Sega Genesis Games You were Playing in 1990

[@JohnRiggs]

I also looked at Genesis games released the launch year of 1989 kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5qXpKljoayXZ9E

[@lawrencemcstephens308]

Burning Force reminds me of a jet-ski version of something like Space Harrier or 3-D Worldrunner!

[@mash2481]

Thanks for the flashback!! I graduated high school in 1990. Lol!

[@lwhite647]

A few years ago I acquired a prototype of Moonwalker that had the full thriller song and I dumped the rom. You should check it out!

[@JM-pm1yb]

I got my own Genesis in 1992. It’s cool to see what people were playing back then

[@Emceemur]

Sega Genesis despite being widely known is also wildly under appreciated. And I’m tired of pretending it isn’t. I’m floored at the amount of “retro people” who only experienced SNES at this point. Lotta people sleepin on Sega. Vids like this may help. Great presentation, John.

[@KING_STRONGTH]

Facts bro. You took the words right out of my mouth.

[@EmperorMegas]

Man, I didn't know I needed this video until I watched it. This really brought me back to the best days of my life. I owned (and still own) almost every game on this list. I'm going to spend my weekend reliving the wonder years. So many of the best Genesis games released in 1990.

[@forcedfeedbackclassicgamer5499]

Herzog Zwei is generally credited, alongside Dune II/Battle for Arakis, as having established the RTS genre.

[@Invidente7]

It doesn't gets enough credit.

[@GreySectoid]

It is but I don't think it's an RTS, more like a MOBA. For example Powermonger was closer to RTS and it was released 1990. Don't believe the memes.

[@dwightdixon8508]

I recall buying Herzog Zwei on a whim and it becoming one of my favorite games of all time. So much edge of your seat stress inducing gameplay. Absolutely cherish that game.

[@JohnRiggs]

every match, a nailbitter. It's on Switch now, too, in the Sega Sages whatever, too.

[@nisus8]

Great video, John. _Sword of Vermilion_ was another huge Genesis RPG that released in 1990 (contemporaneous with games like _Strider_ and _Castle of Illusion_ ), which I loved playing around the time I was also tackling _Phantasy Star II_ .

[@benaiahburns4046]

Dynamite Duke and Whip Rush are two games that I don't hear anyone talking about, but I love. I've actually played and finished all of these games, and many more on the Genesis.

[@BigMacOrange]

John I don't know if u know this but sega released Herzog's zwei on the switch and its enhanced and comes with one of the most comprehensive training courses I've ever seen. So much work went into the switch port it's crazy. And it's only 7 bucks but it goes on sale often.

[@mumfnah]

Nice one, I will have to check this out, sounds good

[@JohnRiggs]

Amazing!

[@angryretrogamer7313]

Good to know👍

[@ebrim5013]

That’s awesome. This was one I found once as a kid and rented and then never saw it again. Definitely going to wishlist that.

[@edgewaterit1238]

Thanks for the reviews on the Genesis. I'm a nintendo guy and just recently started playing more genesis games. I used to play more of their sports games but now discovering some of these gems on my GPi Retroflag case. Some of these puzzle games really play nice on it! Thanks!

[@Riddler1001]

Herzog Zwei was definitely ahead of its time. I remember being confused on how to play it until I played it in split screen with a friend. Still awesome to play today!

[@DeVstatrOmga]

My humble opinion, the Sega Genesis is the most important, iconic and historically most impactful system that helped pave the way to what gaming is today. Inadvertently the Xbox or PlayStation would not exist today if not for the Sega Genesis.

[@chrisrj9871]

I've been saying for a while now that 16-bit gaming was the gateway between classic arcade gaming to modern cinematic gaming. Started with Sega Genesis, advanced via SNES. Something little kids in their 20s today won't get.

[@ZebraEnt]

You spelled SNES wrong 😂

[@raphaelfp]

Lots of classic stuff here. I played a lot of Eswat (in the arcades also), Castle of Illusion, Dynamite Duke, Ghostbusters... totally forgot about Insector X, a pretty cool shmup!

