What are the best Master System titles?

[esteban]

I posted comparison pics in the screenshot thread. But it's somehere between maybe page 50 and 80.

Ha! I used your SMS screenshots already!

I was begging for more (to match the 16-bitters)

[Arkhan]

Ultima IV isn't really worth playing on SMS honestly.   Not having the first person dungeons, and not having the ability to enter text to talk to people makes the game less fun.

Just skip it and play the DOS one with VGA upgrade + MIDI patch, and tell DOSBox to use a Roland Sound Canvas.

It blows the cunt out of the SMS one.

[esteban]

Ultima IV isn't really worth playing on SMS honestly.   Not having the first person dungeons, and not having the ability to enter text to talk to people makes the game less fun.

Just skip it and play the DOS one with VGA upgrade + MIDI patch, and tell DOSBox to use a Roland Sound Canvas.

It blows the cunt out of the SMS one.

Sure, if it is someone's virginal experience with Ultima IV...

But if you've played IV, it is totally fun to see how the various ports were implemented for SMS/NES/etc.

[grolt]

Cool to see some SMS chat here.  I've got the full US/Europe set and most of the Japanese releases too.  The Master System, like the TG-16, has an amazing amount of quality first-party games and arcade ports compared to bad games because there were few third-party developers.

What kind of genres do you like most, Prof?  I could better recommend then.

Here are some underrated games for the system that are pretty cheap:

Kenseiden - one of the best games on the system, a ninja platformer kind of like Samurai Ghost but better, a rare game that uses Feudal Japan as a backdrop and offers up non-linear gameplay and the ability to learn new attacks through training. Just awesome.
Aztec Adventure - fun overhead action game with a gimmick of bribing enemies with cash to join you, has a great ending.
Enduro Racer - cool isometric spin on Excitebike, the Japanese version has double the levels, but the American version has one of the most hilariously inspirational endings ever.
Astro Warrior - simple shmup but with some solid tunes and a just-right difficulty.
Danan: The Jungle Fighter - as close as the SMS would come to Legendary Axe.  A little clunky, but has character.
The Ninja - addicting game that's kind of like a shooter on the ground.  Relies a lot on timing but feels so good once you memorize the levels and just shuriken your way through everything.
Lord of the Sword - fun Zelda 2/Ys III side-scrolling Action RPG.  Has some great art in the later levels.
Penguin Land - really unique and fun platformer/puzzle hybrid
Quartet - fun 2-player game that's kind of a shmup/action hybrid
Rastan - good port of the arcade game
Rescue Mission - cool light gun game that's overhead and you're goal is to protect a cart on rails rather than just shooting bad guys like every other light gun game
Thunder Blade - pretty faithful port of the arcade that's better than the Genesis version
Alex Kidd: High-Tech World - super-quirky game that's half RPG where you're exploring your mansion trying to find pieces to a map so you can go to the arcade, then the second half is a pretty challenging little Shinobi-like action platformer. Filled with personality and SEGA references.

[Black Tiger]

I don't limit myself to what can be argued as technically the "best" version of any one game. I love SMS Ys with or without FM sound and I'd love to play an imperfect version of Ultima IV on PC Engine. If extra features make any version the best, then we should all toss our consoles and stick to emulation.

[Arkhan]

If extra features make any version the best, then we should all toss our consoles and stick to emulation.

The ability to talk to NPCs and actually have to investigate/converse with them was one of the strongest points to Ultima IV's game engine.   Not having it cheapens the adventurous experience.  You get presented with a dropdown of possible options.

*any* computer version of the game trumps the console versions for this reason.   The console ones eliminate a large portion of what made the game fun.

I am also unsure why SMS version had no first person dungeon crawling and went with the Ultima VI style dungeons.   The SMS is capable of the dugneons.   Phantasy Star did it.

I would go with the NES one simply because it's an entirely new spin on the game, with actual consolized concepts, instead of looking like the PC one, but with problems.

[Dicer]

Ultima IV isn't really worth playing on SMS honestly.   Not having the first person dungeons, and not having the ability to enter text to talk to people makes the game less fun.

Just skip it and play the DOS one with VGA upgrade + MIDI patch, and tell DOSBox to use a Roland Sound Canvas.

It blows the cunt out of the SMS one.

Or play the superior Amiga Version...

[Arkhan]

Ultima IV isn't really worth playing on SMS honestly.   Not having the first person dungeons, and not having the ability to enter text to talk to people makes the game less fun.

