Forgotten Worlds

Forgotten Worlds started life as an arcade side-scrolling shooter from Capcom before making the jump to home consoles like the SEGA Genesis. The arcade original hit in 1988, and the Genesis port followed in 1989, bringing its distinctive blend of run-and-gun action to living rooms. Capcom handled development and publishing for the Japanese release, while Sega distributed the cartridge in North America and Europe. This version faithfully recreates the two-player co-op experience of the coin-op, though you can also play solo. The game drops you into a post-apocalyptic world where you control a soldier armed with a rapid-fire gun. Your character can rotate the gun around a full 360 degrees using the D-pad, letting you aim at enemies coming from any direction. Power-ups appear frequently, allowing you to upgrade your weapon or buy new gear at shops found between stages. The levels scroll horizontally, throwing waves of mutants, robots, and giant bosses at you. You can also charge up a screen-clearing bomb attack by holding down the fire button. What makes Forgotten Worlds worth revisiting today is its satisfying rotation-based aiming, a mechanic that was unique at the time and still feels fresh. The Genesis version holds up well with solid controls and a soundtrack that captures the arcade energy. It's a straightforward shooter without much depth, but if you enjoy classic run-and-gun games like Contra or Gunstar Heroes, this one deserves a look. The co-op mode is particularly fun, since both players can combine their firepower and share power-ups.