, I started to become friendly with my neighbor and his older brother ended up having copies of Shining Force and Shining Force 2. My friend and I used to hang out in his basement, fire Shining Force 2 up, and take turns playing the battles for hours. I had to get this game! However, I was having a tough time finding a used copy. When I first discovered eBay in 2000, this was the first purchase I made on there. I was really excited to finally own it! I went on to show this game to a lot of my friends and would revisit it every few years. To this day, it's probably the RPG I'm the most familiar with, as I revisited it so many times.

The Genesis is still one of my favorite consoles for gaming and one of my favorite systems to buy games for, because of the unique library and awesome shell case packaging. Due to the awesome indie/homebrew scene for the system, I'm always looking to see what's coming next. Some of my more recent favorites have been Xeno Crisis and Demons of Asteborg. I'm looking forward to trying and playing Astebros, Black Jewel Reborn, Daemon Claw, ZPF, and Earthion!

(I will probably make another post discussing a few other specific experiences/favorites on the system, but I'll leave it here for now!)

[marurun]

When I was a kid none of my friends had a Genesis. I know lots of kids had them, but I wasn't friends with them and didn't go over to their houses. The only time I played a Genesis was on a store kiosk. As such, I had quite literally no respect for Sega's console and I thought it was utter crap. Fast-forward to me out of college with a new job and some meager disposable income (saving for retirement hadn't occurred to me, yet). At this time the classic games market was still pretty affordable, so I could splurge a little and get LttP or Gunstar Heroes CIB for $15-$25. Heck, my first eBay purchase was for a $2.50 copy of Phantasy Star II (cart only). In addition to buying up affordable NES titles, the Genesis was also cheap. There were cheap SNES titles, too, but they were more likely to be a bit more expensive, so in my interest in expanding my gaming horizons for as little as possible I bought a Genesis and started picking up games.

My initial experiences weren't the best, in part because it turns out I picked up one of the worse Genesis units (a Genesis 2 with poor audio AND video output) and so stuff sounded mangy and looked mangy. But the good games shone through and I learned there were indeed games worth playing. Years later I finally picked up a Genesis 2 VA4 and now I have probably the second best audio (or best, depending on your priorities) available from the hardware and much better quality video. It was like a whole other universe of gaming opening up. The Genesis isn't and will never by my favorite console, and I don't have that same nostalgia for it, but I definitely respect it and there are lots of great games. I've really come around over the years and I'm glad I did.

[Note]

Interesting to read about your experiences with the Genesis, Maru. Glad to hear you eventually came around on the console and you were able to find some good stuff for cheap. Also, regarding the version of the console, that's great you have a VA4. Was that something you searched for a long time for or did you come across it randomly?

I actually wasn't certain what version of the Model 2 I have, so I just checked it against the well known guide posted on the Sega-16 forums a while ago (thanks to the Wayback Machine, as the forum is down), and it turns out I have a VA3, which was totally a random cheap find in the early 2000s.

[marurun]

Also, regarding the version of the console, that's great you have a VA4. Was that something you searched for a long time for or did you come across it randomly?

I had been aware of the different models for a while and knew that my original Genny was crap. I also knew that a good "High Definition" model was going to carry a premium price tag and not give me stereo unless I tapped the headphone out. So while some people swear by the "High Definition" model it's also not perfect. So I looked for what the second best unit would be and it turns out it's the VA4. Thankfully, you can identify a VA4 without having to open the unit. You just need to be able to examine it for a moment. So when I was at a local retro event I just looked at the available Genesis 2 units and happened to find one amongst them.

[ZRofel]

As a follow-up story to my last story, shortly after purchasing my Genesis and the games that became the base of my collection, I went to my parents' house for a week for the Christmas/New Years stretch. My brother was home from college as well, but around that time he tended to just bury himself in his room and play World of Warcraft all day. I really missed hanging out with him, so I came up with an idea that might help us spend some time together. When we were kids I was really into jRPGs, and he'd often sit and watch while I played through stuff, doing color commentary, cheering me on, and just generally being an engaged spectator. At the time, he definitely saw it as "us" playing through the games even though he never touched the controller, and it was one of the ways we really bonded when we were younger. So I brought my new (to me) Genesis along and my copy of Shining Force II, and after setting it up in my childhood bedroom, I invited him to come check out this cool retro RPG like the ones we'd played together as kids. I went through the first few battles, and suddenly it was like we were back in 1994 again. He got really, really into, gushing about each new party member, asking lots of questions about the battle system, and cheering as I squeaked out certain victories. And obviously I was having a blast giving him a tour of a game that I'd come to really love and just generally chatting with him. He even commented a few times about how it was like we were kids again and that he was really enjoying himself.

