The classic Sonic games are especially dear to my heart, so I know how hard it is to decide among them. I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way, so I wanted to get everyone’s opinion one which ones are the best. Since I’m not overly cruel, I’ll let you choose up to two games.

(And if you must know what my choices are, they are Sonic 2 and Sonic CD)

Presented by: Fastbilly1 & Racketboy
New To Together Retro? Check out the introduction to the club

In 1995 the video game puzzle scene was changed forever. It in was that year that Sega released Baku Baku, a revolutionary puzzle game in the falling block genre. Of course everyone knew this since Baku Baku is a house hold name… Sarcastic overtones aside, Baku Baku is an arcade puzzle game ported to most Sega consoles and for the most part has gone unnoticed by the general gaming population. Well lets change that. This month for Together Retro, gear up for your attempt at being a zoo keeper and its feeding time.

History

As stated, in 1995 Baku Baku was released in the arcade on the Sega Titan Video hardware. Little fanfare was heard for the arcade release, but the next year it got its biggest boost in popularity outside of Japan. In the spring of 1996 it was released on the Saturn and it was given high marks by many gaming publications – Gamepro even gave it a 5 out of 5 in fun factor.There is not much one can say about the history other than it is a good game that was overlooked by most of the gaming population. Even though it is unneeded, the story for the game is that you are trying to become the royal zoo keeper and must compete with others for the title. If you have ever played a puzzle game the gameplay will be familiar. Simple left or right turn buttons and a joystick are all that you have but as you can imagine, that’s not all there is here.

In Baku Baku blocks come in two types, food and animal. Their may be five of each type of block, but they are still only food and animal. A simple paring mechanism is in place here, ie Dog and Bone, Panda and Bamboo. So when a dog block and a bone block touch, the dog block becomes a big dog head and eats the bone block, and all attached bone blocks. This, of course, leads to combos and endless bizarre gameplay concoctions.

Controls

• Two buttons – rotate left and rotate right
• 8 way joystick
• Two player – obviously the preferred way to play

Recommended Ports

Unless you have the original arcade machine hanging around, you’ll probably want to go for the Saturn version if you have the console handy. (You can also try playing it on an emulator like SSF ).

You could also try get your hands on on the Windows 95, Game Gear, or Master System release. The nice thing about puzzle games is they typically transition well to less powerful hardware. Of course, the Game Gear/Master System versions will emulate easily on a variety of devices.

Sega Saturn	Windows 95	Game Gear	Master System

Emulation Help

Racketboy Emulation Forum

Together Retro Discussion & High Scores

• Discuss The Game in the Forum
• Post Your High Scores Here

Friends,

I invite you all to raise your glasses in celebration of a momentous occasion in gaming history. In the month of April exactly 20 years ago, our lives were suddenly illuminated by the birth of a friend both loyal and dear; A friend whose illustrious career has set the precedent for portable interactive entertainment. I’m speaking of course about DMG-01, whom you might know better as the Nintendo Game Boy.

From an early age, the Game Boy has proven himself time and again to be a faithful and powerful companion. Along with Nintendo, the good ‘ol Boy single-handedly pioneered portable gaming, paving the way for a new market that has exploded over the past two decades. Many have tried to copy him, but in the long run, no one could really stand up to the 8-bit wunderkind and his special little brand of pocket-sized magic. With his enormous game library, excellent chipset and sturdy build, Game Boy quickly became a role model for future generations of pocket systems. Today, Game Boy remains an icon of classic gaming whose indelible legacy continues to inspire art, music, games and culture. In this article, I’ll be dissecting this incredible device to showcase the various features and games that make the Game Boy such a monumental success amongst gamers both old and new.

History

It should come as no surprise that the history of the Game Boy is essentially the history of portable gaming. Nearly a decade prior to the Gameboy’s release, Nintendo already had their mitts in the portable gaming market: In 1980, Nintendo released the very first Game & Watch, a series of handheld games created by Gunpei Yokoi, the same man responsible for the birth of our beloved Game Boy. The Game & Watch was exactly what its nomenclature suggested – A portable watch and alarm clock with an LCD screen that played a single game. Around 60 Game & Watch titles would be released in the years that followed, taking the form of nearly a dozen different types of handheld units. By the mid-80’s, the Nintendo Entertainment System had emerged as the industry leader in interactive home entertainment, bringing with it unparalleled graphics, sound and gameplay the likes of which consumers had never experienced before. The technology was so innovative and new that most people couldn’t fathom a gaming experience like this being replicated on anything but a home console or computer system.

Fortunately, Nintendo’s legendary ‘R&D1’ team, led by Yokoi, had already begun their scheming on how to bring this kind of gameplay experience to a portable platform. In April of 1989, those plans were finally brought to fruition.

Hardware

The DMG-01 was designed to be the love-child of the Game & Watch and the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was a match made in heaven: Upon completion, the system was capable of the same fluid controls and gameplay that defined so many NES titles. It achieved this through the use of a custom 8-bit processor manufactured by Sharp. The CPU allowed for rapid processing of the system’s dynamic yet simple graphics, which were displayed on a dot matrix LCD screen similar to that of the Game & Watch. The screen sported a 2-bit color palette (only 4 different shades of grey!) and kept the Game & Watch’s signature pea-green tint.

The processor also made possible the Game Boy’s unique sound, which came incredibly close to matching the NES.

