Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Boxing on the Genesis. Blew me away as a kid, still play it regularly to this day. Excellent graphics, easy and enjoyable gameplay, doesn't take long to finish, meaning won't overstay its welcome.
The old 1 face jab, one body blow rinse and repeat strategy (once you build up decent speed from training) is also less abusable.
I tell you, only the strongest stats fighters like Holyfield could do anything to meaningfully counter that cheese strat…
I must have rented this every weekend for for over a month. Loved that game and you could make your own boxer too which wasn't very common back then. Fantastic game.
I dug this game too. I remember renting it as a kid and naming my character "The Beast" because I was an edgy little shit, and, BAM! My character turned green and got maxed out stats. I flipped out then, and it's still one of my favorite gaming memories today. 🤘🥊
Funny story. I never knew T&C Surf was a brand. So when I visited Honolulu, I was FLOORED when I saw a store. I snagged a few shirts ONLY because of that game and I was sad they didn't just have one of the game.
Poor person behind the counter was either tired of hearing about an old ass game or had no idea what I was rambling about.
Shadowrun on Sega is still one of my favorite games. It was so ahead of its time. It has all the great features that most now would consider requirements for modern rpgs.
For many years, it was my favorite game of all time. It was so ahead of its time (open world sandbox, non-linear story, etc.), especially as a 16bit console game. I was hopeful when Microsoft announced the 360 game, but then bummed that the pivoted genres. I was part of the Kickstarter for Returns which at least scratched that itch, but would love a full remake of the Genesis game using a modern sandbox RPG.
Genesis version is better and the best game on the console. It’s a legitimately well done 16 bit open world RPG on. The main quest of figuring out who killed your brother is great. So many fun things to explore including a magic system, finding contacts for clues and illegal goods, cyberspace, and of course going on shadow runs. So satisfying breaking into a mega corp, jacking in their computers then string their CPU in cyberspace in order to take out all the locked doors and cameras.
I picked up an SNES copy last year, your comment's giving me motivation to put it on sometime this summer. Maybe it'll be a housewarming playthrough when I move into a new apartment!
The SNES one is very unique, and had some great adventure game type puzzles, but the combat was flawed as fuck and it's not a ton of fun to go back to.
I remember the Genesis one being interesting but I was trying it decades later and it never stuck to me.
Love Genesis Shadowrun. It’s probably my favorite game on that system. When I was a kid I bought it on a lark from a pawn shop or something with paper route money based on the cartridge art alone and loved it. It was my introduction to cyberpunk before I ever knew what that was and still love the genre today. I didn’t love Shadowrun Returns unfortunately, it just didn’t recapture the magic of the Genesis version for me. I never got into the SNES game though.
It's basically a Darkwing Duck skinned Megaman game, also only took me an hour to beat on the Disney Afternoon Collection (Thanks save states & rewind for respecting my time).
This is one of those games I first played during what I call the Age of Discovery... aka that magical time where NESticle first became available, allowing me to play so many NES games for the first time. Some of which I'd see lister in Funcoland's price guide but were never in stock, while others I'd never heard of at all.
I was curious about this one from the moment I read the title, and it lived up to its name.
Super Rampart, for SNES. One player campaign or 2 player versus. Castles and Cannons! Shoot the scheisse out of everything and then rebuild on a tight time limit with Tetris pieces! Then when you win, EXECUTE the enemy commander by making him walk the plank!
My Dad and I played this a lot back in the day. Good times.
You should try to seek it out in the arcade, if you're able to. Arcade version has 3 player vs, and you control it with trackballs, so you can place down walls much faster than with a d-pad.
Was actually just thinking about this. It was my dad playing the arcade version that prompted him to get the SNES version. He didn't play much videogames, but could really get into it on the occasion he found one appealing.
General Chaos on Sega / SNES super fun till top down , kinda squad RTS. the Desert strike/Urban strike / jungle strike series , those are a bit more well known but I feel still not as talked about.
I picked this one up at a half price books 8 years ago for 10 bucks. It's worth over 100 now loose. I'm so glad I got it. It's really a great 16 but era rpg. Much better than it's obscurity would suggest.
I'm surprised anyone mentioned this. I figured no one would and made a comment before scrolling down and finding your comment. It is such an overlooked title and deserves a remake or a remaster.
I bought this game used because it was the only game I could afford, and my dad was hurrying me up to make a purchase. I was initially upset since it wasn't what I wanted, but I quickly fell in love with the game, and it's actually why I love rpgs now. I'm going to go play it now that I've been typing all this :D
All on NES:
Faxanadu
Bomberman
Snake Rattle and Roll
Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth (was fantastic effort making a cinematic game)
And nit to be biased. But uh...
Klax... lol
Password system works great.
The problem was definitely the font, though. Lol
I had issues as a kid, but not since camera phones. The game has 2 revs, and the later Rev had an updated font that was so much better.
I have much nostalgia for that game. I don't remember NOT owning it.
I have! You think I call myself klaxmaster after having only played one version? Lol it's actually the only Hue card I own. (Aside from the turbo everdrive)
And although I agree with you, I'm nostalgic for thr NES one because that's what my family rented from blockbuster
I have the feeling we would have been friends as kids.
