The genesis was such an awesome platform that I still play it to this day. Even if it was inferior to the SNES in hardware its game library had so many gems that its competitor didn't really seem like a better system. Off the top of my head I can cite a few games that did cost me a few gamepads. (Speaking of which, its 6-button pad is much better than the SNES's.)

Games that pull me back now and then include:
* Toejam & Earl (the first; the second is good on its own but quite different and doesn't feel as good as the first. Recommended to play with a partner)
* Gunstar Heroes
* Beyond Oasis
* Shadow Dancer
* Comix Zone
* Most of ResidentLeever's list, actually :)
* Earthworm Jim (both 1 and 2)
* Truxton (might be a bit simple and easy but it is the only shmup I enjoyed for more than 20 minutes)
* X-Men 2: Clone Wars
* Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Not to mention those games already mentioned several times in posts above, like Streets of Rage or Sonic 3 + Knuckles.

Note that I'm passing several games that are only historically important. Like Virtua Racing, which was an advancement in graphical processing back then but it's not like nothing better came out in its genre afterwards. Or Street Fighter 2 that for a while was a better version than the SNES's with more playable characters, or Mortal Kombat 1 in which if you wanted to see blood you shouldn't bother with the SNES's version.
This is definitely a great game, but I don't know where you got the idea it was a Genesis game. It was released for the SNES only until mobile ports and a virtual console release came out a few years ago.

The internet has told me wrong, then. "TIL" that ANYONE can often enjoy different things throghout their lifetime at any age ;)
(and yes, I was thrilled to read your post, and I mean it. Your honesty made my day.) It's never too late, never too early. Glad you're sharing this with us!

ps: some -don't know why- will say that the ''only true way'' to dig such console is by having the original hardware and all but I say no to that, personally. I have my Genesis/Mega Drive dose of fun with non-commercial emulators, official emulation (DotEmu/Steam Genesis games/Wii Virtual console, Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Col* and many more) and even those AtGames consoles, portables, built-in arcade sticks and all are just amazing and will keep you happy. Trust me.
Or go for the original hardware. Whatever floats your boat, man.

This console is truly versatile and it's a work of love, one can say. Happy gaming and go for the so called unknown gems. You'll be thrilled ;)

* 14 hours of Beyond Oasis in the past 4 years and counting...! One day I'll end this beast of a game ;)

That's because Sega requires you to suck the cartridges instead of blowing.

You could also take a look at the SMS catalogue, it has some excellent games, and technically it's not cheating, Genesis was backward compatible with its 8-bit sibling, in a way they're also Genesis games.

Multitudes of good Genesis games.
Shadowrun
Shining in the Darkness
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Phantasy Star IV
Shining Force
Shining Force II
Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun
Golden Axe
Golden Axe II
Golden Axe III
Streets of Rage II
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic 2
Sonic 3
Sonic and Knuckles
Sonic 3 and Knuckles
Shinobi
Sword of Vermilion
Vectorman
Vectorman 2
Fatal Labyrinth
Castlevania: Bloodlines
Beyond Oasis
Pier Solar
Super Monaco Grand Prix

Most of those are available in the Steam Genesis packs.
Only if you bought the SMS attachment for $60.... We had one and it was BOSS. I loved playing Afterburner and Phantasy Star on it.

A lot of those games are also available on CD if you don't want to join Steam.

I own one but I have a problem playing anything console on a PC Monitor. Some of you have HUGE monitors so that isn't a problem, but a 24 inch screen just doesn't cut it for Sonic.

Never too late, I didn't become a Genesis fan and get a console till 1994 which was a few years after I got my SNES myself.

Shadowrun, an underrated Genesis RPG gem.

I did post it. It was the first game I listed. :P

Shit, i'm blind lol. :P

I've played almost only in PC games since 90', but I've bought at the end of 2014 Mega Drive, so I think that my experience can be a bit helpful for your dilemma. And I totally understand, why are you hesitating - there are very strong arguments "for" and "against" buying Genesis/Mega Drive (and games on it) at this point.

