Back in 1990 Sega released the Mega Drive (or Sega Genesis if you're American) and for half of the west's children it was the only entertainment they needed. The other half, which I was in, had a Super Nintendo and it was well better in every way. It just was.
Back then the Sega vs Nintendo argument raged like a 16-Bit fire with a slightly tinny sound effect, and you had to fall on one side or the other because no one's parents would ever conceivably buy them both. There were some kids, spoiled horrendous Verruca Salt type brats, who maybe had both a Mega Drive and a SNES. Those were the kids you struggled daily to be friends with so you could play both Super Mario World AND Splatterhouse 2.
The days of that feud are long since over. Sega ceased producing their own consoles with the Dreamcast in 1999 and they now make software for their once most hated rivals. Mario and Sonic attended the Winter Olympics together. It was a different time. A more technologically advanced time. Now, in space year 2013, there's no need to cosy up to that kid who's parents just got divorced, because the internet is here for you.
SSega.com is a website on which you can play every single game ever released on the MegaDrive ever. It's all flash based and doesn't require downloading of any kind, so there'll be no sneaky EN0RMUS_ViRu5.exe lurking around to shock and dismay you.
I've just loaded up Super Shinobi II, a game in which you play a ninja who is rad. It came out in 1993 and was £35.99 to buy. You can go and play it right this second for no money at all.
SNESBox.com does the same thing, but the Super Nintendo. The range of games isn't quite as extensive, as there are some missing, but they make up for the shortfall by also having NESBox.com which contains damn near every game ever released for the NES. Wicked!
Go to them and play the games of yore. Like Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers or Shaq Fu!
WARNING - People Born Into The Current Console Generation May Find These Games Insurmountably Difficult. Wireless Suggests You Cowboy Up and Try Not To Cry.
Words by Gazz Wood
