Most people I know don’t automatically think of RPGs when they think of their Genesis.  But there is actually a large number of titles available on the console.  Add in the Sega CD, which I outlined earlier, and you’ve got a hefty selection available, spread across a variety of different types of RPGs.  Just take a look at your options.   (This is a rather lengthy post and we had to divide it up to two pages until we can figure out how to get the server to let us post more — see page two here.

Phantasy Star Series

Phantasy Star (NTSC-J / 1994),  Phantasy Star II (NTSC-J, NTSC-U/1989), Phantasy Star III (NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL/1990), Phantasy Star IV (NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL/1993)

The Phantasy Star series has the prestige of being one of the first RPG series to appear on North American consoles, and the first title’s Japanese release for the Master System was a mere two days after Final Fantasy. All four games are JRPGs that take place in the same continuous universe in the Algol Solar System.  All four games are connected, though Phantasy Star III would serve as a large departure from the others.  It is the only one of the four to feature a medieval fantasy setting, while the others are all science fiction types.

The entire series is composed of solid titles, and they’re worth tracking down, though for those of us who can’t read Japanese, it might be better to go for the Master System version of Phantasy Star, since the Megadrive version never made the leap across the ocean.  Finding it for the Megadrive may be even harder since it only saw release as a limited edition with a low print run.

It should also be noted that there was one other Phantasy Star title for the console, available via the Sega Meganet in Japan, Phantasy Star II Text Adventures.  This is a series of 8 text-based adventures, later released in compilation for the Mega-CD.
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Shining Series

Shining in the Darkness (NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL/1991), Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention (NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL/1993), Shining Force II (NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL/1994)

In the Shining Series, the timeline begins with the return of the Dark Dragon, and after his defeat at the hands of the Shining Force, the rise of the Devil Kings.  While all three titles are in the Shining series, Shining in the Darkness is a very different animal from its Shining Force brethren.  First, it’s a dungeon crawler, not a strategy RPG like the two Shining Force.  The art and musical styles are similar, but the series includes a variety of different RPG styles.

Second, it’s out of order.  While the plots are all linked, Shining in the Darkness takes place after Shining Force II, and the events of Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict on the Sega Game Gear takes place between Shining Force and Shining Force II.  For access to both Shining Force Gaiden’s, as well as a third previously unseen chapter, Shining Force CD is available on the Sega CD to round out the collection.
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Dragon Slayer Series

Sorcerian (NTSC-J/1990), Dragon Slayer: Legend of Heroes (NTSC-J/1994), Dragon Slayer: Legend of Heroes II (NTSC-J/1995), Lord Monarch (NTSC-J/1994)

Ok, so this series is a mess of different RPG sub-genres, originally spreading across the 1980s and then being continuously updated for the next decade.  It also incorporates the first two parts of a second entire series, known as the Legend of Heroes series.  So why is it a group of cross-genre RPGs with no real connection via storyline or style can be considered connected?  Because they all had the same producer, Yoshio Kiya, one of the first Japanese minds behind RPGs.  It is debated that his first game, Dragon Slayer, released 1984, is the first Japanese action RPG.  In 1985, a fledgling startup named Squaresoft would port it to the MSX as one of their first published titles.  Without his initial work, series like The Legend of Zelda might not ever have existed.  And thankfully the Megadrive releases of his work are actually considered pretty good.

First, Sorcerian features an open party which is created from scratch at the start of the game which then grow stronger as they are pitted against various scenarios for gold and glory.  The game changes gameplay styles, though at its heart, it’s a side-scrolling action RPG.  Lord Monarch is radically different, more of a strategy game with heavy RTS elements than an RPG at all.  The purpose of the game is to use your peasants to slaughter every other kingdom.  And yes, I mean EVERY kingdom, as once allied players smash an opposed enemy, they must then work to smash each other, since the game only allows one winner.

The Legend of Heroes games are both similar, though again, different from the other Dragon Slayer games.  They’re both JRPGs with a connecting storyline.  Only the first two in the series kept their association to the original Dragon Slayer series, and the next set of games feature a new plot, known as the Gagharv Trilogy.  Unfortunately neither of the Megadrive versions would make it out of Japan.

Uncharted Waters Series

Uncharted Waters (NTSC-J, NTSC-U/1992), Uncharted Waters: New Horizons (NTSC-J, NTSC-U/1994)

Finally, the piracy RPG you know you’ve always wanted to play…if you like.  That’s the beauty of the Uncharted Waters series, they’re very open-ended high seas adventures with loose plots that allow you to pick and choose generally what you would like to do.  This includes leading trade expeditions, investing in locales, hunting for treasure, hunting for pirates, or engaging in a bit of piracy yourself.

The first game in the series focuses on Leon Franco,  son of a noble family that has fallen into disrepute.  So Leon sets out to restore it by doing tasks for the king, investing into foreign lands in the name of Portugal, or taking out Spanish or Ottoman ships, in hopes that the king will give you titles and raise the status of your family.  The sequel makes it all bigger, with more countries, the same open-ended gameplay, and the ability to choose one of six different characters to follow at the start of the game.  Seriously, if you’ve got a thing for pirates, check this series out.
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Langrisser Series

Warsong (Langrisser) (NTSC-J, NTSC-U/1991), Langrisser 2 (NTSC-J/1994)

The Langrisser series is composed of multiple strategy RPGs on a truly epic scale.  And I mean epic, as in up to thirty controllable units on just your side epic. All the games of the series are connected, though they span many years in the game world.  The games all focus on two swords, the Langrisser and the Alhazard.  The cast of each game is enormous too, and large amounts of story exposition is conducted during combat, so once a fight starts, expect to be there a long time.  On the upside, the music is quite good throughout, so at least you’ll have something pleasant to listen to.

There are two Langrisser titles on the Genesis, though only one made it out of Japan.  The first Langrisser, known in the west as Warsong, is the roughest in terms of design and unfortunately isn’t as graphically attractive as the rest of the series.  In an effort to localize the series, character names were changed and character portraits were “Westernized.”  Which is a real shame, as one of the perks of the series is that the character designs and portraits were absolutely stellar.  Still, at least it saw release outside of Japan, unlike its sequel.  Langrisser 2 was more of the same, but with improved graphics, a larger cast, and multiple branching storylines for added replayability.
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Vixen 357

(NTSC-J / 1992)
In the 25th century, there will be war between humans and aliens.  We will win, thanks to specially built mechs known as Vectors, as we take the fight to the Four Heavenly Emperors and their leader, Zithor Weimer, who pilots Golgyas, a mech equipped with the ultimate weapon, Vixen 357.  Yes, that’s the plot.  As far as gameplay, it’s a strategy RPG with mechs.  Yes, it’s practically Sega’s answer to Front Mission, only it predates Front Mission by nearly three years.  And while it’s nowhere near as pretty(battlefields are actually quite bland), it lets me watch massive robots beat the snot out of each other with a variety of close-range and long-range weaponry.  Just keep in mind that character death is permanent, so losing certain characters will result in a game over.
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Gauntlet IV

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1993)
Not only is this considered a faithful port of its arcade predecessor, it’s considered a better game overall, and for good reason: it stays true to the visuals, audio, and gameplay of the action RPG arcade hit Gauntlet(yeah, don’t ask where the IV came from), but it brings in multiple game modes not found in the arcade to boot.  This includes the arcade, a Quest Mode that includes RPG elements and a fleshed out storyline, a multiplayer free-for-all mode, and a mode that records you as you race through a dungeon.  Plus, it was the first game built for the Genesis multitap, so you know what that means.  That’s right: 4-player multiplayer, baby!
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Pirates! Gold

(NTSC-U / 1993)
This was a remake of 1987’s Sid Meier’s Pirates!, though with improved graphics, more colors, and more features.  It’s an open-ended title, allowing the player to create a new character from a list of options at the beginning and then setting them loose on the Spanish Main to plunder from Florida to South America as they age from a young man to an old man.  Along the way, towns can be sacked, ships can be captured, treasure can be found, quests can be accepted, and armadas can be sunk, all done in varying styles of gameplay.  Seriously, between this and the two Uncharted Waters games, there’s more than enough pirate goodness to keep players happy.
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Shadowrun

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U / 1994)
We need more cyberpunk RPGs.  The Genesis version of Shadowrun follows Joshua, a new Shadowrunner who is out for revenge after his brother’s murder.  To do this, he’s gonna need money and skills as well as a little help, so he’ll have to start doing jobs for the “Mr. Johnsons,” though if he screws up, he’ll likely wake up in the chop shop.  The game world is Seattle, giving the player the freedom to move around it openly, with all kinds of random events occurring on the way.  If Joshua gets a datajack, he can then do some Matrix running for missions or simply to steal computer files for some quick cash.  It’s definitely a game worth checking out.
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Beggar Prince

(Universal / 2006)
Originally a Taiwan-only game known as Xin Qigai Wangzi, it was edited, localized, and updated for a release on all versions of the Genesis/Megadrive by the Super Fighter Team nearly a decade later.  In the game, the Prince of Shatt is a snot-nosed brat who wants to leave his life behind, so he switches places with a beggar with the help of the nefarious Cat Minister.  Once out, he quickly learns that life outside the castle kinda sucks, but isn’t allowed to return to his old life since he is now a beggar.  So now he must go on an epic quest to reclaim his kingdom.  Unfortunately the first two print runs of the games were a bit buggy, though thankfully Super Fighter Team has managed to fix the vast majority of them from the Taiwan original.  It makes for an excellent RPG, and it proves the capability of the Super Fighter Team.  And who knew those Taiwanese RPGs were worth playing?
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Legend of Wukong

