# SNES and Megadrive players?



## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 6, 2021)

This thread will neither appeal to the elderly nor the young among us but only to those of us in middle-age (_c_. 35 or over). I have recently taken to playing some Super Nintendo (SNES) games on my laptop for a bit of fun. I have done the same with Sega Megadrive (it was called Genesis in the USA) games as well, though I need to get a controller that works for those. I usually play the sport or racing games, as the harder stuff is beyond me these days and the former often only takes a few minutes to play. For the purposes of nostalgia, please share your best experiences playing these consoles.

P.S. If videogames, for whatever reason, are not your thing, save it for another discussion.


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## retroGRAD3 (Feb 6, 2021)

SNES:
Final fantasy 6, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Super Mario World

Genesis: 
All of the Sonic games except 3D blast, Earthworm Jim

In general, I tend to think the SNES had a ton of great games on it, but I think the orginal playstation was the king of original and unique titles. But that may be a discussion for another day.

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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 6, 2021)

retroGRAD3 said:


> but I think the orginal playstation was the king of original and unique titles.



I tend to agree with you. The SNES and Megadrive were great fun, yet I incline to the opinion that the original PlayStation had the best mix of graphics and gameplay. I was even considering buying a cheap secondhand one off eBay - especially as you can acquire the games for peanuts as well.

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## Logan (Feb 6, 2021)

Heh, I could probably go on about the SNES for quite a while. Incidentally, I'm playing the Switch port of Secret of Mana with my kids (the one that still allows for three players, my brothers and I used to have great fun with that game back in the day).

For racing I used to be quite good (worldwide competition) at Super Mario Kart and F-Zero, both of which are very good. Also did Top Gear for a while.

For RPGs, probably Super Mario RPG, Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy III (VI) can't be beat. Secret of Mana just superb. Secret of Evermore never did it for me but the third entry, Seiken Densetsu 3 (which was finally ported officially to English in the Switch collection) is excellent as well. Have played some others that were less memorable. I never did beat Earthbound though.

For platformers, Donkey Kong Country 1, 2, and 3, Super Mario World, and Super Mario All-stars (which has the first three Super Mario brothers game done in SNES graphics and the very difficult Lost Levels). Yoshi's Island has more than an honorable mention.

Super Metroid is one of my all-time favorites. Super Castlevania IV is also a great entry in the metroidvania style.

And who could forget The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past?

As far as memories, I guess my brother and I had a pretty good competition going with time trials on Super Mario Kart. We would battle regularly and trade best times with each other. Balloon Battle was pretty fun as well, with the constant dodging, saving a feather for just the right jump over a wall, and slamming you sibling with a red shell.

Secret of Mana has many fond multi-player memories too. I can remember many shrieks of "heal me! heal me!" in the midst of battle while trying to take down a boss.

Likewise, my brother and I found every single secret exit and alternate path in Super Mario World on our own, with the exception of one (the one where you have to sacrifice Yoshi, I guess we were just too attached to the little guy). This was before we ever had Internet access. We would go back and scour those levels for any secrets we could find and I got to be quite the expert at flying all the way across the stage with the cape. Tubular!

As far as SNES vs PS, having gone back and played many of both I would say that the sprite-based graphics of the SNES are much more forgiving than the early 3D of the PS. Try playing Tomb Raider today and it is an extremely painful experience. I think far more SNES classics have endured (to be replayed) than the PS.

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## retroGRAD3 (Feb 6, 2021)

Logan said:


> Heh, I could probably go on about the SNES for quite a while. Incidentally, I'm playing the Switch port of Secret of Mana with my kids (the one that still allows for three players, my brothers and I used to have great fun with that game back in the day).
> 
> For racing I used to be quite good (worldwide competition) at Super Mario Kart and F-Zero, both of which are very good. Also did Top Gear for a while.
> 
> ...


How could I forget to mention DKC1-3 and super Mario rpg? Both were some my favorites as well. They actually made a new one for switch called DKC tropical freeze which is pretty fun. Also, super Mario 3D world comes out in a few days.


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## Jake (Feb 6, 2021)

I grew up with the NES (and have it now again from my parents house) but I recently setup a RetroPi and have been doing a little bit of playing with the Mario games I missed on the SNES. A lot of fun!

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## Joshua Davis (Feb 6, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> This thread will neither appeal to the elderly nor the young among us but only to those of us in middle-age (_c_. 35 or over). I have recently taken to playing some Super Nintendo (SNES) games on my laptop for a bit of fun. I have done the same with Sega Megadrive (it was called Genesis in the USA) games as well, though I need to get a controller that works for those. I usually play the sport of racing games, as the harder stuff is beyond me these days and the former often only takes a few minutes to play. For the purposes of nostalgia, please share your best experiences playing these consoles.
> 
> P.S. If videogames, for whatever reason, are not your thing, save it for another discussion.


