The Top 10 Greatest Sega Genesis Games

My top 10 games for the Sega Genesis. New to the channel? Subscribe here: kzbin.info_c...
Support the channel and become a member for advanced viewing and other exclusives!
/ xygor
Join my Discord community!
/ discord
Buy Sega Genesis Mini: amzn.to/37Qmpun
Buy Sega Genesis Mini 2: amzn.to/3o1wyyA
Buy 1TB Micro SD Card: amzn.to/3hIjRFX
Buy Retroid Pocket Pro Handheld Gaming Device: amzn.to/46NzkcB
Buy Anbernic Handheld Gaming Device: amzn.to/46PVfzD
Buy Super Console X (117,000 Games): amzn.to/3BS4MZ2
Buy UM690 Mini PC (Best Mini Emulation Machine): amzn.to/3jktjjo
Buy Retropie Starter Kit: amzn.to/3Gc7paP
Other great gear:
Best webcam for value: amzn.to/2zEpQTl
Best microphone for value: amzn.to/2QfRpI4
Best boom arm for value: amzn.to/2zDJ8bp
Best microphone + boom arm combo: amzn.to/2OnebjV
Best keyboard for value: amzn.to/2DFyMvQ
Best mouse for value: amzn.to/2OfHm8D
Best gaming chair for value: amzn.to/3VfFfjt
Best speakers for value: amzn.to/2On5Dtg
Best wireless router for value: amzn.to/2zDJYoz
00:00 - Introduction
00:51 - Number 10
02:17 - Number 9
03:36 - Number 8
04:52 - Number 7
06:29 - Number 6
08:09 - Number 5
10:10 - Number 4
11:50 - Number 3
13:30 - Number 2
14:41 - Number 1
16:27 - Honorable Mentions
#Sega #Retro #XygorGaming

[@Xygor]

What do you think about my top 10 Sega Genesis games list? Which games did you think I missed, or rated too highly? Gain early access to my videos by supporting me at www.patreon.com/xygorgaming OR through KZbin membership by clicking the JOIN button above!

[@dwaynemenzies8824]

Where's Rocket Knight Adventures?

[@foxtoxic9722]

Honestly I do agree with the list but Rocket Knight should have at least got an honorable mention.

[@capt.animosiac5093]

Good list but I'd add Herzog Zwei in the honorable mentions.

[@Palalubong]

Micro machines 2 Mortal Kombat 2 Streets of Rage 1 WWF Raw is War Fifa 95 NBA Jam PGA Tour Golf Jimmy White Snooker Eternal Champions

[@joshbrekke6374]

Ghouls & Ghosts Truxton Arnold Palmer golf Golden Axe ll Never been much into RPG,s, Bloodlines is a real good one, one of my favorites. Good list, too many RPG for me.

[@drowningin]

I still remember when that Shinobi came out. It was after a baseball game. My parents, me, my friend and his parents were at an Electronics store for some reason. Him and his dad were so hyped to get it. I spent the night and we played it all night

[@Xygor]

Great memories! Thanks for sharing them. What a great game.

[@scorpionwins6378]

Love hearing gamer stories from back then, especially the 90's. It was such a fun time to be a kid.

[@MattyIcecubes]

That's awesome! It had to be so cool having a gamer dad back then. There are tons of gamer dads nowadays but back when those gamer dads were gamer kids most dads weren't interested.

[@thuggeegaming659]

Shinobi 3 is amazing, it's my #2 Genesis game. Unfortunately the series declined since then. A few games weren't bad per se, but they just weren't as good. SEGA should really contract a team, maybe DotEmu or Wayforward and get them to make a real Shinobi 4.

[@Palalubong]

Love memories like this mate. It meant so much you remembered what you did that day. I have memories like that.

[@xxHUNGRY4THETRUTHxx]

My #1 Pick is Streets of Rage 2. It's a game I'll never become tired of playing. Been on it since '92.

[@Xygor]

It’s a great one!

[@Shauddi]

Came on here looking for this!!!! Awhhhaaaaaw, awwhaaaaaaw, GRASTAPPA!

[@AnthonyRiddle]

The 16bit generation will always be my favorite. I play more 16bit games these days than I do anything else. They’re so damn gorgeous. I’ve also been getting into modern games with 16bit style graphics

[@Xygor]

Right on, hard to forget the 16 bit era!

[@scorpionwins6378]

I recently started playing Vector Man again after so many years. Am still quite in awe over the graphics, gameplay and soundtrack. I'm grateful for having grown up on the Genesis and all the amazing games it offered. Good times.

[@helderestrela6958]

Pixel art never get old

[@darkobelisk4076]

Have you played Huntdown? Its the most glorious 16 bit style game my eye balls and ear balls have experienced

[@AnthonyRiddle]

@@darkobelisk4076 No. I haven't even heard of it. I'm gonna check it out right now

[@OlDirtyChinesRestaurant]

Shining Force 1 and 2 got me though some cold ass alaska winters when i was a kid.

[@Xygor]

Excellent! Such great games.

