5 Classic Sega Genesis Games That Are Unplayable Today

Compared to some of its contemporaries, Sega has been relatively good about keeping its biggest hit games available on modern platforms. Franchises like "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "Streets of Rage" live on through remastered compilations and digital re-releases, such as with Nintendo Switch Online or the PlayStation Store. Simply put, many of the best Sega Genesis games are still available to play though certainly not all. And it's the titles that aren't currently available on modern platforms that we're highlighting today.

Whether it's because of expired licensed properties or games that just never got an official re-release, there are loads of games we'd love to see resurface. To clarify, we're considering games that are currently unavailable to play through legal means, with unauthorized emulations not counting here. That means the only way that you can play the games we're listing here is if you have a functional cartridge and console. 

Here are five classic Sega Genesis games that are unplayable today legally on modern hardware.

Superhero games were king in the early '90s, with Spider-Man among the most prolific Marvel properties to get the video game treatment. The first game starring the wall-crawler for the Sega Genesis was the 1991 title "Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin." The game has Spidey take on an ensemble of his greatest enemies, led by the Kingpin, to rescue Mary Jane Watson. The game was enough of a hit to warrant receiving an enhanced port for the Sega CD, upping the visual fidelity and adding fully voiced cutscenes.

Several Spider-Man games for the Sega Genesis have been re-released, including "Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage" and "Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety." However, "Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin" has currently not received a remaster for current-generation hardware, despite its success. Like many games of its era, including the other games that we're mentioning here, the title does have a notable difficulty. Regardless, "Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin" is a crucial step in the development of Spidey's video game appearances and deserves to be introduced to new audiences.

"Splatterhouse" started out as an arcade game from the '80s that became a cult classic with its widespread usage of horror movie tropes mixed with beat'em up action. The series became a Sega Genesis exclusive for the remainder of its classic run, which ended with 1993's "Splatterhouse 3." Set entirely in a remote New England mansion, returning protagonist Rick reclaims the horrific Terror Mask to gain its strength in order to defend his family from monsters. This is done through nonlinear progression as Rick advances through exploring the mansion from a side-scrolling perspective, searching for the way to the next level.

While the original 1988 arcade version "Splatterhouse" has been re-released digitally, its console-based follow-ups are currently unavailable. "Splatterhouse 2" is included pre-loaded into the Sega Genesis Mini 2 while "Splatterhouse 3" was an unlockable extra in the 2010 series reboot. Given that the reboot is also unavailable since its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 release, that means "Splatterhouse 3" is gone with it. With Bandai Namco Entertainment able to bring back the first two mainline titles in some modern capacity, hopefully "Splatterhouse 3" will also rise from the grave in the future.

Another Marvel superhero property that saw several titles released for the Sega Genesis were the X-Men, including a 1993 action platformer. The game lets players choose between Wolverine, Cyclops, Gambit, and Nightcrawler, each with their own distinct powers. Supported by a crew of assist characters, the ensemble take on several of their greatest enemies, including Juggernaut and Mojo. This culminates in a showdown with Magneto on Asteroid M for the fate of the world.

While "Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge," the first X-Men video game on the Sega Genesis, has been re-released for modern consoles, 1993's "X-Men" has not. This omission stands even though the game was published directly by Sega, with the company not having the license since 1996. The game led to a direct sequel, 1995's "X-Men 2: Clone Wars," which similarly has gone without a re-release on more modern platforms. One of the best X-Men video games, the 1993 Genesis title is a solid take on Marvel's mutant superheroes.

Among the Sega Genesis games that still hold up today is the console's port of the classic arcade title "NBA Jam." With the port handled by Acclaim Entertainment, the game revolves around 2v2 basketball matches between the various NBA teams. The game received a standalone update in 1995, adding the subtitle "Tournament Edition," with more playable athletes per team. When it comes to basketball games, "NBA Jam" still sets the bar for the genre over 30 years later.

Outside of the Genesis, the only way to currently play "NBA Jam" and its 1995 update is through the Arcade 1Up cabinet released in 2020. As far as more widely available modern platforms, the title remains legally unavailable on consoles. Given that the game uses real-life NBA players, likeness rights and licensing likely prevents an official re-release from occurring. Easily one of the best '90s arcade games of all time, "NBA Jam" is among the greatest sports games ever made.

While the Super Nintendo got its own distinct version of "The Adventures of Batman & Robin," the Sega Genesis version is one of the most underrated superhero games. Released in 1995, the game is a tie-in for "Batman: The Animated Series," pitting the dynamic duo against their greatest enemies. The game even received its own unique version for the Genesis' Sega CD peripheral, which added driving missions not included in other home console releases. Whereas Konami published the SNES iteration of the game, Sega published its own releases, including yet another distinct version for the Game Gear.

All of Sega's releases remain confined to their original hardware despite "The Adventures of Batman & Robin" being based on one of the biggest animated series ever made. The omission of the Sega CD version is even more heartbreaking because it included cutscenes written by longtime series screenwriter Paul Dini, with the voice cast reprising their roles. Produced in the style of the cartoon, these cutscenes make up something that feels like a lost episode from the classic show. Hopefully, someday we'll see the various versions of "The Adventures of Batman & Robin" resurface, or at least an officially edited together iteration of the Sega CD title's cutscenes.