One thing that the 16-bit generation was known well for was platformers. The release of Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985 changed video games forever and continues to influence the industry to this day. After the release of Super Mario Bros., the platformer grew to massive popularity as every company tried their take on the genre.
The Sega Genesis was released in 1988 during the height of the platformer craze. Because of this, Sega’s third console had countless platformers, some much better than others. To look back at the golden age of platformers, here are 10 of the best for Sega’s most successful system.
10 Dynamite Headdy
Developed by Treasure, creators of Gunstar Heroes and Ikaruga, Dynamite Headdy is a platformer that allows you to change your head which will also give you different abilities for platforming or taking out enemies.
Treasure was known for taking hardware that they were working with and getting as much as they could out of it and that also applies to Dynamite Headdy. Dynamite Headdy is one of the best looking games on the system and throws piles of action on the screen with little to no slow down occurring.
9 Pulseman
Pulseman was created by GameFreak before they went on to create a little series called Pokémon. Pulseman is a Japanese exclusive game that only seen a North America release on Sega’s sort live subscription-based game streaming service Sega Channel.
Pulseman takes a lot of inspiration from Mega Man, from the colorful character design to the option of choosing from a set amount of levels at the start of the game before more are unlocked. Pulseman can fire projectiles, do some melee attacks, and bounce off of walls like an electric pinball.
8 Ristar
Ristar was developed by Sonic Team and released late in the Sega Genesis’s lifecycle. You play as Ristar who has the ability to grab on to platforms and enemies as a way of climbing or attacking. You also have the ability to grab onto some poles and rotate on them 360, build up speed, and become invincible for a short period after you have let go.
Because the game was released so late in the Sega Genesis’s life, the game was overshadowed by the newly released Sega Saturn, causing this great game to be overlooked in its time.
7 Rocket Knight Adventures
Rocket Knight Adventures is a very well crafted game from Konami. You play as Sparkster, an opossum with a jet-pack and sword. A meter in the bottom of the corner can be charged to let out either a spin attack where you concentrate all of your energy in on place or a dash which will also do damage when you hit an enemy.
The dash is frequently used for platforming sections throughout the game as well as Sparkster’s ability to hang from his tail. On some levels, Sparkster is given the ability to fly in sections that play like shoot em’ ups, giving the game some variety.
6 The Revenge of Shinobi
The Revenge of Shinobi is a follow-up to the very successful arcade game Shinobi which was ported to many different consoles and home computers at the time including the Sega Master System, PC Engine, and more. The game takes a drastic departure from the previous game in the series and focuses much more on platforming.
Early releases of The Revenge of Shinobi featured pop culture icons like Spiderman, Batman, and The Terminator. However, due to legal trouble, the characters were taken out of more recent releases of the game and replaced with generic enemies.
5 QuackShot: Starring Donald Duck
QuackShot: Starring Donald Duck takes the platforming genre and adds exploration and backtracking. Donald starts off with a plunger that is only capable of temporarily stunning enemies, but, as he progresses, he finds more and more gadgets to help him take out enemies and traverse through levels.
When you discover new items, you have to find out where they are applicable and where will help you progress further into the game. Although the game is level-based, the need for backtracking with newly acquired items makes the world feel connected.
4 Castlevania: Bloodlines
Unfortunately, Sega consoles were only graced with one game from the great Castlevania series. Fortunately, the Castlevania game Sega fans did get is one of the best in the series.
Castlevania Bloodlines allows you to pick from two different characters from the beginning of the game: the whip-wielding Jon Morris, and the spear-wielding Eric Lecarde. Jon Morris has the ability to whip diagonally when jumping, which he can also use to swing from platforms, while Eric Lacarde can use his spear to vault himself up to places Jon cannot reach.
3 Ghouls N’ Ghosts
A sequel to Ghosts N’ Goblin, Ghouls N’ Ghosts stars Knight Arthur as he attempts to save Princess Prin Prin from Satan. Added from previous entries is the ability to shoot up and down as well as upgrade your armor with hidden chests found throughout the game.
Each weapon is also affected by your armor upgrades, making them both stronger and capable of releasing magic which is different for each weapon. As far and Ghosts N’ Goblin and Ghouls N’ Ghosts games go, this is one of the easiest so if you have been ignoring the series due to its difficulty, give this one a shot!
2 Castle Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
The Illusion series of games were featured on the Sega Master System, Game Gear, and Sega Genesis, with Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse being the best among them. As the name implies, you play as Mickey, and he can throw apples and hop on enemy heads to take them out.
While Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse doesn’t provide much of a challenge and can be beaten upon first playing it, the game is very well made and great fun, with a lot of Disney charm thanks to the environments and sprite work.
1 Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles
When Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was initially released, it was only part of what Sega wanted it to be. Unfortunately, deadlines cut creativity short and they were forced to release the game as is. Luckily, they later decided to release the odd-looking cartridge Sonic & Knuckles which you could plug Sonic the Hedgehog 3 into to allow you to experience the game just as Sega had wanted it.
Once you have plugged Sonic the Hedgehog 3 into Sonic & Knuckles, you have 14 different zones to play through. You can also plug Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 into Sonic & Knuckles, which will unlock the ability to play as Knuckles in both games.