[@tarantinoish]

Gunstar Heroes, Shining Force 1 and 2, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, General Chaos, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, and Phantasy Star 2 and 4 are my jams. And Snatcher if you add in the CD attachment.

[@Xygor]

Thanks for the feedback, Zombies Ate my Neighbors is super underrated!

[@Shauddi]

General Chaos and Snatcher - two of my favs!!

[@chumorgan443]

Beyond Oasis ( STORY OF THOR) has to be in my list not just for fusing Zelda with streets of rage but for The Kojima style elements it had Take fishing for example. There is no fishing in the game ... But there definitely is. You can bait fish to attack you onto land becoming food for you. Hidden side quests for unbreakable weapons in every class. A pet strengthening meta game tied to puzzles or races. It was truly something different.

[@Xygor]

Thanks for your thoughts, Beyond Oasis was absolutely fantastic and I reviewed it recently!

[@Soynereh]

Monster World IV is a must for me. I could do a 50 list and still feel like a left out a bunch.

[@Xygor]

Great suggestion!

[@Derpmander1982]

So happy to see you included Shadowrun on this list! Shadowrun remains one of the best hidden gems on this system, and it has aged really well, it’s still super fun to this day. One of the things I love about this game is the unscripted events that randomly happen as you progress through the game. For example, you can be walking through a city when suddenly the screen cuts to a dialog box where a guy in an alley calls out to you to offer to sell you grenades (or something else) at a significant discount, and half the time when you accept, he takes your money, laughs and you get cheap weapons, the other half it’s an undercover lone star officer and you’re busted. Stuff like that makes this game still genuinely fun to play today! You mentioned you never beat this one, I recommend you give it a shot and go for a completion, everything holds up through the ending! Thanks for the video!

[@Xygor]

Thanks! Shadowrun is a game that still doesn't get enough credit. Super innovative game that really flew under the radar.

[@Des_Zee]

Nice list especially arcus odyssey. It's truly an underrated gem.

[@Xygor]

Agreed!

[@cid_xexyz]

Phantasy Star 4 is the GOAT! Every point you made about it is spot on. The music was amazing and it still holds up really well. Thanks for putting it number 1.

[@Xygor]

Thanks, glad you agree!

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

Time to put on Her Last Breath and pour one out...

[@matthewyoungquist5418]

Every buddy has different games on a top 10 list and I enjoy every one of them. It's always cool to see the differences.

[@Xygor]

Glad you liked it!

[@GhaleonEB]

There are many more "top 10" choices that could get in there, but it's hard to argue with any of these picks. Appreciate the rich mix of genres as well. Action, adventure, platforming, RPG, strategy RPG. I've played all but two of these and will seek them out (Castlevania and Shadowrun) to try them out. Solid list.

[@Xygor]

Thank you, glad you thought the list was respectable!

[@SrSacaninha]

Damn, that's a nice list. I could probably reorder some things around, but it doesn't matter, your selection is golden. For my taste, though, since you asked, I would replace Shinning Force II with the first one; unpopular opinion I'm sure, but I like how it is shorter and more focused. I'd probably add a beat em up instead of arcus odyssey, streets of rage 2, 3 or maybe TMNT. Oh and would also add the first DUNE, I have very fond memories of that game. And I completely agree that PS$ deserves more recognition, it's such an amazing game. One of the greatest RPGs of the 90s.

[@Xygor]

Right on, glad you liked the list and thanks for your feedback!

[@gm2987]

You had Phantasy Star IV at #1 and one of the Shining Forces near the top. I don't adore the Genesis library of action games and while it didn't have a ton of RPG's it has some of the best. PSIV is right up there with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI.

[@Beshozyajstvennoe_Mylo]

Phantasy Star 4 is a perfect gem!!! My first walkthrough was just 4 years ago and I loved it sooooo much! And it's brilliant OST is still in my head too.

[@Xygor]

It's just such a great RPG overall. Total package!

[@buckeyechad1]

The 1st time I played Gunstar was 2 player. My friend brought it over, was raving about it. Had to buy soon after. Still loved it 1 player, of course. Just wasn't the same experience, as awesome as 1 player was.

[@Xygor]

True, thanks for sharing your memories of it here!

[@28Pluto]

Shadow Dancer will always be my favourite Shinobi game on the Genesis. The dog sidekick mechanic was really cool. Also, Rocket Knight Adventures!

[@Xygor]

Two good choices!

[@Argumedies]

I spent a lot of hours on the Phantasy Star series

[@Xygor]

Me too!

[@scarosone14]

Great list. So many great games for the Genesis. Its one of my top 5 favorite consoles of all time.

[@Xygor]

Thanks!

[@GreyMatterShades]

Great list. In terms of games you omitted, I feel like Beyond Oasis doesn't get nearly enough recognition. Fantastic game.

[@Xygor]

Glad you liked the list! You're right, Beyond Oasis is great! Just reviewed that one recently.

