My Top 25 Master System games

The Sega Master System is one of those consoles that was either a huge deal or a mere also-ran, depending on your age and where you grew up. It was Sega's first true international release, arriving in different regions between 1986 and 1989, followed by the cheaper, more streamlined Master System II in 1990. In North America and its native Japan, it hardly made a dent. In the UK, Australia, New Zealand and much of Europe, it was a huge hit, outselling the NES for several years. In Brazil, it was even bigger, with local manufacturer Tec Toy releasing Master System variants well into the 21st century.

The Master System was an evolution of Sega's first home console, the SG-1000 (retrospectively known as the Sega Mark I). Largely confined to Japan, the SG-1000 was an 8-bit machine that had the misfortune of launching on the same day as Nintendo's Famicom, which was considerably more advanced. This was soon followed by the SG-1000 II or Sega Mark II, which actually did quite well for a time, but ultimately, the Famicom outsold it significantly. So Sega worked quickly on a further improved version, the Sega Mark III, which had a more sophisticated graphics system than the Famicom. The Mark III was redesigned in a classy black chassis to become the internationally released Mark IV, which, after a couple of naming variations, became universally known as the Master System. Except in the Republic of Korea, where Samsung, for its own mysterious reasons, sold it as the Gam*Boy and later the Aladdin Boy.

Most of the Sega kids I knew upgraded to the Mega Drive as soon as they could; I played the Master System II a few times, but my direct experience with it is fairly limited. Over the years, though, I've still played a lot of MS games. An adapter allowed you to play them on the Mega Drive/Genesis, and they've been included in many compilations over the years, largely in plug-and-play machines from companies like AtGames and PlayPal. Plus, they're easy to emulate, so not hard to come by unofficially. If you're in the UK, good condition Master System II units are pretty easy to find inexpensively, although you might struggle to run them on a modern TV even with an adaptor.

Building this list got me playing a lot of games I hadn't played for years, and a fair few more I'd never played before. Any MS game is allowed in, as long as it was released during the console's original lifespan (although, as we've seen, that was a lot longer than you might realise). Games that were released on cartridges, the earlier game cards, or built into the console itself are all permitted, and from any region, although for obvious reasons the large PAL game library dominates. Not only are these the games I've mostly played, but there are far more of them. According to Wikipedia, there are 314 Master System games, of which 158 are exclusive to PAL countries.

25) Ghost House (1986)

This has its origins in the earlier arcade game Monster Bash, which was retooled as one of the first releases on the Sega Card format for the Sega Mark III. It only got a card release in North America, too, but most PAL regions also got the cartridge format. It's a slim but creative platformer which sees the hero making his way through a labyrinthine mansion, battling ghosts, monsters and “Draculas.” It's almost like a prototype for the Ghosts'n Goblins series, without the high difficulty level, and with a lot more infuriatingly sticky cobwebs.

Availability: There's been no rerelease. The cartridge edition is quite easy to find affordably on the secondhand market in the UK, while the card release is rarer and much more expensive. You'll need an original model Master System to play that, of course.

24) Aerial Assault (1990)

A solid side-scrolling shoot-em-up which sees you battling a SPECTRE-like military syndicate who aim to destroy the ozone layer with a space laser. Mostly, though, you're facing an array of incoming planes, ships and carriers with only the occasional dropped power-up to help you. Par for the course, but good fun, and far better than the Game Gear version.

Availability: No modern rerelease. Original cartridges vary greatly in price.

23) Fire & Forget II (1990)

A frenetic vehicular combat game where you chase a convoy of terrorist vehicles, leaving a swarm of automated weapons and robots in its wake. You're armed with missiles and a phaser, your car can fly, and you can get it smashed up as often as you like... but if you run out of fuel, it's game over. A lot of fun in short, sharp bursts.

Availability: It was on Antstream, but is currently unavailable. Hopefully it'll be back.

