After taking a month off, Nintendo is back with another round of Sega Genesis games for the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion pack. And they definitely delivered the good this month, with games like Mega Man: The Wily Wars, Comix Zone, Target Earth and the meme-friendly Zero Wing. Those are some big names, but are any of them worth playing? In order to answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Die Hard Game Fan, Mean Machines Sega and more classic magazines to see what critics said when these games first came out. All your base are belong to us, because it's time for another jam-packed episode of the Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew!


One of my favorite things about Sega in the 16-bit era was their adventurous attitude and the fact that they would throw anything at the wall to see if it would stick. That was definitely the case when it came to Comix Zone, one Sega's most stylish (and polarizing) Genesis games. Set inside (and occasionally outside) of the panels of a comic book, this tells the story of an artist who gets sucked into his own work and forced to become a beat ‘em up star. With great graphics and a meta narrative, you would think that this would be one of Sega's best-remembered 16-bit hits, yet the reviews were definitely split at the time.

Electronic Gaming Monthly really liked Comix Zone at the time, with Ed calling it “one of the better action games for the Genesis. It doesn't sound like a Genesis game at all, and there are lots of colors. The theme is cool, and the different pathways are a real plus. The fighting interface is a bit too loose, and for some reason you lose life a little too easily. Still, this is an action game that has a fresh concept.” That's also the reason why Al liked it: “In an age of so many me-too games, Comix Zone demands to be noticed with its totally unique look, feel and style. The control is pretty good, the sounds aren't the typical Sega rehash and the on-going dialogue thrusts you into the dark and seedy world of a comic book ... or something like that.”

On the other hand, there were a lot of critics who were less than enthusiastic about Comix Zone. GamePro, for example, gave the game a 3.5 out of 5. Similarly, Next Generation gave the game 3 stars out of 5, appreciating the graphics and unique style: “But beyond all the glitz is the gameplay, which is the same as Final Fight and any one of its many clones. All you do is continually press the attack button till your character pulls a combo of moves and finishes off the opponent, then you do it again, and again.”

Despite a few lower scores, most critics liked Comix Zone. Mean Machines Sega called it one of the best brawlers on the Genesis and gave it an 89%. The highest scores ended up coming from Die Hard Game Fan, with some critics going as high as 96%. “Comix Zone has some of the most unique ideas I've ever seen in a home video game. Between the nonlinear gameplay, fantastic animation, cool music and the “why didn't anyone think of that before? Game presentation, Comix Zone is first class through and through.” Personally, I agree that it's on the hard side, but I think the adventure is worth conquering. This is a great game that is oozing with style.

If you're excited for this week's Nintendo Switch Online announcements, then it's probably because of Mega Man: The Wily Wars. Although this is little more than a greatest-hits package with upgraded graphics, a lot of fans view this as the Mega Man game they were never able to get their hands on. A large part of the reason for this is because Capcom never officially released in game in the United States, at least not as a physical cartridge. The only way to play it was to subscribe to the Sega Channel, which limited the scope of Wily's War and all but guaranteed that this Mega Man classic would remain a hidden gem for decades to come.

Because of the unusual release strategy in the United States, no American magazine reviewed it. Thankfully, that was not the case in the UK, where Mega Man: The Wily Wars managed to get a physical release. When Mean Machines Sega reviewed the game in 1995, they called it a “faithful compilation of the first three games, slightly tarted up with more background detail and fully musical scores.” The problem is that The Wily Wars “pails completely when compared to the recent delights of Earthworm Jim, Dynamite Headdy and Sparkster. Most gamers will feel they just took a spin through the wrong end of a Tardis.”

Australia's own MegaZone also reviewed The Wily Wars, calling it a “brave release for Capcom. Although good for its time, these games really suffer when compared with the current crop of platformers. It would have been a far better move if Capcom could have enhanced the graphics and sonics of this game. Still, it contains the same playability that has made this series such a cult hit for such a long time and will surely appeal to all platform lovers out there.” This is pretty much what I expected from critics at the time. While it's certainly a novelty, I would say that The Wily Wars has held up better than these reviews let own.

