Ecco from Ecco the Dolphin  (Genesis; July, 1993) developed by Sega of America of San Francisco, California. As a fierce preteen Nintendo partisan, I could only ever admire Ecco from afar. I always regarded it as very much the personification of all things Genesis: mysterious, mature, and kind of lame. Suggested by @stoicromance

Ecco from Ecco the Dolphin  (Genesis; July, 1993) developed by Sega of America of San Francisco, California.

As a fierce preteen Nintendo partisan, I could only ever admire Ecco from afar. I always regarded it as very much the personification of all things Genesis: mysterious, mature, and kind of lame.

Suggested by @stoicromance

ToeJam and Earl from ToeJam & Earl (Genesis; October 1992) released by ToeJam & Earl Productions of San Anselmo, California. I’ve often found it revealing that the Sega Genesis has not left more of a legacy. Beyond Sonic, and maybe I dunno, Vector Man or something, what were some of the great franchises of Sega’s 16-bit era? These guys might be a strong contender.

ToeJam and Earl from ToeJam & Earl (Genesis; October 1992) released by ToeJam & Earl Productions of San Anselmo, California.

I’ve often found it revealing that the Sega Genesis has not left more of a legacy. Beyond Sonic, and maybe I dunno, Vector Man or something, what were some of the great franchises of Sega’s 16-bit era? These guys might be a strong contender.

President William Jefferson Clinton from NBA Jam (SNES and Genesis; October 1994) made by Acclaim Entertainment of Glen Cove, New York. A while ago on my other site I had a discussion going about the way we members of the millennial generation have witnessed cultural norms change in our short lifetimes. One reader mentioned how the office of the president has steadily cheapened in the public imagination, and cited Clinton’s “secret character” inclusion in this game as a good example. The gesture seemed fairly subversive and disrespectful in its time, but now comes off as extraordinarily innocuous. Even charming.

President William Jefferson Clinton from NBA Jam (SNES and Genesis; October 1994) made by Acclaim Entertainment of Glen Cove, New York.

A while ago on my other site I had a discussion going about the way we members of the millennial generation have witnessed cultural norms change in our short lifetimes. One reader mentioned how the office of the president has steadily cheapened in the public imagination, and cited Clinton’s “secret character” inclusion in this game as a good example. The gesture seemed fairly subversive and disrespectful in its time, but now comes off as extraordinarily innocuous. Even charming.

Zeke and Julie from Zombies Ate My Neighbours! (Genesis and SNES; September, 1993) produced by LucasArts of San Francisco, California. A charming game with all that classic Lucas Arts charming charm. But did you know there was also a lesser-known sequel entitled Ghoul Patrol that charmed absolutely no one?

Zeke and Julie from Zombies Ate My Neighbours! (Genesis and SNES; September, 1993) produced by LucasArts of San Francisco, California.

A charming game with all that classic Lucas Arts charming charm. But did you know there was also a lesser-known sequel entitled Ghoul Patrol that charmed absolutely no one?

Aero from Aero the Acro-Bat (SNES and Genesis; 1993) developed by Iguana Entertainment of Sunnyvale, California. I feel like there were two distinct strains of animal mascot platformers in the mid-1990s: those that wanted to have their own Disney TV series, and those that simply wanted to rip-off Sonic. Aero was solidly in the latter camp. 

Aero from Aero the Acro-Bat (SNES and Genesis; 1993) developed by Iguana Entertainment of Sunnyvale, California.

I feel like there were two distinct strains of animal mascot platformers in the mid-1990s: those that wanted to have their own Disney TV series, and those that simply wanted to rip-off Sonic. Aero was solidly in the latter camp. 

James Pond from James Pond II: Codename: RoboCod, aka Super James Pond (SNES and Genesis, 1991). Argh, I messed up again. I had been under the impression the James Pond franchise was developed by US-based Electronic Arts, when in actuality, as I now learn, EA merely published the series, which were actually created by Millennium Interactive, based out of Cambridge, England. British screw up Sunday! On Friday!

James Pond from James Pond II: Codename: RoboCod, aka Super James Pond (SNES and Genesis, 1991).

Argh, I messed up again. I had been under the impression the James Pond franchise was developed by US-based Electronic Arts, when in actuality, as I now learn, EA merely published the series, which were actually created by Millennium Interactive, based out of Cambridge, England. British screw up Sunday! On Friday!

Earthworm Jim and Snot from Earthworm Jim 2 (SNES and Genesis; 1995-1996) developed by Shiny Entertainment of Laguna Beach, California. I was Earthworm Jim crazy as a kid! I had all the games and toys and watched the TV show and everything. Which is exactly what the Playmates corporation wanted. It’s not well-known, but the EWJ franchise was originally intended to be an action figure line with a game, rather than a game with some action figures. Suggested by @mhingston

Earthworm Jim and Snot from Earthworm Jim 2 (SNES and Genesis; 1995-1996) developed by Shiny Entertainment of Laguna Beach, California.

I was Earthworm Jim crazy as a kid! I had all the games and toys and watched the TV show and everything. Which is exactly what the Playmates corporation wanted. It’s not well-known, but the EWJ franchise was originally intended to be an action figure line with a game, rather than a game with some action figures.

Suggested by @mhingston

Will and Rick from Dashin’ Desperadoes (Genesis; 1993) produced by Data East, USA of San Jose California. Never actually played this game myself, but I’ve been checking out some YouTube clips and it looks pretty fun. It was a simultaneous two-players-on-the-screen-at-the-same-time side-scroller, a genre which has been more or less entirely phased out of our modern existence. Suggested by @earlvontapia

Will and Rick from Dashin’ Desperadoes (Genesis; 1993) produced by Data East, USA of San Jose California.

Never actually played this game myself, but I’ve been checking out some YouTube clips and it looks pretty fun. It was a simultaneous two-players-on-the-screen-at-the-same-time side-scroller, a genre which has been more or less entirely phased out of our modern existence.

Suggested by @earlvontapia

Bubsy from Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind (SNES and Genesis; 1993) produced by Accolade of San Jose, California. Bubsy seems to be an almost universally-reviled figure today, synonymous with the horrible mascot platformer craze of the mid-1990s. I agree that the games were nothing special, but I’ve always thought Bubsy himself was a decently-designed character — especially contrast to some of the true Poochie-like abominations who would come later. Suggested by @OneTrickToby

Bubsy from Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind (SNES and Genesis; 1993) produced by Accolade of San Jose, California.

Bubsy seems to be an almost universally-reviled figure today, synonymous with the horrible mascot platformer craze of the mid-1990s. I agree that the games were nothing special, but I’ve always thought Bubsy himself was a decently-designed character — especially contrast to some of the true Poochie-like abominations who would come later.

Suggested by @OneTrickToby

Johnny Cage from Mortal Kombat (Arcade, October 1992), produced by Midway Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois. I never liked fighting games much as a kid; I was very conservative even as a child, and was very swept up in the anti-Mortal Kombat, anti-violence hysteria of the early 1990s. That same hysteria was later mocked in Mortal Kombat II when characters were given cornball “friendship moves,” like the one Johnny is doing here. Thanks to @RicardoB for the idea.

Johnny Cage from Mortal Kombat (Arcade, October 1992), produced by Midway Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois.

I never liked fighting games much as a kid; I was very conservative even as a child, and was very swept up in the anti-Mortal Kombat, anti-violence hysteria of the early 1990s. That same hysteria was later mocked in Mortal Kombat II when characters were given cornball “friendship moves,” like the one Johnny is doing here.

Thanks to @RicardoB for the idea.