37. ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron (MD)

Panic on Funkotron isn't a bad game, but things get quite repetitive very quickly. This side-on platformer came two years after the 1991 original and departed from that game's top-down (almost) perspective.

Unfortunately, collecting the Earthlings and plodding around the levels here is only fun for a short time. There are a few minigames dotted along the way, like the Hyperfunk Zone and some rhythm games, but they only have short-term appeal also, especially for solo players.

With two people the game is a lot more engaging, though, so if you have a buddy who is willing to play this through with you, it may be worth a look.

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube842k

36. Alien Storm (MD)

Primarily a 2D beat 'em up, Alien Storm's side-scrolling stages are interspersed with occasional joypad-controlled shooting interludes (think 16-bit Virtua Cop with aliens).

Simply put, the Final Fight and Streets of Rage games have held up infinitely better than Alien Storm, and therefore should rank higher in your playtime priorities.

Still, limited as it is, this game has its own charm, and there are undoubtedly those who, having played and appreciated the aforementioned winners, will derive enjoyment from this as well.

35. Wolf of the Battlefield: MERCS (MD)

In terms of originality, Mercs (AKA Commando 2) won't scoop any awards, but it’s a fine example of an old-school arcade blaster and shows just how talented Sega’s internal development teams were back in the early '90s; to take Capcom’s arcade title and improve it is no mean feat.

It’s just a shame that a two-player option wasn’t forthcoming, but you can’t have everything. At least you couldn't on Mega Drive in 1991.

34. Golden Axe II (MD)

Golden Axe II is still worth a swing if you've got any affection whatsoever for solid 16-bit beat 'em ups, although this sequel does lose some of the original's charm due to being so similar to its predecessor.

Newcomers to the series are recommended to start with the first entry, which is a better game all around. But if you finish that and want more of the same with some minor tweaks, Sega's got you covered.

33. Ghouls 'n Ghosts (MD)

The game certainly packs a stern challenge — once you've completed it you have to go through the levels all over again — a fact that some people may find annoying, but others will love. The G'n'G series is infamous for its difficulty and this Mega Drive conversion is 100% faithful in that respect.

Only bettered by the excellent Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts on the SNES, the game remains one of the best MD platformers and is worth checking out even if you've already played the aforementioned classic.

32. ESWAT: City Under Siege (MD)

Not a conversion of the arcade game of the same name (neither was the Master System version, strangely), Mega Drive ESWAT is a bit of a slow starter — you don't get the all-singing, all-dancing 'Enhanced Special Weapons And Tactics' armour until you're a few levels in — but once it does get going there's plenty of action and a great range of weapons in this side-scrolling platformer.

While it's a bit drier and doesn't promise the same frantic carnage of stablemates like Gunstar Heroes or Contra III/Probotector, ESWAT is still very enjoyable. It's a bit more sedate and laid-back and is certainly an improvement over the aforementioned arcade original.

31. ToeJam & Earl (MD)

With nostalgia glasses on, it would be easy to remember this as one of the best 16-bit games going, but newcomers will find that it has dated in a way the best games of the era simply haven't. It's fun — no arguments there — but it's very slow-moving with various elements that feel unfair in a modern context (presents which impact you negatively, aliens from whom you have little chance of escaping that knock you off the planet's surface and make you fall several levels).

It's still worth firing up, but where other Mega Drive games have aged like fine wine, ToeJam & Earl is a bit funky these days — in ways both good and bad.

30. Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (MD)

Better known as Puyo Puyo, the gooey block falling puzzler was given a Sonic-based lick of paint to attract players in the West — specifically the awesomely ugly-looking Robotnik and his badnik pals from the animated series Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Regardless of the Sonic window dressing, this is a fine puzzler and if you're a fan of Puyo Puyo Tetris and want to see where the beany Puyos got started (on Mega Drive, at least), you'll find plenty to enjoy here.

29. Mega Man: The Wily Wars (MD)

A 16-bit compilation of remakes of the Mega Men 1-3, Mega Man: The Wily Wars can be jarring if you know the NES titles back-to-front, and they certainly don't feel as tight and, well, perfect as the originals, but it's an interesting way to experience them all the same. We're not talking Super Mario All-Stars levels of quality, but the addition of the exclusive Wily Tower made it an expensive collector's item nonetheless, especially in North America where it was only ever released non-physically via Sega Channel.

Worth paying hundreds for a PAL or Japanese cart? Almost certainly not, but if you've got a Mega Drive Mini or the NSO Expansion Pack, it's worth a look just to see a Blast-Processed take on the 8-bit classics.

28. Pulseman (MD)

It's a mystery why Pulseman was never released on cartridge outside Japan. Even with the Japanese text, you can understand everything that's going on in this Mega Man-alike, and it definitely seems like a platformer that would've appealed to Western audiences.

It's fun, challenging, looks and sounds good, and is just an all-around great game. Especially now that it's easily accessible via Nintendo Switch Online, do yourself a favour and check out what Game Freak made before Pokémon.

27. Light Crusader (MD)

Light Crusader caught people by surprise when it was first released; it simply could not be any less akin to Gunstar Heroes.

Developer Treasure is famed for its action games and while its first (and to date, only) foray into the world of fantasy RPGs isn’t 100% successful, it’s certainly worth checking out if you’re a fan of this style of game. Perhaps its Nintendo Switch Online release will attract a whole new legion of fans.

26. Vectorman (MD)

Vectorman falls short compared to champions of the run-'n'-gun genre - the likes of Contra III and Gunstar Heroes. It looks decent and the wonderfully smooth animation of the titular character makes it a fairly fun game to blast through, but it doesn't add anything noteworthy beyond the spectacle of the protagonist and his physics-defying figure.

Keep your expectations low and you'll enjoy your time with it, though. It was part of the delisted Sega Genesis Classics collection, so it's great that a wider audience still has access to it via NSO.

25. Streets of Rage (MD)

Going back might be tough after the sublime sequel; the sprites are smaller here, the backgrounds less detailed, the animation jerkier.

However, Streets of Rage nailed the basics from the beginning: colourful characters, crunchy combat, evocative stages that recalled '80s action flicks, and a surprisingly deep pool of possibilities from a simple moveset. Final Fight is the template, of course, but Sega offered a two-player take on Capcom's beat 'em up on console (something omitted from Final Fight's SNES port).

Yuzo Koshiro's god-tier soundtrack is a huge factor in the game's success. The PAL version didn't do the game any favours back in 1991, but we Europeans didn't know any better and cleaning up the streets to these incredible chiptunes felt fantastic, even with everything running 17% slower. A fine first stab.