Great Basketball (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publisher: Sega of America
Released: 1987

Great Basketball is a sports game that was released in Brazil as Great Basket.

+ Includes eight teams with an abbreviated version of their national anthem, and the half-time show is a cute idea.

+ Winning a game and then hitting bonus three-point shots rewards you with the ability to upgrade your team's stats.

- Your squad members are completely useless and prefer to wander around looking for lost treasure than actually taking part.

- Pace of play is lacking, as the game stops after every single basket so the scoring team can burst into celebration!

- Defense is farcical with no logic to steals, and marginally making contact results in an overabundance of pushing fouls.

- Inbounding a pass after a CPU basket is nervy, as your teammates usually drift into the opponent's half and aren't visible.

- Dunk animation is laughable, and the game doesn't afford you any customisation options for difficulty or quarter length.

Great Football (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publisher: Sega of America
Released: 1987

Great Football is an American Football game that was also released as Sports Pad Football (1987, Sega Master System).

+ 12 fictional teams are selectable, the speech clips are fairly good quality, and the passing game is intuitive.

+ Multiplayer option allows you to experience the full game, which includes playing both sides of the ball.

- In 1-Player mode, you cannot play defense and instead start offense in the 4th quarter with a big point deficit.

- Selecting a play means waiting for the game to slowly cycle through all 8-9 formations before you can proceed.

- Running game is exploitable, as the defense often refuses to move until you're a few yards passed the line of scrimmage!

- If the CPU blitz, they'll plough through your Offensive Line in less than a second for an unavoidable QB sack.

- No customisation options for quarter length or computer difficulty, and the crowd SFX are horribly distorted.

Zillion II: The Tri Formation (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega of America
Released: 1988

Zillion II: The Tri Formation is an action game and the sequel to the 1987 Sega Master System title called Zillion.

+ Like Alex Kidd, Mario and Zelda's 8-bit sequels, the gameplay is completely different in an attempt to freshen things up.

+ Stage 3 has some bright spots, including the multi platform levels that reward skilled players for staying on the top set.

+ Has a fair checkpoint system, and there's some gorgeous artwork with detailed sprites and industrial backdrops.

- On the whole, the level design is painfully average with no standout moments and the action in both stage types is generic.

- Hit box when transforming in to the Armorator is ludicrously large and it's usually impossible to avoid damage.

- Difficulty is artificially inflated by stiff controls and enemies that appear once you've started leaping over a gap.

- Final boss is a cake walk due to simple attack patterns that are noticeable in seconds for a perplexingly easy victory.

Zillion (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega of America
Released: 1987

Zillion is an action-adventure game that's exclusive to Sega's 8-bit console.

+ Game world is gigantic with brilliant level design, and finding key cards to disable lasers and sensors is rewarding.

+ Each room is basically a mini puzzle and working out the best approach to safely escape is a big part of the appeal.

+ Allows you to rescue and play as new characters that can be individually powered-up to improve their unique skills.

+ Instead of using the console pause button to bring up the status screen, you can press 1 or 2 on a second controller.

- Action is very repetitive and despite the game's length there's unfortunately no way to save your progress.

- Constant need to write down symbol combinations can be draining and breaks up the flow of the gameplay.

- After using a continue, you can immediately find yourself being shot by an enemy before having time to react.

Aerial Assault (Sega Game Gear review)

Developer: Shimada Kikaku
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1992

Aerial Assault is a horizontally-scrolling shooter that was originally released on the Sega Master System in 1990.

+ Supports two-player co-op via the Gear-to-Gear Cable, and a decent amount of enemy types are gradually introduced.

+ Stage 3 is a highlight as it ditches wide open spaces in favour of tight, claustrophobic corridors that test your nerve.

- Ultimately a watered down port of the SMS version due to its missing stages, and the removal of bombs neuter your arsenal.

- Levels drag on for far too long with no interesting set-pieces, and the game's speed can be exasperatingly slow at times.

- Infrequent power-ups negate combat variety and it takes a painful amount of time to regain weapon strength after losing a life.

- Homing weapon is largely ineffective, as it has a tendency to circle enemies before eventually trying to make contact.

- Graphical style occasionally feels disjointed due to the mishmash of dark, brooding backdrops and cartoony sprites.

Aerial Assault (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sanritsu, Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1990

Aerial Assault is a horizontally-scrolling shooter that later received a scaled back port on the Sega Game Gear in 1992.

