Play Waterworld (Beta) Online

Waterworld for the Sega Genesis was never officially released, but the beta version that circulates among collectors offers a glimpse into what might have been. Developed by Ocean Software, it arrived during the console's later years, a period crowded with licensed titles and ambitious, sometimes messy, adaptations. It's based on the 1995 film, but the game carves its own path through that soggy, desperate setting.

You control the Mariner, piloting a jet ski across interconnected screens of open water and crumbling ruins. Your goal is to rescue survivors and gather supplies while fending off pirates on their own vessels. Combat relies on timing your harpoon shots; you need to lead targets and account for the jet ski's bobbing movement. Exploration is tense, with enemies swarming quickly, and the limited health makes every encounter risky. Navigating narrow flooded passages and dodging enemy fire gives the game a persistent, nervous energy. It feels like constantly riding the edge of disaster, where one mistimed jump or missed shot can send you straight to the depths.