Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,000 most recommended games across 904 critic lists from 141 publications.

Updated: February 3, 2026

Most Acclaimed Sega Mega Drive / Genesis Games of All Time

Filters

41 of 41

#1 Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) (#91)

Sonic Team | ARC, GEN | Platform | ~2h | 39 lists

#2 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) (#135)

Sega Technical Institute, Sonic Team | ARC, GEN | Platform | ~2h | 31 lists

#3 Lemmings (1991) (#136)

DMA Design | DOS, MAC, 5, SMS, GEN, TG16, SNES | Strategy / Puzzle | ~20h | 33 lists

#4 NBA Jam (1993) (#171)

Midway | ARC, GEN, SCD, SNES | Sports | ~12h | 31 lists

#5 Another World / Out of This World (1991) (#250)

Delphine Software | 3, DOS, GEN, SNES, 3DO | Action / Platform | ~2h | 18 lists

#6 Mortal Kombat II (1993) (#282)

Midway | ARC, DOS, AMI, GEN, GG, SNES | Fighting | ~2h | 22 lists

#7 Syndicate (1993) (#310)

Bullfrog Productions | DOS, 4, GEN, SNES, 3DO, JAG | Real-Time Tactics | ~12h | 15 lists

#8 Streets of Rage 2 / Bare Knuckle II (1992) (#338)

Ancient, H.I.C., MNM Software, Shout! Designworks | GEN | Beat 'em Up | ~2h | 14 lists

#9 Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (1993) (#345)

Sega | GEN | Role-Playing | ~21h | 10 lists

#10 Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty / Dune II: Battle for Arrakis (1992) (#355)

Westwood Studios | DOS, AMI, GEN | Real-Time Strategy | ~14h | 12 lists

#11 Virtua Fighter 2 (1994) (#356)

Sega AM2 | ARC, WIN, GEN, SAT | Fighting | ~48m | 15 lists

#12 Gunstar Heroes (1993) (#378)

Treasure | GEN, GG | Run and Gun | ~2h | 10 lists

#13 Flashback (1992) (#401)

Delphine Software, Tiertex Design Studios | DOS, AMI, ARCH, GEN, SNES | Platform | ~6h | 13 lists

#14 Populous (1989) (#402)

Bullfrog Productions | 3, SMS, GEN, SNES | God Game | ~12h | 12 lists

#15 NHL '94 (1993) (#403)

EA Canada, High Score Productions, Park Place Productions | GEN, SCD, SNES | Sports | ~6h | 14 lists

#16 Herzog Zwei (1989) (#431)

Technosoft | GEN | Real-Time Strategy | ~6h | 9 lists

#17 Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (1990) (#439)

The Bitmap Brothers | DOS, 3, SMS, GEN | Action / Sports | ~3h | 12 lists

#18 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (& Knuckles) (1994) (#446)

Sega Technical Institute, Sonic Team | GEN | Platform | ~3h | 11 lists

#19 Worms (1995) (#469)

Team17 | DOS, MAC, AMI, CD32, GEN, SAT, SNES, PS | Strategy | ~4h | 11 lists

#20 Mortal Kombat (1992) (#484)

Midway, Midway Games | ARC, GEN, SNES | Fighting | ~1h | 12 lists

#21 Sensible Soccer: European Champions / 92/93 / International Edition / Championship Soccer '94 (1992) (#528)

Sensible Software | DOS, AST, AMI, 3, SNES, JAG | Football (Association) / Sports | ~15h | 8 lists

#22 Virtua Racing (1992) (#542)

Sega AM2 | ARC, GEN | Racing | ~2h | 8 lists

#23 FIFA International Soccer (1993) (#567)

Extended Play Productions | GEN | Football (Association) / Sports | ~6h | 8 lists

#24 Samurai Shodown / Samurai Spirits (1993) (#602)

SNK | ARC, GEN, SNES, NG, 3DO | Fighting | ~1h | 9 lists

#25 Tecmo Super Bowl (1991) (#625)

Tecmo | NES, SNES, GEN | Football (American) / Sports | ~10h | 9 lists

#26 Phantasy Star II (1989) (#632)