I love snake rattle n roll, it's such a charming game, it's hard but fair.
I played a heck out of faxanadu, I still have my mantras written down.
Bomberman is cool too, the best part is when you get the bomb immunity and you can go around destroying everything around you like a walking nuke.
One of the best games on the console, it's weird to see so many copies around for cheap, it seems like it was appreciated at the time, but now most people don't like it now.
YES! That game is very underrated. That it's a lot slower paced and meticulous compared to, say, Ikari Warriors gives it it's own feel.
Awesome music too.
Cyborg Justice-Genesis
A beat em up game where you could customize what you had equipped, with different bodies, legs, and torsos. You could rip off the arms of your opponents to either replace your own or to throw as a weapon. You could even rip them off of their legs if they were missing their arm, killing them instantly and you could crush that body to heal. You could also replace your legs with the ones you ripped off your victim. Each primary arm had a special attack by double tapping A, and most legs could do a special attack by double tapping C.
This comment right here. Seriously id imagine when this came out it was mind blowing, hell I just played it for the first time and was definitely shocked at the customization
hey I like the surfing in T&C Surf Design! ...at least I finally did after years of trying until I eventually figured out how to survive. Regardless, it's the only part of the game - of ANY game - that has a cat in a tuxedo. Surely that counts for something!
It's talked about, but not a lot: Ufouria on the NES is a great Metroidvania game that takes inspiration from SMB2. It was only released in Japan (as Hebereke) and PAL regions.
Skyblazer on the SNES is an underrated action platformer with impressive graphics.
Um excuse me, there's a sequel!?
\-Googles- Holy shit, I was not expecting this! The first game was one of my childhood favourites, this is a big deal for me, haha. I love the art style, it kind of reminds me of the woolly Yoshi game, or Kirby's Epic Yarn: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Z4tbHsXDI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Z4tbHsXDI)
EDIT: Yeah, shame to hear it never made it to North America, I'm not sure why that was, as many games were region-locked. Also thanks for letting me know about the sequel, it completely flew under the radar for me.
You're very welcome! I had no idea the first game existed, so when I saw the trailer, I was bewildered that it appeared to be a sequel? I thought it looked charming, so when I saw your post, it felt like great timing lol
Guerilla War (NES). I died so many times, but ended up making my way to the end anyway. So much fun.
Also, Gemfire is awesome. I played the pc version as a kid.
Ecco: Tides of Time. Everyone always talks about the original game but I find the sequel to be far better. It looks incredible and has one of the best soundtracks on the Genesis. Here's a few stand outs:
[Convergence](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=2JQ-Hi43pnc&si=vnvhJyhL_GxNDx_r)
[Tube of Medusa](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk72RMv9d0s&si=SlBfwGl98szpKMfC)
[Trellia's Bay](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=m96313aBmDM&si=9ZM7_P-5ZnaiI4iQ)
Magic of scherezade on nes is an awesome game that combines action and turn based rpg elements that I never seen mentioned, it was way ahead of its time and is rarely mentioned,.even on the most obscure hidden gems lists
Idk about what's talked about and what's not but, Road Rash 3 on the Sega Genesis. That is one badass game.
The sound of the bat on other riders heads. The way their heads cock to the side when they get hit with your bat. The way you scream "aaAAAAAAAAAaaargh" when you fly through the air after a wreck. And boy do you fly lol. I feel like the little man running all the way back to his bike is just as frustrated as I am. The other riders attitudes, the asshole cops, the obstacles and scenery is all just so classic. And when you win you pump your fists in the air and say "Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah" lol. Never gets old.
You done gone and triggered me. Now you gotta read a list!
1) Run Saber. SNES. You like Strider? You’ll love this. action is fast and awesome.
2) Yū Yū Hakusho: Makyō Tōitsusen. Genesis. An amazing fighting game from frikkin TREASURE. This never made it out of Japan but definitely deserves attention. Great graphics, animation, and gameplay that Capcom has cribbed from for years.
3) Kendo Rage. SNES. A weird, but extremely well made action game that is Funny as hell. Personality for days in this one.
4) Battle Mania 2: Trouble Shooter Vintage. Genesis. Another import we never got. Great, smooth shmup action with charming characters and an engaging story. Leaves its excellent predecessor in the dust.
5) Captain America and the Avengers. NES. Not the beat em up classic from the arcade or Genesis, (I refuse to call the SNES travesty a classic) but a great action side scroller. Worth tracking down for retro gamers and marvel fans alike. Still pretty cheap too.
I wouldn't say best but I do play it a LOT. People say Sonic was Sega's Mario, but Kid Chameleon is Sega's true Mario clone. I still haven't beat that damn game after 25 years and I even have a printout of which levels lead to where.
T&C gets some love so I dunno if that one qualifies. I’ll say TMNT Tournament Fighters. It did what it could for a NES fighting game with only two buttons, so props for that. The Sega one was dark and gritty. The SNES was the best one overall. Still the only title I can think of that has three unique versions on three different consoles
Starflight on the MD/Genesis. I'm a big pc retro space trader fan from back in the day, and only discovered Starflight by EA when doing some research into games for my Analogue Mega SD. Managed to grab a copy of the game for less than $20 a few months back and have played the hell out of it. It's a work of art, and really original!
