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Here is an updated version of the meme that I did featuring my list of Top 10 favorite video games to play on the Sega Genesis (or Sega Mega Drive, which is what the system is called in Japan and Europe). Because I wasn't too busy doing anything else at the time, I was in the mood for working on a newer version of the meme featuring some the video games that I still enjoy playing to this day, especially as a way of celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Sega Genesis recently. For each game that I featured in this meme, I was able to include an image of the game as well as a patterned background in each space resembling the grid design for the boxes of many of the earlier released titles for the console; The games are also listed from left to right and bottom to top, with the game I chose as #1 on the lone space at the top. To make the list fair, I've decided to include only one game per series, not counting crossovers and/or spin-off titles. Thank you, and enjoy!

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE SEGA GENESIS GAMES

#10 - Comix Zone - Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be inside the pages of a comic book that has been brought to life? Well, this game will most likely answer such a question, which was also released a little late in the Genesis' lifespan. The game's plot is about a comic book artist named Sketch Turner who is trapped in the world of his own comic creation after the main villain comes to life in some way and tries to destroy him by drawing all kinds of monstrous bad guys that constantly fight Sketch. What makes this game so unique and appealing is the presentation, in which the characters are able to speak with speech bubbles that appear, and the hero is even able to leap from panel to panel as a way of exploring the next area. The only downside to this game would be the fact that it's only six levels long with three bosses to fight, which isn't exactly much because of this particular Sega title being one of a kind. Other than that, it is still a good game to check out if you're able to play it on any of the consoles that it's available on.

#9 - Golden Axe - As every die-hard Sega fan may already know, "Golden Axe" is an arcade beat-em-up title that was one of the first games to be released on the Sega Genesis, and even though I prefered the sequel "Golden Axe II" a little more in terms of gameplay and presentation, I still find myself playing the original every now and then. Even though it is meant to be a port of the arcade game, the Sega Genesis version actually includes additional levels and gameplay modes that make it different from its arcade counterpart. Thanks to its two-player co-op gameplay and three selectable characters to choose from (Axe Battler, Tyrus Flare, and Gilius Thunderhead), "Golden Axe" is definitely a must-play for any Genesis fans who are fans of beat-em-up games.

#8 - Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition - I just know that everyone who is a fan of fighting games might be surprised to find out that I didn't feature the Sega Genesis version of "Mortal Kombat" on my list, but I haven't actually been able to play that version of the game for myself yet, and I decided to go with this particular title that happens to be just as enjoyable. As everyone may probably know by now, the Street Fighter games have become popular over the years, and this game that was released on the Sega Genesis is a home console port of the arcade hit of the same name, which features all twelve of the playable characters, including the four boss characters who were not originally playable in "Street Fighter II: The World Warrior" (the first version of SFII that was released at the time). The game offers different modes to choose from such as a Hyper Mode that allows you to play using really fast speeds, and it also plays even better using a six-button controller instead of the standard three-button controller. Even though the SNES counterpart tited "Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting" has more features that practically overshadow this version of the game, it is still a good fighting game to play on the Sega Genesis nonetheless.

#7 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyper Stone Heist - "Let's Kick Shell!" I'm sure that I may have mentioned this quite a few times to my friends and everyone else, but I happen to be such a huge fan of TMNT, which I've loved ever since I was a kid (and I still do to this day). As you can tell after playing this game, the gameplay is quite similar to that of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time" on SNES, but it actually does offer plenty of new things to make it more original. For example, the levels and story have been altered for this Genesis exclusive with a couple of bosses that weren't featured in the SNES counterpart, and the Ninja Turtles are able to perform dashes by holding one of the buttons instead of tapping the directional pad. Even though the SNES game is the better version of the two, the Genesis game is still enjoyable to play whether you are a fan of the beat-em-up genre or even a die-hard fan of the Heroes In A Half-Shell.

#6 - Ghostbusters - Not to be mistaken for the infamously bad NES game that is based on one of the greatest comedy movies of all time, "Ghostbusters" on the Sega Genesis is a game that I never knew about until I learned about its existence in recent years. Despite the title, the plot for the game actually takes place sometime after events of the original movies, in which the Ghostbusters are hired to go after a new batch of ghosts that had escaped after their recent battle with Vigo The Carpathian, and players can take control of one of three Ghostbusters (Peter Venkman, Egon Spengler, and Ray Stanz) while exploring various locations of New York, and the game is also a 2D-style platformer in which the Ghostbusters use their proton packs to fight the ghosts of each level and defeat them by capturing them with their traps. Despite the lack of Winston Zeddemore as a playable character (and the Ghostbusters also being depicted in light blue jumpsuits instead of their iconic beige-colored ones), the game does offer plenty of fun and challenge for those who are fans of the genre such as myself, and I also liked the creative designs of the ghostly enemies that are found throughout the game. Needless to say, even though there have been quite a few Ghostbusters video games released at the time, the Sega Genesis game is possibly the best one out of all the titles that were released based on one of my favorite movie franchises (before the release of the "Ghostbusters" video game in 2009, that is), and it has become one of my new favorite titles that I could not resist wanting to add it to my list after playing it for myself.

