Results tagged “sega genesis”

The fact that people argued over which console between the SNES and Genesis had the best lineup overall has been well documented -- and sometimes by myself in small increments. But there's something else that isn't talked about as much that caused a lot of admittedly frivolous debates: when both systems had a version of the same game. Like those, these also exist today in the form of 20-something manchildren on the internet detailing the particulars of how the PS3 version of a game's shadows aren't as sharp as the 360 versions. Sometimes it makes a sane gamer want to contemplate leaving the hobby behind. But man were some of these bitter when we encountered them in our youth.

You could imagine some games that damn well should've stirred a debate, like the Earthworm Jim games and Sparkster, just to show that it was good to see games like that being talked about. There were also plenty of ports whose problems were curious, like just about all of Konami's games that were on both consoles. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters may have been a good game, but the Genesis version was pretty obviously regarded as the least important version. But these weren't the games that raised everyone's eyebrow. The first game to really start some fights was Street Fighter II: Special Championship Edition.

It was early 1993 when a couple of magazines -- Gamepro and Electronic Gaming Monthly, I believe (sorry, my memory is a little hazy on it) -- revealed that the Genesis was getting a Street Fighter game, despite Street Fighter II: The World Warrior only being released on SNES. Finally, Genesis owners had something to brag about. The superior version of the original was being released on that other console, and some SNES owners actually got their parents to purchase a Genesis console for them solely because of this game. A shame for them that the game was later confirmed for SNES, and released first in August 1993. The Genesis version later followed in September of that year.


But that wasn't all! Then we had to find out which version was better. You'd be hard pressed to find someone brave enough to be the peacekeeper to give you a definitive answer on that, but now that many people who were interested in the game have experienced both versions, we can tell you that there really wasn't a superior version. The SNES version had the advantage as far as slightly better graphics and better sound effect quality, but the Genesis version had music that was closer to the arcade games and a better controller. I actually knew this back then, since I had a cousin with a Genesis and the game, but it's a shame I didn't have the backbone to say this. Bummer.

But that wasn't even the biggest game. No, the main game to cause a rumble even outside the Bronx over port-quality was definitely the original Mortal Kombat. But the battle wasn't waged over whether the Genesis port quality was as good as the SNES version, but which version would have blood. Neither of them had it initially, but the Genesis version had a code to allow it, and too many people memorized it by heart. Vapid? Absolutely. Interesting? Well, yeah.


That little effect went much further than the schoolyard (where it shouldn't have been at all by ethical standards, but you know us youngins), and the Genesis version went on to outsell the SNES version. This one is kind of hard to look back on, because said game has aged incredibly poorly (and that goes for every version), but it's fun to see the silly things we argued over. Though looking at how some games are still debated is kind of fun and sad at the same time. During my time in college, my journalism professors instructed me to actively avoid using cliches, but this is a time where I can't go without one. "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

I didn't check out this weeks Wii and DSi channel offerings for the first time in a while this week. You could theoretically conclude that the reason for that was lack of interest given that I don't own either console, but no, I'm always interested in what's happening on the other side, so to speak. I didn't check it until earlier today to see the Virtual Console offering. Figuring that this week's game would be a follow up to last week's Super Star Wars (that would be Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, for the three of you not in-the-know), I was shocked to see that it wasn't. This week's game is: The Revenge of Shinobi.

Though I wasn't shocked to see that it was the only new game on the VC. God forbid they put more than one game on the service at a time! Though I suppose we should be glad it's still being updated at all these days. Wouldn't want a repeat of late-July.

Anyway, I'm pretty surprised to see that The Revenge of Shinobi was re-released in some form. Namely, I was wondering what deal or alteration Sega had to make to legally distribute this game again. In case you didn't know, it's been left off the last two Sega Genesis collections because of its inclusion of a Spider-Man-esque character (who Sega had the rights to at its time of creation). I was going to guess they paid for the rights to merely distribute this game, and didn't go through with a complete acquiring. But they actually went with simply replacing the Spider-Man palette with a pinkish character that behaves like him. In the words of the great Hermes Conrad: "That only raises further questions!"