I bought an NES classic, been loving super mario brothers 2 and 3, punch out, ninja gaiden, etc...


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## Logan (Feb 6, 2021)

retroGRAD3 said:


> How could I forget to mention DKC1-3 and super Mario rpg? Both were some my favorites as well. They actually made a new one for switch called DKC tropical freeze which is pretty fun. Also, super Mario 3D world comes out in a few days.



Tropical Freeze is probably my all-time favorite 2D platformer. However, they made it for the Wii U, it was ported to the Switch. It is superbly designed and David Wise's soundtrack features regularly on car rides 
Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) was quite respectable as well. 

Rayman Legends is also an excellent 2D platformer also. 

I already did Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U, not sure it's worth the extra $$ to have it on the Switch as well (even with Bowser's Fury add-on).

If you liked Mario RPG, you might enjoy Mario + Rabbids on the Switch. More of a tactical RPG but surprisingly good.

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## StevieG (Feb 6, 2021)

I just scrape the bottom of the category being 33 and I still have a physical sega megadrive. It was the 1st console I really got into before then moving onto PlayStation. It is such a fun system. 

There is the obvious games like Sonic that are classics for a reason. One that I would suggest if you like racing games is Micro Machines. It is a great fun racing game on all sorts of tracks with many obstacles. Also, it was hard to forget even just from the name, Zombies ate my neighbours!

The SNES is one that I have only recently gotten into with the 3ds virtual machine, so no real nostalgia there... yet!


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## Charles Johnson (Feb 6, 2021)

Our church had an NES that we'd play Duck Hunter, Donkey Kong, and Mario on every week waiting for the service to start. Then the church hired a new youth pastor, he did away with the consoles, and within six weeks he was dismissed because of some undisclosed scandal. Now I realize that there's no reason that a church should have an NES and that that's not something that should be done on Sunday, but at the time I was really upset. I'm only 23, by the way. So it was already vintage when we were playing it.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 6, 2021)

StevieG said:


> There is the obvious games like Sonic that are classics for a reason. One that I would suggest if you like racing games is Micro Machines.



As with @retroGRAD3, I was a big fan of the Sonic games. Sonic Spinball was vastly underrated, in my opinion. My uncle, who was in the Navy at the time, gave me his handheld GameGear on my 11th birthday. I thought that Sonic 1 was better on the GameGear than on the Megadrive. 

I have been playing the Micro Machines games a bit of late as well. I recall getting the original Micro Machines for my 12th birthday and spent a few hours playing it with my friend. As a result, I was forbidden from playing the Megadrive on the following day as it was judged that I needed to get more fresh air to compensate for it. Little wonder that I am so Puritanical now!


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## Jonathan95 (Feb 6, 2021)

Super Mario brothers 3 I have fond memories of. That and Super Mario World. Those were the only games I've played on SNES. After that, the N64 captivated me and I can't wait to see similar expressions on my children's faces, Lord willing.

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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 6, 2021)

I have been playing Super Mario Kart a bit, which I never really played when I was younger. It is pretty good fun.

Some other memorable games/series on SNES and Megadrive would include the Road Rash games (though number three was a let down), Sensible Soccer (FIFA was good, but a bit overrated), NHLPA/NHL Hockey, Desert/Jungle/Urban Strike, and the John Madden American Football games.


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## SeanPatrickCornell (Feb 6, 2021)

SNES: Final Fantasy II (aka Final Fantasy IV in Japan), Super Mario All-Stars, Super Metroid, Super R-Type, Super Star Wars, Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, and Mortal Kombat II.

I wore those games out back in '94.

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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 8, 2021)

SeanPatrickCornell said:


> Super Star Wars, Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi



These games are really good, though a bit too difficult for me. The first level with the hovercraft on Return of the Jedi is really difficult. I keep falling off the edge.

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## SeanPatrickCornell (Feb 8, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> These games are really good, though a bit too difficult for me. The first level with the hovercraft on Return of the Jedi is really difficult. I keep falling off the edge.



Oh I was very bad at them. But, I loved them.

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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 8, 2021)

SeanPatrickCornell said:


> Oh I was very bad at them. But, I loved them.



I managed to make it past the first level on Return of the Jedi, though I am struggling on level two. It is a really good game, as are the others in that series.

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## Taylor (Feb 8, 2021)

SeanPatrickCornell said:


> I wore those games out back in '94.


I was born in '92.