(Universal / 2008)
And once again, this is another Taiwan-only RPG by Super Fighter Team, extensively reprogrammed for all versions of the Genesis/Megadrive like its predecessor, Beggar Prince.  And this time, there were no issues with the first print run.  In this title, a young boy named Wukong visits his neighbor, Dr. Tang, scientist and inventor extraodinaire.  Dr. Tang takes a few moments to talk about his latest creation, the first time machine, which Wukong accidentally turns on and is sent back to the days of the Tang Dynasty in China(618-907 AD), with the time machine lost.  With a little help from a friendly monk, Wukong must set off across China and India to find the time machine and return home, battling monsters and making friends along the way.  This is definitely worth checking out.
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Landstalker

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1993)
This is an action RPG that follows Nigel, a young wood elf hunting for the treasure of King Nole, who disappeared one night many years ago after an angry horde of subjects rushed his castle.  Ok, so he wasn’t the most well-liked of kings, but his lost treasure is apparently worth tons, and Nigel’s set his sights on it.  It’s pretty, the plot’s not the typical contrived “teenager-must-save-the-world” drivel we keep seeing over and over again, and the music is top notch stuff.  Unfortunately, perhaps the most unique feature of the game is its biggest downfall: an isometric viewpoint and a lot of jump puzzles.  In some cases, a single messed up jump can mean a lot of backtracking too.  It unfortunately makes some sections of the game a bit more tedious than they should be, though beyond this, the isometric view isn’t a problem at all.
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Surging Aura

(NTSC-J / 1995)
This is a Japanese-heavy JRPG that never made it off its home island.  It’s also extremely pretty, with some very well-designed character sprites and portraits.  Combat’s a bit static, but with some absolutely beautiful effects.  The plot centers on Prince Muu who’s castle is suddenly attacked by monsters.  The royal family and closest aids and advisors run down to the royal treasure(a book trapping an evil sorcerer) to protect it and themselves, but the king and queen die fending off monsters, and then one of the aides turns into said evil sorcerer, Rufeed, who then slaughters everyone, including Muu. With the castle destroyed, a six-armed white rabbit known as the Time Expert appears and sends Muu back in time to stop Rufeed.  It’s a real shame we never got this, as its considered to be one of the best for the console.
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Beyond Oasis

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1994)
Beyond Oasis is another top-down action RPG, featuring all the usual trappings of an RPG(hit points, equipment, experience), but also features realtime combat.  The plot follows a young man named Ali who finds the Gold Armlet.  The spirit of said armlet informs him of the evil Silver Armlet bent on destroying the land Oasis, and to save it Ali must first find the four spirits of the Gold Armlet.  A little odd coming from a glove, but it makes for a fun adventure, and the pretty visuals and music help the journey along.  The controls do present a few problems, as different attacks are executed based on how long the attack button is pressed, and there’s a limited number of enemies expanded via palette swaps, but don’t let that stop you from tracking down this little gem.
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Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water

(NTSC-J / 1991)
Also known as Nadia no Fushigi no Umi or Fushigi no Umi no Nadia, depending on who is asked, this is a video game adaptation of the anime of the same name, which in turn was loosely based on the works of Jules Verne.  In the year 1889, a scientist named Jean meets a circus performer from Africa named Nadia.  A criminal organization is after Nadia and her blue pendant, and Jean decides to help her out.  The game is mostly based around using necessary items at necessary times, and combat is nonexistent.  Party members join up and leave as time goes by, and the game is presented as a JRPG.  It’s apparently quite good, starting in Paris and eventually ending in Atlantis.  It shouldn’t be confused with the other Nadia games on Famicom and Turbo CD.
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Yu Yu Hakusho Gaiden

(NTSC-J / 1994)
The Yu Yu Hakusho fighting game for the Megadrive is considered one of the console’s better fighters, but it wasn’t the only quality Yu Yu Hakusho game of the era.  Yu Yu Hakusho Gaiden is a JRPG with some of the best anime-styled sequences on the console.  The story is pulled from the anime, and players are asked to pick from a choice of Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, or Hiei.  The story is then presented from their perspective, operating in a similar fashion to a text adventure.  Combat is a strange mixture of a fighting game and RPG, allowing the player to move around to avoid enemy attacks and jump forward to beat the snot out of whatever presents itself.  Overall, it’s…a little odd in terms of appearance, but check it out if you’re a fan or just want to try something different.
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Ys III: Wanderers from Ys

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U/ 1992)
This is the bastard child of the Ys series, mainly because it entirely dropped the top-down perspective in favor of a side-scrolling camera.  While it managed to keep some of the Ys feeling, the large dungeons are gone in favor of practically straight lines, and the side-scroller bit takes some getting used to.  Plus, you will have to spend a lot of time leveling, or don’t even bother trying, because it’s likely the first enemy will kill you in two hits, and the bosses are even worse.  The plot follows red-headed Adol as he follows his friend Dogi to his hometown, Redmont.  There, they meet Elena and Chester.  Chester is attempting to become an evil overlord of the world, so Adol’s got to save the day again.  There’s also a system of rings to collect now to provide various effects or power up the player.  Oh, and I really like the music.
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Arcus Odyssey

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U / 1991)
On its release, this title was written off as a Gauntlet clone, and it’s easy to see why someone would come to that conclusion.  It’s an action RPG with four selectable characters with various similarities to the four selectable in Gauntlet.  Story exposition is generally nil, and it features a generic fantasy plot about an evil sorceress who’s attempting to take over the world again after being defeated so many hundreds of years ago.  With it’s 1991 release date, the title’s also not the most attractive game out there, and its music could use some work.  That said, those four characters feature different styles of play(including different means of attacking), there’s a magic system to deepen gameplay, and levels are huge and filled with respawning enemies, so you will have to stay on your toes to make it through the level.  Overall it’s entertaining, but a little bit grueling as well.  While there is multiplayer, it’s crippled by bouts of slow-down.
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Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday

(NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
So it’s a strategy RPG set in the world of Flash Gordon, from the 1940s science fiction serials shown in movie theaters.  And this game is complex too, to the point the instruction manual’s a book.  Let me just state something now: this game is ugly and the music hurts.  The sound effects are pretty atrocious too.  That said, there’s a lot more to this game than you think.  At the beginning of the game, the player must create a party out of various choices to join the New Earth Organization and fight to protect Earth from the Russian-American Mercantile built up around Mercury.  To do this, you’ll have to fight across various planets or from ship to ship in outer space.  It’s a shame the Genesis version is a watered-down port of this title, missing several selectable races and classes as well as multiple skills.  Still, if you want that far future science fiction strategy RPG, this might well be worth checking out.  Now if only we’d gotten something like a Star Trek RPG…
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Star Trek: The Next Generation – Echoes from the Past

(NTSC-U / 1994)
Score!  Star Trek fans have an interesting little title on their hands here.  The plot sounds like the typical episode, with the Enterprise called to the Neutral Zone to help investigate a report by the Romulans that one of their research ships has gone missing in Federation Space.  Before the game is over, the Enterprise crew will be racing to save their lives and the rest of the universe.  As for how it plays, well…don’t think of this as your typical RPG.  There are no levels, HP, or equipment.  Ah, but there are quests, and lots of open-ended gameplay.  Want to check out a planet?  Send an away team of your choosing!  Romulans attempting to pick a fight?  Choose to escape or to throw full power to your shields.  And yes, the full cast from the show is available.  For Trekkies, there’s also a lot of series-related information to be found.  Still, the game suffers from a lack of variation in the crew, and almost too much emphasis on combat.  If you’re a fan of the series, it’s worth looking into, but non-fans may be turned off by the problems.
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Chiki Chiki Boys

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1992)
It’s a shame this Capcom game has been lost to time, as this is a direct port of a great side-scrolling action RPG.  King Chiki Chiki, ruler of Alurea, is happy to discover his wife has given birth to twins.  Unfortunately just a short while later, his kingdom his crushed by the invading army of the evil clown Riepohtman.  The king takes his family and hides away for several years, allowing his boys to grow old so that they can take back Alurea and take the clown down.  The game allows the player to pick which of the two boys to play, and with both are similar, one’s better with swords while the other enjoys magic.  The game is obscenely cute, with extremely bright visuals as well as sound effects and music to match.
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Wonder Boy in Monster World

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
Similar to Chiki Chiki Boys, this is a side-scrolling action RPG, with little plot beyond “save world from monsters,” little animation, and poor sound effects.  Yet the visual images are wonderful, and the soundtrack does a good job of matching up each locale.  There’s also a handful of items to help you fight, including a shield you actually have to pull out to use, and the game’s apparently quite fun.  It’s also pretty short, so don’t expect a major time sink, which is nice for all of us who have other things we should be doing.
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King Colossus

(NTSC-J / 1992)
And another action RPG, though one that was sadly left in Japan.  King Colossus holds many similarities to the Ys series, including a red-headed hero fighting in the top-down perspective.  And that’s a good thing, by the way.  You play a boy who is supposed to guard a magic sword, but doesn’t do his job particularly well.  The sword gets stolen, and your old master makes you go after it, completing all manner of jobs along the way.  There are a few problems with hit detection, and enemies hurt a lot, but the game’s nice enough to allow you to save just about anywhere.  The dungeon design is a bit simplistic, but puzzles aren’t overly complicated, and the game can make for an enjoyable romp.
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Record of Bahamut War

(NTSC-J / 1991)
Sometimes known as Bahamut Senki or Bahant Senki, this strategy RPG bears little relation to Bahamut Lagoon on the Super Famicom.  Instead, it offers the chance to play one of 8 different leaders as they vie for power against each other.  Choices range from typical fantasy fair, such as Imperial humans, Elves, Giants, Barbarians, Demons, and Undead.  While this title leans much heavier towards the strategy side of its genre, options can be adjusted to change battle styles.  So you can play it as a nearly straight strategy game, or closer to the normal strategy RPG, depending on how you like it.  As for visuals, it’s not the prettiest, but for a 1991 release date, it doesn’t look that bad.  Multiplayer also isn’t very well defined, since the game is turn-based.  You merely pass the controller between players when their turn comes up.
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Rent-A-Hero

