Is the Sega Game Gear worth picking up?
And we review 6 Sega Game Gear games exclusive to the console
When it comes to Sega consoles, the Game Gear might be the most underappreciated. Between the abundance of Master System ports and Japanese only releases, it was fun tracking down some good exclusives.
So, the Sega Game Gear had a much stronger library of games in Japan. But I managed to track down 6 exclusive, affordable, English-release Game Gear games.
Sega Game Gear vs Master System
The majority of games available on the Sega Game Gear are ports from the Master System console. An 8-Bit system released in 1985 that went on to compete with the Nintendo Entertainment System in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
The Sega Master System had a lot going for it. Including big, bright graphics and a lot of Sega exclusives and arcade ports. It’s exciting that people got introduced to the library through the Sega Game Gear, but how do these systems compare?
As a proud Master System owner, you get to invite a friend to play. And can hook your system up to a big screen. The Game Gear has plenty of faults. The screen ghosts, the LCD can be hard to see, single-player only.
I personally overlooked the Game Gear for years. So to right my wrongs, I took a serious look at the Sega Game Gear library. Pulled out some exclusive titles and a few great reasons why the Game Gear is an awesome system. What it does well and why it complements the Master System. Especially for US collectors who might have missed classic games like Predator 2 and Master of Darkness on the Master System.
For this video, I checked out a six games. 3 were donated, 3 were purchased specifically for this review. 3 games that are Sega Game Gear exclusives, not currently available through compilation discs or virtual console and are still easy to find and affordable via eBay. I didn’t pay more than $12 for any of these.
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Want to see how the Game Gear compares with the Atari Lynx?
See the best the Lynx has to offer here.
GG Shinobi 2: Silent Fury
Game Gear Shinobi 2: Silent Fury – The Game Gear Shinobi titles are a serious highlight in the library for the system. These are action games in the same vein as the original Shinobi title. Compared to Master System releases like Shadow Dancer and Cyber Shinobi, the GG Shinobi games are less ambitious. But a lot more fun. GG Shinobi 2: The Silent Fury is also the only GG Shinobi that never got released outside the Game Gear.
For the GG Shinobi’s, the goal is rescue the different coloured ninja’s. Each one comes with their own special ninja magic and weapon of choice. You save and recruit them by clearing each stage. You can choose where to start your ninja adventure but there’s certain stages with obstacles that require a particular ability to finish. The trial and error approach mixed with the traditional side-scrolling arcade ninja action makes both GG Shinobi’s worth checking out. I wish some of that magic made it over to the Master System.
Ax Battler: Legend of the Golden Axe
Next up is Ax Battler: Legend of the Golden Axe. It initially comes across as a weak Zelda 2-clone. But it’s still a lot of fun and works well within the limits of the Sega Game Gear console.
In lieu of an English-language Phantasy Star port and the climbing prices for games like Defenders of Oasis and Shining Force: Legend of Hajya, Ax Battler is a decent Action-RPG that combines a few different elements to keep things interesting.
Starting out, you’re in an overhead view as you navigate the castle, towns and the world map. From this view you’ll be able to use items to traverse the map (bombs, crystals, etc.) and talk to the townsfolk.
As you enter a random encounter, you fight your opponent 1-on-1. The background changes depending where you are. Each enemy has a different attack pattern. As you progress through the game, you’ll need to keep adapting as the enemies get stronger and new ones get introduced.
Finally, most of the quest part takes place in side-scrolling platformer style. You’ll be avoiding environmental hazards, fighting monsters and collecting the items you need. Ax Battler takes you through some unique locations, some requiring special moves to continue (that you can learn at towns).
All three elements together create a really solid action-RPG for the handheld. Even though there are stronger RPG titles for the system, Ax Battler was cheap. And being a Sega fan, the Golden Axe franchise holds a special place on my Mega Drive. So this portable RPG based on the Ax Battler character was an exciting find.
