10 Underrated SEGA Master Systems Games for Nintendo Fanboys

[@purplefuku]

The fast pace of this video felt like those ‘90s GamePro videos with JD Roth. 🤣 Loved it! And my #1 Master System game has to be Ghostbusters! It’s not for everyone, but I keep coming back to it time & time again...

[@dosm4805]

Props for mentioning Golden Axe Warrior. Tip: Sonic's Genesis Collection on both the 360 and ps3 system has this game! You shouldn't have to pay more than 10 bucks for a copy. You have to play Golden Axe up to level 2 or 3 to unlock it.

[@DJTipsyTony]

Sega Genesis Collection!

[@hydro_storm4527]

Two Words, One Title. Phantasy Star. The best JRPG of the 80's, Hands down

[@pliniomsann]

Zeb Shrader also, 8 bits best racing = Road Rash. Best arcade soccer game = Tecmo World Cup 93. Best fighting vs = Mortal Kombat 2. Best pistols game = Gangster Town

[@sabin97]

rpg. no such thing as jrpg.

[@hydro_storm4527]

@@sabin97 A Japanese Role Playing Game (JRPG), especially in the 80's, was very different than a western rpg. It's nice to clarify what "style" of RPG something is, especially during the time it actually mattered

[@nickpavloff8977]

Zeb, Now I got that amazing song in my head that fans played when you were waking in over view

[@cleverestx]

How the hell do you beat it though? At some point you just get stuck...I've tried playing it a couple times over the years and always have that same WALL come up.

[@joncarling]

SpellCaster and Kenseiden are amazing.

[@maxpower5752]

I love Kenseiden those arrow levels were a pain though

[@joncarling]

@@maxpower5752 I don't remember them, probably blocked them out. 😅

[@RIDGEMATIC]

Great mention iLOVED Keinseiden!!!

[@daleknaussjr791]

Yes. Kenseiden was great. Last boss with the mask..

[@MrPrincepop]

Zillion was my game! I remember I came up with a system to recall the codes by associating the symbols with something it looks like. Zillion and Phantasy Star were my all-time favorite on the Master System.

[@whispersignal1]

The port of Space Harrier for the Sega Master System II is not only one of my favorite games of all time; but I think it is also the best version of the game. Definitely a HUGE nostalgia game for me.

[@WildcardZwei]

As a fan of compliations, I'm VERY surprised you didn't mention Golden Axe Warrior is an unlockable on Sonic 's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the PS3 and Xbox360. Cheers, John Riggs. You are one of my favorite people to see on hidden gems videos w/ MJR, so I'm glad to see you do stuff of your own like this.

[@TheCompletionist]

It's actually really nice to see you talk about the master system because it is one of those systems that I have very little experience with. I remember in my childhood that one of my cousins had a sega master system and the one game I remember playing at his house was choplifter, but I really need to dedicate some time to roperly playing this system and all the great games it has.

[@hungrygoriya]

Good selection here! I just picked up a copy of Quartet and can't wait to try it out.

[@billcook4768]

I thought I knew the master system library fairly well, but I’ve never heard of half these games. Well done sir.

[@jeff97ish]

Glad you shared this John! I have the Mega Sg with the Master System adapter, so I bought one Master System game: Double Dragon. I also have an Everdrive with all the games, but this video helps me decide on which ones to play.

[@JohnRiggs]

Double Dragon on SMS is WAY better than the NES one.

[@jeff97ish]

@@JohnRiggs I agree!

[@swilco266]

Play the fist asterix game, great platformer, the second was ok tho not as good. Don't bother with the third though it's trash. Donald duck and the lucky dime caper and mickey mouse castle/land of illusion are great games to :)

[@jeff97ish]

@@swilco266 Thanks for the recommendations friend!

[@atranfanatic]

Great video John, I love the Master System! Also great suggestion of games! Some on here I was not aware of. Very cool!

[@johnhancockretro]

Master of Darkness is great! Good suggestions :)

[@25hztolife86]

Got alot of love for the SMS too. I'm a fan of cereal too. What to do.....play SMS and eating cereal at the same time.

[@punkydudester3]

This title is an excellent idea, do more videos like this. I fall right into this category & now I know where to start.

