One game to represent one games platform

[Mischief Maker]

Given that "Representative" is the standard here:

NES: Super Mario 3
Sega Genesis: Alien Soldier
GBA: Wario Ware
N64: Zelda Ocarina of Time
PSX: Resident Evil
Dreamcast: Jet Grind Radio
PS2: Devil May Cry 3
Gamecube: Metroid Prime
Xbox: Halo
DS: The World Ends with You
PC: Space Rangers HD

[Leandro]

Atari 2600: Enduro
NES: Castlevania III
Master System: Golden Axe Warrior
Genesis/MD: Streets of Rage 2
Sega CD: Lunar Eternal Blue
SNES: Super Metroid
Sega Saturn: Shining Force III
PlayStation: Gran Turismo 2
Nintendo 64: Zelda Ocarina
Dreamcast: Soul Calibur
PlayStation 2: Final Fantasy X
PC: Quake
GBA: Castlevania Aria of Sorrow
Neo Geo: Samurai Shodown

[Koa Zo]

2600: Spider Fighter
Intelivision: Sea Battle
5200: Countermeasure
Coleco: Donkey Kong
Vectrex: Vectorpilot
Super Cassette Vision: Star Speeder
SG-1000: Pitfall II
Master System: Out Run w/ paddle controller
NES/FC: Legacy of the Wizard
PCE: Galaga'88
SCD: Download 2
ACD: Sapphire
Genesis/MD: Landstalker
Sega CD: Soul Star
Lynx: Turbo Sub
Game Gear: Zenki
Game Boy: Rubble Saver
Game Boy Color: Super Mario Bros. DX
SNES/SFC: Battle Pinball
32X: After Burner Complete
Saturn: Daytona USA Circuit Edition (dual system link)
Wonderswan: Crazy Climber
Wonderswan Color: GunPey EX
Wonderswan Crystal: One Piece Grand Battle: Swan Colosseum
N64: Sin & Punishment
Playstation: Pepsiman or Power Shovel
Dreamcast: Space Channel 5 Part 2
PS2: Raw Danger
Xbox: Metal Slug 3
GBA: Advance Guardian Heroes
Gamecube: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
NDS: Crayon Shin-Chan: Arashi o Yobu - Nendororo~n Daihenshin
PSP: Snoopy vs the Red Baron
PS3: Under Defeat
Wii: Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon

[qmish]

If you'd ask for a game that means certain platform for ME, that would be like this:

Mega Drive: Tiny Toon Adventures Buster's Hidden Treasure
Mega CD: Vay
Saturn: Torico aka Lunacy
Dreamcast: Maken X or D2
-
SNES: Chrono Trigger
N64: Doom 64
GameCube: Killer7
Wii: Lost in Shadow
DS: Shantae Risky's Revenge
3DS: Shin Megami Tensei IV
-
PS1: Silent Hill
PS2: Shadow Tower Abyss or Forbidden Siren 2
PS3: Drakengard 3
PS4: EDF 4.1 (because this https://youtu.be/rDiy5mpS1Hk )
PSP: Hammerin' Hero or Outrun 2006
Vita: Gravity Rush
-
Xbox: Breakdown
X360: Darkness 1
-
PCE: Devil's Crush
-
Neo Geo: Blazing Star
Naomi/Naomi 2: Dynamite Deka EX
-
J2ME: Worms or Prince of Persia
iOS: Groove Coaster
-
PC (older): Populous: the Beginning
PC (more recent): Crimzon Clover WI

But it doesn't fit in "what would you like to show to aliens", as you say, that would be more like:

Mega Drive: Alien Soldier
Mega CD: Snatcher
Saturn: Dark Savior or Layer Section or *insert fighting game here*
Dreamcast: Shenmue or Ikaruga
SNES: Wild Guns
N64: Wave Race 64
GameCube: Resident Evil 4 or Gotcha Force
Wii: Taiko no Tatsujin
DS: Ghost Trick
3DS: Monster Hunter 4U
PS1: Tekken 3 or Armored Core
PS2: Shadow of the Colossus or Devil May Cry 3
PS3: Demon's Souls
PSP: Prinny or Lumines
Vita: Muramasa Rebirth
Xbox: Panzer Dragoon Orta
X360: Ninja Gaiden II
PCE: eh... Alien Crush? lol
Neo Geo: Samurai Shodown IV
Naomi/Naomi 2: Virtua Fighter 4 Final Tuned
iOS: Edge (that puzzle one)
PC (older): Quake I
PC (more recent): Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance

[Xyga]

Alien Soldier is a peculiar game released at the end of the MD's life, an incredible technical showcase and brilliant action game, but for me it doesn't represent the machine's library well.

Few people noticed the release (add to that it didn't reach US shores) and those who did and bought the game found the controls confusing and the game very hard because of it anyway.

