Ah, the Sega Genesis. Nintendo's direct competitor during the 16-Bit console wars, and arguably Sega at their peak in the US console market. With aggressive marketing tactics and a focus on being the cool kid on the block, the Genesis managed to be the first home console to really eat into Nintendo's market share on the console market, which was almost unprecedented at the time. (The PlayStation would come along and do the same, but on a much larger scale) Unlike the Super Nintendo though, a lot of the Genesis' best games don't hold their monetary value all that well. There are a few games that are pretty expensive (M.U.S.H.A. comes to mind) but on the whole, Genesis games are on average, a lot more affordable than Super Nintendo games.
With that in mind, let's look at some of the most affordable quality titles for the system, shall we?
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Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Sega, 1992)
What better way to kick of this list than with the flagship series for the Genesis? While it's not my all time favorite game in the series (That would be Sonic 3 & Knuckles), Sonic 2 represents the peak of the franchise for many people. Memorable levels, a catchy soundtrack, lush, colorful visuals, multiplayer, all wrapped together by some fantastic level design powered by Blast Processing (Disclaimer: Blast Processing isn't actually a thing). This is a game that should be a part of the library of anyone looking to start a Genesis collection.
Why prioritize it? It's Sonic 2. 'Nuff said. Also, it's incredibly easy to find, as it was a pack in game with the Genesis at one point.
How much? Sonic 2 might just be the most common game on the console. You can easily get a copy of the game for about $5. A CIB copy is cheap as well, usually hovering around $10.
Sample Gameplay:
Castle of Illusion: Starring Mickey Mouse (Sega, 1990)
I mentioned in my SNES post that Capcom developed some Disney games back in the early nineties. However, Sega also developed a few Disney titles of their own, most notably the "Illusion" series, a series of platformers starring Mickey Mouse. The first game in the series, Castle of Illusion, was one of the first "must have" titles for the system in a time before Sonic existed. It's a somewhat easy, but still lovingly crafted platformer with whimsical visuals and some catchy tunes. Sega has also recently announced a full on HD remake of the game, although it remains to be seen whether or not that'll turn out good.
Why prioritize this? As I already mentioned, there is a remake of the game that may or may not turn out good. On the off chance that it turns out to be a complete disaster, it's conceivable that the value for this game will slowly rise. With that said, it would make sense to pick this game up while you can for a cheap price. Also, licensed game titles tend not to stay on digital platforms for too long; they stay for however long the contract is in effect until it expires. Getting the Genesis version would ensure that you'd always have a hard copy of the game.
How much? Castle of Illusion isn't a terribly expensive game. You'll likely be paying about $11 or so for the loose cartridge, and about $20-25 for a complete copy.
Sample Gameplay:
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure (Konami, 1993)
Ah, another Konami Tiny Toons game. While Super Nintendo received an exclusive Tiny Toons title in Buster Busts Loose!, the Genesis received one the following year with Buster's Hidden Treasure. It's a pretty basic platformer. While Buster Busts Loose had some unique and novel level design ideas, Buster's Hidden Treasure plays things a lot straighter. It's a 2D platformer, with a Mario Bros. 3 esque map screen with which you select levels with. The game itself starts out easy, but actually hits something of a difficulty spike halfway through. It's also a bit longer than Buster Busts Loose as well.
Why prioritize it? Like with Buster Busts Loose, it's unlikely that this will ever see a re-release in this day and age. That alone is reason to track down the game.
How much? Buster's Hidden Treasure can be obtained for almost comically low prices these days. You'll be paying about $2 to 6 for the cartridge, and $10 to $15 for a complete copy. I'm guessing a lot of copies of the game must have been printed, because those are some pretty low prices for what's otherwise a pretty good game.
Sample Gameplay:
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Sega, 1993)
Shinobi III is the third mainline game in the Shinobi series, after the arcade original and the Genesis launch title sequel, Revenge of Shinobi. Shinobi III is viewed by many (including myself) as the absolute pinnacle of the series, thanks to it's fluid controls and great level design. The game actually went through many iterations during development, with a few betas leaking onto the internet in the past few years. However, going by the final product, the wait was especially worth it. It's definitely an action/platformer every Genesis fan needs in their library.
Why prioritize this? Admittedly, there's no real reason to prioritize getting this over other things aside from it being a damned great game. It's been released on Wii Virtual Console, and it's popped up in several Sega Genesis compilations (Although the emulation in said collections are... sketchy, to say the least)
How much? You'll likely be paying somewhere between $8 to 15 for the cartridge, and between $20 to 30 for CIB copies.
Sample Gameplay:
NBA Jam: Tournament Edition (Midway, 1995)
NBA Jam was Midway's exaggerated action packed arcade Basketball series. The first game in the series got ports to SNES and Genesis, but the most popular release of the game was NBA Jam: Tournament Edition, which was ported to both Genesis and Super Nintendo, as well as a variety of other systems. Tournament Editon adds a Tournament Mode (obviously) as well as massively updated rosters and the ability to substitute players during a game. What makes Tournament Edition particularly notable is the fact that it features some of the wackiest and most unexpected secret characters in any game in the medium. Secret Characters in this game include Bill and Hillary Clinton, Heavy D, Jazzy Jeff, Fresh Prince, Prince Charles, the Beastie Boys, and many, many more.
Why prioritize this? Well, it's unlikely that this particular iteration of the game will ever see a re-release. EA did release a pretty good re-imagining of the series on Wii/360/PS3, but there's no replacing the original. It's also pretty great in multiplayer.
How much? NBA Jam TE's another really cheap game. You'll be paying between $3 and 6 for a loose copy, and a whopping (not really) $8 for a complete copy. This is one game I'd definitely get a complete copy of, if only because it's so affordable.
Sample Gameplay:
And that's it for now. I'm not sure whether or not I'll tackle NES games or more SNES games next. Guess it depends on how I feel tomorrow.
I hope this small list will help any doing retro collecting the same way similar lists have helped me!
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