CODEX ESSENTIALS
The finest games in the PAL Mega Drive catalogue, as judged by the magazines of the day. Gold is awarded for an average score of 90% or higher across period reviews; Silver for 85–89%.
Gold
Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament
Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament
94%
Mortal Kombat II
94%
Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition
Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition
94%
Jungle Strike: The Sequel to Desert Strike
Jungle Strike: The Sequel to Desert Strike
94%
Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim
93%
Earthworm Jim 2
Earthworm Jim 2
93%
Ecco the Dolphin
Ecco the Dolphin
93%
Flashback
93%
John Madden Football '92
John Madden Football '92
93%
Micro Machines: Turbo Tournament '96
Micro Machines: Turbo Tournament '96
93%
Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3
93%
FIFA Soccer ’95
FIFA Soccer ’95
92%
Ghouls'n Ghosts
Ghouls'n Ghosts
92%
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
92%
John Madden American Football
John Madden American Football
92%
EA Hockey
92%
Sonic the Hedgehog
92%
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
92%
Sonic 3
Sonic 3
92%
Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island
Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island
92%
Super Street Fighter II
Super Street Fighter II
92%
Cannon Fodder
Cannon Fodder
91%
F1: World Championship Edition
F1: World Championship Edition
91%
FIFA International Soccer
91%
The Revenge of Shinobi
The Revenge of Shinobi
91%
The Story of Thor
The Story of Thor
91%
Streets of Rage II
Streets of Rage II
91%
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
91%
Theme Park
Theme Park
91%
Vectorman
Vectorman
91%
Disney's Aladdin
Disney's Aladdin
90%
F1
F1
90%
World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
90%
Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole
Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole
90%
Madden NFL '95
Madden NFL '95
90%
Micro Machines
Micro Machines
90%
PGA Tour Golf
PGA Tour Golf
90%
Road Rash II
Road Rash II
90%
Sampras Tennis '96
Sampras Tennis '96
90%
Sensible Soccer: European Champions
Sensible Soccer: European Champions
90%
Shining Force
Shining Force
90%
Shining Force II
Shining Force II
90%
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic & Knuckles
90%
Streets of Rage
Streets of Rage
90%
Strider
Strider
90%
Urban Strike: The Sequel to Jungle Strike
Urban Strike: The Sequel to Jungle Strike
90%
Super Monaco GP
Super Monaco GP
90%
ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron
ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron
90%
Silver
Dragon's Fury
Dragon's Fury
89%
James Pond II - Codename: Robocod
James Pond II - Codename: Robocod
89%
Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker
Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker
89%
Mega Bomberman
Mega Bomberman
89%
NBA Jam
NBA Jam
89%
Bulls versus Blazers and the NBA Playoffs
Bulls versus Blazers and the NBA Playoffs
89%
NHLPA Hockey '93
NHLPA Hockey '93
89%
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
89%
QuackShot Starring Donald Duck
QuackShot Starring Donald Duck
89%
International Sensible Soccer: World Champions
International Sensible Soccer: World Champions
89%
Soleil
Soleil
89%
Street Racer
Street Racer
89%
Thunder Force IV
Thunder Force IV
89%
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure
89%
Virtua Racing
Virtua Racing
89%
WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game
WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game
89%
Zombies
Zombies
89%
Cool Spot
Cool Spot
88%
Disney's Toy Story
Disney's Toy Story
88%
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
88%
Dune II: Battle for Arrakis
Dune II: Battle for Arrakis
88%
Ecco: The Tides of Time
Ecco: The Tides of Time
88%
FIFA Soccer ’96
FIFA Soccer ’96
88%
Gunstar Heroes
Gunstar Heroes
88%
Hellfire
Hellfire
88%
International Superstar Soccer: Deluxe
International Superstar Soccer: Deluxe
88%
John Madden Football '93
John Madden Football '93
88%
Madden NFL '94
Madden NFL '94
88%
Mega Games I
Mega Games I
88%
Mega-Lo-Mania
Mega-Lo-Mania
88%
Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse
88%
Mortal Kombat
88%
NBA Jam: Tournament Edition
NBA Jam: Tournament Edition
88%
PGA Tour Golf III
PGA Tour Golf III
88%
Populous
Populous
88%
Two Tribes: Populous II
Two Tribes: Populous II
88%
Psycho Pinball
Psycho Pinball
88%
Road Rash
Road Rash
88%
Rocket Knight Adventures
Rocket Knight Adventures
88%
Speedball 2
Speedball 2
88%
Taz-Mania
Taz-Mania
88%
ToeJam & Earl
ToeJam & Earl
88%
Alien 3
Alien 3
87%
Brian Lara Cricket ’96
Brian Lara Cricket ’96
87%
Chuck Rock
Chuck Rock
87%
Columns
Columns
87%
Davis Cup World Tour
Davis Cup World Tour
87%
Lemmings
Lemmings
87%
The Lost Vikings
The Lost Vikings
87%
Micro Machines Military
Micro Machines Military
87%
PGA European Tour
PGA European Tour
87%
Probotector
Probotector
87%
Red Zone
Red Zone
87%
Pete Sampras Tennis
Pete Sampras Tennis
87%
Shane Warne Cricket
Shane Warne Cricket
87%
Spot Goes to Hollywood
Spot Goes to Hollywood
87%
Sub Terrania
Sub Terrania
87%
Syndicate
Syndicate
87%
T2: The Arcade Game
T2: The Arcade Game
87%
Thunder Force III
Thunder Force III
87%
Comix Zone
Comix Zone
86%
Dino Dini's Soccer
Dino Dini's Soccer
86%
Disney's The Jungle Book
Disney's The Jungle Book
86%
Disney's The Lion King
Disney's The Lion King
86%
Dynamite Headdy
86%
Eternal Champions
Eternal Champions
86%
Golden Axe
Golden Axe
86%
Krusty's Super Fun House
Krusty's Super Fun House
86%
LHX Attack Chopper
LHX Attack Chopper
86%
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
86%
NHL Hockey '94
NHL Hockey '94
86%
NHL '95
NHL '95
86%
PGA Tour Golf II
PGA Tour Golf II
86%
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
86%
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
86%
Primal Rage
Primal Rage
86%
Ranger-X
Ranger-X
86%
Rolo to the Rescue
Rolo to the Rescue
86%
Another World
Another World
85%
Batman Forever
Batman Forever
85%
Disney's Pocahontas
Disney's Pocahontas
85%
Global Gladiators
Global Gladiators
85%
James Pond 3: Operation Starfi5h
James Pond 3: Operation Starfi5h
85%
Super Kick Off
Super Kick Off
85%
Sparkster
Sparkster
85%
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
85%
Skeleton Krew
Skeleton Krew
85%
Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin
Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin
85%
Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II
85%
Super Skidmarks
Super Skidmarks
85%
Truxton
Truxton
85%
Zero Tolerance
Zero Tolerance
85%