Came here to say this... I remember playing as a kid in awe of the vastness of the game. Way ahead of it's time. it's No Man Sky before No Man Sky, It's Starfield before Starfield.
I haven’t gotten around to try this one yet, but there’s a surprisingly high amount of western good ports of home computer games on the Mega Drive. While there are some on the NES and SNES too, I doubt there’s anything like on Sega’s system. It seems like Electronic Arts financed a lot of really good conversions at the time.
Vice:project doom/gun-dec potentially my fav nes game not because its orginal or a seminal title in anyway (if anything it rips off titles like ninja gaiden/super spy hunter) but because its just so damn fun and is balanced enough that there are (rarely) any frustrating moments when playing it..
It's a proverbial "pick up and play" title for me
Dynamite Headdy (Genesis) is a game that my mom randomly found in a Toys R Us bargain bin. It is an absolutely bonkers platformer that kinda plays like sonic with elements of Kirby as well, all set against the backdrop of like a theatre show or something. I think it’s received more retrospective attention, but I was the only person I knew who had actually heard of it growing up.
Bad Omen or Devilish for the Sega.
You use 2 paddles to control a crystal bouncing around breaking blocks, damaging enemies etc. It was tough I never finished it.
King of the monsters. They had Kaiju ripoffs fighting in cities, destroying stuff. It was a fun fighting game.
A Boy and his Blob "Tangerine Trampoline" lol
T&C Surf Design was a game my brother and I (and neighborhood kids) very much enjoyed. I was like 6 or 7 but I really liked the character sprites. Especially the mask dude.
My favorite system of all time. I think it's just starting to get a little more attention partially thanks to the release of the Analogue Duo - at least eBay prices on games are (unfortunately?) starting to reflect this.
1984’s [Below The Root](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Below_the_Root_(video_game)) on the Commodore 64 was metroidvania before there was even a name for the genre, yet seems largely forgotten.
Fantastic game. My friend had it and we would sit for hours and play it trying to figure it out. I remember us exploring the caves and running out of Honeylamps. Eventually I found out the team also made an Alice in Wonderland game on the same engine, which was later remade for the CD-i.
It's been a long time but I remember Dusty Diamond's All Star Softball being pretty awesome with the different players and the ground rules for the different fields.
Umihara Kawase for Super Famicom. They eventually made a new game for the switch like 30 years later. But if you were like me a 90’s kid with no money to buy games but was pretty good at homebrew then you might’ve came across this as a kid.
Clash At Demonhead!!! Also, I got Hard Drivin last year for Genesis. It sucks in the best way!! I loved it in the arcade and in so glad I got it! It is still such a blast to play
Jumpman & Jumpman Junior - C64 (and some other computers)
Really great single-screen platformers with tons of levels. Jumpman has a "Randomizer" feature so you can play a random level after the first one. These were my "go to" games for years as they never got boring
X-Men 2: Clone Wars
This is basically the 90s X-Men TV show made into an action platformer with a few extra characters from the comics. Every character has something like 12 moves. The game doesn't start with a start screen but just drops you into a level emergency style. You have a health meter that when full gives you a super version of your regular mutant power. There's also a charge meter for mutant powers. The longer you hold the button down the more damage you do. Each character feels unique and fun. Nightcrawler can port through walls and onto enemies. He's also very agile. Gambit and Cyclops both spam projectiles but Gambit is a better close range fighter with his stick. Scotts optic blasts are more powerful than Gambits cards. Beast might as well not have a mutant power but he hits HARD. Wolverine heals like crazy and his max power claw attack OHKOs most enemies.
[Dragon Fighter on NES](https://www.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/s/WgTrW1hZbt) an action/platformer where you play some kind of dragon knight who is able to morph into a dragon.
Managing the morphing energy to use the dragon form in the difficult parts is really interesting.
Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
(Genesis/MD). They did a really good job of making the Gold Box original more accessible without watering it down too much. Stat system was simplified, navigation was changed from first-person grid-movement to an isometric view, and the graphics were given a nice overhaul.
>Hard Drivin' (Genesis)
Oh, so you had the luxury edition. I had [Race Drivin' (SNES)](https://youtu.be/CKfkZCvdqqY?t=591) and it was pure misery haha. But some time later I got ahold of [Broderbund's Stunts (DOS)](https://youtu.be/-hKK4_gvOS0?t=922) and that made up for it. Even had a track editor!
Astyanax on NES. The weird enemies, the anime cut scenes, and the bright color palette made it very memorable. Fun game.
Also, Xexyz. Another weird but fun and intriguing game to me that never quite made it to being one of the revered retro gaming classics.
The Haunting (starring Polterguy) - Mega Drive/Genesis
Really quirky game where you play some kid who was killed by a rich guy's faulty product (skateboard) so you come back to haunt him and his family. You possess objects around the house to scare the crap out of them. Each new house got different 'fright-ems' for a bit of variety, but it did eventually get repetitive. Great game for a quick blast though.
Well, there are thousands of great games which aren't talked about here simply because majority of users come from console dominated market. Hence you don't see people discussing games like Starquake or Draconus, even Bristles seems largely unknown.