So, uh, if all they had to do was a simple palette swap, why was it left off the last two collections? It's not like they didn't have the room for it, especially on the Ultimate Genesis Collection released earlier this year. It's a shame, too, because it's a very good game, fitting right between Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi and Shinobi III in terms of quality and chronology.

It was also one of the six games that you could vote for to decide on which should get an Xbox Live Arcade release last Friday. Though that's since been tossed out thanks to Sega not realizing they don't have the rights to Earthworm Jim anymore -- which was announced by Gameloft and Interplay yesterday for a digital release, don't you know. With the new poll, hopefully Revenge of Shinobi wins it, though I wouldn't be surprised if every game hit XBLA eventually. Though the emulation will undoubtedly be better on the Virtual Console.

In case you didn't know, the Sega Genesis released in North America on this very day 20 years ago. This is the kind of event that really dates you, the kind where gamers all around the internet who remember Sega's halcyon years say "damn, 20 years? I'm old." That's kind of how I felt at first, but it isn't until you sit down and think about it that it all feels natural, like it really was 20 years ago when you enjoyed most of its best games in their heyday. A time when you could only choose one console because your parents thought you were crazy for wanting two, and when you engaged in battle on the playground and either defended its reputation against diatribes from the other guys who felt the Super Nintendo was the better package.

People tend to remember the 16-bit era so fondly because it was a time of innocence, so to speak. Developers were free to experiment on and with multiple genres without much consequence thanks to low development costs. It was when gaming was primarily a nerd's hobby, both to its benefit -- lower budget games appealing to people who really didn't need a lot of pizazz to go with everything -- and detriment -- because god forbid you run into someone that wasn't engrossed in the hobby, especially at school. But even with its setbacks, it was a time when we were all forced to experiment with every title we received since, unlike today, we didn't have the benefit of going to the internet to look for tips to everything at a whim.

Developers and publishers sure kept us busy with a steady stream of good games to enjoy in our free time, too. The Sonic the Hedgehog games were all pretty good for people of all ages to enjoy (excluding a few of them), there were also more niche favorites like the Phantasy Star games, the Shining Force series (including Shining in the Darkness), Ristar, the Vectorman games, the Shinobi series, Gunstar Heroes (and probably every other Treasure-developed game), and plenty more. Most of us couldn't possibly mow enough lawns to afford all of that! Yeah, feel free to envy anyone who had both a Super NES and Genesis and could afford most of the games they wanted on it.

But you shouldn't! That's because there are plenty of ways to play all of the old games you missed back then. Sega has been preserving the legacy Genesis established by releasing compilations that include most of their best published titles. Sure, some of them don't include all of the best titles (and have some rather dubious inclusions), but they preserve the third best experience of them, especially if you're playing some for the first time. The second best is buying them from the Wii Virtual Console because of typically better emulation, with the best being, well, hooking the Genesis back up to the television. Though you may want to use an older TV for the last one there. This is all because you can envelop yourself in a sense of faux-nostalgia when you're playing the games from the computer via emulation (or another method), because you likely didn't play them that way when you were younger.

Sega of America also apparently didn't forget that this day was coming; they have a poll on their website to vote for what you think the next Xbox Live Arcade Genesis title should be. The choices are....well, they're interesting. Personally I'd like Toejam & Earl to win it, but I'd also take Wonder Boy in Monster World or Revenge of Shinobi (which I assume they've settled the rights with, since Spider-Man is in it). Unfortunately, Earthworm Jim is winning, which breaks my heart. Not to say that Earthworm Jim is a bad game, but I'd like to see the superior Saturn version of the game rather than the merely OK Genesis version made available. Bummer.

Man, there are a lot of great anniversaries this year, and they're all in rather close proximity to each other. Of all of them, this one is by far the biggest in gaming because of its impact on the industry back then as a whole, though it's a close call with a lot of other consoles having their birthday between this month and next month. It's a pretty great time to be in if you're a fan of nostalgia; of course, it would be ideal if the manufacturers realize this every time as well. Yeah, I'm talking about you, Nintendo.