#5 - Dynamite Headdy - Most likely considered as one of the most obscure Sega game heroes of all time, Dynamite Headdy is the star of this unique platformer title that was made by the same people who created "Gunstar Heroes" (which I haven't actually been able to play yet). In this game, the titular hero is able to attack his enemies by launching his head as a projectile weapon, which is actually kind of similar to that of Rayman when he uses his fists in the same way, and he's also able to obtain many different power-ups that give his head special abilities for a short time. Even though the game doesn't have much of a story like its Japanese counterpart (which also has completely different-looking enemies to fight in some levels), the colorful graphics and catchy music make this game worth checking out if you're a huge fan of platformers like yours truly.

#4 - Rocket Knight Adventures - As you can probably tell just by looking at the box art, this game was able to come out during the rising popularity of Sonic The Hedgehog, and the game's hero was practically Konami's take on Sega's speedy blue mascot. In this platformer adventure, players take control of Sparkster, a sword-welding opossom in jet-powered armor that allows him to fly and dash, who sets out to save his kingdom from an evil army of pigs that are trying to conquer the world while he's also rescuing a princess after she is kidnapped by Sparkster's arch-rival, Axle Gear. The game has graphics that give it a kind of cartoony look as well as music that suits the mood of each stage, and there was even a sequel released for it called "Sparkster", although I heard some people claim that it's not quite as enjoyable as the original (until I actually played it for myself, anyway). Even so, I highly recommend checking out this game wherever you may find a copy of it.

#3 - Streets Of Rage - By the early 1990s, beat-em-up video games were becoming a common thing in both arcades and home consoles, and Sega has decided to release their own beat-em-up series to rival that of the SNES version of "Final Fight". For this particular game, which was the first of the trilogy on the Genesis, players take control of one of three former police officers turned vigilantes who set out to stop an evil crime syndicate from taking over the city while stopping the leader known as 'Mr. X'. The game features plenty of challenge with its solid gameplay that can be enjoyed with one or two players, and the music is also worth mentioning because of it being composed by Yuzo Koshiro, who can be recognized for composing the music for some of the best video games back in the day. Even though I completely agree with everyone that the sequel "Streets Of Rage 2" actually is the best game of the entire trilogy, I still enjoy playing the original that started it all whenever I get the chance to do so.

#2 - The Revenge Of Shinobi - Even though most people would prefer "Ninja Gaiden" on the NES to be their most favorite ninja-themed video game of all time, this particular title that's part of the "Shinobi" series also happens to be quite enjoyable to play. In this game, players take control of Joe Musashi as he sets out to stop a criminal syndicate known as 'Neo Zeed' after they killed his master and kidnapped his bride-to-be. One thing to note about this game is that unlike in the original arcade version of "Shinobi", Joe has a life meter so that he can take multiple hits before losing a life, which makes the game a little easier for those who are new to the series, but it's still quite challenging nonetheless. The game is praised for having music composed by Yuzo Koshiro (whom I've mentioned has done the music for "Streets Of Rage"), and Spider-Man also makes an official appearance as a boss to fight before taking on some bat-like creature that closely resembles Batman (depending on which version of the game you're playing, that is). I'll admit that one of the game's sequels "Shinobi III: Return Of The Ninja Master" does have more features that also makes it the better game in the Shinobi series, but this game is still worth checking out if you're in the mood for some serious ninja action on a 16-bit console.

#1 - Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - I think it's kind of obvious that I would have featured a Sonic game on the top of my list, especially since I've always been a huge fan of Sonic The Hedgehog for as long as I can remember. When trying to decide which game to feature on the list, I've decided to go ahead with second game of the series because of it being the very first game I was able to beat on my own before doing the same for the other Sonic games that have come out over the years. In this game, Sonic The Hedgehog and his sidekick, Miles 'Tails' Prower, set out on an adventure to stop Dr. Ivo Robotnik (AKA Dr. Eggman) from conquering the world using his flying fortress, The Death Egg. There are so many unique things about this game that makes it one of the greatest titles for the Sega Genesis. For example, it was the game that featured the debut of Tails, who has gained plenty of popularity among fans over the year. Another notable thing about this game is that you don't have collect all seven Chaos Emeralds in order to beat the game properly, which also makes it ideal for speed-plays. Even though all the other Sonic games on the Sega Genesis are still worth playing, the second one will always remain a personal favorite of mine that I enjoy playing every now and then.