[@TechWithSean]

1:12 “Goll-Vell-ius” is how I’ve heard that one pronounced ✌️

[@higherground711]

Great list! 👍😁 I've played some of the SMS games and really enjoyed them. I'd love to see a lot more new/home brew games for SMS.

[@forcedfeedbackclassicgamer5499]

Zillion is VERY similar to Impossible Mission on the NES, actually.

[@purplehaze2342]

Really

[@ericwatts7757]

Came to comment this lol

[@albertabramson3157]

Except that Zillion is fun and doesn't look throw up.

[@MarkTheMorose]

Maybe it didn't get released in the US, but Europe certainly got a very good version of Impossible Mission on the SMS.

[@leeadickes7235]

Zillion is great. It is a must have if you collect.

[@Civavijus]

I remember my first experience with games.1989, Sega Master System, and Zillion, best days.

[@m.x.1800]

Thanks for sharing and showing the SMS some love! Also, Golvelius is pronounced "gohl-vell-ee-us".

[@mikemercury5654]

When I was a kid I only knew one person with the Sega Master System and his Mom never let us play it .

[@matts.5690]

A few that come to my mind: -Time Soldiers: While not as good as the arcade version, this is very comparable to Commando and Ikari Warriors. -A few really solid arcade ports in Zaxxon 3D, Chopflifter, Double Dragon. -

[@ostiariusalpha]

If you want to talk about solid arcade ports, you have to mention R-Type and Rastan for the SMS.

[@grumpydriver5733]

Phantasy Star is a great rpg and Ghostbusters is very fun on the SMS. Great video.

[@ozzyager]

Zillion reminds me of Impossible Mission for C64. Precious memories of not knowing what the fudge I was supposed to do...

[@chrisr024]

Impossible mission is also on the master system

[@sani8646]

Very cool, i was into sega before nintendo back in 87', Black Belt was my fav game as a kid. I remember finding the infinite lives glitch back then, wrote to sega telling how i did it, and they sent me sega magazines and papers full of cheat codes for sms games :) I always believed i was the founder of that glitch haha, finding it in 1987/88, most likely not, but it was super cool they sent me stuff after that.

[@haruruben]

My mom brought me home a Sega for Christmas... I cried... she said “the man at the store said it was the same thing as Nintendo”. I was just so stunned I didn’t have a tantrum, I didn’t wail and cry I just sat there with tears running down my face. It was hard to explain, it wasn’t just some toy it was a social aspect. Trading games with friends and talking about those games... exactly zero of the other kids had Sega,

[@AnthonyFlack]

Other people have already mentioned most of these; the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck games, Choplifter, Rastan (quite different from the arcade game), Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, Teddy Boy (nice to see this game getting some appreciation - it is great, simple fun), Asterix, the Wonder Boy games, Power Strike 1 & 2, Chuck Rock 1 & 2, superb ports of Paperboy, Bubble Bobble, Rampage, the NewZealand Story... I could go on... But nobody has mentioned the Fantasy Zone series yet? Fantasy Zone II in particular is superb; one of my absolute favourites that one.

[@s7venblade562]

Thanks for the recommendations! I just bought a SMS on ebay with no games, so this is a great reference point!

[@dr.mofongo9001]

The hours I spent playing Zillion 😂....loved the SMS. Black Belt, Quartet, haven’t seen these in years. As the only kid who owned one growing up, seeing these games again pressed the nostalgia button pretty good. What a great console.

[@theelfkilla]

Where did you get that cover for your master system?

[@JohnRiggs]

They come from Printer Boy printerboy.net/

[@zachmercier8565]

JohnRiggs are they worth it? I have one for all my systems sitting in the cart ready to go but would love to hear what you think.

[@BigFamilyGaming]

I am diggin' the Master System Love! I have been going for the Full US set in 2020 and have been using KZbin to track the progress/unboxing as I have been going for it. The ones from the US Set I am missing from your list is Alex Kidd in Miracle world, Kings Quest, Dead Angle - the rest were PAL games but I will probably need to snag a few of those at some point Thanks for the awesome video!

[@JohnRiggs]

nicely done!

[@davehollis4258]

The Black Belt box art is exquisite!