Note: The Game Boy shown on the right belonged to a solider stationed in Iraq during the first Gulf War. During an engagement, it was burnt by flaming shrapnel from exploding grenades. It still works! It’s currently on display at the Nintendo World store in NYC - Truly a testament to the Game Boy’s robust design

Audio
The Game Boy’s audio capabilities supported four channels, each producing 4-bit sound: Two pulsewave channels were used for melody and effects. The wave channel provided basic soft-synth with a 32-step sampler, similar to the NES’s DPCM channel. Finally, the Noise channel produces white noise for percussion, ambience or sound effects. Obviously, writing music for a system with only four channels is something of a challenge. Just like in many games for the NES, channels would often cut out abruptly to make room for sound effects. Nevertheless, programmers learned to work within these limitations and used the Game Boy to compose some of the most memorable music of the 8-bit era. A decade later, a number of inventive programmers would create software that aided the creation of musical compositions using the Game Boy. More on that later.

Design
The original Game Boy’s design is oftentimes chuckled at when examined in retrospect. In a world where portable electronics continue to follow the path of ‘thinner and lighter’, it’s easy to scoff at the Game Boy’s comparitively enormous girth and weight. There’s been more than a few occasions in which I’ve heard gamers lovingly refer to the DMG as ‘The Grey Brick’, or ‘Brick Boy’. However, beyond all of this playful namecalling, there’s a great deal to be said about the Game Boy’s remarkably robust design.

Nintendo designed their portable to take one hell of a beating. Believe you me, I’ve gotten more than one friend to dig their supposedly ‘broken’ Game Boy out from a closet, only to find that the device is still in perfect working order. As a quick look at the design shows, it’s hardly a wonder that the majority of these babies are still operational — A shell of hard plastic and a smartly designed interior ensure that the system’s vitals are well-protected from dust and damage. Just like the NES, the Game Boy’s circuitry is like clockwork: Compact and neat, making potential repairs a snap. And speaking of repairs, Nintendo was more than a little generous in the customer support department. The Big N offered its free repair service on the Game Boy and the NES all the way up to the year 2007. That’s almost two decades of courtesy hardware support!

Games

Its hardware and design certainly facilitated the Game Boy’s prosperity, but as with any good platform, the true secret to the system’s success came from its library of games. More specifically, the Game Boy launched and popularized a great number of celebrated game series that continue to thrive in the present day. Here’s a few of them:

Tetris
Since its initial release in 1984, Alexey Pajitnov’s insanely addictive puzzle game has spawned thousands of different variations and has become, without a doubt, one of the most iconic titles in gaming history. Unlike most classic games, Tetris has been recognized not only as an achievement within the realm of gaming, but as a full-blown pop culture phenomenon whose influence continues to permeate our collective subconscious to this day. When the Game Boy was released in ‘89, Tetris was already 5 years his senior. But this didn’t mean that the newborn pocket system had nothing to offer the world-famous puzzler. With the recent celebration of Tetris’ 25th year of anniversery, it would be outright criminal if I neglected to mention how the Game Boy helped bring Tetris’ legacy to the next level.

From its humble roots as a small project developed in a Soviet computer center in Moscow, it wasn’t long before Tetris gained international notoriety. It was ported to run on IBM PC, Amiga, Apple IIe and Atari ST, just to name a few. Soon enough, Tetris could run on nearly every kind of computer system available. Nintendo eventually gained publishing rights for the title, and released a version for the NES in 1989. That same year, Tetris was also released for the Game Boy as bundled software included with the system. It went on to become the system’s best-selling game with over 30 million units sold. Aside from the ability to play Tetris anywhere, the Game Boy also enabled players to go head-to-head in realtime competitive matches via the Game Boy Link Cable. This was a huge leap forward for portable gaming, which until now had been a generally solitary endeavor. I can personally contend that Summer Camp in the early nineties would have been a whole lot duller without the occasional 1-on-1 Tetris throwdown.

While Tetris’ popularity continued to surge, the Game Boy debuted several new titles, many of which would go on to become hugely popular franchises.

Kirby
Kirby is without a doubt one of the most celebrated video game mascots of all time. He’s undeniably adorable, loveably strange and ass-kickingly tough, all at the same time. Kirby has appeared in over 15 titles released on almost every major Nintendo system up to the present day. Of course, it’s important to remember that Kirby didn’t make his debut on the NES…

Kirby busted onto the scene with Kirby’s Dreamland in 1992. His first heroic escapade was simple and enjoyable: A four-stage adventure with scaled-back difficulty, intended for beginning gamers. Kirby isn’t your typical platforming hero, however. Instead of the usual jumping, shooting and stomping, Kirby could fly, inhale objects and baddies and spit them back out at his foes. This made for some unusual but extremely fun platforming gameplay. However, it wasn’t until Kirby’s Adventure for the NES that Kirby gained his signature talent of swallowing enemies to steal their powers. Kirby went on to star in almost a dozen more titles, both on portable and home console systems.

Wario
The ying to Mario’s yang, Wario made his first appearance on the Game Boy as the main antagonist in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Designed to be a devious and greedy counterpart to our heroic plumber, Wario eventually shifted his role to that of a protagonist in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3. Wario’s games continued to evolve, including party games, chief among them being the WarioWare series for Game Boy Advance, DS and Wii.

Pokemon
Seriously, do I even need to say anything here? Dozens of games, multiple TV series, movies, a collectible card game, toys, clothes and every other classification of merchandise you can possibly imagine – This is the insanity that was started by Pokemon, a game ingeniously designed to cater to both the whimsical, entertainment-craving child and the neurotic completionist psychopath in all of us. Nintendo’s Game Boy was the perfect platform for the franchise, which required long hours of level grinding, world exploring and trial & error gameplay. It also made possible the game’s most important feature: The ability to trade and battle digital monsters using the Game Boy’s link cable. Pokemon is still going strong with games on both portable and home console systems continuing to feed the needs of its obsessive fans. Championed only by Mario, Pokemon is Nintendo’s second most successful franchise, collectively selling over 180 million units.

