Throughout gaming history, many developers have stood the test of time as icons of the industry due to their amazing titles, influential characters, beautiful narratives, and stellar gaming experiences. However, some companies are significantly more well-known than others, and many of these companies have changed the industry to an immense degree. One of these remarkable developers is Sega, which has been creating exceptional video games since its first title, Periscope, in 1966. While the company is known for characters like Sonic the Hedgehog and Kazama Kiryu, the developer has also made a plethora of lesser-known titles starring characters that are equally intriguing.
While Sega has not had its own console on the market since the failure of the Sega Dreamcast, it is still one of the most influential developers of all time, and some of its most underrated titles are incredibly entertaining. From abstract educational efforts with horror elements like Typing of the Dead, to strange licensed video games like McDonald’s Treasure Land Adventure, Sega has created some of the most intriguing and underrated titles in gaming history, and it will likely continue to do so for years to come.
8
Typing of the Dead is an Oddball Spin-off
An Underrated Educational Game
Spin-off titles are commonplace throughout gaming history, and they are often of wildly varying quality. While most of these spin-offs are only slightly changed in terms of genre, and the characters still resemble their original versions, others are completely different. Sega once created a perfect example of the latter, as Typing of the Dead is one of the strangest spin-off titles of all time, but the changes to the original experience made the game occasionally more interesting than the series on which it is based.
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Typing of the Dead was released in 2001 for the Sega Dreamcast, and it is often considered a remake of The House of the Dead 2 because of its similar storyline but changed mechanics. To take down zombies in each level, players have to type the word that is placed in front of each zombie, and if they fail, they take damage. Overall, Typing of the Dead is one of the most abstract educational titles of all time, but it has almost become more well-known than the franchise that it is based on.
The Typing of the Dead
Systems
Released
December 1, 1999
Developer(s)
Smilebit, Wow Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Sega
7
Super Monkey Ball is an Amazing Puzzle Platformer
A Tricky Game of Balance and Dexterity
Image via Sega
Throughout Sega’s history, the developer has often focused on making stellar platformers with their iconic mascots, but these games usually focused more on action and exploration than strategy. Occasionally, Sega did focus on making thrilling puzzle platformers in which players are designed to collect objects, and the most influential of these titles started one of the company’s most enjoyable franchises. Super Monkey Ball showed off what Sega can do when they think outside the box, and it is still a highly influential series to this day.
In Super Monkey Ball, players control a ball with a monkey inside of it as they roll through levels while collecting bananas and trying to reach the finish line before time runs out. While the gameplay loop is quite simplistic, this easy game design has helped the game endure throughout the years, and very few iterations of the franchise have been able to recapture the stellar magic of the 2001 Nintendo GameCube release.
Super Monkey Ball
Released
November 18, 2001
ESRB
E For Everyone due to Mild Violence
Developer(s)
Amusement Vision
Publisher(s)
Sega
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
6
Nights Into Dreams Features an Underrated Sega Icon
A Different Style From an Influential Developer
Image via Sonic Team
Throughout Sega’s history, many platforming icons have been overshadowed by the Sonic the Hedgehog series’ ubiquitous reputation, which has led to many of the company’s more underrated games being forgotten about by a large portion of the gaming community. However, this does not mean that these titles are not amazing in their own right, and some of them even have some of the most unique mechanics ever explored by a Sega title. One of these amazing titles is the 1996 exploration-focused platformer, Nights Into Dreams.
Nights Into Dreams features seven levels that are split between the game’s two main characters, and the levels have two distinct sections that can each be explored in different ways. The sections that take place in the air are the main focus of the game, as players fly around and try to find objects before fighting a boss at the end of each level. Overall, Nights Into Dreams features a rather unique aesthetic that has rarely been matched by other Sega titles, and this makes it one of the most underrated experiences in Sega’s massive library.
NiGHTS Into Dreams
Systems
Released
July 5, 1996
Developer(s)
Sega
Publisher(s)
Sega
Steam Deck Compatibility
Playable
5
Yakuza 3 is the Most Underappreciated Title in an Iconic Franchise
A Heartwarming Crime Drama
Long-running franchises eventually run into a game that is not as appreciated as the rest of the series because of specific gameplay changes or plot details that soured its reputation compared to other entries. Sega is no stranger to this because many of its franchises have a few entries that do not receive as much praise as the rest of the series. This is especially true of Yakuza 3, as many players view the game unfavorably, but it is arguably one of the most underrated Sega titles ever created because of how it advances Kazama Kiryu’s character development.