22) Dynamite Dux (1990)

A port of a scrolling, semi-3D arcade beat-em-up, Dynamite Dux is essentially Golden Axe or Streets of Rage by way of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. You play as a cartoon duck who metes out violence on anyone or anything who stands in the way of his mission to rescue the little girl who keeps him as a pet. The mundane, cityscape environments make the OTT cartoon characters and weapons all the more striking. It's not the deepest game, although some of the bosses are pretty inventive, but it's a fun, funny way to kill some time.

Availability: No rerelease, but the cartridge sometimes turns up on the market pretty cheaply.

21) Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

A lot of players don't appreciate the 8-bit version of Sonic 1, thanks to it being a slower-paced, less frenetic game than the Mega Drive/Genesis original. I prefer it for that very reason, though. It's nice to play a chilled Sonic game where you can take a moment to enjoy the Zones. Rather than a port, this is more of a variant game to the original, similar but with different level layouts and some tweaked gameplay. The rings-based health system is even more irritating in this game – you can't pick up rings you drop when you're hit – but as you're not constantly at risk of colliding with things, it's not such a bother. Excellent soundtrack too.

Availability: The Master System version itself hasn't been released since the Wii Virtual Console, but the Game Gear port – which isn't identical, but very close – is included in the Sonic Origins Plus collection on Switch, PS4 & PS5, XBox One and XBox Series X/S, Steam and Epic Games. It's also on the Game Gear Micro black edition. The Master System version was built into later release MSII units, which makes it easy to find on the secondhand market.

20) Ghouls'n Ghosts (1991)

Ghouls'n Ghosts, or Daimakaimura in Japan, is a notoriously tough game, and I have barely been able to get anywhere in any version – except this one. The game was somewhat reworked for the Master System, making it a less difficult – although still pretty formidable – monster fest. This version adds an upgrade system to armour, magic and weaponry, with the armour being especially helpful as you can actually enjoy more than two hit points per life. As well as keeping Sir Arthur's modesty for a little longer (he's still left in his underpants when his armour is depleted), it makes the game a lot more accessible. There's still the challenge of gaining every upgrade; without which, you'll be unable to access the final boss.

Availability: Nothing for the Master System version. The Mega Drive version is on the Nintendo Classics Expansion Pack subscription on Switch Online. The arcade original is emulated as part of the Capcom Arcade Stadium, on Switch, PS4, XBox One and Steam; and also built into the HyperMegaTech Capcom Edition Super Pocket and the (now discontinued) Evercade EXP. They're as hard as hobnails, though.

19) Astro Warrior (1986)

This is a very simple vertically-scrolling space shoot-em-up, but sometimes simple is nice. It's not going challenge Power Strike in that category, but it's good fun, with a reasonably forgiving difficulty level. Even more so than with the NES, I find myself picking a lot of scrolling shooters for the Master System. I think it's just a genre that these 8-bit systems are really suited to.

Availability: No licensed releases lately, with the most recent I can see being on AtGames' Mega Drive Flashback. It was also included on their Arcade Gamer Portable. Original cartridges vary in price from very cheap to rather steep, depending on the edition; Astro Warrior alone appears to be the cheapest, with the Hang-On bundle going for £20-£50, and the Pit-Pot bundle being more expensive still.

18) Bomber Raid (1989)

A speedy and fairly tough vertically-scrolling shoot-em-up with a WWII setting (in spite of the Cold War era Lockheed Blackbird on the cover). The enemies come thick and fast here, some carrying power-ups but mostly trying to take you out. Some power-ups grant you a companion fighter, and you get a small supply of screen-clearing cluster bombs each level, to add a tactical element. This was a Sega-made game, but Activision released it in the States, and at one stage it was going to be marketed as Super River Raid, a sequel to their 1982 Atari VCS game.

Availability: Bomber Raid is included on AtGames' Arcade Gamer Portable. That's the latest release I can see, but original cartridges aren't too pricey or hard to find.