Seiken Densetsu / Final Fantasy Adventure
Even some RPGs had their start on the Game Boy. The game that Americans knew as Final Fantasy Adventure was actually the very first title in the Seiken Densetsu series. Originally an abandoned project for Nintendo’s ill-fated Famicom Disk System, Seiken Densetsu (known in the US as the Mana series) was a Game Boy spin-off of Final Fantasy that managed to become a proper series in its own right. Borrowing the Final Fantasy name in order to appeal to Western audiences, Final Fantasy Adventure was released on the Game Boy in 1991. The game featured action-oriented RPG gameplay, which would become a staple of the series in the years to come. The game’s sequel, Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2) was released in 1996 and would later become one of the most lauded and sought-after games on the Super Nintendo.

Gameboy Variants

Nintendo upgraded the Game Boy several times before making the jump to the 32-bit Game Boy Advance. Through small-step hardware upgrades and re-designs, they attempted to address some of the Game Boy’s strongest criticisms. Chief among these gripes was the large size of the console, the lack of color screen, the small size of the screen and the lack of built-in backlighting. For the purposes of this article, I’ll be discussing only the members of the ‘classic’ Game Boy line. In other words, I’ll be mentioning all systems that used a variant of the Game Boy’s original 8-bit hardware.

	Original/Classic DMG-01 Of course, this is where it all started. And while it may be the most boring in terms of style, this model is still, by far one of the most iconic pieces of Nintendo hardware of all time.
	Play It Loud Play It Loud was Nintendo’s initial effort to generate increased interest in the Game Boy. When the series went to market in 1995, a number of rival portable systems had already come out to compete against the Nintendo’s handheld champion. Instead of changing anything under the hood, Play It Loud was simply a paint job and a new ad campaign for Nintendo’s already successful system. The DMG shed its drab grey skin and re-released with a number of colored models. While this may have not been a particularly effective strategy in winning over hardscore fans of Sega’s Game Gear, Play It Loud was still instrumental in renewing interest in the Game Boy during the mid-90’s.
	Game Boy Pocket None would argue that the DMG was designed to be portable, but some still contend that the original unit was far too unwieldy to be conveniently carried around. Intent on turning ‘portable gaming’ into ‘pocket gaming’, Nintendo release the Game Boy Pocket. The hardware had no notable improvements, but was now shrunken down to fit inside a far more sensably sized unit. The screen was much sharper and had its charming-yet-distracting green tint removed. The Game Boy link cable port was also changed, requiring links between Original Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket to use a converter. Naturally, the release of Game Boy Pocket brought with it an enormous surge in portable sales for Nintendo.
	Game Boy Light This variation of the Game Boy Pocket was never released outside of Japan and contained only one notable improvement: The inclusion of a backlit screen. The unit is often coveted by chiptune artists who typically use their systems to perform in dark venues. To this day, the model is still extremely difficult to find in the US, and lucky eBayers will oftentimes need to pay a harsh premium in order to attain this rare beauty.
	Game Boy Color Finally, the Game Boy that everyone had been waiting for! Sort of. The Game Boy Color brought Nintendo’s line of portable gaming systems into the world of color. Featuring a selectable color palette as well as updated processor, screen and memory, the Game Boy Color played special games made specifically for it.  In most cases, the only difference between these cartridges and the old Game Boy’s was an added chip containing color information that could be read by the Game Boy Color.  There were some games later on that had extra processing requirements and more demanding color palettes that could be only run on a Gameboy Color. The Gameboy Colors system was also backwards compatible with all original Game Boy games, but its placement of color for non-GBC games was always a bit off. Nevertheless, The Game Boy Color still gave the Game Boy line another much-needed boost to compete with the increasingly populated portables market in the late 90’s.

20 Years Later

The Game Boy is a system so prominent that its influence can be found not just within the portable systems that followed in its footsteps, but within the very fabric of popular culture. It’s a piece of hardware that is constantly re-evaluated and re-purposed, in a way delaying its own obsolescence.
One of the most telling examples of this phenomenon is the rise of chiptunes, a genre of music made using obsolete computer and gaming hardware.

Oliver Wittchow, a programmer from Germany wrote software for Game Boy in the late 90’s that allowed music production and live performance using the Game Boy’s hardware. This program, Nanoloop, was eventually sold on Game Boy cartridges and distributed worldwide, followed shortly by another program, Little Sound DJ, developed by Swedish programmer Johan Kotlinski. Soon scores of musicians around the world began writing music for Game Boy, and underground micro-music scenes began to appear in major cities. The rising popularity of chip music around the world truly exemplifies the legacy of this incredible hardware. As does any number of bizarre mods and projects you may stumble upon while browsing the web, such as the fully-functional giant Game Boy seen below.

With so much culture revolving around a two decades-old piece of hardware, it’s clear that the Game Boy is more than just a gaming system. It’s a common link; A symbolic piece of shared history amongst both gamers and non-gamers.

Released in the United States in November of 1982, the Vectrex would only last for two short years, and even less time in foreign markets. But in that time, the machine would develop a cult following that has helped spawn one of the most creative homebrew communities for any console. The Vectrex is another example of what the video game community lost in the video game crash of 1983, and in this case, it looks like the public really missed out.

