The Best (and Worst) Sega Genesis Games of 1993

[@JohnRiggs]

Buy my games, cereal book and air fresheners with more stuff added often johnriggs.myshopify.com/

[@istrasci]

"It's not easy being cheesy!" 🤣 Forgot all about that line!

[@tonyah.960]

I love X-Men!

[@Kenny_khaos]

John, been watching for years. You’re hilarious and love your reviews and recommendations! Thank you.

[@JohnRiggs]

PS: Toe Jam & Earl is wrong. The sequel came out in '93. Thanks to everyone for correcting me. :)

[@johnnyroche138]

I was about to comment about that

[@muticere]

I'm glad you commented that because I was genuinely having a crisis wondering how Toejam and Earl came out in '93 when I remember it being one of my early games I got for the system, having got it in '91. I do think the sequel is an underrated gem, personally. When I want to go back and replay Toejam and Earl, I'll usually prefer the sequel over the original. It's just really fun to me and visually so bright and interesting.

[@billcook4768]

Fun video, but missing the best game of ‘93, if not the best Sega Genesis game period: NHL 94.

[@rjcolombe]

Agreed 100%.

[@casedistorted]

Shots fired

[@zparklebugz424]

Sports games shouldn't even be considered actual video games!🤦🏼‍♀️😅

[@jameskrack196]

yes amazing game. i was lucky enough to have it on the sega cd.

[@rjcolombe]

@@zparklebugz424 In the same sense poker shouldn't be considered a "sport", either.

[@noahpierce792]

I vividly remember being in an arcade and seeing a cop playing lethal enforcers. He was on the bank robbery stage and a cop came on screen and he shot him. When I said " hey man ,you just shot a cop" he said " well, he shouldn't have got in my way." I thought that was friggin hilarious.

[@adamjenkins190]

General chaos is one of the most underrated games of the 90's. I've always heard that they were developing a newer gen version/sequel some years back but it was scrapped. It's a shame

[@orderofmagnitude-TPATP]

Love general attorney of the chaos!!

[@FunksIncKeys]

I bought this game on a whim for like 5 bucks. Best $5 spend ever. Used to spend hours at night during college playing this.

[@jameskrack196]

general chaos is my #1 game as far as 2 player on the genesis

[@joshuamckay3309]

Spent so much time on General Chaos. Such a fun game.

[@julesbailey6770]

Weekend video-game rentals and Saturday morning cartoons whilst eating cereal is what life was all about in 93

[@johnhegarty3491]

Toe Jam & Earl is one of my all time favorite games. I still go back to it all the time.

[@loungefly611]

Toejam and Earl came out in 1991. The sequel, Planet on Funkotron, came out in 1993.

[@KingStr0ng]

Based

[@sonicsju]

Great vid, I think you meant to showcase Toe Jam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron which release in late 1993, You showed the original TJ&E game that came out in 1991.

[@jameskrack196]

yep

[@jameskrack196]

i enjoyed origial tj and earl more then panic on funkotron.

[@thefunkdroid2777]

​@@jameskrack196 I don't. Panic on Funkotron is awesome.

[@jameskrack196]

@@thefunkdroid2777 I don't think you can go wrong with either I just preferred the original.

[@thefunkdroid2777]

@@jameskrack196 Agreed, both are really good. Also TJ&E 3 is very underrated.

[@Lordjunon]

There was a gauntlet 3 on the Atari lynx, hence why its called Gauntlet 4 on the Genesis

[@joelmcclintock6328]

Wow I never realized this

[@mark6302]

it was on amiga too

[@Rountree1985]

@@mark6302the amiga and Lynx games are completely different games. The real Gauntlet 3 is the amiga version. The Lynx one is just its own thing.

[@orderofmagnitude-TPATP]

The more you know....🌟

[@FunksIncKeys]

The Lynx version was nuts. You got your main characters but since you could daisy chain the Lynx and play with 8 people, you had an Alien, a cowboy, a nerd ....LOLOL

[@SteveBrandon]

I know you don't cover the annual sports games but one of my top '93 games is actually NHL '94 (released September 1993) which was the first game in the series to include both the NHL and also the NHL Players Association licenses together in the same game and I also liked that they included some unique organ tunes for whichever arena you were playing in (i.e. "Here Come the Hawks" for the Chicago Blackhawks).