(NTSC-J / 1991)
Taro Yamada has recently moved with his family to Corja, Japan, so his father can start work at a new job.  While having a house-warming party, he orders a pizza from Sensational Cafeteria(SECA) and instead is given a suit of combat armor that gives him super strength and the ability to shoot energy blasts.  Unfortunately, he’s also given a bill for said armor, so he hires his services out as a hero for the people of Corja.  If that’s not an original premise, I don’t know what is.  Visually the game’s quite good for it’s year, the music sticks to the theme quite well, and the game understands that humor is what it’s going for.  It’s a shame neither it nor it’s remake for the DC and Xbox, never made it out of Japan.
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Exile

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U / 1991)
Exile is the sequel to XZR on the MSX, and is sometimes known as XZR II.  The game continues the story of Sadler, Syrian assassin living during the time of the crusades, somewhere around 1120 A.D. or so.  It is Sadler’s goal to bring about peace by stamping out rebellions and forcing nations to get along, even if he’s got to kill everybody in his path to do it.  There’s drug use, swearing, religious discussion, and even a notable case of censorship where an entire town was removed because it depicted citizens being crucified.  On an even weirder note, it was removed from the Japanese version, not the American version.  Beyond that, the game’s not terribly difficult.  Traversing the world is done in a style similar to a JRPG, but combat is done in a side-scrolling action RPG style.
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Traysia

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U / 1992)
A young man named Roy has always wanted to see the world, but has been stuck in his hometown of Johanna all his life.  But he gets his chance when his uncle, a traveling merchant, decides to pull-up shop and head somewhere else.  Roy’s girlfriend, Traysia, gives him a pendant so he’ll remember her.  It’s a simple idea for a plot, but with beautiful artwork and music, it’s sure to be a memorable journey.  The game plays like a JRPG, though combat is more like a strategy RPG, taking place on a large battlefield that must be maneuvered by Roy and his allies.
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Light Crusader

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1995)
Here’s a title from Treasure (of Gunstar Heroes and Ikaruga fame) that’s generally forgotten.  That’s too bad, because the game isn’t a terrible action RPG, it’s just not all that groundbreaking and comes off as the most western game they’ve ever released.  Light Crusader goes for the isometric view, incorporates an interesting magic system based around combining elements, and goes heavy on the puzzles, though it does a decent job of keeping them diverse.  While some of its animations are a little strange, it’s an attractive game with decent music.  But it just wasn’t as impressive as the vast majority of Treasure’s games, and it came late in the life of the console as Sega was trying to balance a ton of consoles, and it managed to get forgotten along the way.  The game follows a knight known as Sir David who returns to his home of Green Row to find people disappearing one by one.  He’s sent by the king to find the cause, hidden deep beneath the town.
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Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun

(NTSC-U, PAL / 1992)
Duke Barrik’s entire kingdom is accidentally sucked into some kind of magic vortex along with an invading army of goblins bent on wiping out the humans.  When his people wake up from the trip, they find themselves trapped in a valley under a red sun and surrounded by cliffs.  So Duke Barrik takes his four best men and sends them out to find allies before the goblins can again mount the attack.  That’s where you come in.  First you must pick a party of varying race/jobs and genders, then venture out into the world. The game’s a combination of JRPG(when walking around), tun-based strategy RPG combat a la Traysia, and a dungeon crawler view when inside dungeons.  While the actual world reminds me a lot of Ultima, some of the graphics are reused from the DOS version of Eye of the Beholder, and the view window in dungeons is pitifully small.  Still, the game’s short and not overly complicated, so if you’ve finished the major RPGs on the console, give this one a spin.
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Madou Monogatari

(NTSC-J / 1996)
A bizarre little dungeon crawler that would star the lead of the Puyo Puyo games, Madou Monogatari is more than a little odd in terms of presentation.  While originally part of a series of three games, the Megadrive port is merely the first title, with updated visuals and a slightly altered combat system.  You play as five-year-old Arle Nadja, who must go down into a dungeon and defeat a cockatrice if she wishes to pass her magician test.  There’s no numbers to track stats of any kind, no weapons or armor, and no hit points.  Health is tracked based on the expression on Arle’s face, and experience is tracked by an arrangement of gems on the lower half of the screen.  Combat is also viewed from the side, and fought via spells.  All you do is hold down the ‘A’ button and input a command, and Arle will cast a spell.  Strange, yes, but it’s certainly refreshing.
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Immortal

(NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
Players take control of an unnamed wizard who must venture into an underground labyrinth to find his master, the wizard Mordamir.  It’s a simple enough starting idea for this groundbreaking action RPG, which first brought the isometric view to the genre, and would influence such later titles as the Diablo series.  Along the way you’ll have to navigate traps, fight goblins and trolls as well as giant spiders, avoid some absolutely nasty critters, and make it to the very bottom.  And if you screw any of it up, you’re treated to an absolutely horrific death sequence, of which there are many.  If you kill something, it gets an equally horrific death sequence.  In fact, extra ways to die and kill were added when the game was ported to the Genesis.  It’s not an easy game at all, but that adds to the fun, and the sparing use of music adds to the mood.
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Cadash

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1992)
This is a port of the arcade side-scrolling action RPG of the same name.  In Cadash, a balrog bent on taking over the world captures a princess to use in a ritual to grant him immortality.  King Dilsarl offers his entire kingdom to any warrior who can go down to Castle Cadash and bring the princess back.  You play as one of those nameless heroes.  Unfortunately, this game didn’t make the jump to Genesis completely intact, as two character classes were dropped, the colors are considerably darker, one boss was removed from the game, and numerous aspects, such as enemy AI, were changed.  While the dark colors add a bit of atmosphere and tension to the title, the music doesn’t really add anything.  There’s also multiplayer for 2 players at the same time, which lowers the difficulty a great deal, so if you’re not so great by yourself, you can always bring a friend.
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King’s Bounty

(NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
This is a port of the computer game of the same name with some notable changes, and a precursor to the Heroes of Might & Magic series.  It’s a strategy RPG, though the console version notable gave up its turn-based roots, so everything moves in real time.  So if you sit too long in one place, a wandering horde of monsters will find you.  The plot follows a nameless hero(picked from one of four classes) who must find the Scepter of Order before King Maximus dies.  To do this, he must collect map pieces, either by hunting down a particular enemy to slay(which also pays, via the king’s bounty), or finding treasure.  Various armies may be recruited, though the player must earn enough gold to keep paying them and must have enough leadership to control them.  Morale also effects creatures’ fighting capabilities.  It’s not all that pretty of a game, and the music is iffy, but if you’re a fan of Heroes of Might & Magic, this one’s worth a look.
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TechnoClash

(NTSC-U, PAL / 1993)
This title is also sometimes written as Techno Clash.  In a world full of magic, a mysterious portal opens, and forbidden machines start pouring through.  To stop the ensuing war between magic and mechanics, the wizard Ronann, along with apprentice Chaz and mercenary Farrg, must venture through the portal into the machine world to find the “Machine Man,” who apparently lives somewhere near Las Vegas.  This action RPG is similar to Chaos Engine in perspective as well as gameplay, where players must pick a bodyguard and have a limited number of spells similar to ammunition.  After each boss fight, health will be upgraded.  It’s got some pretty graphics, and some difficult gameplay, partly due to the large levels.  The sound effects get their point across, though the canned screams do get old after a while.  If you want an action RPG that’s way more on the action side, look into it.
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The Faery Tale Adventure

(NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
Three brothers lose their father to a necromancer that has stolen a talisman protecting their town.  The father’s dying wish is for his sons to seek revenge, and they do so gladly.  The Faery Tale Adventure is an interesting game, ported from the Amiga originally.  It keeps many of the traditional concepts of RPGs, but twists them.  Instead of experience, you gain bravery.  A high luck will bring a fairy to resurrect you upon death.  A high kindness stat lets you talk to animals.  To play each brother, all you have to do is let the current brother die and the next takes his place, though all three have different stats and focuses.  The gameworld is huge, claiming to be 300 computer screens both wide and deep.  On the downsides, the music is limited, I find the game pretty ugly, and there’s no save feature, just passwords.  Also, due to its size, you may want to track down the instruction manual, since it offered a mini-walkthrough.
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Rings of Power

(NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
You must find the twelve Rings of Power to create the Rod of Creation, defeat the evil Void, and bring about the Golden Age.  This game is incredibly open-ended, allowing the player almost immediately to explore the full world, with hundreds of NPCs to interact with, a day/night cycle that affects gameplay, and a combat system entirely reliant on magic spells.  There’s a lot of meat to this game, including various random events and sidequests, though the game itself lacked any kind of quest journal, and while it did feature a map, it didn’t mark locations.  Still, the game came packed with a paper map, so if you can find it, cool.  The game also utilized the isometric view, albeit on a playing field that was cut to look like it was presented on a scroll.  That’s all well and good, but it makes the gameplay feel cramped and claustrophobic to me.  It also doesn’t help that this game is pretty hideous, and the music is pretty bland.
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Battlemaster

(NTSC-U / 1991)
I sometimes see this title written as Battle Master.  This game starts with the player picking a one of 16 leaders spread across four races.  Each leader has different stats and a different party following him, ranging from no followers to four others.  The plot of the game has you attempting to find the pieces of an ancient crown to become the Battle Master, as told in an ancient prophecy.  To do this, you’ll have to traverse the world, wandering from point to point on a big world map and duking it out with the inhabitants of each locale.  It’s typical high fantasy, so expect dwarves, elves and the like.  While it’s not the most attractive game, the music’s actually not bad for its release date, and lading a large squad into battle can be fun.
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Might & Magic: Gates to Another World

(NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
This Amiga port of the second Might & Magic game can be a little intimidating, what with the instruction manual having over 100 pages.  It’s an unforgiving, brutal, and frankly pretty ugly dungeon crawler by the console’s standards.  But what it does offer is an enormous world, numerous quests, lots of spells and even more weapons and armor to find.  It picks up directly after the first Might & Magic, with your party of six adventurers and two NPCs having to find the Orb of Power and the four Elemental Talons for it to save and restore the world.  Characters must pick up various skills along the way to manage the adventure, while fighting off large hordes of monsters.  And don’t take too long, as characters age and die of natural causes around age 75.  If you like dungeon crawlers, are a fan of the series, or just want a challenging game, this one’s something to try.  Just turn the sound off.  Trust me.
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Maten no Soumetsu

(NTSC-J / 1993)
Sometimes called only Maten, this should not be confused with Maten Densetsu for the Super Famicom, as they’re totally different animals.  This is a typical fantasy-based JRPG in almost every sense, with the only real innovation coming in the form of a day-night cycle.  It keeps all the usual trappings of its subgenre, though there is a day-night cycle built into the game.  The plot follows a nameless boy found in the woods by a warrior named Zafan.  When the boy turns sixteen, Zafan dies, but tells the boy to visit the king and follow the way of the warrior before he expires.  So the boy decides to do just that.  Visually, I wasn’t really impressed with the overworld, but monsters and battlefields are very well drawn.  The music is also somewhat hit-or-miss, with certain tracks coming off very well, and some simply grating on the ears.
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Sorcerer’s Kingdom

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1992)
Known as Sorcer’s Kingdom in Japan, this is a JRPG with strategy RPG combat, with the battlefields taking place wherever the party is currently walking.  Once again, you play a young man sent out by the king to find why more monsters are appearing in the land and threatening the people.  While it’s not a very pretty game, it’s got some great music, and the spell effects aren’t terrible for an early Genesis RPG.  Also, keep in mind that only one party member is allowed a round per turn, versus all of the monsters.  Sure, it isn’t fair, but it makes for a much more challenging game, and considering how powerful certain characters get at the end of the game, you actually kind of need the limitation.
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Blue Almanac

(NTSC-J / 1991)
This is a science fiction JRPG, meant for US release under the name of Star Odyssey but never to see distant shores.  Apparently the plot has you playing a boy named Miyabi who must travel throughout different planets in the Galaxy Union Empire, doing good deeds.  The Blue Almanac in question is apparently a record of his travels.  The game’s got some interesting features, including enemies that level with the player and spoken names for the force effects in the game.  Graphically, the game’s pretty bland, though cities look ok.  Building interiors are pure drivel.  The audio is a mixed bag too, with some music tracks I genuinely like, and some sound effects I can’t stand.  My favorite part of this is probably the intro, where an alien “reads” out loud from the Blue Almanac in what I can only guess to be alien speech.
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Sword of Vermilion

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1989)
This was Yu Suzuki’s first console-only game.  In the game, players control the nameless son of King Erik V, who must save the world of Vermilion from the wizard-king Tsarkon.  It utilized four different game modes, a Town Mode reminiscent of JRPGs, Battle Mode similar to an action RPG, Dungeon Mode like a dungeon crawler, and Boss Mode, a side-scrolling action RPG.  The game is pretty(especially the boss sprites), the music is good, and the game came with a 106-page hint book.  But with a vast array of palette swaps backing a small number of enemy sprites, poor AI, and combat actions that are, frankly, pretty dull, the game just doesn’t live up to the hype it built upon release.  Sega-16’s review had the greatest line to describe the game ever: “Well, It looked good, but it played like a cardboard saxophone.”
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Super Hydlide

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1989)
This is actually a port of Hydlide 3 for the Famicom and MSX.  Fairyland is rocked by a sudden explosion as enemies suddenly invade, and it’s up to the hero, Jim, to save the day.  The game’s also generally panned because of the poor graphics.  It offers tiny sprites, limited animation, and a presentation that likely could have been offered on the Famicom(and was).  The game also incorporates an alignment system for monsters.  Killing good monsters drains your MF stat, with rewards for keeping it high and deadly traps appearing if it reaches zero.  There’s also a weight system, and the player is required to eat and sleep, which is pretty amazing for an action RPG of the era.  There are a lot of people who hate this game, so you might want to give it a try before purchasing.
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Fatal Labyrinth

(NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
Also known as Shi no Mekyu, or Labyrinth of Death and originally released in 1990 via Sega Meganet, this is a roguelike RPG with poor visuals, but decent music.  There is almost no plot, just a man entering a tower with 30 levels(and no save function) to recover a chalice from a dragon.  The game features a food system(you can both starve and die of overeating), poorly chosen sound effects, and little animation for monsters.  Enemies move when you do, and defeating monsters will earn higher titles, resulting in higher health and defense.  And while levels are supposed to be random, there’s a limit, so after a few runs you’ll likely recognize some of the maps.  And then there’s the gold, which serves only one purpose: the more gold you have, the nicer your funeral when you die.  Seriously.
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Tiger Hunter Hero Novel

(China / 1994)
The title of this game is actually Shuihuzhuan, though it is often referred to as Tiger Hunter Hero Novel.  It’s a Taiwan-only strategy RPG, based off the book of the same name, sometimes known in the west as Water Margins or Outlaws of the Marsh.  In this game, 108 heroes band together to defeat the corrupt Song Dynasty, in the 12th century.  Towns and locales can be explored, though the majority of the game is composed of large battles.  This game is also absolutely gorgeous, it’s just a real shame that not much is known about it in the West.  It should not be confused with the beat ‘em up Shui Hu Feng Yu Zhuan, which was apparently never released.
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Heroic Legend of Sealing Gods

(China / 1996)
Once again, this is a Taiwanese strategy RPG, sometimes known as Fengshen Yingjiechuan, with gorgeous artwork and some nice magic animations.  The plot follows a legend from the Shang Dynasty, where Emperor Zhou fell in love with the goddess of Nu Wa.  When he ordered his soldiers to capture her, they informed him of a mortal woman with beauty to rival Nu Wa’s, and captured her instead.  Unfortunately, she had been possessed by a fox spirit, and this has lead to corruption and problems in the ruling household.  To save China, you must rebel against the royal family.  You start as the hero Lin Yuan, and must find the other 8 heroes to help you on your journey.  The game focuses entirely on combat and story exposition, with a little travel on the world map thrown in.  Once again, it’s a shame so little is known about it in the West.
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Ya-Se Chuan Shuo

(China / 1995)
This one’s a Chinese JRPG, again with some quite nice graphics.  The title is also often spelled Yase Zhuanshuo.  It’s based on the Arthurian legends, though they provide more of a framework than an actual plot.  Some kind of evil force has infected King Arthur’s castle, infecting many of the inhabitants and slowly spreading to everyone in the kingdom.  You play a young boy named Dilo, whose father goes missing one day.  It’s up to you to find out what happened to him.  Once again, not to much is known about this title. Expect the usual fair of turn-based combat and top-down exploration.
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Conquering the World 3

(China / 1995)
This is a Chinese JRPG from Hong Kong, available in both traditional and simplified Chinese.  You play as Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei as the three attempt to conquer ancient China, roughly around 200 AD.  That’s right, if you’re a fan of Romance of the Three Kingdoms or Dynasty Warriors, you’ll have an idea as to what’s going on.  Gameplay is similar to Lufia II in terms of combat, with fights only beginning when you run into an enemy.  The game relies heavily on palette swaps for enemies.  Combat itself is apparently reminiscent of Final Fantasy VI, though with some glitches like damage numbers appearing behind sprites, making them unreadable.  The soundtrack is generally pretty good.  There’s a few other bugs, but the game is still highly playable.
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Barver Battle Saga

(China, Russia / Unknown, though likely mid- to late-1990s.)
This game is sometimes subtitled as The Space Fighter or The Space Soldier.  It’s a JRPG with some nice music and graphics, likely because ultimately it’s a port of Breath of Fire 2 that’s been hacked to Hell and back, with sprites and art from other games thrown in.  If you’re really interested in the game, the entire thing can be watched in a 55-part speed run on YouTube.  The Russian version is known as Barver Battle Final Fantasy: Russian Version.
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Honorable Mentions

For one reason or another, these titles just didn’t make the cut to be put into a list of RPGs.  That doesn’t mean that these are bad games whatsoever, just that there’s some kind of discrepancy that led to their being put here.

Pier Solar (Universal / Not Yet Released)
Ok, yes, this one’s definitely a JRPG.  I’m just putting it here because, as of this writing, it has not been released yet.  Frankly, it looks absolutely amazing, with some incredible audio to match.  To improve the music further, the game will release with am audio CD for Sega CD, providing even higher quality tracks.  I don’t know details of the story, and even if I did, I wouldn’t want to reveal them anyway, since it might spoil the surprise.  But take heart and keep watching their website, www.piersolar.com.  And if anybody from the Water Melon team read this, we’re looking forward to your game and keep up the good work.

Crusader of Centy (NTSC-J, NTSC-U, PAL / 1994)
This is a pretty cute game, reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.  And much like Link to the Past, I consider it an adventure game, not an RPG.  That said, it’s pretty and the music is nice, and it features an interesting system of using animal companions to help the player get on with their quest.  The story involves monsters showing back up in the world after several hundred years of being stuck underground, and they’re rightly a little bit upset about it.  Unfortunately the game’s not too difficult, and it’s pretty short, but if you’re a fan of action RPGs and looking for a fun little romp, this might be a good one to check out.  The game’s also known as Soleil

Spiritual Warfare (NTSC-U / 1994)
This is a direct port of the NES version of the same name, which was ultimately a clone of The Legend of Zelda(and again, an adventure game to me).  And direct port is correct: nothing was updated, so expect NES-quality graphics and sound.  Also, it’s a Wisdom Tree game, so expect having to convert pagans and answer Bible questions.  You play a soldier in the Army of the Lord, sent to acquire all the pieces of the armor of God.  Truth be told, I enjoyed the NES version(there’s a scene where you have to wander through a gang war that I always liked), but not for the Genesis.  This just feels lazy to me.  Also, the game is saved with a password system, so even that feels a bit tedious.