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## RobertPGH1981 (Feb 9, 2021)

Here is a list of games that I remember playing and really enjoying as a kid:

NES - Mario 1, 2, 3; Contra; Metroid; Kung Fu; Dragon Warrior; Mike Tysons Punchout; Ikari Warriors

SNES [didn't own] - Donkey Kong Country, Street Fighter, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fight, Populous

SEGA - Sonic 1,2,3; NHL 93; NBA Jam; NFL Gameday Series, Evander Holyfield Boxing, Phantasy Star, Shinning Force, Madden 92 (yes, 92 wow!!); Streets of Rage;

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## jwithnell (Feb 9, 2021)

Space Invaders on a machine that had to be fed quarters

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## retroGRAD3 (Feb 9, 2021)

jwithnell said:


> Space Invaders on a machine that had to be fed quarters


OLD SCHOOL. Although, I do have fond memories of the arcade as a kid as well. TMNT, the Simpsons, Double Dragon, and the like.

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## SeanPatrickCornell (Feb 9, 2021)

The first video game I ever played in my life was _Tank_ (basically the arcade version of the "Tank" games on _Combat_, the cartridge that came with the Atari VCS, aka Atari 2600). 

My old man used to take me with him to the bar while he was day drinking and he's sit me in front of the (then new and fancy) arcade games that were available, and Tank was the first one I played.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 11, 2021)

I have been playing Batman: Revenge of the Joker and Batman Returns in-between reading Francis Turretin and John Owen over the last couple of nights. I am sure that they would have approved.  These games are excellent.

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## Logan (Feb 11, 2021)

If you've not done Super Metroid, you should.

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## RobertPGH1981 (Feb 11, 2021)

Just thought I would share for those who might be interested in hooking up one of these days online. Admittedly, I have a Nintendo Switch and play some of the old titles with the Nintendo Online Subscription ($20 a year) when I free time. I enjoy these games the most since they are simple and don't require hours of playtime. Nintendo Online offers a limited number of old NES and SNES games for $20 a year.. Nintendo has been releasing remakes of old titles too which updates the graphics or creates battle type matches which are really fun.

Ghost and Goblins comes out in a few months with updated graphics.
Tetris 99 is a game that you battle 99 people online in Tetris by clearing fast and adding blocks to competitors.
Mario 35 (my new fav; Mario 1) is a battle game against 35 competitors that you try to survive the longest while adding goomba's in others path 

Message me for my gamer ID if you're interested in playing coop or battle.

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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 20, 2021)

I got a Megadrive controller last Saturday and have been playing a fair few games in between doing other things. In addition to those already mentioned, the Thunderforce, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage games were very good. Alien Storm was also a good laugh.


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## retroGRAD3 (Feb 20, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I got a Megadrive controller last Saturday and have been playing a fair few games in between doing other things. In addition to those already mentioned, the Thunderforce, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage games were very good. Alien Storm was also a good laugh.


They just recently made a 4th streets of rage that is pretty good as well. It's available on PC (steam). Also, if you can find it, there is also a fan project called streets of rage remake (SORR) out on the internets. It combines all 3 games into one and all the music has been redone using modern technology.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 23, 2021)

Gunstar Heroes on the Megadrive is another fun game.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Mar 11, 2021)

Breaking news: For the first time in my entire life, I managed to complete a Sonic game, namely, Sonic 1 on the Megadrive.

Reactions: Like 2 | Love 1


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## Logan (Mar 12, 2021)

Beat a Megaman game (without save states) and then I'll be impressed

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## ReformedCuban (Mar 12, 2021)

I must admit, I didn't expect to see a thread like this when I first joined PB. I'm not necessarily opposed to it, though 

Even though I'm not middle aged, I got the SNES a couple of years ago because I was watching people like Angry Video Game Nerd (I wouldn't watch him now) and got into retro gaming. None of the games I have were popular, though. They just came with the console when my father purchased it on eBay. I have Clue, Monopoly, Battleship, and a game I've never heard of called "Warlock." I think it's based on a movie, but the game itself is bad. It's hard, to the point that it wasn't fun to play it after dying on the first level a dozen times.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Mar 12, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> Breaking news: For the first time in my entire life, I managed to complete a Sonic game, namely, Sonic 1 on the Megadrive.



I only got one positive reaction to mark such an achievement.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## ZackF (Mar 12, 2021)

Brother and I got an Atari 2600 for Christmas '82. Later our family had a Sega Genesis. I didn't play a whole lot but some. Trying to remember some games.

I was more of a Commodore 64 guy (cartridges, disks and yes even tapes) and then migrated to PC later. Ultima series, Might and Magic and so on.

Edit: Phantasy Star was a game I liked.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Mar 24, 2021)

I completed Streets of Rage 2 in-between reading Theodore Beza. At this point, I am beginning to question the Reformed orthodoxy of anyone who does not enjoy retro video games.