Background Information

• Development of the “Mini-Arcade” by Smith Engineering would begin in Spring of 1981, which is later renamed to Vectrex.
• General Consumer Electric (GCE) licenses the Vectrex concept.
• Vectrex releases in the United States on November, 1982, at $199.
• Milton Bradley acquires GCE in Spring 1983, drops the price to $150.
• The Vectrex launches in Europe May 1983, and in Japan under the name Bandai Vectrex Kousokusen in June 1983.
• March 1984, European production of the Vectrex stops.
• Hasbro buys Milton Bradley in Summer of 1983 and begins phasing out the Vectrex.
• The Vectrex officially dies in the United States in December 1984.
• In 1988, Smith Engineering tries to remake the Vectrex as a handheld, but the idea is scrapped due to GameBoy’s impending release.
• See print advertisement

See the Vectrex in Action

MAKE Magazine did a nice little video to get everyone acquainted with the Vectrex

Historical Impact

• One of the first consoles to feature a boot screen.
• The Vectrex was the only real attempt to bring vector graphics to the home audience via a vector monitor.
• This is the first console to feature 3D.
• It was also the first truly portable home console, since everything required to play was included.
• Unfortunately, the video game crash of 1983 brought about the early demise of this console.

Hardware Specifications

• The CPU is a Motorola 68A09, with a speed of around 1.5 Mhz. It features 1 KB RAM and 8 KB ROM.
• The CRT is a monochrome Samsung 240RB40. It measures 9¾ x 11½ x 14½ inches.
• Color is handled by the screen overlays that would come packaged with games.
• The audio is handled by a General Instrument’s AY-3-8912, and features a 3” built-in speaker.
• The entire console weighs about 15 lbs.

Strengths

• Console has everything, including CRT and built in controllers, required to play.
• Features a pack-in game, Minestorm.
• Was the only console to bring vector graphics to the home market at a time when many of the top arcade games were done in vector graphics.
• Has an extremely active, loyal, and old homebrew community, which has produced multiple emulators, entirely new games, and designed their own peripherals for use on the Vectrex. The available game library has effectively doubled in size in the last 15 years.

Weaknesses

• The official game library isn’t very big, and six of the official games require one or the other peripheral.
• Screen overlays must be provided for any sort of color.
• A lack of shielding between the CRT and audio wires causes a buzzing sound in earlier models.
• The pack-in game, Minestorm, has a tendency to crash at level 13. If it does make it past that, the game starts acting weird.
• Because the console is built into the CRT, doing internal repairs can be dangerous.
• A Vectrex cannot be connected to a normal television, even if the CRT is nonfunctional.

Peripherals

Vectrex 3D Imager The Vectrex 3D Imager was the first 3D imaging peripheral ever offered on a console, predating the SegaScope 3D. Three official games were built for it, though a fourth official game was never released. Read More Info about the 3D Imager Check eBay for the 3D Imager

VT3600 Lightpen The VT3600 Lightpen was a light pen designed for usage as a controller in three officially released games. Several other official programs were in the works, though they were never released, though one prototype, Mail Plane, has found its way into the wild. Unfortunately, they can sell for as much as $250 on eBay in complete condition. There are many fans of the system that have made their own to save some case (see below in Hacks & Mods section) Read More info about the Light Pen Check eBay for the Light Pen

Hacks & Mods

• Use a Playstation Controller with the Vectrex
• How to Create a Vectex Overlay
• Building Your Own Vectrex 3D Goggles
• Make Your Own Vectrex Lightpen
• Bringing the Full Arcade Feel with Great Artwork

Emulation

• VECX is a Vectrex emulator specifically for the PC, Mac, and Linux, designed by Valavan Manohararajah. It utilizes Direct X, and the source code is freely available online. It can be found at www.valavan.net. VECX has also been ported to other consoles, including the Xbox.
• PSPVE is a port of VECX to work on the PSP.
• ParaJVE is a Vectrex emulator that utilizes Java, designed by Franck Chevassu. It has been designed for usage on the PC, Mac, and Lynux, though Lynux currently experiences problems. It can be found at vectrex-emu.blogspot.com.
• DVE, or DOS Vectrex Emulator, was the first Vectrex emulator. It was built specifically for DOS, though it can run on Windows. It was originally designed by Keith Wilkins, and then edited heavily by Christopher Salomon. It can be found at www.arcadeathome.com.
• There are also Vectrex emulators for the GP32X(GP32Vecx and VecxGP ) and the Nintendo DS(VectxDS).
• The MESS emulator will also emulate Vectrex games

Affordability

• Vectrex collecting isn’t exactly for the mainsteam budget collector, but it’s not out of reach.
• Since they have a strong collector community and are a bit of novelty item, Vectrex machines can go for about $50 - $150 on eBay depending on the condition and how many games a lot includes.
• While some games can exceed $50, most Vectrex games will go for $10 - $30 on eBay

Additional Resources

• The Vectrex Archive
• The Vectrx Museum
• PlayVectrex.com

Presented by Ack

When considering reasons to get a Sega CD, RPGs are often one of the foremost genres in consideration.  And why not, some of the RPGs released on it were absolutely phenomenal and well respected titles that regularly go for decent amounts of money.  Unfortunately, many of them never made the leap to our shores, and in some cases information is extremely limited.  While this list is in rough order of quality, the majority of the RPGs on the console are good, so its difficult to really put them in a specific order.

Lunar: The Silver Star

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U
Release Date: 1992
It’s a JRPG, following a boy and his childhood friend who must save their fantasy-based world.  Combat is standard JRPG fare, and the storyline is very linear.  Yet this title is often championed as one of the greatest RPGs for the console.  Character interaction was the deepest it had ever been in an RPG before.  Party members talked amongst themselves and to other people.  The dialog alone for townspeople was three times longer than the standard RPG.  Released in the middle of 1992, Lunar changed forever what the JRPG could be, and became the best-selling game on the console in Japan(and the second best worldwide).

