Since the much-celebrated announcement of Sega Genesis games coming to Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo has continuously added beloved console classics that have captured the hearts and minds of inner 90s kids around the world.
From the likes of Golden Axe, Contra: Hard Corps, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and Castlevania: Bloodlines, Nintendo has already added quite a showcase of the best the Genesis had to offer. Still, there’s still a long way to go to fill out the fantastic games catalog, and there’s still plenty to add to appease the nostalgic gamer in all of us. Here are some of the best Genesis games we’d love to see added to Nintendo Switch Online in the future.
10 Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker
In the 90s, video games were ruled by Nintendo and Sega, while the music world was completely taken over by the late Michael Jackson. The King of Pop had a very well-known love of video games, and it came as no surprise to anyone when these two worlds collided with the release of Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker.
Based on his popular music video for the movies Smooth Criminal and Moonwalker, you control a super-powered Jackson as he twists and crosses his way through a series of five levels, battling bad guys with the power of dance. While it’s not the most well-received Genesis title, it would still be great to see it come to Nintendo Switch Online – if only to hear some of Jackson’s most famous hits in 16-bit glory.
9 OutRun
OutRun was a classic arcade racing game with vibrant graphics and a great soundtrack. Unlike other racers released at the time, you are the only person you race in OutRun because you want to improve your own time for extended periods of riding under the sun.
You drive a slick red convertible and speed through different locations in beautiful 3D-like graphics. You get a real sense of speed as the world races by – just make sure you dodge obstacles or your car will crash, flip and roll dramatically, ruining your score and your day.
8 Mrs Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man was another beloved, fast-paced arcade game that faithfully ported the cherished circular chomper to Sega’s Genesis system, and would make a great addition to Nintendo Switch Online.
More than just a simple port, the game’s assets were rebuilt and completely redrawn to add more depth and visual flair. Faster than her male counterpart, Ms. Pac-Man is a blast to play and was the perfect way to experience classically refined Pac-Man gameplay from the comfort of your own home.
7 shadow run
Shadowrun is a top-down Cyberpunk blast from the past that combines the best elements of tabletop RPGs with a fun futuristic action role-playing game with real-time combat.
Extremely atmospheric, the game is a joy to explore as you run through a cyber-themed fantasy world, upgrade your character with its deep leveling system and engage in its responsive combat on your journey for revenge. The Switch may not be able to run Cyberpunk 2077 anytime soon, but this is quite an unforgettable experience that is close to its roots and is sure to please fans of the genre.
6 Dune: The Battle For Arrakis
When Dune: The Battle For Arrakis was first released, it was a breath of fresh air for real-time strategy games and became one of the most prominent titles in the history of the genre. You must fight for resources (namely Spice) on the harsh planet Arrakis, and you can choose from one of the three noble houses of Atreides, Ordos and Harkonnen.
There was a time when RTS games were just for PC users, but Dune’s more streamlined experience on Genesis had a significant impact on every console RTS that came after. It brought with it many staples for the genre that are still used today, including resource collection and an overarching world map. With renewed interest in Dune, now would be a great time for Nintendo to add it to their online collection.
5 Castle Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
In this side-scrolling, whimsical adventure, you take control of the iconic mouse on his brave quest to save Minnie Mouse from the evil witch Mizrabel. You must defeat enemies with a well-timed butt smash and collect all the gems as you explore uniquely themed levels.
It’s a colorful adventure with beautiful music and animations that seem straight out of a Disney movie. The platforming is more methodical than Mario or Sonic, the slower pace allows you to take in the beautiful art in all its glory. Disney games were sorely lacking on Nintendo Switch Online, and this would definitely be a great place to start for Disney fans.
4 aladdin
Aladdin was toe to toe with some of the very best the Genesis had to offer, and was so much more than a simple movie game. This action platformer lets you run, jump and make your way through different levels straight out of the movie, and had precise controls that made it a joy to play.
The images were impeccably beautiful as the assets were hand drawn by real Disney animators, which were later digitized. The movements and design of the Disney classic were faithfully recreated and it resulted in one of the best looking 2D games of the time.
3 earthworm Jim
The original Earthworm Jim answers the age-old question of what would happen if your regular garden earthworm were merged with a superhero who gets away with anything. It’s as crazy and fun as it sounds, and the titular character went on to become one of the most iconic video game protagonists of the 90s.
Developed as a parody of popular platform games of the time, it had a hilarious tone that didn’t take itself too seriously. You were given many options for defeating your enemies, with a pistol to shoot your enemies and using your worm head as a familiar Indiana Jones style whip for combat and traversal. The animations are buttery smooth and look like a Saturday morning cartoon coming to life.
2 Mortal Kombat
Despite being released on both Sega’s and Nintendo’s flagship systems, the Genesis version of Mortal Kombat came out on top. The more responsive controls were arguably more faithful to the gameplay of the arcade experience.
The Genesis version also had less censorship of the explicit gore it was known for, which was good news for fans of the viscerally brutal Fatality animations. While Mortal Kombat 2 is often considered the best in the series, it would be great to have access to the game that started it all as a way to honor Mortal Kombat’s undying legacy.
1 Sonic the hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 once again takes the lightning fast and sweet blue fur ball on an unforgettable quest to kill the evil Dr. To thwart Robotnik. The game introduced the iconic character of Knuckles and enhanced previous Sonic titles with much larger stages and more robust gameplay mechanics.
There are many more options to zoom past the impressively detailed levels. You have more shield variants that give access to certain powers, improve battles and movements, as well as new special stages with unique gameplay. With the option to play as Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, Sonic 3 would stand proudly alongside Sonic 2 in Nintendo’s retro collection as one of the best games ever released on the system.
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