So Sega is working on hardware again but its only for a plug and play system called the Genesis Mini. Its a miniature Sega Genesis/Mega Drive that has 40 games pre-loaded in it. When it was first announced people wondered if Sega would treat the game roster right like how Nintendo has with the NES and SNES Classics or half-heartedly make a list like Sony did for the PS Classic. Turns out, Sega is really giving it their all for this machine when it comes to the games. There's of course obvious games that are on here such as Sonic 1 and 2, Golden Axe, Gunstar Heroes, ToeJam and Earl, Shining Force (though 2 seems to be the preferred entry) and Streets of Rage 2. But Sega has managed to work with Disney of all companies to get both Castle and World of Illusion onto the Genesis Mini. While those games were published and developed by Sega, they are still games that star Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and nobody thought Sega would actually work with Disney to allow these games to be in the library. Sega even got some third party deep cuts onto the machine such as Contra Hard Corps and Mega Man: The Wily Wars, which the latter is more significant for the NA audience because NA Genesis owners could only play Wily Wars through the Sega Channel Online Service and it never got a physical release in that region, unlike Japan and Europe.
I could list off the rest of the games, but I think its better to leave this link here to for the full list of Genesis Mini games for now rather than eat space in the OP.
So now to get into the question in the thread title. What are the 10 final games you wish to be announced for this upcoming plug and play console? It can be any game you'd like honestly ranging from games to reasonably expect on the final list to games that honestly don't have a great chance making it in. I mean, anything is possible though if the Disney Illusion games and Wily Wars are on this machine so who knows? Here's my picks and how likely I think they'll get announced:
NO? Fine...
I could list off the rest of the games, but I think its better to leave this link here to for the full list of Genesis Mini games for now rather than eat space in the OP.
So now to get into the question in the thread title. What are the 10 final games you wish to be announced for this upcoming plug and play console? It can be any game you'd like honestly ranging from games to reasonably expect on the final list to games that honestly don't have a great chance making it in. I mean, anything is possible though if the Disney Illusion games and Wily Wars are on this machine so who knows? Here's my picks and how likely I think they'll get announced:
- Outrun: Sure this is more well known as an arcade racer than a console racer. But c'mon, its Outrun. It was one of Sega's premiere racing franchises and this machine has yet to have a racing game announced in the NA/EU region.
- How Likely? Should be a shoe-in. Sega owns the franchise and gives the machine a racing game to scratch off the genre list.
- Any of the Columns games: Originally Sega's answer to Tetris and for its time, it was considered a fun Match 3 puzzle game for its time. Long before Bejeweled and Candy Crush dominated the phone gaming scene with their Match 3 gameplay.
- How Likely? Another likely candidate. We already have Mean Bean Machine which is really Puyo Puyo and that has risen to become Sega's major puzzle franchise now (even though Compile created the series and made Puyo Puyo games on non-Sega systems before they went Bankrupt and Sega took the series) but Columns was first for Sega's puzzle franchises and was a prominent series for the Genesis. Columns 1 and 3 also have emulated versions on Sega's mega Drive steam collection, so emulation should be easy.
- Dynamite Headdy: Another Treasure developed platformer that at first glance might just look like another platformer mascot from the 90's. However I saw Giant Bomb's Jeff Gerstmann play this on a stream one time and its looks insanely fun for a 2D platformer. THERE"S A BOSS WHERE YOU FIGHT IN FRONT OF AN ORCHESTRA AND THEY'RE PLAYING NUTCRACKER MUSIC! It looks awesome! TARGET TARGET TARGET!
- How Likely? Certainly Possible. Its again on the Steam Mega Drive collection and emulation shouldn't be a problem. It adds more Treasure games too which is nice. Thing is would Sega rather include Ristar instead since that has more of a cult fan following than Dynamite Headdy does if they add another non-Sonic platformer? We'll see.
- MUSHA: I had to look up this game here as I noticed some people seems bummed Japan was getting this game, but its not listed as a Japanese exclusive for Japan's Genesis mini. Its a Shmup where you can transform between a spaceship and a mech and its known for being incredibly rare to find now. According to this page finding a copy of M.U.S.H.A. ranged from 70-200 American dollars. It would be cool to have this on the NA/EU lineup just for it being so rare.
- How Likely? Not feeling as good about this as I do Outrun or Columns, but I think its possible we can still get it.
- Herzog Zwei: This is honestly the Genesis game I want most now because this little known game is actually credited for creating the RTS genre. This is a game where developers of famous RTS games such as Warcraft, StarCraft, Command and Conquer and Dune II have cited HZ as the inspiration for those said titles. It even predates MOBA Battle Arenas as its multiplayer mode having you control a single unit fighting on one or two different sides.
- How Likely? It might be plausible to see HZ here. Sega did re-release HZ on the Switch through their Sega Ages program so maybe they will re-release again here!
- Mutant League Football: The Genesis was a powerhouse for Sports titles, problem is many of those Sports game were licensed and problem have no chance to be on the Genesis Mini. Mutant League Football could work since that's an original IP and has you playing as teams of Monsters and Mutants rather than actual pro athletes.
- How Likely? More likely than my games (Madden), but still not sure since I don't know if Sega wants to work with EA. This machine needs a sports game though.
- Rocket Knight Adventures: Many people cite Rocket Knight Adventures as some of the best action-platformer games on the system. One of my favorite indie games is Freedom Planet and one of the characters (Lilac) has a super move where she can dash diagonally into the air and Rocket Knight does that too. That sold me there.
- How Likely? It wasn't a great commercial success so maybe Sega worked with Konami to just get Castlevania Bloodlines and Contra Hard Corps. But Rocket Knight would be a nice surprise.
- Shining Force 2: Yes we already have Shining Force 1, but it seems like II is universally considered to be the best Genesis Shining Force (SF) game and it would be strange if Sega omitted II on the list.
- How Likely? Should have a good chance since its Sega owned. However Sega may only include 1 as the de facto SF game while II might not be on there.
- Mortal Kombat 2: Mortal Kombat was a series that was preferred on the Genesis rather than the SNES. Why? Because Sega did what Nintendon't and allowed blood in the original MK much like its arcade counterpart. 2 would make more sense since it is one of the few Genesis games to sell over a million copies and adds another fighting game to the 40-game lineup.
- How Likely?
- No way the Genesis mini has both family-friendly Disney games and an ultra violent, Warner Bros. owned fighting game in the roster.
- Aladdin: Hey they already got some Disney games, perhaps they're saving something like Aladdin for the final wave since its considered by some to be the superior version of Aladdin. Heck I remember playing this game at my Orthodontist where they had Sega Genesis cabinets lineups and Aladdin was always one of my most played games. Aladdin was also a pretty big Genesis game for its time too so surely it'll make the...
- Yeah no way its happening. Its already an achievement by Sega to get the Illusion games on here. But Aladdin has to be even more expensive to license due to the movie coming out this week and Disney would want more cash to have Aladdin on the Genesis Mini on what would be free advertising for the Aladdin Movie by the time it gets a DVD release around the same time the Mini releases in Fall. Though maybe there's no worries about Virgin Games (Aladdin dev) since Disney managed to release Genesis Aladdin on GOG.com. So licensing may not be as dire?
- Bonus: Madden '94: C'mon Sega! Put my game in instead of MLF. Just pay me a Turducken, don't include the names of both teams' mascots and the players at the time but keep me in the game for people to witness the greatest Madden animation in a game EVER!
NO? Fine...