Though it was immensely popular during its release, the first X-Men for Genesis doesn't receive too much praise these days. But that's not because it hasn't aged well; in fact, it's perfectly playable today given you're in possession of a Genesis that has a reset button. It's actually because a sequel exists, and it's one that far outclasses its predecessor in pretty much every way conceivable.

The leap from X-Men to X-Men 2: Clone Wars, interestingly enough, parallels the leap from Revenge of Shinobi to Shinobi III. They're similar in the way that both sequels represent a mastery of development for the Genesis, and the sequel is the message they gave to us and Sega saying that "yeah, we've really gotten the hang of it now." Both games use the original as a template to further expand on the mechanics established within them, and the result is a more polished product that's about two times better from a gameplay perspective and much easier on the eyes. They're also a bit easier, but "easier" in the sense that the controls are more fluid; and that just makes the previous iterations feel stiff in comparison.

For all intents and purposes, Clone Wars takes everything the first game did and exacerbates it to the second power, making it infinitely more appealing to fans of the series (big or small) because of its features and fan service (you know, the genuine kind). All four of the first game's playable characters - that's Wolverine, Cyclops, Gambit, and Nightcrawler -- reappear for this game, along with the addition of Beast, Psylocke, and, interestingly enough, Magneto. The inclusion of the X-Men's most venerable foe is part of what makes it such a stand-out product. And as a bonus, using mutant powers no longer consumes your health, making the experience that much more fun, believable and logical.

But that's not all that it should be known for, of course. When I was younger, I had a difficult time deciding whether this game or Mutant Apocalypse was better. I adored the general aesthetics of Mutant Apocalypse mainly because they were similar to a bunch of older Capcom titles - especially Mega Man X - but I can't ignore the fact that Clone Wars looks unbelievable for a Genesis game. As a platformer, it definitely has the edge, and the game also has the edge in terms of pacing. The fact that this one also has co-op seals the deal: Clone Wars is definitely the better game.

Like the previous Genesis game, this one also has a unique gimmick that would undoubtedly be frowned upon today. Fortunately, it's nothing quite as bad as what was in the previous game (you know, that "reset" thing). Just about every game you play, old or new, shows you who the developer is and then provides either the intro or title upon start up. Not this game. When you boot Clone Wars up, you're immediately trust into action as a random character right in front of an enemy who's willing to shoot you down. It's a nice idea for the prologue, but unless you know it's coming, it's also a nice cheap hit for the first enemy you see. An admittedly minor problem, yes, but it's a good enough "well, gee" moment that it deserves to be mentioned.

Honestly, that's the only large fault that I can find with this game, which is a testament to how great the overall product is. If you're an X-Men fan, this game is very necessary for you to play. Heck, even if you're not, it's still recommendable based purely on how much fun it is. It's possible that many people missed it back in the day because of companies and especially people reeling from the high price of cartridges. Clone Wars' gameplay has a lot in common with Shinobi III's in terms of how fluid both attacking and jumping are. It also has some high replay value due to how unique every character plays. It's definitely one of the best platformers on the Genesis, the very best X-Men platformer on any console, and one of the best licensed games around.

X-Men's console legacy didn't get off to a good start with something like the original NES game. But the 16-bit age was time for a new beginning for quite a few licensed games. Of them, X-Men really stood out, because not only were the best games in the franchise released during this era, but many of them are cited to be some of the best games on their respective consoles. They started off on the wrong foot with Spider-Man and the X-Men, but things got much better with X-Men for Genesis.

The Genesis version of X-Men was the game that had the most alternate take on the concept of adapting the franchise to a console video game with some interesting ideas; some for the better, others a bit awkward. You're given control of four members of the team: Wolverine, Cyclops, Gambit, and Nightcrawler, the last one being the most interesting inclusion to the playable lineup given how he wasn't one of the most popular members of the group at the time (but still, he's no Dazzler!). Characters like Archangel, Storm, Rogue, and Iceman were available for support; and if you ever fell down a pit, Jean was there to pick you back up.

