Every Thursday at Female First, we love to sit and think about all of the stuff that has entertained us in the past for countless hours, much of which we'd love to see make a triumphant return today. Hoping to deliver a dose of nostalgia to readers in our new series, we will this week be exploring the video games that kept us busy as children when playing on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive!
Happy Throwback Thursday!
7. Earthworm Jim
The unlikeliest of heroes, Earthworm Jim is a creature who fights against evil, wearing a robotic suit and gunning down anybody or anything in his way. So well-received by critics, the game spawned a sequel, before being remastered and re-released in 2010 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
The side-scrolling platformer combined elements of this genre with some run and gun design, resulting in a chaotic but always entertaining experience. It would be interesting to see how developers would bring Jim back to life in an all-new game for current-gen consoles!
6. Super Street Fighter II
Straight-up fighter games are a dime a dozen, but you'll be hard-pressed to find one as addictive or compelling as Super Street Fighter II. Delivering a series of different story arcs for each of their fighters, Capcom offered up an expansive gaming experience at a time when many others in the same vein were simply going for flair, or shock value.
5. Columns
It's one of the most simple video games we've ever played, but Columns is one heck of an addictive experience. It's a match three puzzle title, and has been the influence for dozens of games that have come after it, including the hugely popular Candy Crush series on mobile phones and tablet devices.
4. Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament
If there's one thing I remember most about Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament, it's the feeling of rage when losing a race in the final seconds after intricate yet difficult controls sent me careering off the edge of a table. Still, it kept me and millions of others coming back for more, thanks to the colourful design and unique maps on which races would take place.
3. Streets of Rage 2
The Streets of Rage series is one of the most recognisable side-scrolling platformers around, and will be making a return later this year for a brand new release that looks just as addictive as all those that came before it.
Streets of Rage 2 has, so far, been the best of the bunch. Players could choose between four unique characters to take through the story, which would offer up real challenges in combat and making it to the end of the narrative with lives still in the bank.
2. Mickey Mania
Disney fans were taken on a journey through time with Mickey Mania, as the titular mouse visited various locations based on the cartoons of the past he had been a part of.
The opening Steamboat Willie sequence will go down in history as one of the most beautiful scenes in a video game, of all time.
1. Sonic The Hedgehog 2
If you've not heard of some other games in this list, you'll definitely have heard of this one! Sonic brought his best friend Tails along for the ride in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which toned down the difficulty we faced in the original game, but dialled up the fun and colourful experience that made it such a success.
As one of the first video games that allowed friends to drop in and out with ease, it really set the standard for titles of the future to live up to, and set multiplayer games off on a revolutionary path.
MORE: TV shows you'll remember if you're a '90s kid!