The game is well-balanced, and serves as an excellent RPG for both beginner and long time fans of the genre.  Unfortunately due to time constraints roughly a third of the material was cut, though it was put back in for the re-release on the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation.  As for the English version, the programmers went on a marathon session and finished the English script in eight weeks, though it was a whopping 4 megs.  Perhaps it caught up to them, considering they threw in lots of humorous jokes and bizarre quotes.  If you only play one JRPG on the console, let it be this one.
Find Lunar: The Silver Story on eBay

Lunar: Eternal Blue

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U
Release Date: 1994
Not only did a sequel to Lunar: The Silver Star appear, but we got it in the states.  Unfortunately it was released late in the Sega CD’s lifespan, so it’s harder to come by than the original.  While it didn’t sell as well as its predecessor, that doesn’t mean much considering it held the third place slot in terms of worldwide sales(and second place in Japan, right after the original).

The game is again standard JRPG fare, but it expanded upon the first Lunar with a vastly larger storyline, though many people complain that something just seems to be missing.  Oh well, love it or hate it, the game is definitely worth checking out and it will keep you busy for a long while.  The recorded speech in the game alone runs for over an hour and a half.  The game uses twice as much dialogue as its predecessor.
Find Lunar: Eternal Blue on eBay

Record of Lodoss War

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1994
Record of Lodoss War is one of my favorite anime series ever.  If you’re a fan of western fantasy-based anime with a serious side, check out the original series.  You will not be disappointed.  The game is a tactical RPG that follows the plot of the series, including anime cut-scenes and voice acting pulled directly from the source material to advance the storyline.  It may not be as high quality as the actual anime, but it’s close enough for me.

Unfortunately this game was released in 1994, during the console’s closing days, so it never saw action outside of Japan.  That is a real shame as it is one of the best RPGs on the console, with an incredible soundtrack and quality graphics.  It’s also not an easy game, but it’s manageable for those of us who don’t know the language.  Import this.  Seriously.
Record of Lodoss War on eBay

Seima Densetsu 3×3 Eyes

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1993
This title is sometimes known as 3×3 Eyes or 3×3 Eyes: Legend of the Divine Demon.  It’s based on the manga 3×3 Eyes, and similarly to Record of Lodoss War, it uses cut scenes and voice acting pulled directly from the anime OAVs in the game.  The plot covers an early section of the manga, occurring roughly around volumes 3 to 5.

The game is a turn-based JRPG that unfortunately happens to be very menu-heavy, so keep that in mind, though it follows the plot of the series very closely, enabling fans to keep track of what’s going on.  And again, much like Record of Lodoss War, it’s considered one of the best RPGs available on the console.  It also originally came with a two-sided poster.
Find Seima Densetsu 3X3 Eyes on eBay

Shining Force CD

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL
Release Date: 1994
This is actually a remake and combination of the two Sega GameGear games, Shining Force Gaiden and Shining Force Gaiden II, complete with a third section that connects the two together and rounds out the title.  Because of the upgrade, the games’ graphics and audio capabilities were all bumped up.  The game is a tactical RPG, and both of the two main stories can be played separate of one another.  The game was also released in all regions, so finding a copy in your language is a bit easier.

Unfortunately there is a downside to this title: due to hardware limitations, the game can only be saved in the third chapter if the backup RAM cart is in use.  Without it, the player is unable to save, thus hindering progress in the final section, so if you’re interested in picking this title up, go ahead and find a RAM cart as well.
Find Shining Force CD on eBay

Shin Megami Tensei

Releases: NTSC-J (English Translation Patch for Super Famicom Version)
Release Date: 1994
Translation: None(the Super Famicom version does have a translation however)
There’s a group of folks that are reading this that are already drooling based on that title alone.  And as well they should, for the Japan-only Sega CD port of this title had some nifty enhancements over previous releases.  First off, it’s not really a port, but more of a remake.    The graphics have all been improved, and the font size is larger, allowing the use of kanji.  Characters now have close-up portraits when talking to them, and the audio has been remixed.  Plus, cut scenes with voice acting have been included.

For those not in the know, Shin Megami Tensei is part of a very broad series of video games, known as the Megami Tensei(or Megaten) series, and it is huge.  This particular title is a first person RPG set in modern day Japan, where Tokyo basically goes to Hell in a hand basket.  Also, nothing is censored in this version, though beyond a couple guys not wearing pants, that doesn’t mean much.  No version of this game has ever been released in English, though if you’ve never played a version of this title, your best bet is probably the English translation patch for the Super Famicom version.
Find Shin Mengami Tensei on eBay

Popful Mail

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U
Release Date: 1994
It’s a 2D platformer and an RPG.  Popful Mail follows an elven bounty hunter named Mail, a young pointy-hatted wizard named Tatt, and a purple winged critter named Caw, as they pursue a wizard so evil and powerful that he could only be called…Muttonhead.

Switching between characters can be done on the fly, and each keeps a separate health bar, so if one gets weak, you can pop over to a different character and let them take a crack at things.  There’s no experience system, but upgrades can be purchased with the gold found by killing enemies.

