Despite the incredible success of the Sega Genesis in North America, there are a few puzzling omissions from the console's library in that particular region - and our friends over at iretrogamer have decided to take a look at some of the most notable examples.
Sega's 16-bit system may have charged to the top of the American console market and given Nintendo's SNES a serious run for its money, but some titles remained exclusive to either Japan or Europe - or, in some cases, both.
Take for example Treasure's stunning Alien Soldier, a technological tour de force which now commands insane prices in its PAL and Japanese forms mainly because there are loads of American fans who want to own a copy but can't get one stateside, as it was never officially released there.
Wrestle War is another puzzling example; a first-party Sega game based on one of its arcade hits, it would have neatly filled the wrasslin' void in the Genesis library and satisfied millions of WWF-obsessed Sega fans - yet it only came out in Japan and Europe. Sure, the legally questionable Japanese boxart might have been a sticking point - that's definately Hulk Hogan on the cover - but this was changed for the European version anyway.
Other examples - such as the dire Mega Drive port of Double Dragon II - are more understandable; US fans should actually be thankful that one never saw the light of day outside of Japan because it's utterly terrible.
Do you have any Sega favourites that you had to import back in the day? Give the video a watch and let us know what you think about this topic by posting a comment.
Comments 38
Segalife.com? /jk
I'm from Europe and can confirm this is European propaganda
"Wrestle War is another puzzling example; a first-party Sega game based on one of its arcade hits, it would have neatly filled the wrasslin' void in the Genesis library and satisfied millions of WWF-obsessed Sega fans"
Stopped reading, no longer following, calling in a SWAT team to take you down.
Meanwhile on the SNES...
Glad I didn't miss them. I have never finished "Alien Soldier" sadly. "Wrestle War" was a lot of fun.
The arcade version was naturally better.
Thank creator for the internet, amiright!? I missed out on more than what this video describes, and i'm okay with that. I am human after all.
If you like that video, check out "Game Sack" channel on youtube. They have many videos like it pointing out games that never made it outside Japan or various consoles, and some great hidden gems as well.
@nab1 I am the creator of this video. Known the Game Sack guys for years via the retro community. Always been an inspiration. This video of ours is a new format for us in which we're sort of throwing in a little bit of Game Sack, a little Happy Console Gamer, and of course a little bit of our own style. Hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for watching.
A lot of people would say Ristar.
As for WrestleWar, I always wondered if it was a WCW game they couldn't get the license for.
Hence why they used the name WrestleWar, which was in fact a WCW Pay Per View at that point.
Also, the voice over at the beginning definitely sounds like a Jim Ross clone.
Too my knowledge though, Hulk Hogan wouldn't jump ship to WCW until 1994.
I was a Mega Drive kid back in the day but actually not many of what are considered the archetypes for the system (very 80s themed brawlers etc). I liked platformers, so Rocket Knight Adventures, Dynamite Headdy, the actually pretty excellent Disney platformers of the time, etc. All good stuff.
Wrestle War was part of the Sega Smash Pack for Dreamcast here in the US.
We SEGA Life now? Seriously though, what does this have to do with Nintendo?
Also, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SFWLoyZESAc.
It's spelled "definitely".
Super Fantasy Zone is a good game. It should have been released in the US
@Mega_Yarn_Poochy It's nothing unusual,they've done it for years. Remember a lot of us 30+ gamers grew up playing Sega before moving to Nintendo,especially those of us from the UK.
some games came to Sega Channel but not cartridge for in U.S.
I've actually been trying to finish Alien Soldier recently. What a coincidence!
I think Dahna may have come across as looking like an early Genesis game had it been released in the US which would have been in 1992. Perhaps that's why it wasn't brought over.
Not releasing Alien Soldier in the US seems criminal. What a fantastic game it is. It's near the top of my list for sure. I figure it didn't come out in the US due to it being such a late release. Too bad. Good thing it is available on Steam, and perhaps other places.
I can't think of a lot of worthwhile imports for the system. I think Twin Hawk and Zero Wing are two good ones that also didn't see a US release.
Some cool games on that list. I've played quite a few of them via ahem . . . ulation.
Yeah, I know! There were only, like...3! That's peanuts compared to everyone else during the 16-bit era! That really is amazing!
From what I've heard Alien Soldier, as well as Wily Wars and Golden Axe III were released in the US as Sega Channel exclusives.
@BLPs you'd need to do actual work--and have a complete series of videos--to cover the seemingly endless parade of SuFami games that never made the leap.
@Madder128 Wha? RIstar came out in North America...
@DarkmarkUnited that came out as a Sega Channel exclusive in the USA, along w/ Alien Soldier and a few others.
Edit: King Mike beat me to that point.
As for games not mentioned by others, I always liked King Colossus (a solid ARPG) tho I don't think even Europe got hat one.
Alien Soldier was the first game I downloaded on the wii virtual console after 15 years of waiting - it was well worth it too.
@ECMIM Just saying it's something of a hidden gem really.
@RetroTyGuy Enjoy it I did. Liked and subscribed as well. I realized looking at your channel that you're the same people from this NL article about Mario 64 https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/06/video_heres_what_it_felt_like_to_get_hold_of_super_mario_64_early_20_years_ago
@Shiryu Good one...on the Genesis/Arcade; it's almost an art how badly this game emulates (even officially!)
Stop complaining about sega news. Sega and nintendo have strong ties throughout history as both rivals and now partners in a way
Soleil is the strong contender.
"Pulseman" is a good one. Thankfully, we eventually got that one via the Virtual Console.
@eltomo
A game I just happened to beat withing the last hour! It was available in other territories though, where it had the title "Crusader of Centy".
Dahna, Pengo, turbo outrun, pulse man, mega man wily wars, daze before Christmas, New Zealand story, Darwin 4081, rainbow islands, undeadline, Wrestle war and some game that has no English title on the box but a good action scroller!!
I own all these!! 😊
Golden Axe III didn't make it over until various compilations or plug and plays years later.
Fell in love with Treasure on the N64 with Mischief Makers.
I picked up all the Treasure games on Wii Virtual Console, and I enjoyed and completed all of them.
Gunstar Heroes (800 Wii Points) is a great 2p co-op action brawler that never gets old,
Alien Soldier (800 Wii Points) is basically my Mega Man, my Contra, my Turrican, my never ending explosions game
Dynamite Headdy (800 Wii Points) is just full of surprises and fun stuff you've never seen before
Light Crusader (800 Wii Points) is an exciting, dark dungeon adventure with a haunting atmosphere that I had to complete 100%
Sin & Punishment (1200 Wii Points) is one of the best modern on rail shooters ever, but the sequel (available on Wii U eShop) has better controls.
Anyway, the only game on this video I would want to play (apart from Alien Soldier) is Dahna. The others don't interest me that much. I can see Snake Rattle and that Wrestle game being good games, but Duke Nukem 3D looks like a glitch.
I forgot a game in my last comment. Twinkle Tale is very good and I think it was Japan only. Supposedly it wasn't available for long for some reason. Cool overhead run and gun. Gleylancer is another good shmup I forgot about. Devil Hunter Yoko is one people seem to like somewhat as well. I also forgot Pulseman, but someone else took care of that one.
alien soldier is a manly game. so its a game i like because im a manly gamer
@chiefeagle02 I didn't believe you. But then I just checked my copy, and by golly you're right!
@ogo79 when I was a kid and therefore not so manly — I couldn't even get past the first level
@iPlayNintendo
dude that game is awesome lol
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