[@MxMoondoggie]

Always loved Action Fighter, people who enjoy bullet hell type games will get a lot from it. It takes a lot of practice to get good at it but it's very rewarding if you do. Not a long game but it took me years to clear it without the cheat that makes you invulnerable to bullets with full upgrades.

[@stricklyrubbadub]

love your vids, Riggs. grew up on mastersystem and genesis as well. you mention many of my favorites!

[@thegenerousdegenerate9395]

Wow you actually showed me a coupla MS games I haven't seen before! Cool!

[@IowaRetroGamerDad]

Up until a few years ago, I didn't even know the sega master system existed! My friends and I all have original NES and I don't know anyone who had the Master System! Ive been looking for one for years at a good price because I love Sega.

[@higherground711]

As a kid I played my cousin Craig's SMS. His parents must have been somewhat video game savvy because they praised the power and performance of it. They played with us at times and it was awesome!

[@leefischer5814]

Definitely love the looks of Alex Kidd in Shinobi World as well as Ninja Gaiden

[@mattnova18]

Some others I recommend are Rampage, Road Rash, Rtype, Ninja Gaiden, and RC Grand Prix

[@tomfoolery2964]

Some games I would also recommend: Rastan, Shinobi, Wonderboy series, Phantasy Star, Time Soldiers, Captain Silver, Pit Pot, Astro Warriors, Alien Syndrome, etc.

[@PomeloRetro]

Aladdin on the Master System is great. It's totally different to the SNES/Mega Drive version. It follows the movie more closely.

[@AnthonyFlack]

Some fantastic graphical effects in that one. You're going to beat it very quickly though.

[@MizfitZer0]

The snes and megadrive versions are completely different from eachother

[@bartdunbar5108]

Zillion is still a tie with rampage for my fave sms games I had as a kid. Great video

[@SignalRidge]

Riggs! Thank you for putting this video out! There aren't many guides out there for the Master System. This was very helpful. Have you by chance heard of a submarine game? I don't remember the name but it was pretty dope.

[@JohnRiggs]

Submarine Attack perhaps? That's one I don't have. I'll check it out.

[@SignalRidge]

@@JohnRiggs Yes! I enjoyed it!

[@infinityeight8705]

Yes - submarine attack - a great underwater smup! Also love ariel assault and power strike too!

[@elvis723]

Oh man the memories!!! Thanks what a great video!

[@dyscotopia]

I remember playing Dynamite Dux on the Amiga and to my young eyes it was indistinguishable from the arcade. It came out for all the other usual popular euro computers too.

[@wieldylattice3015]

0:35 my PS3 Slim has a weird place where the plastic kind of just bubbler and cracked. It’s small and doesn’t effect anything, but I definitely get that feel of “yeah it has a crack but hey it still works”

[@64bitsorless25]

Thank you for showing some SMS love!!!

[@markgreen1255]

I had a master system 2 back in the day but only very few games so I’ll definitely use this list 👍

[@cvrator]

I wish I still had my old master system. Glad it's getting some attention here!

[@realguitarthur]

Just turned 40; I still have my Master System from when I was 7 and I still play it! Space Harrier, Golvellius, R-Type, Double Dragon, PHANTASY STAR!!!! :)

[@moulterie]

i love that system endless days playing alex kid in miracle world , double dragon , rocky , alien syndrome, quartet , chop lifter , shinobi, kung fu kid , reggie jackson baseball , aztec adventure, rambo , safari hunt , rambo 3 , thunder blade , hang on , space harrier,

[@Darko1226]

You can do a second video with the following games: Wonder Boy 1-3 Kenseiden The Ninja Alex Kidd in Shinobi World Shinobi Time Soldiers Astro Warrior Hang On Rescue Mission Ninja Gaiden

[@gregsmith5359]

Wonderboy 3 is the best game on the system

[@louisjaugustin8673]

I remembered after burner, alien syndrome, outrun, duck hunt,rampage, ninja turtle and space harriet.

[@BigFamilyGaming]

Forgot to add my suggestions: Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, R-Type and Ghoul's N Ghosts!

[@JohnRiggs]

Shinobi World rules.

