Comment # 1

I think this pack is going to be amazing, there are a ton of games on here that I can’t wait to play again (Hello Sonic and Knuckles), or never got the chance to play in the first place (Streets 3). Just while writing this blog, we’ve had a few conversations on our big favorites and the memories and experiences they that remind us of.

Posted by Clumsyorchid on November 6th, 2008 at 4:36 pm

Comment # 3

Now THAT is a game list. I can’t imagine having all 3 Streets of Rage games together with Shining Force and Phantasy Star — SFI&II remain my favorite tactical/RPGs ever.

Is this the space for bragging? If so I’d like to note that I had SORII down to the point that I could do the whole game without taking damage, until the final boss. So yeah. Yeah!!

Posted by Edward@Sega on November 6th, 2008 at 5:18 pm

Comment # 5

“Every Old-school SEGA game you ever wanted.”

I think some people are going to disagree with that title… starting perhaps with myself. If I may do a little begging to the gods at Sega…

Do you guys remember the Sega Channel? I sure do, with many good memories of it. I also recall there being some Sega Channel ‘exclusive’ games. Please Sega, I beg of you… two more additions to this collection:

- Sega Solitaire
- Pulseman

These were both published by Sega and have never seen release (at least not in the US) outside of the Sega Channel. Sega Solitaire was… well… Solitaire! Except the cards had Sega characters on them. Pulseman was created by Game Freak and was their take on Mega Man. Both are excellent games and deserve to be included in this as you call it, “Ultimate” Genesis Collection.

“hits stores this Spring”

Spring? Didn’t the press release say winter?

By the way, is there any chance Sega will release this as a fully downloadable game on the PlayStation Store? I don’t believe this game will take up much space on dvd… much less a blu-ray disc. So releasing it as a digital download would be a great option for us PS3 owners with harddrive space to spare!

Posted by megamixer on November 6th, 2008 at 6:46 pm

Comment # 7

I love that Gain Ground made the list! And well, most of the rest of the list is great stuff. Find it kind of strange that you listed Dynamite Headdy but neither of the other big Treasure games from the ‘drive.

Posted by Ben on November 6th, 2008 at 8:15 pm

Comment # 9

Where is a Wii version?

Posted by Ryan on November 7th, 2008 at 11:01 am

Comment # 11

Yeah ESWAT!! Not to mention the Shining Force series. This is going to be greatness…

Posted by Brade on November 7th, 2008 at 2:12 pm

Comment # 13

Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog2
Sonic the Hedgehog3
Sonic and Knuckles
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III
Phantasy Star IV

Favourites!!!
I’ll like to play Sonic CD 8D…but it isnt in the list, well, doesn’t matter

WHOO!~ cant wait!!! ^O^

Posted by Kast-Su on November 7th, 2008 at 8:54 pm

Comment # 15

Oh I just thought of something else.
If possible could you see if Sega would include some videos from their archives. I know they’re including interviews from the game producer. What would also be neat is too see something along the lines of what was seen in Sonic Jam. I would love to see that Sonic the Animation again (maybe even a sequel where Sonic revels that Eggman framed him and regains the title hero of the Year).

I’ve also seen prototypes for Sonic Gems which included a menu selection for Sonic the Movie (Sonic OVA). Maybe that could be added this time as well.

Posted by MilesDx on November 8th, 2008 at 7:35 pm

Comment # 17

Thanks for the feedback everyone – lots of great responses and suggestions! One thing that is also worth noting is that there are actually even more titles included as hidden unlockables in the game. Which games will they be? Who knows…

Posted by RubyEclipse on November 10th, 2008 at 11:03 am

Comment # 19

Every old-school Sega game I ever wanted? Eh… add a Saturn emulator onto that there disc and THEN we’ll talk about every old-school Sega game I ever wanted. Good luck getting one running at full-speed, mind.

Posted by Shadow Hog on November 10th, 2008 at 9:51 pm

Comment # 21

WHERE’S TOE JAM & EARL :~

That’s what is missing to make this collection perfect.

Posted by AndreYin on November 11th, 2008 at 10:37 am

Comment # 23

Dear God, I should checked this blog and posted a comment so much sooner. What scares me is that nobody here has mentioned the most glaring flaw with this compilation. Ahem…

IT’S SHOVELWARE!

The software inside it was valid once, but the effort invested in this hunk of junk is equivalent to that invested in Ninjabread Man and MythMakers Kart Krap or whatever it’s called. Everything in here has been converted before, too often to keep track of. Sega enjoys recycling Sonic 1 as much as Namco enjoys recycling Pac-Man. There are a thousand ways to play both of those classic games, but their creators insist on shoving more and more ludicrous ways to play them down our throats.

There are so many reasons this collection is a load of pig swill. Still listening, RubyEclipse?