It’s pretty, funny, and very quirky, and better yet, it made it out of Japan.  With voice acting and anime-styled videos no less!  If you’re a fan of titles like Ys or anime like Slayers, this is likely a title you’ll enjoy.  It should be noted, the difficulty was toned up for the US release, so don’t expect it to be a cakewalk.  For a very different take on the same game in terms of gameplay, check out the other versions on the PC98, PC Engine CD, and Super Famicom.
Find Popful Mail on eBay

Shadowrun

Releases: NTSC-J (English Translation)
Release Date: 1996
This was the last Sega CD game released in Japan, in late February of 1996, and though slated for a foreign release, it never made it.  It’s also a very different animal from the SNES and Genesis titles of the same name, and happens to be quite rare due to its limited print run.  It features anime cut-scenes, as well as a top notch soundtrack.

It’s also Japanese-only and extremely text-heavy.  How text-heavy you ask?  Shadowrun’s gameplay and story exposition is often compared directly to Snatcher.  Combat plays like a tactical RPG and is heavily based on dice rolls to judge success and damage of attacks.  That’s right, dice rolls, as in it actually shows dice on the screen and everything.  Of all the console based Shadowrun titles of this era, this is the one to play.  You just need to be fluent in Japanese to get anywhere in it.
Find Shadowrun on eBay

Dark Wizard

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U
Release Date: 1993
Dark Wizard holds the distinction of being the first RPG released in the west on the console.  And yes, before we get anywhere, it does feature anime cutscenes, and visually, they’re considerably more attractive than the rest of the game.  But the actual depth of gameplay in this strategy RPG more than makes up for it.  The plot follows the kingdom of Quentin, the last kingdom in Cheshire that hasn’t collapsed under the forces of the Dark Wizard, and is currently under siege from his forces.  To make matters worse, the king of Quentin has just died.  So the people of Quentin are going to have to find a new successor and fight their way out of their situation.  Fights are long, and the game isn’t easy.  It also suffers from poor load times.  But if you can see through this, you’ll find a game well worth playing.
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Dungeon Explorer

Releases: NTSC-U, PAL
Release Date: 1994
This is an action RPG, similar to titles like Gauntlet, that did manage to make the long journey to the United States, though it unfortunately did not manage a stop-off in Europe.  It is technically a revision of the PC-Engine version released five years before it, and the two share a different plot.  In Dungeon Explorer, a goddess has been imprisoned in a tower and it is rumored to answer a single wish to anyone that can rescue her.  The game allows the player to pick from six classes.  Players can level up their characters by killing monsters and fighting bosses in their quests, and can find and buy new weapons and armor, food, and items to help them on their quests.  The game also utilizes the multi-tap, so four can play at once.
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Dungeon Master 2: Skullkeep

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL
Release Date: 1994
The direct sequel to the hit RPG Dungeon Master, Dungeon Master 2 is considered one of the most impressive dungeon crawling RPGs on the console, though a considerable amount of the game doesn’t take place in a dungeon at all.  The plot revolves around the player racing the forces of evil to collect parts of the Zo Link, a device that can open doorways to alternate universes.  To do this, he must pick from a team of warriors to aid in his quest.

The game itself is gorgeous, with well done sounds effects, and the world is fairly open in terms of what you can do.  The interface takes a little getting used to, but once it’s understood, the game flows fairly smoothly.  As for leveling, if you’ve ever played an Elder Scrolls game, it’s the same idea: you must level skills to level your characters.  Of course, said skills are generally raised in combat, so have your characters do what they normally would do anyway, and leveling should be a breeze.
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Genei Toshi: Illusion City

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1993
Originally planned for a US release under the title Phantom City, this game was unfortunately never brought over.  Which is a shame, because another cyberpunk RPG is always welcome in my book.  In the year 200X(the same year the Mega Man games take place, mind you), Hong Kong is razed to the ground, and no one is able to discover why.  A corporation named SIVA International Information Group moves in, falsifies information, and takes over the area as reconstruction begins.  Twenty years later, Hong Kong is the most modern city in the world, and SIVA rules over it entirely.  The city is divided based on social class, and the poorer areas are still being ravaged by whatever destroyed the city.

You play, you guessed it, a couple of guys from the poor part of town who have to figure out what’s going on.  The game isn’t translation-friendly, and is very menu intensive, but allows heavier immersion than most JRPGs.  The graphics give it a gritty look that is built upon by the music.  If you’re confident in your kanji, check it out.
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Faeria

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1992
There’s a bit of a discrepancy with this title’s name, so if you’ve ever heard of Fhey Area, it’s the same game.  The title is a solid JRPG that never made it out of Japan, featuring a quality soundtrack, and while the gameplay isn’t innovative, it does offer a nifty use of character portraits during combat.

In Faeria, you play Raphael, a young man descended from a legendary warrior known as the Spirit Rider.  When asked to visit the queen, she mysteriously vanishes, and you must discover what has happened to her.  It features the standard anime cut scenes, and it’s not too hard to make it through the game with a limited understanding of the language.
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Alshark

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1993
Once again, this is a Japan-only RPG, but Alshark also has the distinction of being the longest, coming in at over 60 hours, and that’s if you can speak the language.  Graphically, the game is not up to par with other titles on the same console, but the overall length, well-done audio work, and multiple animated cut scenes make up for it.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t make up for the slowdown which occurs when too many sprites are on the screen.

The game features customizable characters, a large and diverse cast, and even a customizable spaceship, which will help getting across the 7 galaxies that this game spans.  The game also incorporates some shooter elements.  The title isn’t friendly to new players and boasts a high enemy encounter rate, but it did reach a cult level of appeal, so if you understand Japanese, give it a shot.
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Arcus 1-2-3

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1993
If you have ever played Arcus Odyssey for the SNES or Genesis, you have an idea of what this is about.  Just an idea, however, as this Japan-only release featured the entire trilogy of games, and the gameplay is radically different.  In fact, the general plot has changed, and the action elements have been thrown entirely out the window.

