Sega introduced the Genesis, known as the Mega Drive outside of North America, in 1989, taking a significant chunk of the home console market from Nintendo. Its introduction was a massive escalation of the Console War, and for a good reason. The Genesis featured some spectacular games, beautiful 16-bit graphics, and was far superior to most other consoles on the market at the time. Throughout its production run, the Genesis featured over 875 licensed games, so we’ve dug through them all to find the ten best. They were chosen based on how much fun they are to play, their impact on the industry, and how well they were received upon release.
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10) Altered Beast
Sega initially released Altered Beast in arcades in 1988, where it was well received. The game was released on the Genesis in ’89 and was one of the console’s best early games. Like the arcade version, the port follows a Roman centurion, resurrected by Zeus, who rescues Athena from Neff. After collecting three power-ups, the character transforms into a mythical beast, offering significant power-ups. It was an interesting, then-unique mechanic in a side-scrolling beat-’em-up game and was loved for its design. Altered Beast was the original bundled title when the Genesis launched in North America, so tons of people played it, and the game remains popular to this day.
9) ToeJam & Earl
ToeJam & Earl is a weird but excellent game released in 1991 for the Genesis. It centers around the titular characters, alien rappers who’ve crashed on Earth. The player controls either character and guides them through a series of procedurally generated levels to find pieces of their spacecraft. It features a lot of then-current pop culture references and a great soundtrack. ToeJam & Earl is considered by many to be an early example of a roguelike RPG due to its randomly-generated levels and items. The game is still a lot of fun decades later, and it features excellent cooperative play.
8) Phantasy Star IV
The fourth Phantasy Star title, Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, was the last released on the Genesis in 1993. The RPG centers on Alys and Chaz, two hunters and their party, who are on a quest to stop a crisis from destroying the entire solar system. Interestingly, Phantasy Star IV wasn’t a huge hit upon release. It has since become known for its innovative RPG elements and story, which many consider to be among the best. It has since been ported to multiple systems, and a fan-made sequel, Phantasy Star IV: A New Age, has made the rounds online.
7) Mortal Kombat 2
While Mortal Kombat 2 originated as an arcade game, it was no surprise when it was ported to home consoles. Every major console received a port, but the best is easily the one released for the Genesis in 1994. Unlike its predecessor, players didn’t have to enter a code to enable the blood and Fatalities, which made it considerably better than previous ports. Other ports copied the format, but Genesis had its foothold in the franchise, and Mortal Kombat 2 became one of the system’s best fighting games. The game itself is often cited as the best in the classic series and one of the greatest fighting games ever made.
6) Earthworm Jim
The Earthworm Jim franchise kicked off in 1994 with the first entry, which arrived on the Sega Genesis and other systems. The game is unusual, as you take control of the eponymous hero across the run-and-gun platformer, using your body as a whip. This allows for multiple attack mechanics because Jim carries a gun as well as … well, himself. The game was a huge success on the Genesis, and it spawned numerous sequels. A remake found its way to a variety of systems, including mobile phones in 2009, so plenty of people continue to play this hilarious run-and-gun platformer long after it dominated on the Genesis.
5) Contra: Hard Corps
Contra: Hard Corps is the first in the series released on a Sega system, published in 1994 for the Genesis. The run-and-gun game is set five years after Contra III: The Alien Wars, and centers around a new unit, Hard Corps, as it’s sent to take down a renegade Colonel intent on manufacturing weapons. One of the best aspects of the game is that it features a branching storyline, so depending on how you play, you could end up with a different ending. The game was successful, spawning more spin-offs, and the game itself has retroactively been considered a spin-off of the Contra franchise. It was re-released in 2019 across various systems and again in 2021, so Contra: Hard Corps still has fans playing it.
4) Gunstar Heroes
Keeping the run-and-gun genre going is Gunstar Heroes, a 1993 game that revolves around two characters known as the Gunstars. They can shoot guns and pull off acrobatic feats in their fight to stop an evil empire from achieving its goals. One of the game’s more interesting mechanics involves its four weapons, as these can be combined to create different shot types. Gunstar Heroes was beloved upon release and received critical acclaim for its design, mechanics, action, and graphics. Many consider it to be a lead in the genre from the 16-bit era, while others cite it as one of the best of all time.
3) Golden Axe
Golden Axe began its life in arcade cabinets, but was also designed with the Genesis in mind when it was released in 1989. Sega ported it to the Genesis the same year, and it’s the most faithful of the many consoles Golden Axe eventually landed on. The Genesis port actually has more content, including an additional level, a duel mode, and a new ending. The Genesis port aside, Golden Axe is widely considered one of the best coin-op arcade games ever made, and it spawned several sequels over the years. Still, many recall the original and how much fun it is to play, much like Altered Beast, which was created by the same lead designer, Makoto Uchida.
2) Streets of Rage 2
The second entry in the Streets of Rage beat-’em-up series is often considered the best, and it’s easy to see why. It introduces two new characters and includes improved graphics, level design, controls, and much more. The game received widespread critical acclaim upon release, and it’s not only considered the best Streets of Rage game, but Streets of Rage 2 is often listed among the greatest beat-’em-up games of all time. That’s certainly true of the Genesis version, which was ported to the Nintendo 3DS with a 3D upgrade in 2015. Sega also ported it to the Game Gear and other systems, including arcade cabinets, but most gamers prefer the Genesis release over the rest.
1) Sonic the Hedgehog 3
So, obviously, there was going to be a Sonic game at the top of this list, but which one? After running through the six Sonic titles on the Genesis, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 stood out as the franchise’s best, while also taking the top spot as the best game on the system. While the gameplay was similar to the first two games, it introduced Knuckles to the franchise. It also lets you control both Sonic and Tails, features an excellent addition to the franchise’s lore, and is one of the best-selling games on the console. Players could combine the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge with the Sonic 3 cartridge to create one massive game, which was pretty cool when it came out. When it comes down to finding the system’s greatest title, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is right there, making it easy.
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