What Games Defined The Genesis/MegaDrive?

[racketboy]

I'm working on my piece of games that defined the Genny and wanted to get your input.
Think mainly exclusive Genesis games that gave the Genesis its personality and indentity.
Also, what genre do you think was the most important to the 16-bit machine?

[alexkidd]

here's mine:
Strider
Sonic 2
Shining Force 1 and 2
Snatcher
Flashback
Echo the Dolphin
EA NHL Hockey
Lunar 1 and 2
Streets of Rage 2
Landstalker
Gaires

I think action adventure games were most important because they're the most graphically impressive for the system. Games like Flashback, Out of this World, Echo, Aladin and Jurasic Park all look great. Aladin and Jurassic Park had very different versions on SNES that were graphically inferior (they weren't even the same game though).

[Ivo]

The Sonic games are a given.

I'd really like to prop up Ecco (simply amazing games). I don't think you can miss listing them.

Also, Herzog Zwei should at least get a honorable mention, AFAIK it pioneered the RTS before Dune II and Warcraft.

I think the 6-button pad and the really expensive SFII cart were important as well, as was the "red blood" in MKII so you might consider it.

I really liked Comix Zone when it came out on the PC a good bit later.

Flashback came out in multi platform at launch, not Genesis specific so I wouldn't count it as markee.

Ivo.

[alexkidd]

I'm pretty sure Flashback was out on Genesis for quite a while before SNES and PC. I was kind of a sega fanboy and I remember being bumbed out that my Genesis technical marvel was on SNES. Hey I was in seventh grade, my fanboy days are well behind me now.
Resident Evil is thought of as a Playstation game not Saturn even though Saturn got a port later on. I'd say this is pretty similar situation.

[alexkidd]

I got a little curious about this game.
I guess it was an Amiga game first in 92 (which means squat to US gamers) then Genesis, then SNES, then a host of others including PC, Jaguar (that I had a copy of), Sega CD, 3DO.
Man I remember showing this game off to people who didn't know anything about games and they were like "it's like you're controlling a movie!" pretty funny now with things like Metal Gear Solid.

[Pullmyfinger]

Flashback really impressed me back in the day, after many years my brother got a genny and i went to the local video store and made the guy sell it to me.

[grittykitty]

shadowrun! the genesis version was great and miles away from the super nes version. sonic and knuckles too, for the whole crazy-cart-mix-your-games thing - there's tons of horse racing and gundam games for snes in japan that did that sort of thing with gameboy carts and barcodes, but i think sonic and knuckles was the first of that type on western shores

[bawitback]

here's mine:
Strider
Sonic 2
Shining Force 1 and 2
Snatcher
Flashback
Echo the Dolphin
EA NHL Hockey
Lunar 1 and 2
Streets of Rage 2
Landstalker
Gaires

I think action adventure games were most important because they're the most graphically impressive for the system. Games like Flashback, Out of this World, Echo, Aladin and Jurasic Park all look great. Aladin and Jurassic Park had very different versions on SNES that were graphically inferior (they weren't even the same game though).

Don't forget Toe Jam & Earl series!

[arion]

Zero wing but thats cus it has the infamous "All your base are belong to us" not really a defining game but a funny thing to mention

[NeoRage]

I would have to say that Beyond Oasis and Alex Kidd standout in my mind! I also can't get the "POWER UP" from altered beast out of my head