[@CoachTabe]

Yeah, literally one of the greatest sports games of all-time. Truly deserved to be included in this video. 1993 on the Genesis just isn't complete if you don't include it.

[@zusk8556]

Lots of rental memories for me here. My friend and I beat that Chester Cheetah game in one sitting on a rental, we enjoyed it. Sequel was pretty good too. Revenge of the Joker, James Bond, Cyborg Justice, etc -- all good games that were better as rentals imo.

[@j.goggels9115]

2 vivid memories : - Ecco The Dolphin - Flashback. Lethal Enforcers II on the Mega CD rocks.

[@R3troZone]

I still say to this day that X-Men for the Sega Genesis has the best built in secret. Couldn't figure out over and over my best friend and I played through multiple times and kept getting stuck and then out of complete frustration, we discovered it by accident.

[@seoulgt86]

Same here lol

[@miamimagicians]

Wish we had internet back then ! SEGA was in its primer in 1993

[@istrasci]

Did this prevent the game from being beaten on the Sega Nomad because it didn't have the right functionality?

[@jeffb.6642]

@@istrasci Yes

[@jsttv]

I first discovered the code when I bought the GamePro magazine spinoff S.W.A.T.Pro. Helped me eliminate the guess work.

[@duckywenselcomedy]

When you did the Fatality for Johnny Cage, how the eff did you do it backwards?! I didn't even know you could do that!

[@JohnRiggs]

It was a surprise to me, too. I think if you just jump behind them. I gotta try that with the other ones now.

[@pcorey182]

Zombies Ate My Neighbors how you left off the list is beyond me, Splatterhouse and Mortal Kombat were my favorite games from 1993 for Sega Genesis

[@joshuamckay3309]

Wow, yeah that's surprising especially since he references it in a lot of his other videos.

[@jeffm5056]

Toejam and Earl was an early Genesis game, released in 1991. Toejam and Earl: Panic on Funkotron was released in 1993.

[@madspunky]

Exactly, would love to hear what John thinks of Funkotron!

[@SMSmediaservices]

Yes, there was a sequel to Rocket Knight Adventures, which is called “Sparkster” and was another great addition by Konami. And oddly enough, they released a version of Sparkster for the SNES and it’s got some of the best music and sound effects on the platform (imo). Both versions of Sparkster are completely different games, and they are both awesome.

[@wargameboy72]

Old Konami was awesome!!!!!

[@spaceraceutley]

Not having a Geico Gecko game, or a Flo game is a shame.

[@joshuamckay3309]

I'd love to see an AllState Mayhem game. But I suppose it would just be GTA lol.

[@Polycomical]

Fab video- I played Shining Force on the Mega Drive Mini and amused myself with silly names each time. I used to play General Chaos with my brother and that was tons of fun. With all the videogame film adaptations lately I think Eternal Champions has a great concept- a fighting tournament where the prize is the chance to change history.

[@daviddonnell2153]

These look like a lot of good games, I have not enjoyed the Genesis as much as I would like too. The only games I played the most was Beavis and Butthead and Sonic the hedgehog. Not having money to buy Genesis games has been a problem or buying any game from whatever system. There was a time where I missed out on like ten years of gaming but I was going through a lot and money was a big problem. But it is nice to see other people out there who can enjoy getting these games and showing them off, very nostalgic.

[@Louis-wp3fq]

Shining Force is one of my favorite things of all time. So bummed they haven't made a proper one in forever.

[@mercwithacat9938]

Seeing general chaos brought back good memories. My wife will never understand why I love collecting old games. It's really like having a piece of your childhood. I cherish my complete copy of xmen. I still even have the poster it came with.

[@holddamayo7474]

Always enjoy your year-specific videos the most !

[@alex64gaming]

So weird that they called it "A Dinosaurs Tale" when the actual movie is called "We're Back". I remember owning this game on SNES and it was titled "We're Back" not sure why the name is different on the Genesis

[@ThatGuyRomero]

LOL..., I WAS JUST COMMENTING ON THIS, I WANT TO SAY THE WHOLE DINOSAUR TAIL THING IS THE EUROPEAN VERSION, BC LIKE YOU SAID THE GAME IS BASED OFF THE BADDEST 90S CHILDHOOD CLASSIC MOVIE.... ""WEEEE'REEEEE BAACCKK!"" 😎🫥

[@starstarstar4643]

Toe and Jam and Earl came out in 1991, the sequel Panic on Funkotron came out in 1993

[@nerdsoftheasylum]

Came here to say that, good catch

[@putridscene]

There are 4 games in the Rocket Knight series. SNES had Sparkster, and there was also a Sparkster game on Genesis that was completely different. Then there's the Rocket Knight XBLA/PSN game that was...fine.