Sega R&D 2 | GEN | Role-Playing | ~28h | 8 lists

#27 Theme Park (1994) (#646)

Bullfrog Productions | DOS, MAC, 3, 3, SNES, 3DO, JAG, PS | Construction & Management | ~17h | 8 lists

#28 Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 (1987) (#653)

Taito | ARC, 5, NES, SMS, GEN, TG16 | Platform | ~2h | 8 lists

#29 Cannon Fodder (1993) (#656)

Sensible Software | DOS, AST, AMI, GEN, SNES, 3DO | Shooter | ~8h | 7 lists

#30 Ghouls 'n Ghosts (1988) (#686)

Capcom | ARC, 5, GEN | Platform | ~2h | 6 lists

#31 Bomberman '94 / Mega Bomberman (1993) (#723)

Hudson Soft | TG16, GEN | Action / Maze | ~3h | 7 lists

#32 Shining Force II (1993) (#734)

Camelot Software Planning | GEN | Tactical RPG | ~30h | 6 lists

#33 Golden Axe (1989) (#775)

Team Shinobi | ARC, SMS, GEN | Beat 'em Up | ~1h | 7 lists

#34 Strider / Strider Hiryū (1989) (#799)

Capcom | ARC, DOS, 3, GEN | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~1h | 5 lists

#35 Earthworm Jim (1994) (#816)

Shiny Entertainment | GEN, SCD, SNES | Run and Gun / Platform | ~3h | 9 lists

#36 The Revenge of Shinobi / The Super Shinobi (1989) (#828)

Sega Enterprises, Ltd. | GEN | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~2h | 5 lists

#37 Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament (1994) (#850)

Codemasters, Supersonic Software | DOS, GEN, GG | Racing | ~2h | 4 lists

#38 Smash TV (1990) (#852)

Williams | ARC, 5, NES, SNES, SMS, GEN | Shooter | ~2h | 5 lists

#39 Devil's Crush (1990) (#867)

Compile | TG16, GEN | Party | ~1h | 4 lists

#40 Streets of Rage (1991) (#878)

Sega Enterprises, Ltd. | GEN | Beat 'em Up | ~2h | 4 lists

#41 Turrican II: The Final Fight (1991) (#979)

Factor 5 | 5, GEN | Run and Gun | ~2h | 3 lists

#91

Sonic Team

ARC, GEN

Platform

~2h

39 lists

Sonic the Hedgehog 1991

#135

Sega Technical Institute, Sonic Team

ARC, GEN

Platform

~2h

31 lists

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1992

#136

DMA Design

AMI, MAC, AST, DOS, FMT, PC98, SMS, GEN, SNES, TG16, ZXS

Strategy / Puzzle

~20h

33 lists

Lemmings 1991

#171

Midway

ARC, SCD, GEN, SNES

Sports

~12h

31 lists

NBA Jam 1993

#250

Delphine Software

3DO, AMI, A2, AST, DOS, GEN, SNES

Action / Platform

~2h

18 lists

Another World / Out of This World 1991

#282

Midway

AMI, ARC, DOS, GG, GEN, SNES

Fighting

~2h

22 lists

Mortal Kombat II 1993

#310

Bullfrog Productions

3DO, AMI, CD32, JAG, DOS, FMT, PC98, GEN, SNES

Real-Time Tactics

~12h

15 lists

Syndicate 1993

#338

Ancient, H.I.C., MNM Software, Shout! Designworks

GEN

Beat 'em Up

~2h

14 lists

Streets of Rage 2 / Bare Knuckle II 1992

#345

Sega

GEN

Role-Playing

~21h

10 lists

Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium 1993

#10

#355

Westwood Studios

AMI, DOS, GEN

Real-Time Strategy

~14h

12 lists

Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty / Dune II: Battle for Arrakis 1992

