Retro fans, rejoice: Sega has announced the April 28 launch of the Sega Mega Drive Classics Hub on Steam. This online emulator allows players to relive their favorite gaming experiences from Sega’s generation-defining console, known in the U.S. as the Sega Genesis.
The platform offers Steam Workshop support, optional graphical enhancements, local co-op, and more. It also features a unique, retro-styled user interface where the Sega Mega Drive games a player owns on Steam will be represented as a stack of cartridges in their virtual bedroom. Players will be able to play their games on an emulated CRTV, complete with scanlines. Oh, glorious nostalgia!
So far, Sega has announced a whopping 50 games that are compatible with the hub. We’ve picked five of the best to help you get started.
Wonder Boy in Monster World
A beautiful looking and highly underrated side-scrolling romp in the vein of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Wonder Boy in Monster World is also one of the best adventure games of all time. Wonder Boy is tasked with hunting down the evil Meka Dragon across twelve fantastical zones in Monster World, gathering new items and collecting currency on his way.
Golden Axe
Golden Axe is a classic beat-em-up that allows you to choose from three high fantasy heroes: a dwarf, a barbarian, and an amazonian. This game is a local co-op staple; you and your friends will have a blast battling Death Adder’s henchmen and fighting over loot.
Gunstar Heroes
Treasure’s fast-paced side-scrolling shmup is an early example of the “bullet hell” sub-genre. Featuring tough-as-nails bosses, clever level design, and fantastic simultaneous co-op, Gunstar Heroes is an absolute classic and deserves a place in every hardcore gamer’s library.
Phantasy Star
This epic RPG was years ahead of its time. Featuring dozens of hours of gameplay, a memorable world, and an amazing score, Phantasy Star deserves more credit than it tends to receive, especially when you remember the original game came out before both Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy.
Comix Zone
Another underrated classic, Comix Zone stars a comic book artist trapped in his own admittedly terrible comic. Players have to navigate between frames, defeating troves of enemies as they’re being drawn in front of them. Though the game is disappointingly short, at a mere three levels long, it’s definitely worth playing through.