Those who grew up playing video games in the 90s remember very well how big Sega was to everyone. As one of the major companies in the original console wars, Sega had several titles that people enjoyed playing on home consoles, such as the Sega Genesis and more. Years later, after leaving the console market, the company continues to release games for various platforms. Most recently, Sega has sought to revive various classic Sega series that have had a significant impact on its legacy. For any Sega fan who has grown up, this is a return to the fun times of the good old days and a dream come true.

However, Sega hasn't really dived deep into their backlog of titles for potential new releases in the 2020s. Although retro game collections and digital stores have re-released some of Sega's biggest games from their older consoles, I have seen a number of beloved Sega games that fans remember being largely ignored by the company for a long time. Such games have not seen a new entry or reboot yet, let alone a remake of the classics that made them what they are. Here are four games that Sega seems to have forgotten about that desperately need to be remade.

4 Altered Beast

Unleash the beast

In the late 80s and early 90s, multiple Sega games featured a swords and sorcery theme. The biggest among them was the Golden Axe series, which became a monster hit in arcades and home consoles. But another classic that was around at the time was Sega's Greek mythology-themed Altered Beast. Unlike Golden Axe and its generic fantasy setting, the story and gameplay Altered Beast focused more on the deities and setting from Greek myths. Players take control of a centurion who was resurrected by the god Zeus to rescue his daughter Athena from the evil Neff. To do this, the centurion utilizes the power of transformation to become a variety of animals and fight the monsters of the underworld. Depending on the stage, the centurion can become a wolf, a dragon, a bear, and even a tiger that can shoot powerful blasts from his fists.

There have been multiple re-releases of Altered Beast on different platforms, including mobile devices, but a new entry in the series has not happened in a long time. There was a darker reboot of the series in 2005 that was only released in Europe, while the North American release of the game was canceled. Another game for the Game Boy Advance was released in 2002, titled Altered Beast: Guardians of the Realm, and played very similarly to the original. However, both games received mixed reviews and were largely forgotten by everyone. The series has been dormant since then and has only received attention through different compilations of classic Genesis games that Sega published. With series like Golden Axe getting a new game fairly soon, it would be very interesting to see a return of Altered Beast for modern audiences. A complete remake of the original would be ideal for reintroducing audiences to this unique take on Greek mythology.

3 Beyond Oasis

An RPG that was very interesting

While Nintendo had massive success with The Legend of Zelda in the action-RPG genre, Sega had its own take on the formula that was unique and different. Beyond Oasis is a 1994 game also known as The Story of Thor in certain regions. The game plays very similar to the Zelda franchise, but has a focus on using powers to call forth elemental allies to assist in combat, while also having a variety of weapons for players to battle enemies. The plot of the game follows Prince Ali after he discovers a golden armlet that is possessed by a magical spirit. The armlet was once owned by a wizard in a constant war against an evil wizard that used a silver armlet, until the two of them perished years earlier. Using the magic of the gold armlet, Prince Ali travels around the land of Oasis and frees up the elemental spirits to help him prevent the new wielder of the silver armlet from destroying the world.

The original game was released for the Sega Genesis, but a prequel to it was made for the Sega Saturn in 1996, titled The Legend of Oasis. Unfortunately, there has not been another new entry in the series since, with only the original game being re-released multiple times over the years. The concept of Beyond Oasis is interesting enough to be something that modern audiences would find intriguing, especially in an era when classic-style role-playing games are gaining popularity. A remake of the game could be very similar to the recent remakes of The Legend of Zelda that Nintendo released on the Nintendo Switch, with new visuals and tweaked gameplay to enhance the experience. Something like Beyond Oasis could take advantage of this by expanding upon Prince Ali's move set and the abilities of the elemental spirits called forth by the gold armlet. It could really be a golden idea for Sega to think about and capitalize on for a remake.

2 Burning Rangers

Calling in the firefighters

Despite being referenced many times in different Sega games over the years, there has only ever been one release for Burning Rangers. Originally released for the Sega Saturn in 1998, Burning Rangers is an action game that has players rescuing people and fending off large fires. A group of firefighters called the Burning Rangers lives in the future, where danger from fires is frequent and requires high-tech professionals to help people in need. The plot of the game can get wacky, involving a girl from space with an incurable disease, but the focus is on battling fires and saving civilians in a colorful and upbeat fashion. The gameplay of Burning Rangers can be challenging due to the difficulty in navigating stages while searching for civilians, which becomes particularly important when players are graded at the end of each stage.

Some of the highly praised aspects of Burning Rangers include the visual presentation and the soundtrack. The game is similar to other titles published by Sega at the time, featuring very bright and colorful visuals that can be seen from a distance, a characteristic that was also common in many Sega arcade games of the era. The music is beloved by fans who enjoy pop music, with some of the tracks being remixed in other popular Sega games. But there has yet to be a new game for Burning Rangers since the original came out on the Saturn. A complete remake or reboot of Burning Rangers could be great if done today, especially given the advancements in visuals and soundtrack technology. But even more so, a remake of the game would help to iron out many of the technical issues and glitches that many people disliked in the original game.

1 Vectorman

Forgotten hero of Sega

One of the most disappointing omissions from Sega games in the past decade has been Vectorman. While the two Sega Genesis titles have been re-released in retro collections and in digital stores, the character Vectorman has been all but forgotten. We haven't seen a new Vectorman game developed in a long time, despite plans for one dating back to the PlayStation 2 era. A third entry in the series was attempted multiple times in both the late 90s and early 2000s, but each time, Sega ended up canceling the project. There were even plans to have a Vectorman television show following the release of the second game on the Sega Genesis, but that too never came to be.

At its heart, the original Vectorman on Genesis is an action-platformer that has a unique sense of style in its visuals. Like other characters of the time, Vectorman was a hero with an attitude, in the same way that Sonic the Hedgehog had when compared to any of Nintendo's own mascots. The game was bold, gritty, and filled with dark colors that played with the edgy theme of the console in the 90s. In another universe, Vectorman would have gotten more sequels, and the character would have remained part of Sega's growing ensemble of characters into the new millennium, which is all the more reason for Sega to revisit the character and series now. With many classic platformers being revitalized with remakes, reboots, and spiritual sequels, Vectorman is among the few that haven't been considered, but would benefit greatly from it. Many Sega fans, including myself, would be interested in seeing the junkbot hero of humanity returning to the public spotlight with a new look and a new adventure.

Even more untapped potential

There are numerous other games and forgotten series that Sega could revisit for newreleases. As the company turns to its legacy of classic games for ideas, many long-time fans of the brand would like to see some of their favorites make a big comeback, especially if they grew up playing them on Sega platforms. Instead of re-releasing games or bundling them together into retro collections once again, it's time for Sega to fully commit to remaking these games that their audience wants to see again. The demand is clearly there and has been for a long time, but it's up to Sega to make something of it all.