One of the most iconic launch titles since Mario, Altered Beast was a port of a very rough arcade game. If you never played Altered Beast, it's a game where you start out as a puny human collecting upgrades getting stronger and stronger until you turn into an actual beast. Each level has its own unique beast transformation with their own special moves. I actually don't really mind this game, but there's a serious problem with it. No continue system at all. There's also no way to recover health or lives. If I'm ever going to be able to beat this game, it's going to be using save states. Also, I was watching the demo play while typing this, and I noticed that when it's in two player mode, they start out already in beast mode... I wonder how I can do that... It would make the game that much more fun. Also, who could forget this line? "WISE FROM YOUR GWAVE!
Earthworm Jim
Ah, Earthworm Jim! Another tough as nails game, but to be honest, it's hard for the wrong reasons. There's plenty of cheap shots in this game all thanks to wonky hitboxes when you whip your worm body at enemies. Those damn crows! This was the age of 16 bit, though, when graphics got better and animations really improved. It's a joyous game to watch in motion. I played the first couple of levels, New Junk City, and Andy Asteroids where you go on the psuedo-3D rocket race against I think it was a chicken. This is going to be one of those "I'm going to use save states until I beat it" type games.
Columns
Before Genesis got Tetris themselves, and not very well spread at that, they had Columns. Now, I remember playing it on the Game Gear a lot, but I don't think I ever played it on the Genesis. I can't imagine it being that much different, but it's still a fun puzzler. It's a match three game before match three games were cool. You'd have blocks of three different jewels and you have to match them vertically, horizontally and diagonally. You really had to plan ahead with this game, but unlike Tetris, clearing lines isn't very easy as most of your pieces get covered with junk quickly. I set a couple of top scores, and I think I'm content with this game. Again, Tetris Effect is there to fulfill my puzzler itch.
Sonic the Hedgehog
What can I say? It's Sonic The Hedgehog. I'm sure someone has it on their SmartFridge. But yeah, you can't have a Genesis collection without having the second most iconic video game character on there, Sonic the Hedgehog! Also, it was the birth of that wonderful singsong "Seeeegaaaaa!" Goosebumps. Anyway, I played a couple of levels and was instantly welcomed back with the Green Hills theme song. So good! And this game still holds up today, although not nearly as well as its sequels. In fact, it actually makes me want to break out Sonic Mania again.
Golden Axe was not a fun beat 'em up. Streets of Rage is a fun beat 'em up. Well, this is 2, not the first, but I do know that 2 was so much better than the first. Funny, though. I'm so surprised that Capcom never filed a cease and desist on Sega for literally ripping off Final Fight. I mean, some of the enemies are almost exactly like, and they even use the same graphics for health and the same fonts for character names. But yeah, Streets of Rage 2 was so much fun with my friend back in the day. It's odd, though, I remember it being much harder. I'm going to return to this some day and beat it with all the characters.
Vectorman
I remember Vectorman being one of the Genesis' last hurrahs. I also owned the game as well, and I remember I sucked at it horribly. Still do apparently. I don't remember the last time I had such a hard time with a first level boss. The graphics of this era were mostly psuedo-3D animated pixels, which gave games like this very fluid animation. Vectorman plays fast and it plays hard. You can't just run willy nilly everywhere and think you'll just steamroll everyone. I actually made it to the third level no thanks to save states, and the second level was pretty cool. Apparently, Vectorman has different transformations, and he was a train in the second level while avoiding the hands of a robot swinging from the tracks below you. I may see how far I can get in this game, because I would like to beat it considering I once owned it.
As always, thanks for reading and I'll have more Genesis games tomorrow.
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