 SEGA DRUNK! When it comes to 16-bit run-and-gun games, the Super Nintendo has some really high-end stuff, like Contra 3, Super Turrican 1 and 2, the Super Star Wars games, and, uh, well, that's about it. After that, you get these weird, floaty, janky games like Realm, which is okay, I guess, Timeslip, which is, uh, extremely average at best, and Gunforce, which is just, uh, I mean, come on, look at this. Look how this dude gets up the ladder, what is that? Anyway, the point is that if you wanted to delve deeper into the run-and-gun genre beyond the high-end titles that everyone already knows, then you gotta turn to the Sega Genesis and games like Mystic Defender. Now, is this game as good as stuff like Contra 3 or Gunstar Heroes or Alien Soldier or any of that stuff? No, of course not, but it's a heck of a lot better than the lower-tier stuff you'll find on Super Nintendo. Mystic Defender was actually an early Genesis title made by Sega themselves in 1989, and just like most run-and-guns, the gameplay here is pretty straightforward. C. Jumps, B. uses your projectile magic weapon, which you can also charge up by holding the button down, and A. switches between the different kinds of magic you collect as you go. You can take three hits for each of three lives, and Unlimited continues to get through eight short levels, and this game cuts a quick pace. Your character moves fast and can both fire and charge while moving, at least with the weapon you start with, so this game is fast, almost too fast because this game is over before you know it. Still, it's a fun playthrough in the meantime. The controls are consistent in exactly what you'd expect from a game like this, no drifting or sluggishness, but also no need to be ridiculously precise. The level design complements the controls well, you'll come across a fair bit of platforming that can be a bit challenging, and enemies can pop out from anywhere. I guess if there's any annoyances here, it's how often these guys freaking respond. What are these guys, the bushwhackers, wearing high energies out fifth? The enemy design overall is pretty inspired, despite the bushwhacker guys. You got this cool looking worm thing, this face coming out of a wall, or this boss fight with these sand worm things, or these mechanical spider things that combine to make another worm. I don't know what this game's deal is with worms, but Mystic Defender definitely nails the 80s sci-fi horror vibe really well. Your weapon starts out as just an energy ball, but there's three other kinds of magic you can collect. There's fire, which works like the flamethrower in Contra 3, there's a ball magic I guess, which sends out six magic balls all across the screen, and there's thunder dragon magic, which summons a three-headed dragon as a clear screen attack. You have to charge these kinds of magic for them to work, and it usually takes about three seconds which can be a pain, but thankfully there's power-ups you can find in each level that can cut down the time it takes to use these attacks. The story is as basic as it gets, the evil guy kidnaps the good guy's daughter, you gotta get her back, but hey at least there's some cool cutscenes set to some badass music. The music throughout the game is really awesome as you can tell. Some trivia I gotta point out about this one real quick. First, there's boobs in this game. Yup, that right there is the final boss, and up top there is who you're trying to rescue. Pretty crazy that they were able to sneak that by back then. The second bit of trivia is that yes, this game looks, sounds, and plays a lot like the Sega Master System game Spellcaster, but well actually it's not a true sequel. It's just based in the same property, that being the anime Peacock King's Spirit Warrior. So yeah, growing up as a Super Nintendo kid, games like Mystic Defender were completely off my radar, so it's always really nice to get into stuff like this, especially when it turns out the game is, you know, actually good. Mystic Defender does a great job with the enemy placement and design making you switch between all your different magics so you can use the right kind of attack at the right time. The only thing is, this game is way too short, you can finish this in like 25 minutes or so. It's definitely got its tougher sections that might give you trouble, but your characters' quickness and range of motion are balanced well enough that the game never feels unfair. Mystic Defender is a fun one, definitely check this out. Alright, I want to thank you for watching, and I hope you have a great rest of your day.