[@stevesteve0521]

Shinobi 3, Contra hard corps, Castlevania bloodlines all in the top 10, automatic like from me. Personally all three of those would be in my top 5 along with Shining force 2 and Sonic 2. Great list, genesis is awesome and Shinobi 3 probably has the best soundtrack on the console

[@Xygor]

Thanks for the praise and your feedback on it!

[@Stotfish]

I discovered you and your channel about two months back. I think I'm truly a fan at this point. I knew your #1 pick before I stared. Love your work.

[@Xygor]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@retrosoul8770]

Very good list man, I'm gonna have to give Arcus Odyssey a try!! If you like Gunstar Heroes, you need to also try the phenomenal Alien Soldier also from Treasure if you haven't yet. Superior to Gunstar imo, the flaming dash attack is immaculate and worth playing the game JUST for that amazing attack alone. Very unfortunate it never got a physical release here, ridiculous. Happy to see Shinobi 3 get love, only Hagane on Snes rivals it imo, brilliant games. Happy to see Crusader of Centy also and PStar IV in #1, good stuff. I also prefer and regard Shining Force 1 over 2, but I'm just happy to see the series in a Top 10 as it deserves. Other classics deserving of attention... Thunder Force IV (idk if you like shooters or not...) Musha Monster World IV Streets of Rage 2 Beyond Oasis Dynamite Headdy Fire Shark RIstar Ghouls & Ghosts Comix Zone

[@Xygor]

Yeah, give Arcus Odyssey a try for sure. Thanks also for adding your list!

[@typhus733]

The genesis was my introduction to games as a small child and the first two games on this list are two of my favorites of all time. Great list!

[@Xygor]

Thanks, glad you liked me list! Let me know if you have any favorites I missed.

[@ctomfaith]

Gunstar Heroes is the Ninja Scroll of Genesis. The tie-in with Guardian Heroes is just icing on the cake.

[@Xygor]

Such a classic!

[@DancesRainyStreets]

Solid list, definitely recommended for anyone looking into the old Genesis library of games. I ended up with 20 plus 2 honorable mentions below, while typing my top 10. In no particular order: Alien Soldier Atomic Runner Beyond Oasis Castle of Illusion Contra: The Hard Corps Desert Strike Dragon's Fury Dune: The Battle for Arrakis Flashback Ghouls 'n Ghosts Road Rash II Sonic 3 & Knuckles Speedball 2 Starflight Streets of Rage Tänzer The Revenge of Shinobi Thunder Force IV Toejam & Earl Yu Yu Hakusho: Makyo Toitsusen Zero Tolerance Honorable mentions go to Streets of Rage 2 and Shinobi III. (edit: and Golden Axe III)

[@Xygor]

Thanks for listing your suggestions here, there's a lot of good games on your list!

[@Dorelaxen]

I think I would have included Phantasy Star II in there somewhere. It just never gets enough love due to being so overshadowed by IV. It's still to this day one of my favorites. Yeah, it's hard as all hell, but it was such a leap forward when it came out. It actually felt like a fully fleshed out world, instead of "insert generic fantasy land here". The first time I can remember...SPOILER, a player character actually dying permanently with no way to bring them back, and the most amazing battle scenes I'd ever seen. The grid pattern you fought on just made everything seem more surreal and sci-fi, and the music is incredible. IV is amazing, but II will always be the game I think of when I hear the name Phantasy Star.

[@Xygor]

It's a really good game too! Thanks for your feedback.

[@crazyclimber80]

Applauding your placement of Phantasy Star IV at #1. Fantastic game. Others I would think of in or near the top 10: Beyond Oasis, Sonic 1, Sonic 3, NHL '96, Castle of Illusion and Revenge of Shinobi and Streets of Rage 2 (the latter 2 you briefly mentioned). I would also possibly nominate Street Fighter II: Championship Edition, garbled voices aside.

[@Xygor]

Great picks, all of those are solid!

[@crazyclimber80]

@@Xygor Thanks!

[@lovingthesauce]

So refreshing to get a list based off personal experience, and not what is considered the norm. Awesome video man👍👍

[@Xygor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Justforvisit]

As somebody who grew up with the SNES as a child in the 90's it's really amazing to see how many great games there have been on other systems as well. Your video also inspired me to do some research on some of the games you mentioned and no wonder the Sega Genesis never could shine in Europe: Most of the games you mention here like Arcus Odyssey or Shadowrun for example seem to have been US releases only. So we here in the EU got denied some of the most interesting Sega Genesis games it seems. Shame!

[@Xygor]

Thank you, glad to know you liked the video and are looking into some of those games!

[@michiganjack1337]

So glad to see Shadowrun on the list. It was my first introduction into the franchise and would love to see the series return to a similar style. I wasn’t a big fan of the recent xcom-like format the new games had.

[@Xygor]

It's such a good game!

[@markdiaz8895]

Phantasy star 4 and shining force 2 are some of my all time favs

[@Xygor]

It would have been a crime not to include those two!

