Having once been part of the console market in gaming, Sega transitioned to the software industry at the beginning of the century. During its history, the company has been responsible for several franchises. Most notable is Sonic among those names.
Sega is also known as a publisher of games developed by other studios. This has allowed it to release games based on highly valued licenses like Marvel Studios. This long and established status has meant the company has brought both good and bad games. That said, it’s worth checking out what the critics feel about these games. Here are five each of best and worst Sega games according to Metacritic.
10 Worst: The Incredible Hulk (2008) - 33
Fans of Hulk mainly look to go on a rampage similar to the green monster. And while this is available in the game based on the 2008 movie, all of it was previously seen in the preceding Ultimate Destruction.Â
Due to this extreme similarity, critics were put off by the more-of-the-same formula. This ended up turning the mediocre title into an absolute flop. Reviewers didn’t take kindly to the attempt in presenting what is essentially an older game in a repackaged state.
9 Best: Sonic Mania Plus (2018) - 91
There have been many well received games in Sega’s flagship series. Sonic Mania was released with the intention to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the game. Sonic Mania Plus is an expanded version of this entry, featuring more character additions. The option to bring in multiple players at once is also available.
The game returns to the 2D side-scrolling roots of the series, and has been a big hit among critics. Mania Plus turned out to be a bigger success due to revamped levels and a host of additional content.
8 Worst: Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis (2006) - 33
For as many successes Sonic has had, there have been as many critical duds as well. 2006’s Sonic the Hedgehog remains one of the biggest misfires in gaming. However, Genesis manages to make things even worse.
Despite being a port for the original game, Genesis is hilariously awful due to the poor conversion to the Game Boy Advance. The game crashes with bugs numerous times and its soundtrack has clunky execution. This means there’s no Sonic magic to be found here.
7 Best:Â Virtua Tennis (2000) - 92
Fans of tennis are always on the lookout for the greatest entries in this sports genre. They’ll be happy to know that the series has had quality arrivals for years now. Virtua Tennis is one of the first ones to taste success.Â
It remains one of Sega’s biggest critical wins. This is mainly due to its release at a time when the company had been lagging hardware sales. The presence of a campaign mode for tennis was unparalleled at the time, and it certainly remains a fun feature.
6 Worst: Iron Man (2008) - 32
Even though Iron Man is extremely popular, don’t hold your breath to find this one in the best superhero games list. At the time of its release, film-based games were the norm. However, they had little to no creative input in them.
Similarly, this one has nothing for players other than spamming the same moves. All one has to do is learn the basics of Iron Man’s attacks. After this, it’s just a matter of button-mashing.
5 Best: Sonic CD (2011) - 93
Sonic ports are something of a hit-and-miss, with the handheld version of Sonic CD ending up as the best-reviewed in the series. It plays similar to previous installments, with the addition of a time travel angle in the story and gameplay, which freshens things up.
In addition to that, the more immersive environments, coupled with creative techniques implemented in boss fights, end up making this one of the most immersive entries in video gaming.
4 Worst:Â Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric (2014) - 32
It’s easy to tell when a game has been rushed into release. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is the best example for this, featuring numerous bugs and glitches to go with the repetitive gameplay. Despite four characters having distinct abilities, it becomes boring to do the same thing over and again.
Lacking the charm of quick gameplay the series is known for, the game instead focuses way too much on combat. Unfortunately, the generic fighting style just doesn’t retain interest.
3 Best: Virtua Fighter 4 (2002) - 94
At a time when fighting games were commonplace, Virtua Fighter stood out as something special. It absolutely deserves its place in the best fighters of all-time, bringing in several innovations. These include customization of characters, and free training to hone one’s skill sets.
Along with that, fighting techniques such as grappling and evasion were vastly improved and streamlined. This allows Virtua Fighter 4 to still remain in fans’ memories, and it certainly represents one of Sega’s bigger hits.
2 Worst: The Golden Compass (2007) - 26
It’s rare for a game to be lambasted mainly for its story. The Golden Compass, however, is chiefly remembered for failing to deliver in its plot execution. Critics cited the lack of coherence for those unfamiliar with the book, thereby making the entire playthrough meaningless.
Of course, the bad reviews also have to do with the bizarre level design. Here, players are basically left to their own devices, without clues as to what their task is supposed to be. Finally, the many glitches present just end up making The Golden Compass unplayable in its entirety.
1 Best: Jet Grind Radio (2000) - 94
This game remains, according to Metacritic, in the top-3 platformers of all-time. Its winning point is its aesthetic quality, with Jet Grind Radio featuring dazzling visuals that go perfectly with the soundtrack. The rebellious outlook is matched by gameplay, where players have to skate through the city and spray graffiti.Â
The progressively challenging level system has been hailed by critics. This has been lauded for allowing players to stay on their toes and be ready for surprises to tackle. As far as being unique is concerned, this one definitely takes the top spot.