You missed Ristar, which is an awesome one

Surprised nobody mentioned this, but Herzog Zwei for Genesis is considered the predecessor of modern RTS and MOBA games. It’s worth checking out!

If you’d like to try general action games as well:

• Gunstar Heroes
• Strider
• Final Fight CD
• Contra Hard Corps
• Streets of Rage 1-2

Also try Snatcher on Sega CD.

Other thoughts:

1. I’ll just note that Phantasy Star III, even if it is older-school grindy at times, is a really interesting take on multi-generational epic storytelling. I like it more than Phantasy Star IV.
2. Night Trap on the Sega CD is interesting to play around with for an hour just to see what FMV games in the 90s meant, for some interesting bad late 80s/early 90s acting, and to remember that was all it took to cause a national panic for awhile.

Splatterhouse 1 & 2 (1986)

Alienstorm

Sports Games

Well, I have bad news for you about a significant fraction of the Genesis’ library…

Some other decent Genesis/Megadrive titles I can think of off the top of my head: Gunstar Heroes, Vectorman, Megaman: The Wily Wars, Zero Wing (for the memes), Aladdin (which was a completely different and vastly superior game to its SNES coutnerpart), Blaster Master 2, Contra: Hard Corps, Ecco the Dolphin and its sequels, Jurassic Park, and probably loads of others I’m forgetting.

The Saturn is notable for having Radiant Silvergun locked to it, in Japan only no less, and I don’t think that title was ported or rereleased at all until the XBox 360 version. It’s the precursor to Ikaruga, which is itself on the Dreamcast.

If you’re into shmups, the Dreamcast is kind of a holy grail. It also has the first two Shenmue games on it.

Alas basically everything on the Sega CD is crap with few exceptions. I will probably surprise my readership by mentioning that I think Sonic CD is not one of them, as its easily the weakest of the classic Sonic titles. It has some cult favorites that are so bad they’re good, though, infamously including Night Trap, Time Gal, Corpse Killer, Sewer Shark, etc. For games on it that don’t suck, don’t forget that the first two Lunar games originated there, there’s Popful Mail, Keio Flying Squadron, Snatcher, etc.

The 32X is an interesting novelty but I’m not certain there’s a single compelling title in the entire library. Which, admittedly, is only something like 30 games.

Master System:

Wonder Boy 3: The Dragon’s Trap Rastan Kenseiden Alex Kidd in Shinobi World Psycho Fox Fantasy Zone R-Type Mickey Mouse castle of illusion Donald Duck Asterix

how about Sega Saturn? Panzer Dragoon Saga is one of the best JRPGs ever. Don’t mistake it for Panzer Dragoon 1 and 2, those are rail shooters and you don’t need to play them. Also Dreamcast has some really good RPGs, I love Grandia 2

I enjoyed Space Harrier on the Master System. I’ll see if I can find my cartridges to see if there are others that I’d recommend.

The uhhhh Shinobi games. Mega Turrican. Chakan, if you enjoy a challenge. Edit: Streets of Rage

To add to others’ suggestions:

• Road Rash 1-3
• Micro Machines 2
• Lotus Turbo Challenge 1 & 2
• Truxton
• Bonanza Bros
• Ristar
• Aladdin
• Gunstar Heroes

Vectorman 1 & 2