[@markdiaz8895]

I agree 100% I actually beat PS4 for the first time a few years ago and it was just *chefs kiss* amazing. So I beat it again last year lol

[@francescosmith7859]

Excellent video and really good choices. I like Arcus Odyssey getting a spot as I think that is one that often gets overlooked and I really need to give Shadowrun a chance. I've heard I just need to look over a manual before you start as it's not something you can just jump into. Some other notable rpg/adventure style games for me are Beyond Oasis (my personal favorite) and Monster World IV and my top 10 would have at least one shooter probably Thunder Force 3 (I know many prefer 4) and Panorama Cotton might sneak in at #10 and I always like to give Jungle Strike a nod as it really was a fun combination of shooter/strategy/resource management.

[@Xygor]

Thanks, glad there are other Arcus Odyssey fans out there! Thunderforce 3 and 4 are both fantastic and I should have included 4 as an honorable mention.

[@downstairs2508]

A little sad Rocket Knight Adventures wasn't at least 10 or 9 but damn the Mega drive has a competitive library of games. Shinobi 3 finally getting the credit it deserves!

[@Xygor]

Rocket Knight Adventures is solid, just didn't like it as much as these others. That's a good honorable mention tho!

[@thuggeegaming659]

Rocket Knight is excellent. Sparkster is even better, I feel it gets unfairly ragged on for some reason. There might have been some slowdown issues in the initial release, but those can be fixed with emulation hacks now.

[@geraq0]

Great list! I'm glad to see Bloodlines and Crusader of Centy ranked so high, they're among my favorite Genesis games. I'm also very fond of Jurassic Park the Lost World, specially for its co-op mode.

[@Xygor]

Thank you, glad you think so! Thanks for the suggestion on Jurassic Park Lost World.

[@BProof]

Crazy how a RPG, Phantasy Star IV, is so easily argued as the Genesis's greatest game despite being a console so painfully deficient of RPGs

[@Xygor]

Exactly! But that fact makes it stand out so much too.

[@SonofSethoitae]

I tend to think that the Genesis' RPG deficit is overstated. A lot of the Genesis' best games are RPGs, or RPG adjacent. Not just the Phantasy Star and Shining Force games, but Shadowrun, Starflight, D&D Warriors of the Eternal Sun, Buck Rogers Countdown to Doomsday, Rings of Power, YS III, and others. It had fewer RPGs than the SNES, but it was hardly without RPGs to play. I think that people tend to discount non-JRPGs from the discussion.

[@BProof]

@@SonofSethoitae I should have been more specific. JRPGs. Not action RPGs, not adventure games (not RPGs), and not games with some RPG elements. Even the tactical games are iffy but the Shining series are pretty undeniable. Besides the only barometer for quantity would be comparing it to its competitor, the SNES. So contextually the Genesis did have a RPG deficiency. It could be that they didn't have an RPG dedicated studio like Squaresoft but thats a different conversation. Even though the Genesis was before Bernie Stolar was as Sega to implement the infamous "No RPG" policy, it doesn't seem like Tom Kalinske, before him, thought any differently. Sega of America just always saw it as a niche genre not worth investing into. Maybe it's because they were in the middle of the console wars and didn't want to risk losing.

[@SonofSethoitae]

@@BProof I don't know that I agree about that last point. Sega did bring over RPGs, as did some of their 3rd party developers, but it was a tough sell trying to get developers like Square to come over to the Genesis when it meant potentially burning bridges with Nintendo. It doesn't help that the Mega Drive wasn't very popular in Japan, of course.

[@jasonmuller1199]

Great list. I was expecting the usual games, but you highlighted some hidden gems in this video

[@Xygor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bryandavidasuncion9515]

Didn't expect Arcus Oddyssey in here but I would put this in my top 10 as well. I have many memories of playing this with my brother. Co-op was fantastic

[@Xygor]

Right on, totally agree!

[@Skeletorisnotnice]

I started in the middle at Gunstar Heroes and said out loud, “that’s number 5?!?” Love this channel btw

[@Xygor]

Glad you like the channel! I don't blame those who have Gunstar Heroes above me whatsoever, it's awesome.

[@gregorys9629]

Enjoyed listening to your list - definitely a few games in there which I don't usually see in top 10 genesis lists (e.g. Crusader of Centy). Great to see Castlevania Bloodlines in there too. The only thing missing from your list imo is representation for some of the excellent shooters on the console - my favourites are M.U.S.H.A and Thunder Force IV :)

[@Xygor]

Thanks for the feedback, those are both great shooters!

[@acharat6]

Truly excellent list. One of the best "top games on a console I've watched in a while", and I watch a lot.

[@Xygor]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@fern1146]

Great list! I agree with Phantasy Star IV at the top Glad to see more love for Arcus Odyssey as well, great game

[@Xygor]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@awesome6323]

Thunderforce IV, Castle of Illusions and Rocket Knight Adventures are also stellar

[@Xygor]

All great games indeed!

[@jakenastysnake]

Subbed dude. Great list, and I really like your commentary also. Keep it up!

[@Xygor]

Much appreciated!

