Sega Genesis Mini

Just as I did with the Super Nintendo Classic two years ago, I also bought into the hype of the Sega Genesis Mini that was released this year. It features basically the same number of options with double the amount of games. 42 games are included as opposed to the 21 available for the Super NES Classic. The main downside is having to shell out for additional six-button controllers since, in North America, only the three-button version ships with the console. Because of this the $80 price tag is actually higher with the need to add on $20-40 more. The inclusion of Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition makes the lack of a packed in six-button controller very puzzling.

Speaking of SFIISCE, once I had dropped the extra $40, Usagi704 and I played many matches in the game. The emulation is slightly off and not noticeable in other games, but for a fighting game it can be a problem. This isn’t to say the work that M2 did here is bad. It most certainly is excellent, but it does overall seem a very small bit below their usual high quality work.

I’ll be also getting M2’s next big release next year as I will also be getting the TurboGrafx-16 Mini when it releases on March 19, 2020.

ScrewAttack’s Top 20 Genesis Games

ScrewAttack revealed their list of the best Genesis games last month with numbers 20-11. Today they finally released 10-1. The greatest thing about it is that I own 8 of their top 10. So check out the 2 videos below and gaze at the list at the bottom that has the ones that I own in bold.

Top 20 Genesis Games (20-11)
Top 20 Genesis Games (10-1)

20. X-Men 2: Clone Wars
19. TMNT: Hyperstone Heist
18. Mutant League Football
17. Shining Force
16. Altered Beast
15. Kid Chameleon
14. Comix Zone
13. Out Of This World
12. Earthworm Jim 2
11. Mortal Kombat
10. Golden Axe
9. Vectorman
8. Castlevania: Bloodlines
7. Rocket Knight Adventures
6. Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
5. Phantasy Star II
4. Gunstar Heroes
3. Streets of Rage 2
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 3
1. Strider

Now Playing: April ’08

Seven games make up this month of April’s game playing lot. If you count the games within the Sega Genesis Collection, then you’ll get a grand total of 11. Another number I’ll dole out is three. As in the number of games that I finished.

Now before I get into talk about said games, I’d like to readdress what I had said in my Odin Sphere Update. At the time I decided to retract the idea of being finished with Odin Sphere by this point when I originally stated that I would be finished with it. In a way it was good to take a break from that game and play something else. I’ll definitely be going to back to it soon. Now on with the games!

The game to take the place of Odin Sphere was Twisted Metal: Head On – Extra Twisted Edition. This game plays as good as the series ever has with a great soundtrack too. The Twisted Metal 2 Paris level was remade for this game and it, I feel, was improved on in a big way. Because of this game being a another fantastic entry into the series and with all of the extras, it is my Game of the Month.

I was happy when I was able to find a complete copy of Mercs for the Genesis early in the month. I was somewhat disappointed that the co-op mode wasn’t available in this port, but Capcom did make up for that with “Original Mode.” In that mode it has some RPG elements like collecting medals to use as currency to get better equipment and more members join the party every so often. It’s a fairly difficult mode, but it’s still fun.

In the Sega Genesis Collection (PS2), I decided to finally get back to trying to start (again) and finish both Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2. I did so and ended up rating the first game a 6.5 (gasp!) and the sequel an 8.0. The reason being that Sonic 1 (also noted by Usagi704) had too much platforming in its levels and that didn’t gel with the speed of the game. In Sonic 2, there was less platforming, which was much better, but I wasn’t digging the underwater parts of a few levels. I also enjoyed the boss fights more from the second game. Overall I had a fun time of it.

Other games that I played on that disc was Golden Axe II and Comix Zone.

I amused myself with a few other games as of more recently. Road Rash (GEN), Ranma 1/2: Hard Battle (SNES), based on the anime of the same name minus the subtitle, and finally Kirby’s Dream Land (GB), which I finished twice.

Burnout Paradise (PS3) remains from last month and I played it off and on. I have officially finished this game having gained the elite license. The only thing that I don’t get is how I still don’t have the silver finish for all of the cars and that the game completion is only at 99%. I’m unsure as to what I have yet to do if anything.

That’ll do it for this month. See you next time!

Now Playing: December ’06

“Now Playing” is back at ya with last month’s carry over of Mortal Kombat II via the SNES and Final Fight One for the GBA.

Games that I’ve finished were: Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Ridge Racer V, and Astro Boy: Omega Factor.

Astro Boy was a surprisingly simple yet somewhat difficult game that was extremely fun to play. I still like going back to it. The same can be said for Ridge Racer V even though it’s super short. That’s to be expected since the game’s on a CD and not a DVD. CoD’s Big Red One is unlike any of the other games from that series. It’s story sticks with one group of guys instead of shifting off to a different group right before you get to know the characters. It’s also a bonus that a couple of the cast members from the Band of Brothers mini-series did the voice work.

A game that I’m close to finishing is Gears of War. I’m near the end of the train segment with the big baddie that was the first to take out one of the Delta squad members earlier in the game.

Other games that I put my hands on this month were: Half-Life 2, Call of Duty 3 (PS2), Sonic Advance 3, Assault Heroes, Sega Genesis Collection (PS2), Capcom Classics Mini Mix, and Street Fighter II Turbo.

The Sega Genesis Collection had all new games, at least to me. I never had a Genesis during the 16-bit era so whether I knew of the games included or not, I had never played any of them before. I liked the two Sonic the Hedgehog games way more than I thought that I would. What helps with that is that you can save your game anywhere and at anytime. It’s just like “save states” in PC emulation. It’s an awesome feature that I’m super happy that was added thanks to Digital Eclipse! Shinobi III, Comix Zone, and five early Sega arcade games (ie: the original Altered Beast) are there to sweeten the pot. RPG fans will be really pleased that no less than four games from that genre are on this PS2 disc. The lesser known Sword of Vermilion and Phantasy Star II, III, and IV. Other multi-game series’ included in the package are Ecco the Dolphin (3), Golden Axe (3), Shinobi (2), and Vectorman (2).

All in all it was a great month of gaming!