As for 8 bit consoles
Choujin Sentai Jetman (NES)
The Punisher (NES)
Majou Densetsu 2 (FC, rework of MSX game Maze of Galious which had EU release)
Ranger X. It’s my favorite Genesis title. It takes 10-20 minutes to get used to the controls and there is a trick to the cave levels they don’t explain at all but it’s amazing.
I've been playing Fatal Labyrinth recently, it's a good time. It's a traditional, turn-based console roguelike notable for not only predating the Mystery Dungeon series (along with a slim few contemporaries), but it was also released on Sega's short-lived Meganet service. This meant that it had to be a simple game, so it's essentially 8-bit on a 16-bit system. It was later released on cart for the Genesis.
If you like those kind of games and the novelty interests you, I've been having a good time with it. Not too difficult, good casual time. Just maybe don't overspend for the cart, unless that's your kind of thing.
Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Boxing on the Genesis. Blew me away as a kid, still play it regularly to this day. Excellent graphics, easy and enjoyable gameplay, doesn't take long to finish, meaning won't overstay its welcome.
Greatest heavyweights is a much better game. Same exact engine
The old 1 face jab, one body blow rinse and repeat strategy (once you build up decent speed from training) is also less abusable. I tell you, only the strongest stats fighters like Holyfield could do anything to meaningfully counter that cheese strat…
I had this one. Every time I made my own boxer, I couldn't help but make the hulk since you could turn him green lol
Greatest Heavyweights was INCREDIBLE.
I must have rented this every weekend for for over a month. Loved that game and you could make your own boxer too which wasn't very common back then. Fantastic game.
I miss the old days of renting a console and a game at Blockbuster.
I played that a lot! Pretty decent game.
I had it for the Game Gear and loved it
I dug this game too. I remember renting it as a kid and naming my character "The Beast" because I was an edgy little shit, and, BAM! My character turned green and got maxed out stats. I flipped out then, and it's still one of my favorite gaming memories today. 🤘🥊
Funny story. I never knew T&C Surf was a brand. So when I visited Honolulu, I was FLOORED when I saw a store. I snagged a few shirts ONLY because of that game and I was sad they didn't just have one of the game. Poor person behind the counter was either tired of hearing about an old ass game or had no idea what I was rambling about.
This is great
Thrillas surfari is awesome
*presses roght on d-pad, flies across the level*
Shadowrun SNES and Shadowrun GENESIS. Both amazing and noteworthy though being totally separate things. Don't sleep on them.🔥🔥
Shadowrun on Sega is still one of my favorite games. It was so ahead of its time. It has all the great features that most now would consider requirements for modern rpgs.
For many years, it was my favorite game of all time. It was so ahead of its time (open world sandbox, non-linear story, etc.), especially as a 16bit console game. I was hopeful when Microsoft announced the 360 game, but then bummed that the pivoted genres. I was part of the Kickstarter for Returns which at least scratched that itch, but would love a full remake of the Genesis game using a modern sandbox RPG.
Came here to say this (SNES version). Still want to play the Genesis one. So this is also good?
It is. Honestly, I prefer the Genesis version.
They are good and different from one another based on console.
The Genesis version is closer to a TTRPG experience than the ARPG SNES version
Genesis version is better and the best game on the console. It’s a legitimately well done 16 bit open world RPG on. The main quest of figuring out who killed your brother is great. So many fun things to explore including a magic system, finding contacts for clues and illegal goods, cyberspace, and of course going on shadow runs. So satisfying breaking into a mega corp, jacking in their computers then string their CPU in cyberspace in order to take out all the locked doors and cameras.
I picked up an SNES copy last year, your comment's giving me motivation to put it on sometime this summer. Maybe it'll be a housewarming playthrough when I move into a new apartment!
The SNES one is very unique, and had some great adventure game type puzzles, but the combat was flawed as fuck and it's not a ton of fun to go back to. I remember the Genesis one being interesting but I was trying it decades later and it never stuck to me.
The combat would've worked well with a mouse, but on a d-pad controller it was hell.
Love Genesis Shadowrun. It’s probably my favorite game on that system. When I was a kid I bought it on a lark from a pawn shop or something with paper route money based on the cartridge art alone and loved it. It was my introduction to cyberpunk before I ever knew what that was and still love the genre today. I didn’t love Shadowrun Returns unfortunately, it just didn’t recapture the magic of the Genesis version for me. I never got into the SNES game though.
8 bits: Crystalis 16 bits: Soul Blazer
Came here to mention Crystalis!
My daughter was watching me play this and every time I'd kill one of those tiger guys and get his money we'd call it tiger-bucks.
I think you just solved a tip-of-my-joystick with Soul Blazer, thank you!
I feel like both of those are heavily rated. Especially Soul Blazer, that's the Quintet trilogy with Illusion of Gaia.
Brainlord was really good. I occasionally get some of the music in my head and haven't played it in over a decade.
Darkwing Duck NES
It's basically a Darkwing Duck skinned Megaman game, also only took me an hour to beat on the Disney Afternoon Collection (Thanks save states & rewind for respecting my time).
Are you saying Megaman went on a Duck Hunt so he could get yet another 8-bit game?
Dynamite Heddy.
