Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Ghouls 'n Ghosts legitimized the Mega Drive as a home arcade machine. Capcom's coin-op conversion was near-perfect — massive sprites, smooth scrolling, fire and magic effects the NES couldn't dream of. Arthur, the knight who lost his armor to underwear on first hit, faced demonic creatures with weapons found in treasure chests. Difficulty was legendary and deliberate: completing the game once wasn't enough — you had to replay from the start with a specific weapon to see the true ending. Capcom was telling the player: 'This isn't a children's game.' And the Mega Drive was telling the market: 'This isn't a NES.' For many, it was the very reason to buy Sega's console.