Favorite Games List – Sega Genesis

The Favorite Games List was a recurring feature originally published on Trevor Trove. This installment originally debuted on November 23, 2015

Before PlayStation versus X-Box, there was Nintendo versus Sega. When I was growing up, my dad worked at Park ‘n Swap in Phoenix on the weekends (an outdoor flea market/swap meet). I don’t remember if that’s where we picked up our Sega Genesis but in hindsight, I’m willing to guess that at least some of our games/systems may not have been entirely legal when we purchased them off of somebody’s folding table. Anyway, point is: for a while, we were a family playing both sides of the original Console War.

 I’ve given a little love to the Nintendo family so let’s spend a post or two on the other guys… 

Sega Genesis

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – Sega’s answer to the Italian plumber was a faster-paced mascot who could pretty much run circles around Mario. The early Sonic games were great and Sonic 2 improved on pretty much everything the original had done. Plus, now that I’m older, I can better appreciate that at least Tails isn’t just a palette swap like ol’ Luigi. It’s all too common today to find people crapping on the Sonic games since most of the series has been cashing in on the nostalgia and 90s love, but I had fun playing the originals and when I revisited Sonic 2 on the PSN a couple years back.

NBA Playoffs: Bulls vs. Blazers – This comes from a time when I loved basketball. Basketball and soccer were the two sports I really got into growing up and I was a Suns fan through and through. This game came after the 91-92 championship matchup between Chicago and Portland but it was the next year that led the 92-93 Suns to the final showdown with the Bulls. Sure, we still lost, but when I played this game, my Suns could win the title. And I think the starting lineup of Charles Barkley, “K.J.” Kevin Johnson, “Thunder” Dan Majerle, Danny Ainge, and Tom Chambers will be forever burned into my brain.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers – Before I really got into acting, I remember definitely wanting to be a stunt man a la this show. I was/am a (k)nerd so I always played pretend as Billy, that original Blue Ranger. But when I played this fighting game, I pretty much always wanted to play as Tommy the Green Ranger because the Dragonzord and Dragon Dagger were way cooler than the Triceratops and Power Lance. Side note though: I was watching through some early episodes on Netflix a while back and, yikes, they do not hold up well.

Ecco the Dolphin – Because you were a dolphin WHO TRAVELED THROUGH TIME!!!  Suck it, Flipper!