[@tdotsmooth]

This is about the time I went from my Sega Master System to the Genesis I have such great memories of that era.

[@BigBadJohnDiesel]

I can relate! My senior year in highschool! Good times indeed!

[@MrBacchus18]

Me too, a Sega kid

[@vincentferrari]

Zoom is criminally underrated as a game. It's the Genesis game, other than Streets of Rage 1 and 2 that I find myself going back to most.

[@JohnRiggs]

It really is!

[@arnmrs1660]

Specially for 2 players co-op

[@chrisrj9871]

It's a great game if you want to play a GAME! ...though the hand saying "come on BOY" over and over again gets TEDIOUS... that's the only drawback to it.

[@vincentferrari]

@@chrisrj9871 god I hate the “come on boy” hahahahahah

[@snbks4ever]

oh man Zoom, my brother bought a Sega Genesis in idk 1990 or 91'? I played that game longer than I probably should have along with Sonic, brings back the memories!! Thanks John

[@richardjenkins128]

My God I love Johns fun and knowledgeable approach to these video’s I recently bought both a mega drive and snes mini and have learned a fair bit. Thank you!

[@pika23]

I finally got a genesis in 2000. I was nintendo through and through and had a playstation also. We had a dirt cheap(til they caught on to what I was doing...buy cheap and selling high at gamestop) resell store in town and I had so many games

[@TheMultiGunMan]

I had a Sega Genesis as a teenager. It was my first console. My favorite game from 1990 would be Phantasy Star II.

[@MrOhydro]

SEGA WAS SO RAW

[@OakCityGamers]

I had one when I was a kid. This was a good vid John. I didn’t get it early. I did have afterburner. So I guess that’s my pick! Thanks for these vids. They’re always a treat.

[@retrogaminghippie3720]

Retro gaming hippie approves! Great work as usual from Mr. Riggs. Great to see you at the Portland retro game swap meet. Herzog zwei is fantastic. I also enjoy bonanza bros as it has an elevator action kind of vibe!

[@jamescurrie01]

Super hydlide is one of my favorite rpgs of all time, and ive played over 100 rpgs. you need to make your own maps to complete it, specifically 4 maps: the two caves, overworld and final dungeon. the challenge of this set it apart for me.

[@JohnRiggs]

I'm glad it's somebody's

[@DoubleJumpVideoGames]

My favorite genesis game is Super Mario 64

[@brandonbentley5453]

I see what ya did there...

[@retrodungeonYT]

I'm loving your content the past 6 months - you have really upgraded your quality imo.

[@Des_Zee]

The nostalgia is strong with this one! Target Earth is a great game, but oh so challenging. IT'S like Robotech that's why it appealed to me back then.

[@akildukes7499]

Herzog Zwei is an action RTS. With a fantastic soundtrack.

[@80sutopia68]

That was a great video! I didn't play a lot of Sega Genesis growing up. I had the Super Nintendo! I have a super console X now and I play the emulated games! The games look great! Thanks

[@Dorelaxen]

Phantasy Star II is still to this day one of my favorite games. Nei...

[@danestegman155]

Good video! Nice looking back at all of these games that came out for the Sega Genesis for that year!

[@NickyJamesTV]

Great video Riggs. Thank you for all your hard work. :)

[@jasongerber1435]

Hi John, I just wanted to let you know I really enjoyed watching your videos. You have very cool videos that I enjoy watching in my childhood days I had a RadioShack color computer Nintendo and Sega Genesis now I am playing the super console X I have two of them and I really enjoy both of them. Bring back the old childhood memories. Keep up the good job with your videos.

[@darthv72]

Herzog Zwei was my jam. Fun and challenging. Target Earth was so damn hard in the later levels. Strider is still my all time favorite arcade game.