[@35april1]

93 the year I got my genesis. Got mortal kombat and Jurassic park with it. Loved it. Still do! Lol

[@Marc_Araujo]

Mutant League Football and Mutant League Hockey were awesome...great times had with both of them.

[@jamesmoss3424]

Sega Genesis games in 1993 are the best. 😀👍🎮

[@tonyah.960]

My family and I always love to play the Sega X-Men game! The beat game on Sege John Riggs!

[@RAbot0000]

Mannnn, Cyborg Justice was my jam. You could actually take other robots arms off and replace your own and use their weapons. I never got passed the 3rd or 4th stage though.

[@adamjenkins190]

That game is rad. I still remember renting that and general chaos when they came out. Me and my dad wore those games out

[@shenloken2]

Rocket Knight Adventures appeared on Genesis until it’s sequel Sparkster appeared on Super Nintendo the following year! (Funny how that happened.) Indeed 1993 was one of the best years for Genesis! But 1994 was also pretty spectacular! From the long-awaited Sonic 3 to Castlevania Bloodlines there was still enough reasons to keep playing on Genesis: even as Donkey Kong Country was swinging in on the SNES!

[@The_Badseed]

A lot of good games in 93. I liked the sports games, and what many people consider the best ice hockey game ever, NHL 94 came out in 1993

[@Des_Zee]

Yessir. Just watched a new hour long documentary on that game. Forgot the name of the channel but just search NHL 94 and it will come up.

[@The_Badseed]

@@Des_Zee all I ever wanted to do was check Gretzky.... Why won't they ever let me check Gretzky?

[@CoachTabe]

​@@Des_Zee"NoClip" is the channel with that documentary. ALL of their content is amazing.

[@Canadas_Very_Own]

“It’s Batman. You can’t go wrong.” Batman Forever would like a word.

[@cubansupreme]

Shoutout to Rolo To The Rescue. I would say that it's a hidden Genesis gem. I don't think I've ever finished the game as a kid back than because it just had so many levels.

[@DaBigCheeso]

I got my Genesis for Christmas of 93 so a good number of these games were on my wish list for that year. To this day Jurassic Park, X-men, Street Fighter, MK1 and Royal Rumble (the greatest 16 bit wrestling game) are always the first ROMS on my emulators.

[@steelcurtain187]

Damn, this was a great year for the Genesis. I definitely got quite a few of these games that year: Royal Rumble, Aladdin, Jurassic Park, Gunstar Heroes, X-Men, Tiny Toons 😎

[@braddahl2098]

General Chaos blew our minds when it came out. I think we were playing it on Sega Channel and several years before I knew what RTS meant.

[@thereviewsbrothers3854]

Ooh baby. 1993 was a hell of a year. Mostly. At least we got the Jurassic Park movie. 👌

[@markastoforoff7838]

I loved General Chaos, me and my buddies used to play it all the time back in the day. A game that wasn't mentioned was NHL 94, one of the best video hockey games of the 90's. The only problem with that game was I had to go easy against my buddies because it wasn't always fun to win 10-2 lol.

[@CheerfulArcade-wp8wm]

Street Fighter 2 Special Champion edition and Streets of Rage 2 my most favorite Genesis games 😊

[@48hourrecordsteam45]

🔥 🙌🏾 That is when I realized games could be played over and over and over All day, everyday without feeling tired or bored . 🙈. Sometimes game got repetitive. And I was not that deep into the nes generation. For me the 8 bit gen was just try a game for as long as I can take it and put it down . The 8bit was just about trying as much games as I can. But the 16big is where I got into actually playing games to the end and over and over everyday

[@ibanezzer1]

Hmmm, got the title for Street Fighter "Championship" Edition wrong again. I guess I'll correct you...again! 😂

[@JohnRiggs]

I always need correcting.

[@mattm7798]

1993 was when the 16 bit generation was running on all cylinders...the seeds of next gen were showing up but were still a year away from release. Hard to believe the saturn and PS1 were both released in Japan in 1994, although the mega drive came out in 1988 and SF 1990 in Japan, so 6 years is a nice generation length.

