Retro Runback — Sega Genesis 3-Pack

The Sega Genesis was actually the first console I ever played. It is also home to my ultimate gaming nemesis, The Lion King. But beyond that incredibly traumatic experience, I actually enjoyed my time with it. Three games in particular will remain forever etched in my memory, and I’m excited to run through them here. And two of them are games that feel like I’m the only person who remembers them.

‘Wacky Worlds Creativity Studio’: THE SEGA GENESIS’ BEST “NON-GAME”

I loved Wacky Worlds, and no one I talk to seems to have even known this game existed. It was a random collection of diorama-like environments that you could place a bunch of stamps and stickers on, then choose music to play over them. You were able to color the stamps however you wanted and place them anywhere. I actually think this is where my love of music came from. There was a particular world you could go to where you could just mess with different robots holding instruments. It was a simple-ass game, meant to be sort of an arts and crafts thing for kids. Being that it was on the Sega Genesis, they threw in a little extra Sonic branding to get a few more copies out the door.

‘Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars’: arcade sports with a dash of zany

This is the second game that I’m talking to a wall about most of the time. It’s also the game that made me think I broke my Genesis. Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars had five different games to play through with the Tiny Toon characters: soccer, basketball, bowling, an obstacle course, and whack-a-mole. I vaguely remember playing some of the bowling. But Soccer and Basketball were where I lived on this game. I’d play both of those for hours. And I’d always have to have Buster Bunny and Dizzy Devil on my team, no matter what.

‘COMIX ZONE’: A Sega Genesis classic

Now, this one I know everyone knows about. Comix Zone was a classic beat-em-up set literally within the panels of a comic book. The main character Sketch finds himself inside his own comic book due to a lightning storm and a villain who apparently really wants to be an artist himself. Mortus, the game’s main bad guy, is the one who sends Sketch into the book and then begins drawing enemies and obstacles for him to overcome. Sketch actually jumps from panel to panel to progress. It was an insane concept to pull off back then, and it was incredible.

Should we run them back?

Wacky Worlds is a maybe for me. I do miss the days when kids could actually get stuff like this at what seemed like fairly regular intervals. After all, I’m a Math Blaster kid. But maybe it would be a fun iPad app. But I’m fine if it just stays a Sega Genesis game forever.

Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars, on the other hand? I mean, we did kind of get this one again with Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports. But if you’ve seen the reviews for that, you know why I’m not too keen on counting that one. This was a fun concept that, if done right, could be a great online multiplayer hit. But, let’s be honest, the Looney Tunes attempt blew any chance of that. Dead in the water, guys.

Comix Zone is an automatic “yes,” though. You’re damn right we need another one of these. We got to work on bringing back the beat-em-up for real anyway. Don’t hide it in other genres. Let’s really run it back. The Sega Genesis felt like the console for these. Streets of Rage 4 was incredible, and I can’t wait for MARVEL Cosmic Invasion. So, yeah, let’s make this happen.