The Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Thread (NEW)!!!

[Immryr]

Ah, I didn't know about the second one. I'd found the first one with Eric and wasn't sure if there was any way to get up there without the pole vault. Thanks Bil!

[Immryr]

still can't get that first 1up, my final swing always lands me short of the platform I need to be on -_-;

[BIL]

You actually only need to make one swing, from the conveyor belt onto the first platform. The tricky part is the next jump - you need to be right at the threshold of falling to make it. Here's a GIF:

Spoiler

Ah, making jumps at the character falling threshold... one of my fondest sidescrolling nerdvanas! ¦3

[Immryr]

You're the best! Yeah I was jumping from the platform next to the wall meat, doh. The second jump isn't a problem as it's the same with Eric.

I think I like Eric more, well he looks cooler anyway, but I was finding the level 3 boss a little annoying with him, and being able to do a jumping diagonal attack makes it much easier for me.

[neorichieb1971]

Aladdin
Batman
Castle of illusion
Ecco the Dolphin
Elemental Master
Fantasia
Gaiares
Gauntlet IV
Hellfire
James Pond 2 (Operation Robocod)
James Pond 3
Lost Vikings (The)
Mega Turrican
Musha
Pitfall
Quackshot
Ranger X
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Truxton

The above is my current collection of Genesis titles. All complete. Always on the lookout for decent Genesis titles. Looking for Zombies ate my neighbors and Comix zone.

[wgogh]

Arcus Odyssey is a great game. When I started to play, couldn't rest until I beat it (since it has passwords and continues, is not that hard like many Genesys tiles, but anyway). Actually, I may have mentioned this game on another thread if I remember well

[EmperorIng]

I'm trying out Arcus Odyssey right now. Surprisingly fun, although it has a little bit of the characteristic Wolf Team sloppiness (it can seem pretty hard to dodge bullets in stage 2's waterways with your phat character + narrow docks + randomly spawning enemies) - though the amount of content so far is really impressive.

[wgogh]

I'm trying out Arcus Odyssey right now. Surprisingly fun, although it has a little bit of the characteristic Wolf Team sloppiness (it can seem pretty hard to dodge bullets in stage 2's waterways with your phat character + narrow docks + randomly spawning enemies) - though the amount of content so far is really impressive.

Depends on your character. I used the elf archer, that can shot enemies very far, even before the appear on screen and use the walls to reflect the arrows. So, the stages with walls and corners are actually fun to do with her, and you can use strategies to hit enemies and sometimes avoid the line of fire. Also, she has a good heal spell.
I don't know the advantages of the others characters, but I saw players tending to go with the whip lady for some reason.

[Shoryukev]

Picked up Wonder Boy in Monster World this weekend, it started a little slow for my tastes (mainly the character walking speed before you get boot upgrades)....but I'm about 3/4 of the way through it now and have been really enjoying it.

I have very few boxed games, but I have a couple good ones. I've had about 30 or so Genesis games since they were new, kinda scratching my head as to where the boxes went I'm thinking when I was younger they got thrown out "since they take up so much more space".

Aladdin
Beavis and Butt-head
Gaiares
Global Gladiators
Lethal Enforcers (w/lightgun, huge box lol)
Rocket Knight Adventures
Splatterhouse 3
Thunder Force 2

I don't pass up games I find in the wild because they are loose carts. I bought about 20 universal game cases awhile back to try em out and I think I'm going to go down that road. I just need to buy a new printer that can handle 8-1/2"x14" paper. I really enjoy the artwork and nostalgia I get from reading the boxes, but can't quite justify the price of boxed games unless I get a good deal on them (and I have about 70 loose carts so it's an uphill battle getting boxed versions )

[Obiwanshinobi]

I'm trying out Arcus Odyssey right now. Surprisingly fun, although it has a little bit of the characteristic Wolf Team sloppiness (it can seem pretty hard to dodge bullets in stage 2's waterways with your phat character + narrow docks + randomly spawning enemies) - though the amount of content so far is really impressive.

Depends on your character. I used the elf archer, that can shot enemies very far, even before the appear on screen and use the walls to reflect the arrows. So, the stages with walls and corners are actually fun to do with her, and you can use strategies to hit enemies and sometimes avoid the line of fire. Also, she has a good heal spell.
I don't know the advantages of the others characters, but I saw players tending to go with the whip lady for some reason.

Been a while, but if it's the one I'm thinking about, she's got that wicked-arse fancy attack pleasing to execute using gamepad. Feels good (I can't remember whether it's described in the menu, or I learned of it from FAQ). MD version didn't seem as downgraded as the Final Zone port there.
I don't recall the spawns being "random"; quite the opposite (wearingly always as expected), but then again - it's been a while.

[wgogh]

Been a while, but if it's the one I'm thinking about, she's got that wicked-arse fancy attack pleasing to execute using gamepad. Feels good (I can't remember whether it's described in the menu, or I learned of it from FAQ). MD version didn't seem as downgraded as the Final Zone port there.
I don't recall the spawns being "random"; quite the opposite (wearingly always as expected), but then again - it's been a while.