+ Variety of weapons available and there's plenty of opportunities to quickly power yourself up after losing a life.

+ Mixes in both air and land opponents, with the latter adding a risk-reward element if your bomb reserve is depleted.

+ Stage 2's day/night cycle, weather effects and parallax scrolling are astonishing and create a menacing backdrop.

+ Stage 4 is an inspired change of pace, as wide open spaces are ditched in favour of tight corridors that test your nerve.

- Levels massively outstay their welcome and aren't always backed up with interesting set-pieces or fresh ideas.

- Items from defeated enemies travel in a wavy pattern, making it irritatingly easy to grab one you don't want.

- Inclusion of a 1-Down item is cheap, as it instantly kills you and you can't always avoid it in the heat of battle.

Mappy (Sega Game Gear review)

Developer: Nova
Publisher: Namco
Released: 1991

Mappy is an action game that was first released in the Arcade in 1983.

+ Navigating using trampolines is fun and unique, while the timer creates urgency and excitement by speeding up enemies.

+ Slowly introduces fresh items like bells that can be dropped on foes in a similar fashion to Dig Dug (1982, Arcade).

+ Point system is creative and there's many inventive ways to rack up high scores, such as collecting items in pairs.

+ Exclusive modes are a blast, especially Gosenzo-sama no chosen which features new stages with vast vertical scope.

+ Bonus Round is an absolute joy and it's hugely entertaining trying to collect all the balloons before the timer expires.

- Only has five of the six stages from the Arcade original, which is a missed opportunity considering this port's additions.

- Most deaths are as a result of not having enough screen real estate to see entire platforms, which can be aggravating.

The Pro Yakyuu: Pennant Race (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Whiteboard
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1987

The Pro Yakyuu: Pennant Race is a sports game and a revised edition of Great Baseball (1987, Sega Master System).

+ Has some entertaining new modes such as the All-Star Game and the ability to watch two CPU teams battle.

+ Offense is much more forgiving than the original game, with base hits and home runs being less of a premium.

+ Tons of personality, as there's music when runners reach scoring position and even some wild bench clearing brawls!

+ Improved A.I. base running, awesome ball scaling effect in mid-air and the expressive voice clips are superb quality.

- Playing defense is a chore, as your fielders wade through treacle while the ball flies off the bat at ridiculous speed.

- Teams are reduced from 26 to 12, and the angled pitching view makes it tough to accurately judge the strike zone.

- Secondary overhead view looks flatter and more graphically basic compared to Great Baseball's 45° aerial angle.

Great Baseball (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Whiteboard
Publisher: Sega of America
Released: 1987

Great Baseball is a sports game that differs from the similarly named Sega Master System title Great Baseball (1985).

+ Individual stats encourage tactical play, there's a whopping 26 teams, and the game supports 1-2 players.

+ Allows you to customise your starting pitcher, as well as choosing when to bring in a relief player or pinch hitter.

+ Clear voice samples and the cool scoreboard animations resemble FIFA International Soccer (1993, Sega Genesis).

- Angled view when pitching makes it difficult to judge spatial distance and the exact location of the strike zone.

- Ball absolutely flies off the bat, which makes defense tough as your players can't move anywhere near as fast.

- Automatic base runners aren't the smartest, as they'll often head from 3rd to home base on an infield fly ball!

- CPU A.I. is inconsistent, as one minute they'll swing during your pitch wind-up, before becoming world beaters.

Great Baseball (1985) (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1985

Great Baseball is a sports game that differs from the similarly named Sega Master System title Great Baseball (1987).

+ Decent amount of pitches on offer, and you can combine them with directional spin to get hitters off balance.

+ Home Run and two-player modes add longevity, and it's nice that you can choose between manual or automatic fielding.

+ Good pacing and unlike some baseball games you don't need to lob the ball back to the pitcher after throwing to a base!

+ Neat graphical touches, such as the foul ball faux-scaling and the pitcher who checks base runners prior to each pitch.

- Batting can take a while to adjust to, as the required swing timing to get a base hit is extremely precise.

- Hard to get invested in the available teams, as there's no squad / player names, or individual stats to aid strategy.

- Lacks personality, as there's barely any crowd SFX and home run cheers sound more like a broken leaf blower.

James Pond 3: Operation Starfish (Sega Game Gear review)

Developer: Millennium Interactive, Teque London, Vectordean
Publisher: U.S. Gold
Released: 1995

James Pond 3: Operation Starfish is a platformer that was originally released on the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis in 1993.