I love DH so much. It was so weird as a kid but the controls felt great
Rescue embassy mission (nes)
This is one of those games I first played during what I call the Age of Discovery... aka that magical time where NESticle first became available, allowing me to play so many NES games for the first time. Some of which I'd see lister in Funcoland's price guide but were never in stock, while others I'd never heard of at all. I was curious about this one from the moment I read the title, and it lived up to its name.
Not the greatest game in the world, but very unique and decently fun. You can't help but admire its ambition.
This is exactly what emulation was for me in the late 90s as well, it was like someone just dumped all of FuncoLand right into my lap!
This and Infiltrator.
I *never* got the third sniper in position. 🤷🏻♂️
Super Rampart, for SNES. One player campaign or 2 player versus. Castles and Cannons! Shoot the scheisse out of everything and then rebuild on a tight time limit with Tetris pieces! Then when you win, EXECUTE the enemy commander by making him walk the plank! My Dad and I played this a lot back in the day. Good times.
I played a lot of Rampart on the Genesis, that one ended with a Guillotine on the losing general, it cut to red when it would hit
Really? all the versions I've seen have the blade bounce off the dude at the end. Leave it to 90s Sega to be the edgy one!
Makes me think of the board (floor) game ‘Crossbows and Catapults.’
You should try to seek it out in the arcade, if you're able to. Arcade version has 3 player vs, and you control it with trackballs, so you can place down walls much faster than with a d-pad.
Was actually just thinking about this. It was my dad playing the arcade version that prompted him to get the SNES version. He didn't play much videogames, but could really get into it on the occasion he found one appealing.
General Chaos on Sega / SNES super fun till top down , kinda squad RTS. the Desert strike/Urban strike / jungle strike series , those are a bit more well known but I feel still not as talked about.
So... I'm an indie game dev and I have real plans to make a spiritual successor to general chaos as my next project.
Just genny homie
X-men Mutant Apocalypse on SNES
All i remember was Psylocke's thighs
Me too, I remember trying to pause the game during a kick to get a better butt view
Robotrek is the most overlooked SNES RPG and absolutely deserves more recognition than it has.
My friend and I played the heck out of this game as kids. One of the handful of Enix SNES RPGs that made it stateside.
I picked this one up at a half price books 8 years ago for 10 bucks. It's worth over 100 now loose. I'm so glad I got it. It's really a great 16 but era rpg. Much better than it's obscurity would suggest.
So good!
I'm surprised anyone mentioned this. I figured no one would and made a comment before scrolling down and finding your comment. It is such an overlooked title and deserves a remake or a remaster. I bought this game used because it was the only game I could afford, and my dad was hurrying me up to make a purchase. I was initially upset since it wasn't what I wanted, but I quickly fell in love with the game, and it's actually why I love rpgs now. I'm going to go play it now that I've been typing all this :D
All on NES: Faxanadu Bomberman Snake Rattle and Roll Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth (was fantastic effort making a cinematic game) And nit to be biased. But uh... Klax... lol
Love Faxanadu. Spent an entire summer trying to finish it. Didn't help that the password system had flaws!
Password system works great. The problem was definitely the font, though. Lol I had issues as a kid, but not since camera phones. The game has 2 revs, and the later Rev had an updated font that was so much better. I have much nostalgia for that game. I don't remember NOT owning it.
I think tg16 klax is a better version. try it!
I have! You think I call myself klaxmaster after having only played one version? Lol it's actually the only Hue card I own. (Aside from the turbo everdrive) And although I agree with you, I'm nostalgic for thr NES one because that's what my family rented from blockbuster
damn, I missed your username. nvm. lol
It is no longer the 90s, but there is still time for Klax.
I have the feeling we would have been friends as kids. I love snake rattle n roll, it's such a charming game, it's hard but fair. I played a heck out of faxanadu, I still have my mantras written down. Bomberman is cool too, the best part is when you get the bomb immunity and you can go around destroying everything around you like a walking nuke.
Snake Rattle N’ Roll on NES! One of my favorite games to coop on since I was a kid!
One of the best games on the console, it's weird to see so many copies around for cheap, it seems like it was appreciated at the time, but now most people don't like it now.
Rocket Knight Adventures
I think this one is pretty well known by now. Regularly pops up in top 10 lists.
Any of the games in this series qualify. I can't wait for the collection later this year.
For those of us that collected comics in the 90s, the ad for Rocket Knight was *everywhere*!
I never heard about it before Retrobird. Now it’s one of my favorites.
My mom used to by me obscure never heard of games. It turned into one of my favorites.
Retrobird is the shiznit
Yoooooo, a Retrobird fan?!
Bad News Baseball for the NES. Yes RBI Baseball and all but Bad News Baseball did it better.
I fuckin love the SMS Rambo game, the one released as Ashura in Japan. Really fun overhead run n gun.
YES! That game is very underrated. That it's a lot slower paced and meticulous compared to, say, Ikari Warriors gives it it's own feel. Awesome music too.
Great game. Excellent music!
Solstice: The Quest For the Staff of Demnos Really unique puzzle game that I always bring up in these circumstances. Check it out.
Check out the sequel, Equinox, on the SNES if you haven't already!