17) Disney's Aladdin (1994)

A completely different game to the Mega Drive/Genesis version, the 8-Bit Aladdin appeared on both the Game Gear and Master System and showcased remarkable graphics for such early consoles. While predominantly a platformer like the other Aladdin games of the time, this plays quite differently, kicking off with two auto-running stages before settling into exploratory platforming levels interspersed with auto-scrolling flying levels set on Aladdin’s trusty magic carpet. Not quite at the level of the Mega Drive game, but a thoroughly enjoyable adventure.

Availability: Unfortunately not included in the Disney Classics Games Collection update, Aladdin’s 8-bit adventure doesn’t appear to be officially available at present.

16) Master of Darkness (1993)

These days, you can play a host of Castlevania games on multiple platforms, but you can also play many, many Castlevania rip-offs, and this is one of the best of that very specific subgenre. A game that sees you play as a London psychologist named Dr. Ferdinand Social, on a quest to stop Jack the Ripper from resurrecting Dracula, has to be a winner, right? This is very like Castlevania, right down to the painfully fiddly process of walking down stairs, and overall is a fun, nicely creepy adventure.

Availability: The Game Gear version was on the 3DS Virtual Console. If you didn't get that when you had a chance, you'll need to shell out for fairly pricey secondhand cart.

15) Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1992)

Although Castle of Illusion got a decent conversion for the Master System, I think its sequel is the better 8-bit game. Mickey falls into a fairytale dream world and has to rescue the local kingdoms from the terrible Phantom (actually none other than the Horned King from the underrated Disney film The Black Cauldron). The Disney games on the console were always of a high standard and this is arguably the best, with excellent graphics for the system and levels that are nicely challenging for a younger player (or a clumsy older one, like me).

Availability: Not currently, although surely it's a matter of time before Disney brings out a compilation of the Illusion series.

14) Streets of Rage 2 (1994)

A more limited version of the seminal arcade-style beat-em-up, Streets 2 on the Master System is still a rollicking good time, even if it can't hold up to the Mega Drive/Genesis original. This version gives you only three characters to play instead of the original's four (there's no sign of Max Thunder, who was always a bit of a slog to play as). The levels are somewhat different and naturally the graphics aren't as impressive, but while you probably wouldn't choose this as the version you'd play today, it's a solid game in itself.

Availability: The Master System version hasn't had a rerelease, but the original Mega Drive/Genesis version is on the Mega Drive Mini console and the Nintendo Classics service through Switch Online.

13) Road Rash (1994)

Should Road Rash have been on my Mega Drive/Genesis top games list? Very possibly. That was a tough list to whittle down. Given that EA were originally developing Road Rash for the NES but moved to the Mega Drive because the former wasn’t powerful enough to render the game, it’s amazing that they managed to make a successful 8-bit port for the Master System and Game Gear. Race your opponents, knock ‘em down, don’t crash and don’t get pulled over by the rozzers. Classic.

Availability: EA seems to be holding on tight to this one, as there's no official rerelease that I know of.

12) Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa (1987)

Fantasy Zone is the archetypal cute-em-up, but I prefer the sequel, which adds an exploratory element to the mix. You still need to fly your sentient spaceship Opa-Opa around its colourful world shooting weird enemies and take out bases, but now some of the bases include warps, which you'll need to utilise to reach and secure each of the zones in a level. The music is less harsh as well, which I appreciate.

Availability: Both Fantasy Zone shooters and Fantasy Zone: The Maze were included on the Mega Drive Flashback, with the two shooters appearing on the Arcade Gamer Portable. Back in 2008, M2 released the Fantasy Zone Collection as part of the Sega Ages series for PS2, which collected every Fantasy Zone-related game, including both the original FZ II and an arcade system remake, Fantasy Zone II DX. M2 still have the first two levels of the remake downloadable as a demo on their site. The remake was also ported to the 3DS as 3D Fantasy Zone II W, which was included, along with the original console version, in the physical release Sega 3D Classics Collection.

11) TransBot/Astro Flash (1985)

Astro Flash was one of the first games released for the Mark III in Japan, on a game card, being renamed TransBot for a Western release the following year. Both names will probably raise an eyebrow now, although in Brazil and Greece it was called Nuclear Creature. By any name, this is a zippy side-scrolling shmup in which you control a spaceship that can transform into a humanoid mecha. A nice touch is that power-ups are carried by ground vehicles, so you need to swoop down to shoot those when they come into view. If you catch the power-up, it'll cycle through options very fast, so it's a tricky business landing on the one you want.