The game handled very well for a licensed title, with very responsive and tight controls that felt as good as many other great platformers from that age. It, curiously enough, handles very similar to the oft-forgotten Revenge of Shinobi. Though they were great back then, its controls were since outclassed by platformers of the later days of the 16-bit era; some of which just happen to be X-Men games. The unique element in X-Men is obviously the mutant powers, and if you're a big fan of them, you might have a problem. A character's powers are available at anytime, but similar to the arcade game, using them depletes your health. An understandable hindrance given how mutant powers would balance the game in your favor, but it's completely illogical in terms of how it doesn't happen in the comics (except for Rogue and Jean in certain situations).

That's kind of a shame, because the main appeal of the X-Men are cool mutant powers; and if you're playing as them, you want to be able to use mutant powers as much as possible. If you do in this game, you're in for a swift death unless you know the level designs like your last name. Some of the mutant power health depletion is more illogical than others. Like, uh, did you ever notice Wolverine becoming fatigued whenever he had to use his claws? Because I sure didn't!

But that's only a minor setback. It's not like video games pride themselves with being steeped in logic. No, the real setback occurs near the end of the game, where a gameplay element forces you to reset your console to continue. On paper, it's a very fresh and innovative feature. In reality, it's probably one of the dumbest ideas to ever put in a game, mainly because of its execution. You have to press the reset button, but holding it down for too long will cause you to reset the entire game and lose everything - a terrible occurrence, given how this game is certainly not easy. Another problem? Well, I never owned a Genesis, but was given a Nomad for a Christmas present one year. X-Men was one of the first games I grabbed for it. When I got to the part where I had to reset...well, the Nomad has no reset button. Wonderful! Fortunately a cousin of mine also owned a Genesis where I could finish it. Yeah, that was a pain.

But none of these setbacks were able to dilute the experience thanks to how polished it is overall. X-Men remains mentioned pretty often for some good reasons, and even though that's probably just because it's a licensed game that isn't crap, despite the license it's also a very solid game that's aged rather well. A shame a game like X-Men 2: Clone Wars had to come along and make this game's controls look sluggish in comparison, huh?

As if my last two posts didn't imply it already, I really like compilation releases of a plethora of classic games. Moreover, I'm thankful that it's still happening, given the existence of digital distribution systems like the Virtual Console. I'd much rather buy a bunch of games for one $30 purchase than pay $8 a piece for them on the VC. Especially if some of the games in question are of questionable quality - and believe me, there are plenty of those.

But enough about being a cheapskate, the real unspoken benefit to collections like this is the act of discovering games you wouldn't have otherwise invested in. These are the games that not even the niche audiences discuss, and that many sites don't even bother to review (and dismiss its release week as the usual VC doldrums). While this gives you the chance to experience how emphatically terrible a game like Alien Storm is, you occasionally stumble upon a hidden gem like Golden Axe Warrior. The game I want to discuss, ESWAT: City Under Siege, falls right in the middle of those two aforementioned categories.

What makes ESWAT interesting is the vibe it gives. When I was a kid, I watched a lot of movies that were made in the 80s - some of which I probably had no business watching at such a young age. I watched them because I admired the content and aesthetic they presented. Aliens were considered cool, therefore a movie like Alien and some of its progeny was something I found appealing. Man-machines were also neat, therefore I would derive enjoyment from movies like Robocop and The Terminator. It's here where ESWAT takes inspiration. The creators of this game assuredly admired the content presented in 80s movies like these and put it all into this game.

And it represents that vibe quite well. Its premise is very Robocop inspired, involving a man who later bonds with a machine to take out invading aliens - whose end result ends up looking very similar to an outfit the Knight Sabers wear in Bubblegum Crisis. You and Anonymous Officer Dude have to venture to a number of locations involving the city enshrouded in darkness, a prison, and laboratories; the last of which is where the aliens begin assaulting you in full force. The vibe is exacerbated by the music, which involves a mix of both jazz and techno helping in giving its cyberpunk vibe more authenticity.

