Classic Gaming: The Sega Genesis

I am not sure if people usually start to feel older at twenty, but I certainly am feeling that effect. My friends and I have started making observations about the next generation and all the things they fail to understand or respect: always a sign of age. Over my lifetime I have seen video games rise to their current absurd level of revenue and popularity, due in large part to my generation’s fondness for gaming.

Of course this familiarity with the roots of gaming gives me the mindset of an old man when it comes to the domain. At five years old I was playing my NES, enjoying classics such as Super Mario Bros. and Double Dragon. Later on I would collect tons of quarters for use at the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade cabinet with my friends.

The generation of gamers that grew up with the PS2 have no perspective when it comes to gaming. In my experience they have an extreme hate for 2D games, and their favorite genre is most often first-person-shooters. The current crop of 10-15 year-olds have no appreciation for some of the classics of video games. With that in mind I got the idea to do a series on the subject, going over some of the systems that came before the Wii and 360 took over (to mention the glorified Blu-Ray player in that sentence would be a disservice to gaming).

Based on the nomenclature, Genesis (mine pictured above, see more on flickr) seemed like a good place to start. Though technically my first system was an original Nintendo, the Genesis was the system that kept me hooked on gaming. It was on the Genesis that I developed my love for what would become a choice hobby of mine that I still enjoy to this day.

Before the Saturn, before the Dreamcast, and before Sega became software-only like they are today, they were involved in the greatest era of gaming in history: Super Nintendo vs. Sega Genesis. This console war produced a quality of games across both platforms that may never be touched again. Looking past which system was “better” and even further past buzzwords like the infamous “blast processing,” it is easy to appreciate the classics created during the rivalry. I did not own a Super Nintendo until many years later (though I played it plenty with my cousins), but I did own a Genesis during the time. For now join me as I reminisce about my favorite Genesis games.

Streets of Rage (series)

Streets of Rage was a side-scrolling beat-em-up game, in the same vein of the aforementioned Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game. It was simple, but a ton of fun to play with a partner. The appeal is definitely in this cooperative play, where you and a friend traverse the streets punching, kicking, and calling in air-strikes (yes) to defeat foes. The game spawned two sequels, which as I recall were basically carbon copies with new characters. If memory serves I think that Streets of Rage 2 was my favorite.

Vectorman

Vectorman was a side-scroller as well, but not in the 2.5D (read: levels of depth) like Streets of Rage. I would describe it like a shooting platformer, much like Nintendo’s Metroid series mechanically. Vectorman has the ability to gain different types of guns, and even transform the shape of his body into various objects. The game was graphically impressive for its time, and was a tough challenge to complete. It had a sequel which improved on the number of guns and forms, but kept the same gameplay intact.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors

ZAMN was released for both Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo, but as mentioned my primary gaming was done on the Genesis when it was released. ZAMN is a top-down game that is so unique and fun I actually really want to play it right now. The protagonists, a boy and a girl, are armed with an assortment of weapons to defeat the zombies/monsters of each level. However the objective in each level is to rescue all the civilians. It creates an original gameplay style that gets even better because you can play cooperatively with a friend. The weapons vary from a squirt gun to a chainsaw, and there are an absurd number of levels (some very difficult). ZAMN is a classic by all measures.

Sonic the Hedgehog (series)

How did it take me so long to get to the flagship game for the system? I guess I was saving the best for last (almost). Sonic the Hedgehog was revolutionary for its time, because it was not afraid to go against the tried and true Mario formula. Sonic took the platforming genre and slammed its foot on the gas. The series is all about speed, and Sonic was one of the first (if not the first) game to create the sense of speed so well. Whereas Mario was casually and carefully jumping through levels, Sonic was tearing through them at breakneck speed. It was this change of pace that made the games so successful. Sonic became an icon for Sega, and his games alone sold countless systems.

The game had several sequels. Sonic 2 introduced sidekick Tails, and that was followed by Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, all three of which were excellent games (I’ll just ignore the isometric Sonic 3D Blast). It is unfortunate the Sonic’s transition into 3D on the Dreamcast and subsequent system went so poorly. His adventures on the Genesis were all amazing. My favorite world: Casino.

NHL Hockey ‘93-’94

The Genesis had a ton of great titles, but for me nothing will ever touch the greatness of these two NHL hockey games. The amount of time I spent playing against my Dad is simply astronomical. Both games are great, but I have included them both for a few reasons. The superior game in terms of gameplay is certainly ‘94, which also benefits from having official NHL teams. The ‘93 only had player names, not teams or logos. However, the ‘93 version has the entertaining features of drawing blood on hard checks, and breaking the glass behind the net on missed slapshots.

The ‘94 also added the one-timer, which became essential for quality goal-scoring. I have not played a 3D hockey game that has been able to match the fun or intensity level of either of these Genesis outings. They remain my favorite Genesis games, and among of my favorite games all-time.

Closing Comments

I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my favorite Sega Genesis games. I hope to do a Super Nintendo feature sometime soon to complement this excellent era for video games. What were your favorite Genesis games? Any classic gaming memories that you think the youth of today are neglecting? Let me know in the comments.