Here is a top 10 list of my absolute favorite games on the Sega Master System!
SMS collecting is something I'm very passionate about, and I have a little over 110 games for the console.
As such, I've played quite a few of them so you can trust my opinion! ;)
All pictures taken are of my personal collection. Enjoy.
Psycho Fox is a quirky little game about a kitsune who can shapeshift into 3 other characters, all with their own unique playstyles.
(Although I usually just play the game as the kitsune, the other characters are a bit impractical to play as)
It was made by Vic Tokai, who also produced Decap Attack and Kid Kool and plays similarly to those titles.
This game is all about mastering its physics. Its a bit awkward at first but once you get the hang of it, its pretty enjoyable.
Most copies of the game produced have a typo that calls it "Psyco Fox" on the label, so if yours has that its not some "rare factory error" (contrary to what online resellers might tell you!)
This game has some sentimental value to me because it was the first thing I ever bought with money I earned from writing a game OST.
Despite its very clear Japanese setting, this game was not released for the Mark III.
Gangster Town is easily the best light gun game for the Master System (and dare I say, the best 8bit light gun game ever made!)
You play as a FBI agent in the 1920s. As the name suggests, the town has been overrun by gangsters and it's your job to get rid of them!
A recurring problem with a lot of light gun games from this era is that they can get repetitive quickly.
This game does an excellent job of addressing that by having each stage change playstyles, which keeps the gameplay fresh.
But what really makes this game stand out from its contemporaries is all the little touches, like being able to shoot the hats off of the gangsters or how they can take a woman hostage if one happens to walk by.
But the coolest part about this game is the fact that you can play with a 2nd person, which was incredibly uncommon for console light gun games of the era.
So if you have a CRT, 2 functioning light phasers, and an IRL friend who's willing to play an obscure 1980s Master System game with you, it's how I recommend you play it!
I never really was that into Mickey Mouse, but you don't need to be to enjoy this game.
Instead of taking a more linear approach like Castle of Illusion, it instead opts to include some light metroidvania elements.
You start off on an overworld map, but you dont't have complete access to all the stages right away.
Beating bosses will award you with tools and abilities that enable you to progress further into the game.
Each level setting is unique, containing its own gimmick that's brought to its logical conclusion by the end of the stage.
It's use of the SMS pallete is absolutely stellar with bright, vibrant colors and it absolutely nails the look of the cartoons.
If you want to get it physically, it was only released in PAL regions but thankfully it runs fine on NTSC machines if importing is your thing.
Fun little side note, when I imported this game from Australia it had Castle of Illusion inside the case instead of Land of Illusion!
The seller couldn't do much, but thankfully I was able to find a loose copy of the game online.
Do you like Zelda 1? Then you'll love this game!
Golden Axe Warrior is absolutely unapologetic with how blatantly it rips off Zelda, but it's not about who did it first but who did it better and this is the superior game!
For starters, it isn't nearly as cryptic and the overworld is much more varied and engaging to interact with.
Areas very rarely look identical to other sections of the map, so it's much easier to keep track of where you are in the overworld.
And of the course, the best aspect of the first Zelda (it's dungeon design) is of the same caliber, if not improved upon.
While the puzzles themselves can be a bit samey or obtuse at times, for the most part they're pretty straightforward and finding your way through all the different dungeon layouts is very immersive.
The english script is incredibly well written and feels very natural, especially for the time, so you won't run into any NPCs dispensing nonsense like "10th enemy has the bomb".
While I don't really think that highly of the Golden Axe franchise as whole, I think this is the best thing to ever bear it's name.
This game is somewhat notorious among SMS enthusiasts for its rarity and high asking price, so if you want to play it on real hardware I suggest a flashcart.
Despite popular belief, this game WAS released in the US, just in very limited quantity.
SEGA tried to save a few bucks by shipping out PAL copies to US retailers and slapping a US barcode sticker on the back.
So if you HAVE to get a copy, I recommend importing the PAL version. While they're still expensive, it's much cheaper than getting the same game with a sticker plastered on the back!
Before we get started, yes, I am aware of the System 16 reimagining by M2. While it does outshine the original, it's a completely different experience so there is still some merit to playing the original.
You play as Opa-Opa as he goes on his pro-capitalist rampage to destroy the evil Menon Empire's bases and reclaiming the Space Federation's stolen currency. (per usual)
The definitive RPG on the Master System.
This game is nothing short of a technical marvel at the time of release and absolutely blew every existing RPG at the time out of the water.
Massive character portraits for cutscenes, fluidly animated full screen first person dungeons, multi frame attack animations for every enemy in the game, and there's even full resolution battle backgrounds for whatever kind of terrain the random encounter is initatied on.
The game is also surprisingly light on grinding given the standards of the time.
I have so many great memories with this game.
I always associate it with the summer of 2015, cause I'd always play it after getting home from my summer job.
I was so obsessed with getting an "authentic 80's experience" out of it, I even wrote down everything the NPCs would say in a notebook.
