Phantasy Star III (MD)

By the time Phantasy Star III was released, the series was well on its way to becoming a solid favourite with Western Sega fans, having already become pretty famous in its homeland Japan. With the third game Sega decided to make some sweeping alterations, but the core gameplay fundamentally remains the same. As the title would suggest, the biggest selling point of Phantasy Star III is undoubtedly the ‘generation system’. As the game progresses, you end up assuming the role of the offspring of the starting character as opposed to controlling just one hero all the way through. The game also showcases a branching story arc, which obviously adds to the replayability. Many fans consider it to be the weakest of the 'traditional' Phantasy Star entries, but it's still an ambitious adventure which RPG fans should seek out.

Sword of Vermilion (MD)

Famously developed by Virtua Fighter and OutRun creator Yu Suzuki, this was one of the first RPGs for Sega's 16-bit system, and to be brutally honest, it shows. The graphics are basic and the sound is average, so be prepared for a technically underwhelming experience. Thankfully, the actual game is very enjoyable, making it a neat introduction to the genre for more casual players. Sword of Vermilion should keep you entertained for a good few hours and therefore represents excellent value for money, at the very least.

Fatal Labyrinth (MD)

Fatal Labyrinth took something of a critical beating when it was originally released in the West, with some outlets criticising its simple story and random-generated dungeons. It is, in fact, one of the earliest examples of a 'roguelike' video game, and features some very deep mechanics; for example, you need to feed your character to keep them alive, but it's possible to kill them by overfeeding them. Such ideas were almost unheard of in console RPGs at the time, which accounts for the somewhat frosty reception afforded to Fatal Labyrinth at launch. Thankfully, over time the game's stature has improved, with Sega even including it on the SEGA Genesis Classics collection for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Wonder Boy in Monster World (MD)

While series fans generally agree that this Mega Drive outing (which shouldn’t be confused with console stablemate Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair, which is a scrolling shooter) isn’t quite as inventive and revolutionary as Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap on the Master System, it’s still one of the high points of the series. Granted, the monster transformations which made the 8-bit entry so unique are gone, but in their place, there’s a much stronger story, notably improved visuals and audio and a lengthy experience that keeps throwing new surprises in your direction. Interestingly, developer Westone also released the game on the PC Engine CD, but without the Wonder Boy branding, which Sega owns. That version is called The Dynastic Hero.

Pier Solar and the Great Architects (MD)

Released many years after the death of the Genesis, Pier Solar is a labour of love that makes its passion known right from the first scene. It's an absolutely gorgeous title with inspiration from just about every classic Japanese role-playing game released in the late '80s and early '90s. It was later released on consoles like the Wii U and PS4.

Shadowrun (MD)

Here's another example of a SNES RPG overshadowing (no pun intended) its Genesis counterpart. When you say the name 'Shadowrun' to most 30-something players, they will almost certainly think you're referring Beam Software's seminal SNES version of the popular cyberpunk tabletop role-playing game. While that is certainly a wonderful experience, those who discount the Sega versions do so at their peril. BlueSky Software's Genesis title is a more faithful representation of the original FASA game, and boasts a dazzling number of NPCs and enemies to encounter, as well as a more convincing version of the online 'Matrix' world. It's also worth noting that the Sega CD got its own Shadowrun outing thanks to Compile, and while it's brilliant, it was never released outside of Japan.

Starflight (MD)

It's truly remarkable how developers were able to push early gaming hardware in surprising new directions. 1986's Starflight – released on PC initially before being ported to other systems – is a good example of this. It gives you an entire 'sandbox' universe to explore, with resource-gathering, combat and extra-terrestrial relations being prime considerations. There's a story to uncover at the heart of the game, too, but you'll likely many spend hours mining resources and exploring different planets before you get anywhere near the plot. The enhanced 1991 Genesis port was criticized by some outlets for its primitive visuals, but many of those same reviewers lavished praise on the game's depth. A 1989 sequel, Starflight 2: Trade Routes of the Cloud Nebula, is equally well-regarded.

Gauntlet IV (MD)

M2 is famous today for its amazing emulation work, and you can see the seeds being sown in this, one of its earliest works. Initially intended to be an unofficial homebrew port of the original Gauntlet for the Sharp X68000 computer, the project was signed up by Atari itself – the IP holder – and repurposed as a mainline sequel for the Genesis / Mega Drive. You might be wondering why Gauntlet, an arcade action title, is on a list for RPGs and action-adventures, but there's a good reason; Gauntlet IV's 'quest' mode features character levelling and the ability to buy items and gear. The original arcade version is included, too, and the game's new soundtrack – composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata – is wonderful.

Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole (MD)

If you happen to own a PlayStation and the game Alundra, and you're thinking, "Hey, this game looks similar", you don't know how right you are – some of the people who worked on this game worked on Alundra. Landstalker is an isometric action adventure which shares many similarities with Nintendo's Zelda, and offers a meaty challenge. A first-timer usually won't beat the game before 15, maybe 20 hours or so have passed, especially not if they're collecting stuff. This is one of the finest games in its genre, and not one to be missed.

Beyond Oasis (MD)

This rather late Mega Drive/Genesis release generated quite a stir at the time thanks to its amazing visuals and tight gameplay. Graphically, it's one of the best-looking games on Sega's 16-bit console. It looks even better in motion, with some superb animation and effects. Sonically, things are great, too – Yuzo Koshiro, the talented chap behind the music on Revenge of Shinobi and Streets of Rage created the epic soundtrack, and as you might expect, it's well up to the standards set by his previous games. If you're a hardcore RPG fan you might find this a little lightweight, but for those of you that turn pale at the thought of indulging in a role-playing adventure, this should serve as a gentle introduction to the genre.

On a side note, a sequel was released for the Sega Saturn a few years later and although it improves on the original in terms of graphics and sound, it didn't really take the already excellent concept any further. It's still worth looking out for if you're after a decent 32-bit adventure, though.

Light Crusader (MD)

After dazzling Mega Drive/Genesis owners with the likes of Gunstar Heroes and Dynamite Headdy (let’s forget Ronald’s McDonaldland Adventure for now), Treasure turned its talents to the action-adventure genre with this 1995 release. Published in the twilight years of Sega’s 16-bit machine, Light Crusader is often overlooked – and quite unfairly, too. Treasure is famed for its action games and while their first (and to date, only) foray into the world of fantasy RPGs isn’t 100% successful, it’s certainly worth checking out if you’re a fan of this style of game.