Starflight (NTSC-U, PAL / 1991)
This was a space-based strategy game, originally designed for the computers of its age and ported to the Genesis later.  You must discover the secret of the Crystal Planet, a large object moving through the galaxy that causes stars to flare and destroy entire solar systems.  To do this, you have to recruit a crew of aliens, complete various investigations for the Old Empire, and travel through space doing various kinds of jobs.  Also, you can upgrade your ship, engage in dogfights, explore the universe, and even colonize planets, which you can ride around on in an upgradeable ATV.  As far as space games from the era go, this one’s a real winner, so if you’re looking for something along those lines, find a copy of Starflight.

Syndicate (NTSC-U, PAL / 1994)
This is a real time tactical game, not quite on the scale of an RTS but definitely getting there.  The player is in charge of a corporation interested in completing such jobs as rescuing captured friends and employees, finding scientists and civilian workers to serve it, or conducting assassination missions while killing the agents and destroying the resources of other corporations.  Yep, it’s cyberpunk alright.  To do this, you lead a team of four cyborgs, armed to the teeth and in possession of various mechanical upgrades, through an isometric cityscape.  The graphics had to be toned down a bit from its computer brethren, but the game’s still an enjoyable title, definitely worth looking into.

In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare and Valuable series will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling. Below you will see two prices beside each title. The first is the average selling price while the second prices is the highest price the game has been known to sell for. The list is ordered by the balance of the two prices.

Limited Edition Collectibles

These picks range from the unreleased or unlicensed games that found their way into collectors hands to rarity box sets that saw limited production before “Limited Edition” was commonplace.

	Tetris: $3,000 – $16,000 So you think the unlicensed Tetris game for the NES is hard to find? Just try to get your hands on the Japanese Megadrive Tetris. It was developed alongside Sega’s System-16 arcade version, but never reached shelves after legal wranglings gave Nintendo exclusive console rights. However, that little issue doesn’t stop some people from obtaining it. Apparently, there are about 10 copies known to be floating around. See The Latest Megadrive Tetris to Surface
	Nagoya Home Banking – $1,500 – $2,000 Nagoya Home Banking was originally a software program for the Sega Genesis created for the purpose of banking transactions. Although this could not be considered a game, it still remains in the higher ranks of Mega Drive rarities. The current quantity left in existence is yet unknown but when they do show up the can sell for nearly $2000
	Go! Net! – $1,500 – $2,000Go! Net! was another game released on the Japanese Mega Drive and, like San San (see below), uses the modem to play online. Numbers of this game are unconfirmed and so is the method of distribution. But has been known to sell for the huge cost of $2000
	Panorama Cotton Tea Cup Set – $ 300 – $400 This pseudo 3D shooter had incredible backgrounds, making the Mega Drive hardware do things that the Nintendo fanboys claimed were impossible on the Sega machine. The game on its own is rare enough (about 5,000 copies were produced), but if you really want to show everyone up, try to find the game with the rare Panorama tea cup that was available initially for free to anyone that sent in a coupon to the publisher. Only about 300 of those tea cups exist and its presence with the game can nearly triple the overall value.
	Sample ROMs – $ 50 – $150 Sample ROMs on the Mega Drive are quite sought after especially the two Treasure releases of Dynamite Heady and Gunstar Heroes. They where only store promos and contain a letter inside signed by Treasure. Needless to say, they were not available for sale but now show up from time to time for reasonable prices if you are a collector. And also a J League Pro Striker 2 sample ROM is quite sought after by collectors but not as much as the Treasures and usually goes for the lesser cost.

Treasured Standard Japan Releases

	Maximum Carnage – $600 – $950 Now don’t get all excited if you own a North American or PAL version of this beatemup. Maximum Carnage is the first of many games in this list that are quite common in most parts of the world, but get very limited releases in Japan. The game might not sell a lot at the $950 level, but as you can see in this photo at Super Potato in Akihabara, that’s what some stores have been asking for it. It has been know to sell in other parts of Japan for a few hundred lower, so if you really want a copy, be sure to shop around.
	Virtual Bart – $400 – $600 Here’s another game that quite common outside of Japan. You may have noticed Virtual Bart was sitting next to Maximum Carnage at Super Potato as well. And again, it’s not like it’s a hot seller at the high price. Even on a high-traffic store like Super Potato, it’s still sitting on the shelf between July and October of last year.
	Batman Forever – $400 – $600 Many of these rare Acclaim Japanese releases hover around the same price points, but Batman Forever is typically one of the most sought after. Maximum Carnage, Virtual Bart, Batman Forever, and a handful of others were published by Acclaim during the last days of the Genesis and the publisher actually took some extra European game boxes, stuck on a new T number and a barcode on the box, and a Japanese cartridge for the quick and dirty release. Now they are simply collectors pieces.
	WWF Raw – $400 – 600 Typically, this one sells for about the same price as the few above it on the list, but I wish I could read the price on this Super Potato photo.
	Foreman For Real Boxing – $350 – $560 This late Acclaim release was also spotted at Super Potato.
	San San – $350 – $550 Sansan was a game created for uses with the modem unit on the Japanese genesis. It usually sells for the higher mark of $400 on auction sites but can be obtained a lot easer in Tokyo’s gaming district where it has been know to pop up from time to time for a lot less. Needless to say the game is now un-playable since the modems are no longer active
	Justice League: $250 – $350 Yup. Another late Acclaim release.
	The Ooze – $200 – $300 The Ooze is actually said to be the rarest retail game on the Japanese Mega Drive. Yes, even though those Acclaim titles are worth more, they are actually easier to find. Strangely, this Sega-published game contains a 18-year-old age restriction on it. Pretty harsh for a mild violence game. The cover also has the strange effect of being reversible so technically has 2 different covers. It rarely appears for sale even in its home market and is on high demand with collectors so can sell for a large price.
	Comix Zone – $200 – $300 Comix Zone is arguably the second rarest retail game on the Japanese Mega Drive. And who does not love it wacky sense of style and humor. It was one of the last games released on the Japanese Mega Drive along with many Acclaim titles and can sell for a very high price. It was originally for sale with a CD containing 6 tracks from the game. Only the Japanese version of the game is considered rare and the CD is very hard to come by.

Honorable Mentions:

• Judge Dredd – $200 – $270
• Tom and Jerry – $260 – $280
• True Lies – $200 – $270
  
• Snow bros – $200
• Vampire Killer – $180
• Nikkei Pro Yakyuu VAN – $170
• Robocop vs Terminator – $160
• Chuck Rock 2 – $160
• Battle Mania 2 – $150
• Gleylancer – $120
• Slap fight – $120
• Pengu – $150
• Alien Soldier – $150
• Eliminate Down – $90 – $300
  
• Ristar – $100

Are you wondering if your Sega Genesis collection has any valuable treasures in it? This month we take a look at Sega’s most popular console of all time and its most desired games. Since the console wasn’t a huge success in Japan, we will find quite a few rarities in its library, but there are some other gems from the rest of the world as well.

In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare and Valuable series by JJ Hendricks will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling. JJ owns the video game pricing website VideoGamePriceCharts.com and writes a Video Game Pricing Blog which analyzes video game prices, pricing trends, and charts historic video game prices. He used his pricing statistics to find both the average selling price and the highest selling price for each game over the last three months.

Below you will see two prices beside each title. The first is the average daily selling price, which is typically the going rate for the game by itself. The second price is the highest price in the past three months, which is usually the price for the new/sealed game. The list is ordered by the balance of the two prices. Note that some of these games are not rare in the sense that there are not many available, but rare relative to demand, which makes the games expensive.

Limited Edition Collectibles

These picks range from the unreleased or unlicensed games that found their way into collectors hands to rarity box sets that saw limited production before “Limited Edition” was commonplace.

	Tetris: $3,000 – $16,000 Rarity = So you think the unlicensed Tetris game for the NES is hard to find? Just try to get your hands on the Japanese Megadrive Tetris. It was developed alongside Sega’s System-16 arcade version, but never reached shelves after legal wranglings gave Nintendo exclusive console rights. However, that little issue doesn’t stop some people from obtaining it. Apparently, there are about 10 copies known to be floating around. See The Latest Megadrive Tetris to Surface
	Genesis Blockbuster World Video Game Championships II: $1,200 – $2,500 Rarity = Much like the competition carts mentioned in the NES and SNES rare and valuable lists, this little cartridge was used to promote a few games (in this case NBA Jam and Judge Dredd) and let players compete for prizes. In the case of this Genesis game, the cartridge was never meant to be distributed. It’s probably even more rare than the NES cart. (rumor has it that there are only two copies floating around)
	Maximum Carnage Box Set: $150 – $160 Rarity = Who says that there isn’t anything worthwhile on QVC? Apparently there were 5,000 copies of this Maximum Carnage set made and they were sold (perhaps exclusively) on the QVC home shopping TV channel. The included book includes the first few issues of the Maximum Carnage comic that the game was based on. See Latest Maximum Carnage Box Set on eBay
	Ecco The Dolphin Box Set: ? Rarity = Most Sega fans are well aware of the underwater, puzzle-filled adventure, but you most have probably never seen this rarity. According to an old Sega Force magazine, Sega made a deal with a London aquarium which housed a real dolphin named Ecco that would be benefited by the proceeds. It was sold in very limited quantities in a handful of shops. (Check out another picture of the set here)

