24. Dynamite Headdy (MD)

Though most commonly known for fast-paced action games — think Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga and Gunstar Heroes — Treasure's Dynamite Headdy doesn’t adhere to the developer's usual formula. That's not a slight against this platformer, though, since this is arguably (along with the aforementioned Gunstar Heroes) the best Treasure game of the Mega Drive era.

It's not quite up there with the cream of the crop of 16-bit platformers such as Super Mario World and the early Sonic games, but it remains a fine game from a fine developer.

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23. Beyond Oasis (MD)

Developed by Yuzo Koshiro's company, Ancient, if you're an RPG fan you might find Beyond Oasis a little lightweight. But for those of you who turn pale at the thought of indulging in a role-playing adventure, this should serve as a gentle introduction to the genre.

Regardless of your stance, you'd have to be pretty sad and shambling not to enjoy this, plus it's one of the best-looking games ever to grace the system. A sequel was released for the Sega Saturn a few years later and although it improved on the original in terms of visuals and sound, it didn't really take the already-excellent concept any further.

22. Zero Wing (MD)

Even if you've never heard of Zero Wing, a side-scrolling shooter from Toaplan, we're here to inform you that you almost certainly have heard of Zero Wing, if only indirectly — it's better known as a meme these days.

The infamously dodgily localised line "All your base are belong to us" might have become more famous than the game that birthed it, but there's a solid shooter with plenty of pedigree here. Perhaps not up there with Toaplan's very best, but still enjoyable.

21. Super Fantasy Zone (MD)

Super Fantasy Zone won't appeal to everyone. It might look like a standard horizontal scrolling shooter, but this game has a very different feel once you begin playing. Its high difficulty is also something that might turn easily frustrated players off, but if you're able to enjoy it for what it is, you'll have a very engaging time.

With sugary-sweet pastel visuals and a great, cute-'em-up soundtrack, there's a lot to love about this unique and oddball shooter. It's not perfect — hey, what game is? — but it's still very entertaining and worth dipping into.

20. Alien Soldier (MD)

Another Treasure joint, the run-'n'-gun action here is fast and, indeed, furious, so if that sounds like your bag then Alien Soldier could be for you.

Given the similarities to Gunstar Heroes, however, this sort of falls short, mainly because the platforming elements are simply not as good. It is also frustratingly difficult at times as well, which may put some people off. Still, this is an enjoyable action game in its own right and well worth a look if you're after a little Treasure.

19. Strider (MD)

Definitely from a golden era of Capcom arcades, Strider then emerged in this excellent iteration on SEGA's 16-bit machine. It's the sort of fun, futuristic sci-fi action platformer that inspires plenty of games in the modern era, and certainly still holds up well for current-day audiences. Though this console port isn't a perfect recreation of the arcade, it comes pretty darn close.

18. Crusader of Centy (MD)

If you're going to make a 'Zelda clone', then at least make it a good one. That's what developer Nextech did with Crusader of Centy, known as Soleil in Europe, an action-adventure which wears its inspiration on its sleeve, hat, jacket, belt buckle, and boots.

For Genesis owners envious of the adventures of Link, Corona's quest was a good-looking substitute that certainly looked that part, even if Nintendo fans had seen it all before. Apart from the Sonic cameo, of course.

17. 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.

16. Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole (MD)

If you happened to own a PlayStation and the game Alundra, and you're thinking, "Hey, this game looks similar", you don't know how right you are — some of the same developers worked on that game, too.

A great-looking action RPG from Climax Entertainment, Landstalker's dungeons are well-designed and have some smart puzzles, including some that make clever use of the isometric view, and the final dungeon is a true masterpiece. Landstalker is one of the strongest entries in the Genesis library.

15. Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition (MD)

Available on Switch to NSO Expansion Pack subscribers, Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition was a pretty impressive achievement considering the hardware it was produced for, but it’s really an interesting footnote in the Street Fighter lineage.

Although the game bears the ‘Champion Edition’ moniker, it does in fact include improvements seen in the arcade ‘Hyper Fighting’ edition of the game (which was ported to the SNES as Street Fighter II: Turbo).

The group battle option is neat, and the fact that it includes both the Champion Edition and Hyper Fighting variants of the game is a bonus for completists, but you really need the six-button Genesis pad to make this playable. Toggling between punch and kick by pressing 'Start' is still as unworkable as it sounds.

14. MUSHA (MD)

Released in an era where you couldn't swing a Genesis controller around without knocking a shooter off the shelves, MUSHA was battling against a crowd when it first launched. Nowadays, though, there's more appreciation for this vertical scroller by virtue of its rockin' soundtrack and visuals that are genuinely up there with the best of the era; don't sleep on this one.

13. Earthworm Jim (MD)

Earthworm Jim is a bit of a classic, and for a good reason — it has a ton of style, it's a blast to play, and the animation and music are still impressive all these years later.

It might be a bit too hard for some, and it arguably doesn't match up to the very best in the 2D platforming genre, but if you're game for a laugh and don't expect a genre-defining experience, you really can't go wrong here. Plus, save states in the NSO version make it much easier to get through.

12. Ristar (MD)

You'd perhaps be forgiven for not knowing a great deal about Ristar, but may be intrigued to hear that the concept and ideas for this game were part of development for the original Sonic the Hedgehog. While the focus of SEGA's mascot shifted towards speedier play, the core Sonic development team would eventually return to realise its vision for Ristar, which is certainly fantastical and quirky.

Expect slower platforming and a lot of focus on the ability to grab onto enemies and the environment alike. It's unique and well worth a look.