Let's talk a bit about the Megadrive and its famous "blast processing", as liked to hammer it Sega of America in all its advertising campaigns of the time! The 16-bit Sega ds its release in late 1988, announces that it is clearly in the belly! But above all, it must prove to the world that the manufacturer and undisputed mate of Arcade rooms is also a goldsmith in terms of living room consoles. This will be done as soon as the elegant black box starts, which transcribes at first and without too much trouble all the headlines of the Arcade without apparent effort. The second wave of titles will arrive the super Sonic and will make the world understand that in addition to being capable of successful conversions, it can also offer original and always more impressive titles. The blue hedgehog goes in some ways, opening the door to the Sega teams and third-party publishers for more daring proposals. These begin to watch the Megadrive with interest, and the obvious goal then becomes to impress the crowds while offering a universe often more mature and cutting-edge than its big rival from Nintendo, made above all of roundness and color.
The last batch of games on the machine will thus welcome titles of technical quality hardly imaginable two or three years ago, and will confirm with clarity that the 16-bit Sega is a great lady. In the footsteps of the Sega bulldozer, the big publishers that are Capcom, Treasure or Konami will outdo themselves in order to offer the Megadrive a final salvo of titles with impeccable technique. Let’s take a few moments together to remember these few nuggets that pushed the console to its last entrenchments, ending up bringing it a high quality toy library and never making it legendary. Here are the Top 5 games of the highest quality on the Sega Megadrive!
Number 5: The Adventures of Batman & Robin
What better way to start this ranking th an a good old beat them'all based on the Batman license? At the end of 1994, Sega said on a Megadrive that is living its last moments a title which we think it takes up most of the elements of the Super Nintendo version, namely a very nicely produced platform game, with an atmosphere that successfully recalls the series animated, and which allows you to play as a Batman for a very pleasant experience, worthy of the greatest games of the genre on the 16-bit Nintendo. And for good reason, Konami is the wand, and as everyone knows, in the 1990s, the publisher had the formula of the magic potion. It is therefore a Sega full of mischief and surprise, which offers a game, based on the same license but developed by an almost unknown studio: Clokwork Tortoise. And here is the slap! We find ourselves in front of an ultra nervous beat them'all, with strong accents of shoot them'up, which fail to take you by the hand literally throws your face! Enemies who land from all directions, and shoot everything. Distortion effects galore, 3D elements, reproduction of the famous Mode 7 of the Super Nintendo as if nothing had happened, all without the slightest slowdown, and with two players on the screen please. Such a technical surge which paradoxically makes the software almost unplayable, so much it requires your attention and skill at all times! I bow humbly to the one who certifies me that I have finished this title, a real release and technical showcase for the console, to the delight of our eyes but especially the misfortune of our hands and our taste. Rub this crazy game and make a reason, The Adventure of Batman & Robin
Number 4: Ranger X
Ranger X, here is a very mysterious name for a rather original game which seeks to approach the Cybernator or others Front Mission: Gun Hazard on Super Nintendo, by proposing an idea however quite original since your robot armed to the teeth will be quipp which is more of a kind of motorcycle that it can alternately ride or abandon its fate in order to make the powder speak in the air. An approach that will allow us to immerse ourselves in a fast paced action software, with enemies arriving by land and by air, harassing you relentlessly and forcing you to shoot everything goes on and above your motorcycle which will be a pleasure to assist you at best. You will understand, all these animated elements on the screen form an extremely pleasant set to watch, which combining this with flawless animation, impressive music that ptarade in all directions, and a graphic paw of the most beautiful effect worthy of the most beautiful animated series by mecha, offers an astonishing cocktail. GAU Entertainment, before emerging from the shadows by doing so, thanks to a Zelda: A Link to the past more than successful, a place in Sun, shows us the extent of his talent by developing on Megadrive and since 1993, this very impressive title whose only flaw may be to suffer from its gameplay too original to be faultless. In the meantime, what technical prowess offers here, a real firework display of a nervousness rarely seen this time and that only the Megadrive is able to offer, when the Super Nintendo hardly offer a shoot them'up with a fluidity only acceptable. Try to get this Ranger X ((Ex-Ranza in Japan) unfortunately too little known, the software having had a lot of difficulty finding its audience its release. However, the title has since acquired, and undoubtedly rightly, a cult game status.