[@megasupermaromba6145]

Streets of Rage 123, Sonic 123, PAPRIUM, Demons of Asteborg, Xenocrisis, Astebros, Shinobi 3. Alladin, Thunder force 3 e 4, Red zone, Sindicate, Robocop vs exterminador, Bubble and Squeak, Pocahontas, Tinhead, High Sea Havoc, Castle of ilusion, Quackshot, Mega Turrican, Alisia Dragon, Monster world IV, Wonder boy in Monster world, Jurassic park rampage Edition, The Lost world Jurassic.

[@Xygor]

Thanks for adding your list!

[@megasupermaromba6145]

@@Xygor ❤️

[@JayRCela]

Nice job on your selection of games, thanks.

[@Xygor]

Glad you like them!

[@epicglitter7218]

Feels great to see Phantasy Star IV here! I played it as a kid in the 90s and the game just blew me away. Instant favorite. Great list overall btw!

[@Xygor]

Thanks! PS4 is so good!

[@GH-wv3hy]

Phantasy Star III with its marriage/generation system was ahead of its time. Its tone and mood was bleak and really felt like a sci-fi novel

[@Xygor]

That was a good one!

[@NickEnlowe]

Great list! Our tastes align really well =D

[@Xygor]

Good to hear!

[@thehumbleone1983]

Great list some really good MD/GEN games I love them all but with Shinobi 3 I have great memories owning and playing it along with Revenge of Shinobi every weekend with my cousin and friend back then growing up good times man I love my Mega Drive console I’m always buying new games for it now as we’re lucky there talented people releasing new games like Tanzer , Demons of Asterborg , XenoCrisis and so many more . Great video bud 👍

[@Xygor]

Glad you liked the list! Shinobi 3 was so great!

[@The-Cutmaster]

Great list! I love that, when they released Sonic 2, they were already thinking about Sonic and Knuckles.

[@Xygor]

True! Glad you liked the list man. Any you would have included that I didn't?

[@Yuuretsu]

Definitely didn't expect to see Shadowrun or Arcus Odyssey in there. That's what makes personalised lists fun. I would have to pick Streets of Rage 2 and Rocket Knight Adventures for my list and would probably replace those.

[@Xygor]

True, glad you like it! Both of those games are great so I can understand that.

[@semicharmedlife311]

Solid list, and good to see Shining Force II included. The game that specifically made me run out and buy a Genesis was the first Shining Force game. Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition also deserves a mention.

[@Xygor]

Right on, SF2 is a classic, hard to deny.

[@planescaped]

Honestly, this is the first list of best Genesis games I wholly agree with. A lot foolishly omit Shining Force 2 and Shadowrun.

[@Xygor]

Great to hear, any you think I missed?

[@RetroEmpireDefend]

Streets of Rage 1 and 2, Golden Axe Trilogy, Sonic 2, Altered Beast, and countless 90s Sports games, most notably World Series Baseball and EA NHL franchises. Those are my favs.

[@jmatt781]

That D&D: Warriors Of The Eternal Sun was by far my favorite RPG on the system. I still go back and play through it sometimes.

[@Xygor]

Wow, I haven't played it, thanks for the suggestion.

[@jmatt781]

@@Xygor It's pretty strict to the Dungeons and Dragons original rules, and it doesn't really hold your hand. If you don't know the rules, there's nothing wrong with using a walkthrough, but it's really rewarding when you figure it out. It's so much fun to grind and improve your party, it's a great afterwork stress killer. Also, the FPS cave and dungeon sections are awesome fun, make sure to keep some ranged weapons on your characters for those sequences, and you'll have a blast!

[@adamo85]

I breathed a sigh of relief when you got to #1 lol. "How can he not include?" Oh, now it makes sense...

[@Xygor]

Glad you were relieved!

[@MargaritoTrevino]

I must of missed when you talked about Kid Chameleon

[@Xygor]

I guess so!

[@oukitama]

I am glad to see the the uploader, who likes Crusader of Centy and Phantasy Star IV: the end of the millenium as I do. I remember I bought Crusader of Centy on the date of the release.

[@Xygor]

Such a great game!

[@Orchestruction]

I can tell you exactly what a Gator Shaman is, its my next D&D character.

[@Xygor]

Sounds like a good idea!

[@spritennerdy]

Refreshing personal collection that stays away from lots of common entries in other top 10 lists. Really assumed Streets of Rage 2 was going to be number 1 but glad it was considered.

[@Xygor]

Glad you liked it! Streets of Rage 2 was great but just doesn't crack my top 10.

[@Fritz131415]

I would name my top 10 quite a bit differently but I absolutely agree that the games in this list totally deserve to be named as top 10 genesis games. Loved the reasoning too!

[@Xygor]

Glad you liked it!