+ Includes an impressive 60 levels and fans of the 16-bit original will enjoy navigating the altered layouts.

+ Gravitational elements are interesting and the overworld map often allows you to choose between multiple stages.

- Controls are broken due to their over-sensitivity, and the wonky physics make it an absolute chore to move around.

- Enemy placement is infuriating and the spotty collision detection means it's worth avoiding combat wherever possible.

- Copy/paste stage design is unbearably repetitive and there's little to distinguish one level from the next.

- Tries to be both a slower Mario game and a fast-paced Sonic title, but the juxtaposition of styles doesn't mesh well.

- Music typically consists of a singular track being played ad nauseum and its off-key notes quickly grate.

James Pond 3: Operation Starfish (Sega Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Millennium Interactive, Vectordean
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: 1993

James Pond 3: Operation Starfish is a platformer that was later ported to the Sega Game Gear in 1995.

+ Features 100+ levels and the M.C. Kids (1992, NES) inspired gravitational elements open up the stages for exploration.

+ Like Turrican (1990, C64), there's a mountain of collectables to find if you want to see everything the game has to offer.

- Tries to be both a slower Mario game and a fast-paced Sonic title, but the juxtaposition of styles doesn't mesh well.

- Repetitive level design is littered with unavoidable hazards and brutal enemy placement that relies on trial-and-error.

- Often forces you to jump around like an idiot in the hope of finding a hidden block to advance the path forward.

- Stiff aerial controls when jumping horizontally from a prone position, and oversensitive while dashing in mid-air.

- Weapons and attacks feel weak due to overbearing enemies, and the 22 symbol password system is convoluted.

Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure (Sega Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Interplay
Publisher: Interplay
Released: 1994

Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure is an action game that was re-released on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console in 2008.

+ Stages offer sprawling verticality that allows curious players to traverse the environments in a more methodical way.

+ Focus on item collection adds a scavenger hunt element, and the elusive sewer areas provide fun, bite-sized challenges.

+ Mixture of short and long-range attacks gives ample ways to approach combat, and the ability to fly opens up the levels.

+ Animation is incredible, with expressive characters that ooze personality, and the music fits the kooky vibe.

- Gameplay doesn't do anything to advance its initial concepts, resulting in repetitive levels that blur together.

- Lots of blind leaps of faith and enemies that respawn out of thin air, and the disappointing boss battles are too samey.

- Controls have a slippery feel and the dodgy collision detection / spaced-out checkpoints amplify the frustrations.

Sunset Riders (Sega Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Released: 1992

Sunset Riders is an action game that was released in the Arcade in 1991 and ported to the Super Nintendo in 1993.

+ Stage design resembles Rolling Thunder (1986, Arcade) due to dual platform levels, and the stray coins add risk-reward.

+ Includes an exclusive two-player Versus option, and the co-op mode shows the hit-rate which is great for bragging rights!

+ Has more control flexibility than the Arcade original, as you can either fire from a stationary position or while moving.

- However, it's very much an incomplete port, as four stages and two playable characters are completely absent.

- Doesn't hold a candle next to the SNES version which has more content, superior audio / animation and brighter colours.

- Bonus stages offer little in the way of variety or fun, as it's weirdly tough to judge depth perception when chasing items.

- Voice clips for each boss are missing (text boxes are used instead), which lessens their charm and personality.

Road Rash 3: Tour De Force (Sega Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Monkey Do Productions
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: 1995

Road Rash 3: Tour De Force is a vehicular combat racing game that's exclusive to Sega's 16-bit console.

+ Lengthy solo mode with plenty of options / upgrades to sink your teeth into, and there's a handy password feature.

+ Racing is as chaotic as ever, and the fast-paced action makes you constantly feel on the very edge of control.

+ Adding European countries is inspired, as some force you to retrain your brain by driving on the opposite side of the road.

+ Heavy metal intro track sets the mood with crazy double-kick drums, and there's some hilarious post-race cut-scenes.

- Gameplay offers nothing different to advance the series and the new courses only serve as bland racing backdrops.

- Low frame-rate makes it almost impossible to accurately dodge incoming traffic with any degree of consistency.

- New digitised character sprites create an unappealing, angular look that feels detached from the road / scenery.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Sega Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1994

Sonic 3 & Knuckles is a platformer that combines Sonic 3 (1994) and Sonic & Knuckles (1994) into one game.

