I've been filling out my emulator collection and thought I'd poke my head into the world of Sega consoles, which I have no experience with.

What classic Master System/Genesis/32x/Game Gear/Sega CD games should I try? I'm more of an RPG guy, but I'll play a good retro platformer or whatever.

What I've found so far from my own research (mostly Genesis):

• Altered Beast

• Beyond Oasis

• Castlevania Bloodlines

• Comix Zone

• Crusader of Centy

• Death and Return of Superman (I just really liked this comics arc)

• Earthworm Jim 1+2

• Gauntlet 4

• Golden Axe 1+2

• Landstalker

• Might and Magic - Gates to Another World (I think this is MM2?)

• OutRun and OutRun 2019

• Phantasy Star 1-4

• Shadowrun

• Shining Force 1+2

• ToeJam and Earl

• Ys - The Vanished Omens

What I have no interest in:

• Sonic

• Fighting games

• Sports games

EDIT: I'll definitely take note of any Saturn/Dreamcast recommendations too, but my plan is to start with the older consoles and work my way up.

Desert, jungle and urban strike

You have to do Phantasy Star Online! I mean, the Dreamcast version at this point has a lot less in it (and is fucken hardcore dont die with your favorite weapon in your hands!) but PSO is absolutely a legendary RPG title you should experience if you are a fan. Controls are clunky as fuck by today's standards.

If you'd like to try general action games as well:

• Gunstar Heroes
• Strider
• Final Fight CD
• Contra Hard Corps
• Streets of Rage 1-2

Also try Snatcher on Sega CD.

Other thoughts:

1. I'll just note that Phantasy Star III, even if it is older-school grindy at times, is a really interesting take on multi-generational epic storytelling. I like it more than Phantasy Star IV.
2. Night Trap on the Sega CD is interesting to play around with for an hour just to see what FMV games in the 90s meant, for some interesting bad late 80s/early 90s acting, and to remember that was all it took to cause a national panic for awhile.

Streets of Rage and Revenge of Shinobi were sidescroller brawler games.

Last Battle was an adaptation of the manga Fist of the North Star.

The Kid Chameleon series and Alex Kidd series were kind of early metrovania types.

Columns was a Tetris-type game.

There was also a couple titles where you played as an Apache helicopter, from an overhead view. I think the first one was based off the first Desert Storm in the 90's. I forget the name, but you can probably find it.

There was also a game I think called Sewer Rats which was the flagship title when Sega CD came out.

• Edit as I remember more -

There were also IP titles for Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, the Incredible Hulk, X-Men, and Spiderman.

Second PS3, playing as your descendants was a really cool touch. I think I saw a more recent game utilizing similar mechanic, released around 2010~, but I'm blanking on the title.

Sports Games

Well, I have bad news for you about a significant fraction of the Genesis' library...

Some other decent Genesis/Megadrive titles I can think of off the top of my head: Gunstar Heroes, Vectorman, Megaman: The Wily Wars, Zero Wing (for the memes), Aladdin (which was a completely different and vastly superior game to its SNES coutnerpart), Blaster Master 2, Contra: Hard Corps, Ecco the Dolphin and its sequels, Jurassic Park, and probably loads of others I'm forgetting.

The Saturn is notable for having Radiant Silvergun locked to it, in Japan only no less, and I don't think that title was ported or rereleased at all until the XBox 360 version. It's the precursor to Ikaruga, which is itself on the Dreamcast.

If you're into shmups, the Dreamcast is kind of a holy grail. It also has the first two Shenmue games on it.

Alas basically everything on the Sega CD is crap with few exceptions. I will probably surprise my readership by mentioning that I think Sonic CD is not one of them, as its easily the weakest of the classic Sonic titles. It has some cult favorites that are so bad they're good, though, infamously including Night Trap, Time Gal, Corpse Killer, Sewer Shark, etc. For games on it that don't suck, don't forget that the first two Lunar games originated there, there's Popful Mail, Keio Flying Squadron, Snatcher, etc.

The 32X is an interesting novelty but I'm not certain there's a single compelling title in the entire library. Which, admittedly, is only something like 30 games.

A couple interesting ones that I remember:

• Haunting starring polterguy
• Jurassic Park
• Aladdin
• Ghostbusters
• Castle of illusion starring Mickey mouse
• Road Rash 2 (maybe it doesn't hold up these days)

To add to others’ suggestions:

• Road Rash 1-3
• Micro Machines 2
• Lotus Turbo Challenge 1 & 2
• Truxton
• Bonanza Bros
• Ristar
• Aladdin
• Gunstar Heroes

how about Sega Saturn? Panzer Dragoon Saga is one of the best JRPGs ever. Don't mistake it for Panzer Dragoon 1 and 2, those are rail shooters and you don't need to play them. Also Dreamcast has some really good RPGs, I love Grandia 2

If you leave Saturn and Dreamcast off your list then you're really missing out.