As for the game itself...well, it's OK. It's perfectly playable today, but the floaty jumping has a small learning curve. It actually feels a lot like a Contra game, albeit with some utterly confusing and frustrating level design. If you fall from the side of a building, you'll usually die, but to reach the first boss you actually have to leap off of the side of the last building you're on (though you don't know it's the last building at the time). There's no way you could know this if you're playing for the first time. Save states make quirks like this a little easier to stomach, but trial and error isn't too much fun if you're trying to play it legitimately. Also, this game could really use the ability to shoot diagonally. If they wanted to mimic Contra, why not go the extra step?

ESWAT isn't the kind of game that you'd want to buy separately, even for 800 Wii Points on the VC (where, you know, Contra III is available for the same price), but it's at least worth experiencing if you're a fan of 80s era cinema or assorted cyberpunk works. There are worse games to play with your free time, some on the very Genesis Collection this is included on. If you have the collection, at least give it a try; well, if you haven't already dabbled in it for the Achievement attached to it.

Cover image courtesy of VGMuseum. Screen shot courtesy of Sega of Japan's Virtual Console page, where you can also see a video.

Before I wanted to write this post today - which is related to Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection - upon rereading the last post, I realized its title is actually closer to the truth than I initially thought. By that I mean there's bound to be at least one title included on the collection that qualifies as a classic that you never played, even if you did own a Genesis. The 16-bit era was one bereft of the joys of the internet, meaning that word of niche titles could only be spread within the confines of specific gaming magazines and not by gamers themselves. Spreading the word via a magazine is nowhere near as easy.

But here you get your second chance. I'd like to talk about two games that were overlooked during the Genesis' halcyon era. Games that aren't commonly referred to when discussion about the best games the console had to offer, but really should be.

Beyond Oasis is a very enjoyable and unique take on the Action/RPG genre, presenting a mix of the gameplay styles of The Legend of Zelda and Secret of Mana along with Arabian aesthetics. The combat itself takes some getting used to, with you having the ability to perform combination attacks, which were nearly unheard of for games in this genre at the time (way back in 1994). But once you settle in, you're mostly good for the brief-though-memorable adventure that awaits you as Prince Ali seeks to gather the four spirits.

By "mostly good," I mean the game isn't afraid to throw a few curve balls along the way. These include platforming sections that frustratingly exploit the floaty jumping mechanics, and some deadly traps that require absolute precision to make your way past. Thankfully, parts like these aren't too prevalent, and don't do enough to take away from the purely enjoyable aspects of it. Beyond Oasis is good for anyone who thinks an epic adventure can't be experienced within the confines of less than 10 hours, for this game is proof.

There was also a little game called Ristar that was overlooked when it was originally released. It's a platformer from the Sonic Team built around stretching the main character's arms to advantageously traverse around the game's larger-than-average levels - which are actually just a tad larger than what you'd find in a Sonic the Hedgehog game, which is fitting. The mechanic is enough to make this game stand out from the rest of the generic hodgepodge that was incredibly prevalent in the 16-bit era, especially in the latter half.

And that's probably the reason why Ristar was so overlooked. Unfortunately, a game being released at simply the wrong time is something much too common in the gaming industry, but these days it's not like a plethora inventive 2D platformers are being dropped on us.  That makes even more worth playing.

The fact that games like these are included on the Genesis Collection means that it's indeed something to cherish. Along with the novelty of having great games you probably haven't played, it's also convenient to have a nice collection of so many games at once without the hindrance of cartridge swapping or, even worse, save batteries eventually dying. The fact that it's cheap only makes it better.

I've been playing Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection/Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection pretty strenuously for the last few days. As expected, it's pretty much the ultimate bargain, containing 40 Genesis titles along with some nifty arcade and Master System extras. It's great to finally get the Shining Force and Streets of Rage titles within the confines of a collection rather than paying around 800 Wii points for each of them on the Virtual Console. The titles themselves on the collection range from utterly fantastic to diabolically terrible, the latter of which is not including games that time simply hasn't been so kind to.