+ Levels are enormous with multiple routes, and the ability to play as Knuckles increases replayability due to his unique skills.

+ Worlds often have completely different scenic / gameplay concepts between acts, as well as almost seamless transitions.

+ Harks back to the original Sonic (1991, Sega Genesis) in terms of mixing pure speed with methodical platforming.

+ Power-ups add a new wrinkle to the gameplay and give you fresh ways to tackle both the environments and opponents. 

+ Graphics are stunningly beautiful, with some jaw-dropping animation, background effects and parallax scrolling.

+ Iconic 3D bonus stages are a joy to speed around, and the game provides eight save slots to continue your progress.

- Bosses pose little challenge and as long as you have a ring you can avoid skill and just brute force your way to victory.

Virtua Fighter Animation (Sega Game Gear review)

Developer: Aspect
Publisher: Sega of America
Released: 1996

Virtua Fighter Animation is a one-on-one fighter that was ported to the Sega Master System in 1997 in Brazil only.

+ Retains the feel of Virtua Fighter (1993, Arcade) with a good range of fighters that are unlocked as the story progresses.

+ Impressive number of moves are available, and unlike the SMS port this one has a guard / associated special moves.

+ The story is so ludicrous that you'll want to stick around to see what madcap adventures the fighters get themselves into!

+ Music is top-tier and the dual camera angles that switch during combat offer an innovative approach that works.

- Some attacks are cumbersome to execute and you can spam repeated high kicks instead for an easy path to the credits.

- There's no Gear-to-Gear Cable support, so those looking for multiplayer should seek out the console version.

- No difficulty settings and there's zero in the way of customisation options (e.g. timer length, number of bouts).

20 em 1 (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Tec Toy
Publisher: Tec Toy
Released: 1995

20 em 1 is a mini-game compilation that was only released in Brazil.

+ Mini-games are suitable for a young audience who may find minor enjoyment in the simple Game & Watch style action.

- Despite having 20 games, there's really only a handful of gameplay styles due to core concepts being repeated.

- No.4 is a platform game with no enemies or gaps, and no.17 has some of the jerkiest horizontal scrolling you'll ever see.

- No.7 is a bike game where you literally drive for 15 seconds while avoiding sparse obstacles with poor collision detection.

- Lazily, no.8 and no.19 are the exact same driving game, except one scrolls upwards instead of downwards!

- Doesn't detail the pass criteria for each game, so you're completely in the dark until your finished attempt is graded.

- A singular music track is repeated throughout every game and its clinking tones will slowly drive you insane!

Virtua Fighter Animation (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Aspect
Publisher: Tec Toy
Released: 1997

Virtua Fighter Animation is a one-on-one fighter that was originally released on the Sega Game Gear in 1996.

+ Retains the feel of Virtua Fighter (1993, Arcade) with a good range of fighters that are unlocked as the story progresses.

+ Includes a multiplayer mode not found in the handheld version, and the decent quality voice samples add personality.

+ The story is so ludicrous that you'll want to stick around to see what madcap adventures the fighters get themselves into!

+ Music could be mistaken for a top-tier Neo Geo Pocket Color game, and the cut-scenes feature beautiful artwork.

- Missing the zoomed-in camera angle from the Game Gear version, and all moves that require a guard button have been cut.

- Some attacks are cumbersome to execute and you can spam repeated high kicks instead for an easy path to the credits.

- No difficulty settings and the two-player mode is devoid of match customisation options (e.g. timer length, number of bouts).

Wagyan Land (Sega Game Gear review)

Developer: Now Production
Publisher: Namco
Released: 1991

Wagyan Land is a platformer and an enhanced port of the 1989 Nintendo Famicom title of the same name.

+ World map has multiple routes for you to explore, which is a great incentive to return for repeated attempts.

+ Enemies can be stunned to create platforms, which is a brilliant gimmick for strategically traversing the environments.

+ Later stages add a few new wrinkles to keep things fresh, including spring boots that allow you to stomp on bad guys.

+ Colourful graphics are reminiscent of Namco's Pac-Land (1984, Arcade) and there's some neat platform layering effects.

- Like Yo Noid! (1990, NES), the game has an identity crisis and doesn't stay on one idea long enough to make an impact.

- Word chain boss battles slow the gameplay down unnecessarily and it's tough for non-Japanese speakers to partake.