The game itself explains nothing, so I learned everything from a good FAQ.
Also, I found out today that the soundtrack in the X68000 Arcus Odyssey sounds a lot better to me, not that the Genesys wasnt already great.

[Obiwanshinobi]

It would seem Micro Machines Turbo Tournament '96 (PAL exclusive), if bordered in 50 Hz, was meant to be viewed this way after all (50 Hz circles become ovals in 60 Hz on a CRT SDTV). That being said, not only speed, but also visual smoothness is greater in the latter (so perhaps the background originally scrolled at 25 fps - the difference between 50 and 60 wouldn't be quite as remarkable as between 25 and 30). All in all, 60 Hz, while deformed and perhaps harder (faster) than intended, is way easier on the eye.

[Shoryukev]

I finished Wonder Boy in Monster World this weekend, holy crap that last boss is 10x harder than the rest of the game!!! Overall I really enjoyed the game, my only real complaint is that as a whole I thought the game was too easy.

After that I started playing Castlevania Bloodlines, I really like this game...but have never put much time into it for some reason. I like the controls a lot, It keeps things fresh without straying from the original formula too much (while playing with John Morris at least). One thing that kinda cracks me up about Bloodlines is the Minotaur enemies....it's not enough for the developers that they are a Minotaur, they almost always have to have weapons as well. Spears, swords, bridge pillars, you name it

The graphical tricks in Bloodlines are awesome too, Konami knew how to make a great Genesis/MD game! Some of the graphical things in the game I was under the impression that the Genesis/MD couldn't do stuff like that without the Sega CD add-on? Maybe they are just swapping out sprites as things move so it looks like it's spinning or something, whatever the trick is....it's a pretty cool one.

Either way, when I play games like these two it makes me wonder why I never played them as a kid, because they are fantastic. I wonder if they weren't well advertised.....or what? I could see myself walking past Wonder Boy with my allowance money, since when I was a kid I didn't know anything about the series, but I loved Castlevania.....and never remember seeing Bloodlines any any stores.

[FinalBaton]

Bloodlines is amazing. it's up there with the very best Castlevania games IMO. So so good.
The level design is masterful and so dense, there's always some fun platforming wherever you are in all levels. Never a dragged out part, just a game chock-full of fun level design ideas. I personnally love the color palettes used in the game (almost always a cold/warm thing going on, often using orange/cyan, or orange/turquoise, or red/turqoise etc. as the main color scheme. I love that. It's really punchy and appealing) and overall the sprite work is gorgeous. As you mentionned, the effects are awesome. And the music... the goddamn music it's... it's incredible, no less

It's never mentionned as youtubers' top entry, or even top 3 in the series, but hey : they're loss

For me, it's on par with Super Castlevania IV
*dodges tomatoes*

[Immryr]

super castlevania 4 is not a patch on bloodlines. not even close.

[FinalBaton]

I can get down with that opinion Immryr. I certainly can. You won't see a rebutal from me

[BIL]

Some of the graphical things in the game I was under the impression that the Genesis/MD couldn't do stuff like that without the Sega CD add-on? Maybe they are just swapping out sprites as things move so it looks like it's spinning or something, whatever the trick is....it's a pretty cool one.

Bloodlines and Hard Corps shared at least one programmer (Takashi Takeda) - both are high on my favourites list for sheer joie de vivre. Nowhere moreso than when a boss dies, and the framerate is driven into the floor for sheer emphasis:

Spoiler

Spoiler

[FinalBaton]

Konami on the Genesis certainly was an elite part of gaming history

[soprano1]

Why not enjoy both?

[BIL]

Incidentally, the SFC version of Sparkster always feels more to me like an MD game ala Konami or Treasure - it has a similar love of big, riotous explosions, and it generally moves pretty damn quick. It also shares a very distinctive explosion sound with Hard Corps, that big, grainy car-crash SFX I can't get enough of. MD Sparkster likewise uses that deep rumbling explosion sound heard in the aftermath of Bloodlines' biggest conflagrations... what I'm saying is, don't write off RKA's sequels, they got splosion cred just like the original. ;3

[Shoryukev]

Bloodlines is amazing. it's up there with the very best Castlevania games IMO. So so good.
The level design is masterful and so dense, there's always some fun platforming wherever you are in all levels. Never a dragged out part, just a game chock-full of fun level design ideas. I personnally love the color palettes used in the game (almost always a cold/warm thing going on, often using orange/cyan, or orange/turquoise, or red/turqoise etc. as the main color scheme. I love that. It's really punchy and appealing) and overall the sprite work is gorgeous. As you mentionned, the effects are awesome. And the music... the goddamn music it's... it's incredible, no less

It's never mentionned as youtubers' top entry, or even top 3 in the series, but hey : they're loss

For me, it's on par with Super Castlevania IV
*dodges tomatoes*

I know I'm a minority with my opinion, but I'm not a huge fan of SC4. Being able to change trajectory in mid-air, the whip stretching out so far (it covers like 2/3 of the screen it seems like) and being able to go in 8 directions made it feel too different for me. Not having to plan out your jump arcs, and being able to whip upwards and kill enemies before they can come near you made the majority of the game feel too easy. Having said that....I never had a SNES until about 2001-2002, so I didn't get to play it when it was new......I bet if I played it back when it first came out I would have a completely different opinion, and the updated features would have left a better impression.

