30 Years of Genesis

There is a sweet spot for 16-bit era stuff. At least for North America, it began around this time 30 years ago with the Genesis from Sega. A big upgrade from the NES graphically, tons of support, big hits all around. Controllers that felt natural, many genres getting a lot of love. It really is the greatest system ever.

I'm going to do a what if on if I was an adult figuring out what I would want back in 1989. Obviously, Altered Beast was the pack-in. I would have bought one or two more games around its launch. More than likely Tommy Lasorda Baseball and Space Harrier II. As far as the rest of the year, definitely a lot of the arcade ports. Golden Axe, Ghouls'n Ghosts, Super Hang-On, and maybe Forgotten World. Original stuff, Rambo III, Revenge of Shinobi, maybe Mystic Defender. Ones I would have been on the fence about, games like Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf and Thunder Force II. I probably would not have bought Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle.

But beyond 1989, there are tons of great games to find for the Genesis. It may not have the flash and recognition of a Super NES, but it can hold its own in a number of ways. This was my very first syste along with the NES when I started to get into games at the age of two back in 1994. I have slowed down in collecting, but I am not finished yet with this system. There are still plenty of titles I want to try out and hopefully I can find what I want.

Here's to another 30. Truly one of the classics of the 90s.