Well, I’m sure of it now. It’s definitely getting harder to find complete, good condition Genesis games for a low price. This is in comparison to my Japanese Mega Drive shopping experiences. I’m guessing that on average us North American’s have been a lot harder on our Genesis games than our Japanese counter parts. Or maybe Japan had received a lot more copies of games?
I’ve also noticed a difference in how items from Japan are packaged better and extra consideration is noticeable for little things like easily removable stickers and items being very clean. I do believe that for the most part the Japanese take better care of their stuff.
Below is Dino Land for the Sega Genesis. It’s from a US seller and despite my impressions above it is in very good condition. Ever since I discovered Devil’s Crush for the Turbo Grafx-16 back in the day I’ve always looked forward to other pinball video games. Dino Land is definitely not as good as Devil’s Crush but it is OK.
Dino Land
Next up is Dynamite Duke for the Genesis. Despite having an interesting concept for boss encounters (which is melee combat in a shooter) Dynamite Duke is also just OK. My first experience with this joystick controlled cross-hair mechanic was with Global Defense for the Sega Master System and it did a very good job at putting me off this style. But the control for Dynamite Duke is fluid and easy to use and the game can be entertaining. This copy for the collection is in Excellent condition.
Dynamite Duke
Dino Land – $17 plus $4 shipping
Dynamite Duke – $15 plus $5 shipping
I find it interesting that Dino Land shipped from a US seller and Dynamite Duke shipped from a Japanese seller and the price and shipping for these games is almost identical.
In the image below we have the Mega Drive cover art for Dynamite Duke and on right the Genesis version. What happened here?
In the Mega Drive version we have the hero of the game looking like a butt-kicking cybernetic Ivan Drago. In the Genesis version Sega decided to feature what looks like a nobody minion. It looks like Sega was short on time and just used a screen grab from some Chuck Norris movie.
Dynamite Duke Mega Drive vs Genesis
Did you know? When Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone he had already missed three calls from Chuck Norris.
Retro Megabit 
Nearly everyone I know who has the US and import Dynamite Dukes makes the same comparisons, so welcome to the club! All you need now is the Master System version (which has the same guy on it as the Genny one, but on that white grid background common to SMS games). I’ve always found DD to be hilariously bad, but worth playing. Potato-chip sized and shaped bullets, some enemies that stroll on screen like they’re out walking the dog, that final boss battle and some other stuff all crack me up. I think the music during boss battles is really funny as well for some reason, but I can’t point out why it makes me crack up…
I still think in a weird way that Duke was the visual inspiration for another Duke (Nukem), so it’s even funnier to play that old game and think of him as the better and more violent version of the former 8 and 16-bit see-through hero.
Do you have Devil Crash MD yet? That’s the best Genesis pinball game in my opinion. There weren’t too many pinball games for the Genesis/MD from what I recall. Dragon’s Revenge is the “sequel” to Devil Crash (yeah, the spelling is different, but it’s Devil’s Crush), but it seems to be tough to find in Japan (as a Tengen game tends to be). I didn’t like it as much as DC MD, but it has some nice moments. I think other than Sonic Spinball, there’s maybe one or two more pinball games on the system, but I could be wrong.
BTW – I got my NeoGeo X Gold last night and yeah, I’m a happy camper. It’s pretty amazing for a dedicated handheld and I’m now addicted to League Bowling (which is surprising, as I generally don’t like overly goofy sports games or sports games for that matter). Metal Slug still rocks and I still stink at Magician Lord.
LikeLike
Hey geelw! You know you were the first person to mention this Gennie vs. Mega Drive Dynamite Duke comparison to me. It’s something I’ve never noticed before. It feels like it should be the bench mark example of how the Japanese Mega Drive art is usually far better than the North American and PAL covers. I do have the SMS version too. I should have added that to the post as well.
I do have both Devil Crash and Dragon’s Revenge and they are excellent. Really very fun pinball games. And even though it’s been a long time since I’ve played Devil’s Crush for the Turbo Grafx-16 I’m still remembering Devil’s Crush as being the best of the three.
And I’ve seen your post about your NEO GEO X Gold! And as you know I now have one too. Good for us 🙂 Finally we’re in the club! Well, sort of anyways. I went onto a NEO GEO forum and a lot of AES fans were ripping up the NEO GEO X pretty badly. It’s certainly not loved by everyone.
I’ve read that it has some screen tearing trouble when you hook it up via HDMI to a TV. I’m going to try my out soon. So far I’ve only used the hand held on it’s own.
So far I am very glad I picked it up!
LikeLike
So this evening I finally hooked up my NEO GEO X to my LED HD TV and… it didn’t work.
After hearing rumbling around the Internet that the NEO GEO X ports out to TV’s very poorly I need to check my own. And when I did I discovered that mine locks ups. The Hand Held on it’s own boots and plays games fine. But whenever I put it in the dock and power up I get the NEO GEO title screen on my TV and then it freezes. Every time.
What little of the display quality I can see (which is only the NEO GEO title) looks horribly pixelated.
It’s pretty upsetting. I think my only option is to return it.
LikeLike
OMG, as usual, has nothing to do with the game xD
LikeLike
Hi KeiDash,
Are you saying that the Genesis cover of Dynamite Duke has nothing to do with the game it self? Maybe there’s some bad guy in the game that looks something like the guy on the cover. I don’t know so you could be right! But if nothing else and despite the art work it’s definitely not the worst Genesis / Mega Drive game out there.
And as you know I don’t mind putting junky game into my collection 😛
LikeLike
Cool write-up, still surprised Dynamite Duke and Duke Nukem aren’t one and the same given the visual similarities, though a quick scan around the web tells me they’re unrelated. Wasn’t familiar with Dino Land, looks a little different – also been getting back into pinball games after rediscovering Pro Pinball 🙂
LikeLike
Hey Tom,
Was it that “I’m bigger than Life” pose that made you think Dynamite Duke was similar to Duke Nukem? 🙂 I can see that.
There’s something about a good pinball game that can get really addictive. Specially in video games where they can really change the board and allow for special areas and bosses. Very fun.
LikeLike