The Sega CD is remembered for one thing; it wasn’t a very good add-on console. It’s not that the games were bad. They were actually very good. The problem was that the hardware was so expensive and wasn’t supported for very long. That’s par for the course with most of these hardware additions from this time. With that said it did harbor some absolute classics. Today we’re here to take a look at some of the best Sega CD games of all time. This is the software that slaps for Sega’s forgotten add-on.
#25. – Lunar: Eternal Blue
I absolutely love the second Lunar game… when it was remade for the Sony PlayStation. The localization of this version has some serious problems. Despite this, when you dig deep you’ll find one of the best battle systems as well as storylines in any RPG. Seriously, Working Designs may have botched this version but that couldn’t stop it from escalating above most other Sega CD releases. I also really like how this sequel is an actual continuation of the story from the original. That’s not something you see in a lot of role playing games. The full motion video sequences are among the best you’ll find on the platform, and the soundtrack alone justifies the expensive add-on hardware.
#24. – Brutal: Paws of Fury
Following the release of Street Fighter II developers were clamoring for any fighting game they could get their mitts on. In the sea of fighters you really needed to have a gimmick to stand out from the pack. Brutal’s gimmick is that you play as karate animals. Pow! A great fighting game it is not though, but this Sega CD edition is the best version you can play of the original. Brutal: Paws of Fury has plenty of that mid 90s attitude we all love so much with it’s Looney Tunes esq presentation. It’s not one of my favorite fighting games, but I did appreciate the additions included here on the Sega CD version. The soundtrack for example is great, and the opening sequence is pretty neat.
#23. – Night Trap
Ahh yes. FMV games. With the move to the CD format publishers thought these would be all the rage. They never took off quite like was expected, but they’re good for a laugh. Back when I had a roommate he and I sat down and played through this one start to finish for a good laugh but I was oddly drawn in. This horror film based full motion video game puts you in charge of guarding a group of hapless ladies as they’re attacked in a party house. It’s up to you to activate traps as they appear on-screen, but you have to manage various cameras to keep an eye on the gals. Night Trap is a game of repetition as you have to play through multiple times to write down the time frames in which you have to look at specific rooms.
#22. – Popful Mail: Magical Fantasy Adventure
Popful Mail is considered one of those holy grail Sega CD games. That’s probably because it’s another title Working Designs published. This is a side scrolling hybrid platformer and RPG. It’s part Castlevania, and part Metroid. All with a colorful, fun, and bouncy anime aesthetic. All of this is accented by a humorous and charming translation with great voice acting. Unfortunately the level designs are all over the place. What’s worse is that the exploration isn’t particularly great. Overall though the package is solid and I had quite a bit of fun with Popful Mail. It’s clearly a step above most Sega CD releases.
#21. – Flink
Flink’s main problem is that it’s so slow paced. With that out of the way I enjoyed the meticulous platforming and accuracy that it requires, and I prefer this version to the Amiga. Flink pits you into the role of a young wizard as you hop and bop your way through a series of pretty decently designed stages. For a European developed game of this era this one is surprisingly polished. The art style alone deserves accolades. It’s very atmospheric and the music is next level. I like Flink, and as far as I know this is the best version you’ll find of it.
#20 . – Vay
Please do me a favor and ignore the mobile port. It’s simply not worth your time. This Sega CD version of the game is where it’s at. Vay is part Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Legend of Heroes all in one. Complete with full motion video, redbook soundtrack, and voice acting. It isn’t the best RPG on the platform by any means but it at least beats out most of those on the original Sega Genesis. I really like the medieval setting here which is presented with futuristic technology. The combat system is very traditional but it’s interesting enough to diehard fan’s attention.
#19. – Keio Flying Squadron
Cute ’em ups… meh. I’m not really a fan of the concept in general, but I’m also not going to blacklist a game just because it falls into this category. The game itself is pretty fun with a lot of over the top enemies and hazards to contend with. The power-ups system is fun, and the enemy placements and patterns do a great job of keeping the action interesting from start to finish. All of this with animated sequences, redbook audio soundtrack, and a fair amount of voice work. It’s a good shooter not because of it’s ‘cute’ aesthetic rather in spite of it.
#18. – Fatal Fury Special
I love me some Fatal Fury. That’s no secret, and decent home console ports of these titles (aside from on the Neo Geo) are hard to come by. Fatal Fury Special on the Sega CD has some issues. The gameplay pacing is a little off, and the loading times are bad. Despite this it’s still one of the best Sega CD games because it’s playable, and regardless of it’s problems it still feels like Fatal Fury. The Arcade perfect soundtrack certainly helps as well. Of course you would be better off with the Neo Geo version (or even the PC-Engine CD one oddly enough) but Fatal Fury Special on the Sega CD is still great fun.