Personally, the Genesis collection gives me a sense of ersatz nostalgia. I didn't have a Genesis when I was younger. Upon being given the choice between it and a Super Nintendo - since it was one or the other, because no way in hell would our parents support our gaming software habits (consisting of way overpriced cartridges) for two consoles - I chose a SNES because of my familiarity with the mascots and franchises established on the NES that I found so delightful. The fact that Street Fighter II had also released on the SNES further solidified that decision.

And therein lies the origins of the playground arguments that devolved into picking out the frivolous advantages of our chosen console to fight the good fight against that other group that chose the opposing console (where sometimes even companies would join in the fight). Mulling over it, the reason why we fought was because both consoles never really had that much of an advantage over the other. Both consoles had a solid first-party and third-party lineup, along with having a competing mascot character whose game experience ostensibly defined the quality of the system's software. We may have gotten heated over our friends pointing out the shortcomings of our console, but many of us look back at those experiences with fondness and nostalgia.

Well, most of us, at least. Some of them have "evolved" to take place in the current fanboy flaming fests that take place among some of the more dubious message boards of the internet. There's nothing quite as sad as watching man-children argue about matters of minimal importance about frivolous matters.

But enough of that. Perhaps the greatest gift of this collection is allowing people like me to familiarize themselves with a whole generation of first-party games they missed for a fantastic price. This collection easily outclasses the old one because of the sheer plethora of games available on it, along with some interesting extras like the incredibly NES Zelda-esque Golden Axe Warrior. Now all that remains is for Nintendo to do the same for all that were Genesis owners during the 16-bit generation.

Yeah, right. Who am I kidding?

Examples of Damage Control in Gaming is a weekly feature where we look at the past and present of damage control done relating to video games from within the industry and outside it. While it will present an informative look at a particular topic, each entry will also be opinionated as well.

It was the early 1990s, and the halcyon days that were the 16-bit era of video gaming were only beginning. The epic battle between Nintendo with the SNES and Sega with the Genesis was one of the most historic and memorable in gaming, mainly because it was one of the few console generations were there was no clear winner (though the Turbografx-16 ended up the loser). Both of them had great lineups, and both of them had similar lineups - disregarding the occasional exclusive titles, of course. This was mainly evident in their individual console sales, which were very close throughout the generation.

But it's not like Sega wanted to try and make it similar to the SNES. In fact, they intended to spit at Nintendo's philosophy, claiming (in so many words) that theirs was different from that other console with the passé and kiddie software. Both companies ostensibly had similar goals in mind, but Sega did what Nintendon't, and they wanted to tell potential consumers that in every way possible.

It really didn't work in the way Sega intended, though. Instead of propelling the sales past its competitor, all it mostly did was make kids on the playground argue with each other about how much better their console was. It was the progenitor of today's message board flame wars; though the difference between now and then was that we were children who tended to revel in frivolous "debates." Most of the flame wars being done on the internet now are by man-children with no sense of logic, which is both funny and disturbing.

As implied by the last paragraph, there were a few times where they were actually successful in getting that message out. Nintendo thought sticking to their values was a good idea when they decided they were in favor of censoring the original Mortal Kombat for SNES, but the Genesis version with the infamous "blood code" enjoyed the best sales. Nintendo then realized that it's not worth sticking to your values if there's no profit in it, as shown with Mortal Kombat II. Sega didn't even have to try to turn that particular tide in their favor.

But most people didn't fall for it, and saw the reality of the situation: both the SNES and Genesis software lineups were not only similar in quality, but in tone as well. Sega may have had a "mature" game like Sword of Vermilion, but its intrinsic themes were actually on the same level as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - and these days, the latter is actually playable.

Back then, children might have completely brought into Sega's craze (or scoffed at it, if they owned a SNES), but adults really didn't care very much. They, after all, were the ones who picked one console for us while gauging which one piqued our ostensible interest more. But now, that generation has come of age, and we all look back at the ads as classics. They reeked of desperation, sure, but they were entertaining; and when you're making a commercial, doesn't that count the most? In fact, by the time most of the commercials rolled around (well into the generation), the majority of us had made our decision of which console to be aligned with.

