I didn't start gaming until about 2006 when I got a hold of The Simpsons: Hit and Run for the PC. Before that all i played was Worms and Lemmings (Both still great games BTW). I didn't start seriously Gaming as a passion until 2011 when I bought Bioshock and the Orange Box to see what my new PC could do and found out FPS games were the best thing ever!
So I think it's fair to say I missed the heyday of the Sega Genesis.....

Gaming wasn't part of my life growing up. I didn't even know what a SNES or a Atari 2600 was till I was 22. And Even now 100% of everything I play are either PC Games or PC ports. I've never owned a console. Though I hear tempting things about the PS2 and the Sega Dreamcast library.

But I recently started playing some Genesis games I got off Steam. Shinobi III, Streets of Rage and Altered Beast. And I'm really enjoying them.
I'm not very good at them so far but they seem so damn cool. I feel like I could really fall in love with these and the other Genesis games in my Steam Library (I Really want to try Shining Force). They just seem to hit this odd sweet spot of of reminding me of all the Action movies, comics and Cartoons I loved growing up in the 90's and 2000's. Playing Streets of Rage takes me right back to Long summer nights watching VHS movies like The Warriors, Highlander and Judgement Night. It's like someone took a snapshot of my teens :')

So, is it too late to become a Genesis Fanboy in 2016?

Do I have to buy an actual Genesis or can you only use PC ports and still call yourself a fan? Are there any good Genesis-Inspired games on GOG? How many people are going to tell me you can't be a Genesis fan unless you not only play them on the console but also as a small child eating Lucky Charms in 1990? If That's the case I'm screwed. I spent most of 1990 as a fetus and I I'm pretty sure they don't sell Lucky Charms in the UK XD

Thanks for reading :)

Since you are new to this kind of games/consoles, I think emulators are good enough for you.

However, if you really want to buy a real Genesis, check the blog below first:
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.tw/2017/01/sega-genesis-is-stinker-really-that-bad.html

PC ports of console games usually are not that good.

It's never too late man, talking to a guy who became a fan of DOS games in 2005 and persisting to this day. Good games are always ready to be played no matter what system and age they are. That's why we remember them fondly.

Also on the system front, nothing beats the real deal but emulation is not wrong in any way, especially with the retro market being a bit pricey for these things.

I played both Shadow Warrior Classic and Duke Nukem 3D in 2016...
I still have to play some sega geneis game.

Have you Played Blood yet? IMO Blood is the best build engine shooter. Though I do like Shadow Warrior a lot =)

Just visit an emulators and roms site, son! Many people will start shouting like violated virgins, after my suggestion, but what the hell, those games are older even than me!

In genesis you HAVE to play:

Golden Axe 1, 2, 3
Streets of Rage 1, 2, 3
Contra Hard Cops (or the censored European version, Super Probotectors)
Vectorman
Altered Beast
Shinobi/Revenge of Shinobi
Sonic Games

Unlike Steam, manually calibrated emulators run properly, without problems. Especially on Sega, there is a multi-console emulator, too; it can run all Mega Drive/Genesis, Master System, CD etc games. Have fun!

The first one that springs to mind is Freedom Planet, whether or not it's good is up to what you personally enjoy.

I am new gaming too.
Started playing games in 2010.
Before that I read about it.
Lots and lots of amazing things (amazing for me :P).
I had a small diary in which I use to note down game names and other resources.

You have to try Comix Zone.

Just have. It was also in my Steam collection. Whoa is hard! Still I might get the hang of it. The Animations are very impressive :)

It´s never to late but if you like to use Emulators you need a good Gamepad without a Gamepad it isn´t the same.

I recomand Shining in the Darkens, Shining Force 1 & 2, Slaughter House, Mega lo Mania, All Sonic Parts and maybe Might & Magic (with is in fact Might & Magic 2), all Phantasy Games

Here are tips for the best 90's shooters :)

Half-Life
Blood
Clive Barker's Undying (Cheated a little here. It's from 2000)
Unreal
Quake 2
Rise of the Triad.
Shogo MAD
Star Wars Dark Forces.
Star Wars Jedi Knight
Doom
Turok
and Unreal Tornament

These and Shadow Warrior are IMO the best that 90's FPS has to offer. Have fun :)

It is hard. I don't think I've ever finished..
Kid Chameleon is also a great one, and has A LOT of stages.

Depends what genres of games you like... If you like RPGs then Pier Solar is inspired by that era of games (I think they even released a Genisis version but I could be misremembering which console they did that for)


Anyway, if you've missed out on Sega you've also missed out on Nintendo, and the SNES is way better than any Sega console ;P. Unfortunately the SNES back catalogue isn't available (legally) on PC so you'd have to buy some kind of modern Nintendo console and buy through the virtual console to experience it..