Availability: Although there's no rerelease, it's one of the cheaper and easier cartridges to find secondhand.

10) Gauntlet (1990)

Arguably the best port of the classic Atari arcade game, this has little in the way of bells and whistles, but Gauntlet is such a solid game that you'd be hard-pressed to not have a good time. A dungeon crawler/shoot-em-up cross, Gauntlet gets challenging quickly as the maze-like levels fill with rapidly spawning swarms of monsters. By its nature, the Master System version can only support up to two players, rather than the maximum of four, but even in single player, picking one of the character classes with their slightly different abilities can make a difference when things get tight.

Availability: No modern release, quite surprisingly for a game that was ported all over the place in the day. Original carts turn up very cheaply online sometimes.

9) Sagaia/Darius II (1989)

Taito's arcade space shooter sequel was renamed Sagaia for its Western release, but this is Darius through-and-through. While the Mega Drive version is technically better, this cut-down edition is very impressive for the system, with some remarkably detailed graphics (even if it does drop the background completely for the boss fights). Blasting your way through the Solar System is fun in any format, but having fewer stages and pathways maybe makes for a tighter game. There aren't many games that start on the surface of the Sun and only get harsher from there. You're better off picking Tiat Young over Proco Jr.

Availability: The Master System version of Sagaia is part of the Darius Cozmic Collection, along with both the US Genesis Sagaia and the Japanese Mega Drive Darius II. However, there are various different editions of the collection that hold different games. If you want these versions, you'll need the Console Edition, available as a download or physical release for PS4 and Switch. Alternatively, if you'd prefer original arcade versions, there's the Arcade Edition, which is additionally downloadable for PC via Steam. The International Edition contains both Arcade and Console Editions, and is a physical release only.

8) Alex Kidd in Miracle World (1986)

I never used to be a fan of Sega's original mascot, but more recently, I've found a real liking for the Alex Kidd games. The original game is a straightforwardly fun platformer with some occasionally infuriating puzzly bits. The obtainable vehicles, which add a bit of shooting action, are a fun addition, although it's frustratingly easy to lose them.

Availability: The original version of Miracle World is part of the Sega Ages downloadable series on Switch, as well as being included on AtGames' Mega Drive Flashback and Arcade Gamer Portable. As it was built into several editions of both the Master System and MSII, if you find an original console there's a solid chance Miracle World will be included. Alternatively, there's Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, a modern remake available on Switch, PS4 & PS5, XBox One and Series X/S, and PC via Steam. You can switch between modern and retro graphics at the flick of a button, and the original game is included as an unlockable extra.

7) Asterix (1991)

Oh, I loved Asterix when I was a kid. There were a few Asterix games on Sega systems; this is the first and the best. It's a straightforward but very well-crafted platformer, that lets you alternate between playing Asterix and Obelix. Asterix is lighter and can slip into small spaces, while Obelix can smash his way through stone blocks. The levels actually change depending on which character you're playing at, to complement their strengths, so there's twice as much game here as at first glance. There are even bonus levels where you play as Dogmatix!

Availability: While Asterix games are still being released, there's no sign of an official rerelease of any of the classic games. Microids has the rights these days – come on gents, how about a compilation?

6) Phantasy Star (1987)

I don't tend to include a lot of RPGs on my lists. They're a game format I respect more than I enjoy; an RPG has to really grab me to get me to invest my time into it enough to make progress. Phantasy Star, in spite of being on the earliest and most grindy JRPGs to get a Western release, immediately grabbed me. The science fantasy setting; the character of Alis, a groundbreaking heroine; Rieko Kodama's art and design work; it all comes together to make a compelling story. The game jumps cleanly from overhead map roaming to first-person, turn-based combat and still remarkably effective 3D dungeon crawling. The beginning of an epic series, and easily a favourite.