[@TheCompletionist]

An excellent video as always John. Unfortunately out of all the retro systems available the sega genesis was probably the one I missed the most games out of when it came time to its release. Out of all the games you mentioned, only 3 games I actually ever played, and only one of those games I have completed and permanently retired. I have played columns and insector x, and I have completed and permanently retired castle of illussion starring mickey mouse. Maybe when I get a little more free time in my life I can actually dedicate more time to playing the sega genesis because I certainly missed a lot of games for that system.

[@jamescurrie01]

oh yeeees - love this series. nice hit of nostalgia.

[@jeremytheloner]

Ohhhh, Strider, that takes me back... GREAT video, John!

[@hector189]

So many memories! I loved making the dogs dance in Moonwalker.

[@savingstumps]

Phantasy Star was hard for me until I realized that if you start the game dual wielding daggers, it changes the difficulty completely. Loved Strider in the arcade.

[@bradnimbus4836]

Oh yay! A new Riggs' video!

[@AndyDo]

DJ Boy was the first ever game I imported because I loved the arcade. Got it and found out Wolfman Jack was not in the Genesis version. Never even played it :(

[@heavysystemsinc.]

Super Hydlide is pretty intricate and obtuse at the same time. In the footage, you attacked some monsters you shouldn't and for that, you're getting the bad ending, your game will be harder, etc. You're trying to defend the planet, but you were attacking it's most ancient protectors, the Tree Spirit! If you put in the effort to figure the game out, it's pretty addictive and everyone's go-to simple-action-but-still-rpg game Y's was actually based off this series style of combat and presentation. It's got history. Doesn't mean you gotta like it, but it's legit.

[@JOSESANTOS-qp6ov]

Long time you don't do a ranking video.Hi from Buffalo N.Y.

[@hectormontalvo5565]

Hi from Rochester, NY!☝😊👆

[@Bloody-Butterfly]

Hergog Zwei has some excellent music

[@BlackMoore82]

Castle of Illusion, Columns, Eswat, and Insector X I played religiously, I still go back to Columns every now & then.

[@kornsin]

So many gems. When I was able to play my favorite arcade game at the time Strider (literally I used to try and jump like Hiryu off of rocks and logs a a kid) was mind blowing. And many of these games listed were some I spent hours with (looking at you Herzog Zwei and Castle of Illusion though yet minus Zoom which I barely remember but the fact that it looks like Qix but with tiles and a mascot means I am playing that ASAP). But Target Earth. I seriously can not fully explain how this game engrossed me as a youth and then became such a large part of my video game history. I can beatbox the intro and first/second stage. I have played this game at least once a year. The cart is displayed in my game room. When I picked up Leynos for PS4 a couple years ago I teared up as the music began.

[@UberNeuman]

Loved Ghostbusters and Super Hylide back in the day. Now today, Ghostbusters is the only one worth going back to play again.

[@jasonleman1396]

columns is still a lot of fun, i can play it for hours

[@toasteee252]

herzog zweii was way ahead of its time. the different maps, the different physics, the different vehicles you could make as well as troopers. The fact your money rose faster or slower to buy and manufacture those vehicles depended on how many bases you had. you could set different commands for all the vehicles to follow and not only could make tanks and jeeps but missle launchers to protect you from the enemy jet...not too mention you have to refuel you, but you also have to refuel and rearm your army to try and take the enemies main base down... it was great and one of the first real time strategy games that all others followed..like command and conquer. the music in this is great thruout the whole game and i think this was a sequel to a game that i never saw.

[@robertdanker6193]

Great video!! Didn't have a Genesis till much later but enjoyed many titles from that year!

[@KidNato]

The soundtrack to Herzog Zwei is amazing as well.

[@davesecx]

I went from a NES to a Genesis. Never had a SNES and I freaking LOVED my Genesis. So many great games. Loved the controller too. Also go a SegaCD later.

[@mtshark7]

Awesome video John! Wow I didn't know about a lot of these games lol.