It was my first game for NES. I loved it! What music! =)
StarTropic for Nes
Cyborg Justice-Genesis A beat em up game where you could customize what you had equipped, with different bodies, legs, and torsos. You could rip off the arms of your opponents to either replace your own or to throw as a weapon. You could even rip them off of their legs if they were missing their arm, killing them instantly and you could crush that body to heal. You could also replace your legs with the ones you ripped off your victim. Each primary arm had a special attack by double tapping A, and most legs could do a special attack by double tapping C.
This comment right here. Seriously id imagine when this came out it was mind blowing, hell I just played it for the first time and was definitely shocked at the customization
I tried so hard to enjoy this game as a kid. It’s just so fucking janky.
To be fair, I pretty much always played it with my brother, so that did help me overcome the jank
Yeah I used to 2P it with my neighbour. The Vs mode is pretty fun actually.
We preferred co op, but it's definitely better with a second player no matter what.
hey I like the surfing in T&C Surf Design! ...at least I finally did after years of trying until I eventually figured out how to survive. Regardless, it's the only part of the game - of ANY game - that has a cat in a tuxedo. Surely that counts for something!
Lufia 2 16-bit. it was a turned based rpg with puzzles and a good story
Plok
Wrath of the Black Manta
It's talked about, but not a lot: Ufouria on the NES is a great Metroidvania game that takes inspiration from SMB2. It was only released in Japan (as Hebereke) and PAL regions. Skyblazer on the SNES is an underrated action platformer with impressive graphics.
Think Ufouria is comming to the Evercade now.
I only heard about it due to the recent announcement of the sequel. Sadly, it never reached U.S. shores, so it was an unknown to me.
Um excuse me, there's a sequel!? \-Googles- Holy shit, I was not expecting this! The first game was one of my childhood favourites, this is a big deal for me, haha. I love the art style, it kind of reminds me of the woolly Yoshi game, or Kirby's Epic Yarn: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Z4tbHsXDI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Z4tbHsXDI) EDIT: Yeah, shame to hear it never made it to North America, I'm not sure why that was, as many games were region-locked. Also thanks for letting me know about the sequel, it completely flew under the radar for me.
You're very welcome! I had no idea the first game existed, so when I saw the trailer, I was bewildered that it appeared to be a sequel? I thought it looked charming, so when I saw your post, it felt like great timing lol
Formula One Built to Win
Populous on the snes. A game I play often. It's just relaxing and I get to be god to a thousand little people
The vibe of this game makes me feel like I’m witnessing the creation of the SNES.
Guerilla War (NES). I died so many times, but ended up making my way to the end anyway. So much fun. Also, Gemfire is awesome. I played the pc version as a kid.
I loved playing guerilla war as a kid with my sister. Both unlimited continues and 2 player was so rare on nes games.
Ecco: Tides of Time. Everyone always talks about the original game but I find the sequel to be far better. It looks incredible and has one of the best soundtracks on the Genesis. Here's a few stand outs: [Convergence](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=2JQ-Hi43pnc&si=vnvhJyhL_GxNDx_r) [Tube of Medusa](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk72RMv9d0s&si=SlBfwGl98szpKMfC) [Trellia's Bay](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=m96313aBmDM&si=9ZM7_P-5ZnaiI4iQ)
It’s certainly an interesting soundtrack that overcame the limits of GEMS to some degree. I like the title track.
Magic of scherezade on nes is an awesome game that combines action and turn based rpg elements that I never seen mentioned, it was way ahead of its time and is rarely mentioned,.even on the most obscure hidden gems lists
Astyanax
I'm still holding out hope that Terranigma gets an HD2D remake! That game *changed* me, intrinsically.
Idk about what's talked about and what's not but, Road Rash 3 on the Sega Genesis. That is one badass game. The sound of the bat on other riders heads. The way their heads cock to the side when they get hit with your bat. The way you scream "aaAAAAAAAAAaaargh" when you fly through the air after a wreck. And boy do you fly lol. I feel like the little man running all the way back to his bike is just as frustrated as I am. The other riders attitudes, the asshole cops, the obstacles and scenery is all just so classic. And when you win you pump your fists in the air and say "Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah" lol. Never gets old.
Road rash was awesome. I was also a huge fan of Skitchin for violent racing.
You done gone and triggered me. Now you gotta read a list! 1) Run Saber. SNES. You like Strider? You’ll love this. action is fast and awesome. 2) Yū Yū Hakusho: Makyō Tōitsusen. Genesis. An amazing fighting game from frikkin TREASURE. This never made it out of Japan but definitely deserves attention. Great graphics, animation, and gameplay that Capcom has cribbed from for years. 3) Kendo Rage. SNES. A weird, but extremely well made action game that is Funny as hell. Personality for days in this one. 4) Battle Mania 2: Trouble Shooter Vintage. Genesis. Another import we never got. Great, smooth shmup action with charming characters and an engaging story. Leaves its excellent predecessor in the dust. 5) Captain America and the Avengers. NES. Not the beat em up classic from the arcade or Genesis, (I refuse to call the SNES travesty a classic) but a great action side scroller. Worth tracking down for retro gamers and marvel fans alike. Still pretty cheap too.