[@mattsmedley.onehandedgamin9029]

@@JohnRiggs R type is an awsome shooter, please check out Robocod, bubble bobble, lucky dime caper, Tazmania, Asterix, Thunder Blade, Chuck Rock, sonic the hedgehog (obviously) Air Rescue, To name just a few gems from my collection. Brilliant 8bit gaming system, its a shame you guys in the US didn't get to experience it like we did here in Europe.

[@Sinn0100]

I know this is old (still great!) and I already posted. However, I wanted to add something that I think is important. One of the coolest games on this list is Golden Axe Warrior. It really is the closest Sega came to emulating the Zelda experience... Unfortunately, as Riggs stated, the game is not an easy find. That is unless you know where to look. Thankfully, one does not need to track down a Sega Master System and the game to play it. It can be enjoyed on the Sonic The Hedgehog's Ultimate Sega Genesis Collection on the Xbox 360/PS3.

[@heavysystemsinc.]

I used to spend a lot of time playing the pool section of Parlor Games on my system. I also liked Kung Fu Kid.

[@pearljam619]

Cyborg Hunter was an awesome game and I played it repeatedly. Was weird that you had to have a pad in 2nd control port and press 1 to get you inventory up.

[@BenjaminGlatt]

I spent hours of my childhood failing at Zillion and Aztec Adventure, and straight up not understanding Golvellius. Paladin's Quest, though, is legit the second video game I ever beat (after Ghouls 'n' Ghosts for SMS, which is *not* on this list for a very good reason). You forgot to add Wonder Boy III (or Wonder Boy in Monster Land), tho.

[@RIDGEMATIC]

Man it took me FOREVER to beat Zillion lol

[@DarthEquus]

Dead Angle is the sequel to Empire City 1931, actually.

[@mancman-bu4kz]

Dead angle!!!! That's it!!! Couldn't remember name but had it one year for birthday as kid loved it

[@davidasberry7758]

Ah that was my first console back in the day. Good times.

[@The90sAreRad]

I've always been curious about the Master System. Never had one but I would love to pick one up, one day.

[@miguelmeza2nd]

Help!! I don't have picture or sound when I turn on my sms and I tried more than one cable and the power works fine it powers on but there must be a loose connection idk!!!

[@JC-qu5lv]

Hulk is a fun one that never made it here in the states as well as The Flash which was just weird but colorful. Also some downports like Sonic and Moonwalker which are funny yet charming in 8-bit. Deep Duck Trouble and Lucky Dime Caper are great ones as well.

[@randomrickreviewsrrr4662]

Quartet was awesome in the arcades! I hope it makes it on to a compilation one day.

[@tonybell7267]

Zillion is segas answer to impossible mission on the c64 or spectrum 👍 , love the master system and mega drive , nice video dude

[@MightyQDawg]

Good stuff, John. Solid recommendations!

[@AndrewWBradley]

I loved Dead Angle, I played it non stop back in the day.

[@mattsmedley.onehandedgamin9029]

In the UK, back in the day the Mighty Master System took the place of what the nes did for you guys in the US. I would highly recommend that you hunt down the following games for your SMS. R-Type Robocod Desert strike Fantasy Zone Air Rescue Sonic (obviously) The lucky dime caper (Donald duck) Tazmania. Happy hunting for those, it is such a good 8bit console.

[@GaZlovesGames]

Great stuff. Id never seen quartet before. Looks a great!

[@jeremyguy9426]

In Quartet at the load screen If you press the pause 14 times and start you will get a different fire power. You have to do it before it plays the game demo

[@louyork8379]

It’s great to see content regarding the Master System. I didn’t know about it until I was an adult. My introduction to Sega was the Genesis with Sonic the Hedgehog. We were a Nintendo family but I had cousins with the Genesis. I liked a lot of games on it but it still felt like a “B” system, you know? Like it was cool but Nintendo was the bar for me. Great video. Love your content.

[@jcornee182]

I still have my Master System model 1, what I got on Christmas 1989, but recently I got Model 2. Both of my Master Systems are PAL-B/G versions.

[@menswear2112]

Mr. Riggs, you forgot Kenseiden. A shining oriental jewel of a game. Castlevania with samurais!

[@katherineberger6329]

Dynamite Dux was released in Japan around Christmas of 1988 so maybe the Colonel was there to be a reference to that?