[@caseyhayes4590]

This is a pretty great list. The more I look at it Phantasy Star IV is really the best 16bit RPG and maybe the best 16bit game. Then you have some others I'd have on my list like Shining Force II, Sonic 2, Shinobi III, Gunstar Heroes, Bloodlines, and Hard Corps. Nobody could agree 10/10 but this is shockingly close to what I'd list myself. I wouldn't have picked Shadowrun at first, but then thinking about it I might have it in my top ten, it did blow me away when I played it upon its release. Once Phantasy Star IV gets rolling it's like an amazing sci-fi film you control that you can't step away from.

[@Xygor]

Glad you like the list! Thanks for your feedback, and yes Phantasy Star IV is truly that good!

[@nathanbyberg]

There’s a lot of fantastic Sega Genesis games. However, there’s one I can’t seem to remember the title of and any help with figuring it out what it is would be awesome. The only things I remember about the game is it’s a platform/shooter game, where the intro movie has a man running away from some kind of space enemies, he then tries to escape on some kind of space bike, but a spaceship shoots him down. The first level begins in a forest like area where you explore and collect things, but also shoot any enemies attacking you. The MC then finds a cube like item that has a recording in it, and the recording tells him to find one of his old friends in a futuristic city. That’s all I remember about the game, does anyone know what the title might be?

[@firebones8206]

You're looking for Flashback. Great game!

[@MichaelTaylor-qp2xf]

Castlevania Bloodlines is my favorite Genesis game. I'm glad to see it rank so high on your list.

[@Xygor]

It's so good!

[@Level-Mind]

This list was amazing. There were a few I never heard of. I think I'm going to play all these. I'd highly recommend Rocket Knight Adventures.

[@Xygor]

Glad you like the list! I like Rocket Knight Adventures.

[@Dookie4218]

Awesome video Xygor. I grew up mostly with the SNES, so some of these games passed me by though I heard of them all. I really want to play Shining Force 2 and Phantasy Star 4, but do you think I would have to play the previous Shining Force, or the previous Phantasy Stars in order to enjoy the superior ones?

[@Xygor]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@Dookie4218]

@@Xygor Do you think I could just skip to Shining Force 2 and Phantasy Star 4 without playing the previous entries

[@Chris-fg7bx]

I wish more tactial rpgs would have towns. Sounds small but to me, the towns, funny book titles on the shelves, and wacky NPCs really give SF2 a lot of charm.

[@Game_Bro_Advance]

I need to try some of these out.

[@ItsGroundhogDay]

I was much more of a Nintendo fan. Haven't played most of these, but Sonic 2 and Shining Force 2 were great. Phantasy Star was one of those games I was interested in because of how much I liked RPGs then but never ended up playing.

[@Xygor]

Right on, try some of them out! And let me know if you think I missed any.

[@planescaped]

Shining Force 2 was fantastic. And it is criminal that Shining Force 1 has had so many re-releases and even a quality GBA remake while Shining Force 2 has had nothing.

[@meldarion8038]

It's a good list. Perhaps you should have made it a top 15 or 20 to squeeze in those games mentioned at the end.

[@Ronsilk-pu5hr]

Great list.

[@Xygor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jonpirovsky]

I would include Streets of Rage 2 here. It's the one game I play almost weekly on the Genesis. I would also include Thunder Force 4 and Ranger X.

[@Xygor]

It's such a good one!

[@stevenrosscarpenter]

​@@Xygor Ranger X rules! Hidden gem

[@thuggeegaming659]

Good list. Interesting that you put Arcus Odyssey on here, that's a hidden gem. My list: 1) Sonic 3 and Knuckles 2) Shinobi III 3) Alien Soldier 4) Sonic 2 5) Sparkster 6) Comix Zone 7) Thunderforce IV 8) Ristar 9) Gunstar Heroes 10) Bare Knuckle 3 At least for now. List changes all the time, but the top 5 is pretty much set in stone.

[@Xygor]

Thanks for sharing your list!

[@thuggeegaming659]

@@Xygor Few corrections because I forgot a few games. Comix Zone should be at #6 and Bare Knuckle 3 should be at #10!

[@gashmcnash3537]

The wolf dog man’s icon in Contra was so 90s

[@ShockStormRPG]

Shining Force 2, Shinobi 3, Sonic 2 and Phantasy Star IV yeah!

[@Xygor]

Glad you agree on those!

[@dwightdixon8508]

Obviously a good list but I also discovered very good games decades after Genesis/MD was discontinued like Tru Lies, Demolition Man, Robocop Vs Terminator & Judge Dredd which I never tried because I thought movie licensed games weren’t worth my time. I was definitely wrong and they’re Definitely “hidden gems”.

[@Xygor]

Thanks for all of these suggestions!

[@sylehu7056]

SHINING FORCE ❤❤❤❤❤ THE game of my childhood,I sent so many hours into it, cleared 10 times yo get all characters etc... I even made a cameo in a KZbin video about this game to talk about it❤❤❤

[@Xygor]

Glad you like that one!

[@galloe8933]

Phantasy star IV is one of the best, but Sonic 2 reminded me of my first Sega because they came together. Anyway, my mother and the rest of us kids go to the mall to get a Sega! The man at the counter kept saying the machine cost $5 more, $1, 1 cent, and than $10 more and we left the store. Dad and grandpa went after us, and got the machine at price. I was a kid, the man was early 20s and I didn’t know what was up at the time, but grandpa in all his glory got us the Sega!