The game series is composed of dungeon-crawls and turn-based combat, with levels so large it may require the player to make their own maps.  It feature anime cut scenes and a wonderful soundtrack.  Plus, it features a continuous storyline, as one of the younger party members in the first title is the lead hero in the second and third.  Each title lasts about 20 to 40 hours, and they get progressively more challenging as time goes by.  But the story ties itself together in the end completely, making this a very satisfying series to see all the way through.
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Might & Magic III: Isles of Terra

Releases: NTSC-J  (PC Version was in English)
Release Date: 1993
In a very bizarre twist of fate, an English-language game for the PC is ported to a Japanese console, and then not ported to the English-language version of said console.  That is exactly what happened with Might & Magic III.  It’s another turn based first person dungeon crawler, and a good one at that.  The gameplay is deep and open-ended, and the main quest is non-linear, so the game can change every time you play.

The game uses text to tell information, and menus can be tough to navigate with little to no understanding of Japanese.  Truthfully, if you’re really interested in playing this game it probably would be easier to track down the PC version.
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Eye of the Beholder

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL
Release Date: 1994
Ok, technically the title to this game is Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder, and it is also a dungeon crawler RPG.  That said, it’s a very well designed dungeon crawler that keeps to its roots.  The plot features a party of adventurers hired to find out what’s going on in the sewers of a town called Waterdeep.  Once they get there, a beholder traps them in and forces them to fight through Dwarf and Drow cities to its lair.

If you know what a beholder is in Dungeons & Dragons, you have good reason to be alarmed.  If you don’t…let me put it this way.  If you’re not a high level and you see a beholder, you run.  You run very fast.  They’re nasty.  They make manticores look like kobolds, and I HATE manticores.  Graphically, the game’s not the most impressive, though the art holds true to the game, much as the game’s system does.  Also, in an incredibly smart move, the game is compatible with the Mega Mouse, and movement with the D-pad can be enabled in the options menu.  The audio in the game is also high quality.  Unfortunately neither of the sequels would make the leap to the console.
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Aisle Lord

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1992
Aisle Lord was a Japan-only release by the now long-defunct Wolf Team(who went on to split, part of the team working for Namco on Tales of Phantasia, while the rest formed tri-Ace and created the Star Ocean series).  The title is a dungeon-crawler RPG, and while not particularly innovative in terms of gameplay, it did help start the trend for anime cut scenes in RPGs.

It did suffer from a few framerate problems, but a long quest is included, with some sidequests for kicks, and the game is apparently a solid title for fans of this kind of RPG.
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Death Bringer

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1992
This is another dungeon crawler, using the same engine as Aisle Lord, and once again, it’s Japan-only.  Originally this was a PC game that was ported to the PC-Engine, and then to the Sega CD.  The cut scenes are still there, backed by nice voice acting, though the actual music leaves something to be desired.  Unfortunately, not much seems to be known about the plot of this title in the west, though general impressions tend to say it’s somewhat bland.

If you can read Japanese and you like dungeon crawlers, look into it, but don’t expect anything particularly groundbreaking.  And it should be noted, this title has nothing to do with the Amiga game of the same name.
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Arslan Senki

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1993
Based entirely on an manga which was based on the book The Heroic Legend of Arslan(which has also been turned into an anime), this game saw a release in Japan in 1993 as a turn-based strategy RPG.  The plot follows an outcast prince who is trying to retake his kingdom, and the game focuses on large-scale battles.

Unfortunately beyond plot, the game doesn’t really offer much.  No items, no levels, and no special attacks of any kind.  While characters do have stats, fights will sometimes come down to luck more than skill.  And to top it all off, the main character is uncontrollable and wants to be his own man, so the most the player can do is give him a general idea of what to do and let him go off and do his own thing, which really sucks considering if he gets dropped it’s game over.  Still, it’s gorgeous, and it does feature some interesting scenarios, and it stays true to the designs from the manga, so if you’re a fan, check it out.
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Burai

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1992
Here’s an RPG directly from Sega, once again Japan-only, and once again featuring anime-style cut scenes with voice overs.  But this one is an updated version of the same title, released for the MSX(and later, the SNES).  Fights are classic turn-based affairs, though with a perspective change: instead of being first-person view, as the MSX and SNES versions are, the Sega CD version went for an over-the-shoulder approach.

The game also begins like a saga, with eight selectable characters with unique talents that culminate in the formation of the main party.  In terms of plot…well, you’ve played it before.  Dark god does evil, light god seals him away, evil demon tries to release him, eight warriors appear to stop him.  And yes, there is a prophecy.
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Heimdall

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U
Release Date: 1994
A western RPG, Heimdall loosely follows Norse mythology and the story of Ragnarok.  At the beginning of the end, Loki steals the weapons of Odin, Freyr, and Thor, and drops on the earth below.  To get them back, the good gods send Heimdall down to Earth to recover them.  The story begins with a series of minigames to determine which party members are available, and once they’re finished, players will travel around  three lands of islands to find the weapons: Midgar, Utgard, and Asgard.

