How's Your Sega MegaDrive/Genesis Gaming Going On?

[Gunstar Green]

I disagree about Light Crusader over Landstalker, especially because Light Crusader's story and style is so damn generic and boring which is really weird considering it's from Treasure. Landstalker has a nice story and an interesting world and is all around more worth playing than Light Crusader is in my opinion, but I'm not a big fan of Light Crusader in general so take that into account.

I do agree that Panic on Funkotron holds up better than the original, but at the same time it's not as unique as the original. I can really only play the first game if I'm with a friend and can mess around. It's dreadfully dull by yourself. Funkotron on the other hand is a pretty solid single player experience. I like them both but for entirely different reasons.

Herzog Zwei is another game I feel is only at its best with another friend who knows how to play. The computer becomes easy to predict while humans don't and you can have some immensely epic battles. It's one of the best games ever if you have the opportunity to talk someone into learning how to play it. If not, I don't feel like there's quite as much to it.

[rufus777]

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[BoneSnapDeez]

Kid Chameleon is like a slippery crappy Mario. Couldn't get into it at all. Just seemed to go on forever too. I will give it another shot this year.

Landstalker is awesome - in fact, I love the whole series - even the much-maligned Time Stalkers. Light Crusader is also a neat title, and perhaps my favorite Treasure game.

[alienjesus]

I can kind of understand your feelings on Kid Chameleon and such (I like them, but they aren't truly the best) but not liking Bonanza Bros is insanity. I can not endorse that.

Anyway, yes, NBA Jam is kind of a staple of early 90's US nostalgia, I guess. I still think it's a great game. Have you actually played it at all?

Pretty much everything remotely violent in Bloodlines was removed from the EU release: Harpies losing their heads, the first mini-boss crumpling into a heap of organs and fur, Eric being skewered by his own spear upon death, the fountain in the beginning of stage 5 overflowing with blood, the subtitle, all the blood in the title screen, etc, etc. Doesn't really affect the gameplay at all, though.

Toy Story is slightly rougher these days than it was at release, but reminds me a lot of Clockwork Knights. Decap Attack isn't marvelous, but you may be more interested in the Japanese version: Magical Hat no Buttobi Turbo! Daibouken. Herzog Zwei was supposedly released in Europe. Marvel Land looks rough, but that's just because it's a late 80s Namco arcade game. It's pretty fun. Atomic Runner was on GCCX as Chelnov. That version is stupid expensive. Jewel Master looks pretty mediocre, but I think it's a pretty good action platformer. Reminds me of Castlevania, and has some bangin' music. Mystic Defender is kind of the same way. Definitely try before you buy.

DBZ Buyuu Retsuden is the Japanese title. It's a 2D fighting game, and supposedly released in Europe.

The isometric view bothers me a bit in Landstalkers. I have a hard time making jumps in that one, and I feel like it requires a little too much precision. The isometric view in Light Crusader didn't bother me at all. The controls work really well with it, I think. It's also a fantastic game, so between the two, I would recommend Light Crusader over Landstalkers.

I think Panic on Funkotron holds up better than the original, today. It's a good platformer, with some mild adventuring mixed in. Maybe not for everyone, but worth a shot. Havoc is a little known Data East platformer that plays pretty well. Won't set the world on fire, but it's a fun game.

I prefer the Mega Drive version of Monster Lair, personally. Most people seem to prefer the TG16 version because of the soundtrack. I think it sounds better on the Mega Drive, honestly. (Even better than the Arcade soundtrack.) Especially stage 2. The TG16 version looks a little closer to the arcade version, in terms of detail, but I still prefer playing the Mega Drive version. They both basically play the same way.

Also, I forgot about Mr. Nutz. You should get that one; or just send a copy my way.

Bonanza Bros just didnt do it for me at all. I played the Arcade version and the SMS version. I doubt the Mega Drive version offers a whole lot more.

NBA Jam doesnt interest me at all Im afraid. I've played a little once. Even with all the crazy stuff, the on fire mechanic, the silly 90s characters and all, it's just a dull basketball game to me.

Toy Story I only half remember. I'd pick it up if I saw it in a shop pr boot fair, but I'm not gonna go out of my way to acquire it over some of these other games. Decap Attack is fun enough, but it didnt offer much of interest when I played it before. I like it's predecessor, Psycho Fox, a bit more.