'Niche and not for everyone, a game that became popular only later during the retrogaming craze', as incredible as it is, this is rather how I would describe it.

The ton of fast-paced platformers best describe the MD imho, and I wouldn't be surprised to discover the many Disney games sold like hot cakes everywhere the MD had a market.

[qmish]

It represents "what MD can do", but...ok.

Disney's Aladdin? So much better than snes version

[Durandal]

Master System: Aleste
Famicom: Gradius II
MSX: Thexder
MSX2: Space Manbow
X68000: Cho Ren Sha 68K
PCE: Soldier Blade
Super Famicom: Gradius III
Mega Drive: Thunder Force IV
PS1: G-Darius
Saturn: Radiant Silvergun
Dreamcast: Border Down
Gamecube: Ikaruga
PS2: Dodonpachi Daioujou
Wonderswan: Judgement Silversword
PSP: Gradius Collection
WiiWare: Gradius ReBirth
Xbox: Psyvariar II
360: Eschatos
PS3: Ketsui EXTRA
Vita: Dariusburst Chronicle Saviours
Xbone: Raiden V

[BrianC]

Ninjas represent!

NES: Ninja Gaiden
Gameboy: Ninja Gaiden Shadow
Genesis: Revenge of Shinobi
Sega CD: Revenge of the Ninja
SMS: The Ninja
GBA: Ninja 5-O
SG-1000: Ninja Princess
SNES: Ninja Warriors Again
Atari 800: Ninja
Atari 7800: Ninja Golf
C64: Last Ninja
NeoGeo: Samurai Shodown

[Obiwanshinobi]

Ninjas represent!
(...)
NeoGeo: Samurai Shodown

More like Ninja Commando if you ask me.

[qmish]

Ninjas represent!

Don't forget Tenchu/Shinobido

[BIL]

Sega CD: Revenge of the Ninja

I'd rather give this one to Dennin Aleste tbh, just to defy the FMV stigma. (the Ninja Warriors port is fun, but has serious issues with enemy visibility... was gonna pick it up until reaching the last stage, where you discover big enemies by their punching you in the face from offscreen)

I think more of Hagane as "the SFC ninja game," but TNWA is easily capable of taking its place. Shinrei Jusatsushi Taromaru (Saturn) is hands-down the best console original ninja action that gen, but I'd have to admit Shin Shinobi Den and its localisations capture the zeitgeist better... goofy digitised sprites, excessive FMV, iconic Sega IP. It's not a bad game at all, but only middling compared to the MD Super Shinobis and Taro.

PCE: I'd go with Ninja Spirit for sure. A superb port, and the TG16 version got pretty good press BITD. For the love of god and all that is holy, not PCE Ninja Gaiden. That one's representative only of the stronger machine->disastrous port phenomenon.

[qmish]

+ Kaze Kiri for PCE CD?

[Xyga]

Real ultimate power retrogaming ftw. *unsheathes gamepad*

*nb: silently*

[BIL]

+ Kaze Kiri for PCE CD?

Probably, unless Iga Ninden Gao fans show up ready to war. :3

(much like Castlevania III's Grant, I consider Rondo's Maria mode a great unheralded Konami ninja sidescroller - superbly agile, fragile glass cannon action, and even involves a ninja suit!)

Spoiler

Also:

Spoiler

[iconoclast]

Japanese game magazine Famitsu is celebrating its 30th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the publication polled readers, asking them which games were most memorable on consoles ranging from the Famicom to the PS4.

http://kotaku.com/poll-japans-most-memo ... 1780043369

I thought of this thread after seeing this article. There are some interesting results.

Nier being voted as the PS3's most memorable game is surprising to me since it wasn't a mainstream success, but it's also not that surprising since it has the best story I've ever seen in a game (and one of the best soundtracks). Good choice.

[Obiwanshinobi]

It's Nier Replicant on the list, though. Different story than the rest of the world got, isn't it?
I wonder if a single Famitsu reader remembers any Sega Master System game. By the way, I'm about to take Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand for a walk now.

[qmish]

Need to compare it to similar polls of 10 and 20 years ago.

[iconoclast]

Oh yeah, in Replicant you play as the girl's brother, not her father. I don't know if they changed anything else, but the father/daughter relationship in Gestalt is probably a little better.

[Durandal]

Oh yeah, in Replicant you play as the girl's brother, not her father. I don't know if they changed anything else, but the father/daughter relationship in Gestalt is probably a little better.

The brother/sister relation in Replicant was more well received in Japan while the father/daughter relationship was more well received in the West. Most likely because of the different average family situations in each region, it's one of the few localization changes in games I really welcome (with games such as TLoU, The Walking Dead, and Bioshock Infinite being mainstream successes, you'd obviously gain more costumers in the West if you weren't playing as a prancing bishounen)