I was really struggling with the final game for my review. I was very tempted to pick up Sonic Triple Threat or one of the Tails’ games. Sky Patrol or Adventure. But those ports are just more accessible on the Sonic Gems Compilation and I really wanted to deliver some unique, exclusive Game Gear titles in my review. Then I noticed Fantasy Zone Gear.
Fantasy Zone Gear
I assumed this was going to be a port of the original Fantasy Zone for Master System. But no, the Sega Game Gear got it’s own Fantasy Zone game. And it plays really well. The built-in LCD can’t possibly do the colors in this game justice. But the layers of enemies and backgrounds look great, crisp and clear.
Just like the full-game, Fantasy Zone Gear starts you off slow with a simple gun. As you progress and earn coins, you’ll be able to upgrade Opa Opa at the shops. Once you upgrade to larger engines and bigger guns, the game becomes a much more intense experience. Don’t get fooled by those cute graphics. Fantasy Zone Gear is challenging (just like it’s console big brothers). But it’s a lot of fun and I always enjoy seeing what the next stage holds.
So that’s my experience with the Sega Game Gear. In terms of actually collecting for the system, the games are cheap and there’s a few great Sega exclusives. It’s not as fun as the Atari Lynx to collect for, but Sega fans are sure to be satisfied. Especially once you start dipping into the Japanese releases.
Game Gear Recommendations
I mentioned in the video that I’d recommend a few games for the Game Gear. These won’t all be good games. Some are available as translations via ROM or they’re just too expensive and/or rare for me to justify owning and reviewing on the show.
Beavis & Butt-Head
This isn’t a flashy game. It’s boring, it doesn’t have good gameplay and there’s not much fun to be had here… But wow, the graphics for Beavis & Butt-Head are stellar and really capture the look of the cartoon.
Baku Baku
Simple concept for a puzzle game but a great example of how Sega Saturn era games could be ‘de-made’ into 8-Bit. I find this game more addictive than Columns and I’d recommend checking it out if you’re planning on traveling.
Panzer Dragoon Mini
Using the Panzer Dragoon look and design, we’ve got a great looking handheld version of the classic on-rails shooter. The action may be simple and straight-forward (much like the full game), I still really enjoyed the different kinds of enemies and vehicles you’ll face.
Phantasy Star Gaiden
Let’s not get carried away, it’s not the best Phantasy Star game out there but it feels like a missing link in the Game Gear library. For fans of the classic RPG phantasy Star series, this ‘may’ have gone under the radar (being a Japan only release). If you’re curious, I’d recommend checking out the unofficial English ROM.
If you’re a big fan of the original series, you may also want to check out the english ROM of Phantasy Star Adventure. It plays out less like an RPG and more like those classic PC text adventures (with some limited visuals). Well worth checking out if you’re a big fan of the series but it really is more of a novelty.
Shining Force – Sword of Hajya
This was one I wanted to check out for this review, but it wouldn’t have come cheap. It’s like a miniaturised port of Shining Force 2 on the Sega CD and one of the best RPG’s available for the handheld alongside Defenders of Oasis. The Japanese also had Shining Force Gaiden, so if you have a translated ROM, it’s actually kind of interesting exploring these vast RPG’s in such a miniature way.
Virtua Fighter Animation
Virtua Fighter Animation is a Virtua Fighter game… in 8-Bit. That you can play on your own. Okay, it’s a weak recommendation, but the Virtua Fighter series is a long running franchise for Sega and I think this might be the smallest it’s gotten. Along with Mortal Kombat and Primal Rage on the Game Gear, there’s a few fighters to pick from, but at least Virtua Fighter Animation is not a port and remains an exclusive.
Popils: The Blockbusting Challenge
This was a highly recommended puzzle game (by Chris who donated the unit as well as by Shane from Rerez in this video). I wanted to stick to more recognisable Sega franchises. But for anyone looking for a few unique games to add to their collections, Popils is challenging, quick to understand but hard to master game. Two unusual features for a Sega Game Gear title include the automatic save function. As well as the ability to edit and create your own maps.
