Support NeoGAF

[Kazza]

A really nice video going through each US Genesis release of 1990 in chronological order. I feel 1990 is an often neglected time in Genesis/Megadrive history, being both pre-Sonic and pre-SNES console wars era (although there was a battle with the Turbogragx and NES).

The system's reputation for shooters was well-earned, with 8 released that year (with a whopping 6 released in the mid-Oct to mid-Nov period alone). On the other hand, there were surprisingly few sports games released.

I have lots of happy memories of that period (although I lived in the UK and often got imported Japanese games, so I may have played some of them in 1989). There were some great arcade ports (Golden Axe, Afterburner, Super Monaco GP, Strider). I remember buying Madden on the back of amazing reviews, but being British I didn't really quite get what I was supposed to be doing, so was left feeling a little disappointed. Although the console would later be flooded with them, it was a little lacking in mascot platformers that year, until the release of the sublime Mickey Mouse: Castle of Illusion (despite liking it on the Master System, the 16-bit Alex Kid game wasn't particularly exciting to me at the time). We were also pretty starved of beat'em ups/brawlers as well, with DJ Boy being the only option (if you don't include Golden Axe), which I enjoyed quite a bit.

Ghostbusters, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker and Phantasy Star 2 round up the rest of the games that left an impression on me. I really wanted Buster Douglas Boxing due to the beautiful big sprites, but never did get it (poor Sega, he had already lost his title belt to Evander Holyfield by the time the game came out).

While I would say that 1991 would see even better games (Sonic, Streets of Rage, Toejam and Earl, Road Rash etc), the system was already hitting its stride in 1990. Any memories of the Genesis in 1990 here?

EDIT: corrected a couple of date-related typos

 

[DeepEnigma]

I watched this earlier today. Great video per usual.

 

[sol_bad]

Are there any YouTubers out there that literally go through a whole consoles library. By release date or alphabetical order?

 

[Afro Republican]

Uh.... Sonic came out in 1991.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

Pre-sonic genesis probably holds my favorite gaming memories.

Altered Beast
Golden axe
Ghouls n Ghost
Super Shinobi
Thunder force III
Gaiares
Phantasy Star 2

Are all forever burnt in my memories.

 

[Airola]

Are there any YouTubers out there that literally go through a whole consoles library. By release date or alphabetical order?

You might want to check out the channel of Jeremy Parish.

Jeremy Parish

Welcome to Retronauts Video Chronicles, a video companion to the Retronauts podcast (www.retronauts.com). Currently, you'll find three active projects here: ...

www.youtube.com

Here's a couple of playlists for you.
This is the beginning of NES and its games released in 1985:


This is the beginning of Game Boy and its games released in 1987:


He has started NES, GB, SNES, Virtual Boy and N64 projects where he intends to create videos of every game released on those systems, in the order they have been released. These videos are super informative and really well written. None of them are finished yet, but he's slowly but surely releasing more videos.

He also has videos where he streams playing a game while drawing maps of them.

 

[Petrae]

I was late to the Genesis party. Heck, I was still using a Commodore 64 as my gaming machine until getting an NES for Christmas in 1990.

That said, it’s been nice to play some of these games for the first time since I started building a retro library (which includes Genesis) a few years ago. Most have been a lot of fun.

 

[nkarafo]

I was LTTP too. Got it 6 years after release.

Got my Master System around 1992 as our budget wasn't high enough for a Mega Drive.

Though it wasn't so bad. The console had great support in Europe until 1995/96. Got my Mega Drive in 1995.

 

[Lionel Richie]

Are there any YouTubers out there that literally go through a whole consoles library. By release date or alphabetical order?

Besides Parish, there's also Generation 16 that chronicles the Genesis and Atari Archive that do the same thing for the 2600.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Uh.... Sonic came out in 1991.

What are you taking about in the context of this thread?

 

[Orenji Neko]

I love CGQ. His CGQ+ channel where he just chills and talks to viewers about the past (CGQ Flashback) is great. I've often just put it on, sat back (or have it playing while I play a game), and just listen because Chris has a great voice for doing this sort of thing, he's a very down to earth nice guy, and listening to him talk about that kind of stuff takes me back to my own memories as well.

 

[Sub_Level]

Imagine being the kid who got Super Hydlide instead of Phantasy Star II

 

[Soltype]

There was a guy that was going through every Genesis release, but he hasn't done much in the past few years.

Greg Sewart

Welcome to the home of Generation 16, the series that showcases the games of Sega's Mega Drive. My goal is to chronologically play and review every game rele...

www.youtube.com

 

[alabtrosMyster]

Are there any YouTubers out there that literally go through a whole consoles library. By release date or alphabetical order?