The game’s very cartoony, which is good considering the material concerns the impending end of the world.  Combat is done in a first person perspective, while normally walking around is in an isometric perspective.  The biggest gripe seems to be a lack of inventory space, though you can stick items on unused party members(while you can have a max of six, only three can be used on any of the islands).  The sequel, Heimdall 2, never made the jump to the Sega CD.
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Vay

Releases: NTSC-J, NTSC-U
Release Date: 1993
This is a typical JRPG, more renowned for its bizarrely scaling difficulty than anything else.  In some cases, stronger variants of creatures will yield less experience and gold, and boss fights can be ridiculously hard when compared to their dungeons.  The game’s also light on puzzles, and the voice acting is pretty hammy.

The game starts with the main character’s wedding, only for it to be broken up by an attack by giant robots, who kidnap the wife-to-be and murder his parents, the king and queen.  It’s got fantasy, magic, and mecha all wrapped into one.  And since it was released in the United States, it can be found in English, though no such luck to the PAL regions.  Also, if you’re lucky, you might be able to find a copy complete with the poster-sized map that was packaged with it.  This game was also recently ported to the iPhone.
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Daihoushinden

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1994
Truthfully, there just isn’t that much known about this game in the west.  The plot apparently involves an army invading and the hero having to deal with the problems that arise.

The game is very text heavy, so even with some kind of translation guide, playing the game is a daunting task.  The combat is also very tough, so only the most hardcore will likely continue playing.  Still, it features quality music and the game features, you guessed it, animated cut scenes.  The game itself isn’t too shabby to look at either.  It plays as a standard turn-based JRPG.
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Magical Girl: Silky Lip

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1992
Some folks claim this title would serve as a pseudo-predecessor of the Sakura Taisen series.  While I don’t really know about that, it is true this is a quirky JRPG.  You play as a magical girl named Lip who is being forced to spend a year living in the human world so she can be properly judged for the position of queen of the demon world.

The game progresses as if it were a television show, with ending credits of an episode preceding an intro for the next.  While there are a few typical JRPG battles, many “fights” consist of conversations, where verbal choices will effect stats and outcomes.  Due to its text-heavy nature and focus on magical girls, it’s not really a title for those just dabbling in Japanese RPGs.
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Cosmic Fantasy Stories

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1992
First and foremost, this isn’t one RPG, it’s a 2-pack, featuring Cosmic Fantasy 1 and Cosmic Fantasy 2.  Cool, right?  Well, not entirely.  First, Cosmic Fantasy 1 is obviously older, with a very limited color palette.  Thankfully, Cosmic Fantasy 2 was built with the Turbo Duo in mind, so it’s prettier.  Audio quality isn’t what it’s cracked up to be either.  And yes, it does include the anime-esque cut scenes and voice overs, which at this point is practically required.

The games are also easy to play for a western audience, as they don’t really require much Japanese and all the player really has to do is move to the next town and do a simple task.  Also, the random encounter rate is absolutely abysmal.  Still, two easily manageable RPGs for the price of one that don’t require much knowledge of the language is pretty hard to turn down, especially if you’re just starting to get into translation guides.
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After Armageddon Gaiden

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1994
This game was a Japan-only release, though Working Designs was originally planning on releasing it in other regions.  Unfortunately the impending release of the Sega Saturn killed this before it really got a chance, and the western world would never see it.  After Armageddon Gaiden is a side story to Last Armageddon, released only in Japan for the Famicom, PC and PC-Engine, where demons fought robots for control of Earth several centuries after humans go extinct.  Yes, you read that right, demons fight robots.  For control of Earth.  Best. Plot. Ever.

Once again, this game has the player controlling a party of ever-evolving demons, and it plays as a traditional JRPG of the 16-bit era.  The soundtrack on this game is supposed to be pretty good.
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Funky Horror Band

Releases: NTSC-J
Release Date: 1991
This title is also known as Woodstock: Funky Horror Band or Wakusei Woodstock: Funky Horror Band.  The plot involves a boy seeing something crash from the sky at night, so he investigates and discovers some kind of alien electronic funk band.  This game has a reputation for being pretty bad, and it’s hideous in terms of graphics.  Combat is also dull and extremely static.

The one upside is that talking to important individuals will bring up nicely drawn portraits of them, and while their words are presented in text, they also feature voice acting, albeit not at the best quality.  That’s also the high point of the audio, as the sound effects are bland and the music is absolutely awful.

The game also seems pretty language-intensive, so it might be best to just avoid this JRPG.  And yes, it does feature anime-styled sequences. Still, it should be noted that this was also the earliest RPG on the console, so some of the problem may lie there.
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Honorable Mentions

Here’s a section including a few more titles that might interest RPG fans of the console, just in case you might want something similar but not quite the same thing as what was mentioned above.  It should also be noted, these aren’t in any order.

Pier Solar
This is an entirely original RPG that as of this writing hasn’t been released yet.  It’s also unofficial, and not really a Sega CD title, instead utilizing the Sega CD for better audio capabilities.  The actual game will be in cartridge format and will be available to all regions.  Check out the team’s website for more information.

Lords of Thunder
This is a hori shooter with RPG elements.  Also known by such titles as A-rank Thunder and Winds of Thunder, it was originally released on the TurboGrafx-CD, then ported to Sega CD.  While the PAL regions would see neither version, both PAL and NTSC-U now have access to it via the Wii’s Virtual Console.  The player plays as god-knight Landis, who must fight the evil god Zaggart’s army.  To do this, he must choose which of his four magical armors he will wear, and collect money so he can purchase upgrades at the local shop.

Strategy Games:
There are quite a few, and while some venture closer to RPG territory like Mega Schwarzschild, some like Genghis Khan 2: Clan of the Grey Wolf never quite make that distinction.  Still, they’re there if any strategy fan really wants to take a look.

Special thanks to Modemul.net,  Sega-16, HG101, and MegaDriver.org for the screenshots