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Yakuza 3 picks up right where its predecessor left off, as Kazama Kiryu is still coming to terms with the death of his close friend and confidant, Yukio Terada. Whereas the other games in the franchise immediately have players engaged in a crime narrative, the beginning of Yakuza 3 focuses on Kiryu’s life as an adoptive father running an orphanage. Overall, Yakuza 3 is not as appreciated as many of the other games in the series, but it is still one of the most underrated Sega titles of all time.
Yakuza 3
Systems
Released
March 9, 2010
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
Developer(s)
Sega
Publisher(s)
Sega
Engine
Dragon Engine
4
Ecco the Dolphin is an Eerie Classic
An Amazing Action-Adventure Experience
In Sega’s massive library, there have been many franchises that have gone dormant for several years without any news of a new title or a spin-off that will continue the franchise. This is disappointing to many players, as they have to deal with the fact that their favorite franchises will never be continued. However, one of Sega’s most underrated titles recently received an update that it will be receiving remasters of the first two titles in the series, along with a new installment. This title is Ecco the Dolphin, one of the most atmospheric games that Sega has ever created.
In Ecco the Dolphin, players control the titular main character as they explore the ocean looking for a way to defeat the alien threat that is trying to take over the world. The game thrives because of its spectacular atmosphere, as the game is occasionally eerie, which makes it a stellar experience from beginning to end because of the occasional shifts in tone. Overall, Ecco the Dolphin is an amazing experience, and fans are thrilled that the franchise will be returning at some point in 2026.
Ecco the Dolphin
Systems
Released
July 29, 1992
ESRB
E For Everyone // Animated Blood
Developer(s)
Novotrade International
Publisher(s)
Sega
Franchise
Ecco the Dolphin
3
Alex Kidd in Miracle World is an Early Sega Masterpiece
A Retro Platforming Classic
Image via Jankenteam
While Sonic the Hedgehog is by far the most iconic Sega platformer mascot, the developer has introduced many other platformer main characters over the years, and some of them have left a massive mark on the gaming industry. In the 1990s, Sega was still trying to find its identity as a developer, and, along with the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Alex Kidd helped the company find out which way it wanted to go in the future. Because of this massively important development, Alex Kidd in Miracle World stands the test of time as one of Sega’s most underrated titles.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World is a simplistic game by modern platformer standards, but at the time of its release, it revolutionized exploration in platformers while also making use of its limited mechanics. Furthermore, the game features an amazingly colorful art style, which is something that Sega has always managed to do throughout its incredible history. Overall, Alex Kidd in Miracle World is one of Sega’s most underrated titles, and its remastered version reminded players why they enjoyed the original experience when it was released in the 1990s.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX
Systems
Released
June 24, 2021
ESRB
E For Everyone // Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
Developer(s)
Jankenteam
Publisher(s)
Merge Games Limited
2
McDonald’s Treasure Island Adventure is an Amazing Licensed Game
A Surprisingly Solid Advertising Experience
Image via Treasure
Licensed games are often a mixed bag, and many players are not interested in them because these experiences occasionally care more about advertising a product than making a good video game. However, when these licensed games are well done, they stand out as some of the best games on their respective platforms, and McDonald’s Treasure Island Adventure is arguably the most well-received licensed video game of all time.
McDonald’s Treasure Island Adventure is a typical 1990s platformer, but it received critical acclaim for its intriguing visuals and enjoyable gameplay. Furthermore, the game’s narrative is more enjoyable than most other licensed games, which makes it feel more well-rounded than most other licensed games. Overall, licensed games often feel like shameless advertising, but McDonald’s Treasure Island Adventure is the rare exception that also manages to be an incredible experience.
McDonald’s Treasure Land Adventure
Released
September 23, 1993
1
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is Sega’s Most Underrated Title
An Influential GameCube Masterpiece
Image via Sonic Team
After Sega left the console market, the iconic developer needed to find a platform for its titles, and this presented a unique set of challenges. Eventually, Sega decided to leave its feud with Nintendo behind, and many of Sega’s most underrated projects found a home on the Nintendo GameCube. Sega’s most underrated experience, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, is also among the most memorable Nintendo GameCube titles, and its abstract concept makes it more interesting than many of Sega’s other titles.
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Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is a platformer title in which players collect and hatch eggs to take down enemies, and this gameplay loop is incredibly enjoyable, even if it is a product of its time. In an era built around games where the main purpose of the gameplay loop is collecting objects, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg stood out because of its unique art style and intriguing concept, and it stands the test of time as the most underrated Sega title ever created.
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
Systems
Released
September 23, 2003
ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Sonic Team
Publisher(s)
Sega
Engine
game engine