Genesis/SNES/PC games

[Tessian]

You never owned an SNES?

Actually I had no idea either you were asking me... and no, I owned a Genesis back in the day instead. Then Sega f'ed me over with the 32X and I stuck with PC's until a getting a PS2/360 a few years ago

[Kupek]

Man, then you missed out on what is (to me) the Golden Age of gaming. I probably had more fun with the SNES than any other console. A lot of titles have actually aged well, have you gone back and played any?

[Tessian]

Man, then you missed out on what is (to me) the Golden Age of gaming. I probably had more fun with the SNES than any other console. A lot of titles have actually aged well, have you gone back and played any?

Genesis and SNES shared a pretty similar record of success and many games were on both consoles. I still have my Genesis and all the games to go with it-- Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Toejam & Earl, all the (good) Sonics, Mutant League Football, Golden Axe series... so many good'uns. Up until maybe 3-4 years ago I used to take it with me on our family's annual vacation and we'd play all the nostalgic games.

[Zeus]

Man, then you missed out on what is (to me) the Golden Age of gaming. I probably had more fun with the SNES than any other console. A lot of titles have actually aged well, have you gone back and played any?

Genesis and SNES shared a pretty similar record of success and many games were on both consoles. I still have my Genesis and all the games to go with it-- Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Toejam & Earl, all the (good) Sonics, Mutant League Football, Golden Axe series... so many good'uns. Up until maybe 3-4 years ago I used to take it with me on our family's annual vacation and we'd play all the nostalgic games.

It would have been much shorter to say "no" :-)

There was a lot of good stuff on the Genesis, but when you look back on the library each has, the SNES demolishes it. Really, there's only about 20 games on the Genesis that didn't appear on the SNES that are "must haves" or "excellent". The Mutant League series was great, Phantasy Stars were amazing (I even liked #3), Shining Force was great, etc. But when you look at the SNES, especially in the RPG and platformer departments, it's not even close.

Also, the Genesis was only in the lead 'til 1994, the year SF2 came out. And that was only in the US. After that, up to about 1997, the SNES pulled away pretty handidly. Considering the majority of the success of the Genesis in the US was due to the sports titles (when NHL 94 and Madden 94 came out with 4-players, I played nothing else), you look back and you see just how much better the SNES's library really was.

[Tessian]

Hey, I'm not trying to claim that SNES wasn't superior in the end, I'm just saying that Genesis wasn't that far off... especially when you consider most kids my age didn't give a shit about RPG's; I had Phantasy Star III (think I still do) and I didn't like it at all. Didn't get into RPGs until later (and yes, I did ROM and play through Chrono Trigger )

[Julius Seeker]

Phantasy Stars were amazing (I even liked #3)

Thankyou! I'm not the only one here then.

[kali o.]

But when you look at the SNES, especially in the RPG and platformer departments, it's not even close.

Bullshit. I owned both at the time and the Genesis was definately where it was at for RPGs. Buck Rogers, Might & Magics, Rings of Power, Phantasy Stars, Shining series, D&D, Shadowrun, etc (funny, you can see my slant to western games even back then).

A few stars stand out on the SNES from memory - Arcana, Actraiser, FFII/FFIII...but for the most part, the majority of the SNES RPG library was total drek.

[Zeus]

But when you look at the SNES, especially in the RPG and platformer departments, it's not even close.

Bullshit. I owned both at the time and the Genesis was definately where it was at for RPGs. Buck Rogers, Might & Magics, Rings of Power, Phantasy Stars, Shining series, D&D, Shadowrun, etc (funny, you can see my slant to western games even back then).

A few stars stand out on the SNES from memory - Arcana, Actraiser, FFII/FFIII...but for the most part, the majority of the SNES RPG library was total drek.