The Expensive Japanese Megadrive Imports

	Batman Forever, Justice League, Maximum Carnage, Virtual Bart, WWF Raw, Judge Dread, & Comix Zone Around $280 – $700 each Rarity = These games are all plentiful and dirt cheap in the US, but in Japan, only a few copies of these games were released. Most of these games were published by Acclaim during the last days of the Genesis and the publisher actually took some extra European game boxes, stuck on a new T number and a barcode on the box, and a Japanese cartridge for the quick and dirty release. Now they are simply collectors pieces. It is very difficult to get solid prices on these games as they rarely appear. Every so often one will show up on Japan’s Yahoo auctions and they usually go for around $300 USD, but are rumored to sell for as much as $700.
	Panorama Cotton – $ 100 – $350 Rarity = This pseudo 3D shooter had incredible backgrounds, making the MegaDrive hardware do things that the Nintendo fanboys claimed were impossible on the Sega machine. The game on its own is rare enough (about 5,000 copies were produced), but if you really want to show everyone up, try to find the game with the rare Panorama tea cup that was available initially for free to anyone that sent in a coupon to the publisher. Only about 300 of those tea cups exist and its presence with the game can nearly triple the overall value. See Panorama Cotton on eBay
	Eliminate Down – $90 – $300 Rarity = Even though most people won’t enjoy it as much as MUSHA or the Thunderforce series, Eliminate down it one of the better (and most difficult) 2D shooters on the Megadrive. Usually, you can find it around $200, but it apparently sold for about $300 on eBay a while back. See Eliminate Down on eBay

The Expensive PAL Megadrive Games

	Nightmare Circus – $180 – $230 Rarity = Supposedly, this game was supposed to be Genesis’s answer to Donkey Kong Country, however, once everyone realized how crappy of a game it really was, it was cancelled in all the major markets, but was eventually released in Brazil in 1996. The game was also available in the US on the Sega Channel. Rumor has it that an English version of the game is out there somewhere, but proof has not materialized. See Nightmare Circus on eBay
	Megaman: The Wily Wars – $ 150 – $200 Rarity = The Wily Wars served as a compilation of remakes of the first three Megaman games in addition to an extra “Wily Tower” gameplay mode which let the Blue Bomber battle a fresh batch of robot bosses before facing Wily in the final castle. This popular Megaman title was also available in the US on the Sega Channel, but only saw a true retail release in Japan and PAL territories. It is the only Megaman game to be released on the Megadrive. See Megaman: The Wily Wars on eBay
	Daze Before Christmas – $100 – $160 Rarity = It’s not too often you see a video game with a holiday theme, but Daze Before Christmas is simple platforming game that had a small print run on the Genesis. In fact, as far as we know, the game was only released in Australia on the Megadrive. See Daze Before Christmas on eBay

Treasured Standard USA Releases

	MUSHA: $34 – $115 Rarity = Shmup fans are always willing to pay good money for a quality shooter and on the Genesis, MUSHA is main target on the platform. Coming from the Aleste series of shooters, MUSHA was relatively popular in Japan but the game never caught on state side. On a side note, it was never released in Europe, so it an especially appealing import over there. Check for MUSHA on eBay
	Shining Force II: $39 – $103 Rarity = Shining Force 2 is not extremely rare but it is considered one of the greatest RPG’s of all time. Developed by the Sonic Software Planning (now known as Camelot) at Sega, this tactical RPG is #48 on IGN’s top 100 list and considered a must own for Genesis collectors. It also was a later release in the Genesis library and came in the cardboard boxes that are hard to keep in good condition. This puts a high premium on mint/complete copies of the game. Check for Shining Force II on eBay
	Aerobiz Supersonic: $45 – $60 Rarity = Aerobiz Supersonic is a follow-up to the original Aerobiz developed by Koei. It is a simulation game where you run an airline and try to become the dominant international carrier. The much like its Super Nintendo counterparts, the game didn’t have much success on the Genesis but is still popular today with die-hard fans. Check for Aerobiz Supersonic on eBay
	Splatterhouse 3: $34 – $78 Rarity = Splatterhouse 3 was the precursor to the survival horror genre and 3 plays like Double Dragon (but with more gore and violence, of course). Splatterhouse 3 is also the last game in the cult-classic series (although a brand new game is due out in 2009) Check for Splatterhouse 3 on eBay
	Time Killers: $35 – $60 Rarity = Time Killers was one of those Mortal Kombat/Street Fighter 2 clones in the mid-1990’s that showed up in the arcade. It made it’s mark with its cartoon-like character that could chop off limbs until their opponent is nothing more than a stub. While the game was a moderate success in the arcades, the console port wasn’t released until after Sega had already released the Saturn. Check for Time Killers on eBay
	Streets of Rage 3: $34 – $56 Rarity = The Streets of Rage series was a popular alternative to the Final Fight series and game brawler fans plenty of fun on the genesis. Even through the third installement in the series isn’t usually regarded as the best of the bunch, it is significantly harder to find that its predecessors. Check for Streets of Rage 3 on eBay
	Ghostbusters: $29 – $66 Rarity = The Genesis version of Ghostbusters is completely different than the other video games based on the movie — it is a run and gun game. It was released in 1990, six years after the movie — under though circumstances, it’s not surprising that this game had a much smaller print run than most movie-licensed games. Check for Ghostbusters on eBay
	Master of Monsters: $26 – $60 Rarity = Master of Monsters is a turn based strategy game. The game is fairly rare now but sold well enough initially to warrant a sequel on the Saturn. Many fans of the series think the Genesis version is the most watered down game in the series, but that hasn’t hurt the resale value at all. Check for Master of Monsters on eBay
	Shining Force: $23 – $91 Rarity = Like its sequel seen earlier in this list, Shining Force is a strategy RPG and is an essential part of the Genesis library. The original Shining Force has been re-released on the Wii Virtual Console but this didn’t reduce demand from collectors who want the cartridge version. Check for Shining Force on eBay
	ToeJam and Earl: $27 – $51 Rarity = The Sega Genesis had a heaping spoonful of quirky yet delightful titles and one of the first Sega titles to set this standard was Toe Jam & Earl. This cult favorite broke the monotony that the glut of side-scrolling platformers brought. It isn’t especially hard to find, but you will most likely not find it at a bargain price. Check for ToeJam and Earl on eBay

Additional Valuable Japanese Imports

• Snow Bros: $70 – $280
• Battle Mania Daiginjo / Battle Mania 2 $90 – $200
• Twinkle Tale $90 – $190
• Alien Soldier – $80 – $180
• Yu Yu Hakusho – $60 – $170
• Greylancer – $70 – $170
• Ristar – $50 – $150
• Contra – $50 – $150
• Magic Girl – ???
• Nagoya Home Banking – ???

Additional Box Sets

• Phantom 2049 Box Set (picture)
• Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego Box Set
• Primal Rage Box Set (picture)

The Rarest US Genesis Games At Affordable Prices

Each of these games have a rarity rating greater than 6, but routinely sell for less than $30. If you are a Genesis collector and see a boxed or sealed copy of any of these on eBay for a low price, you might want to snatch them up — you may never see them again.

• Joshua Battle for Jericho: $11 – $15
• Aero the Acrobat 2: $12 – $24
• Liberty or Death: $15 – $22
• Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel: $15 – $45
• Rolo to the Rescue: $6 – $10
• Crossfire: $6 – $10

Additional US Sega Genesis Games of Value

These games are quite collectable; resulting in a high resale value, especially for complete, boxes copies.

• Miracle Piano Teaching System – $20 – $55 (worth much more with piano)
• Outback Joey – $30 – 60 (worth about $300 with custom Genesis and accessories)
• Gunstar Heroes: $22 – $45
• Rock N Roll Racing: $30 – $33
• Action 52: $20 – $42
• Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker: $20 – $40
• Warsong: $21 – $29
• New Horizons: $28 – $32

Credits: Sega Genesis Video Game Prices provided by VideoGamePriceCharts.com. The source for daily updated prices on over 10,000 video games. The prices are the highest daily price and average daily price from February, 1st 2008 to April, 8th 2008. Rarity scores are courtesy of my friends at DigitalPress.

Note from racketboy: Special thanks goes to Scooter for putting this guide together!

The RetroGaming 101 series is aimed at gamers who are just starting out in the classic gaming scene or are curious about an older console that they don’t know much about yet. Those of you that are especially knowledgeable about the featured machine, I encourage you to add any information that you think would be beneficial into the comments section. If you are new to the featured console, and still have questions, you can also use the comments section and I will do my best to help you out.

In the early 1990’s Sega did the impossible by breaking free of Nintendo’s early power grip on the console game industry.  Not only did it lure away many gamers from the dominant NES, but Sega started a cult following of its own and continued to carry on the battle against Nintendo’s 16-bit SNES.   Even though Sega had some great games and consoles that followed the Genesis, the 16-bit era was still its peak of stardom.  In this guide, we’ll take a look at what made the Genesis great and how you can get the most of the machine more than a decade later.

Another note:  Sega’s 16-bit wonder was titled the Mega Drive in all markets except North America where the name had previously been copyrighted and was thus named the Genesis in that market.  For purposes of this article, the term Genesis will be used but should be noted that it is interchangeable with the name Mega Drive.  Additionally, the Sega CD was named the Mega CD outside North America.