Don’t mistake it for Panzer Dragoon 1 and 2, those are rail shooters and you don’t need to play them

Heresy! Panzer Dragoon Zwei is the better of the two and it's a fantastic rail shooter. Play it! The first is still a great game too, even if the framerate suffers a little.

I agree that Panzer Dragoon Saga is a phenomenal RPG. The combat system is really interesting, and for the time it was extremely ambitious to have a fully voice-acted, fully 3D RPG.

You don't mention Saturn, but if you're an RPG guy I would add it just for Grandia.

Edit: And Dragon Force, and Panzer Dragoon Saga, and...

adding some i always found unique or interesting

• Flashback
• Cyborg Justice
• Ecco the Dolphin
• James Pond
• road rash
• Skitchin'
• General Chaos
• streets of rage (i liked 2 the most)
• Combat Cars
• Bonanza brothers
• World of illusion
• Quackshot
• Sunset Riders
• Action Fighter (i swear this isn't a fighting game, it's about evolving motor vehicles)

Lunar

Seconding these on Sega CD. Great times.

Ha yea, but they aren't required to play before Saga

Definitely Toejam and Earl. After the Sonic games those were the ones that we played most often on Genesis. First one is frustrating but entertaining and you will learn to hate cupid and hula dancers. The second one has kids mode where you can't die so you can play with all the ways you can die before you challenge it in normal mode.

shadow run is the rom I still download and play. it used the actual shadow run rules. if they had let you choose starting race, equipment, and skills instead of just 3 classes it would be massive.

I strongly agree, the rail shooters are great. Saga is also one of the best games ever made imo. I think as a whole, it might actually Sega's best series. Sadly, it just never got much of a chance to grow.

I've gotta vouch for Sega Marine Fishing. Might be the best fishing game I've ever played.

Splatterhouse 1 & 2 (1986)

Alienstorm

The 32X is an interesting novelty but I'm not certain there's a single compelling title in the entire library. Which, admittedly, is only something like 30 games.

Knuckles Chaotix has a unique play mechanic that's not in any other Sonic game and it's worth it for the novelty.

Definitely Shining Force 2. 1 is more linear, and while It plays very similar it kind of stinks you lack freedom to roam around the world wherever you want.

Vectorman is a great platformer.

Vectorman 1 & 2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakan:_The_Forever_Man

These are all Genesis suggestions:

• Rocket Knight Adventures
• Sparkster
• Shinobi III
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist
• Rock n' Roll Racing
• Thunder Force III
• Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar (aka Thunder Force IV)
• Dynamite Headdy
• Ranger X
• Gaiares
• Gargoyles
• Eliminate Down
• Alien Soldier
• Chakaan
• Dragon's Fury
• Sonic Spinball (if you like pinball games, you might like this)

Record of Agarest War is the game you're thinking of.

The sonic games are some of the best things, along with fighting games from that era. Other than that Rolling Thunder 2 was a good port of an arcade side scroll shooter.

Worth mentioning that Aladdin for Genesis was a much different game than it's SNES counterpart, and the Genesis version was also much more challenging.

Splatterhouse was an underrated gem

If you like rpgs, Skies of Arcadia was pretty fun on Dreamcast.

If you're going to play Ys then I'd recommend the TurboGrafx CD version over the Master System version.

As for Sega games, Wonder Boy in Monster World is really good. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap is also good, although the remake from a few years ago is pretty much a top-to-bottom improvement so I'd go for that version.

Starflight for the Genesis would be another recommendation.

The emulator I grabbed to start with Genesis also has support for the other consoles I listed, so I figured I'd start there and then see if there were any series I wanted to follow into Saturn and Dreamcast. I'm not opposed to any recommendations for them too, I just wasn't going to start there.

I played the Gamecube version back when it was still pretty current. I think I liked it pretty well but it was a looong time ago.

I'll probably move on to trying Saturn/Dreamcast later, when I know what I like from the earlier generations, but I'll add that to my list. Loved both Grandia 1 and 2, we got them on Playstation as well.

I played the hell out of Grandia 1 and 2 on PS1/2, but I might try the Saturn/Dreamcast versions of them later, once I've had my fill of the older consoles for a while.

