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Game studio

Sega

150 games in the catalogue ⏱ 1980–2023 23 platforms
Sega – obaly her studia

For retro players, Sega is something more than just a gaming brand — it is a symbol of an entire era and an eternal challenger that was not afraid to stand up to Nintendo face to face. The blue hedgehog, the slogan "Genesis does what Nintendon't," and the unmistakable voice shouting "SEGA!" when a game started etched themselves into the memory of millions of players around the world. For fans of the classics, Sega is the studio that gave arcades and home consoles speed, cheek, and a distinctive style: from the hellish action of Shinobi III through the dusty arenas of Golden Axe to the comic-book panels of Comix Zone. It is a company that made history both as a hardware manufacturer and as a brilliant game creator.

History

Sega's roots reach surprisingly far — all the way back to 1960, when the company Service Games was established in Japan, from whose abbreviated name the name SEGA emerged. At first it devoted itself to making arcade machines, jukeboxes, and mechanical arcade devices. The real rise, however, came with the era of video games. In the 1980s Sega became one of the powerhouses of the arcade halls: titles such as Space Harrier (1985) showcased dazzling pseudo-3D graphics and became the flagship of an era in which designer Yuji Naka and producer Yu Suzuki pushed the boundaries of what arcades could do.

In the field of home consoles Sega first attacked with the eight-bit Master System. For it were created gems such as the platforming ride Alex Kidd in Miracle World, the magical adaptation Castle of Illusion with Mickey Mouse, and the original Phantasy Star (1987) — an RPG that was ahead of its time in its scope and its female protagonist. The true legend, however, was born with the arrival of the sixteen-bit console Mega Drive (Genesis in North America) at the end of the 1980s. It gave rise to the Sonic the Hedgehog series (1991), a mascot meant to rival Mario in speed and attitude — and it worked. The Mega Drive became home to immortal classics: the ninja action of Shinobi III, the brutal fantasy hack-and-slash Golden Axe, the inventive Comix Zone, where the player literally runs through the pages of a comic book, and the culmination of the famous RPG saga Phantasy Star IV. The handheld Game Gear could not go without the addictive puzzle game Columns.

The 1990s brought the 32-bit console Saturn with titles such as the nimble platformer Astal, whose hand-drawn graphics still captivate today. The Saturn, however, lost the battle with the PlayStation and foreshadowed harder times. The last console of its own was the visionary Dreamcast (1998), beloved to this day, which nonetheless drained Sega financially so much that in 2001 it withdrew from hardware production and became purely a developer and publisher of software.

Key figures

The face of classic Sega is undoubtedly Yuji Naka, the programmer behind the Sonic the Hedgehog phenomenon, whom he created together with designer Naoto Ohshima (author of the look of the blue hedgehog) and level designer Hirokazu Yasuhara. This trio formed the core of the famous internal team Sonic Team.

No less important is Yu Suzuki, the brilliant creator of arcade hits such as Space Harrier, Hang-On, or Out Run, who later led the ambitious Shenmue project on the Dreamcast. Among the legends is also Rieko Kodama, a designer and director associated above all with the Phantasy Star series — one of the most distinctive female creators of the golden era of Japanese games. On the musical side, composer Tomonori Sawada and a number of other authors from the internal studio left their mark, whose melodies from Sega's arcades and consoles still ring in players' heads today.

Transformations and transfers

Sega went through turbulent changes worth mentioning. After retreating from the hardware market, in 2004 it merged with the company Sammy and the holding Sega Sammy was created. At roughly the same time Yuji Naka left the company and later founded his own studio. Sega also absorbed a number of smaller teams and brands — under its wing belong, among others, the British Sports Interactive (Football Manager) and the studio Creative Assembly with the Total War series. Thus a Japanese console developer became a global publishing house with a diverse portfolio.

The present

Sega is still alive in 2026 and doing well — it operates as part of the Sega Sammy group and remains one of the most prominent Japanese publishers. Sonic is once again at the peak of popularity, and not only thanks to games, but also to a successful film series that opened the door for the hedgehog to a new generation of fans. Alongside him, brands such as Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza), Persona from the studio Atlus, which Sega owns, and the Total War strategies are running at full throttle.

For the lover of retro, however, the crucial thing is that Sega has not forgotten its rich legacy. It regularly releases collections and remasters of its classics — whether it is the extensive Sega Genesis Classics collections, or more ambitious projects reviving old brands. Thus players can today easily reach newer titles such as the strategic Valkyria Chronicles II from the PSP as well as old classics from the Mega Drive. Sega is living proof that even a company that lost the console war can remain a legend — and proudly lay claim to its past.

