Sega may no longer be developing consoles, but they remain one of the most popular video game developers of all time. The mere mention of Sega reminds starry-eyed gamers of their childhoods.Related:Things Sega's Dreamcast Did That Were Way Ahead Of Its Time Sega did not always have strong launches. There is no way someone could have predicted the Sega Genesis' meteoric rise to success based on the mediocre launch lineup in 1989. However, each of Sega's consoles had some good launch games, and the Sega Dreamcast had one of the best launch lineups in the history of video game consoles. We take a look at the best launch title for each Sega console.

10 Sega Master System: Fantasy Zone

Fantasy Zone Gameplay Master System

Release Date: March 20th 1986

Fantasy Zone remains one of the most famous shoot em' ups of all time. The bright and cheery aesthetics and cute ship design immediately makes it stand out. Unlike many shoot em' ups, Fantasy Zone allows you to explore vast stages both vertically and horizontally at your own pace.

Related:Games That Were Better On Sega Master System Than NES

The main objective in Fantasy Zone is to destroy all the enemy bases then take on a boss. There are also shops where you can spend coins to upgrade your ships, adding a slight RPG element to the gameplay. The Master System version of Fantasy Zone might not be quite as good as some other ports, but it sold well on the console and remains one of the highest rated games on the hardware.

9 Sega Genesis: Phantasy Star 2

Phantasy Star 2 Combat

Release Date: March 21 1989

The Genesis had a relatively weak launch with the most famous game being Altered Beast (the Genesis in-pack game). However, the most influential launch title was arguably the sci-fi RPG, Phantasy Star 2. It continued the series' tradition of having beautiful animation and a more character-driven plot centered around self discovery.

Phantasy Star 2 predated even Final Fantasy on the NES, making it one of the most sophisticated and complex RPGs ever made at the time of release. This is best epitomized by the fact that the dungeons were so labrynthine that Phantasy Star 2 came with a physical map of the world with a hintbook for the dungeons.

While Phantasy Star IV was arguably the best Phantasy Star game on the Genesis, Phantasy Star 2 still finds itself in many lists of best RPGs of all time as well as best Genesis games of all time.

8 Sega CD: Night Trap

Night Trap gameplay Sega CD

Release Date: October 15, 1992

Okay, Night Trap is not necessarily a great game, but it's still worth checking out, even if for no other reason than seeing this unique fad in gaming history. Night Trap is a full-motion video (or FMV) game. In the early '90s, CD technology allowed developers to add full-motion video into video games. Some believed the future of gaming was FMV, which turned out to be erroneous and worked against the Sega CD.

Night Trap casts you as a secret agent watching over a house where teenage girls are having a sleepover. The girls do not initially know someone (or something) is breaking in, and it's your job to monitor the house and stop the villains from harming the girls. Unfortunately, the gameplay is very minimalistic. You will spend most of your time looking at cameras and timing the traps for the bad guys correctly. While this isn't a very "fun" game to play, it is unique, and it's actually a lot of fun to watch someone else play.

7 Sega 32X: Virtua Racing Deluxe

Virtua Racing Deluxe Gameplay 32X

Release Date: November 21, 1994

Virtua Racing was one of the most popular arcade games in the early 90s. It was the era of trying to make arcade-perfect (or close to it) ports on home consoles. The 32X was a flop, but Virtua Racing Deluxe was still a masterpiece. The visuals were much closer to the arcade original than the Genesis port, and it even featured extra tracks and cars. It also ran at 20 fps compared to the Genesis version, which ran at 15 fps - although the arcade version ran at 30 fps.

Due to being on a failing piece of hardware, very few people experienced Virtua Racing Deluxe, but it remains one of the VERY few bright spots on a console that probably should've never existed in the first place.

6 Sega Saturn: Panzer Dragoon

Panzer Dragoon Gameplay Sega Saturn

Release Date: March 10, 1995

Panzer Dragoon was probably the best launch game for the Sega Saturn. It showed players that the 32-bit console was more than just a 2D powerhouse. 3D games could run well and compete with the PlayStation.