Chrontendo did this for the NES/Sege Master System/Turbo-Grafx 16
https://www.youtube.com/user/Chrontendo

Generation 16 does this for the Sega Genesis
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-p5d9R283IYFVJn2Nt2Qqg

 

[Deleted member 738976]

Imagine being the kid who got Super Hydlide instead of Phantasy Star II

I got it for $1 at a used game store because I thought the cartridge artwork looked cool. Learned not to do that anymore.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

I didn't realize the Ghostbusters game and Michael Jackson's Moonwalker predated Sonic The Hedgehog.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

So many good shmups from this year. Truxton still holds up to this day. Whip Rush is a hidden gem. Phelios, Hellfire, and Fire Shark are each interesting in their own way, and of course Thunder Force III is still enjoyable.

 

[sol_bad]

Thanks for the links everyone, I'll check out these channels that you have suggested.

 

[Orenji Neko]

Ghostbusters was one of those games where I wasn't sure what to expect, was kind of thinking it might not be all that great, but when I played it I was quite pleasantly surprised.

 

[Afro Republican]

What are you taking about in the context of this thread?

Um, you not read OP?

look:

I feel 1991 is an often neglected time in Genesis/Megadrive history, being both pre-Sonic and pre-SNES console wars era

 

[Deleted member 738976]

Um, you not read OP?

look:

It's a typo but feel free to make a big deal about it.

 

[Dev1lXYZ]

I got a Genesis for Christmas 1989 with Ghouls N Ghosts. That game along with Altered Beast lasted me a full year as no store carried games until then. Second game was Ghostbusters and then Sword of Vermillion followed by Strider. Wanted Phantasy Star 2 so badly but it was extremely hard to find. I actually got 3 before 2! To this day, I love the PS series and am playing through PS1 via Sega Ages on Switch. It’s one of my favorite JRPG series even better than the Final Fantasy games of that era. Remember PS3 was FF3 era in Japan. It’s mindblowing how far ahead Sega was.

 

[Afro Republican]

It's a typo but feel free to make a big deal about it.

I don't think you know what a type is. Especially since it was written clearly as intended and done twice in the same line.

Also you're the one making it a big deal, all I said was Sonic came out in 1991 (Also After the Super Famicom launch so that was wrong too), then goes and talks in context about pre- Sonic games. Als names a game that came out after Sonic.

But see I wouldn't have to type all this if all that was said was "Yeah, but OP seemed to have corrected himself at the bottom" or "He may have made a mistake" instead you make a ill toned post that serves no purpose, good job.

 

[Kazza]

I have corrected the 2 typos in the OP. Apologies for any confusion. Thankfully, just about everyone seems to have realised it was an error and just got on with the thread (the title of the video above it was probably a give away)

Imagine being the kid who got Super Hydlide instead of Phantasy Star II

That was a pretty common danger at the time. If you happened to miss that months magazines, then you didn't really have a way know if it was considered a good game or not (unless you had a friend who either had the game itself or a magazine containing a review). You might just have had to judge by the box art and back of the box screenshots. Add to that the fact that most of the parents buying the games for their kids would not have been gamers themselves in their youth, so didn't really know what they were buying, and you have a perfect recipe for a spoilt Christmas or birthday.

 

[Deleted member 738976]

I don't think you know what a type is. Especially since it was written clearly as intended and done twice in the same line.

Also you're the one making it a big deal, all I said was Sonic came out in 1991 (Also After the Super Famicom launch so that was wrong too), then goes and talks in context about pre- Sonic games. Als names a game that came out after Sonic.

But see I wouldn't have to type all this if all that was said was "Yeah, but OP seemed to have corrected himself at the bottom" or "He may have made a mistake" instead you make a ill toned post that serves no purpose, good job.

Oops looks like it was!

I have corrected the 2 typos in the OP. Apologies for any confusion. Thankfully, just about everyone seems to have realised it was an error and just got on with the thread (the title of the video above it was probably a give away)



That was a pretty common danger at the time. If you happened to miss that months magazines, then you didn't really have a way know if it was considered a good game or not (unless you had a friend who either had the game itself or a magazine containing a review). You might just have had to judge by the box art and back of the box screenshots. Add to that the fact that most of the parents buying the games for their kids would not have been gamers themselves in their youth, so didn't really know what they were buying, and you have a perfect recipe for a spoilt Christmas or birthday.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Wish I would comment but was born at the end of "89.

However, the pre-Sonic era always interested me. Especially UK 1990 where it had a better reputation.

Did the older audience buy into it? I know that people imported the PC Engine by that point but never heard of the Mega Drive's Hype back then.