Between big names like Mega Man, Comix Zone and the meme-friendly Zero Wing, it's easy to overlook Target Earth. Released all the way back in 1990, this is the first of the Assault Suit franchise, which also included 1992's Cybernator and Assault Suit Leynos from 2016. Although not as widely known as the other games in this episode, I would love to say that this is a buried treasure that is well-deserving of cult classic status. Unfortunately, I can't say any of that, because this game is not great.

You don't have to take my word for it, because this is one of the few times when the critics are all on the same page. Across the board, the score that kept popping up was 6 out of 10. For example, EGM's Steve complained about the game's harsh challenge: “The attackers fill the screen and eventually become too much to fight off. The game is way too difficult, and only a few will see higher levels.” Martin echoed those opinions, arguing that Target Earth “could have been better if there was more to do. Graphics are cool, but the backgrounds don't have the 3D effects of most Genesis games. Target Earth is just slightly above average, nothing spectacular.”

Unsurprisingly, you saw the same scores from EGM's sister magazine, Mega Play. Dave complained that Target Earth “gets too difficult too quickly and the higher rounds are next to impossible,” while Mike remains frustrated by what Target Earth could have been: “The game is unique and has a good story, but the best the game has to offer is at the end.”

If you're hoping to escape this deluge of sixes by turning to Video Games & Computer Entertainment, then prepare to be disappointed. Giving it a six, they conclude that “there are a few unique wrinkles here, like a hovering assault ship that offers to provide supporting cover and music that isn't so high a priority that sound effects are occasionally lost, but there's little else to write home about. Overall, it's a disappointing effort – one that will only appear to starved shooter addicts.” Like I said, the reviews are consistent. Everybody agrees that the difficulty is too high and the reward is too small. You can give it a try for yourself, but you're better off checking out Cybernator.

If you know Zero Wing, it's probably from the crummy localization that made it an international meme. Beyond simply being a joke, Zero Wing is an action-packed shoot ‘em up from Toaplan, the masters of making must-own shooters. Yes, the localization is still terrible, but this game is filled with fantastic 16-bit cinemas, all kinds of cool weapons and a full roster of alien ships to shoot down. Don't let the dumb meme overshadow the game, because this is an example of a talented developer doing what it does best. You want to know how much I like this game? When Retro-Bit published their own re-release of Zero Wing a few months ago, my name wound up in the instruction manual. Believe me when I tell you that Zero Wing rocks.

Now, before you call me biased, here's Rich from Mean Machines backing me up: “Considering the (very) tired genre, Toaplan have come up trumps with a game that has a very original graphic style, along with the some pretty original weaponry, too. It's usually the difficulty level of a game that either makes or breaks it, and just like Hellfire, Zero Wing is something of a tough mutha – even on the lowest difficulty setting. So, if it's thrills, spills and a high death count you're after, look no further.”

Believe it or not, Computer + Video Games liked Zero Wing even more, giving it a 93%. Tim called it “the game which breathes new life into shoot ‘em ups.” “Just when we thought we'd blown away the last alien horror and were getting just a bit bored with the so-so sameness of it all, along comes Zero Wing to blow the boredom away. Zero Wing is one of those carts which sits there just begging to be played until you finally crack and give it another go. Gimme, gimme, gimme.”

While not as glowing, you also saw a positive score from Sega Force, who gave it an 86% and called it one of the year's best shooters. Slightly lower than that was Sega Pro, who gave it a still decent 78%. However, if you're looking for the lowest mark, then let me introduce you to Mike from Super Gaming. Giving it a 6 out of 10, Mike argues that “if it wasn't for the exciting cinematic touches, Zero Wing would rate lower than a six. The horizontal scrolling is very smooth with no flicker. Sound is a bit on the tinny side, with explosions missing the thunder found in other games. I know that the shooter is a successful formula, but I'd rather play Thunder Force III before I popped in Zero Wing.” Look, there's no doubt that Thunder Force III is also a great game, but let's not overlook Zero Wing. And now you can play it on the Switch, which is pretty damn cool.