#01
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
A platformer about Sonic and Knuckles on a locked-on pair of cartridges that form one long quest.
1994
Genesis
Platform
Sega Genesis
Sega's 16-bit console, the one that ran beside the Super Nintendo.
A ranking of the top games on this system, best first. A game that shipped on more than one platform keeps a separate place on each list.
Opened most here
Up to ten guides — the ones people open most often on Sega Genesis. The ranking further down is a separate list.
Now the full ranking
Ranked on Genesis
The top games on Genesis, best first.
100 ranked · #01–#100
#02
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
A platformer about Sonic and Tails running through looped stages to stop Dr.
1992
Genesis
#03
Streets of Rage 2
A beat-'em-up about four fighters walking through a city to break up a criminal syndicate.
1992
Genesis
#04
Gunstar Heroes
A run-and-gun about two soldiers mixing weapons as they fight a mercenary army.
1993
Genesis
#05
Phantasy Star IV
A role-playing game about hunters on the planet Motavia investigating a world that is starting to fail.
1993
Genesis
#06
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
An action game about the ninja Joe Musashi cutting through a crime syndicate one stage at a time.
1993
Genesis
#07
Shining Force II
A strategy RPG about a prince raising an army and promoting soldiers after key battles.
1994
Genesis
#08
Castlevania: Bloodlines
A whip platformer about John Morris and Eric Lecarde chasing Dracula across Europe.
1994
Genesis
#09
Sonic the Hedgehog
A platformer about a blue hedgehog freeing animals from Dr.
1991
Genesis
#10
Rocket Knight Adventures
A platformer about an opossum knight with a sword and a rocket burst.
1993
Genesis
#11
Streets of Rage
A beat-'em-up about three former cops walking a city to reach a crime boss.
1991
Genesis
#12
Streets of Rage 3
A beat-'em-up with faster enemies and a story that branches on your performance.
1994
Genesis
#13
Contra: Hard Corps
A run-and-gun about a mercenary squad with branching paths and different weapons.
1994
Genesis
#14
Thunder Force IV
A side-scrolling shooter about a ship hunting an orn empire's weapons.
1992
Genesis
#15
Sonic CD
A platformer, also on the Sega CD about Sonic chasing Metal Sonic through time periods of each stage.
1992
Genesis
#16
Landstalker
An isometric adventure about the treasure hunter Nigel and a fairy who will not stop talking.
1993
Genesis
#17
Shining Force
A strategy RPG about a young commander recruiting heroes on the way to an ancient castle.
1993
Genesis
#18
Beyond Oasis
An action-adventure about a prince binding four spirits to a gold armlet.
1994
Genesis
#19
Crusader of Centy
An action-adventure about a boy whose sword only hurts monsters after he meets a wise man, and who collects animal friends.
1994
Genesis
#20
Light Crusader
An action RPG about a knight descending under a town where people are disappearing.
1995
Genesis
#21
Comix Zone
An action game about a cartoonist trapped in the panels of his own comic.
1995
Genesis
#22
Vectorman
A platformer about a robot made of orbs cleaning a polluted Earth.
1995
Genesis
#23
Vectorman 2
A platformer about Vectorman fighting mutant insects with television-shaped weapons.
1996
Genesis
#24
Ristar
A platformer about a star-headed boy who grabs enemies with stretching arms.
1995
Genesis
#25
Dynamite Headdy
A platformer about a puppet who swaps heads to cross a theater of stages.
1994
Genesis
#26
Alien Soldier
A boss-rush shooter about a soldier switching between a free aim and a fixed gun.
1995
Genesis
#27
ToeJam & Earl
A two-player exploration game about two aliens finding spaceship pieces on Earth.
1991
Genesis
#28
ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron
An action platformer about capturing Earthlings who have stowed away on Funkotron.
1993
Genesis
#29
Ecco the Dolphin
An adventure about a dolphin searching the ocean for his missing pod.