[@Xygor]

Thanks for sharing your system purchase memories!

[@SonofSethoitae]

Some of my favourite Genesis games that didn't appear here (in no particular order): Landstalker Pirates! Gold Starflight Flashback Aladdin Star Cruiser Dune: Battle for Arrakis Wonder Boy in Monster World Monster World IV Gauntlet IV Master of Monsters

[@Xygor]

Great picks!

[@larrym5120]

I sunk so many hours into Pirate🎉s Gold! I still have it. Box instructions and map. I play it every few years but for an entire day.

[@skipduffee9453]

Good list! However, I will say it again, SF2 for the gameplay but PS4 for the story. By the way, thanks for showing Kiwi actually killing an enemy!😊

[@dicksledge2447]

Didn't get to play the Sega too much as a kid. One I'll always remember was road rash 3. Good times.

[@Marc_Araujo]

My Personal "Top-10" Sega Genesis Games: 1) Sonic 3 & Knuckles (together, not seperate); 2) Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master; 3) Gunstar Heroes; 4) Shining Force II; 5) Lightening Force: Quest for the Dark Star (aka Thunder Force IV); 6) Phantasy Star IV; 7) Streets of Rage 2; 8) Castlevania: Bloodlines; 9) Contra: Hards Corps; and 10) Rocket Knight Adventures. P.S. Special " Honorable Mentions" go to Ristar and Earthworm Jim 2.

[@Xygor]

Thanks for sharing your list! Lots of great games on here.

[@transitionalspecies4365]

If you haven't tried/never heard of Sonic 3 Complete, you should play it. It's a rom hack of Sonic 3 and Knuckles that fixes bugs and allows some options not available in the vanilla game such as the ability to turn off Super Sonic at any time or turn on Super Sonic even if you have a shield. You can even fly with tails in a Sonic/Tails game with only one player.

[@Marc_Araujo]

@@transitionalspecies4365 Yeah, but playing it that way would take away the satisfaction of locking on both cartridges.

[@TylerAStinson]

The Sega Genesis has a lot of great games but I wished you included Vectorman (either the first or second) because I’m still waiting for Vectorman 3

[@Xygor]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@coryschlichting3517]

Oh my dude! You missed what should take number 1... Streets of Rage 2!!! Man, that is my all time fave Genesis game. I played the crap outta' that one. It got the point that the only challenge for me was to play it on the highest difficulty... which I had never done on any game before that.

[@eviljoshy3402]

The other day I felt the itch to use my hacked mini snes. I loaded up a sega game rocket knight adventures. I was like 8 when it came out. The first game I ever bought myself. I had beaten the game before several times. When I tried playing again as an adult I realized modern gaming has made me weak! I died on the 2nd stage on easy. Gamers today don't know what we went through in the days where the tech was limited. They had to make games actually difficult back then to keep you invested.

[@Xygor]

True, great memories also!

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

Phantasy Star IV is one of the best games of all time, and it did an amazing job of concluding the Phantasy Star story as a whole. It was also, oddly enough, the first one in the series that I played, as I had never even heard of the series prior to renting IV from a smaller rental store in my area. Of course, after playing it a bit, I had to go out and buy it, and then check out the other titles too. Frankly, I would rather have another PS single player offline game than another PSO version, but I'm thinking there's not much chance of that, sadly...

[@Xygor]

Right on, glad so many people feel the same about it. Such a standout game.

[@tatianaes3354]

@@Xygor No plans for Phantasy Star V or a remake? With ray-tracing etc

[@caseyhayes4590]

I think IV and the SMS original are the best in that order. II is good but kind of a grind. III is a misstep. PSO is cool but something different. 8 Bit Phantasy Star on Master System looks better than most 16 bit games anyway so might as well include it. The cool thing about PSIV is it delivered the "next gen" cinematic story telling I was craving from CD based consoles on a 5 year old Genesis which was mind blowing.

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

@@caseyhayes4590 I didn't have a Master System so I never had the chance to play PS1 until all the Sega Collections started coming out, but I quickly realized just how far ahead of its time it was. WAY beyond Final Fantasy 1, which came out around the same time. It was a fantastic game, though I feel it was relatively overshadowed compared to the Genesis titles. Yeah, PS2 was so grindy, and it lost something by not having battle backgrounds, which was an odd choice, but hey, having animated battle sprites for the party was an okay tradeoff I guess. PS3... I have such mixed feelings for. The fact that it had pretty much an entirely different team shows, and not in a good way. It had some really unique ideas, and I do like how it continues from the Parmanian survivors' point of view, lore-wise, but it fell really short in the end.

[@Zazzaro703]

With how many great retro RPGs that have come out from the indie developers like Chained Echoes to Octopath Traveler, you’d think Sega could put a small team together to make a chained echoes type game or a bigger team to make a Phantasy Star HD-2D remake. I guess it would be a safer bet and cheaper to do a Phantasy Star 5 in a chained echoes style but I think either would sell enough to make more Phantasy Star games and it’s a proven market now.

