Sega Power's Top 211 Sega Master System Games of All Time (Part 8: #25 - #1)

#25: Fantasy Zone

91% “This has got to be the Sega bargain of the year. Thirteen quid for one of the best Sega shoot ‘em ups? What can we say – except take a trip round the Fantasy Zone as soon as you can!”

#24: Operation Wolf

91% “This is without a doubt the best Light Phaser game to date, and this time joystick owners get a good slice of the action, too. A smart conversion and a belting good shoot ‘em up. Your parents won't like it – but you'll love it!”

#23: Rastan

91% “A superb conversion from the arcades, and a bostin' game in its own right. Not for anyone who is deadly dull or fancies a quiet life.”

#22: R-Type

91% “Irem's superb coin-op in all its writhing, squirming glory – a definite must-buy for any dedicated shoot ‘em up fanatic. R-Type is a real quality shoot ‘em up which shows just what the Master System is capable of. Let's hope R-Type II gets the same treatment.”

#21: Shanghai

91% “A fascinating game that's not only great fun to play, but actually gets you thinking about things, too. The Chinese are renowned for their games of thought and strategy, and Shanghai is a great example of the genre. This just goes to show you that you don't have to blast things to have a good time.”

#20: Asterix

92% “Following hard on the heels of The Lucky Dime Caper, Asterix is sadly bound to be overshadowed a bit. It's got more variety and depth than the Donald Duck game, but it still doesn't quite match it when it comes to the graphics. Judged on its own merits though, Asterix is quite superb.”

#19: Desert Strike

92% “An all-time classic descends from Olympian heights to the Master System and blows away anything else on it. Classic stuff with bullets, death and collateral damage.”

#18: Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

92% “This is a similar concept to Columns, but contains so much more character, and is more playable due to the Tetris-like controllability. A spot-on, addictive conversion.”

#17: Impossible Mission

92% “Very playable, very addictive, very thought-provoking stuff that makes a good change from blasting things. You get a real sense of achievement when you clear out a room and you've only got yourself to blame when you come a cropper.”

#16: Prince of Persia

92% “This has got to be the best animated cart ever for the Master System. Anyone who doubts the 8-bit's abilities should get on this now. A definite milestone.”

#15: Sensible Soccer

92% “Sensible has always been regarded as the matchless footy sim, and on the 8-bit version even its major inadequacy – that of lower league graphics – is pretty irrelevant.”

#14: Super Kick Off

92% “Even if you're no particular fan of football you're going to love Super Kick Off. The gameplay is just so good you'll find it hard to stop playing. Not many carts come close to giving you the enjoyment that a two-player game of Super Side Kick can give you, so don't hesitate – get it now, or else!”

#13: Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

92% “If you like a game with a bit of depth and strategy then this is the kiddy. If you like your games to be a bit more immediate, then beat a path round it. Although not as visually stunning as Phantasy Star, it's a good meaty game.”

#12: Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap

92% “A superbly playable and compelling arcade adventure. This solid game represents a huge challenge and is bound to cause arguments over use of the TV set.”

#11: Alex Kidd in Miracle World

93% “No matter what game style you prefer, Alex Kidd in Miracle world deserves a place in your collection. It's a superb arcade adventure which you'll keep going back to until the quest is at an end.”

#10: Columns

93% “Columns is such a simple idea, well-executed and mindlessly addictive. The one-player mode isn't as good a game as Tetris, but the versus mode more than makes up for that and it has that timeless quality that will have you playing it in years to come – literally.”

#9: Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

93% “Everything a platform game's supposed to be, with fantastic graphics, captivating gameplay and a terrific atmosphere. Definitely a cart to put at the very top of your list.”

#8: Psycho Fox

93% “If you've ever sat and wished you had a version of Super Mario Bros. for the Sega, then Psycho Fox should be right up your street. Okay, it isn't Super Mario Bros. exactly, but Aimo's little gem boasts some amazing gameplay, plus some features of its own which even put Nintendo's multi-million seller in the shade!”

#7: Sonic Chaos

93% “A bit easy to finish (as usual), but it's still Sonic's finest Master System appearance to date, with loads to explore. A must for anyone hooked on Sonic's speedy exploits.”

#6: Sonic the Hedgehog 2

93% “Sonic 2 is the fastest and wildest 8-bit title ever, but you'll love it so much you'll finish it far too early. As far as pure arcade games go, however, this has no equal.”

#5: Pac-Mania

94% “The translation from coin-op to Master System is almost flawless – it's the best we've ever seen! That's a bonus sure enough, but what really makes the game is how well it plays – it just goes to show you that good game ideas don't have to be discounted just because they're old.”

#4: The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck

95% “The Lucky Dime Caper starring Donald Duck manages to achieve the impossible – it outshines even Castle of Illusion for the sheer quality of its graphics. The animation of Donald is superb, the gameplay is spot on and there's literally tons to see and do. This is a real masterpiece, so get it!”

#3: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

96% “The best licensed game ever to appear on the Master System, and arguably the best game of any sort to have appeared. We're giving it the highest rating we've ever given a game, Master or Mega – recommendations don't come any stronger than that. A stonking dream of a game.”

#2: Populous

96% “Populous is an excellent game. It looks good, it plays well and there are months of play built into it. It's technically superb, but that's not so important. What matters is that it has superb gameplay, too – arguably the best Master System game ever.”

#1: Sonic the Hedgehog

96% “Sonic the Hedgehog does it again. This is a true classic. The graphics are the fastest we've yet seen on a Master System game, and the differences between this and the Mega Drive version have been carefully thought out and planned. Go on! Buy yourself a piece of video game history!”