Introduction The Last Blade 2 was developed and published by SNK, released for arcades in 1998 as a refined sequel to The Last Blade, continuing the series’ Bakumatsu-era sword-fighting setting with an expanded roster and smoother animation. Players choose between two fighting styles for each character, Speed for faster, more mobile combat or Power for…
Introduction Samurai Shodown II was developed and published by SNK, released for arcades in 1994 as the sequel to the original Samurai Shodown, refining the series’ weapon-based fighting system with faster movement and a deeper cast of feudal-Japan-inspired warriors. Building on the first game’s emphasis on longer-range weapon strikes and a Rage gauge that unlocks…
Introduction Shock Troopers was developed by Saurus and published by SNK, released for arcades in 1997 as a top-down run-and-gun in the vein of classic overhead shooters, letting up to three players choose from eight mercenary characters with different stats and weapon behavior. Missions branch across multiple possible paths through each stage, meaning a full…
Introduction Sunset Riders was developed and published by Konami, released for the SNES in 1993 as a home port of the 1991 arcade run-and-gun set in a cartoonish Wild West populated by bounty hunters and outlaws. Players choose from four playable gunslingers, each with slightly different weapons, hunting down a rogues’ gallery of wanted criminals…
Introduction RoboCop versus The Terminator was developed by Interplay and published by Virgin Games, released for the SNES in 1993 as a licensed crossover between two of the era’s biggest action franchises, based on a comic book miniseries by Frank Miller rather than either film series directly. The plot has RoboCop discovering that Skynet’s rise…
Introduction Arkanoid was developed and published by Taito, released for the NES in 1987 as a home conversion of the 1986 arcade original that helped define the breakout-style genre. Players control the Vaus, a small spacecraft acting as a paddle, bouncing a ball upward to destroy grids of colored bricks across increasingly elaborate stages, with…
Introduction Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse was developed by Traveller’s Tales and published by Sega for the SNES release in 1994, built to celebrate Mickey Mouse’s 65th anniversary by sending players through stages recreating classic Mickey cartoons across different eras of animation. Each level reproduces the visual style of a specific short,…
Introduction Sonic Spinball was developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega, released for the Genesis in 1993 as a pinball spin-off built around Sonic the Hedgehog’s speed and physics rather than his usual platforming stages. Set across four large, interconnected pinball tables inside Dr. Robotnik’s volcanic base, players launch Sonic like a ball,…
Introduction Castlevania: Bloodlines was developed and published by Konami, released for the Genesis in 1994 as the only mainline Castlevania game to appear on a Sega console during the series’ original run. Set in 1917 against the backdrop of World War I, players choose between whip-wielding vampire hunter John Morris or spear-fighting Eric Lecarde as…
Introduction Dynamite Headdy was developed by Treasure and published by Sega, released for the Genesis in 1994 as a puzzle-platformer starring a living puppet named Headdy who can detach and launch his own head as both a weapon and a tool. Different interchangeable heads grant different abilities, from a hammer head for smashing obstacles to…
Introduction Vectorman 2 was developed by BlueSky Software and published by Sega, released for the Genesis in 1996 as a direct sequel to the original Vectorman, once again casting players as an Orbot enforcer made of interlocking spherical parts fighting a rebellion of malfunctioning robots. The sequel expands on the first game’s run-and-gun platforming with…
Introduction Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master was developed and published by Sega, released for the Genesis in 1993 as the third mainline entry in the Shinobi series, continuing ninja Joe Musashi’s fight against the Neo Zeed crime syndicate. Building on the acrobatic platforming of The Revenge of Shinobi, the game adds new moves…