Loved altered beast in the arcade

Weren't the Earthworm Jim games also on SNES? Or are the Sega versions different? Like Shadowrun on Genesis is a TOTALLY different game than Shadowrun on the SNES.

Anyway, I don't see Ecco on your list. That's a good one.

They were, yeah. I remember vaguely hearing they were supposed to be better on Genesis though, so I figured I'd grab 'em and compare.

Sega CD:

Snatcher, The Terminator, Flashback (best version), Rise of the Dragon (best version), The Adventures of Willy Beamish, Dracula Unleashed

THE AVENGERS

Weren’t the Earthworm Jim games also on SNES? Or are the Sega versions different?

They are about the same game, not a huge difference like the other games. But the Genesis / Mega Drive is the actual home of the game and the "correct" one. The SNES has the graphics a bit stretched, and are "wrong". In my opinion the music is a mixed bag, in the sense that sometimes the one version wins over the other. Most people say the SNES version is inferior, which I grew up with BTW. Earthworm Jim 2 on the other hand feel like plays better on SNES, but its just my gut feeling.

Some additions to your list above. BTW I list Streets of Rage too, because you have Golden Axe and Comix Zone listed. Those aren't fighting games. Some games are better on SNES, like Zombies Ate My Neighbors, so I don't recommend it here.

Genesis / Mega Drive - Must Haves:

• Streets of Rage 1+2+3
• Thunder Force 3+4 (4 is also known as Lightening Force)
• Shinobi 3 - Return of the Ninja Master
• Dragon's Fury (also known as Devil's Crash) + Dragon's Revenge
• Gunstar Heroes
• Alien Soldier

Genesis / Mega Drive RPG / Adventure:

• Shining in the Darkness
• Wonder Boy in Monster Lair

Genesis / Mega Drive - More:

• Aladdin
• Adventures of Batman & Robin
• Mega Turrican
• Michael Jackson's Moonwalker
• Splatterhouse 2+3
• Virtua Racing
• World of Illusion Starring Mickey MOuse and Donald Duck
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Hyperstone Heist

dreamcast had the best versions of: spider-man, and star wars episode 1 jedi power battles

I like Sunset Riders on SNES more and would recommend it over the Mega Drive / Genesis version. World of Illusion is my favorite Micky game! Highly recommended to play with second player. The stages change a bit, depending who you play or if you are together.

Nice meme. :D ... wait a second. You serious, right? I always thought of Chakan as not a good game. It's the first I see someone recommending it. No offense!

oh my goodness how could I forget about Gunstar Heroes and Alien Soldier!

Wonder Boy in Monster World! Fuck! I loved that game so much!

It’s like a Zeldavania RPG, is the best I could describe it. Can’t remember the story for shit, but I played the balls off of that game. A bit grindy, but that is part of the appeal.

I think Suidoken fits here? Heard a lot of good press about it and I’ve enjoyed the little I’ve played so far. Originally a PS1 game but the ROM I have is for a Sega system, Wikipedia says it was Sega Saturn.

General Chaos!

This is the first "What should I play on early Sega?" thread that already has almost all my favourites. In fact, many of them are in OP's list. But to reiterate some added by other commenters:

• The "Strike" games (Jungle, Desert, and Urban)
• Flashback (I agree that the MegaCD version is the best single version, but the fan community has been building a Frankenstein's monster from the best parts of every version; I forgot the name of the project)
• Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (SMS)
• Wonderboy in Monster World (MD)
• Quackshot (MD)
• Rock 'n' Roll Racing (MD)
• Sunset Riders (MD)

I don't think anyone's yet mentioned:

• The Immortal (MD)
• Golden Axe Warrior (SMS)
• Arcus Odyssey (MD)
• The Lost Vikings (MD, although I played the PC version back in the day)
• Micro Machines (MD)
• Crack Down (MD)
• Gain Ground (MD)
• Alien 3 (MD)
• Addams Family Values (MD)
• Monster World IV (MD, although I haven't actually played it yet)

And a few more that I'm fond of, but I either can't remember them clearly (other than that I enjoyed them at the time), or I'm aware that I can't separate fact from nostalgia, so YMMV:

• Sword of Vermilion (MD)
• Light Crusader (MD)
• Robocop vs Terminator (MD)
• Predator 2 (MD)
• Cosmic Spacehead (MD)
• D&D Warriors of the Eternal Sun (MD)
• Atomic Runner (MD)
• Techno Cop (MD)

An honourable mention to Cadash (MD), which is a solid attempt at a port but sadly can't really hold a candle to the arcade original.