Video Games Meme (c) DarkJak

Description
Here is an updated version of the meme that I did featuring my list of Top 10 favorite video games to play on the Sega Genesis (or Sega Mega Drive, which is what the system is called in Japan and Europe). Because I wasn't too busy doing anything else at the time, I was in the mood for working on a newer version of the meme featuring some the video games that I still enjoy playing to this day, especially as a way of celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Sega Genesis recently. For each game that I featured in this meme, I was able to include an image of the game as well as a patterned background in each space resembling the grid design for the boxes of many of the earlier released titles for the console; The games are also listed from left to right and bottom to top, with the game I chose as #1 on the lone space at the top. To make the list fair, I've decided to include only one game per series, not counting crossovers and/or spin-off titles. Thank you, and enjoy!

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE SEGA GENESIS GAMES

#10 - Comix Zone - Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be inside the pages of a comic book that has been brought to life? Well, this game will most likely answer such a question, which was also released a little late in the Genesis' lifespan. The game's plot is about a comic book artist named Sketch Turner who is trapped in the world of his own comic creation after the main villain comes to life in some way and tries to destroy him by drawing all kinds of monstrous bad guys that constantly fight Sketch. What makes this game so unique and appealing is the presentation, in which the characters are able to speak with speech bubbles that appear, and the hero is even able to leap from panel to panel as a way of exploring the next area. The only downside to this game would be the fact that it's only six levels long with three bosses to fight, which isn't exactly much because of this particular Sega title being one of a kind. Other than that, it is still a good game to check out if you're able to play it on any of the consoles that it's available on.

#9 - Golden Axe - As every die-hard Sega fan may already know, "Golden Axe" is an arcade beat-em-up title that was one of the first games to be released on the Sega Genesis, and even though I prefered the sequel "Golden Axe II" a little more in terms of gameplay and presentation, I still find myself playing the original every now and then. Even though it is meant to be a port of the arcade game, the Sega Genesis version actually includes additional levels and gameplay modes that make it different from its arcade counterpart. Thanks to its two-player co-op gameplay and three selectable characters to choose from (Axe Battler, Tyrus Flare, and Gilius Thunderhead), "Golden Axe" is definitely a must-play for any Genesis fans who are fans of beat-em-up games.

#8 - Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition - I just know that everyone who is a fan of fighting games might be surprised to find out that I didn't feature the Sega Genesis version of "Mortal Kombat" on my list, but I haven't actually been able to play that version of the game for myself yet, and I decided to go with this particular title that happens to be just as enjoyable. As everyone may probably know by now, the Street Fighter games have become popular over the years, and this game that was released on the Sega Genesis is a home console port of the arcade hit of the same name, which features all twelve of the playable characters, including the four boss characters who were not originally playable in "Street Fighter II: The World Warrior" (the first version of SFII that was released at the time). The game offers different modes to choose from such as a Hyper Mode that allows you to play using really fast speeds, and it also plays even better using a six-button controller instead of the standard three-button controller. Even though the SNES counterpart tited "Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting" has more features that practically overshadow this version of the game, it is still a good fighting game to play on the Sega Genesis nonetheless.

#7 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyper Stone Heist - "Let's Kick Shell!" I'm sure that I may have mentioned this quite a few times to my friends and everyone else, but I happen to be such a huge fan of TMNT, which I've loved ever since I was a kid (and I still do to this day). As you can tell after playing this game, the gameplay is quite similar to that of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time" on SNES, but it actually does offer plenty of new things to make it more original. For example, the levels and story have been altered for this Genesis exclusive with a couple of bosses that weren't featured in the SNES counterpart, and the Ninja Turtles are able to perform dashes by holding one of the buttons instead of tapping the directional pad. Even though the SNES game is the better version of the two, the Genesis game is still enjoyable to play whether you are a fan of the beat-em-up genre or even a die-hard fan of the Heroes In A Half-Shell.

#6 - Ghostbusters - Not to be mistaken for the infamously bad NES game that is based on one of the greatest comedy movies of all time, "Ghostbusters" on the Sega Genesis is a game that I never knew about until I learned about its existence in recent years. Despite the title, the plot for the game actually takes place sometime after events of the original movies, in which the Ghostbusters are hired to go after a new batch of ghosts that had escaped after their recent battle with Vigo The Carpathian, and players can take control of one of three Ghostbusters (Peter Venkman, Egon Spengler, and Ray Stanz) while exploring various locations of New York, and the game is also a 2D-style platformer in which the Ghostbusters use their proton packs to fight the ghosts of each level and defeat them by capturing them with their traps. Despite the lack of Winston Zeddemore as a playable character (and the Ghostbusters also being depicted in light blue jumpsuits instead of their iconic beige-colored ones), the game does offer plenty of fun and challenge for those who are fans of the genre such as myself, and I also liked the creative designs of the ghostly enemies that are found throughout the game. Needless to say, even though there have been quite a few Ghostbusters video games released at the time, the Sega Genesis game is possibly the best one out of all the titles that were released based on one of my favorite movie franchises (before the release of the "Ghostbusters" video game in 2009, that is), and it has become one of my new favorite titles that I could not resist wanting to add it to my list after playing it for myself.