Bloodlines and Hard Corps shared at least one programmer (Takashi Takeda) - both are high on my favourites list for sheer joie de vivre. Nowhere moreso than when a boss dies, and the framerate is driven into the floor for sheer emphasis:

Spoiler

Spoiler

That clip is exactly what I was talking about with the little blocks spinning around as you fight the bat. It impresses me every time I see it.

As far as the framerate dipping down to extremely slow when you defeat a boss....I always thought that was so damn cool!

[Shoryukev]

I've never played either version of Sparkster, but I absolutely love Rocket Knight Adventures. I played the crap out of it as a kid, I remember buying it at the store not knowing anything about it besides what it said on the box. I kinda miss those days of not knowing everything about a game before you bought it.....sure there was the occasional dud, but the mystery and anticipation of looking at the box all the way home from the store is something I look back on fondly.

Come to think of it, I've never played Hard Corps. either.....that's another hole in my collection I need to fill.

[FinalBaton]

You GOTTA get HardCorps kev

[FinalBaton]

I know I'm a minority with my opinion, but I'm not a huge fan of SC4. Being able to change trajectory in mid-air, the whip stretching out so far (it covers like 2/3 of the screen it seems like) and being able to go in 8 directions made it feel too different for me. Not having to plan out your jump arcs, and being able to whip upwards and kill enemies before they can come near you made the majority of the game feel too easy. Having said that....I never had a SNES until about 2001-2002, so I didn't get to play it when it was new......I bet if I played it back when it first came out I would have a completely different opinion, and the updated features would have left a better impression.

I don't like that the whip is so strong and versatile in SC4. It renders the sub-weapons useless

Having said that, it's still a terrific game

[Shoryukev]

I almost bought hard corps last year at this cleveland gaming swapmeet thing, but they also had a loose copy of MUSHA for a decent price so I went with that instead. Hard corps is definitely still on my list of must-haves for the system, along with the two shining force games, Splatterhouse 2 and Streets of Rage 3.

On an unrelated note, I finally unlocked the Wily Tower on this Mega Man: Wily Wars reproduction cartridge I have. Any advice for what combination of boss-weapons to use for that? The concept of combining all the weapons from MM1-3 is pretty cool, and made playing through the games again well worth it. I wish we got this game released legitimately in the US (I never had sega channel), the save function alone would have made me play it for hours as a kid.

It's also pretty cool seeing the first 3 MM games re-imagined as early Genesis/MD titles, I think they did a pretty good job with the music and art style. Obviously the original NES games are sacred cows to many (including myself), but I'm still glad Wily Wars exists, even if it's kinda odd and not very appreciated.

[BIL]

Peeps that appreciate The Super aka The Revenge of Shinobi BGMs - listen to Koshiro's The Scheme OST sometime. trap's music thread post just reminded me of how good it is, I'm dyin here. No for real, it's like a bonus album of Revenge ninja funk plus Ys I & II power metal.

mfw "Into The Lair" drops its friendly cowbells to straight up wizard fire yo ass:

Spoiler

At least listen to Perpetual Dark. God damn! Such funk, such dark!

[FinalBaton]

Will listen to it after workday for sure. I adore the sound of the 2608 and of course Koshiro is a god-tier VGM composer

[zinger]

The Scheme rocks! I was actually asked to write an official arrange track for that soundtrack many years ago, but sadly the album was cancelled.

[Mortificator]

I like Bloodlines better than Super Castlevania IV.

But I like Contra III way better than Hard Corps.

[hien]

It's also pretty cool seeing the first 3 MM games re-imagined as early Genesis/MD titles, I think they did a pretty good job with the music and art style. Obviously the original NES games are sacred cows to many (including myself), but I'm still glad Wily Wars exists, even if it's kinda odd and not very appreciated.

It's just sad, that they messed up the gameplay in so many ways with the port. Could/should have been great. The added startup before you finally start running after an input, the reduced buster shot speed and damage (or enemy health?) and a fixed interval for the shots, which is probably the biggest offender, since you can't mash quicker when close to enemies here, really hurt it a lot. Also jumps feel strangely low and slide jumps don't even work. Enemy spawns and despawns are messed up as well in a lot of places. It's still playable but definitely feels strangely annoying in comparison. Most idiot collectors who're going nuts about the game (is it just the jp version or the others as well?) nowadays and who pay insane sums for it don't even know about this stuff.