FIrst of all - I've got to admit, that it's quite entertaining to play in "primal" version of some MD games and compare it to impressions from PC version. For example, despite the fact that I'm not very "perceptive" on minor details, I've felt quite strongly differences between playing in Sonic 3 (& Knuckles) on Mega Drive and on PC. On the other hand - better try first to play on PC in some MD games and try to play without save game (and if you can, with some controller close to those from MD) - I can tell basing on my experience, that playing in many games in one approach can be really tiresome (and of course if you fail, you need to start from the beginning, despite few games which have built-in save game feature). I've played in Sonic 2 on MD and in last levels I've felt tired, I've needed to take a short break (the same thing I had with a couple of other games - which is quite surprising, because I can play more than hour in some PC games and I don't feel so tired)

Second thing - games (and buying them). I would recommend to check how much would cost cartridges with games you're interested (and how many of them weren't released/re-released on other platforms). If you're not willing to download roms of commercial titles (by any reason), it' can be additional encouragement for you to buy original MD/Genesis, but prices for some titles can be really high.

And third thing - hardware. It's still not especially big expense to buy used MD/Genesis. But you need to remember that there are some technical things, which can make playing on original Sega's console on "modern" TV a bit harder.. or even impossible. I can tell basing on my experience, that some TVs don't even "see" video signal from such consoles as Mega Drive. You can also expect stretching the picture and other "display issues". Of course it won't be a problem if you're going to play on some old TV.

There are some converters which are helping to improve your experience, but those with bigger possibilities/better quality can be expensive. Some of them VERY expensive.

Surely you won't have such issues with playing in Sega's re-releases of their MD/Genesis games. Or playing roms in some "independent" emulators (such as Kega Fusion). Emulations surely have a big advantage with very easy adjusting of display quality and other stuff to make your experience as good as possible (I'm skipping there case of legality - it's up to you if you're willing to download roms or not).

Don't be too liable on arguments of very "strict" MD/Genesis fans (or generally fans of old consoles) - it's true that it's different experience with playing on original console, but you need to make some effort to have the "proper" experience (e.g. the thing with stretching screen and other display issues on modern TVs, and not everybody can use some old crt TV for purpose of playing on old consoles). And most importantly - it's always about games. In my opinion it's not a "disgrace" for fan of MD/Genesis if he/she is willing to play mostly in PC ports (or buy MD and some cheaper cartridges, but still playing mostly on PC), no matter what is the reason of it.

About games inspired by MD titles on GOG... Well, definitelly Freedom Planet, but nothing else came to my mind at this moment, so I'll better leave this topic for someone with better memory :P

Have hope that it'll help a bit.

It's never too late.

My recommendations on the fly, I'm probably forgetting a lot:

Aladdin
Bart's Nightmare
Bubsy (Sonic-like)
Comix Zone
Cool Spot
Dinosaurs For Hire
Eternal Champions (sort of Mortal Kombat-like)
Streets of Rage II (I&III were OK, the 2nd was the best)
Sonic 2
The Lion King
Virtual Bart
X-Men 2: Clone Wars

Some that wasn't mentioned in here wish i remember more from over 200 games i beaten on the sega mega drive:
zero tollerance
Mazin saga mutant fighter
wwf raw
desert strike,jungle strike
ecco the dolphin (this one i never beaten it though)
samurai showdown
Story of Thor beyond oasis (didn't own this one but i rented it several times and loved playing it again and again)
speedball 2
super hang-on
hokuto no ken
Tiny Toon Adventure: Buster's Hidden Treasure


Does anybody know what was that robot game where you could pull off the enemys robot arm and use it to make it your own arm,also first you pull out only the arm the next is pulling out the body and this was also a way to defeat em
Edit: Think it was cyborg justice

I'm also a huge Mega Drive fan.

You need to buy a second hand genesis and also a CRT TV, for the games I strongly recommend a Everdrive because you get the full original experience, even though it is nice to own some original games (I do own 100 myself).

Even as someone who (in hindsight) stuck with Nintendo until the Wii era (I should have switched to Team Sony back with the PSX), having started with a NES, I will admit that there are games that I'd totally crack open on the Genny.

Like Gunstar Heroes, Ecco wot is the Dolphin, any Phantasy Star game that isn't III, and...I'm not a good reference point.