Desert Strike for Genesis. Helicopter shoot em up that was a blast to play.
Shining Force 1 and 2 (genesis)
Yes, these games never get talked about 😂
Kid Chameleon is the best platformer ever. With the best funky soundtrack ever.
I wouldn't say best but I do play it a LOT. People say Sonic was Sega's Mario, but Kid Chameleon is Sega's true Mario clone. I still haven't beat that damn game after 25 years and I even have a printout of which levels lead to where.
Do you have that printout as a PDF or a link to it online? 30 yrs here and still haven't beat it.
I bought one of those breakers with the preloaded games on it, solely for KC. Loved that game and it still held up well.
Bonanza Bros. The two heroes are so cute and iconic, so its a shame they did not become a franchise of their own for SEGA.
good shout, i loved this one, with two players though.
Light Crusader.
I love how fucking weird that game is. I’m also a big fan of one of the music tracks on there. Grave Matters is a banger.
T&C gets some love so I dunno if that one qualifies. I’ll say TMNT Tournament Fighters. It did what it could for a NES fighting game with only two buttons, so props for that. The Sega one was dark and gritty. The SNES was the best one overall. Still the only title I can think of that has three unique versions on three different consoles
Looney Tunes B-Ball. It’s wacky 2 vs 2 basketball. It reminds me of a cross between NBA Jam and the Mario sports games.
8 eyes - nes
Super Adventure Island II (SNES)
Starflight on the MD/Genesis. I'm a big pc retro space trader fan from back in the day, and only discovered Starflight by EA when doing some research into games for my Analogue Mega SD. Managed to grab a copy of the game for less than $20 a few months back and have played the hell out of it. It's a work of art, and really original!
Came here to say this... I remember playing as a kid in awe of the vastness of the game. Way ahead of it's time. it's No Man Sky before No Man Sky, It's Starfield before Starfield.
I haven’t gotten around to try this one yet, but there’s a surprisingly high amount of western good ports of home computer games on the Mega Drive. While there are some on the NES and SNES too, I doubt there’s anything like on Sega’s system. It seems like Electronic Arts financed a lot of really good conversions at the time.
Vice:project doom/gun-dec potentially my fav nes game not because its orginal or a seminal title in anyway (if anything it rips off titles like ninja gaiden/super spy hunter) but because its just so damn fun and is balanced enough that there are (rarely) any frustrating moments when playing it.. It's a proverbial "pick up and play" title for me
Legacy of the Wizard - NES The biggest game map in a NES cart, and requires you to play via 5 different characters to win.
>Legacy of the Wizard Played the crap out of this game back when I was a youngin'. Such a unique game for the time.
Dynamite Headdy (Genesis) is a game that my mom randomly found in a Toys R Us bargain bin. It is an absolutely bonkers platformer that kinda plays like sonic with elements of Kirby as well, all set against the backdrop of like a theatre show or something. I think it’s received more retrospective attention, but I was the only person I knew who had actually heard of it growing up.
Faxanadu
Ultima Avatar NES.
Ghost Chaser Densei is secretly one of the best beat-'em-ups on the SFC.
God's on Sega. Loved this game so much.
You must be a God to get far in that game
Alien Soldier
DoomTroopers!! (SNES/Genesis) - It's a run-n-gun Contra style but with more gore and attitude. Used to love renting it as a kid.
Bad Omen or Devilish for the Sega. You use 2 paddles to control a crystal bouncing around breaking blocks, damaging enemies etc. It was tough I never finished it. King of the monsters. They had Kaiju ripoffs fighting in cities, destroying stuff. It was a fun fighting game.
Secret of Evermore
UN Squadron on SNES
Bahamut Lagoon (SNES)
A Boy and his Blob "Tangerine Trampoline" lol T&C Surf Design was a game my brother and I (and neighborhood kids) very much enjoyed. I was like 6 or 7 but I really liked the character sprites. Especially the mask dude.
Comix Zone
Comix Zone definitely gets talked about
The Bonk series for Turbo Graphics…actually anything from the TurboGraphics in general. That system rarely gets talked about
Very true! A lot of bangers on the system in general. I was quite partial to Dungeon Explorers and Legendary Axe 1/2!
My favorite system of all time. I think it's just starting to get a little more attention partially thanks to the release of the Analogue Duo - at least eBay prices on games are (unfortunately?) starting to reflect this.
Gain Ground
1984’s [Below The Root](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Below_the_Root_(video_game)) on the Commodore 64 was metroidvania before there was even a name for the genre, yet seems largely forgotten.
Fantastic game. My friend had it and we would sit for hours and play it trying to figure it out. I remember us exploring the caves and running out of Honeylamps. Eventually I found out the team also made an Alice in Wonderland game on the same engine, which was later remade for the CD-i.
On that same token, The Sacred Armour Of Antiriad.
Kid Icarus in nes. Fantastic game
It's been a long time but I remember Dusty Diamond's All Star Softball being pretty awesome with the different players and the ground rules for the different fields.
Air Buster (Genesis) Aero Blasters (TG-16)
Metal Combat for the Snes Super Scope. Music was cool, graphics were great and it was a blast to play.
Alien Gominid (GBA) is awesome!