Games by the studio (150)

  1. Astro Invader · 1980

    Sega's Space Invaders clone enriched with falling meteors as a second layer of threat.

    MAME

  2. Turbo · 1981

    An early Sega simulation of fast driving from behind the car using scaled sprites instead of flat graphics.

    MAME

  3. Zaxxon · 1982

    One of the first arcade games with isometric graphics; a cast shadow revealed your flight altitude.

    MAME 5200 SG

  4. Congo Bongo · 1983

    A home port of an arcade game with a pseudo-isometric view; a hunter chases a gorilla over burnt pants.

    5200 SG

  5. Monaco GP · 1983

    A home version of an early Sega racing arcade game; no laps, just an endless dash forward.

    SG

  6. Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator (1983) · 1983

    A vector Sega game in a cabinet shaped like the captain's chair from the Enterprise's bridge.

    MAME

  7. Bank Panic · 1984

    Split-second distinguishing of customers from robbers behind doors; a reflex-testing adrenaline rush from Sega.

    MAME

  8. Flicky · 1984

    A brilliantly simple platformer about a bird leading a line of chicks to the exit.

    SG

  9. Girl's Garden · 1984

    An unexpectedly gentle theme for the SG-1000; a girl collects flowers to win a boy's affection.

    SG

  10. Lode Runner · 1984

    A classic with a perfectly conceived principle: collect gold, dig holes, escape enemies.

    SG

  11. Doki Doki Penguin Land · 1985

    An unusual mix of platformer and puzzle; a penguin delivers a fragile egg, not itself.

    SG

  12. Elevator Action · 1985

    An arcade spy concept; collect secret documents and escape the basement by car.

    SG

  13. Enduro Racer · 1985

    Sega's motocross race with a bumpy track and a cabinet that leans into turns.

    MAME SMS

  14. Pitfall II: Lost Caverns · 1985

    A rarely seen sprawling, interconnected world of caverns on the SG-1000, instead of a series of isolated screens.

    SG

  15. Space Harrier · 1985

    Yu Suzuki's surreal world of flying mammoths and dragons; an arcade spectacle of the 1980s.

    MAME SMS 32X

  16. Star Force · 1985

    An iconic vertical shooter that defined the pure arcade shmup on the SG-1000.

    SG

  17. Alex Kidd in Miracle World · 1986

    SEGA's mascot before Sonic; a demanding classic.

    SMS

  18. Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars · 1986

    Sega's mascot's first appearance, before the more famous Miracle World.

    SMS

  19. Black Belt · 1986

    An early fighting game with a simple combat system against progressively tougher opponents.

    SMS

  20. Fantasy Zone · 1986

    Sega arcade ports; fast and stylish.

    SMS

  21. Ninja Princess · 1986

    Vertically scrolling action from feudal Japan; a ninja princess armed with throwing stars and a sword.

    SG

  22. Aztec Adventure · 1987

    An early action-adventure in an Aztec temple; daggers against enemies, keys against traps.

    SMS

  23. Great Baseball · 1987

    A classic baseball match from the Great sports series for the Mark III and Master System.

    SMS

  24. Great Football · 1987

    American football from the Great series; offense and defense alternately under the player's control.

    SMS

  25. Great Soccer · 1987

    Soccer from a bird's-eye view; part of Sega's systematic Great sports series.

    SMS

  26. Phantasy Star (SMS) · 1987

    A pioneering JRPG with 3D dungeons; an enormous milestone of the 80s.

    SMS

  27. Super Hang-On · 1987

    Motocyklový závod na skříni, do které se opravdu naklání.

    MAME MD

  28. World Grand Prix · 1987

    Arcade Formula-style racing with circuits based on the real grands prix of the era.

    SMS

  29. Zillion · 1987

    An action platformer based on the anime; Metroidvania-style exploration ahead of its time.

    SMS

  30. Alien Syndrome · 1988

    An arcade rescue mission against the clock; tension between exploration and escape.

    SMS

  31. Altered Beast · 1988

    The legendary Mega Drive pack-in title with the line Rise from your Grave; a fighter who transforms into beasts.

    MAME SMS MD

  32. Cyborg Hunter · 1988

    A sci-fi action-adventure through connected rooms full of cyborgs and traps.

    SMS

  33. Kenseiden · 1988

    A samurai's hunt for mystical swords full of demons from Japanese folklore.