Uhhh, what? We can easily start listing RPGs and the Genesis will complete pale by comparison. Here are the RPGs I think were great for the Genesis:

Shadowrun (better than the SNES version)
Might & Magic 3
Beyond Oasis
Phantasy Stars 2, 3, and 4
Shining Force 1, 2 and In The Darkness

Complete list of Genesis titles

http://www.sega-16.com/Genesis%20Master%20List.php

Wasn't really a fan of the Dragon Slayer or D&D ones (half of which appeared on the SNES). Compare that to the list Seek put up before and it's not even close. The Square titles alone not only outnumber those but, in most cases, are better. None of those titles are sizable better than FF2, FF3, CT, or Super Mario RPG. That's before you even get to the Capcom, Enix, Nintendo, and other ones. The Genesis had some great games, but as an overall RPG system? No way

"Complete" SNES RPG list

http://www.forums.gamewinners.com/forum ... p?t=282986

[Tessian]

shadowrun

FUCK I totally forgot about that game! That was an AMAZING game. I never had so much fun not knowing wtf to do-- I could never figure out how to advance the plot, but I loved performing jobs and cyber attacks, etc.

[kali o.]

Uhhh, what? We can easily start listing RPGs and the Genesis will complete pale by comparison. Here are the RPGs I think were great for the Genesis:

Uhhh, what? That's a good question. Why are you showing me a list? I played all those games at the time AND have them all still ROM'd. Genesis has a far more solid quality RPG library imo. Great variety, above and beyond the games I already listed.

Unless you are a SE fanboy, every other RPG was generic and boring on the SNES (except what? Maybe Earthbound?). Share your opinion all you want, but don't pass it to me like it is fact - because it isn't. I'm not the only multi-system owner who found the RPG selection and quality far superior on the Genesis.

[Eric]

Could you name some of these rich Genesis RPGs we missed out on, because I'm drawing a blank here. -_-

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

Jeez Eric, scroll up three posts!

The Mega Drive had some stellar RPGs, no doubt, but the SNES' library just destroys it. Granted it was made up almost entirely of either Square or Enix titles, but they were all so fucking good!

[kali o.]

Jeez Eric, scroll up three posts!

The Mega Drive had some stellar RPGs, no doubt, but the SNES' library just destroys it. Granted it was made up almost entirely of either Square or Enix titles, but they were all so fucking good!

Ya, but for Eric, off the top of my head:

- Rings of Power (probably one of the best RPGs that gen - from Naughty Dog of all people)

- Might & Magic (back when the series was still breathing)

- Buck Rogers (really cool game almost everyone missed)

- Phantasy Star series (duh)

- Shining series (the strat RPGs and Shining in the Darkness)

- Starflight (probably the most addicting game ever)

- Shadowrun (SNES got the shit version)

- Syndicate (SNES got the shit version)

- D&D - Eternal Sun (awesome, awesome game)

I'm leaving out the subpar titles (like Sword of Vermillion, though the fighting engine boss fights was a cool idea). The Genesis brought out some amazing games, especially PC conversions (not everyone and their mom had a PC back then).

What did the SNES have? FFII and III (let's forget Mystic Quest), Earthbound, Crono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Ogre Battle and....?

There is the questionable stuff too, which I happen to like more outta nostalgia than anything else (Arcana, Robotrek, Inindo and Drakken).

Brainlord? Crap. 7th Saga? Crap. Breath of Fire? Crap. Etc, etc. Most of the SNES offerings were typical RPG generic rides - great if you were into that, repetative fantasy bullshit if you weren't.

The Genesis brought console gamers something different from the 8-bit era (thanks in large part to EA actually). Preference depends what you are into, but the Genesis has solid RPGs. I had waaaaay more fun with my Genesis RPGs than my SNES one's, which all totally began to blend together in my head.

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

- Rings of Power (probably one of the best RPGs that gen - from Naughty Dog of all people)

- D&D - Eternal Sun (awesome, awesome game)

I forgot about these two. Rad, definitely.

- Might & Magic (back when the series was still breathing)

- Buck Rogers (really cool game almost everyone missed)

- Starflight (probably the most addicting game ever)

- Syndicate (SNES got the shit version)

Ehhh, being ports, I'm not sure I count these. All had superior PC/Amiga/ST versions. (Also, the SNES version of Syndicate was kick-ass!)