#17. – Sol Feace
This was actually the pack-in game for the Sega CD hardware (remember back when consoles actually came with a game?) If you are a fan of shooters then you probably already own this game on the Sega Genesis in the form of Sol Deace, but this release is enhanced in numerous ways. On top of a fully voiced intro you also have redbook audio. Aside from that it’s pretty much the same game you could play on cartridge, but in this case that’s not a bad thing. Tough as nails but just as fun, Sol Feace is one of the best shooters for the Sega CD.
#16. – Shining Force CD
Shining Force was a mainstay on the Sega Genesis. They served to scratch the RPG itch for the platform, and to this day are some of the best strategy role playing hybrid games you can play anywhere. It’s surprising then that the Sega CD had it’s own installment in the franchise. Before you get too excited it’s worth pointing out that this is actually a remake of sorts of both Game Gear iterations. It lacks a few basic features of the first two games, namely the ability to travel outside of battle (you simply move from skirmish to skirmish) but that isn’t actually as bad as it sounds. The soundtrack is amazing, and it absolutely serves up the classic Shining Force experience.
#15. – Earthworm Jim: Special Edition
Unfortunately Earthworm Jim is largely a product of its time. Just look at the protagonist; his appearance is the epitome of 90s attitude. I was never the biggest fan of the 16-bit iterations because they looked silly even when I was a kid. Eventually I gave them a go and found them (especially the first one) mildly enjoyable. Earthworm Jim: Special Edition is that same game only better in numerous ways. Some of the stages are elongated, there are more frames of animation, the soundtrack is enhanced, and there’s one entirely new level. This is the definitive version of Earthworm Jim as far as I’m concerned.
#14. – Silpheed
Silpheed is one of those games that shouldn’t have been possible on 16-bit hardware. It clearly pushes both the Sega Genesis hardware and the add-on to its limits. It’s a skewed perspective top down vertically scrolling shooter. The reason it’s so impressive is because your ship, the terrain, and enemies are all rendered in polygons. Fancy. Pair this with the pre-rendered video backgrounds and you have a seriously impressive looking 16-bit title. It makes Star Fox look like old news, and it’s actually fun to play to boot.
#13. – Mortal Kombat
By and large I’m not the biggest fan of the original Mortal Kombat. Maybe that’s because I was introduced to it at release via the terrible Super Nintendo port. The Sega Genesis version is better, and mildly entertaining, but it’s the Sega CD edition that won me over. Of course you have your typical opening video (which I believe is just the real-world commercial for it). This port is largely based on the Sega Genesis version but looks and plays slightly better, and of course it has arcade perfect soundtrack intact thanks to the CD storage space. It’s Mortal Kombat, and it’s the best home console port you could play in its heyday.
#12. – Soul Star
I often see this one compared to Star Fox on the Super Nintendo. That’s a fair comparison in my opinion, but this one is significantly more playable. This is a behind the ship 3D shooter but rather than relying on polygons Soul Star is rendered entirely in sprites. This is not bad because the framerate is decent and it still manages some pretty convincing 3D effects. What’s really impressive is that there are some areas wherein you move freely in 3D space instead of just straight forward. Soul Star is a very fun game but because it’s only on the Sega CD most haven’t played it.
#11. – Android Assault: The Revenge of Bari Arm
I’m sure to get some hate for including this one so high up on the list. It’s actually one of the first Sega CD games I played. It’s a very basic horizontal shooter. It has a standard power-up system wherein you collect the same icon to power-up your weapon, and switching to another sends you back to square one. The main gimmick here is that you can transform your ship into a mech which affects it’s movement, and you’ll need to do so depending on the hazards ahead. Where this one really resonated with me is the soundtrack. It’s absolutely spectacular. Android Assault is pretty underrated in my opinion.
#10. – Samurai Shodown
I love me some SNK fighters, and Samurai Shodown is always at the top of my lists. This version is actually really well done and a clear step above both the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo releases. This is even despite the character Earthquake still being absent. Samurai Shodown plays more like Street Fighter II than Fatal Fury did. It has a pretty decent combo system, but where it excels is what it does differently. The weapon based combat makes attack distance a more important aspect of gameplay. Characters are also more kinetic here, and can even jump off of the edge of the screen. Samurai Shodown on the Sega CD is an absolute must have for those invested in this add-on.
#9. – Robo Aleste
Aleste is a long running shooter series generally associated with Sega hardware. Perhaps the most famous of these titles was released as MUSHA on the Sega Genesis, and anyone who has played it knows how amazing this one is. Robo Aleste doesn’t quite reach those heights, but it’s a great shooter in its own right. This is a vertical scrolling shmup which at times borders on one of those million bullet affairs. The developers put in a lot of effort into their stage designs and enemy placement. It’s a fun game all the way through and easily the best vertical scrolling shooter on the Sega CD.
