Sega have been responsible for some of the world’s most popular gaming consoles and video game franchises. One of their leading consoles was the Sega Genesis, first released in Japan back in 1988 as the Mega Drive. The console was also known as the Mega Drive in Europe but in North America it was named Sega Genesis.
The 16-bit fourth-generation home video game console may not have been a huge hit in Japan but enjoyed plenty of success in North America and Europe. One of the many reasons why it enjoyed so much across the world was the selection of sports games available for the console. NHL ’94 is a good example and not only is this regarded as being one of the best sports games on the Sega Genesis, it is also thought of as one of the best sports games ever made.
NHL ’94 boasted significant improvements from its predecessor including smoother animations and detailed players jerseys. Achieving the slippery feel of playing on the ice was always one of the major difficulties faced when developing an ice hockey video game but NHL ’94 was tremendous in that regard. It also became possible to shoot directly from a pass rather than having to control the puck first.
There were many ‘firsts’ in NHL ’94 and that is what makes it one of the best sports games on the Sega Genesis. Talking of firsts and for NHL fans, BetRivers in Indiana was one of the leading mobile sportsbooks to become available for Hoosiers. In addition to ice hockey, gamblers will find football, baseball, basketball, boxing, tennis, golf, UFC/MMA, and soccer among the other sports on offer.
Many of these sports available to play on the Sega Genesis, with one of the best games being PGA Tour Golf III. This was the last entry in the franchise to be exclusive to the Genesis and it was an extremely popular game upon release. Eleven professional golfers were included in the game but players also had the opportunity to create their own golfer. Stroke play and match play were among the modes of play available and players competed to win the TPC Championship. PGA Tour Golf III featured the three-click shot meter and this method of hitting the ball has been widely used in other golf games since PGA Tour III was released in 1994.
We cannot discuss the best sports games on the Sega Genesis without mentioning Madden NFL ’97. This was the 5th instalment of the Madden series of games and saw the introduction of classic teams including the 1990 Buffalo Bills and 1952 Detroit Lions. John Madden was part of the commentary team on the game and the graphics, for the time, were excellent. The players moved in a realistic way and the most fun could be had when playing against a friend.
Some of the other leading sports games released for the Sega Genesis include NBA Jam Tournament Edition, Greatest Heavyweights, WWF Royal Rumble, Pete Sampras Tennis, FIFA Soccer ’95, Mutant League Hockey, and World Series Baseball ’95.