- Phantasy Star series (duh)

- Shining series (the strat RPGs and Shining in the Darkness)

Definitely agreed. SITD, the two Force games, and PS4 particularly are very close to being my favourite JRPG/strat titles of all time.

- Shadowrun (SNES got the shit version)

Now this is just mind-bogglingly wrong. The Megadrive version was okay, but the SNES version was great.

All of the SNES RPGs you've listed as mediocre I would agree are that, but you've missed out on a heap of other really excellent titles: Tactics Ogre, Front Mission, Super Mario RPG, Actraiser, Soul Blazer, Terranigma, E.V.O., Illusion of Gaia, Legend of the Mystical Ninja, Fire Emblem, Super Famicom Wars and Fire Emblem (you included Star Flight, so they're fair game!), as well as decent ports of Dungeon Master, Power Monger, Mega-Lo-Mania, and a bunch of Ultimas; and on top of these, a heap of JRPGs that may have been great (Bahamut Lagoon, the SaGa titles, Seiken Densetsu 3, etc.), but we were never able to play.

[SineSwiper]

Wanderers from Ys. Let's not forgot Wanderers from Ys.

I kid. I kid.

[kali o.]

Now this is just mind-bogglingly wrong. The Megadrive version was okay, but the SNES version was great.

ugh....

Also:

-Tactics Ogre (this is Ogre Battle, is it not?)
-Actraiser, Soul Blazer, E.V.O., Legend of the Mystical Ninja (not RPGs really)
-Fire Emblem (this never saw western release did it? I imported a few games, this included [and FF5])
-Super Famicom Wars and Fire Emblem. You listed FE twice and, just judging by the name, I'm guessing Famicom Wars never got a domestic release either. Also, whats that got to do with Starflight btw (just curious)?
-Dungeon Master and Mega-Lo-Mania. Never played them.
-Power Monger. Not an RPG and pretty shitty overall.
-Ultimas. Come on, these fit in the mediocre category.

Anyway, you are kinda cheating there - listing a bunch of imports (that luckily, we have ROM translations of now). Meh.

[SineSwiper]

Starflight was a really cool game. I played the sequel on PC after playing the first on Genesis. Not to be confused with Star Control, another cool space series, or Starglider (which was even further back). And who could forget XCOM, or Cybercon III.

But, anyway, we were talking about Genesis games, not PC. Some of the early 90's games I played takes me back, though.

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

-Tactics Ogre (this is Ogre Battle, is it not?)

Nah. TO is basically 2D FFT. I never played OB but it looks very different.

-Actraiser, Soul Blazer, E.V.O., Legend of the Mystical Ninja (not RPGs really)

They're closer to being RPGs than Star Flight, you cheater.

-Super Famicom Wars and Fire Emblem. You listed FE twice and, just judging by the name, I'm guessing Famicom Wars never got a domestic release either. Also, whats that got to do with Starflight btw (just curious)?

Oops, didn't mean to list FE twice. These never saw Western release, but they're still awesome and they're still SNES games. I made the Star Flight comparison as I don't consider it about as much an RPG as these titles.

-Dungeon Master and Mega-Lo-Mania. Never played them.

DM is a first-person RPG, like a Western version of SITD. Good stuff. M-L-M had a Megadrive release and, I will admit, is much closer to being a strat title than and RPG.

-Ultimas. Come on, these fit in the mediocre category.

Yeah, I'll admit I was reaching.

[SineSwiper]

Dungeon Master was kick ass. Played it and the sequel (Chaos Strikes Back) on the ATARI ST. They released a true sequel (DM2) on the PC about 8 years later. CSB was a really hard game, but the quests and puzzles were damned fun. (The Supplies of the Quick comes to mind, where you had to strafe around this path to collect the awesome items, but if you stayed in one square for half-second, a pit would dump you. You had to face in the direction to get the item, move to it, click on the item real fast, and be sure to move in a path where you didn't go before, since backtracking would land you in a pit.)

