The Sega Genesis Collection includes 30 different games. If you have ever been nostalgic for those old school games that Sega was once famous for on the 16-bit console you'll have a good time with this collection. The disk includes unlockable arcade games and interviews with Sega developers. You can unlock the original arcade version of Altered Beast and Zaxxon.From the main menu you can choose your favorites from an alphabetized list of 28 Genesis games. Some classic greats are there like Sonic the Hedgehog, Ecco the Dolphin and Golden Axe. Phantasy Star II, Phantasy Star III, and Phantasy Star IV as well as Sword of Vermillion are included to fill out the collection of those who are addicted to the role-playing genre.
Gameplay
Flicky is funny but not much of a challenge. You get a Sega Genesis translation of Virtua Fighter 2. The emulation on these games is good quality and they seem to be virtually perfect from what I can recall of the original games that I played. It must be challenging to convert the old games to work on machines that they were never intended for. Many collection have lousy emulation, but this time it was done as well as can be expected.
Columns is there and just as addictive as it ever was. There are a few clunkers in there too. Not all the games in this collection are hits. Gain Ground, is a very rudimentary game that solidifies any doubt in your mind as to why game play mechanics kept on improving. The three characters are very limited. It is funny to watch as the tiny arrows arch up only to fall far short of the enemies. Alex Kidd - The Enchanted Castle, is a weak platformer. Comix Zone, which I hadn't played before has a concept that might have lead to the origins of Myst. You are transported using a comic book as a portal into another dimension by someone named Mortus.
Ecco the Dolphin is still a wonderful game and if you have played any version of it at all you will enjoy all three of the ports of it on this disk. Those were some of the first and best water effects made. Ecco was a ground breaking game and it looks beautiful in the timeless way that only a truly great game can achieve.
The games on the disk are: Alex Kidd, Altered Beast, Bonanza Bros, Columns, Comix Zone, Decap Attack, Ecco the Dolphin, Ecco: The Tides of Time, Ecco Jr., Eternal Champions, Flicky, Gain Ground, Golden Axe,
Golden Axe II, Golden Axe III, Phantasy Star II, Phantasy Star III, Phantasy Star IV, Ristar, Shadow Dancer: Secret of Shinobi, Shinobi III, Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Super Thunderblade, Sword of Vermilion, Vectorman, Vectorman 2, Virtua Fighter 2 and Zaxxon.
Sound and Music
The sound and music for each of the games has been reproduced note for note. The rendition of the tracks and sound effects sounds just about perfect. The opportunity to hear what sound was like before musical capability became easier and easier to program and employ along with the games, may be of interest to several different kinds of music enthusiasts.
Conclusion
This collection would be of interest to anyone who is a video game completist that wants to see early versions of their present favorite games. It has full-on nostalgia going for it too. If the early 1990's holds a place in your heart you will definitely enjoy these games again. If you were a little kid back then, you'll be happy to be reunited with Ecco and Sonic. Omission of the Streets of Rage series was a disappointment to me if not anyone else. I have memories of playing it as one of the original co-op games. But some things are better left in the past I guess. The collection was well done, and the inclusions and omissions can't please everybody. It is an expensive value for the price even if you are only want to play just a few of these. I give it a 7 out of 10.
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