Steel Empire (Mega Drive Compatible Game)

Steampunk and shoot 'em ups shouldn't work together, but Steel Empire proved the entire genre wrong back in 1992. This Mega Drive compatible cartridge from Strictly Limited Games brings the original Steel Empire back on fresh silicon, limited to 500 individually numbered copies worldwide and bundled with a colorful game manual.

Steel Empire for Genesis stood apart from the Gradiuses and R-Types of its era by wrapping its bullet-hell action in a gorgeous steampunk world. You pick between two airships, a hulking zeppelin or a nimble fighter, and tear through the Motorhead Empire across stages that feel more like playable concept art than typical 16-bit levels. The developers treated this like a movie, and it shows in every frame.

For Genesis collectors, this is a title that defined what the console could do with the shmup genre. A brand new cartridge, individually numbered, with only 500 in existence. The original carts aren't getting any cheaper, and this Strictly Limited release gives us a pristine way to own a piece of Mega Drive history. Slot it into your console or display it proudly. Either way, it belongs in the collection.