EDIT: A couple of videos of the game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho5E05Bi3bU&hl=en (speed run; only using 1 player for XP, I guess)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGhu5oQY8-A (DM2)

[Blotus]

I've never played the Genesis version of Shadowrun, but the SNES version was definitely not shit.

[Kupek]

People seem to be polarized on the versions of Shadowrun. I rented the SNES one before I knew what an RPG was, and it seemed interesting, but I didn't bother playing it again after returning it. Had I owned it, and had I realized then how RPGs work, I think I would have enjoyed it.

[Zeus]

I've never played the Genesis version of Shadowrun, but the SNES version was definitely not shit.

No it wasn't, but the Genesis one was definitely better

[Zeus]

Uhhh, what? We can easily start listing RPGs and the Genesis will complete pale by comparison. Here are the RPGs I think were great for the Genesis:

Uhhh, what? That's a good question. Why are you showing me a list? I played all those games at the time AND have them all still ROM'd. Genesis has a far more solid quality RPG library imo. Great variety, above and beyond the games I already listed.

Unless you are a SE fanboy, every other RPG was generic and boring on the SNES (except what? Maybe Earthbound?). Share your opinion all you want, but don't pass it to me like it is fact - because it isn't. I'm not the only multi-system owner who found the RPG selection and quality far superior on the Genesis.

I was showing you a list so that you could look at all the other stuff rather than think I was just talking about the Square ones.

Earthbound ruled, Illusion of Gaia/Soul Blazer were very solid, the Lufias were very good, Breath of Fires were very good, Mario RPG was amazing...not including the regular titles everyone talks about (I personally didn't like the Seiken Densetsu series). There are tons others, too (I liked 7th Saga even if it was unfairly hard), just don't wanna sit here and list. Hence the links.

There's no doubt the Genesis' RPG library was solid (I musta beat PS2 a dozen times; it was better than FF2/4j at the time...easily) and much better than most SNES owners give it credit for (same with the Saturn stuff; people really ignored that system and it freakin' ruled, especially for importing). I've often defended a lot of the titles you talk about, in particular Might and Magic 3 and the Phantasy Star series, which to me, is just as good if not better than the FF series.

There were some excellent titles, no doubt, but the sheer volume of good to excellent RPGs on the SNES just made it a better RPG system overall IMO. Particularly if you grew up playing them at that time. Hell, I didn't even get into half of them 'til after I started expanding my collection during the N64 days. And I still loved them.

[kali o.]

I was showing you a list so that you could look at all the other stuff rather than think I was just talking about the Square ones.

Earthbound ruled, Illusion of Gaia/Soul Blazer were very solid, the Lufias were very good, Breath of Fires were very good, Mario RPG was amazing...not including the regular titles everyone talks about (I personally didn't like the Seiken Densetsu series). There are tons others, too (I liked 7th Saga even if it was unfairly hard), just don't wanna sit here and list. Hence the links.

There's no doubt the Genesis' RPG library was solid (I musta beat PS2 a dozen times; it was better than FF2/4j at the time...easily) and much better than most SNES owners give it credit for (same with the Saturn stuff; people really ignored that system and it freakin' ruled, especially for importing). I've often defended a lot of the titles you talk about, in particular Might and Magic 3 and the Phantasy Star series, which to me, is just as good if not better than the FF series.

There were some excellent titles, no doubt, but the sheer volume of good to excellent RPGs on the SNES just made it a better RPG system overall IMO. Particularly if you grew up playing them at that time. Hell, I didn't even get into half of them 'til after I started expanding my collection during the N64 days. And I still loved them.

I played most of those games at the time they were released (I was a serious little thief - I used to rent games from various stores under other peoples accounts - overheard phone #'s and keep them.

We aren't going to agree which is the better RPG system, because it's obviously a matter of opinion - but the Genesis clearly offered different flavors of RPGs...probably a lot more variety than the SNES. I mean, BoF, Lufia, etc - they were all carbon copies of the much superior FF series. If you loved FF, sure I guess the ripoffs were enjoyable. But if you wanted variety, the Genesis delivered.

