7 RPGs Still Stuck on the Sega Genesis

I grew up a Sega Genesis kid. That made for a bit of a problem, as I was also an RPG guy, as well. That's not to say the Genesis didn't have RPGs. On the contrary, there were plenty, and most of them were actually pretty good. There just wasn't the embarrassment of riches like there was on Nintendo's 16-bit console.

Unfortunately, a lot of these games I enjoyed in my youth are much harder to play now. Unless, of course, I want to unpack an old Genesis, find a TV it will work on, and also find a physical copy of the game. Because that's the only way I'd be able to play it. Well, I mean, except for emulation, but I would never... *ahem* Anyway.

So, today, let's take a look at the RPGs for the Genesis that never saw a re-release anywhere (officially, anyway), in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, the rights holders will decide that we've all been deprived long enough. Keep in mind that these don't include any JRPGs (that's a list for another day) and are in no particular order.

7 Shadowrun

A Totally Different Game on the Genesis

Some of you who were SNES kids growing up might remember there being a Shadowrun released for your system of choice back in the day. And your memory would be correct — there was a Shadowun for that system. It was actually pretty damn good, too. However, much like Disney's Aladdin, the Genesis and SNES versions of the game were completely different games. There was also a third version released for the Sega CD, but that was more of a visual novel and released only in Japan.

Shadowrun — based on the TTRPG of the same name — on the Genesis was more open-ended than its SNES counterpart, with more characters and arguably way more to do. It was also significantly harder. There wasn't much to write home about on the graphics and sound front, either (save for a brilliantly dark score by legendary composer Marshall Parker). Underneath all that, however, was a deep and engrossing RPG that really reflected the tabletop adventure it was based on. It's a shame it's not easily available elsewhere, although future generations of the franchise would take plenty of inspiration from it. If you can find a copy of it, grab it, and hack into The Matrix as fast as you can.

6 Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun

You're Better Off Playing Regular D&D

The 8 and 16-bit eras of gaming were kind of a weird time for Dungeons & Dragons, as far as video games go. Despite the fact that the tabletop game is basically the foundation for every other RPG, like, ever, it took a while for the brand itself to really catch on in electronic form. A lot of that can be attributed to the fact that while early JRPGs certainly took inspiration from D&D, the game didn't officially come out in the country until 1985. It wasn't a brand that carried much weight in Japan, and Japan was where most of the RPGs were coming from at the time and, well, you can do the math.

So, not only were D&D video games few and far between, but they weren't... great. That includes Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun on the Sega Genesis. It was certainly a competent effort, and it had its fans, but it hardly set the world on fire. And if you can't stand out as an RPG on the Sega Genesis of all platforms, things aren't looking good for you. It's not shocking that there hasn't been much of a movement to port this one to, well, pretty much anything. The game's developer, Westwood Studios, managed to come out all right, going on to make a little game series you might have heard of called Command & Conquer.

5 Rings of Power

Not a Lord of the Rings Game, But the Story Behind It Is Just As Epic

The story of how Rings of Power came to be is epic — almost more epic than the story told by the game itself. It also gives us a good idea as to why it never saw a re-release.

In 1989, Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin of Naughty Dog (yep, that Naughty Dog) had a meeting with Electronic Arts to pitch an RPG for home computer platforms. EA, on their end, had been reverse-engineering the Sega Genesis in order to get around its lock-out technology. So their game had a change of name (Buccaneer to Rings of Power) and a change of platform. What happened next was so insane, it actually prompted Gavin and Rubin to leave the video game industry for a while.

As for the game itself? It wasn't half bad, in spite of everything. The duo had to scale down their ambition, since the Genesis was significantly weaker than the PC and Amiga platforms they were intending to make the game on. There was also the fact that everyone involved in designing the game were all college students — at schools in completely different states. Despite the mixed reviews from critics, it still sold reasonably well. However, with everything both studio and publisher went through making it, it's no surprise they've never bothered to release it ever again.

4 TechnoClash

It's Like Your Normal Clash, But Way More Techno-y

There was a time when companies would make a video game — including financing it, hiring a studio, actually making it, promoting it and selling it — because it was a cool idea. No attaching it to an existing IP or making sure it scored well with a particular demographic. Just straight up "That sounds cool, let's make that," and then they did. It was in this glorious era of gaming — commonly known as "The Early 1990s" — that gave us the magnificent trash known as TechnoClash.

TechnoClash was an action RPG set in what's probably Las Vegas after the apocalypse? We're not entirely sure, but we can tell you that it is populated with wizards. And these wizards are about to have a bad time because their world is about to be invaded — by robots! Ronaan (cool name, I might add) is tasked to journey to the heart of the "Machine Empire", along with a friend (controlled by an AI, and we all know how well that always goes), to recover a stolen magical staff, all while kicking some heavy-duty robotic booty.

Despite having some development help from the studio behind the Genesis version of Shadowrun, TechnoClash was extraordinarily... just okay. Not nearly good enough to generate enough demand for a re-release of any sort.

3 Chakan: The Forever Man

Because "Chakan: The Sword Wielding Edgelord" Was a Little Too Wordy, Apparently

I wish I could tell you all about how amazing a game Chakan: The Forever Man is. I mean, how could it not be? Look at this guy! He's dressed in all black. He's got two badass swords he can swing in so many different directions! He's got a cool hat! He's even got a curse that's both horrible and awesome at the same time. Of course this game has to be one of the best ever on the Genesis.

Oh, I wish I could tell you that. It's not that it's not amazing. It's just that I have no idea if it is because it's so damn hard I've never been able to make it past the first level. Chakan is like a '90s version of Dark Souls III for me — I get about fifteen minutes into it, thinking it's rad as hell, and then I get to a point I can't pass, and I never get anywhere close to passing for over thirty years. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to bother to dig my Genesis out of storage to still not get past it, much less pay more money to not do it on modern hardware. No, thank you.

2 The Immortal

A Game So Brutal, It's Like It Had Something Against You

As frustrating as Chakan: The Forever Man could be, it was Sesame Street 1-2-3s compared to The Immortal. This game was so relentless in getting you killed as you play it, you start to wonder if you somehow insulted it or hit on its spouse at some point in the past. Step on the wrong tile, and you'll find yourself in the gut of a giant worm, or being torn limb from limb by demons, or being forced to play Chakan: The Forever Man. You know, real torture.

The Immortal may not have gotten its start on the Genesis — it had started out as a game for 8-bit home computers and even had an NES version — but it sure as hell stayed there. Maybe it was the pre-Mortal Kombat gore or the crushing difficulty — did we mention the crushing difficulty? — but The Immortal has been cursed to remain alone on the MegaDrive for eternity.

1 Cadash

It's the Most Working Designs Game Ever To Be Working Designsed By Working Designs

Cadash is a weird case — even crazier than the story being Rings of Power. It started out as a Japanese arcade game by Taito. It even appeared on NEC's PC Engine. So, how on Earth is it on this list? Two words: Working Designs.

For the uninitiated, Working Designs was an American developer/publisher who would bring Japanese video games to the United States. I have fond memories of saving up for and playing their version of Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete on the original PlayStation. But their version of Cadash wasn't just a localization. They reworked nearly everything, from the combat mechanics to the script, to things as specific as the prices in the in-game stores. So much work was put into this that it was essentially a whole new game. And since Working Designs was an American company — boom. On this list.

Unfortunately, as great as this new game was, it still remains exclusively on the Genesis. If you get the chance to play it, however — as YouTube's SNES Drunk likes to say, "Any way you can" — don't hesitate. It's fantastic. You can even bring a friend, as the game's arcade roots mean there's even a 2-player co-op mode.