Just skip it and play the DOS one with VGA upgrade + MIDI patch, and tell DOSBox to use a Roland Sound Canvas.

It blows the cunt out of the SMS one.

Or play the superior Amiga Version...

Superior and Amiga form this thing called an oxymoron.

Also, the Amiga one doesn't really hold a candle to the VGA upgrade for DOS with an external MIDI module....

the Ultimas on Amiga were all pretty hohum, lol.

[BigusSchmuck]

Ultima IV isn't really worth playing on SMS honestly.   Not having the first person dungeons, and not having the ability to enter text to talk to people makes the game less fun.

Just skip it and play the DOS one with VGA upgrade + MIDI patch, and tell DOSBox to use a Roland Sound Canvas.

It blows the cunt out of the SMS one.

Or play the superior Amiga Version...

Superior and Amiga form this thing called an oxymoron.

Also, the Amiga one doesn't really hold a candle to the VGA upgrade for DOS with an external MIDI module....

the Ultimas on Amiga were all pretty hohum, lol.

Hey you forgot about the Dreamcast port!
http://xu4.sourceforge.net/

[ProfessorProfessorson]

Per many of your guys post, it looks like I already have a lot of what some of you recommended, like Ghost House, Kenseiden, etc, which is great. Definitely still more to get, and I will work my way up the list of good titles. I had a MS years back as an early teen, with about 18-20 games or so. I loved the thing, but back then my gaming was limited to RF on a Master System 2 on a tv that had issues, and sometimes the color would flake out and the screen would go B&W. Now I am finally able to revisit the library and play it right, so very pleased.

[ProfessorProfessorson]

After looking at some gameplay of Bomber Raid, I am grabbing that one too. It looks solid.

[Gredler]

Cyborg Hunter

Danm you for taking mine. Love that game! Probably my favorite on the system because of the first person radar companied with the metroid like level design, and I enjoy the graphics quite a bit though rough in spots. And you can't beat the box art



Well, maybe Japan can,





Regardless, a really fun game


Honestly though, if you can stomach jrpg's, get into some phantasy star. I got so addicted when I went to play through the game again recently. I ended up downloading an app for my phone called "phantasy star maps" that allowed me to plot my course through the various dungeons. Maps are key.


Dick Tracey has a great version on this system.


There are also quite a few very enjoyable light gun games. Rescue mission, gangster town, and wanted to name a few


Enjoy, it's a lovely little system.


Edit: I had recently picked up SpellCaster but have not had much time to play it - so far it's a great game. if you pick that up I would love to continue playing it and get a group discussion going. It's a fascinating game that was followed up by Mystic Defender on the genesis.

[esteban]

After looking at some gameplay of Bomber Raid, I am grabbing that one too. It looks solid.

That's why I mentioned TransBot...I had a feeling you might want to play all the shootemups, even if they are not groundbreaking...I picked up Bomber Raid from majors recently*



* "recently" in my world translates --> two years ago.

[grolt]

Yeah the interface on Cyborg Hunter is great. I remember being blown away that they could show the three perspectives simultaneously and still be able to keep a solid frame rate. Fun game too.

[majors]

I've been on a SMS kick the past few years, picked up db-elec FM thingy that renewed my interest. I had a Master System next to my NES bitd, but when I got the PBC, I traded of the console and kept only r-type, Golden Axe and P.Star.

Since then, I've bought and sold a good chunk of titles, but ended up with keeping these:

Action Fighter <- Found this to be more enjoyable than Bomber Raid
Alex Kidd in miracle world <- Mainly for it being the mascot
California Games <- Surfing is my jam and has FM support
Choplifter <- it's way hard, but slick parallax
Double Dragon <- everyone heralds it for being 2p
Enduro Racer <- I really enjoy this one, simple but fun
Golden Axe <- love the graphic style
Golvellius <- Music is tops
Hang-on/Astro Warrior <- My original pack-in, LOVE Hang-on
Phantasy Star <- my first console RPG, f*ck Final Fantasy!
R-type <- SO GOOD! Reason to keep the console.
Rambo First Blood part II <- Recent pick up, I enjoy it.
Rampage <- FM tunes do it justice. Might be repetitive but I keep coming back to it.
Rastan <- great 8-bit port albeit shorter levels
Time Soldiers <- I'm a big Ikari Warriors fan form the arcade, TS was always a runner up.