As for the Saturn, hell, I still own one. The Saturn was a junk system, loved mostly by import freaks for a handful of gems. With the exception PDS (which I think you snagged for me) and Dragon Force, it didn't have much going for it. Even the Sega CD was probably better for RPGs...

So I ain't being a Sega fanboy when I say the Genesis provided me a better library. It had the games I preferred at the time (and it's funny because I see now I was getting sick of Jrpgs even back then).

/shrug

[Zeus]

Saturn did rule as hell for imports (hello, Radiant). There were some very, very solid titles otherwise, but yeah, it was relatively limited. The fact they it only really had 3 years with little support here didn't help.

I got you a PDS? Damn, lucky prick. Those things are impossible to find nowadays. I've purchased every copy I've ever seen....and sold one for a shitload of profit :-) (gave the rest to friends for what I bought them for). If you haven't played it, play it...now. It's one of the best games I've ever played. Just deal with the horrid pop-up and limited graphics, the storyline and gameplay is as good as any IMO.

I was lucky enough to play a good chunk of the Genesis stuff as my bud had a Genesis right after it came out; hence my love for the PS series. There's also a shitload of good stuff for the TurboGrafx that so many have never played (thanks for the CD again). Dungeon Explorer back then was like Gauntlet on steroids, Blazing Lasers was amazing, and the NES Dragon Spirit didn't hold a candle to the Turbo one. That's before you get into the imports.

But I do agree, the Genesis library, albeit smaller, did have some kick-ass games (no, I didn't like Sonic), including RPGs. It just over looked 'cause it was seen as the sports system back then

[Julius Seeker]

While the Sega had some of the best RPGs for the time, they are more comparable to NES RPGs than SNES RPGS. After Phantasy Star 3, the Genesis was left in the dust.


On Shadowrun, I really enjoyed the SNES version; it had a very interesting art style and music which meshed well with it. The game had a very richly dark atmosphere to it as well. One of the very unique titles on the system; one certainly worth playing.

I also have the Genesis version, but it is not really my type of game. First of all, I found the art style to be ugly and the music to be annoying; a huge contrast to the original game on SNES. I also didn't find it particularly interesting playing a Shadowrun game that is 97% repetetive chorelike gameplay, and 3% actually progressing through the story.

[kali o.]

I got you a PDS? Damn, lucky prick.

Well, I've got the memory of a 90 year old well into the climax of senality, but I think so...shit, now I can't remember who got it for me. I figured it was you since I bought stuff off you when you had the store....but now I can't remember.

God damn it.

Whoever I got it off of, I do know I passed the love on and gave it to Wolfsamurai, before he went all emo and hate-y to everyone at the Shrine.

[Zeus]

I got you a PDS? Damn, lucky prick.

Well, I've got the memory of a 90 year old well into the climax of senality, but I think so...shit, now I can't remember who got it for me. I figured it was you since I bought stuff off you when you had the store....but now I can't remember.

God damn it.

Whoever I got it off of, I do know I passed the love on and gave it to Wolfsamurai, before he went all emo and hate-y to everyone at the Shrine.

And I helped him sell that, his Saturn, DragonForce, and other games on Ebay. That PDS really got around :-) I actually also got him some 360 games a few months ago when he got his system.

It wasn't everyone, just a couple that caused him to leave. He just didn't want to deal with it everyday

[Flip]

You never owned an SNES?

Actually I had no idea either you were asking me... and no, I owned a Genesis back in the day instead. Then Sega f'ed me over with the 32X and I stuck with PC's until a getting a PS2/360 a few years ago

Its amazing how loyal some fans are and how Ive heard this story before. My friend went through the same thing, he had a Genesis and Dreamcast, but once Nintendo and Sony beat the crap out of the company, he didnt buy anything until X-Box came out... even though he likes gaming and would use my PS2 all the time in college.