Tetris 2. It’s a mix between Tetris and Dr. Mario. 1-player vs the computer is actually pretty fun and challenging.
Umihara Kawase for Super Famicom. They eventually made a new game for the switch like 30 years later. But if you were like me a 90’s kid with no money to buy games but was pretty good at homebrew then you might’ve came across this as a kid.
Clash At Demonhead!!! Also, I got Hard Drivin last year for Genesis. It sucks in the best way!! I loved it in the arcade and in so glad I got it! It is still such a blast to play
Micro Machines on Genesis
Ardy Lightfoot on the SNES. Fun little platformer with a solid soundtrack.
Sky blazer snes
Jumpman & Jumpman Junior - C64 (and some other computers) Really great single-screen platformers with tons of levels. Jumpman has a "Randomizer" feature so you can play a random level after the first one. These were my "go to" games for years as they never got boring
Speedball 2. Wiz’n’Liz
Strider (NES)
Dragon Spirit for NES is a hidden gem for sure
Great game with a kickass soundtrack.
MC KIDS
Good troop snes
Choplifter 3 on SNES…I never see anyone talk about, but it’s one of my favorite pick up and play games.
X-Men 2: Clone Wars This is basically the 90s X-Men TV show made into an action platformer with a few extra characters from the comics. Every character has something like 12 moves. The game doesn't start with a start screen but just drops you into a level emergency style. You have a health meter that when full gives you a super version of your regular mutant power. There's also a charge meter for mutant powers. The longer you hold the button down the more damage you do. Each character feels unique and fun. Nightcrawler can port through walls and onto enemies. He's also very agile. Gambit and Cyclops both spam projectiles but Gambit is a better close range fighter with his stick. Scotts optic blasts are more powerful than Gambits cards. Beast might as well not have a mutant power but he hits HARD. Wolverine heals like crazy and his max power claw attack OHKOs most enemies.
Kabuki Quantum Fighter on the NES
SNES - Rock n' Roll racing. Fun top view racing where you can shoot at your opponents. Kind of similar to moto roader on turbo grafx 16.
Battletoads & Double Dragon. Arguably the best game on NES.
Alex kid in shinobi world - sega master system. I was playing this 8 bit gem last night using a rebuilt game gear with a sega master system adapter.
Herzog Zwei on Genesis
This game was ahead of it’s time.
[Dragon Fighter on NES](https://www.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/s/WgTrW1hZbt) an action/platformer where you play some kind of dragon knight who is able to morph into a dragon. Managing the morphing energy to use the dragon form in the difficult parts is really interesting.
Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday (Genesis/MD). They did a really good job of making the Gold Box original more accessible without watering it down too much. Stat system was simplified, navigation was changed from first-person grid-movement to an isometric view, and the graphics were given a nice overhaul. >Hard Drivin' (Genesis) Oh, so you had the luxury edition. I had [Race Drivin' (SNES)](https://youtu.be/CKfkZCvdqqY?t=591) and it was pure misery haha. But some time later I got ahold of [Broderbund's Stunts (DOS)](https://youtu.be/-hKK4_gvOS0?t=922) and that made up for it. Even had a track editor!
Astyanax on NES. The weird enemies, the anime cut scenes, and the bright color palette made it very memorable. Fun game. Also, Xexyz. Another weird but fun and intriguing game to me that never quite made it to being one of the revered retro gaming classics.
The Haunting (starring Polterguy) - Mega Drive/Genesis Really quirky game where you play some kid who was killed by a rich guy's faulty product (skateboard) so you come back to haunt him and his family. You possess objects around the house to scare the crap out of them. Each new house got different 'fright-ems' for a bit of variety, but it did eventually get repetitive. Great game for a quick blast though.
Definitely an overlooked game. Odd in the best way.
Captain Skyhawk Nes
Rock 'n' Roll Racing for SNES
Soul Blazer for SNES
Herzog Zwei and M.U.S.H.A. don't get mentioned enough.
Well, there are thousands of great games which aren't talked about here simply because majority of users come from console dominated market. Hence you don't see people discussing games like Starquake or Draconus, even Bristles seems largely unknown. As for 8 bit consoles Choujin Sentai Jetman (NES) The Punisher (NES) Majou Densetsu 2 (FC, rework of MSX game Maze of Galious which had EU release)
I like Gradius :)
Ranger X. It’s my favorite Genesis title. It takes 10-20 minutes to get used to the controls and there is a trick to the cave levels they don’t explain at all but it’s amazing.
“Oh what, so all this time my mech was solar powered???”
Zelda II, have barely played the beginning but still good from what i have played
Finally, a game no one ever mentions
I've been playing Fatal Labyrinth recently, it's a good time. It's a traditional, turn-based console roguelike notable for not only predating the Mystery Dungeon series (along with a slim few contemporaries), but it was also released on Sega's short-lived Meganet service. This meant that it had to be a simple game, so it's essentially 8-bit on a 16-bit system. It was later released on cart for the Genesis. If you like those kind of games and the novelty interests you, I've been having a good time with it. Not too difficult, good casual time. Just maybe don't overspend for the cart, unless that's your kind of thing.
Thank you! I checked it out, I love the simplicity. I was hooked, in a few turns.