While certainly not the worst thing with the initials GG that the games industry has ever seen, Sega's Game Gear was this: massively overshadowed by the Game Boy. Nintendo's handheld had the benefit of a head start, a load momentum, and "Tetty" (Tetris).
Sega, however, was pretty confident that it could win the handheld war, by releasing a full colour machine. Now get a load of this controversial opinion: in many respects, the Game Gear was the better hardware. At least you could play it in low light situations, and it never gave anybody the clap (legal disclaimer: neither did the Game Boy, probably).
Admittedly, it wasn't quite as pocket-friendly as the Game Boy, and it chewed through batteries like a dog with an advent calendar, but it was essentially a hold-in-your-hand version of Sega's Master System, and that's a pretty remarkable thing. Heck, with the TV tuner add-on you could even watch Going For Gold and Fort Boyard on it.
Unfortunately, where the Game Gear stumbled was its game library - lots of Master System ports, basically - which simply wasn't as diverse or strong as the Game Boy's. And yet... there were some surprising gems in there which bucked the trend.
Here are 10 Game Gear games which might just make you think again.
Sega, however, was pretty confident that it could win the handheld war, by releasing a full colour machine. Now get a load of this controversial opinion: in many respects, the Game Gear was the better hardware. At least you could play it in low light situations, and it never gave anybody the clap (legal disclaimer: neither did the Game Boy, probably).
Admittedly, it wasn't quite as pocket-friendly as the Game Boy, and it chewed through batteries like a dog with an advent calendar, but it was essentially a hold-in-your-hand version of Sega's Master System, and that's a pretty remarkable thing. Heck, with the TV tuner add-on you could even watch Going For Gold and Fort Boyard on it.
Unfortunately, where the Game Gear stumbled was its game library - lots of Master System ports, basically - which simply wasn't as diverse or strong as the Game Boy's. And yet... there were some surprising gems in there which bucked the trend.
Here are 10 Game Gear games which might just make you think again.
LAND OF ILLUSION STARRING MICKEY MOUSE
Mickey Mouse? More like "DICKY MOUTH", amirite!?!?!?!?
Well, that was a bit unnecessary.
Also a Master System title, Land of Illusion was a sort of sister game to the Mega Drive's brilliant Castle of Illusion. While "it" boasted some nice animation and bright colours, it obviously doesn't look quite as good as Castle, but get this: it might actually be the better platformer.
It's more involved - with collectable items able to endow the Mickster with new abilities, and appearances from his special cartoon friends, such as Jym Ryvvers, Fort Boyard, and Calpol.
Well, that was a bit unnecessary.
Also a Master System title, Land of Illusion was a sort of sister game to the Mega Drive's brilliant Castle of Illusion. While "it" boasted some nice animation and bright colours, it obviously doesn't look quite as good as Castle, but get this: it might actually be the better platformer.
It's more involved - with collectable items able to endow the Mickster with new abilities, and appearances from his special cartoon friends, such as Jym Ryvvers, Fort Boyard, and Calpol.
STREETS OF RAGE 2
Though it's stripped back a little - with obvious concessions being made to the less potent hardware - a Game Gear version of the Mega Drive's peerless Streets of Rage 2 has no business being as faithful as this. You might not be able to do kicking, and the characters are somewhat more shrivelled and stunted by comparison to their 16-bit counterparts, but everything else is mostly intact.
And you could play it while watching Fort Boyard! On the toilet (if you had a toilet near your television)!
And you could play it while watching Fort Boyard! On the toilet (if you had a toilet near your television)!
GUNSTAR HEROES
Though it's missing a couple of levels from the Mega Drive original, the Game Gear port of the brilliant Gunstar Heroes has pretty much everything else intact.
Indeed, had it been released earlier in the Game Gear's life - and not right at the arse-end - it's possible that the handheld wars might've turned out quite differently. Aside from a spot of sprite flicker, and a lack of parallax scrolling, the brightness and detail on the characters could almost convince you this is the Mega Drive version.
It even has that weird wobbly tree thing from the first level. Imagine if Fort Boyard had one of those!!!!