[@darktetsuya]

shout-out to gunstar heroes, hands down my favorite genesis game of all time! also some very close runners up here like elemental master?! from the folks that brought you the thunder force series, its one hell of a shmup!

[@GotTheBestLigma]

Awesome game to play co op, beat it quite a few times with different friends

[@unconbentional2044]

I really like Blades of vengeance. Hidden gem in my opinion. It reminds me of Rastan.

[@gamerguy425]

it makes me feel so old that Mark Bussler said "outrun 2019, 9 years away as I'm recording this!" and now it's 4 years in the fucking past. Flo the progressive girl actually is a DLC character in the games Little Big planet 2 and Modnation Racers!

[@BobTheRetroGamer]

General Chaos and Dashin' Desperado's are on my top list of underrated Genesis games, I still love going back to them. Funny story about Eternal Champions, the one time I managed to talk my Mom into playing with me was the only time I ever did a fatality. Knocked her character right into the pyre in the back of a level. Was fun trying to explain how that's okay for an 8 year old to see.

[@kylekostamo1880]

I love that one of your fav genesis games is sword of vermillion, i used to play it religiously when i owned it in my younger years, gives a good challenge as well. The game doesnt get enough love.

[@mjdf122]

1993 was a good year

[@williamburrows6215]

I totally forgot rolling thunder 3! Thank you for the reminder and may I never forget it again!

[@trapmouth]

* X-Men opening sound * Deep seated game memory resurfaced…

[@Bloody-Butterfly]

Ranger X is my favorite Genesis game.

[@jmac79ers]

The gauntlet IV soundtrack rips

[@GotTheBestLigma]

Flashback was an absolute awesome game! One of the few my dad would pick up and play for hours.

[@TheDrisk]

Always love your videos. I adore the Mega Drive ...even if as a teenager I was an Amiga boy... But I did often rent out the Mega Drive when I got the chance. I really miss SEGA.

[@DirectorOfOperations811b]

John thank you so much for this! May the Force serve you well!❤

[@DirectorOfOperations811b]

(this video has been Sith approved)

[@JTSDAD67]

KILL IT WITH FIRE cracked me up. I thought James Bond looked a little like Jimmy Fallon.

[@bradenarbogast4382]

I will get on that Rolling Thunder wagon with you! Awesome series!!!

[@gamecheaterz]

@johnriggs you just unlocked a bunch of memories for me 93 was a great year, I'm gonna check out Haunting Polterguy looks very interesting

[@brazilmugenteam]

2:18 "the game had a European vibe" haha that game explains this comment a lot. Same for James Pound, Pugsy and other games

[@mattnova18]

back then I rented cool spot and flashback. such good games! Bought X-men and actually beat it. Took me a while and the music sounds kinda scary to me. I also played a TON of sports games back then. Madden 94, NHL 94, and NBA Jam.

[@ratedr8490]

Never knew about blaster master 2. Cool. Cyborg justice was an awesome Game too. Shinning force was so cool. General chaos was so much fun. They needed to make another one for the Xbox. Nothing beats haunting in originality.

[@ryuhoshu3303]

That thing with the X Men game happened to me as well, I had gotten to that part so many times and had no idea what to do until one day I just said "ahh screw it let's do it" mind blown!!!!

[@NALTOHQ]

Awesome Possum really is anything BUT awesome, but ‘93 was definitely a good year for the Genesis. Sub-Terrania is super underrated. Still need to play McDonalds Treasureland Adventure. Love me some ToeJam and Earl

[@hamiltonappiah6759]

Other 1993 genesis games you are not mentioned: High Seas havoc, puggsy, the misadventure of flink, tinhead... unfortunately only these I played, but I think the rest of the other 1993 games you mentioned in the video for the SNES version!

[@averyvincent1868]

I never got a chance to play it, but "Tiny Toon Adventures" looks a lot like a re-skin of "Sonic the Hedgehog."

[@daviebaggins]

Shinibg force!! That game is my all time favorite. I remember buying it with my own money way back. Played through it repeatedly. I remember renting general chaos like 10 times 😂

[@tonycoffee7335]

I like these videos because I find new games to play.

[@lonewolfgamingscwls]

Flashback was awesome. Not a fan of Mazin Saga Mutant Fighter. I wouldn't mind checking out Blades of Vengeance. Where's B.O.B.? That was the first video game I played on SNES in 1993 🙂

[@kennyronald1886]

I was the Strange little kid down the block who had the video game consoles nobody else had. TG-16 ,Atari Lynx and jag and Neo Geo. Got gen and super snes late.