Well, over the span of a few days we absolutely shotgunned through the game and were gearing up for the ending. I'd just cleared the battle with Geshp, which I think is something like three, maybe four battles from the end of the game, and we were watching the post-battle cut scene when suddenly the game froze and started making a weird, unpleasant noise. I was loathe to lose my progress (it's a tough battle!) but eventually after messing around with things a bit, I gave up and just reset the system. "Ah, crap," I thought, "now I'll have to do that battle again." My brother was obviously bummed out too, but there wasn't anything else for it, so I booted up the game again and went to load my save. Only it wasn't there. None of the saves were there. Whatever had crashed the game had wiped the cart's memory too! I was absolutely stunned. All of our progress was gone. We'd never get to do the final battle together and watch the ending.

Before I could even really process what had happened my brother just stood up and said very matter-of-factly, "Whelp, that's the end of that." Then he walked into his room and played World of Warcraft by himself for the rest of my visit.

*sad trombone*

P.S. My brother and I have a very warm, supportive relationship these days, and we still chat about games all the time, so you don't need to feel too bad about this

[Note]

Great story, Zrofel! Not so great that the cart crashed on you and the save data was erased, that is an extremely frustrating experience when it comes to this generation of games. I appreciate you and your brother's enthusiasm for Shining Force 2! I know an experience like that can leave a bad taste for a specific game, but were you able to revisit the game later on and finish it?

That's too bad he secluded himself in his room the rest of the visit, as it's much more fun to enjoy some co-op games together, but I'm glad you and your brother still have a good relationship and can talk games.

[ZRofel]

Great story, Zrofel! Not so great that the cart crashed on you and the save data was erased, that is an extremely frustrating experience when it comes to this generation of games. I appreciate you and your brother's enthusiasm for Shining Force 2! I know an experience like that can leave a bad taste for a specific game, but were you able to revisit the game later on and finish it?

That's too bad he secluded himself in his room the rest of the visit, as it's much more fun to enjoy some co-op games together, but I'm glad you and your brother still have a good relationship and can talk games.

Yeah, it was a huge bummer when it happened. I've never had a cart die like that mid-play before or since. It didn't sour Shining Force II for me, though. I've definitely played through it again since then and really enjoyed it. He and I have never gone through the ending together, though. We have a YouTube channel focused on videogames now, so maybe that's an idea for an upcoming Let's Play.

I actually just recently, as in, like, three months ago, finally got that broken Shining Force II cart repaired. Only took me something like twelve years

[Limewater]

Yeah, it was a huge bummer when it happened. I've never had a cart die like that mid-play before or since. It didn't sour Shining Force II for me, though. I've definitely played through it again since then and really enjoyed it. He and I have never gone through the ending together, though. We have a YouTube channel focused on videogames now, so maybe that's an idea for an upcoming Let's Play.

I actually just recently, as in, like, three months ago, finally got that broken Shining Force II cart repaired. Only took me something like twelve years

I was going to ask if your later play-through was on the same cart.

What ended up being the problem?

[ZRofel]

Yeah, it was a huge bummer when it happened. I've never had a cart die like that mid-play before or since. It didn't sour Shining Force II for me, though. I've definitely played through it again since then and really enjoyed it. He and I have never gone through the ending together, though. We have a YouTube channel focused on videogames now, so maybe that's an idea for an upcoming Let's Play.

I actually just recently, as in, like, three months ago, finally got that broken Shining Force II cart repaired. Only took me something like twelve years

I was going to ask if your later play-through was on the same cart.

What ended up being the problem?

As far as what caused the initial problem, I'm honestly not sure. But the ultimate result was the battery got fried. The rest of the cart seemed okay, but it wouldn't hold saves after that. It's got a fresh, new battery now, though, so it should be back up to peak performance.

All my recent play-throughs of Shining Force II have been through various Sega collections.

[Ziggy]

I had next to zero forum time in September. I still have to catch up on everyone's stories in this thread (thank you all for sharing them!). But I just wanted to share my own Genesis experience before the next month kicks off...