#11

#356

Sega AM2

ARC, GEN, SAT, WIN

Fighting

~48m

15 lists

Virtua Fighter 2 1994

#12

#378

Treasure

GG, GEN

Run and Gun

~2h

10 lists

Gunstar Heroes 1993

#13

#401

Delphine Software, Tiertex Design Studios

ARCH, AMI, DOS, GEN, SNES

Platform

~6h

13 lists

Flashback 1992

#14

#402

Bullfrog Productions

AMI, AST, PC98, SMS, GEN, SNES

God Game

~12h

12 lists

Populous 1989

#15

#403

EA Canada, High Score Productions, Park Place Productions

SCD, GEN, SNES

Sports

~6h

14 lists

NHL '94 1993

#16

#431

Technosoft

GEN

Real-Time Strategy

~6h

9 lists

Herzog Zwei 1989

#17

#439

The Bitmap Brothers

AMI, AST, C64, DOS, SMS, GEN

Action / Sports

~3h

12 lists

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe 1990

#18

#446

Sega Technical Institute, Sonic Team

GEN

Platform

~3h

11 lists

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (& Knuckles) 1994

#19

#469

Team17

AMI, CD32, MAC, DOS, PS, GEN, SAT, SNES

Strategy

~4h

11 lists

Worms 1995

#20

#484

Midway, Midway Games

ARC, GEN, SNES

Fighting

~1h

12 lists

Mortal Kombat 1992

#21

#528

Sensible Software

AMI, JAG, AST, DOS, GG, SMS, GEN, SNES

Football (Association) / Sports

~15h

8 lists

Sensible Soccer: European Champions / 92/93 / International Edition / Championship Soccer '94 1992

#22

#542

Sega AM2

ARC, GEN

Racing

~2h

8 lists

Virtua Racing 1992

#23

#567

Extended Play Productions

GEN

Football (Association) / Sports

~6h

8 lists

FIFA International Soccer 1993

#24

#602

SNK

3DO, ARC, GEN, NG, SNES

Fighting

~1h

9 lists

Samurai Shodown / Samurai Spirits 1993

#25

#625

Tecmo

NES, GEN, SNES

Football (American) / Sports

~10h

9 lists

Tecmo Super Bowl 1991

#26

#632

Sega R&D 2

GEN

Role-Playing

~28h

8 lists

Phantasy Star II 1989

#27

#646

Bullfrog Productions

3DO, AMI, CD32, MAC, JAG, DOS, FMT, PS, SCD, GEN, SAT, SNES

Construction & Management

~17h

8 lists

Theme Park 1994

#28

#653

Taito

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, NES, SMS, GEN, TG16, ZXS

Platform

~2h

8 lists

Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 1987

#29

#656

Sensible Software

3DO, AMI, AST, DOS, GEN, SNES

Shooter

~8h

7 lists

Cannon Fodder 1993

#30

#686

Capcom

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, GEN, ZXS

Platform

~2h

6 lists

Ghouls 'n Ghosts 1988

#31

#723

Hudson Soft

GEN, TG16

Action / Maze

~3h

7 lists

Bomberman '94 / Mega Bomberman 1993

#32

#734

Camelot Software Planning

GEN

Tactical RPG

~30h

6 lists

Shining Force II 1993

#33

#775

Team Shinobi

ARC, SMS, GEN

Beat 'em Up

~1h

7 lists

Golden Axe 1989

#34

#799

Capcom

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, DOS, GEN

Hack and Slash / Platform

~1h

5 lists

Strider / Strider Hiryū 1989

#35

#816

Shiny Entertainment

SCD, GEN, SNES

Run and Gun / Platform

~3h

9 lists

Earthworm Jim 1994

#36

#828

Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

GEN

Hack and Slash / Platform

~2h

5 lists

The Revenge of Shinobi / The Super Shinobi 1989

#37

#850

Codemasters, Supersonic Software

DOS, GG, GEN

Racing

~2h

4 lists

Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament 1994

#38

#852

Williams

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, NES, SMS, GEN, SNES, ZXS

Shooter

~2h

5 lists

Smash TV 1990

#39

#867

Compile

GEN, TG16

Party

~1h

4 lists

Devil's Crush 1990

#40

#878

Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

GEN

Beat 'em Up

~2h

4 lists

Streets of Rage 1991

#41

#979

Factor 5

AMI, CPC, AST, C64, GEN, ZXS

Run and Gun

~2h

3 lists

Turrican II: The Final Fight 1991

All 41 results loaded

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