 

[dispensergoinup]

Watched this video earlier, made me really want a Genesis and grab a few games. Esp Phantasy Star 2 and Thunder Force 3.

 

[MacReady13]

I was always a Nintendo kid, starting off with the NES and then SNES etc... So I missed out on the Master System/Mega Drive here in Australia. It's only been lately since I modded my mini SNES with a slew of Genesis/Mega Drive games that i've really come to love the console and its games. So much so that I just put an order in for an Analogue Mega SG and will start to build my MD/Genesis library. Feels like a part of my childhood I missed out on.

 

[Sub_Level]

Saw the SNES video. Such a great system too. Act Raiser in particular looked dope.

But then I looked at his N64 launch video. Pilotwings and Mario 64? Thats it? Jesus christ lol I will never come around to the N64.

 

[DeepEnigma]

It's a typo but feel free to make a big deal about it.

I thought that was quite obvious.

 

[Mecha Meow]

My stepdad picked up a Sega Genesis in fall 1990 along with Golden Axe and James Buster Douglas Knockout Boxing. I used holiday and lawn mowing money and picked up Strider, Ghouls n' Ghost, and Ghost Busters that year.

I got Phantasy Star II and Castle of illusion for Xmas.

Helluva way to start off 16-bit gaming!

I would get my own Genesis for my room the following summer along with Sonic

 

[cireza]

Will watch the video later.

The first years of the MegaDrive were great and very unique. After 1991, some kind of magic happened and games really made a huge step forward. Before/After Sonic happened, that's how I usually mark the difference for the MegaDrive. Somehow, games also felt maybe more streamlined too.

Games before Sonic 1 feel a bit more barebone or clunky, but are by no mean bad. There are many outstanding games during these first years, and I have my favorites. You can tell that the industry shifted quite a bit afterwards, and some kind of games were not to be found anymore on the MegaDrive. Not many shmups for example.

By the end of 1991, you could play :

Ghouls'n Ghosts
Golden Axe I & II
Phantasy Star II & III
Strider
MUSHA
Sword of Vermilion
Quackshot
Shining in the Darkness
Sonic 1
Streets of Rage
Outrun
After Burner II
Chuck Rock
Thunder Force III
etc...

It was already a very good selection of games. I included 1991 games, if you stick to 1990, the list is smaller but there are other games I have not mentioned as well.

In 1993, another great turn happened with the arrival of many big Japanese third parties on MegaDrive (Konami, Capcom, Bandai). Great times !

 

[TLZ]

I don't think you know what a type is. Especially since it was written clearly as intended and done twice in the same line.

Also you're the one making it a big deal, all I said was Sonic came out in 1991 (Also After the Super Famicom launch so that was wrong too), then goes and talks in context about pre- Sonic games. Als names a game that came out after Sonic.

But see I wouldn't have to type all this if all that was said was "Yeah, but OP seemed to have corrected himself at the bottom" or "He may have made a mistake" instead you make a ill toned post that serves no purpose, good job.

Man stfu

 

[Mecha Meow]

In 1993, another great turn happened with the arrival of many big Japanese third parties on MegaDrive (Konami, Capcom, Bandai). Great times !

Very true! 1992 and especially 1993 were my absolute favorite years playing and buying games on the Genesis. 1994 is when I truly had a lot of fun with Bloodlines, Hard Corps, Splatterhouse 3, Earthworm Jim, Streets of Rage 3, and the 100+ hours sunk into Sonic 3 and then Knuckles combined.

 

[Kazza]

Very true! 1992 and especially 1993 were my absolute favorite years playing and buying games on the Genesis. 1994 is when I truly had a lot of fun with Bloodlines, Hard Corps, Splatterhouse 3, Earthworm Jim, Streets of Rage 3, and the 100+ hours sunk into Sonic 3 and then Knuckles combined.

Ah, those are some good games. I missed out on most post 93 Megadrive games, as that was around the time I bought a Mega CD. I don't regret it, as it gave me some experiences that I couldn't find on the Megadrive (pretty much arcade perfect Final Fight, 3D-ish scaling games such as Thunderhawk and, yes, even FMV games). Luckily, that meant I had a great time playing through the games I missed out on when playing the Xbox 360 Megadrive collection. It didn't contain the Konami games and Earthworm Jim though, which is why I'm so looking forward to the Classic Mini. Unfortunately, I don't think any of the splatterhouse games will make it due to the blood.

 

[Son_of_Zardoz]

Genesis does what Nintendon't!

Seriously my favorite console of all time. Going to grab an Analogue Mega SG for my birthday & can't wait.

Been keeping my Genesis & games in a closet so kids don't mess them up and also because I don't have anywhere to put my CRT right now. Can't wait to play them again.