Sleepy has a fantastic point that its controller tech (shoulder buttons, the 4 button cross) has stayed with us for 20+ years.

It was the pinnacle of sprite power (unless you were neo geo rich) but its biggest contribution was just NES games but 'better' (Super Mario 3 vs Mario World, OG Metroid vs Super Metroid, etc) along with better arcade ports (MK, SF). Link to the Past was FANTASTIC, along with other gems (Mother 3, Final Fantasy) but it was built off game design leaps on the shoulders of previously established giants.

Imho Genesis was just doing their best at shaking the paradigm; I was always struck about how while SNES had clearly better graphics for those EA games the playability for sports games was in a whole other class with Genesis. We can also make an argument with the Sega CD being another major leap of tech(before the PS1!), on top of the 32X (first example of a mid generation refresh a la PS4 Pro and Xbox Scorpio).

Keeping the rapper allegory SNES was Big Boi to Genesis's Andre 3000. More consistent, but the highs aren't as high