Number 3: Panorama Cotton
The only game on the list, unfortunately, is only officially released in Japan, Panorama Cotton is the 3rd opus in a series of shoot them'up then all in 2D which made the glory of the Pc-Engine and the Super Famicom, placing the developer Success on the rails of success, and makes it a reference of games with a kawai spirit, the most famous of which is without doubt the Puyo Puyo series. But this assumed style does not prevent taking technical risks. It will be done with this Panorama Cotton which offers a realization while scaling effects and 3D colors elements of the most beautiful effect. The game contrasts radically with the technical star of the year on Megadrive all in 3D, Virtua Racing that I honestly have trouble finding as charming, but that I must cite in this post all the same so it stands out from the other production of the console. But let's go back Panorama Cotton
Number 2: Contra: Hard Corps
The summer of 1994 was definitely the summer of technical consecration for the Megadrive. Since it's the turn of a Konami, already well trained with a Castlevnia: The New Genertion appeared earlier in the year, and the realization sometimes uneven but nevertheless impressive in places, to add its stone to the edifice. To do so, the editor will bring his Contra license (Probotector for us, poor Europeans) on the 16 bits of Sega. And for what a result! We really take full eyes and ears, constantly! From the first moments of the game, and an arrival of our hero drumming in the heart of the action, fired and exploded everywhere. We are harassed by giant mechanical spiders that are projected onto collapsing buildings, and give us access to a first boss whose sprite does not make less than almost the whole screen. A pure delirium served by an avalanche of incredible graphic effects and an animation of impressive nervousness. And we are far from having seen everything: The stages and the bosses are linked and are all crazier than each other: distortion effects, and transparency galore, scrolling scrolling and high speed parallax, the delirium is total and ends in apothosis, in a gigantic explosion naturally. We feel that Konami has given everything on this title, which still pushes the cap a little further than l or Contra Spirits / Super Probotector had left it on Super Nintendo. Not content with being a real technical showcase of the developer's know-how and an undeniable proof of the great capabilities of the Megadrive, Contra: Hard Corps is above all an excellent action game, worthy of the greatest hits of the genre. An exceptional title therefore, which has only the usual defect of the games on this list, knowing how to offer an absolutely prohibitive purchase price today especially in its Japanese version which you must bring your full attention to … decidedly beautiful games are expensive on Megadrive …
Number 1: Alien Soldier
We have so far mentioned games that highlight enemies and especially impressive bosses, whose appearances are so many highlights on the console of Sega. But we have not yet mentioned the absolute master in this matter, knowing the most beautiful and the biggest time attack of boss in the history of the video game! I mean of course the sublime jewel on the crown of the developer Treasure, the aptly named Alien Soldier. Yes, we talked about good games, very good, even excellent games, but we have not yet talked about the one who transcends them all on this generation, and this, even unfortunately … for his current side on the second hand market. To my great regret, everyone has to discover this wonder! You have to see the bosses chain one after the other, all more gigantic than the previous ones, and attacking you relentlessly, from all sides! You are far from being destitute to face them and your arsenal is the height of the task that awaits you. Without counting on the capacity of your hero to dodge with class the most lethal attacks of these superb adversaries. This offers the title a particularly nervous and demanding gameplay that you will need to master on your fingertips to win. But once these basics are acquired, what incredible sensations Alien Soldier: Seeing your character move and attack these boss standards from all sides gives sensations that are totally out of the ordinary on a 16-bit console. Impeccable technique for devilish gameplay: yes Alien solider is the craziest bet to have seen the light of day on the Sega console. To test urgently to see what the beautiful Megadrive in the belly!
Difficult to make an objective choice on the theme that interests us today, it is true that the developers have outdone themselves on the console during the last years of its exploitation, and the examples of games that impress are not lacking. By bringing here a subjective judgment on the thing, I certainly forget to speak more at length about certain titles like Vectorman and its continuation, Sonic & Knuckles, Thunderforce 4 or Gunstar Heroes. Without forgetting the inimitable Virtua Racing dj voqu higher. Each of these titles may deserve just as much to appear on this ranking for a good reason: They have no equivalent on competing consoles of the time. And reason, because they take advantage of the particular timing of the console processor to get all its softness. Shoot them'up and action games of type run and gun are the king genres on the 16bits of Sega!
It is also impossible to ignore an unfortunate observation when we consider the titles that are part of this Top 5: their price on the second-hand market. A major problem that will undoubtedly prevent many passionate players from being able to test these softs in ideal conditions. It's a shame, but given the quality of these titles, it seems essential to try them by all means to see that the Megadrive was clearly in the belly! And too bad if the confidential sales of some of these games released at the end of the console's life bring us this observation today, because these games have often not aged and remain the best on 16 bits, offering a magnificent 2D, an often delirious and ultra fast animation for moments of unforgettable gameplay. A way to verify the famous saying: Sega is stronger than you!
And on your side, what is the game of the console that most impressed you with its unusual technique?
Very soon I hope for a new classification with an irreproachable pen!