#8. – Mansion of Hidden Souls
This one will probably surprise some folks. Mansion of Hidden Souls is an adventure game that’s sort of in the same category as Myst. You don’t point and click, but you view the action from a first person perspective as you explore a haunted estate. Each movement you make plays a video of you walking or turning in that direction. It sounds slow and plodding and it is, but this is one of the rare cases where I found it was worth the wait. The story here focuses around a little boy whose sister is transformed into a ghostly butterfly and he has to solve the mysteries of the mansion to save her. It’s a very neat game, and I don’t even mind that it’s clearly a product of its time.
#7. – Lords of Thunder
And here we have the best scrolling shooter for the Sega CD. It shouldn’t be surprising that it’s a port of a Turbografx-CD title. It’s not quite as good as the original release but it’s good enough to be included here on this list. This is a fantasy themed side scrolling shooter with some absolutely enthralling set pieces and enemy patterns. It’s very unique in this regard when compared to other horizontal shmups. The soundtrack, complete with wailing guitars, is a real treat for the ears and is reproduced fairly well here. While you’re best off going with the Turbografx-CD version of this title you still can’t go wrong if the Sega CD edition is all you’ve got.
#6. – Road Avenger
The term ‘FMV game’ is sure to turn almost every gamer off. Not so fast. Road Avenger is actually a lot of fun. This is a fast paced animated game where you guide a driver from a first person perspective through an anime world. You are racing but have a plethora of different obstacles to avoid by making split second decisions on how to get past them. The challenge here is absolutely dastardly and my reflexes were barely fast enough to succeed here. As with just about every FMV game you have to memorize the inputs if you want any level of success. The sense of speed and frenetic action are what push this one above all of the others. Road Avenger is probably my favorite full motion video game of all time.
#5. – Sonic CD
For the longest time Sonic CD was considered the lost game in the franchise. Since then it has been released on a plethora of different consoles, but it’s easy to see why Sega relied on this game to push the hardware. This one plays like a traditional Sonic game by and large with an emphasis on speed and alternate paths. It’s flashier and bigger than the other three however, and the CD quality music definitely helps. There’s a gimmick in place involving time travel which alters the way the stages are set up, and you can move between the time zones by moving fast enough through specific sections of the levels. It’s a fantastic game and probably my favorite traditional Sonic title overall.
#4. – Dark Wizard
Dark Wizard is the single best strategy RPG game for the Sega CD. What’s more is that this is the only place you can play this gem. Grid based battle systems were the norm but Dark Wizard bucks this trend. Instead you move units across a hexagonal battlefield, and engaging in an attack moves you to a separate screen. In this respect it feels like the early Fire Emblem titles, but better. Much better. One of the strong points here is that at the onset you can choose from one of four different scenarios to play. Each of which has a separate main character, and the differences are pretty major.
#3. – Final Fight CD
I really wanted to like Final Fight for the Super Nintendo. It was always obvious that a good game was buried beneath a miriad of bad decisions. Capcom rushed the game for the launch of the SNES, left out the two player mode (the bread and butter of any beat em up) and heavily censored everything. With Final Fight CD Sega returned to the original game and surpassed even the arcade iteration. Guy returns here as a playable character, as does the two player mode. Poison is even still a girl here. What really sets this version of the game apart from the rest however is the rearranged soundtrack. This game has some of the best music in a video game from any era. Yes, it’s really that good. Final Fight CD is incredible and worth the price of the add-on hardware in my opinion.
#2. – Snatcher
Forget Metal Gear Solid, or Death Stranding. Snatcher, in my opinion, is Hideo Kojima’s absolute masterpiece. Originally released on the PC88 and MSX this Sega CD edition had a lot of tender loving care put into it. Here it’s fully voiced and has a plethora of animated sequences. It also doesn’t hurt that it looks incredible here. This is actually the only version of Snatcher to ever be released in English. They couldn’t have chosen a better version to translate either. Snatcher is simply the best adventure title ever released, and has perhaps the best story ever in a video game. I really can’t sing enough praises for this one. Snatcher will cost you hundreds of dollars now, and it’s one of the few rare games I will say is worth the price.
#1. – Lunar: The Silver Star
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete was an amazing game on the Sony PlayStation. On the Sega CD however it’s incredible; a once in a lifetime grand RPG that surpasses almost every other video game. If anything I’m underselling it. The story of young Alex’s journey to become a dragonmaster and save the world is one that will make you laugh, cry, and be thankful you were there to experience it. The Sega CD iteration is quite different from the remake and significantly better in my opinion. There are numerous differences to the story and gameplay which make this game so much better than the PS1 and Saturn iteration. I’ve never known anyone who has played the original Sega CD release that prefers the remake.