Being a kid in the 90s, I was in the classic situation of "barely able to afford games for one console, let alone own another console." My family had a SNES, so that's where I did most of my gaming. But I was never one to blindly take sides just because it happened to be the thing my parents bought for me. I loved the SNES, but I was always fascinated by the Genesis. I would love to play the Genesis any chance I got, over other people's houses. I absolutely loved playing Sonic 2 any chance I got. And I once rented Ghostbusters knowing that I was going over a cousin's house that owned a Genesis (I was a huge Ghostbusters fan).

I didn't own my own Genesis until the Majesco model 3 came out. I'm pretty sure it was around when the model 3 was first released. I had already owned an N64 at that point, so my mom was questioning why I would want an older console. There was a Toys R Us flyer that had the entire back page dedicated to Genesis. I forget the price I got mine at. Google says the model 3 first released for $50 but quickly dropped to $20. I can't quite remember, but I think I got mine for $20. The flyer also advertised a few games, I think they were priced $10-20 each. Having a summer birthday, I had some cash to burn. So I picked up the model 3 along with a few games. Sonic Classics (a compilation care including Sonic 1, Sonic 2 and Dr. Robotnick's Mean Bean Machine) and Sonic 3. I can't recall if I got a third game at Toys R Us. But all I really knew or cared about was the Sonic games. This was actually the first time I learned of Sonic 3. I had no idea it existed until I saw that flyer.

I actually picked up the Genesis from Toys R Us a day or two before I started 7th grade. I remember thinking how brutal that was. Getting a new game console on the last days of summer vacation, and not being able to play it because I had to go back to school. You better believe, I couldn't wait to get home from school each day to play my new Genesis.

The Genesis being an old thing at this time, it was easy to acquire games for cheap if not free. I can remember finding a random Mortal Kombat (1) cart in a duffel bag that someone lent me. SCORE! I always wanted MK1 on the Genesis, being that it wasn't censored like the SNES version. And like any 90s kid, I already had the blood code memorized. Even though I never owned a Genesis, who the hell doesn't know ABACABB? A friend's older brother gave me a few carts. I remember having Cool Spot, which was OK. But I got Sonic & Knuckles and Castlevania Bloodlines. At this time, I had no idea locking Sonic 3 on to Knuckles gave you one massive game. So I use to play my S&K cart alone, even though I onwed Sonic 3 LOL. And at this time, I was already a huge Castlevania fan, so I liked Bloodlines a lot. Bloodlines was weird though, it felt more archaic than Castlevania IV (what I was use to). At the time I liked it, but I didn't love it. These days though, Bloodlines is one of my favorite Genesis games, and possibly one of my favorite all time games. I might have had one or two other random games at this time, I can't remember. Maybe Sonic Spinball.

But I was a kid, and stupid. The Sonic games were mostly all I had and cared about for the Genesis. So the Sonic Mega Collection released on PS2 and I decided to trade my Genesis and games in to FuncoLand and get the collection on PS2 instead. Yeah, I know, great choice. But it actually wasn't long until I regretted that decision, and I was jonesing for a Genesis again. FuncoLand advertised a deal for a model 1, and I decided to get it. I can't remember the price exactly, but I think it was around $15 for the console. But I was still a kid with no income, so my funds were limited. I was asking the guy behind the counter about the price, and he ended up telling me it included a warranty. So he was able to take the warranty off and give me the Genesis for less, about $10 if I remember right. This guy must have been holding back obscenities, because I paid him in a couple of paper bills and LOTS of coins. At the time I didn't think anything of it. But thinking back on it, that guy behind the counter must have been like, "This fucking kid!" I probably bought back all of my favorite games mostly from Funco Land. But I can remember a really good score, I was in a Toys R Us and being the age I was at the time the only thing in there that interested me was video games. So I go to the video game department, and on the bottom shelf covered in a thick layer of dust are a couple of really old games. One of them was Castlevania Bloodlines. So I had the pleasure of purchasing Bloodlines brand new for like $15.

After a while, during the golden days of eBay, I got myself a model 2 Genesis. That was the model I always wanted, being the one that I had the most fondness for growing up in the 90s. And in the early 2000's, eBay was a magical place where you could buy retro games at dirt cheap prices. So then I started to build my Genesis collection and explore the library a little more. But as a SNES kid, the Genesis library has always been a little more vague to me. To this day, it can still seem fresh when I discover new games.

So being that I had a SNES during that generation, I missed out on experiencing the Genesis in that way. But since I had a Genesis at a young age, I still have fondness and nostalgia for it. It's just in a different way than most 90s kids.