- Obtaining four Wagyanizers grants invincibility, but it's too overpowered and allows you to skip 60-70% of most levels.

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game (Sega 32X review)

Developer: Sculptured Software, The Black Team
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
Released: 1995

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game is a wrestling title that was also ported to the Sega Genesis in 1995.

+ Beat-em-up gameplay is atypical for the genre, but seamlessly blends grappling with slapstick attacks and projectiles.

+ Large roster of wrestlers are available, each with extensive move sets that are executed via simple button commands.

+ Handicap bouts are great fun, and two players can battle against each other, or cooperatively against the CPU.

+ Features more frames of animation compared to the Genesis version and the voice clips are much higher in quality.

- However, the action only runs at 30FPS (half the Genesis port) and the overall upgrades from the 16-bit version are minimal.

- While there are difficulty options, the CPU is brutally aggressive which doesn't help with easing new players in.

- Needed additional solo modes, and it's a shame the Royal Rumble is exclusive to the WWF Championship finale.

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game (Sega Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Sculptured Software, The Black Team
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
Released: 1995

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game is a wrestling title that was also ported to the Sega 32X and SNES in 1995.

+ Beat-em-up gameplay is atypical for the genre, but seamlessly blends grappling with slapstick attacks and projectiles.

+ Larger roster than the SNES port and wrestlers have extensive move sets that are executed via simple button commands.

+ Handicap bouts are great fun, and two players can battle against each other, or cooperatively against the CPU.

+ Combo metre is a key inclusion, as you can quickly turn the tide by doing massive damage in a short burst.

+ Motion capture animation is impressive and unlike the 30FPS Sega 32X version, this runs at double the frame-rate.

- While there are difficulty options, the CPU is brutally aggressive which doesn't help with easing new players in.

- Missing most of Jerry Lawler's commentary and there's noticeable slowdown when four wrestlers are on screen.

Virtua Fighter (Sega 32X review)

Developer: Sega CS4
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1995

Virtua Fighter is a one-on-one fighting game that was originally released in the Arcade in 1993.

+ Enormous amount of moves for each fighter, and the slow, methodical gameplay is a nice change of pace for the genre.

+ Being able to attack a downed opponent opens up the combat and there's nothing more satisfying than using it for a K.O.!

+ Responsive controls and the game runs at a rock solid frame-rate, even in widescreen mode which performs admirably.

+ Music is outstanding, and despite some graphical cutbacks the game holds its own against the Sega Saturn version (1995).

- Could have used a Training mode, as the number of moves and steep learning curve can be overwhelming to newcomers.

- Rather than immediately transitioning from one enemy to the next, a short pre-fight build-up would have added personality.

- Has noticeable bugs, such as in the Backside 1P camera angle where foes can continually walk backwards for a Ring Out.

Meltdown (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Atari Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1990

Meltdown is an action game that requires the Atari XG-1 light-gun.

+ Bonus blocks add risk-reward, and there's a huge 20 stages along with a useful passkey system to continue progress.

+ Has a few power-ups that change per stage, and the continuous fire upgrade turns the action into utter carnage!

+ Ingeniously, missed shots create a temporary blast barrier that can be used to ricochet sparkx away from your rods.

+ Screen shaking when close to meltdown is intense, and the Game Over screen resembles Missile Command (1980, Arcade).

- Enemies are represented by minuscule sprites, which can make it difficult to target them with real accuracy and skill.

- While the light-gun is serviceable, it's a shame that a controller option wasn't implemented to cater to all players.

- Music is utterly dreadful and the repetitive, pitchy tones are frequently out of time with the accompanying percussion.

Crossbow (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Imagineering
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1987

Crossbow is a target shooter that was originally released in the Arcade in 1983.

+ Fun comes not from shooting everything, but from swiftly evaluating the most immediate threat(s) to your friends.

+ Once you start collecting friends, there's a sense of attachment and making sure you protect them is a real responsibility!

+ Wide range of enemy types, as well as environmental hazards and scenic interaction that adds to the immersion.

+ Build up to the Evil Master is brilliantly ghoulish and there's some neat graphical effects once he's defeated.

+ Light-gun offers pinpoint precision, but the game still plays well with a d-pad crosshair thanks to its reactive movements.

- Can be disorientating unless you create a map, as the coloured route options don't reveal their path until chosen.

- SFX are abrasive and the sprite work resembles something you might see on the Colecovision rather than an 8-bit console.