[@MrOhydro]

MOONWALKER WAS SO SO GOOD

[@narcopsy]

A game about mj and kids. Yikes

[@Groglor]

I had zoom as a kid and I always use to say you pooped to shoot those poops and knock back the enemies

[@glenhayman8722]

as always thanks for the nostalgia

[@nrood3821]

i so forgot about fantasy star games. i had a few friends have it and they loved it. i need to play it

[@shenloken2]

I’ve been a Nintendo fan for years….But even I knew what “Genesis Does What Nintendon’t!” Even to this day many of their earliest titles are a blast to play.

[@PosthumusArt]

Had Columns, Super Hang-On, and World Cup (90?) all on one cartridge and played the hell out of it

[@jesterjames7]

So herzog zwai. My friend had it and we played for hours on that game and it was our favorite. I see it as the precursor to star craft. Awesome game

[@MegaPadVM]

Great video! You’re such on point. At least with what I think myself. Very good coverage and explanation of each game 😀

[@thybaker-ed9016]

My cousin played phantasy star back in the 90s I was 7 and just remember him in this weird crawler machine going through a desert but it was one of those majestic game days

[@roberthornibrook6344]

Golden Axe, but that came out in 89. Zoom the characters when they fire absolutely doesn't look like they are pooing on each other lol. Come on boys!

[@MotherKojiro]

I wasn't sure until you said Castle of Illusion. I'm not a Disney fan; never been a Disney fan; grew up knowing who Mickey Mouse was, but never having seen him in anything. I tried Castle of Illusion on a whim, and it just blew my mind. Sure, mechanically, it's nothing out-of-this-world, but it built such a lovely, whimsical world that I couldn't get enough of; World of Illusion did much the same. As for Herzog Zwei, I've heard someone call it a prototype MOBA; not really all that familiar with MOBAs, but maybe it's that?

[@johnpettigrew3056]

I wanted Phantasy Star II really bad when it came out but it was very expensive and hard to get compared to NES stuff, got it around a year after release and it's a legendary game but brutally difficult 💎

[@markracer3281]

I recognized the theme at the end... PHANTASY STAR II

[@ninjapwnsatlyfe]

Was waiting for this one. Really all the Genesis years. I have had my dad's original model 1 forever now but only have 3 games on top of a many-in-one cart but I really want to collect for it. The top lists are cool and all but I want the niche and out there games

[@ericbrucker]

Herzog Zwei was incredible! Once you got the hang of it, it was addicting.

[@EmperorMegas]

They aren't exactly aliens you're fighting on 'Target Earth'. Who the enemies are is a big part of the game's appeal. The story is actually pretty good. There's a bit of weird, lost in translation banter between the characters, but the actual storyline is really good. Man, I LOVED 'Target Earth'. Growing up a HUGE Robotech fan, 'Target Earth' was the closest we got to a video game version. For anyone interested, there's a modern 'Target Earth' remake for the PS4 under the original 'Assault Suits Leynos' title and they fix a lot of the weird, head scratching banter that doesn't make much sense on the Genesis original.

[@falksi3182]

Afterburner 2 is a must-own game still for me. Few games give you a 20-odd minute rush like that one does. And There's more quality stage design in 1 level of Strider than there is in most 60 hours+ modern games. SEGA fucking rule, good vid, like you as a presenter.

[@brandonb6005]

Part of the nostalgia for Target Earth is the easiest cheat code ever. Want invincibility? Press start on the second joystick. After that, about the only way to lose is to run out of ammo or screw up the drop ship mission in level 3.

[@TheLastLineLive]

Target Earth actually was remade recently, Assault Suit Leynos on ps4 and switch.

[@arnmrs1660]

I would add also Bimini Run, Thunder Fox, New Zealand Story, Techno Cop and the English translation of Sword of Vermilion!

[@64-Bit-Gamer]

@JohnRiggs, you don't sound 100%. Hope you get better soon! These videos make for a good series, thanks for making.

[@JohnRiggs]

I've been congested the last couple days. Not covid (I tested) but you're right, not 100%.

[@nubatman]

Moonwalker has to be my favorite from that year. Never owned it to this day, but would gladly add it to my collection. I do have a multicart with the game on there... Still want an original copy though.

