Sega Games That Were Ahead Of Their Time

Key Takeaways

• Sega games like Herzog Zwei were ahead of their time, shaping genres like real-time strategy.
• Titles like Jet Set Radio and Shenmue introduced innovative mechanics that defined the industry.
• Games like Streets of Rage 2 and Sonic The Hedgehog set new standards in gameplay and design.

Sega has a long and complicated history in the gaming world. Once upon a time, the company was one of the top console manufacturers. Their first system, the Sega Master System, was released in Japan in 1985, when the industry was recovering from a crash. Sega then went on to release their most popular system, the Sega Genesis, in 1988 (Japan) and 1989 (North America). In Europe, the system was called the Sega Mega Drive, and it was released in 1990.

Sega’s entry into the gaming industry brought gamers classic IPs like Sonic the Hedgehog. From there, Sega would go on to usher in some of the best series in gaming, some of which remain relevant to this day. They may not be making consoles anymore, but Sega has always been a trailblazer. Here are some Sega games that were ahead of their time.

10 Herzog Zwei

The First Console RTS

The real-time strategy (RTS) genre has always been scarce on home consoles. The complex nature of scrolling around a huge map and managing units is better suited to a keyboard and mouse setup. However, Sega published one of the most groundbreaking RTS games for the Genesis in 1990, Herzog Zwei. Herzog Zwei gives players a base they must defend, and a mech that can transform into a jet fighter. Players must then manage units and resources. The ultimate goal is to destroy the base on the other side of the map, while defending one’s own base.

RTS was rare at the time, so there wasn’t a huge audience for the game upon release. But over time, the fanbase grew, until strategy fans hailed Herzog Zwei as one of the best strategy games on home consoles. As technology advanced, more notable RTS games would arrive, but Herzog Zwei was a pioneer of the genre.

9 Jet Set Radio

Art, Music, And Skating

Jet Set Radio (Jet Grind Radio in some places) was an influential inline skating game where players choose from a group of groovy skaters who must tag the city with their graffiti. The game fused art, style, and music to create a charming symphony of gaming excellence, and its artsy cel-shaded graphics were one of a kind.

While the game features grinding mechanics that already existed in Tony Hawk games, the grinding itself wasn’t the focus of the game. Rather, it was more about graffiti tagging. Rail grinding adds to the momentum of player movements, allowing them to evade authority figures in the game. Jet Set Radio came during a creative renaissance in gaming, when developers were more experimental with themes. It went on to inspire a slew of indie titles such as Lethal League and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk.

8 Streets of Rage 2

The Brawler With An Incredible Soundtrack

Released in 1992 for the Sega Genesis, Streets of Rage 2 is widely regarded as one of the best beat ‘em ups ever made. The game is a significant improvement over its predecessor, adding Blitz and Special Attacks.

But Streets of Rage 2 wasn’t just celebrated for its slick animations and challenging gameplay. The 16-bit electronic dance soundtrack was groundbreaking. Composer Yuzo Koshiro created an entire programming language to compose the unique sound. The OST in Streets of Rage 2 set the tone for future soundtracks, showing that music in video games could live in players’ minds forever. On top of this, the three original Streets of Rage games included gripping lore, especially considering that cutscene storytelling wasn’t common back then.

7 Shining Force

The Game That Put Tactical RPGs On The Map

Shining Force was one of the most significant grid-based tactical RPGs of its time. Released in 1992, it was designed as a sibling of the preceding game, Shining in the Darkness.

Shining Force introduced the concept of having units that occupy one square, which take one action at a time. Each unit has its own class that defines its strengths, weaknesses, and tactical advantages. The mechanics introduced in this game would remain relevant for the next 30 years. Shining Force influenced popular tactics games like Tactics Ogre, Fire Emblem, and Final Fantasy Tactics.

6 Out Run

Cruising In Style

Out Run was a stylistic arcade driving game released on arcade machines that gave players control of a convertible Ferrari Testarossa. The camera used a near-ground position, simulating the low-down position of a Ferrari driver. This adds to the challenge, as players must avoid obstacles.

