Play Centurion - Defender of Rome (USA, Europe) Online

Game Overview

Ever wanted to shout "Legions, advance!" and actually have something happen? Centurion - Defender of Rome on the Genesis lets you do that—along with a bunch of other gloriously over-the-top Roman general fantasies. One minute you're moving little armies across a map of Europe like some kind of toga-wearing chess master, the next you're thrown into these chaotic little battles where your guys just sort of blob into the enemy. It shouldn't work, but it totally does.

The naval fights are janky in that classic early-90s way (your ships turn like drunken chariots), but there's something weirdly satisfying about ramming Carthaginian boats. And between battles, you get these dramatic cutscenes where senators yell at you in badly translated Latin—pure cheese, but it makes you feel like you're in some low-budget sword-and-sandal flick. Pro tip: bribe the Germanic tribes early unless you enjoy being overrun by angry men in fur pants.

It's not the deepest strategy game, but the mix of map conquest and arcadey battles still holds up if you're into that old-school vibe. Just expect to lose a few legions to questionable pathfinding first.