[@angryretrogamer7313]

Herzog zwei is one of my all time favorite games. I still have an original cartridge and its available on the super console x. I only know one person other than my older brother that likes that game because of the sharp learning curve. Its definitely an edge of your seat game on 2player we pronounced it herzog (zwee) idk if its the right pronunciation or not tho. I love your videos thank you

[@davidsaunders5959]

Phantasty Star 2 and Columns for. Kept me busy a long time.

[@burner9147]

Excellent video bro👍

[@tylermartins7003]

Hey love your channel and this video series! I don't know if you'll ever see this, but a similar idea to this would be to compare consoles at the same age. So like what were your favorite or the best games you could play on snes or Sega and others in 1992!

[@sega-re-trop-vieux]

The Megadrive had a great line up when it was released. The Saturn however was a mess but ended with amazing games in Japan.

[@etanrrac5425]

Super hydlide! Probably people think it sucks but I was so into it. Still have it.

[@Waterboyofsuperman]

Loved playing Zoom on the good ol’ C64.

[@akildukes7499]

Target Earth is still a favorite of mine. Took forever to beat it. I'm working on it right now.

[@Infocrumbs]

Never heard of that zoom before , looks good

[@HarriHaffi]

Cool! Did not know that castle of illusion predated Sonic on the Genesis

[@All_Hail_Mighty_Cobra]

Insector X was probably my favorite. I didn't own it, but I rented it as a kid and loved it. About 5 years ago I played the arcade version. Very diferent look, way more cartoonish.

[@trapmouth]

I understand why you like Moonwalker. It is by no means a great game, but it holds a certain ‘coolness’ from that era. I’ve always thought fondly of it, from the first time I played it back in 1990.

[@diegocrusius]

good shmups that plays well today. I recommend Granada. Shapes and Columns aged pretty well too imo (though I like the sms version more)

[@barryyourdad6984]

❤️❤️❤️

[@thatwasprettyneat]

Another gem.

[@jamesmorgan3212]

I had totally forgot about DJ boy 🤣. I used to love that game !

[@josephtallman9158]

Where is Trampoline Terror?! Weirdly one of my favorite Genesis games growing up.

[@michael2244]

I had a Sega Genesis for like a week, my mom got it for me at a yard sale and sold it on ebay.

[@naturekid1335]

Target earth was the 1st game I bought. Mainly cuz it was $20 at toys r us. All the other games were $40-50. Fun game.

[@JohnnyBargeldBoom]

The stage 1 boss in DJ Boy was originally black. In the Western Version, she has a bright pink shade. Probably because it had been considered racist. Furthermore, she attacks with farts in the Japanese Version. This attack isn't in the Western Version either, she tosses donuts around instead. Funnily enough, they missed altering her shade in the subsequent "ROUND CLEAR" screen.

[@danielreynolds7458]

being black is racist?

[@EnglishPolishOnline]

Never thought I'd hear something positive about Michael Jackson outside the fan/MJ family circle again - thank you, sir.

[@jimhub13]

Weird question. Whats moving over your left shoulder at the 12-15 second mark or so

[@JohnRiggs]

good catch! IT's just my kid sitting on the couch.

[@mumfnah]

Strider, Thunder Force 3, DJ Boy, Atomic Robo Kid, Herzog Zwei, E-SWAT.... I had all of those on my Megadrive, I thing probably in 90 too as aside from Thunder Force I had Japanese versions of those games. Another obvious one was Revenge of Shinobi which was 89 but definitely played throughout 90 and beyond. Castle of Illusion and Columns are games I had on my Game Gear straight away, but never did buy them on Megadrive originally

[@krisfrederick5001]

All I know is 1990 Did what 2020 Don't. Best time to be a kid. Period.

[@jonascahonas4323]

We absolutely loved Blades of Steel.

[@bes03c]

My mom beat Zoom when I was a kid. It is such a weird gsme but oddly addictive.