Yesterday, Nintendo launched a brand-new Expansion Pack for the Nintendo Switch Online service, which introduced nine Nintendo 64 games and fourteen Genesis games to the retro line-up. To celebrate, we started looking at the 16-bit titles hitting the service, which included everything from Golden Axe to Gunstar Heroes. Today, we're going to dive into the second half of the Genesis line-up, which is where almost all of the heavy hitters are located. I'm talking Sonic, Phantasy Star, Streets of Rage, Strider and even Shinobi. Join me as I flip through the pages of classic magazines like Electronic Gaming Monthly, Die Hard Game Fan, Mean Machines Sega, GamePro and more to see what old school critics thought of these games when they first came out. This is the Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew.


If you were an early adopter in the 16-bit era, then chances are one of the first games you played was Altered Beast. This was not only the first Genesis pack-in game, but it also highlighted Sega's new strategy -- dominate the market with impressive ports of some of their biggest arcade hits. This was a good plan, but was Altered Beast the right title to welcome gamers to the next level? According to the British critics who reviewed he game in full force, the answer is mostly "No!"

Mean Machines' Essential Sega Guide gave the pack-in game a 48% and called it as "crusty as they come" and complaining that it came from "the arcade's Jurassic era." "Game evolution selected it for extinction." Mega Drive Advanced Gaming gave it a 47%, calling it "very basic and fails on the graphical side, jerky scrolling to mention one fault." MegaTech, on the other hand, liked the game a bit more, but not enough to fully recommend Altered Beast. They called the gameplay samey and argued that it's far too short, but "it's okay as a freebie." The highest score I could find came from Sega Pro, who gave it a 74% back in 1991. They acknowledged that the game was struggling by today's standards, but "for its day it was amazing -- speech, smooth scrolling and lots of playability." Most of these reviews were written two or three years after the game first hit home consoles, yet they act like they unearthed some decade's old relic from the past. With mixed scores at best, the critics do not recommend Altered Beast.

For a lot of people, ToeJam & Earl represented something that was uniquely Sega. It showed a company that wasn't afraid to go way outside of the box to create inventive new games with memorable characters, which is one of the many reasons why people loved them. ToeJam & Earl was unlike any other game at the time, both in its chill vibe and crazy characters. It avoided the trend of being a side-scrolling platformer and was at its very best when placed co-op with a friend. It also featured the funkiest tunes this side of a George Clinton concert, and how can anybody forget the unique Humans our heroes needed to avoid. For better or worse, this was the kind of game that only Sega would have published.

As you might imagine, critics weren't entirely sure what to make of this funky alien duo. You saw that with the conflicting reviews found in Electronic Gaming Monthly, which ranged from a 9 all the way down to a 6. Sushi-X liked it, singling out the goofy graphics, the funky tunes and the humor that is out of this world. Steve, on the other hand, complained that the action "wears thin fast." Over at Mega Play, Dave concluded that "there's no doubt that ToeJam & Earl has some of the best graphics and sounds you'll get on the Genesis, but there's a slight problem -- the game. It's fun, but there's not as much depth as I would have liked." With a score of 94%, Sega Force ended up giving the game the highest score: "Make no mistake about it, ToeJam & Earl is a VERY weird game. It took me several plays to even grasp the basics, but since then I've been firmly hooked. A totally awesome experience; buy it this instant." Thankfully, you won't have to buy it, because both ToeJam and his buddy Earl are free with a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.

Speaking of unusual characters, Dynamite Headdy remains one of Sega's best forgotten gems. This was developed by Treasure, the company that had recently broken into the mainstream with the popular run 'n gun shooter Gunstar Heroes. It's a devilishly challenging platformer starring a character who is constantly changing heads, all set as a big elaborate stage play. Toss in some truly amazing boss fights and a great sense of humor and you have a game that the masses unfairly ignored in the 1990s.

If we look at EGM, you might be able to make the case that the game was even ignored at the time it came out. The game was relegated to being a one-paragraph sidebar that praised the "knockout visual effects" and called it "a top action game for the Genesis." Next Generation gave it a 4 out of 5, explaining that "unlike most games, no two levels or bosses look alike. Most importantly, Dynamite Headdy is loaded with good old-fashioned fun, and that's what gaming is all about, isn't it?" You also saw good numbers from Video Games magazine, who gave it a 9 out of 10, as well as Mean Machines Sega landing on 93%. However, if you're looking for the highest score, then look no further than Game Players, who gave it a 96% and called the action explosive: "You've gotta have this game to get to the head of the class." Puns aside, Dynamite Headdy was a hit with the critics, which is one of the many reasons why you should check it out.

Released at a time when Western audiences were still conflicted when it came to Japanese role-playing games, Sword of Vermillion tried to offer something for anybody with even the tiniest inclination towards the genre. It's a weird hodgepodge of ideas and playstyles, including dungeon sections inspired by Phantasy Star and action-packed battles that played out in real-time. Hell, there are even boss fights that more than resemble one-on-one fighting games.

That's a lot of styles for an early RPG, which may explain why the critics were mixed on the final result. Electronic Gaming Monthly's Sushi-X called the game slow and complained that "the adventure tends to dragon on, and becomes very repetitious." Steve, on the other hand, wasn't even sure it rose to the level of being a role-playing game: "Vermilion comes close to being an RPG, but it basically falls into the 'wander around until you bump into something and fight it for experience to move up to higher levels' class." Wait. Isn't that all RPGs? Video Games & Computer Entertainment liked it more, giving it an 8 out of 10 and noting that "classic games don't come along every day -- and that's what Vermilion is - a classic game that will provide you with days of adventure value.

Once again, it was the European critics who ended up liking Vermilion the most. Raze gave it an 82%, it got an 87% from MegaTech and Mean Machines went as high as 89%. However, with a score of 91%, it was Computer & Video Game that went the highest: "Sword of Vermilion offers a vast, sprawling adventure that'll have you up burning the midnight oil for many months before the quest is finally complete. Even if you're not that keen on RPGs, Sword of Vermilion is well worth the price tag." Like I said, the critics were all over the place with this one.

If you've listened to me talk about old school shooters for any length of time, then you have no doubt heard me sing the praises of Thunder Force III. Unfortunately, you're not getting Thunder Force III in the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, but rather the far less exciting Thunder Force II. While it's still a good game, I find myself agreeing with Computer & Video Games when they remind readers to "expect even better things of the Mega Drive very soon." I hope that's also the case when it comes to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.

Although magazines like CVG and EGM were there to publish their takes in 1989, most of the magazines only reviewed Thunder Force II after the third installment proved to be a big hit. That perfectly explains Mean Machines Sega's take, where they said that it was "overshadowed by its successor, but nevertheless a robust shoot 'em up with plenty of thrills 'n spills. Recommended to blasting fans." Sega Pro also liked the sequel, giving it an 86% and calling it "one of the toughest shoot 'em ups" with "fantastic backdrops." Of all the old school magazines, it was Electronic Gaming Monthly that was the toughest on Thunder Force II. Most of the Review Crew gave it an 8, but Martin went with a 7 and concluded that it "has a lot of action and plenty of enemies to interact with an power-ups to retrieve. This is one shooting game that has teeth." He didn't really give a reason for why it scored lower than an 8, but hey, at least it was reviewed back in 1989. I say give Thunder Force II a look, but know that Thunder Force III blows it away in every regard.