The Sega Genesis was known for its fast-paced action titles. While party games don’t need to be fast and action-packed, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Some of the best Genesis party games include a lot of combat that lets you battle along with friends. In some titles, you can play head-to-head. Below are seven of the best Sega Genesis party games ever made.

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Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament

Arcade racers are always great party games, and Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament is one of the best on Sega Genesis. While the game was ported to numerous consoles, it looks and plays fantastic on the Genesis. Unfortunately, Turbo Tournament was not officially released on the Genesis in the US, so you will have to obtain a copy from overseas.

If you are unfamiliar with Micro Machines, they are small-scale toy cars. Unfortunately, Turbo Tournament was not officially released on the Genesis in the US, so you will have to obtain a copy from overseas. They are available in many different body styles and are a much smaller version of Hot Wheels.

The game has a ton of different tracks, which are all appropriately themed for the tiny cars. The maps are challenging and contain many hazards you wouldn’t find in any other racing game. Turbo Tournament is a great multiplayer game because it features some different modes. It includes everything from standard races to matches with varying objectives.

Streets of Rage 2

Streets of Rage 2 is the sequel to the immensely popular fighting game Streets of Rage. Sega took everything great in the first game and retooled it for the sequel. A real high point for the game is its bright graphics, which offer great detail.

Gameplay consists of combat, in which you can use a mix of kicks, punches, combos, and jump attacks. Grappling and special attacks are some of the other mechanisms you can use. What adds depth to the gameplay is each character’s abilities. In addition, the characters have vastly different fighting styles and nuances, such as speed and power.

You need to rescue Adam (who was in the first game), is being held prisoner by Mr. X on a ship. To get there, you must battle your way through the city, divided into levels. You can also battle alongside a friend in multiplayer mode. But Streets of Rage 2 also has another multiplayer duel mode where players can fight each other.

Golden Axe 2

[The amazon link=”B000035XJD” title=”Golden Axe 2″] is a sequel to the original Golden Axe arcade game. It follows the same formula as the first game as it, too, is a sidescrolling beat ’em up. The three protagonists from the first game also return to defeat the Lord of Darkness, who has escaped his imprisonment. But to get to him, you must battle through his minions.

  • 16 gigantic megs of compound fractures! All-new moves and more of ’em!Bust knuckles with a friend in all-new 2 player Head-to-Head mode!Number of Players: Supported 1-2 Players

This game has some noteworthy improvements from its predecessor, which primarily include a faster-paced and more polished finish. Still, the characters do feel a little stiff compared to other fighting games. One thing you should know before getting started is that the game is difficult, luckily, it does have difficulty settings, and you can even increase the number of lives provided.

Each character also has unique attacks and abilities. The game’s graphics are also really good, with vibrant colors and detailed levels that vary greatly. Golden Axe 2’s multiplayer consists of a two-player co-op, but there is also a duel mode where each player can fight the other.

Alien Storm

The Alien Storm has everything you want in a game. It has fighting, shooting, and aliens. Sega originally made the game as an arcade title. The Genesis version is a little less impressive, as the graphics was toned down to run on the console. Nonetheless, it still looks phenomenal with its fast-paced action scenes.

  • plays on sega console

Gameplay consists of moving through levels as one of three characters. Each character has their unique weapons and abilities. While it is a sidescroller, you do have a little vertical movement to get around enemies and dodge attacks. The game also features a variety of other levels as well, including a gallery shooting level.

Of course, boss battles are also an important part of the game. Combat is impressive as you have the character’s main weapon, but you can also do other maneuvers like jumping while attacking. One of the best parts of the game is that aliens will disguise themselves as a range of objects and even people.

Gunstar Heroes

Joining our list is the Gunstar Heroes, one of the best party games on the Sega Genesis. The game features an informative short backstory without getting into too much narrative. You play as a Gunstar who must stop an evil regime from stealing their gems.

  • Genesis

Gameplay is just run and gun to make your way through the levels. Most levels are sidescrollers, but there are a few vertical-scrolling ones. After beating a level, you will meet with a boss battle that you must beat to move on. One of the best parts of the game is the unique mix of weapons.

The graphics are another standout aspect of the game, with a large mix of level designs that look amazing. One nice thing is that you don’t die after one hit. Instead, you have a life meter that allows you to take a few bits before dying. Multiplayer is set up as a co-op, so two players can work together to beat a level.

Beloved by Disney fans, the is the successor to Castle of Illusion. You get to play as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, each having pros and cons. For instance, Donald can go places Mickey can’t and vice versa. This gives the game good replay potential as you get to experience the game from two different perspectives.

  • Use original shell for Sega Genesis Megadrive game card.Use Flashkit MD Electroless Gold PCB Card, top quality, Super stable!Reprogrammable cart. The game can be rewritten via our flashkit programmer device,  Support more than 10000 rewrites. Support max rom size 4Mbyte (32M bit). Don’t support to save game file.With independent power supply, more stable, not easy to damage. Each data line is impedance matched.Lead free environmental protection process.

Castle of Illusion was highly praised, and for a good reason. World of Illusion improves on the first game adding entire new levels. The game also includes many characters and artwork from various Disney movies. Gameplay consists of 2D platforming with variations in level designs.

World of Illusion is comparable to many other games on this list. It’s a good choice if you find run and gun games too difficult. Likewise, this is a great party game for casual gamers. The game’s two-player mode is one of the best co-ops on the Genesis, as the two players must work together to get through levels.

Despite numerous Bomberman titles being made over the years, only made it to the Sega Genesis. Mega Bomberman is arguably the best in the series and includes both a normal mode which is essentially a single-player story mode, and a battle mode which consists of the multiplayer game.

Gameplay is unique in that it isn’t the typical sidescroller or shooting game. Instead, you are put on a gameboard where you must go around picking up bombs and dropping them at strategic locations. Put them in the right location, and more of the board open up, but putting it in the wrong location will blow you up.

The “normal mode” features different elements that you must capture and boss battles at the end. However, “battle mode” is what you want in a party game because it is a battle to the death. The last man standing wins, and you can even add in computer-controlled players to add to the competition.