Twenty years ago today, the Sega Genesis was released in North America. Known as the Mega Drive in Japan, the Genesis was a big hit. The NES was dominant at the time, but that fabled console was a bit long in the tooth. With the help of truly superb marketing (Sega does what Nintendon't!), and a certain blue hedgehog, the Genesis became Sega's most successful console. It was also a great way to play co-op with a friend, with many stellar co-op games in the Genesis library.
Altered Beast:
"Wiiiiise fwum your gwaaabe!" With this hokey proclamation, the fun began. Altered Beast was the first pack-in game for the Genesis, before Sonic came along and changed everything. Collecting orbs buffed your puny human up like steroids, but the real treat was becoming a werecreature. Shapeshifting into a bear, dragon, or wolf is a nice game mechanic, made even better by trippy bosses and teaming up with a partner.
Gunstar Heroes:
Gunstar Heroes is to the Genesis what Contra is to the NES. Extremely innovative, Gunstar Heroes combined "run and gun" elements with unique settings and more strategic choices, such as hybrid weapons, and fixed or free shots. Many hours were spent by avid Genesis co-op fans, devouring the game over and over again. Gunstar Heroes is considered by many to be the best 16 bit game on any system.
Golden Axe series:
One of the best co-op arcade games received an excellent port to the Genesis. Golden Axe retained everything cool from the arcades, and added in a couple bonus levels to boot. A Genesis-only sequel, Golden Axe II, was released as well. Replayability was high for this series, as the three characters were played quite differently from one another. Golden Axe is one of the best fantasy side scrollers you and a friend will ever enjoy.
Streets of Rage series:
After playing Sreets of Rage, you might just forget all about Double Dragon. The objective was simple, beat your way through a horde of enemies, grabbing any possible weapon you could use on the way. Bottles, knives, bats, swords, and more all make taking down the bad guys easy, and more fun to boot. Co-Optimus' own Nick Puleo has a soft spot for this series, especially Streets of Rage 2.
Toe Jam & Earl:
With a title like that, you know it's going to be good, right? The titular aliens have crash landed on Earth, and must find the scattered pieces of their ship. These guys don't have ray guns to use, though, instead throwing tomatoes at a mind boggling array of "typical" earth creatures, such as hula girls, giant hamsters, and living mailboxes. The two player split screen was particularly nifty for the time. Toe Jam & Earl has become quite a cult classic in the years since its release.
To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Genesis, Sega is running a poll. Players can vote to choose which Sega Genesis classic will be released on Xbox Live Arcade! Some of the games we've looked at today are among the choices: Golden Axe II, Streets of Rage, and Toe Jam & Earl. At the moment, single player standout Earthworm Jim has a commanding lead, but Toe Jam & Earl are in a solid second place. Co-op fans should definitely check the poll out and vote for your favorite of these fine Genesis games. Next week, we'll look at a few more Genesis co-op gems. What games would you like to see us cover?