[@americanpatriot8996]

I had the sega master system and I still have it and all my games. I have one brand new unused in its original box. My brother had the NES so I got the best of both worlds.

[@BloodlessWolf]

Every great game released for the Master System could be considered underrated here since so few people know about it. Games you didn't mention: Ninja Gaiden, Sonic the Hedgehog, Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck's Lucky Dime Caper, Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, Wonder Boy 3, Out Run, Double Dragon, Gangster Town, freaking PHANTASY STAR.

[@sabin97]

zillion is in my backlog, as well as golden axe warrior. i already won at alex kid, but i never figured out how to avoid the little death character other than knowing where it is and avoiding that block.....

[@stephenwhitener6650]

Rastan is a fun arcade port and the SMS version of Double Dragon is great because of the two player Co op feature of the arcade is intact unlike the NES version

[@markkanaar1751]

Zillions codes are the same number twice, but reflexive over each other. 00, 11, 22, 33, and so on. Its like reflexive imaginary or Frieze imaginary taught in Abstract Algebra.

[@johnwilliams2183]

Master System was huge in Australia. I knew more people with sega than Nintendo.

[@JohnRiggs]

That's the same with europe and brazil. Collecting NES was a rich-man's sport.

[@MizfitZer0]

Same as the whole of the uk

[@timm_3r]

Quartet is some of the most fun you can have with coop on the sms.

[@billycurran3546]

I still have my master system. I like the master system more than my nes

[@dr.mofongo9001]

The SMS was the console I grew up with. I was the only kid that had one, everyone else had the NES of course, and I wouldn’t change a thing. (Still remember opening it up Christmas morning). I always thought it was the better of the two systems.

[@timpize8733]

Cool, I didn't know some of them. One of the Asterix games was excellent too, from what I remember.

[@paisleyboxers]

I'm loving this series and theme!

[@brycejohansen7114]

Fire and Forget II was good as well, it's kind of like Outrun but your car can fly as well.

[@randomgamer-st1ie]

Can't find some of these, are they Japan or PAL region games? Quite a few you mentioned aren't even listed on pricecharting for NTSC region.

[@lakanman]

I used to play Dynamite Düx on my Amiga 500 when I was a kid.

[@Lorfarius]

Enduro Racer. Best isometric racer out there!

[@AnthonyFlack]

Too bad only the Japanese version is the full game; other territories got a cut-down version with half the levels removed. :(

[@Lorfarius]

@@AnthonyFlack I think the budget version is actually better. Its a much tighter experience with less track, forces you to learn them properly. Which adds to the experience. I've owned the Jap version on a cart for years but I always go back to that budget release.. it's just so special.

[@marlowbulldog6033]

There are so many amazing games but the 2 most underrated for me are THE NINJA and CLOUD MASTER. Both have a lovely Asian feel and influence, and are SOOOOOO DIFFICULT TO BEAT.

[@TheMultiGunMan]

Sega does what Nintendon't.

[@ibapreppie]

Im currently collecting for the SMS.

[@thisisstuart7951]

love the master system but had 2nd version and had Alex Kidd built it

[@unnamedchannel1237]

Friend had one as well. Bought a sega about a year ago with intentions of doing the AV mod but have not got around to it

[@leeadickes7235]

Alex kid in miracle world

[@AbdullaSulaimani]

I loved the sega master system!! I had one back in the day with Alex Kidd built in

[@jimmybrown8889]

Loved alex kidd as a child, and still play it these days on my switch

[@supergeoff]

Great video John I actually like Black Belt

[@UberNeuman]

Loved Zillion when I had it back in the day, the game is a real ballbuster. lol.

[@DonkeyPuncher1976]

Zillion is a great game but Teddy Boy is a game that people need to play. It's a great fun shooter game.

[@JoypadDivison]

Sonic the Hedgehog, Wonder Boy III The Dragon's Trap, Phychic World, Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, Castle of Illusion, Land of Illusion and Pit Pot. Vigilante is more like Kung Fu than Black Belt is... Kung Fu Kid is also kind of similair.

[@retropolis.player.4]

Line of Fire looks like Thundercade. Great 2 player nes game. You ride motorcycles get side cars for powerups and shoot up enemy military bases.

[@RIDGEMATIC]

Zillion was freaking AWESOME