Sega has actually done a lot of damage control in the video game industry, though they seem to have relinquished that crown to Sony these days. In fact, it would be pretty effortless to make every entry throughout February about Sega. Yes, this might be a clue.

You might remember that I was a little ambivalent towards Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection initially because of the filter the games had. Apparently Sega and Backbone considered the negative reaction towards it, as their PR confirmed via RPG Site that the filter will be optional. The games will also allow for multiple aspect ratios depending on your setup.

That's pretty neat! Hopefully no other problems like slightly-off controls and odd glitches will plague the games, like the Sonic games on Xbox Live Arcade. Seeing that it's from Backbone makes me a little weary, but I have some faith in them.

If you thought the era of classic compilations was over thanks to the advent of the Wii Virtual Console, you were proven wrong today, as Sega officially announced Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection -- or Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection if you're in Europe -- this morning for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. This collection will have around 40 of the supposed best games that were available on the Genesis. It was only "officially" announced, but evidence of its existence was actually revealed months ago via retailers.

The collection mostly contains games that were included on the previous collection released on the Playstation 2 and PSP in 2006, but now includes many that were conspicuously absent from that one. Fan favorites like the Streets of Rage titles, the Shining Force games, and Beyond Oasis come with this one. OK, there's Dynamite Headdy too, whose inclusion will generate more excitement for the simple fact that it's a Treasure game on a Genesis compilation.

So, 40 Genesis games on one compilation for $30? That sounds great! But before you say "Sign me up!" you should know that there is a problem: the compilation is being developed by Backbone Entertainment, who was also responsible for Sega's classic game renditions (if you want to call them that) on the 360. Those ports had a filter to smooth the sprites out, and also had inaccurate controls and other questionable "additions" that made fans not want to pony up the $5 do download games like Sonic the Hedgehog.

And that filter will be included with every game in the compilation here, and the result is the hideous monstrosity you see above. It's like the perfect Yin-Yang complex: you have a collection with games people didn't want to pay for on the Virtual Console, but at the same time, they look terrible. Stack up that shot of Shinobi III with the screen shots from my review to see the mess. Here's hoping there's an option to turn it off, otherwise this definitely looks like a pass for any dedicated fan.

While the Virtual Console iterations display perfect sprites, a compilation decides to do the opposite. Sega does what Nintendon't indeed.

It’s certainly true that a person’s childhood is rife with numerous ups and downs, but mine had a particular “down” that I just rectified only a short while ago. Bear with me, because it’s unbelievably frivolous.

For my thirteenth birthday in 1996, I figured I’d ask my parents for assistance in expanding my Genesis library. I received a Nomad for Christmas in 1995, a portable Sega Genesis which I’m sure only a few people purchased. I was looking for a few games that I should pick up before the era was completely over. Upon reading an article in Gamepro magazine (I was 12, forgive me) about the best action games of the 16 bit generation, one of the games that caught my eye on their list was Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master.

I was initially hesitant in picking up the game, seeing as how I thought Revenge of Shinobi was a little too difficult for my tastes the last time I played it. But upon noticing its absence on the list and Shinobi III’s presence, I figured I’d check it out. The 16-bit era was beginning to come to a forced end, as developers were financially reeling from the high prices of cartridge production. Many older Genesis games could be found on clearance in bargain bins in various department stores, which is where my father found me a copy of Shinobi III for around $20 at a BJs wholesale store back in Springfield, PA.

There’s a good reason about why I felt bad about not finishing Shinobi III. My fears of it being as difficult as Revenge were completely unfounded upon playing through only the first two levels. And here I was someone who thought my skills were pretty OK! Or, at least they were compared to classmates I knew in school at the time. What I found in the game was a tough but fair action/platformer whose levels were designed to reward skill and precision. This was an overall design contrary to many games from that era, most of which relied on luck and memorization a little too much (though not as much as their NES era counterparts, admittedly).  Basically, the game knew how to be fun without being punishing.