    SMS

  34. Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord · 1988

    A rare JRPG on the Master System; the world is crossed on a unicorn's back.

    SMS

  35. Power Drift · 1988

    Sega's Y Board system handled dozens of scaling sprites; a race with the feel of smooth 3D driving.

    MAME

  36. Rastan · 1988

    A port of Taito's arcade barbarian hit; climbing, jumping, and a sword against monsters.

    SMS

  37. Shinobi · 1988

    Solid ninja action.

    SMS

  38. Tetris (Sega arcade) · 1988

    The purest game concept in history, in the form made famous by Sega's arcade version.

    MAME

  39. Zillion II: The Tri Formation · 1988

    A Zillion sequel; a more linear pace at the cost of losing the original's exploration.

    SMS

  40. Alex Kidd: High-Tech World · 1989

    A departure from platforming toward a slower adventure of collecting and combining items.

    SMS

  41. Battle Out Run · 1989

    Combines Out Run with Enduro Racer-style combat; the car carries its own weapon against rivals.

    SMS

  42. Golden Axe · 1989

    A fantasy beat 'em up; an arcade legend.

    MAME MD

  43. Phantasy Star II · 1989

    A sci-fi RPG from Sega with a dark story and notoriously unforgiving dungeon difficulty.

    MD

  44. Phantasy Star IV · 1989

    The culmination of a classic JRPG saga; gorgeous comic-book-style panels.

    MD

  45. Sword of Vermilion · 1989

    One of the first large-scale RPGs on the Mega Drive; battles take place in first-person view.

    MD

  46. The Revenge of Shinobi · 1989

    A flagship title of the early Mega Drive; a larger-scale sequel to the arcade hit Shinobi.

    MD

  47. Bonanza Bros · 1990

    Originál pro dva hráče u jednoho automatu, ze kterého vzešly všechny domácí porty.

    MAME SMS

  48. Castle of Illusion · 1990

    A charming platformer with Mickey Mouse rescuing Minnie from the clutches of the witch Mizrabel.

    SMS MD

  49. Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse · 1990

    Mickey Mouse in a fairy-tale castle; a platformer that plays like an animated film.

    MD

  50. Columns · 1990

    Addictive puzzle games.

    GG

  51. Dragon Crystal · 1990

    A rare roguelike on a handheld from 1990; random dungeons, merciless death.

    GG

  52. Fatal Labyrinth · 1990

    A rare 1990 roguelike on the Mega Drive; death means starting completely over from the beginning.

    MD

  53. GP Rider · 1990

    Motorcycle grand prix racing without its predecessor's terrain obstacles; a pure speed duel.

    SMS

  54. Laser Ghost · 1990

    An atmospheric Sega light-gun shooter; a ghost hunter against phantoms in graveyards.

    MAME

  55. Michael Jackson's Moonwalker · 1990

    Sega brought pop star Michael Jackson to a beat-'em-up based on the film of the same name.

    MAME

  56. Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom · 1990

    A sci-fi JRPG spanning three generations of a family; the choice of wife branches the entire rest of the story.

    MD

  57. The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck · 1990

    A Disney platformer in the spirit of Castle of Illusion; Donald Duck sets out to rescue his kidnapped nephews.

    SMS

  58. Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe · 1991

    An unexpected spin-off of Golden Axe; instead of side-scrolling brawling, it offers a top-down action RPG.

    GB

  59. Golden Axe II · 1991

    A fantasy brawler with axes, designed specifically for the Mega Drive rather than just ported from the arcade.

    MD

  60. Golden Axe Warrior · 1991

    Borrows only the name from Golden Axe; in gameplay it's unexpectedly close to Zelda.

    SMS

  61. Joe Montana II: Sports Talk Football · 1991

    Sega's attempt to get ahead of EA Sports in American football, under the name of a famous quarterback.

    MD

  62. Ninja Gaiden · 1991

    Shares only the name with Tecmo's famous trilogy; this is a standalone action game from Sega.

    SMS

  63. Out Run · 1991

    A convertible, sunshine, and the open road; Yu Suzuki's influential racing arcade game, at home.

    MD

  64. QuackShot Starring Donald Duck · 1991

    Donald Duck hunts for the treasure of King Garuzia; a platformer with an emphasis on exploration.

    MD

  65. Spellcaster · 1991

    No weapon, just gathered and combined spells; magic replaces brute force here.

    SMS

  66. Streets of Rage · 1991

    Three former police officers against a criminal syndicate; the beat 'em up against which others were measured.

    SMS MD

  67. Tennis Ace · 1991

    Classic tennis for one or two players; serves, forehands, backhands, aiming your shots.