Pleasantly surprised to hear Herzog Zwei got a PAL release. I'll look it up. I imagine its pricy. Marvel Land, Jewel Master, Atomic Runner and Mystic Defender I think I'd like to try out before I buy them.

Isometric bothered me to no end in Mario RPG, and people love that game. That makes me worry about other isometric games, regardless of quality.

I adore the original Toejam and Earl. Funkotron looks a little generic in comparison (although quite pretty!). Like I said though, it's so cheap and fairly common, I might just buy it to try it anyway.

The TGCD version of Monster Lair also has more levels than the MD version.

Is there something significant about Mr. Nutz?

-Kid Chameleon I hate this game, it's awful

Why do you hate fun?

Kid Chameleon is like a slippery crappy Mario. Couldn't get into it at all. Just seemed to go on forever too.

^This.

I will give it another shot this year.

I won't.

[samsonlonghair]

I am going to play Devil's Advocate on this one. I'm about to make some pretty inflammatory statements that may make rpg fans gasp, cringe, raise their brows, or perhaps pull out their hair.

First off, I don't like RPGs. Let that heresy sink into your brain for a moment. Why not? I feel that RPGs are time consuming, slow paced, and melodramatic games with nearly irrelevant level-up systems. I know there are many on this board who feel differently, but these are my feelings.

That said, I Love Light Crusader! Not only do I love this game, I'd go so far as to say that, for someone who doesn't typically like RPGs,
Light Crusader is the Finest RPG ever made.

Bear with me for a moment here... I have an explanation.

Whereas I find most RPGs way too time consuming, I was able to beat Light Crusader after about four or five hours total gameplay. Whereas I find most RPGs too slow, I had fun and discovered new hidden passages and powers constantly throughout the game. Whereas I find most RPGs melodramatic, Light Crusader benefits from the lightest story possible, Whereas I find the purely numerical level-up systems of most RPGs uninteresting, Light Crusaders magic orb combinations reminded me of the weapon upgrades out of a shooter. Light crusader is a fun hack-n-slash RPG where combat is delivered in real time rather than through static menus. The Isometric perspective works hand in hand with Sega's eight-way controller. The music is phenomenal. The boss battles utilize the pre-rendered 3D vector style from Vectorman.

Light Crusader is an RPG, but the gameplay makes it feel more like an arcade game. If there is such a thing as an RPG-arcade hybrind, it's Light Crusader. I suppose that makes Light Crusader... an aRPGcade game.

[Gunstar Green]

This is the first time I've run into so many people who like Light Crusader.

It is short at least I'll give it that. I will forever stand by my opinion that Landstalker is the superior of the two. I don't typically care for RPGs either.

Kid Chameleon is novel with all the weird power ups but it's way too long and too brutal for a game without a save feature or passwords.

[BurningDoom]

Landstalker is another great game you might enjoy since you liked Story of Thor/Beyond Oasis. It's an isometric action adventure game. The view is frustrating sometimes but the art is cute and the story and gameplay are pretty decent. It gets overlooked more than it should.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I always hear people suggest Landstalker, and I hate it because the controls are so unintuitive with the isometric view. It looks like it could be a good game, otherwise, though. If so much jumping wasn't involved, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

[Mad_Hatter]

Lol DJ boy! I have that.



I've been thinking about getting my genesis region modded so I can play Dragon Ball Z on it.

[pierrot]

The TGCD version of Monster Lair also has more levels than the MD version.

Hmmm. I guess the TGCD version is objectively the better port, but it still looks and sounds odd to me. I just don't care for it as much. Would rather play the Arcade version for the other levels, but if you already have the TGCD version, I suppose there's not a whole lot of reason to own both.

Is there something significant about Mr. Nutz?

It's a pretty cool platformer, I think. Probably better than anyone would ever really give it credit for. It's exclusive to PAL territories, on the Genesis/Mega Drive. Full disclosure: It's also on the SNES.

[samsonlonghair]

I've been thinking about getting my genesis region modded so I can play Dragon Ball Z on it.

There's no need for a region mod to play Japanese Mega Drive games on an American Genesis. A game genie should do the trick. Racketboy wrote an article here: http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sega/genesis/play-sega-genesis-megadrive-imports-game-genie

On the other hand, playing PAL games is another matter.