Megadrive/Genesis wins this one hands down. Why?
1. It had a very long, and very active lifecycle for a 16-bit console. Games were published for it at a steady rate from 1988 to 1996. Most 8 and 16 bit consoles only lasted 4-5 years before good games stopped being published on them at a steady rate. Genesis' 8 year lifespan would be like a modern console lasting 10-11 years with at least 2-3 excellent games being published on it every single year.
2. As a 16-bit machine the graphics are timeless. Don't believe me? Buy a Mega SG from Analogue, turn on hybrid scanlines, and upscale it to 1080p. You'll be surprised by how good those games look even now. https://www.analogue.co/mega-sg
3. The Genesis library is an absolute GOLD MINE for hidden gems. Tons of games that were only released in Japan are finally getting english patches. Lots of people on do Repros for Genesis games too. Some on etsy are are cheap at $15.
RacketboySegaHiddenGems
4. Sega CD was considered a blunder back in the day, but adds about 10 amazing games to the Sega Genesis library, and is worth picking up IMO. Just burn your own CDs or buy some Sega CD repro disks. Sega CD is one of the few ways to play gems like Snatcher, Dark Wizard, or Sonic CD on original hardware.
5. There's about 80 to 100 games on the system that I would recommend in 2020. Best of all, nearly all of them were exclusive to the system during it's heyday. Imagine a modern game system getting that many excellent exclusives!
6. Games are still being made for it! Xenocrisis, Peir Solar, and Tanglewood are notable examples. Is anybody making 360 games in 2020? Do people think 360 games will be made in 2035 when it turns 30 years old?
Last edited by Cerebralbore101 - on 11 October 2020