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## Smeagol (Mar 24, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I completed Streets of Rage 2 in-between reading Theodore Beza.


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## Andrew35 (Mar 24, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I completed Streets of Rage 2 in-between reading Theodore Beza. At this point, I am beginning to question the Reformed orthodoxy of anyone who does not enjoy retro video games.


Beza would absolutely crush it in Streets of Rage 2.


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## StevieG (Mar 25, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I completed Streets of Rage 2 in-between reading Theodore Beza. At this point, I am beginning to question the Reformed orthodoxy of anyone who does not enjoy retro video games.


As a board do we have a consensus as to where we draw the line on retro gaming? It still doesn't feel that long ago to me (as I fool myself into thinking I'm still young) that the original playstation came out, but 1995 kind of was


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## Andrew35 (Mar 25, 2021)

StevieG said:


> As a board do we have a consensus as to where we draw the line on retro gaming? It still doesn't feel that long ago to me (as I fool myself into thinking I'm still young) that the original playstation came out, but 1995 kind of was


I know this won't seem fair, but you have to draw the line somewhere and, well... I think the arbitrary line has got to be at 16-bit consoles. Sorry.


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## StevieG (Mar 25, 2021)

Ah well... Good thing I was only asking for a friend... I obviously wouldn't actually know anything about that...

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## Reformed Covenanter (Mar 31, 2021)

I completed Streets of Rage 3 last night in between reading William Perkins, which further confirms the link between Reformed orthodoxy and retro-video games.

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## retroGRAD3 (Mar 31, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I completed Streets of Rage 3 last night in between reading William Perkins, which further confirms the link between Reformed orthodoxy and retro-video games.


Good on you. That is a difficult game.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Mar 31, 2021)

retroGRAD3 said:


> Good on you. That is a difficult game.



I completed it in easy mode, but that bit was in invisible ink.


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## StevieG (Mar 31, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I completed Streets of Rage 3 last night in between reading William Perkins, which further confirms the link between Reformed orthodoxy and retro-video games.


What are you planning on next? I'm starting to try and work my way through the original sonic trilogy again. I specifically not being very good at them back in the day even if I did have lots of fun


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## Reformed Covenanter (Mar 31, 2021)

StevieG said:


> What are you planning on next? I'm starting to try and work my way through the original sonic trilogy again. I specifically not being very good at them back in the day even if I did have lots of fun



I completed Sonic 1 recently but was generally never that good at the Sonic games despite enjoying them. It is almost as if they are too fast for me. I may try and play more SNES games next. I tried playing Desert Strike a couple of nights ago, but it is a little above my pay grade.


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## retroGRAD3 (Mar 31, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I completed Sonic 1 recently but was generally never that good at the Sonic games despite enjoying them. It is almost as if they are too fast for me. I may try and play more SNES games next. I tried playing Desert Strike a couple of nights ago, but it is a little above my pay grade.


Sonic 3 and knuckles is the best one if trying to get the full experience. A newer one called sonic mania is also very good. It is made to be like the old ones but with better animations.


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## py3ak (Apr 28, 2021)

[This is a test. This is only a test. Do not be alarmed.]

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## Reformed Covenanter (Apr 28, 2021)

I have tried playing Brian Lara's Cricket on the Megadrive, but have not gotten very far. In a match between England and the Netherlands (not a very famous cricketing nation), I managed to get bowled out for a measly eleven runs. However, in F1 World Championship, I am having more success. I even managed to win a race and below is the empirical proof of my triumph!

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## Reformed Covenanter (Apr 28, 2021)

@Logan - no doubt Perg will be pleased that I managed to defeat "Tripp".

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## VictorBravo (Apr 28, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I only got one positive reaction to mark such an achievement.


I'd love to cheer you on, Daniel, but I have no idea what kind of accomplishment it is. I thought of myself as middle-aged, but I guess I'm not. 

Pong and Asteroids are the last games I recall playing. I remember one night with my sister at a beer joint playing a game like Space Invaders but it had a big red button for the "Smart Bomb." You got three chances at it unless you got more points. We couldn't stop laughing at the chaos and yelling "hit the Smart Bomb!"

But we ran out of quarters.


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Apr 30, 2021)

My boys really enjoy playing video games, so I've been playing them with them the past few years. I've been encouraged to learn that science shows they are really good for the brain in many ways if used properly. I'm 33, so I was the SNES and Genesis generation. Very nostalgic for me. We've beat some of the older games on the classic systems, but we couldn't have beat them without the modern save abilities we have now. Mario, Kirby, and Sonic games are my favorite. Super Mario World for the SNES is probably my all-time favorite. It's neat to see you guys enjoying some innocent nostalgic fun!

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