1992
Genesis
#30
Ecco: The Tides of Time
An adventure game about Ecco moving through time to stop an invasion of the seas.
1994
Genesis
#31
The Revenge of Shinobi
A ninja platformer about Musashi crossing continents after his clan is attacked.
1989
Genesis
#32
Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi
A ninja game about Musashi and a dog that can be sent to distract enemies.
1990
Genesis
#33
Strider
A platformer about the agent Strider Hiryu cutting through a future Kazakhstan.
1990
Genesis
#34
Ghouls 'n Ghosts
A platformer about Sir Arthur in armor that breaks after one hit.
1989
Genesis
#35
Golden Axe
An action game about three warriors riding beasts toward the titan Death Adder.
1989
Genesis
#36
Golden Axe II
An action game with new mounts and a shorter path to Death Adder's return.
1991
Genesis
#37
Mercs
A top-down shooter about a squad rescuing a president from a jungle army.
1991
Genesis
#38
Sunset Riders
A gallery shooter about cowboys on foot and on horseback.
1992
Genesis
#39
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist
An action game about the turtles fighting the Foot through New York and a warped city.
1992
Genesis
#40
Thunder Force III
A shooter about equipping weapons and hunting ORN bases.
1990
Genesis
#41
Elemental Master
A top-down shooter about a wizard firing elemental orbs.
1990
Genesis
#42
Ranger X
A mech shooter about a rider who can leave the bike and continue on foot.
1993
Genesis
#43
Steel Empire
A shooter about a propeller fleet at war with a motorized empire.
1992
Genesis
#44
Bio-Hazard Battle
A shooter about organic ships flying through a mutated atmosphere.
1992
Genesis
#45
Gaiares
A shooter about a pilot who steals enemy weapons with a remote drone.
1990
Genesis
#46
Hellfire
A shooter about a ship that fires forward, backward, or on diagonals.
1990
Genesis
#47
Truxton
A vertical shooter about changing ship speed and collecting weapon pods.
1989
Genesis
#48
Disney's Aladdin
A platformer, different from the Super Nintendo version about Aladdin fleeing the guards.
1993
Genesis
#49
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
A platformer about Mickey crossing a witch's castle to find Minnie.
1990
Genesis
#50
World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
A cooperative platformer about Mickey and Donald escaping a magic show.
1992
Genesis
#51
QuackShot Starring Donald Duck
A platformer about Donald traveling the world with a plunger gun.
1991
Genesis
#52
Kid Chameleon
A huge platformer about a boy changing into helmeted forms inside a deadly arcade.
1992
Genesis
#53
Flashback
A cinematic platformer about an amnesiac agent on Titan.
1993
Genesis
#54
Out of This World
A cinematic game about a physicist thrown into an alien prison by a failed experiment.
1991
Genesis
#55
Road Rash II
A motorcycle racer about punching other riders and spending winnings on faster bikes.
1992
Genesis
#56
Road Rash 3
A motorcycle racer about international roads, weapons, and upgrading a bike.
1995
Genesis
#57
Virtua Racing
A polygon racer about formula cars on tracks with four camera views.
1994
Genesis
#58
Super Monaco GP
A formula racer about qualifying and a season of rival drivers.
1990
Genesis
#59
Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament
A top-down racer about tiny cars on kitchen tables and other household tracks.
1994
Genesis
#60
Columns
A puzzle about stacking falling gems so three of a color line up.
1990
Genesis
#61
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
A puzzle about matching robot beans so they disappear before the well fills.
1993
Genesis
#62
NHL '94
A hockey game about one-timers and fights you can turn off.
1993
Genesis
#63
NBA Jam
An arcade basketball game about two-on-two dunks.
1994
Genesis
#64
Mutant League Football
A violent football game about bribes, hazards, and teams that are not human.
1993
Genesis
#65
Mutant League Hockey
A hockey game about monsters, weapons on the ice, and a goalie who can be removed.