Historical Impact

• The Sega Genesis was the first console to give meaningful worldwide competition to Nintendo’s firm grasp on the home console market.
• The marketing of  the Sega Genesis produced the first worldwide “console war” (Atari and Mattel had gone head to head years before but almost solely in the US market alone).
• The Genesis was produced over an impressive 14 year retail life span.
• The Genesis can reasonably be credited for turning Sega into a video game and home console powerhouse.  (The predecessor, the Sega Master System, never did command a meaningful amount of market share in Japan or North America)
• The Genesis was usually marketed to a more mature audience by offering more games with mature content thus paving the road for video games to become more than a toy or entertainment for children alone.
• The Genesis, along with it’s contemporary competitors, helped bring home console gaming more significantly into the mainstream of home entertainment choices.
• The inclusion of more mature content in games, predominantly pioneered by Sega for games available on the Genesis, led to video game rating systems.
• The Sega CD, 32X and Power Base Converter peripherals expanded the software capabilities of the base system and extended the life of the hardware.
• The Genesis platform saw the introduction of one of the most recognizable, prolific and enduring video game characters of all time, Sonic the Hedgehog.
• The Genesis platform provided powerful graphics processing, multi-layered backgrounds and stereo sound capabilities which were impressive in it’s time.  The system was first released in Japan in 1988, North America in 1989 and in Europe in 1990.
• The Genesis remains as Sega’s most successful console selling roughly 29 million units worldwide.
• The Sega Channel – This system let subscribers try out and play tons of Genesis games over a cable network.  This was very much ahead of its time and paved the way for modern Internet-based systems like XBox Live and Playstation Network
• More information on the Sega Genesis on Wikipedia.org.

Strengths

• Games produced and published by Sega itself were always the Genesis’ platform’s strongest selling point.  Coupled with liberal licensing which brought in numerous large and small third party developers, the console always enjoyed a wide variety of games which appeal to a broad array of gamers.
• A very large game library (Over 500 Titles).  Given the longevity and mass appeal and sales success of the hardware, most major and minor game developers of the era brought game after game to the platform, most of which are still available in readily available quantities and most at reasonable prices.  The console’s game library contains an impressively strong array of games in almost every game genre.
• Simple straightforward yet powerful hardware architecture (base unit Genesis at least) provided the opportunity for first and third party developers to more fully exploit the capabilities present in the hardware.  This translates into more impressive graphics, abilities, sound and overall game presentation.
• The first major console to have games that were sold in durable, consistently sized packaging.  This a boon to gamers who are also collectors.
• Many innovative games and some innovative peripherals.
• Backwards compatibility with Sega Master Systems games via the Power Base Converter which significantly expands the overall game library without needing to add a complete additional console.
• Expandability with the addition of the Sega CD and/or 32X units which provides access to additional game libraries, some of which are entirely exclusive to those attachments.
• A substantial and strong fan base which allows for a large and active community within which to investigate reviews and impressions of games and hardware and within which to locate harder to find items and to provide technical support.
• A great number of licence-based games are available (games based on movies such as Jurassic Park, Disney properties, or pop culture icons such as the Simpsons) so retro gaming enjoyment can be tied to favorite movies, cartoon/comic characters and television programs.    This is also great for younger children starting out with games.

Weaknesses

• The color palette is relatively small with 512 colors possible yet with only 64 on-screen colors possible at any one time.
• Aside from the very early Genesis units, most base units and software contain regional lockouts providing a great deal of incompatibility between products made for the North American, Japanese and European/Australian markets.
• The model 3 Genesis marketed by Majesco late in the Genesis lifespan are incompatible with the Sega CD, 32X and Power Base Converter hardware add-ons.
• Model 1 base units cannot provide stereo output directly to a stereo amplifier or television without the use of a secondary cable.  When properly coupled with a Sega CD unit, even the Model 1 unit can provide stereo output via a typical A/V cable connection.
• Game cartridges with a battery powered game save memory may require the replacement of the battery to allow game saves to be maintained.  Typically, the replacement of the battery will erase previous saves if they are even still retained.
• Games with mature content are perhaps not suitable for young children.  Games published prior to the creation of video game rating systems may not provide alerts to the fact that the game may contain content inappropriate for younger gamers.

Hardware Variations

There are plenty of Sega Genesis / Megadrive hardware options out there.  Some are more extraordinary than others, but even when it comes to a standard Genesis model, there are three variations to choose from.  If you would like to check out the debate about which model is best, check out this forum thread.

	Model 1 This is the original Genesis unit, it is wide and flat molded in black plastic in a roughly rectangular shape.  The unit has two control pad connections on the front as well as a stereo sound mini-pin output receptacle and includes a volume control slide switch for the stereo sound output.  Suposedly, the Model 1 is the easiest to perform modifications on it for regional bypasses, overclocking, LED change and S-Video output.  It is also said to have the best audio output.
	Model 2 This is a simplified Genesis unit.  This noticeably smaller unit is roughly squarely shaped.  The stereo output is now included in the A/V outputs at the back and no volume control for the sound is provided.  Again, two control pad connections are provided.  The unit is molded in black plastic.
	Model 3 This is a further simplified and even smaller unit yet roughly squarely shaped.  The basic controls and outputs mirror the Model 2.  This unit is molded in black plastic.  These units are not compatible with Sega CD nor the 32X.
	Sega CDX This is a relatively compact unit that combines the hardware of both the Genesis and Sega CD into one relatively small unit.  The unit provides two control pad outputs at the front, a small array of CD system control buttons at the front top edge, a CD system door in the middle top and a cartridge slot at the top rear.  AV outputs and AC inputs are found on the sides of the unit.
	Sega Nomad This portable handheld unit contains an entire Genesis hardware system and a backlit full-color screen in a handheld design.  The front of the unit contains the typical control pad buttons and the screen.  The top contains the cartridge slot, on/off switch, player 2 control pad and AV outputs.  The Nomad is not compatible with Sega CD, 32X or Power Base Converter.  The Nomad is incompatible with a very small, perhaps 2-4, number of Genesis games.
	Sega MegaJet This unit is similar to and the precursor of the Nomad and was only available in Japan.  The MegaJet contains the control pad and game cartridge features of the Nomad, but does not contain a viewing screen and as such must be connected to a television screen for game play.  As with the Nomad, the MegaJet is not compatible with Sega CD, 32X or Power Base Converter.
	JVC X’eye/WonderMega These units combine the Genesis and Sega CD hardware into one complete package.
	Pioneer LaserActive with Mega Drive module The Pioneer LaserActive was a stand-alone laser disc based game system.  Additional modules could be purchased which would allow, among other things, Sega Genesis or PC Engine/Turbo-Grafx 16 games to be played.   Essentially, it was the cutting-edge hub for electronic home entertainment in its day.

Genesis Add-Ons

• Power Base Convertor – This add-on was available around the launch of the Genesis and allowed loyal Sega Master System owners to be able to play their existing library of games on the Genesis.   A few games were incompatible with the PBC.  The first and much more prevalent PBC was designed to fit into the Model 1 Genesis and will not fit onto a Model 2 Genesis.  This earlier PBC included a card slot at the front to allow the adapter and the Genesis to also play game card-based SMS games, not just the cartridge based games.  This card slot also allowed for the use of the 3D glasses adapter for 3D enhanced SMS games.  A later Master System Converter II was offered in much smaller quantities which acted as a SMS game adapter for the Model 2 Genesis console, however this unit does not provide a slot for card based games and as such also does not allow input for the 3D glasses peripheral.
• Sega CD- The semi-popular add-on was Sega’s first attempt at pushing the Genesis past the Super Nintendo from a technical standpoint.  It allowed developers to add high-end audio and full-motion video to the Genesis platform while also giving them a much larger storage capacity in comparison to cartridges.  Two models of the Sega CD were also produced to match each of the first two Genesis Models.  (see also Games That Defined The Sega CD)
• Sega 32X – The 32X is the much maligned 32-bit add on that was expected to enhance the abilities of the Genesis and help carry it into the 32-bit era.  It was originally expensive and a small and mostly lackluster library of games provided to give these units a short life span and as such they were not produced in large numbers, especially so outside North America.   (see also Games That Defined The Sega 32X)
• More Info: We will have both a Sega CD 101 and Sega 32X 101 in the coming months.

Genesis Accessories

The list of peripherals for a popular system which enjoyed a long production life such as the Genesis is exceptionally long and we could not hope to list them all, however we are providing a list of the more popular or innovative items made for the Genesis.

