The Sega Genesis (also known as Mega Drive in regions outside North America) is a 16-bit console developed and sold by Sega.
With so many popular titles, such as the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Streets of Rage series, and Shinobi series, the Genesis is famous for its huge library of arcade game ports.
For those of you who played this remarkable console in the past, I bet you want to know the best Genesis games of all time.
Some of you will probably remember (or even still own) some of the games mentioned on this list.
Browse Games By Genre
See also: Best Video Game Novels & Best Saturn Games
#50. Ecco Jr.
Novotrade/Sega, 1995
Action » Platformer » 2D
#49. Columns III
Minato Giken/Sega, 1993
Puzzle » Matching
#48. Sword of Vermilion
Sega AM2/Sega, 1990
Role-Playing » Action RPG
#47. Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker
Ultimate Productions/Sega, 1990
Action » Platformer » 2D
#46. Splatterhouse 2
Now Production/Namco, 1992
Action » Beat-‘Em-Up » 2D
#45. Columns
Sega, 1990
Puzzle » Matching
#44. Sonic 3D Blast
Traveller's Tales/Sega, 1996
Action » Platformer » 3D
#43. Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball
Sega Technical Institute/Sega, 1993
Action » Pinball
#42. Alien Storm
Sega, 1991
Action » Beat-‘Em-Up » 2D
#41. Eternal Champions
Sega interActive/Sega, 1993
Action » Fighting » 2D
#40. Forgotten Worlds
Sega, 1989
Action » Shooter » Shoot-‘Em-Up » Horizontal
#39. ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron
ToeJam & Earl Productions/Sega, 1993
Action » Platformer » 2D
#38. Golden Axe II
Sega, 1991
Action » Beat-‘Em-Up » 2D
#37. Gain Ground
Sanritsu/Sega, 1991
Action » Shooter » Shoot-‘Em-Up » Top-Down
#36. Light Crusader
Treasure/Sega, 1995
Role-Playing » Action RPG
#35. Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Sega, 1991
Role-Playing » Japanese-Style
#34. Kid Chameleon
Sega Technical Institute/Sega, 1992
Action » Platformer » 2D
#33. Bio-Hazard Battle
Sega, 1992
Action » Shooter » Shoot-‘Em-Up » Horizontal
#32. Golden Axe
Sega, 1989
Action » Beat-‘Em-Up » 2D
#31. Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure
Interplay, 1994
Action » Platformer » 2D
#30. Ecco: The Tides of Time
Novotrade/Sega, 1994
Action » Platformer » 2D
#29. Shining in the Darkness
Climax Entertainment/Sega, 1991
Role-Playing » Western-Style
#28. Rolling Thunder 2
Namco, 1991
Action » Platformer » 2D
#27. Mega Turrican
Factor 5/Data East, 1994
Action » Platformer » 2D
#26. Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
Compile/Sega, 1993
Puzzle » Matching
#25. Streets of Rage
Sega, 1991
Action » Beat-‘Em-Up » 2D
#24. Vectorman
Blue Sky Software/Sega, 1995
Action » Platformer » 2D
#23. Comix Zone
Sega Technical Institute/Sega, 1995
Action » Platformer » 2D
#22. Ecco the Dolphin
Novotrade/Sega, 1993
Action » Platformer » 2D
#21. Dynamite Headdy
Treasure/Sega, 1994
Action » Platformer » 2D
#20. Landstalker
Climax Entertainment/Sega, 1993
Action Adventure » Open-World
#19. Wonder Boy in Monster World
West One/Sega, 1992
Action » Platformer » 2D
#18. Beyond Oasis
Ancient/Sega, 1994
Role-Playing » Action RPG
#17. The Revenge of Shinobi
Sega, 1989
Action » Platformer » 2D
#16. Phantasy Star II
Sega, 1990
Role-Playing » Japanese-Style
#15. Shining Force
Camelot Software Planning/Sega, 1993
Strategy » Turn-Based » Tactics
#14. Earthworm Jim
Shiny Entertainment/Playmates, 1994
Action » Platformer » 2D
#13. Alien Soldier
Treasure/Sega, 1995
Action » Platformer » 2D
#12. Streets of Rage 3
Sega, 1994
Action » Beat-‘Em-Up » 2D
#11. ToeJam & Earl
ToeJam & Earl Productions/Sega, 1992
Action » General
#10. Castlevania: Bloodlines
Konami, 1994
Action » Platformer » 2D
#9. Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Megasoft (Japan)/Sega, 1993
Action » Platformer » 2D
#8. Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic Team/Sega, 1991
Action » Platformer » 2D
#7. Phantasy Star IV
Sega, 1995
Role-Playing » Japanese-Style
#6. Gunstar Heroes
Treasure/Sega, 1993
Action » Shooter » Shoot-‘Em-Up » Horizontal
#5. Streets of Rage II
Sega, 1992
Action » Beat-‘Em-Up » 2D
#4. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic Team/Sega, 1992
Action » Platformer » 2D
#3. Shining Force II
Camelot Software Planning/Sega, 1994
Strategy » Turn-Based » Tactics
#2. Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic Team/Sega, 1994
Action » Platformer » 2D
#1. Ristar
Sonic Team/Sega, 1995
Action » Platformer » 2D
Are your favorite games on the list? Leave a comment below!
If you think there are games that should OR shouldn’t be on this list, let us know by leaving a comment below.
Having a conversation on which Genesis game is the best is a never ending topic, mainly because it has a huge library of arcade game ports and classics!