1994
Genesis
#66
General Chaos
A small-squad tactics game about sending five soldiers across a battlefield.
1994
Genesis
#67
The Lost Vikings
A puzzle platformer about three Vikings combining a shield, a sword, and arrows.
1993
Genesis
#68
X-Men
An action game about the X-Men rescuing teammates from a Sentinel plot.
1993
Genesis
#69
X-Men 2: Clone Wars
A faster X-Men game about fighting clones through large side-scrolling levels.
1995
Genesis
#70
Eternal Champions
A fighting game about dead fighters pulled from time for a second chance.
1993
Genesis
#71
Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition
A Genesis Street fighter about II, with Turbo speed and the four bosses playable.
1993
Genesis
#72
Mortal Kombat
A fighter about a tournament on an island, famous on this console for its blood code.
1993
Genesis
#73
Mortal Kombat II
A fighter about kombatants fighting in Outworld.
1994
Genesis
#74
Samurai Shodown
A weapon fighter about samurai who can lose the sword and keep fighting.
1994
Genesis
#75
Chakan: The Forever Man
A difficult action game about an immortal swordsman clearing realms of monsters.
1992
Genesis
#76
Phantasy Star II
A role-playing game about Rolf investigating a malfunctioning climate system on the planet Mota.
1989
Genesis
#77
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
A role-playing game that follows several generations of one family through marriages you choose.
1991
Genesis
#78
Warsong
A strategy RPG about a prince whose commanders can recruit units on the battlefield.
1991
Genesis
#79
Shining in the Darkness
A first-person dungeon RPG about a boy searching a labyrinth for his father.
1991
Genesis
#80
Sword of Vermilion
An action RPG about a prince reclaiming towns on an overworld and in side-view dungeons.
1989
Genesis
#81
Wonder Boy in Monster World
An action RPG about a boy buying better swords and magic on the way to a demon.
1991
Genesis
#82
Golden Axe III
An action game about choosing a path across continents to reach a new tyrant.
1993
Genesis
#83
Two Crude Dudes
An action game about two large men who can pick up enemies and throw them.
1992
Genesis
#84
Decap Attack
A platformer about a headless mummy throwing his own skull.
1991
Genesis
#85
Cool Spot
A platformer about a sunglasses-wearing spot freeing trapped spots.
1994
Genesis
#86
Haunting Starring Polterguy
A game about a ghost scaring a family out of a series of houses.
1993
Genesis
#87
Batman Returns
An action game about Batman moving through Gotham during the Penguin's plot.
1992
Genesis
#88
Spider-Man
A platformer about Spider-Man web-swinging through a kidnap plot.
1994
Genesis
#89
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
A helicopter mission game about fuel, ammo, and rescuing people with a winch.
1992
Genesis
#90
Jungle Strike
An action game about flying, driving, and hovering through missions against a drug cartel.
1993
Genesis
#91
Urban Strike
A mission game about a helicopter campaign that moves into a city.
1994
Genesis
#92
Rolling Thunder 2
A gallery shooter about agents ducking into doorways for ammo.
1991
Genesis
#93
E-SWAT: City Under Siege
A side-scrolling shooter about a cop who later pilots a powered suit.
1990
Genesis
#94
Target Earth
A mech action game about buying parts between sorties on an invaded Earth.
1990
Genesis
#95
Arrow Flash
A shooter about a pilot who transforms between a jet and a mech.
1990
Genesis
#96
Whip Rush
A shooter about a pilot sent to remove an alien station from Earth's orbit.
1990
Genesis
#97
Mystic Defender
A platformer about a sorcerer firing orbs to rescue a kidnapped woman.
1989
Genesis
#98
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
A platformer about Alex Kidd punching blocks and playing rock-paper-scissors for passage.
1989
Genesis
#99
Sonic Spinball
A pinball-platformer about Sonic bouncing through Dr.
1993
Genesis
#100
Battletoads
A brawler about three toads, including the infamous speedbike stages.
1993
Genesis