Building Sega Master System Hidden Gems list

[o.pwuaioc]

I thought Lemmings and Columns were considered good ports, but they're not exactly HG.

Quite a few of the games on the list, I'd say, aren't really hidden.

[Sload Soap]

I thought Lemmings and Columns were considered good ports, but they're not exactly HG.

Lemmings is okay although I found it a bit harder than it needed to be because of the MS's squishy D-Pad. I think Columns is too simple a game to have an interesting port if that makes sense. Also I'm biased as Columns is my third least favourite game of all time.

AJ suggested Baku Baku which I think is a better fit because it was both Brazil only and a port of a Arcade/Saturn game which is pretty interesting and your suggestion of Putt and Putter is solid as well.

The SMS just doesn't stand up to this sort of deep dive. It'd be like trying to find hidden gems for RPGs on the Neo Geo or 3D fighters on the N64, sometimes you just can't or worse, end up recommending a bad game in order to add a criterion.

[racketboy]

The SMS just doesn't stand up to this sort of deep dive. It'd be like trying to find hidden gems for RPGs on the Neo Geo or 3D fighters on the N64, sometimes you just can't or worse, end up recommending a bad game in order to add a criterion.

Which is fine — I just didn’t want to overlook something

[BoneSnapDeez]

I think Columns is too simple a game to have an interesting port if that makes sense. Also I'm biased as Columns is my third least favourite game of all time.

So what are numbers one and two??

The SMS just doesn't stand up to this sort of deep dive. It'd be like trying to find hidden gems for RPGs on the Neo Geo or 3D fighters on the N64, sometimes you just can't or worse, end up recommending a bad game in order to add a criterion.

I agree with this. Crafting a list of "Best SMS Games" is useful, but things fall apart if you try to go genre-by-genre like this. You'll just end up with a bunch of cucked ports and mediocre titles in general. The same would happen if you attempted this with the 7800, for the record. The NES is the only third-gen console that had a library robust enough for this sort of thing.

[racketboy]

I think Columns is too simple a game to have an interesting port if that makes sense. Also I'm biased as Columns is my third least favourite game of all time.

So what are numbers one and two??

The SMS just doesn't stand up to this sort of deep dive. It'd be like trying to find hidden gems for RPGs on the Neo Geo or 3D fighters on the N64, sometimes you just can't or worse, end up recommending a bad game in order to add a criterion.

I agree with this. Crafting a list of "Best SMS Games" is useful, but things fall apart if you try to go genre-by-genre like this. You'll just end up with a bunch of cucked ports and mediocre titles in general. The same would happen if you attempted this with the 7800, for the record. The NES is the only third-gen console that had a library robust enough for this sort of thing.

I'll still plan on breaking down by genre, so it's easier to scan and find games you're interested in, but I'll just leave out genres that aren't a good fit. I only brought it up to see if we were overlooking something.

[marurun]

Baku Baku is also pretty good but I recall it being very easy, and kind of ugly compared to the original version.

The original wasn’t particularly attractive, with that early pre-rendered look. I cannot imagine the Master System version being much of a looker

[Sload Soap]

I thought I'd be a bit more helpful and actually make some suggestions rather than just dismiss ones already put forward.

* Puzzle - Baku Baku or Putt & Putter. Baku Baku is pretty basic looking but I don't think that's a knock for a puzzle game.

* Fighting/Beatemups - Masters of Combat is actually pretty good but has unfortunately become very expensive.

* Adventure - Two suggestions here though I would add neither of them is particularly strong. Firstly Cosmic Spacehead . It has music that will cause your brain to collapse but it is an otherwise colourful and charming adventure game along the lines of Maniac Mansion. Then there's Alex Kidd in High Tech World. If you were being kind you could describe the game as a quirky oddball kind of like Takeshi's Challenge. If you weren't, obtuse and frustrating kind of like Takeshi's Challenge.

* Strategy - Honestly, none. The ports of Rampart and Populous are pretty much it.

* Pinball - None at all.

* Games That Don't really fit into typical genres? - Putt & Putter could qualify here as it's a sports/puzzle hybrid.

I think Columns is too simple a game to have an interesting port if that makes sense. Also I'm biased as Columns is my third least favourite game of all time.

So what are numbers one and two??

Two is Actua Soccer 3. Unplayable. One is Final Fantasy XIII. Beyond unplayable.

[racketboy]

* Fighting/Beatemups - Masters of Combat is actually pretty good but has unfortunately become very expensive.
* Games That Don't really fit into typical genres? - Putt & Putter could qualify here as it's a sports/puzzle hybrid.

These two suggestions seem especially interesting.
Masters of Combat may not be as "mainstream" as most people may not give an 8-bit fighter a chance, but it does look pretty impressive for the era.

Putt & Putter looks right up my alley and reminds me a bit of Zany Golf (but a little less imaginative on the course design) from EA which I loved in the DOS format and also saw a Genesis port.

Thank you!

[racketboy]

Just published the guide! Woohoo!
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/the-best ... idden-gems
Thanks to all involved in helping this come together