Availability: The original Phantasy Star is available on Nintendo Switch as part of the Sega Ages line, which includes both an “Ages Mode” with streamlined gameplay and an original mode identical to that of the Master System version. It's also on the Mega Drive Flashback from AtGames.

5) Aleste/Power Strike (1988)

The first game in Compile's Aleste series, this is a brilliant vertically-scrolling shoot-em-up that stands out on a system with a fair few of them. It's not quite as frantic as the later games in the series, but it's still packed with enemy craft and a selection of power-ups that need to be freed from carrier craft and grabbed quickly. The original Japanese version has a proper storyline that runs between rounds, a 62nd century space adventure, while the English language version scraps all of this and is a somewhat lesser experience as a result. Still a great fun though.

Availability: Both Master System games in the series are included in the Aleste Collection for PS4 and Switch, as well as the Game Gear games. The digital release has been delisted, but it's possible to find the limited release physical game, although for quite a high price.

4) Cloud Master (1989)

A wonderfully ridiculous side-scrolling shooter that began in Japanese arcades and eventually reached homes worldwide on the Master System. Originally called Chuka Taisen, Cloud Master is vaguely based on the Chinese epic Journey to the West (that's Monkey if you're a Brit of a certain vintage). While the gameplay is largely what you'd expect, aside from being able to shop for new weapons through magic doors, it's the surreal mythic world you fly your cloud through that makes it. The legendary beings are often easier to avoid than the swarms of gyoza, and there's nothing more infurating than besting a flock of demon birds, only to get taken out by a high-velocity bowl of ramen.

Availability: A remake of the arcade version is available, often very cheaply, on Switch and PC via Steam, under the title Monkey King: Master of the Clouds.

3) Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars (1988)

The follow-up to Miracle World lost the satisfying punching aspect but upped the tricky platforming skill. This is touching on Flashback-style platforming; infinite lives to try different approaches, learning your way through levels where you could be knocked back any moment. On the other hand, it's quite forgiving in that, rather than a health bar and sudden deaths, you have a rapidly depleting timer, which takes an extra knock back each time you're hurt. The enjoyably bizarre worlds in which ol' big-ears finds himself make this one a real joy to play, although his scream when he's hit is haunting.

Availability: The Lost Stars is available on the Switch as part of the Sega Ages series, and is on the Mega Drive Flashback and Arcade Gamer Portable from AtGames.

2) Power Strike II (1993)

Aleste was enough of a hit that it was ported to MSX computers in Japan, where it also got an MSX-exclusive sequel. Meanwhile, Europe and the rest of the PAL world got an entirely separate sequel, Power Strike II, unrelated to any of the other releases in the series. Instead of the future, Power Strike II is set in an alternative timeline in the 1930s, where sky pirates use advanced craft even while the Great Depression drags everyone down.You've taken the role of hunting down these pirates, and you'll do it, even though you feel for those poor desperate villains. This should really be made into a film, but until then, Power Strike II is an even better game than the first.

Availability: It's in the Aleste Collection with the rest of its 8-bit brethren.

1) Bank Panic (1987)

Bank Panic is a deceptively clever shooting gallery game that began in arcades before being ported to both the SG-1000 and the Master System. The fundamentals are simple: you play a sheriff protecting a bank in the Old West, with twelve doors surrounding the teller desk. You can cycle to any group of three sequential doors, which will open to reveal either a customer, a kid, or a bank robber. You need to shoot the robbers before they shoot you. Once a deposit is made at each of the doors, you move to the next round. You can't get too trigger happy though; you lose a life if you shoot a customer by mistake (you can shoot the hats off the kids, though). But you also lose potential points if you shoot a robber too quickly, as this is considered unfair. There's a lot to keep track of: the round timer, the robber timers, which doors are opening next, and even occasional bombs. There's more to it than it seems, and it's incredibly moreish. Keep your immersive first-person shooters; this is my jam.

Availability: No modern release, sadly. The cartridge turns up secondhand often, sometimes very cheaply, while the original card version will fetch a lot more.