Indeed, had it been released earlier in the Game Gear's life - and not right at the arse-end - it's possible that the handheld wars might've turned out quite differently. Aside from a spot of sprite flicker, and a lack of parallax scrolling, the brightness and detail on the characters could almost convince you this is the Mega Drive version.
It even has that weird wobbly tree thing from the first level. Imagine if Fort Boyard had one of those!!!!
TAILS ADVENTURE
Though paced more like a Metroid than the games in which he first appeared, Tails Adventure - the first, and to date only, solo outing for Sonic The Hedgehog's very own "piece of tail" - offers some truly lovely animation.
The puzzle-based platforming is broken up with underwater shooting sections, and... well... I'm boring myself writing about it. But really: lovely animation.
The puzzle-based platforming is broken up with underwater shooting sections, and... well... I'm boring myself writing about it. But really: lovely animation.
VIRTUA FIGHTER ANIMATION
Yeah: there was a Virtua Fighter title on the Game Gear. Even suggesting such a thing sends a shiver of incomprehension across my labrum.
Obviously it didn't have the polygons of the arcade and Saturn versions, but it did its best to compensate with a storyline. Now get this: it looked really good, it felt like Virtua Fighter, and it played well. Unfortunately, it was absurdly easy.
Other than that though... oh-hoh, Johnny!
Obviously it didn't have the polygons of the arcade and Saturn versions, but it did its best to compensate with a storyline. Now get this: it looked really good, it felt like Virtua Fighter, and it played well. Unfortunately, it was absurdly easy.
Other than that though... oh-hoh, Johnny!
ARENA: MAZE OF DEATH
This isometric delicacy was another late-era Game Gear release, and managed to wring some unexpected drops of graphical prowess out of its bowels.
Yes, there's a lot of repetitive scenery, and the explorin' and shootin' isn't the most stirring (it's no Fort Boyard), but - y'know - it demonstrated that the Game Gear had the potential to be a contender.
Yes, there's a lot of repetitive scenery, and the explorin' and shootin' isn't the most stirring (it's no Fort Boyard), but - y'know - it demonstrated that the Game Gear had the potential to be a contender.
SONIC 2
The Game Gear/Master System versions of the first two Sonic games featured completely different levels and gameplay elements to the Mega Drive versions. Somehow, they managed to be just as fast, and - in their own way - sort of as good.
Best to ignore Sonic Triple Trouble, mind. That was like following up the first two series of Fort Boyard with a show set in a pervert-owned diarrhoea factory.
Best to ignore Sonic Triple Trouble, mind. That was like following up the first two series of Fort Boyard with a show set in a pervert-owned diarrhoea factory.
NINJA GAIDEN
Upon release, the Game Gear version of Ninja Gaiden received a degree of stink for deviating from the rest of the series. Taken on its own, however, it's a solid hack 'em up - with some particularly decent visuals, and a superb soundtrack. Also, at least you could see what you were doing, unlike on Ninja Gaiden Shadow for the Game Boy.
PANZER DRAGOON MINI
Panzer Dragoon was another franchise best known for its next-gen visuals, and one that you might've not expected to have shown up on the Game Gear. Playing a bit like Space Harrier - with the addition of its Saturn progenitor's lock-on weaponry - Panzer Dragoon Mini was, in all honesty, pretty feeble, but the sheer gall of the endeavour it makes it worth a look.
SHINOBI II: THE SILENT FURY
Playing similarity to the Mega Drive Shinobi games, The Silent Fury (fart joke: here) might possibly be the best game that ever there was (on the Game Gear).
It even managed to add a level of depth that was missing in the Mega Drive versions, with players required to retrace their steps to access new areas once they'd acquired the items to unlock them. Its non-linear structure and multiple ninja characters - with differing abilities - were all enhanced by a brilliant soundtrack from Sega music legend Yuzo Koshiro.
It was no Fort Boyard title music, but then... what is?
It even managed to add a level of depth that was missing in the Mega Drive versions, with players required to retrace their steps to access new areas once they'd acquired the items to unlock them. Its non-linear structure and multiple ninja characters - with differing abilities - were all enhanced by a brilliant soundtrack from Sega music legend Yuzo Koshiro.
It was no Fort Boyard title music, but then... what is?
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