Related: Games For The Saturn That Stayed In Japan

Panzer Dragoon is a rail shooter where you ride on a dragon and destroy foes coming in from all sides. What really sets this game apart is the amazing soundtrack and the artwork. Panzer Dragoon is distinct, giving you the feeling that you're truly in a unique universe full of both beauty and destruction.

Panzer Dragoon had two sequels on the Sega Saturn, including Panzer Dragoon Saga, which many people consider to be the very best Saturn game.

5 Sega Saturn: Daytona USA

Daytona USA Race Gameplay on the Sega Saturn.

Release Date: April 1995

Sega were masters of the arcade, and Daytona USA was another example of arcade-racing perfection. It's no surprise that this title got ported to the Saturn as a Western launch title in April 1995 - although it received a very mixed reception. Though graphically impressive, Daytona USA was rushed in order to have it ready for launch. It had a lower frame rate, glitches, and there were only three tracks. Nevertheless, it was still pretty playable, with great vocals, a Saturn mode, multiplayer, and more than just one car to choose from.

Sega later tried to remedy some of these issues by making Daytona USA Circuit Edition in 1996. Even if the Saturn version is flawed, it was still an important release with many redeeming qualities.

4 Sega Dreamcast: NFL 2K

NFL 2K Dreamcast Touchdown Celebration

Release Date: September 9, 1999

NFL games might have become synonymous with Madden, but NFL 2K was a showstopper when the Dreamcast launched in 1999. It had amazing visuals, fluid animation, and decent commentary (that was quite special in the '90s). Even a lot of non-football fans had this game if they owned a Dreamcast.

At the time of release, this game was as realistic as a football game could look. It has since been outshined by more modern football games, but Dreamcast owners will likely remember how giddy this made sports fans when the Dreamcast launched.

3 Sega Dreamcast: Power Stone

Power Stone Dreamcast four characters fighting along waterway

Release Date: September 9, 1999

Power Stone is one of the most beloved Dreamcast titles, and people are still clamoring for a remake or a sequel to this very day. It's a 3D arena fighter - imagine Dragon Ball Z meets a bar brawl. True 3D fighters were a rarity at this time (especially good ones). Somehow Power Stone managed to maintain the frantic action and tight controls of a 2D fighter while allowing players to roam a 3D arena full of items and pick-ups.

Power Stone really is about as close to a 3D Super Smash Bros. as anyone could imagine, and it's amazing that this gem was a launch title for the Dreamcast. It was a great demonstration of the fact that the Dreamcast could get better than arcade-perfect.

2 Sega Dreamcast: Sonic Adventure

Sonic Adventure Dreamcast Whale Gameplay

Release Date: September 9, 1999

Sonic is back, baby! After taking a hiatus for the entirety of the Saturn's lifespan, Sega knew how important it was for the Dreamcast to have a Sonic game. In many ways, Sonic Adventure was the most important launch title for the Dreamcast - even if it wasn't the best one.

Related: Things You Needs To Know Before Playing Sonic Mania

Sonic Adventure was the first 3D Sonic game. It featured open-world zones with the same speed and intensity as the Genesis Sonic games. It may have had some glitches and awkward game design in places, but there was still so much to love about Sonic Adventure (here's to hoping for a proper remake). In 1999, Sonic Adventure was all the rage and brought many lost Sega fans back to the company.

1 Sega Dreamcast: Soul Calibur

Soul Calibur Dreamcast Fight Gameplay

Release Date: September 9, 1999

Many fans consider Soul Calibur to be the very best Dreamcast launch game. It remains a fan favorite in one of the most popular fighting series of all time. Originally an arcade game, Namco ported it to the Dreamcast with upgraded visuals and new features.

Soul Calibur is one of the highest-rated games of all time and had a higher emphasis on weapons than fighting games in the past. It was universally praised and ended up becoming the second-best-selling Dreamcast game of all time. It performed better than the arcade version and remains synonymous with just what the Dreamcast was capable of and what could have been if it had a longer lifespan.

Next: Ways to Play Sega Genesis Games Today