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

[Gunstar Green]

Already said I'm not a fan of the JP MD carts. And it's not as bad having those groves on the console because I'm not in the market to buy more Genesis 1's. It mainly bugs me with cartridges because it feels like some people give their used games mud baths before selling them and they're a pain to clean sometimes.

[FerretGamer]

It's truly amazing how poorly people in the US treat their video games. I'm amazed by all that nastiness that I've come across in the used games market. I think I spend more time cleaning up the games than I do playing them. Buying used off the Amazon marketplace is almost always a disaster as something labeled very good is usually nowhere near that.

In contrast, the Japanese take incredible care of their video games. Of course, I am only speaking based on my experience. However, I have purchased used games from Amazon.co.jp and Yahoo Auctions! and they are always in great shape. They are also very humble about the condition as something labeled good or very good tend to be like new.

[pierrot]

It's truly amazing how poorly people in the US treat their video games. I'm amazed by all that nastiness that I've come across in the used games market. I think I spend more time cleaning up the games than I do playing them. Buying used off the Amazon marketplace is almost always a disaster as something labeled very good is usually nowhere near that.

I occasionally have to work a trade in system with a set of guidelines/tiered trade value, and I almost constantly get into fights with people about the condition of their items. '...It's not "like new." There are scuffs, scrapes, smudges and gunk on it,' I say. 'Yes it is. Look, all of that comes right off.' (Licks finger; rubs item with said finger)—seriously, if the condition is so good underneath all the dirt, why don't they fucking clean it first! So I say, 'There's a dent on the corner.' —'Fine. What's it worth?'

I love how everyone takes personal offense to their shit not being deemed "like new." If it were entirely up to me, I'd give them a "poor" condition rating.

In contrast, the Japanese take incredible care of their video games. Of course, I am only speaking based on my experience. However, I have purchased used games from Amazon.co.jp and Yahoo Auctions! and they are always in great shape. They are also very humble about the condition as something labeled good or very good tend to be like new.

I know this is a popular sentiment state-side, but I have bunches of games I've picked up in Japan, or imported that were sold as ~B condition with flaws to match. Amazon JP can honestly be almost as much of a coin toss as Amazon US. Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely love to have an Akiba/Shinjuku Trader, or a Book Off outside my door, and Super Potato/Amazon JP sending things to my door again, but their assessment of "junk" is still usually, 'This might work, but it's in poor condition.'

Also, let me tell you all a little bit about Japanese coffee tables: They tend to be caked in a bevy of sauces which inevitably end up on the covers of manuals, and gluing some of the pages together. I've spent an inordinate amount of time cleaning food crap off of manuals for Japanese games, and I do it knowing full well the environments they've come from, having seen the state of a number of these tables before.

[BoneSnapDeez]

The plastic on the JP Mega Drive carts feels more durable, but they're just weird looking to me. I guess because it's not what I grew up with.

At least the black plastic doesn't run the risk of turning piss colored.

I've actually never seen or played a Mega Drive game.

That's the thing about the Genesis - the vast majority of decent games were released in the US. Contrast that to the SNES and TurboGrafx-16, where you have to start looking at imports in order to fully appreciate what each system has to offer.

[Gunstar Green]

The plastic on the JP Mega Drive carts feels more durable, but they're just weird looking to me. I guess because it's not what I grew up with.

At least the black plastic doesn't run the risk of turning piss colored.

I've actually never seen or played a Mega Drive game.

That's the thing about the Genesis - the vast majority of decent games were released in the US. Contrast that to the SNES and TurboGrafx-16, where you have to start looking at imports in order to fully appreciate what each system has to offer.

Not really true, while a lot of shmups made it some good ones like Unead Line, Gleylancer and Battlemania 2 (thankfully this one's been translated it's great) were left behind.

Some interesting RPGs and strategy games never made it over here, Langrisser II being a big one. I've always wanted to know the story of Vixen 357 as well.

Not to mention Pulseman, Yu Yu Hakusho: Makyo Toitsusen, Alien Soldier (which at least made it out in Europe) and the superb Monster World IV.

There are also a few that took censorship and gameplay re-tool hits like Streets of Rage 3/Bare Knuckle 3 that are much better on the Mega Drive.

But I get what you're saying, and on the other hand the Genesis had its biggest success in the west, so it's unsurprising you don't hear as much about imports as you do with its generation-mates (especially the Turbo).

Also there's the issue that it's just not as easy to play them on a western Genesis as it is to play imports on a western SNES. The more popular imports, basically all the ones I've mentioned, are also pricey to say the least.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Oh don't get me wrong, I understand there are a decent number of worthwhile Mega Drive imports. I might actually finally buy some when I get a Retron 5. Lord Monarch and Madou Monogatari come to mind. I'll probably skip Langrisser II as I already own Der Langrisser.

But it's still an insignificant number of games compared to the Turbo/SNES stuff. I think up to 50% of my favorite SNES and Turbo games are imports. Keep in mind RPGs are my favorite genre.

[Hobie-wan]

Also there's the issue that it's just not as easy to play them on a western Genesis as it is to play imports on a western SNES.

Most of the J MD games I've come across you can simply use a Game Genie as a pass through or stuff them in a Gen 3. Rocket Knight (and some other Konami games) have a lockout that can be defeated with a GG code. I wasn't aware of any other difficulties that aren't related to language.

[mas]

If I feel like playing some spiderman games what were the best ones to get? Someone told me that spiderman/xmen was a good game. And how were separation anxiety or maxium carnage?

[Mad_Hatter]

I finally beat Adventures of Batman and Robin solo,

I used a few lives, but no continues.

[Mad_Hatter]

And how were separation anxiety or maxium carnage?

Maximum Carnage is a way better game, if you plan on just doing solo.

If you want to do co-op, Separation Anxiety is an ok game. But the game play does not par with Maximum Carnage at all.