• The Game Genie – This is a “cheat” device that allows the player to alter the parameters of many game such as providing infinite lives or extra ammo.  The Game Genie is only one of many such devices, though the Genie is the most common.  Many books were published containing the codes required to make use of the enhanced game play features and most of the codes are still available today via the internet.  These devices also allow some import games to be played by fooling the machine into believing the region setting on the game is the region setting expected by the machine being used.  The device plugs into the cartridge slot and then the game cartridge is plugged into the top of the device itself.
• The Activator – This device replaces the control pad and is predominantly intended for use in fighting games which became a popular genre during the Genesis’ lifespan.  An octagonal shaped hoop containing sensors is laid on the floor and the player stands in the center of the hoop.  By punching or waving their arms and kicking their legs at various points above sections of the hoops, various control pad controls are sent to the base unit.  They idea was to attempt to act out the actions required in the game that the game character needed to perform and thus the player is more interactive with the action.  The units’ sensors were not entirely effective and accurate and this item should be considered an interesting gimmick worth collecting for the interest factor than for an actual expectation of Wii-like peformance or game interaction.  Similar and even more unsuccessful baseball bat and golf club peripheral systems were also available and as such were limited use with the specific games for which they were designed.
• The Menacer – This is Sega’s own light gun peripheral, however it is only compatible with a few specific games designed for its use.  The gun requires batteries unlike other light guns which draw power from the control pad connection.  The gun has rifle stock and gun sights attachments that can be attached or removed as desired providing configurations anywhere from a handgun to a rifle with a scope.  This particular gun uses a separate sensor which must be positions on top of the television and as such the unit is more difficult to configure and it is not horribly accurate.  This peripheral too should only be considered for its collectible interest and not as a useful light gun.  One advantage this light gun has over other light guns is that it does NOT require the use of a standard tube television to function since it does include its own sensor system.
• The Enforcer – This is a light gun made by Konami and as such is compatible only with Konami light gun games and a few other games by other publishers.  This gun can be coupled with a unique second player gun for two player action.  The second player gun can ONLY be used in conjunction with the one player gun.  Since the gun uses typical light gun technology, it will only function properly with a picture tube (CRT) type television, LCD, plasma and projection screen TV users are out of luck here.
• Arcade control stick, enhanced feature and 6-button controllers – Sega certainly had their own brand name items in these categories but many more were offered from any number of third parties and provide varying arrays of features.
  • Arcade sticks typically are larger laptop or table top control pads in which the typical d-pad is replaced with a control stick similar to those found on arcade game consoles.  Most of these pads have large buttons often with slow motion and turbo fire settings available individually for each button.
  • Enhanced feature control pads are available in the standard 3-button configuration and the later 6-button configuration.  Many offer turbo-fire (rapid fire provided by simply holding down the button) and slow motion (the game play is repeated paused and started while the button is held down so fast action sections can be reacted to more easily).  Some of the more advanced pads include additional buttons which can be programmed to deliver the equivalent of a series of button combinations and can be quite useful in fighting games where often complex series of button combinations are required to make strong moves in the game.  Many other pads simply provide a different ergonomic design.
  • Six-Button pads arrived toward the later segment of the Genesis lifespan.  The pad provided 6 action buttons as opposed to the previous three.  The 6-button pads can be used with all but a handful of earlier games.  When used with games not designed to make use of the extra buttons, the pad simply functions the same with the extra buttons simply not being employed.  Games specifically designed to make use of the extra buttons are typically clearly marked on the back of the packaging as having the 6-button pad capability.  Most games designed to use the 6-button pads also will function just fine with 3-button control pads.
• Multiplayer adaptors – There are a number of multiplayer adapters which allow for up to four players to participate in games designed for multiplayer action.  Since the Genesis is designed with only two control pad input sockets, such an adaptor is required to attach 3 or 4 control pads.  The most common versions of these adaptors are the Sega version and the Electronic Arts 4-Way-Play.  The EA 4-Way-Play was only compatible with EA games and of course only on games designed to allow for up to 4 players.  The original Sega multitap only worked with Sega games, later versions worked with Sega and EA games.  CodeMasters sold some games in the European market in what they called J-Carts which also allowed for up to 4-players.  The J-Carts included two additional control pad input sockets on the top of the game cartridge itself so no additional adaptor was required.
• Sega Mouse/Mega Mouse -  A few games were designed which allowed the player to replace the typical control pad with a mouse peripheral much like a typical mouse used with a desktop computer.  The games which support this peripheral are few in number and are typically point and click adventure games.
• Wireless controllers – Since they are infared-based, these official wireless Genesis controllers need direct line of sight and aren’t quite as dependable as the RF-based wireless controllers we are used to on newer consoles.  For more information and pictures, check out this thread in the forum.

Game Library

• Games That Defined The Sega Genesis –  There were many games that defined Sega’s personality in the early 1990s.  The earlier titles may not be very exciting by today’s standards, but the Genesis library was gradually strengthened by a number of unique and exciting games.
• The Best Undiscovered Sega Genesis Games – If you have already filled your collection with all of the most popular titles, take a look at this extensive list of excellent games that did not get the attention they deserved.
• The Cheapest Sega Genesis Games Worth Your Time – If you want to build your Genesis cart collection quickly on a budget, take a look at this guide to get your the values.

Playing Imports

• A good number of region-specific games can provide an expanded library of games to those willing to address the technical requirements to make access to such games possible given their home television environment.
• North American based units can have easy access to Japanese games with the use of a cartridge slot based unit such as the Game Genie, yet access to European based games can potentially require much more involved technical accommodations.
• System modifications such as adding region switches and SCART outputs can be readily accomplished on most model 1 and model 2 hardware.

Emulation

• Emulators are available from a variety of sources such as Windows Mobile, iPod, PC, Playstation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and Palm OS.
• The two major PC emulators are Kega Fusion and Gens — many emulators for other platforms are based on these emulators
• If you would like to learn more about emulating the Sega Genesis, check out this guide for setting up Kega Fusion on a Windows PC.
• You also have commercial emulation options like the Wii Virtual Console or the Sega Genesis Collection on the PS2 and PSP.

Affordability

• Due to the fact that a large number of hardware units were manufactured and sold and that software was also sold in large numbers, most of the basic hardware and software are readily available at reasonable prices.  Solid base hardware units can be obtained for $50 or less.
• Many cheap games availible – Many of the more popular games can be obtained locally in larger cities with stores which cater to older games for $10 or less.  Loose games without packaging can often be obtained for just a few dollars.
• Some of the more rare hardware packages and games can be difficult to find in complete condition which includes all packaging, manuals and software and as such can command increasingly steep prices.  The Sega CDX (see Hardware Variations) can often approach $200 for a complete, boxed unit in pristine and collectible condition.

AV Connections

• Composite cables are going to be the best standard video quality from the Genesis
• European Megadrive owners can also use an RGB connection
• An S-Video connection is also possible with a hardware hack
• Hooking Up The Genesis,  Sega CD, and 32X –  Need some clarification on how to hook up all the cables for the many hardware combinations?  Check out this forum thread.

Hardware Hacks

• Sega Neptune Reborn – The Sega Neptune was a official Genesis + 32X hardware variation that was nearly released, but was scrapped as the Sega Saturn release drew near.  This homebrew project tries to recreate the concept inside a standard Model 2 Genesis case.
• Mini Sega Genesis –  Ever see those little “TV Games” plug in devices that have built-in games on them?  You can hack them into playing actual Genesis cartridges.
• Portable Sega Genesis – Sure, you could go out and buy a Nomad, but you could also build one yourself like Ben Heck did.
• Some great miscellaneous Genesis / Megadrive hacks can be found at MMMonkey as well.

Remember my post, “If Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Was in HD“? That image got salivary glands working overtime for old-school Sonic fans and turned into one of my most popular posts of all time. Now is turns out that a number of people in the Sonic homebrew community are working on bringing that vision to reality. Of course it is in the early stages at this point, but there are a number of established people involved already. (thanks to LewieP for the tip)

Classic games such as Super Street Fighter II Turbo and Bionic Commando are already getting high-definition remakes. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is one of the best platformers of all time and is just as worth of the attention. Sega hasn’t stepped up in any way, so Sonic’s most hardcore fans are stepping up to bring us some Sonic HD goodness.

The Development Team So Far (Accepted proper official staff )

• Blue Streak & Athelstone - General Project Coordinators
• Death of Rats – Level and Zone art Coordnator
• SANiK & Sm&k (I think) - Programmers
• ScubaSteve – Music Coordinator
• Vincent, Blue Streak, Drex, Master Emerald, Elratauru, Death of Rats & Sonica - HD Sprite Artists

Goals of the Project

As stated in their Project Summary post:
“The purpose of the S2HD project is to remaster Sega’s classic Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in high definition graphics, whilst at the same time precisely preserving the original gameplay. New features that were not present in the original will also be made available. The S2HD project is always searching for new talent to aid us in our endeavour to resurrect and improve a timeless gaming classic. All of those significantly involved with the S2HD project readily understand that the birth of this venture was entirely due to enthusiastic individuals showcasing their artistic talents in the Sonic community. Collaboration rather than competition and encouragement as opposed to derision are therefore our most central philosophies.

Current Feature Aims

• Remastered tiles, sprites and music
• New graphical effects when collecting rings, skidding, spin dashing, dust being kicked up when jumping and more
• Gameplay physics and collisions replicated from Sonic 2
• Both original and new sound effects
• 256 colors with 1 alpha
• Mp3/OGG/VGM music support
• Sonic & Tails as playable characters (Knuckles will later be added)
• All the original Sonic 2 Levels available, with an added Hidden Palace zone
• True 3d Special stages and a possibility of 3d backgrounds
• 360 degree rotation for slopes and loops (optionally enabled or disabled)

Possible Post-Project Feature Aims

• A possibility of more animated frames for characters and objects so that they look smoother
• A possibility of a multiplayer mode with TC/IP support
• A possibility of a fully functional level development kit for the community to design levels with
• A possibility of an animated ending sequence

The HD Artwork So Far

Of course that original Death Egg mockup may serve as the inspiration, but the crew has been busy developing their own fresh graphical elements. Below are some sprite re-creations, but there are also some landscapes, enemies, and other elements that have also recieved a remaster.

• Sonic Character Art
• General Character Art
• Enemy/Badnik Art
• Emerald Hill Art
• Title Cards

Discussion & Details of the Sonic 2 HD Development

If you want to read more of the behind-the-scenes details of the project, look no further than the Retro Sonic forums. All the people involved in the project are busy organizing their plans, artwork, and coding within. Here are some of the main forum topics:

• Latest Discussion & Ideas (begins with early discussion)
• Music Remastered
• Programming/Engine Discussion
• Graphics Engine Discussion

Want To Help Out?

If you have talents in the realms of programming, art, or music, the team would love to hear from you. (You can post examples of your work here). Again, read the Project Summary post for more info.

Would Sega Ever Pick This Up?

Looking at the recent history of game publishers (or big business as a whole) I would be quick to say that a company like Sega would sue the developers of a homebrew project like this before they would adopt the project and the team.
(Examples: Chrono Trigger Resurrection, Scrabulous)

But lets step back and think about what publishers should do. Sega is obviously in a funk right now. Many of its biggest names have left the company or aren’t nearly as active as they once were. There have released very few games that have lived up to it’s innovative legacy. In all honesty, they need all the help they can get at this point.

The smart thing to do it to hire anybody with a passion for the games and hire them for relatively low costs. Games like this would definately sell when on a system like XBLA, WiiWare, or PSN. Perhaps this is a conversation that is worthy of it’s own article…. what do you think about the matter?