[@MrCalverino]

Cyborg Justice 🏆

[@tac185]

I know you're not in to sports games, but I can't believe you left out NHL '94. That game was legendary. Also, that Wolfchild music at 7:34 is the most Genesis thing I've ever heard.

[@BlackMoore82]

Loved Cool Spot! One of several games that Tommy Tallarico composed for.

[@SonofSethoitae]

If only Tommy had kept to composing video game music, instead of tanking his reputation with the Amico

[@jimmystancliff2843]

There is a Eternal Champions Challenge from the Dark Side on Sega CD I think I have it somewhere in the basement

[@nynick716]

Loved original rolling thunder in the arcade great music also very addictive

[@SpeedyNoriega]

Everybody loved Gambit. You ain't lying about that. Esp if you were in art class at the time.

[@RomesThe59]

So true about the commercial games. I remember playing as the Noid in a dominos pizza game.

[@cecilsgames845]

My parents got me sonic spinball for Xmas . Plus since my dad ordered it in advance. I got a sonic plush as a bonus from babbages back in the day

[@ericm215]

We needed to had a A&W bear game

[@jbleichman]

There _was_ a version of Rocket Knight Adventures for the SNES under the title of “Sparkster”.

[@kuruptein]

Nomnoms John Riggs ftw. Love the videos

[@ryanyoder7573]

93 was the year of the PC for me. Wolfenstein, Windows 3.11, BBS, CD ROM. All good.

[@Magnus_Ichiro]

Can’t forget about Spuds McKenzie during that time

[@tonystark6306]

Some good takes in here. Rock on. 🤘

[@Mike__P]

That X-Men game looks just like Flashback lol. Genesis colors were so limited.

[@HelciusCabral]

I wish you included sega mega drive here, Dyna Brothers 2 is such a hiddem gem no one talks about!

[@Green.Blood.]

The sequel to Rocket Knight is on the SNES it’s called Sparkster. Some of the best games by Konami.

[@arnmrs1660]

And also a different seuquel on the Sega Genesis

[@goon5544]

I was 6 and 7 at the time and didn't know all these games but I think I had my sega by then and had sonic, aladdin, toe jam and earl, goofy, street fighter 2 and tiny toons. I dont know if it was that year but I did get gunstar hero. I know I had my nes at that time.

[@Poobyskates]

S'mores cereal and some American gladiators was the best part of the week

[@forcedfeedbackclassicgamer5499]

Fyi, Rocket Knight's sequel is Sparkster, which did appear on both Genesis and SNES, though it's arguably not as good as Rocket Knight, but for some reason is way more expensive nowadays... And I'll never understand everyone's hate for Sonic Spinball. Love that game, easily one of my most played Genesis games.

[@TheGamingCircle]

Riggs pulled out some magical gems 💎 here:-))

[@BlackMoore82]

Speaking of I.R.S., Mike Rotunda remains one of my favorites to have ever held the NWA World Television Championship.

[@1-eye-willy]

my favorite throwback cheeto wer the cheetos "paws" they still make them but in my mind they are not the same as in the 90's. ive tried the new 3D doritos and those too, are nothing like the ones from the 90's that they sold in a plastic tube and came with a promotional guitar pick with a picture oof garth brooks in a black wig. what a time to be alive

[@davidkaufman7979]

General Chaos!!!!! Spent countless hours playing that with my best bud!

[@jimmystancliff2843]

Yes lethal Enforcer was just talking about that they got to make a new VR game for the quest 2

[@ferf-kx6dq]

Chester Cheetah even made a Gamepro magazine cover.

[@Reasonjpn]

5:44 The Kremlin were a UK team. Internal devs for publisher Domark. Did a lot of Amiga ports and flight sims

[@mattnordsell9760]

I loved the tiny too S adventure game, the copy of it that I used to have came from funcoland.

[@mark6302]

x-men was friggin awesome

[@48hourrecordsteam45]

Yes it was. But I can honestly remember wishing they copied a little bit of streets of rage . Like enemies have lives, because I was a kid I could not stand one hit kills 🙄… Omg it drove me insane… The enemies needed to fall instead of disappearing. And give the characters combos

[@carrito1981]

Thanks for all your hard work Mr Riggs!