Super Nintendo vs Genesis is pretty easy: Super Nintendo.
I used to be a Genesis person but, you know, I think that was nostalgia and holding the flag for the team more than anything. On inspection, Super Nintendo outclasses Genesis on every single level and it's not even close.
While Sega's slogan during that era was Genesis does what Nintendon't it couldn't be further from the truth. What Genesis does, Super Nintendo does just as good or better. But Genesis rarely if ever does what Super Nintendo does well.
It's mostly in the game library. Sega Genesis mostly had an arcade game and action game emphasis given Sega's arcade roots. It mostly succeeds there. Games like the Shinobi series, Streets of Rage, Gunstar Heroes, Alien Soldier, stuff like that, were excellent on the Genesis. But even then, Super Nintendo has Pocky and Rocky, Ninja Warriors, Wild Guns, Captain Commando;etc. What Genesis does, Super Nintendo does also. Sometimes (in the case of Ninja Warriors) even better. Remember, this is Genesis' cream of the crop as well, and Super Nintendo is
still about Even Steven. Even in the 2d shooter category, which Genesis (and its successor the Saturn) is famous for, SNES isn't a slouch. It's probably the one category I'm willing to give the Genesis over the Super Nintendo and even then, Super Nintendo has the likes of Gradius III, R-Type III, Pop ‘n’ Twinbee, Parodius, and Axelay. Again, the Super Nintendo matches Genesis with what it's famous for.
When it comes to platformers it's not even close. Genesis has the occasional platformer that outclasses Super Nintendo equivalent such as Aladdin Genesis or Castlevania Bloodlines being better than IV (but let's be honest, IV is one of the worst CV's, just reality), but Super Nintendo has it beat. Sonic does not compare to Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island. Games like Ristar and Dynamite Headdy are good but not what's on par with what's available on the SFAM. Let's get this out the gate. Adding games likes Demon's Crest, Donkey Kong Country 2, ActRaiser, Doremi Fantasy, the original Umihara Kawase, and Goemon games? The only thing that's approaching SNES quality in this department is probably Rocket Knight Adventures, which for my money is the best Genesis game next to Shinobi III.
RPGS makes this shut and closed. Genesis had good games like Phantasy Star series, and Shining series, you've go the Monster World series which I don't think SFAM has any answer to, and I mean that's about it. Action rpgs like Beyond Oasis and Crusader of Centy are systematically outclassed by what's available on the Super Nintendo games like Terranigma and Illusion of Gaia. Lufia? Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest I+II, III, V, AND VI? Tactics Ogre LUCT? Ogre Battle? Front Mission? And that's without mentioning the obvous stuff like Seiken Densetsu III, Secret of Mana, Bahamut Lagoon, Live-A-Live, Earthbound, Final Fantasy IV-VI, Shin Megami Tensei series. The SNES is so lopsided in this category it's a joke to even compare them. When we get into the really niche shit like Popful Mail and Marvelous, like, just end it already - he's already dead.
When we get into just other random shit like The Firemen, you won't see a game like Clock Tower on Genesis. The SNES exclusives like Super Metroid and Zelda: ALTTP make this a blood bath.
Then the multiplatform games are fine on the SNES, which makes it even more harrowing.
In the past recent months I have bought an SNES Mini and modded it to play imports. Buying cheap ass Super Famicom games and the library combined, Genesis isn't even on the same level. Most of its best games are Sega developed and either tight arcade experiences (Shinobi III
) or experimental stuff like Ecco the Dolphin. It doesn't have the luxury of Super Nintendo or Super Famicom's vast library diversity. What Genesis does it does very well. The problem is, Super Nintendo does it just as well if not better. They're both complimentary systems, but in the end, I'd choose Super Famicom any day of the week. No nostalgia.
The Super Nintendo is basically the 16 bit ps2. Genesis is probably the equivalent of an Xbox. While Xbox has its fans, most people are going to agree that ps2 demolishes the Xbox. It's not a bad system, but it's no ps2. Super Nintendo is a top 3 system; Sega Genesis is a top 10 system.