What made Out Run unique was how the roads split into multiple routes, giving the player more freedom. Each route’s difficulty differs, providing players with different ending cutscenes. In an era when no Need for Speed or The Crew existed, Out Run was the essential driving experience.

5 The Revenge Of Shinobi

As Difficult As Modern Ninja-Themed Brawlers

Today, gamers are spoiled for choice when it comes to ninja action games, with titles like Ninja Gaiden, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Nioh. That wasn’t the case in 1989, when Sega released The Revenge of Shinobi on the Sega Genesis.

The Revenge of Shinobi was a unique side-scroller at the time, mixing platforming and fighting. Unlike most beat-em-ups, The Revenge of Shinobi had a mixed-level design that encouraged players to utilize aerial attacks. It also became one of the first games to feature Spider-Man as a licensed character. There was also a fake Batman and Terminator in the game, because Sega couldn’t secure licensing for those characters.

4 Phantasy Star Online

The First Console MMO

Phantasy Star Online became the first successful MMO on consoles when it was released for the Dreamcast in 2000. The game allowed players to quest with a party of three, collecting items and engaging in boss battles. What made Phantasy Star Online groundbreaking is that MMO gaming was restricted to the PC beforehand. The Dreamcast was the first game console to be released with online play in mind.

After Sega’s departure from the console business, Phantasy Star Online found new life on the GameCube and Xbox. It was followed by Phantasy Star Universe in 2006 and Phantasy Star Online 2 in 2012. Today, PSO2 has evolved into Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis, and it’s one of the most accessible MMORPGs for new players.

3 Virtua Fighter

The Unforgettable 3D Fighting Game

It has been over 30 years since the first Virtua Fighter was released, and to this day it is revered as one of the most important fighting games ever made. Virtua Fighter was the first-ever 3D fighting game, setting the stage for future IPs like Soul Caliber, Tekken, and Dead or Alive.

At the time, Street Fighter 2 had the arcade scene on lock, so players appreciated the more realistic pacing and movements in Virtua Fighter. Players could unleash several attacks, with the aim of depleting the other fighter’s stamina gauge and dealing a knockout. In addition, if a combatant fell off of the stage, they lost the round with a Ring Out. The Ring Out feature took full advantage of 3D, forcing players to be more aware of their surroundings. All of this was unheard of at the time, making Virtua Fighter one of the best fighting games of the 90s.

2 Sonic The Hedgehog

Sega Didn’t Know The Magnitude Of What They Had Created

When it comes to video game mascots, two juggernauts come to mind: Nintendo’s Mario, and Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic became a gaming phenomenon when the first Sonic the Hedgehog game released on the Sega Genesis in 1991. The platformer utilized a mixture of speed, sound, and stunning animation. The music was catchy, and Sonic was bursting with personality. The level design in Sonic the Hedgehog was paramount, creating the perfect obstacles to slow down Sega’s speedy hedgehog.

Developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara were keen to compete with Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros., but Sonic the Hedgehog was more than an attempt to copy a rival game. Instead, it became one of the best platformer games ever. Today, Sonic remains Sega’s flagship franchise, with merchandise, Mario collaborations, and box office movies.

1 Shenmue

The First 3D Open-World Gaming Experience

Developed by Virtua Fighter creator Yu Suzuki, Shenmue introduced a range of mechanics that would define open-world games for the next three decades. This open-world action game follows Ryo Hazuki, who is investigating the murder of his father. Being able to freely roam 3D environments was unheard of at the time, and was astonishing for gamers. Players could take Ryu through his day and night cycle, with each day bringing new leads and objectives.

It would be years before the industry saw the likes of Grand Theft Auto 3 and Yakuza, so gamers were blown away by this level of freedom in a video game. The mechanics introduced in Shenmue became the template for every open-world game moving forward.