    SMS

  68. The Lucky Dime Caper · 1991

    A Disney platformer starring Donald Duck; a brisk romp after a lost dime.

    GG

  69. Chakan: The Forever Man · 1992

    An immortal hero always returns to life after death; a dark platformer with no lives system.

    MD

  70. Kid Chameleon · 1992

    A wacky story about a VR game that kidnaps players, and a platformer full of hero transformations.

    MD

  71. Olympic Gold · 1992

    An athletics multi-event inspired by the 1992 Barcelona Olympics; running, jumping, throwing.

    SMS

  72. Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine · 1993

    Puzzle s fazolkami zmenšené a upravené pro displej přenosného Game Gearu.

    GG

  73. Final Fight CD · 1993

    The most complete home version of Capcom's famous beat-'em-up, with all characters and levels.

    MCD

  74. Golden Axe III · 1993

    The third Golden Axe was made directly for the Mega Drive; hack-and-slash combat, magic, and riding monsters.

    MD

  75. Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master · 1993

    Smooth ninja action; one of the console's best titles.

    MD

  76. Sonic CD · 1993

    The most ambitious Sonic ever; time layers turn every level into four different versions.

    MCD Mobil

  77. Sonic Spinball · 1993

    Sonic as a pinball in Robotnik's fortress Veg-O-Fortress; a quirky spin-off.

    MD

  78. Star Wars Arcade (1993, Sega) · 1993

    Ten years later, Sega swapped vectors for full 3D graphics on Model 1 hardware.

    MAME 32X

  79. Clockwork Knight · 1994

    The flagship of the Saturn's early era; its toybox atmosphere showed off the hardware's power.

    Saturn

  80. Clockwork Knight 1 & 2 · 1994

    An adorable platformer about toys come to life, built on pre-rendered graphics.

    Saturn

  81. Doom · 1994

    The legendary FPS meant to prove that the new add-on could handle even the most demanding games.

    32X

  82. Sega Rally Championship · 1994

    Mud, gravel, and asphalt behave differently; a rally about reading the terrain, not just speed.

    MAME

  83. Sega Worldwide Soccer · 1994

    The football game carrying the banner for soccer on the Saturn; matches with the atmosphere of packed stands.

    Saturn

  84. Virtua Fighter 2 · 1994

    On Model 2 hardware, it pushed polygonal fighting games to their most impressive form of the nineties.

    MAME

  85. After Burner Complete · 1995

    An arcade conversion of the flight classic, where a sharp evasive maneuver is your only defense.

    32X

  86. Astal · 1995

    Visually lavish platformers of the early era.

    Saturn

  87. Baku Baku Animal · 1995

    A cute puzzle game about feeding animals the right food; an original twist on falling blocks.

    GG Saturn

  88. Comix Zone · 1995

    You fight inside a comic book; visually unique.

    MD

  89. Golden Axe: The Duel · 1995

    A fighting-game spin-off of the Golden Axe series; instead of hordes of enemies, it offers one-on-one duels.

    MAME

  90. Knuckles' Chaotix · 1995

    A strange detour in the Sonic universe featuring an elastic tether linking pairs of characters.

    32X

  91. Metal Head · 1995

    Action from a robot's perspective in a fully polygonal city, where both cover and firepower matter.

    32X

  92. Ristar · 1995

    Kapesní Ristar s natahovacíma rukama, jiný než ten na Mega Drive.

    GG

  93. Sega Rally · 1995

    The 1995 arcade revolution, the first to bet on terrain physics that changed with the surface.

    MAME

  94. Shadow Squadron · 1995

    Cockpit-based space action, a technical showcase of smooth polygon movement on the 32X.

    32X

  95. Dynamite Headdy · 1996

    Genesis hit z Treasure zmenšený pro kapesní displej, s přestavěnými levely.

    GG

  96. Mansion of Hidden Souls · 1996

    Point-and-click puzzles in an underwater mansion; searching for a brother amid whispering voices.

    Saturn

  97. Sega Touring Car Championship · 1996

    Cestovní vozy v arkádě na hardwaru Model 2, rychlejší než doma.

    MAME

  98. The House of the Dead · 1996

    Zombie horror with decision sequences; rescuing hostages changes both the ending and your life count.

    MAME
  99. MAME

    Sega Bass Fishing · 1997

    Arcadová rybařina s opravdovým prutem, který ve skříni cukal v ruce.

    MAME DC Wii

  100. Winter Heat · 1997

    Arcade winter sports - skiing, snowboarding, bobsled; rewards risky riding.