[@shegade8567]

Disappointed I didn't see Streets of Rage or Sunset Riders (some of my personal favorites so I'm biased there) but pretty solid list. At least you had Shinobi and Sonic haha! What a fun time that was.

[@Xygor]

Both great games! It was hard to make this list!

[@aririu7787]

the sega genesis library is fantastic. I think each person would make a different list. castlevania Bloodlines. Sonic 3 e Knuckles. Dune . Flink. Phantasy star IV. Crusader of centy. Landstaker. Dinamite heaady, Álien Soldier. Tintin in tibet.

[@Xygor]

Yes it is! Thanks for putting yours here.

[@Shauddi]

Ooof, Xygor, I had to come on here to lament the lack of Streets of Rage 2. Agreed with all your choices here (such great classics!!!), but no SoR2? Art, action, soundtrack, multiplayer, that chilling opening BGM…I can’t even look at a Genesis without thinking of that game ❤❤❤ Otherwise, great vid as always!!

[@Xygor]

It’s great game, true! The list was hard to narrow down. Glad you still liked it!

[@Shauddi]

@@Xygor You got Hard Corps on there so I can definitely let it go ;) Hot take but I think Hard Corps is even better than the Alien Wars, although both are equally noteworthy. I loved HC's characters and their unique weapon types, the split-path narrative, and the "briefing" videos before each mission. Graphics and music also top-tier for the Genesis. Alien Wars is amazing but more of a direct sequel to the NES games while HC tried (successfully) to do its own thing. Keep up these amazing videos!!!

[@Ishmaellllllllllllll]

I’m surprised you didn’t add vectorman to this list , very good, fun and underrated game imo

[@uberpinkwarrior]

Huh. You don't have Ranger X on the list. That surprises me. Mind you, it isn't exactly widely known, so there's a good chance you've never heard of it. Might I recommend (highly at that) Ranger X to anyone who likes Genesis games? Absolutely fantastic game. I haven't actually played most of your recommended. Shining Force 2 was actually my first exposure to tactical games, but... I did not do well, since I was like 4 at the time I tried it and all my characters just died instantly. Phantasy Star 4 is among my favourite jrpgs to this day, and I still hold up its combat system as an example of what I want jrpg combat to be like (limited resources, magic + skill system, combos, usable items, large cast of characters with unique traits that actually feel massively different). And... those were the only 2 of your list I actually played. I think my circumstances were a tad weird, since I had Sega, NES, SNES, and GBC at the same time, then like 2 years later we got an n64 and I got a ps1 from a friend (pooled my birthday money together, they sold it to me for cheap). So I didn't play a ton of NES, SNES, or genesis, cause ps1. Also one of the genesis games I played the most was a Barbie game, which I can't recall the name of but enjoyed a fair bit.

[@Xygor]

Ranger X is good, and I included it on my Top 10 Genesis Hidden gems video, but it doesn't crack my top 10. Glad to have your feedback though!

[@oodaloopc9725]

Shadowrun is likely my favorite of all time. Open world and you could lose yourself in the world and never touch the main storyline until you are ready. Subscribed just on that Number 10 ranking.

[@Xygor]

Thank you! What a great game it is.

[@insaneasock3156]

Shining Force II is 30 this year in Japan!!! Wow, do i feel old lol.

[@Xygor]

Wow, me too!

[@TheNathanNAPALM]

Great list of some of the best Sega Genesis games : PS4 is absolutely the greatest Genesis game and one of the best JRPGs of all time

[@Xygor]

Glad you like it and agree!

[@TBoneTony]

Would have loved to play your Number 2 on the list, old school Zelda fan from the late 90s and just loved both 2D and early 3D Zelda games, so any Zelda clone I am instantly interested.

[@Xygor]

Great, give it a try! Such a great game.

[@TBoneTony]

Good selection,, though the only games I have played were the ones that were the 40 games on the SEGA Genesis collection from the PS3 and XBox 360 generation. So obviously there were games I haven't played from your list because of them not being in the Genesis collection I had. Never having a Genesis outside of playing it at friends places at the time is one of the reasons I missed out so much. I did play all the Shining Force games, Shining in the Darkness as well as the 4 Phantasy Star games from the Genesis collection so I can say these are memorable JRPGs that any fan of the genre deserves to play especially if they were a fan of the SNES JRPGs at the time so see how SEGA did their JRPGs in comparison.

[@MrZillas]

In no order: 01) Landstalker 02) Street Fighter II S.C.E./SUPER 03) Sonic 3/Knuckles 04) Return of Shinobi/Shinobi 3 05) Streets of Rage 2/3 06) Alien 3 07) Turtles Hyperstone Heist 08) Mortal Kombat 2 09) Gunstar Heroes 10) Contra

[@Xygor]

Thanks for sharing your list!

[@jessecutts4868]

Could you also list those games in the intro of this video?