10 Most Underrated Mega Drive & Genesis Games Ever
8. Socket - Tokai Communications (1993)
After Sonic and Mario got into a bit of a scuffle in the early 90s, a mascot war followed that lasted a majority of the rest of the decade. Seemingly every software developer around the globe wanted a piece of the anthropomorphic 2D platforming action (go ahead and google up titles like Mr. Nuts, Ardy Lightfoot, Rocky Rodent, Awesome Possum, Rocket Knight Adventures etc. for more examples).
Thing is, every once in a while one of these mascot platformers turned out pretty decent. Socket, known as Time Dominator 1st in Japan, is an example of one of the better ones. It certainly took graphical and speed cues from Sonic (if you're going to borrow, might as well borrow from the best) but added time travel to the mix a full month before Sonic CD.
Socket the character (an electrically charged duck) never gained the type of mass appeal to warrant cartoons and lunch boxes like developer Vic Tokai was hoping but it's a solid, relatively unknown platformer just the same.