    Saturn

  101. Star Wars Trilogy Arcade (1998, Sega) · 1998

    Sega's swan song for rail shooters on Model 3 hardware, cut together from scenes across the whole trilogy.

    MAME

  102. The House of the Dead 2 · 1998

    Higher pace and more varied locations — an expansion of the proven zombie horror formula.

    MAME

  103. Initial D Arcade Stage · 2002

    A cockpit with a real steering wheel based on the Initial D manga; linked cabinets for networked races.

    MAME

  104. Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution · 2004

    A shift from action to turn-based card strategy; an unexpected detour for PSO fans.

    GCN

  105. Puyo Pop Fever · 2004

    Puyo Puyo with Fever mode — a filled gauge opens a window for a devastating chain combo attack.

    PS2

  106. Yakuza · 2005

    The foundation of a major series; the harsh world of the Japanese underworld in the dense district of Kamurocho.

    PS2

  107. Super Monkey Ball Touch & Roll · 2006

    Instead of tilting the console, a stylus steers the ball here – different controls than anywhere else in the series.

    DS

  108. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz · 2006

    The monkey in its ball doesn't roll by button presses, but by tilting the whole play field.

    Wii

  109. Yakuza 2 · 2006

    Kazuma Kiryu returns to the underworld; a war between the Tokyo and Osaka clans with the villain Goda.

    PS2

  110. Ghost Squad · 2007

    A conversion of Sega's arcade rail-shooter game; Wii Remote aiming just like in the arcades.

    Wii

  111. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games · 2007

    The two eternal mascots together for the first time; a collection of Olympic events for Wiimote and Nunchuk.

    Wii

  112. Thunder Force VI · 2008

    The sixth entry in the space shooter series with weapon switching and battles against giant bosses.

    PS2

  113. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games · 2009

    A crossover of Mario and Sonic in winter disciplines controlled with the stylus and microphone.

    DS

  114. Yakuza 3 · 2009

    Kazuma Kiryu lives peacefully as the caretaker of an orphanage, until his past drags him back.

    PS3

  115. Valkyria Chronicles II · 2010

    Watercolor tactics; a truly unique style.

    PSP

  116. Yakuza 4 · 2010

    Four playable characters for the first time, their intertwined viewpoints on the Kamurocho plot.

    PS3

  117. Super Monkey Ball 3D · 2011

    A return to the analog stick and the first stereoscopic 3D in the Monkey Ball series.

    3DS

  118. Virtua Tennis 4 · 2011

    Tenis s ovládáním Wii MotionPlus, který zapojí celé tělo.

    Wii PS3

  119. Yakuza: Dead Souls · 2011

    A bizarre spin-off throws the familiar streets of Kamurocho into a zombie apocalypse.

    PS3
  120. Mobil

    Crazy Taxi · 2012

    Stejná ujetá jízda SEGA, jen ovládaná nakláněním telefonu v kapse.

    Mobil

  121. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA f · 2012

    A rhythm game with virtual Vocaloid singers; the melodies are created through voice synthesis.

    Vita

  122. maimai · 2012

    A circular touchscreen surrounded by buttons; notes are hit with both hands all around the rim.

    MAME

  123. Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure · 2012

    A Sega rhythm-action treasure hunt beneath Paris with the thief Raphael.

    3DS

  124. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz · 2012

    The monkey in the ball doesn't move on its own; you tilt the whole world and gravity does the rest.

    Vita

  125. Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition · 2012

    Arcade tennis where the player mainly manages timing and shot direction, while the game handles movement.

    Vita

  126. Yakuza 5 · 2012

    Perhaps the most sprawling entry in the series: five characters, five cities, each with its own fighting style.

    PS3

  127. Valkyria Chronicles · 2014

    A tactical war RPG with the watercolor CANVAS art style and the hybrid BLiTZ battle system.

    PC
  128. PS4

    Yakuza Ishin! · 2014

    Kazuma Kiryu as the samurai Sakamoto Ryoma amid the turbulent end of the Edo era in Kyoto.

    PS4

  129. Valkyria Chronicles 4 · 2018

    War in a fictional Europe, watercolor visuals, and turn-based strategy combined with close-range action.

    Switch

  130. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania · 2021

    A celebration of 20 years of the series: reworked tracks from the original GameCube games, no new content.

    Switch

  131. Sonic Mania Plus · 2023

    A return to classic 2D Sonic from the pens of fan developers; a celebrated comeback.

    Mobil