#5 - Dynamite Headdy - Most likely considered as one of the most obscure Sega game heroes of all time, Dynamite Headdy is the star of this unique platformer title that was made by the same people who created "Gunstar Heroes" (which I haven't actually been able to play yet). In this game, the titular hero is able to attack his enemies by launching his head as a projectile weapon, which is actually kind of similar to that of Rayman when he uses his fists in the same way, and he's also able to obtain many different power-ups that give his head special abilities for a short time. Even though the game doesn't have much of a story like its Japanese counterpart (which also has completely different-looking enemies to fight in some levels), the colorful graphics and catchy music make this game worth checking out if you're a huge fan of platformers like yours truly.

#4 - Rocket Knight Adventures - As you can probably tell just by looking at the box art, this game was able to come out during the rising popularity of Sonic The Hedgehog, and the game's hero was practically Konami's take on Sega's speedy blue mascot. In this platformer adventure, players take control of Sparkster, a sword-welding opossom in jet-powered armor that allows him to fly and dash, who sets out to save his kingdom from an evil army of pigs that are trying to conquer the world while he's also rescuing a princess after she is kidnapped by Sparkster's arch-rival, Axle Gear. The game has graphics that give it a kind of cartoony look as well as music that suits the mood of each stage, and there was even a sequel released for it called "Sparkster", although I heard some people claim that it's not quite as enjoyable as the original (until I actually played it for myself, anyway). Even so, I highly recommend checking out this game wherever you may find a copy of it.

#3 - Streets Of Rage - By the early 1990s, beat-em-up video games were becoming a common thing in both arcades and home consoles, and Sega has decided to release their own beat-em-up series to rival that of the SNES version of "Final Fight". For this particular game, which was the first of the trilogy on the Genesis, players take control of one of three former police officers turned vigilantes who set out to stop an evil crime syndicate from taking over the city while stopping the leader known as 'Mr. X'. The game features plenty of challenge with its solid gameplay that can be enjoyed with one or two players, and the music is also worth mentioning because of it being composed by Yuzo Koshiro, who can be recognized for composing the music for some of the best video games back in the day. Even though I completely agree with everyone that the sequel "Streets Of Rage 2" actually is the best game of the entire trilogy, I still enjoy playing the original that started it all whenever I get the chance to do so.

#2 - The Revenge Of Shinobi - Even though most people would prefer "Ninja Gaiden" on the NES to be their most favorite ninja-themed video game of all time, this particular title that's part of the "Shinobi" series also happens to be quite enjoyable to play. In this game, players take control of Joe Musashi as he sets out to stop a criminal syndicate known as 'Neo Zeed' after they killed his master and kidnapped his bride-to-be. One thing to note about this game is that unlike in the original arcade version of "Shinobi", Joe has a life meter so that he can take multiple hits before losing a life, which makes the game a little easier for those who are new to the series, but it's still quite challenging nonetheless. The game is praised for having music composed by Yuzo Koshiro (whom I've mentioned has done the music for "Streets Of Rage"), and Spider-Man also makes an official appearance as a boss to fight before taking on some bat-like creature that closely resembles Batman (depending on which version of the game you're playing, that is). I'll admit that one of the game's sequels "Shinobi III: Return Of The Ninja Master" does have more features that also makes it the better game in the Shinobi series, but this game is still worth checking out if you're in the mood for some serious ninja action on a 16-bit console.

#1 - Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - I think it's kind of obvious that I would have featured a Sonic game on the top of my list, especially since I've always been a huge fan of Sonic The Hedgehog for as long as I can remember. When trying to decide which game to feature on the list, I've decided to go ahead with second game of the series because of it being the very first game I was able to beat on my own before doing the same for the other Sonic games that have come out over the years. In this game, Sonic The Hedgehog and his sidekick, Miles 'Tails' Prower, set out on an adventure to stop Dr. Ivo Robotnik (AKA Dr. Eggman) from conquering the world using his flying fortress, The Death Egg. There are so many unique things about this game that makes it one of the greatest titles for the Sega Genesis. For example, it was the game that featured the debut of Tails, who has gained plenty of popularity among fans over the year. Another notable thing about this game is that you don't have collect all seven Chaos Emeralds in order to beat the game properly, which also makes it ideal for speed-plays. Even though all the other Sonic games on the Sega Genesis are still worth playing, the second one will always remain a personal favorite of mine that I enjoy playing every now and then.

Video Games Meme (c) DarkJak