It’s essential to get a good grasp of every skill in your arsenal before traversing into the more heavily enemy populated and tough platforming areas in Shinobi III. Double jumping requires more precision here than your average platformer, which requires pushing the jump button at the very peak of a regular jump (harder than it sounds). And knowing when to unleash multiple shurikens at a time is beneficial; you’re limited to a specific number. That number of shurikens also resets to the original number you started with –adjustable in the options menu, though the default is 50 -- if you die in battle, so you’ll want to learn to use them carefully. There’s also wall jumping, which only feels like a fun afterthought in the first few levels, but it’s something you’ll need to master to survive by the end of the game.

What also helps with the difficulty is how fluid the game feels. Shinobi III’s controls are more tight and precise than many other games from that era. Moving around never feels daunting, and the game never moves at a slow or uncomfortable pace that will require learning the game through numerous trial and error efforts. Along with the aforementioned techniques comes jump kicking, running, and grabbing onto tree branches and ceilings – the last of which is a requirement in certain situations. It’s an easy game to jump into, but mastering it takes skill.

Some of the series’ trademarks are also available in the game. In addition to shurikens, attacking at a close range will allows the use of either a sword or a knife to attack. It’s a pretty useful technique if you’re feeling fastidious about the number of shurikens in your possession, but certainly not recommended for faster enemy types unless you’re really good and perceptive. Crates are spread around each level in multiple locations that contain extra shurikens, health, ninjitsu, and lives. Be careful with opening some of them, as a few lying around contain time bombs. Also, look forward to riding on a horse and a mysteriously perpetually-flowing ski-board through obstacles in some stages. Thankfully, they aren't Battletoads Turbo Tunnel-style ludicrously difficult.

But you’re allowed to experiment with strategies on almost every enemy, thanks to the game’s forgiving damage system. It’s come a long way from Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi’s one-hit-and-you’re-dead Contra-esque routine. Shinobi III allows for you to take around ten hits before you’re dead, though some enemies, mostly bosses, can hit you a little harder. That doesn’t mean you should take it for granted, though. Constant missteps will lead to a pretty quick death, not to mention that it’s not very ninja-like.

The bosses are predictably tougher than normal enemies, and require that you lean their pattern before downing them without taking unnecessary damage. You’ll be able to start right at the boss if you die, but without any power-ups you’ve acquired and your number of shurkens. They’re in fitting with the game, in that they’re challenging but not relentlessly cheap. The final boss veers towards the latter category, though, and made me want to break my controller and scream expletives at the game. I don’t know where it came from, honestly.

The game flows at a brisk pace, and has an aesthetic that’s pleasing on the eyes and ears, granted you’re already predisposed to the lower visual and sound quality of the Genesis. The game has a beautiful art style with sprites that look just as good now as they did in 1993. The more venerable 2D games from this era are guaranteed to age perfectly fine as far as looks are concerned. The music takes advantage of the Genesis’ hardware capabilities and manages to be well composed and catchy, despite being hampered by lower technology in comparison to the Super NES; even if it isn’t composed by the venerable Yuzo Koshiro (who composed The Revenge of Shinobi’s music, and is constantly mistaken as the composer for this game).

If you’re looking for a story, don’t expect much of one here. Shinobi III is strictly old school in it’s storytelling by providing only overly melodramatic text scrolls to tell you what happens at the beginning and end. It’s pure vintage, and it’s certainly better than the game being bogged down by frequent and silly cut scenes with one-dimensional characters solely created for the fact that there has to be a “story” to tell.

The game isn’t difficult, but the experience can be made easier by exploiting the benefits in all of your techniques, revealing hidden tricks. It sets the template for how games like this should be made. You should be rewarded for using skill and precision to advance in a game, not mundane trial and error or pure luck. Fortunately, designers seem to realize this nowadays with newer 2D games and remakes like Mega Man 9 and Bionic Commando: Rearmed, respectively. Shinobi III should be commended for being one of the progenitors in a sensible trend.

Images courtesy of VGMuseum.