Top 10 Sega Master System Games
- ryanjepson8
- Jan 25, 2017
- 5 min read
Since New Zealand wasn't really Nintendo country, the first console we ever owned as a family was the Sega Master System. As a result, I always thought it was the better console. In my later years that opinion has somewhat changed, but there are still many classics to be had on the SMS when compared to the NES. Maybe just not as many. Here's my Top 10 favourite SMS games:
10. Fantasy Zone
Though this isn't the best shooter on the console (that's coming later), as a kid, it appealed to me mostly because it was insanely colourful. Though behind the colours, there was a lot of good and not too blisteringly difficult shoot 'em up action. With its horizontally looping side scrolling plane (with the option of going left or right to finish a level) and currency that randomly dropped from enemies, it's an extremely unique shooter and I don't think I've ever seen another one like it. Well, aside from the sequels of course.
9. Ghouls 'n Ghosts
The NES did not get this sequel to Ghosts 'n Goblins. It's a pity because they missed out on a top notch side scrolling platformer and I'd say it's better than the prequel in almost every way. The colours are more vibrant, the sound is better and it's a hell of a lot less cheap and glitchy, so much less frustrating as a result. That said, it was still quite difficult. Pretty sure I never finished it as a kid. Of course, it's not better than the Mega Drive port, but that's not exactly a fair comparison to make.
8. Golden Axe Warrior
This has been called the SMS equivalent to Zelda, and once you play it, it's pretty damn obvious why. I wouldn't go so far to say that they are exactly the same game, but Golden Axe Warrior definitely ripped off a lot from The Legend of Zelda. The overworld is similar, the action is pretty much the same and there's 8 dungeons that you have to do in a specific order. There is a basic magic system in place, so that separates it some what. I still really enjoyed this title even though it was basically a clone. I hadn't come across anything else on the SMS like it.
7. Double Dragon
You'll see on the cover there that there's one small, but significant detail that makes this better than the NES version: For 1 or 2 players. That's right; two player Double Dragon. I'd never played the NES version when I was a kid, but I was pretty shocked when I found out it wasn't 2 player co-op. What a bizarre decision for a side scrolling beat em up. This version does only have 4 stages though, but they look a lot better and the stages that it doesn't have are the more annoying platformy ones, so that's not too bad a thing.
6. asterix
Americans probably don't really know who or what Asterix is, but in New Zealand, it was quite a popular graphic novel series about the adventures of Asterix (smaller guy) and Obelix (big guy) in Roman times. This is the first of 3 Asterix games on the SMS and is easily the best. It took some very minor cues from Mario, but was mostly original. You could play either character and each one played much differently too each other, unlike Mario and Luigi. Of course, this is not as much of a classic, but it's a platformer that I always end up coming back to.
5. Castle of Illusion
Again, the Mega Drive version is better than the SMS version (of course), but this was the one that I played the most. I really enjoyed the music from this game, and quite often it just pops into my head randomly. Playing as Mickey Mouse as a kid was a treat, and the platforming action was just right. Not too hard and not too easy. Like Asterix, I enjoyed Castle of Illusion more than the sequels, and I guess everyone else did too, since only this installment got a remake. Really need to check that out...
4. Ninja Gaiden
Another game that had a NES counterpart. Both were brutally difficult, however, this particular version was made easier by the fact that if you get 999 of an ability (such as the fire shield) it becomes unlimited. Not sure if this was a glitch or a cheat, but it certainly made the game a lot less frustrating to play. The soundtrack is incredible (especially on the first level) and the graphics look a lot better than the NES due to the SMS having a larger colour palette. Probably my second most played SMS game.
3. R-Type
Ok, this port is a fair bit limited when compared to the arcade original, but I'm surprised at what they actually managed to pull off here. There's still the same amount of power-ups, the music sounds good and graphics are decent (there's a bit of slowdown on a few of the levels, but nothing too extreme). In addition, there's actually an extra secret level that doesn't exist in any other version of the game! You can tell that the developers put a lot of care into this port. All in all, this makes R-Type the definitive side-scrolling shoot em up for the SMS.
2. Alex Kidd in Miracle World
This game was built-in to the early models of the Sega Master System II before it was replaced with the SMS port of Sonic the Hedgehog. I guess Alex Kidd was going to be Sega's mascot, but when Sonic exploded, they decided to replace him. Sad really, because a lot of gamers would've missed out on this classic as a result. Catchy soundtrack, vibrant graphics and some tricky platforming action make this the best pack-in game I've ever seen. I've played this game so much that I could pick it up today and probably play it with my eyes closed. Well, maybe not quite, but you get the point.
1. Wonder BOY III: The Dragons Trap
This isn't just the best SMS game, this is the best game on a Sega platform and in my opinion, one of the greatest games ever. The scope of this game was just incredible for its time. You start at the end of the 2nd game and but then transformed into a lizard. Among the way, you get to play as a mouse, a piranha, a lion and a hawk. Each of these plays differently and has different abilities too. The graphics and soundtrack are the best on the system, bar none. It'd be amazing to see a remake of this one day.
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