Top 10 Sega Master System Games

The Sega Master System is one of those gaming platforms that you either get, or you don't - not unlike fellow under-appreciated Sega console, the DreamCast. Thanks to the Nintendo frenzy of the late 80s, the Sega Master System was largely ignored in its own time. It did well in several markets where Nintendo failed to make a splash, such as Europe and South America. Unpopular doesn't always mean bad, however - and in my opinion the Sega Master System wasn't bad at all. If you've never played this console, find yourself an emulator and get your game on. Here's a look at my top 10 Sega Master System games to get you started.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#10 Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars

Alex Kidd was arguably Sega's earliest mascot, and its answer to Mario. The Alex Kidd franchise featured a young boy who resembled a monkey, punching and jumping his way through various adventures. The original Alex Kidd game, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, even came preloaded into some Sega Master System consoles.

Though Alex's popularity reached its height with Miracle World, I think The Lost Stars was the best title in the franchise. This side-scroller took Alex Kidd through a variety of strange-looking levels, with the ultimate goal of retrieving the twelve lost zodiac signs. This game was also special due to being able to play through unlimited lives - suck on that, Mario! Contrast and replay value are added in the form of a timer, and the potential to be pushed back a few screens in those spots where you'd normally wind up dead.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#9 Hang-On

I'm not normally much of a fan of sports games, but this one was fantastic. Hang-On is a motorcycle racing game, which came included with many Sega Master System bundles or came preloaded on the consoles themselves. My console (the original Sega Master System with the "Power Base") came with a Hang-On/Safari Hunt double cartridge, not unlike the Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt combination cartridge offered for the NES.

Hang-On was a relatively simple game, yet still remarkably fun. Racers would have to maneuver their bike around turn after turn, some sharper than others. Going off the road or onto the shoulders caused your motorcycle's speed to slow to a crawl, so staying on the road was absolutely necessary to win the race. Hang-On was also an arcade game back in the 80s, though I'm a bit too young to remember playing that version. I tend to find myself leaning like the motorcycle I control in the game while playing Hang-On, which probably would have looked quite strange in an arcade anyway.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#8 Black Belt

A classic beat-'em-up game released during the height of the '80s karate fever (Cobra Kai, never die!). Similar to Double Dragon, Super Mario Bros. and countless other games of the day, Black Belt's premise was for you to fight your way through levels and bosses to rescue the girl. This side-scroller always felt to me like it moved pretty quick, while bad guys jumped out of the right side of the screen to take you on. One feature I always loved was the fact that you didn't simply defeat your opponents - besting an enemy caused them to break into bits. Jumping really high got you access to fly-by powerups, which could make all the difference in how able you were to defeat the bosses.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#7 Ghost House

One of only 13 titles released on the Sega Card, Ghost House is reminiscent of Monster Party and Castlevania for the NES. You play a vampire hunter, fighting his way through a haunted house. Doors can take you through different levels of the house, and hitting light fixtures can freeze things on screen long enough for you to maneuver around monsters. I'm really fascinated by the Sega Card in general, I'd love to see gaming move closer to this format in the future.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#6 Monopoly

The version of Monopoly released on the Sega Master System was fun, yet surprisingly difficult. The game boasted various difficulty levels and could support up to 10 players, either human or computer. Even on the easiest setting, the computer could be a real jerk as an opponent. At least you didn't need to worry about them siphoning cash from the bank.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#5 Sonic the Hedgehog

Enter the REAL Sega mascot. Sonic is best-remembered as the poster boy for Sega's 16-bit offering, the Sega Genesis, and has come to be synonymous with the Sega name ever since. The versions of Sonic the Hedgehog for Sega Genesis and Master System were released nearly simultaneously. It's hard to imagine that games were still being manufactured for an 8-bit gaming console when 16-bit alternatives were available, but it's true. Even more incredible is that games were still being released for the Sega Master System as late as 1997. Granted, these games were released in limited markets such as Brazil, but still! Sonic also appeared on Sega's answer to the Game Boy, the short-lived handheld Game Gear - which now seems to faintly resemble the Game Boy Advance.

Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Master System performed basically the same as its 16-bit equivalent. Defeat the evil Dr. Robotnik, work your way through the different acts, and collect some sweet golden rings.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#4 Paperboy

Another title that didn't make it to Sega Master System until after the '90s had begun. Paperboy is the same game in all its various incarnations - it's appeared in arcades, on handhelds, and on just about every classic console platform. You play a bike-riding paper boy, determined to deliver the daily news. Unfortunately, the people in your neighborhood are big jerks - or idiots - and are always in the street. Watch out for dogs, tornadoes, kids on tricycles and break dancers! Paperboy is a prime example of the kind of games that were made during gaming's early years - but that we no longer see. This title is simple, goofy and just plain fun.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#3 Rampage

Ever wish you could be Godzilla or King Kong? In Rampage, it was possible. You could play as enormous gorilla George, Lizzy the giant lizard, or....Ralph, the werewolf (?). No matter which monster you chose, your next order of business was terrorizing a city. Eating people, swatting helicopters out of the sky, and climbing up the side of skyscrapers were all in a day's work. You had to be careful of eating harmful items, such as bombs and cigarettes - even more typical classic gaming ridiculousness. Like Paperboy, Rampage made it to the arcades as well as several back-in-the-day consoles; the version released on the Atari Lynx featured a special appearance by a 4^th character in the form of a giant rat named Larry.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#2 Snail Maze

I'm probably going to be ridiculed for this one, but I LOVED Snail Maze. This is a fun but simple maze game that came preloaded in the original Sega Master System. The game was accessed by holding the UP arrow, as well as buttons 1 and 2 on the controller simultaneously, while the console was on but no cartridge was in. As you might imagine, it took me some time to discover that the game existed! I don't recall seeing anything in the original manuals about Snail Maze, but thought I'd found a "secret game" when I finally discovered it. I still think it's ingenious that Sega even included a preloaded game within the console, and wonder if there will be a resurgence of preloaded console games when the eighth console generation rolls around.

Top 10 Sega Master System Games

#1 Zillion

Last but not least, Zillion. Oh, Zillion. This is one of my hands-down favorite games ever, and it's more than 2 decades old. Based on a Japanese anime of the same name, Zillion a space adventure game in the same vein as Metroid. As JJ, you travel through a space station to release your captive friends and shut down a mainframe computer set in a self-destruct sequence. Several puzzles greet you along the way, and every room contains a unique code that must be cracked before you can move on. On a personal note, this game bears the distinction of being the only game I ever successfully got my mom to play with me. She got so into it that she kept a notebook beside her while she played, marking down the codes for each room. If you're going to try out any game for the Sega Master System, this should be the one.

Hope you've enjoyed this gaming retrospective. These top 10 Sega Master System games are definitely worth a look.

Sources:

Wikipedia. "List of Sega Master System Games."