-You can get most of these games for so much cheaper in the PS2, PSP, and Sonic GC collections, or even on GameTap.

-The inclusion of the Streets of Rage series is welcome, but suspicious, since Sega was going to include it in Sonic Gems Collection until it got self-conscious about the T rating it got as a result. Since then, they have haggled their way to an E10+ rating for the series, and me from two years ago feels gypped.

-No Gunstar Heroes or Alien Soldier, even though Sega legally owns nearly everything Treasure produced for the Genesis. Don’t you dare call this Sonic’s *Ultimate* Genesis Collection, unless you’re trying to connote that Sonic the Hedgehog hand-picked the titles himself and has enough gall (or at least bad taste) to place DecapAttack next to Dynamite Headdy.

-Sprite-based games don’t benefit from HD. Stop kidding yourself, that blur effect is hideous. However, every game that uses polygons does, immensely. Where’s our doggone Saturn compilation?

-No Wii release, forcing Wii owners to pay many times the price of this compilation to buy each game individually. So I guess that recent interview where Darren Williams said Sega was looking out for the Wii market is… totally TRUE! Ha, no, just kidding.

-Where’s Toe Jam & Earl? Where’s Knuckles Chaotix and Sonic CD? Where’s Revenge of Shinboi? Where’s Pulseman? All good questions, folks. The memory PS3 and Xbox 360 discs can store is colossal, and Sega is stingy enough to fill them with forty tiny, ancient games that are just a flash in the pan. Sure, I haven’t seen the hidden games, but the concept of “hiding” games in compilations needs to die a slow death in any case.

-The recently concluded Sega Ages lineup in Japan (ages.sega.jp) is far more relevant, as many of the games they chronicle haven’t seen the light of day in years. It improved drastically after Sega released the crummy batch of first entries in the States, as it now includes optimized and historically revealing ports of Virtual-On, Fighting Vipers, Panzer Dragoon, Dynamite Deka, and on and on. You can listen to Yuji Naka wearily repeat the story of how he created Sonic, but it doesn’t beat the satisfaction of comparing the American, European, Japanese, Genesis, Game Gear, and prototype (!) versions of Gunstar Heroes… by PLAYING them. Sega Ages is that cool. So, I don’t think you’ve lost your source code like you told Kotaku, Simon Jeffery — I think you’re just not sharing it with us.

I’m upset, but probably in the minority or at least for less relevant reasons, judging by the previous comments. But if you’re all cool with having your favorite game company’s middle finger in your face, please, buy this compilation. Sega will reward you just as nicely with a strikingly similar Genesis collection when the PS4 and Xbox 720 roll around.

Posted by JetDog on November 12th, 2008 at 11:45 pm

Comment # 25

Quick fact check: Alien Soldier is a Treasure game, a little like Gunstar Heroes with Strider-style antigravity powers and larger sprites. It is not Alien Storm. To be fair, it was a Japanese exclusive, but it was recently released on the Wii VC in every region.

I know that the games are good and that the compilation is a nice one if you’re a first-timer to the Genesis, but I’m looking for Sega to move on. The reason I became a Sega fan, ironically enough, was that I played Sonic the Fighters in Sonic Gems Collection a couple years ago — a port that never would have come stateside if it couldn’t have made a quick buck off of Sonic fans. I was bewitched by the aesthetic and the gameplay, even in that slapdash kiddie fighter. Soon, I moved on to much bigger and better things like Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution, and ever since, I’m looking to play all the stuff that came in between the Genesis era and VF4. Like, legally.

I could buy a physical, real-life Saturn, except I don’t want to be screwed by the off-chance that Saturn games come to the VC. You know, when Nintendo announces that Wii hard drive on the 12th of Never.

And now the point: I would love if Sega continued to release Genesis compilations of the same first-party games IF they would follow up on the rest of their legacy at the same time.

Done moaning…

Posted by JetDog on November 13th, 2008 at 8:32 pm

Comment # 27

I think the best part about this collection is the bringing back of the first few Sonic games.
It’ll be a relief to play a Sonic game with playable characters other than Sonic on a console… This is what I think the newer Sonic games are lacking (including the games said to be released)…
It FEELS as if my long-time favorite characters are only appearing as cameos. (except the games that came out for DS so far, you did excellent on that Sega (especially Sonic Chronicles))
I mean, I know that Sonic is the main character, he’s the star… But I kind of miss playing as Knuckles, Tails, even Amy in zones that Sonic speeds through.
Anyways, I’m definately getting Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection, because who can’t resist a game with Sonic in it?

Posted by Spotty on November 15th, 2008 at 10:50 pm

Comment # 29

I’m sure I’ll buy this when it comes out, but I’m also in the camp of thought that’s hoping Sega will see fit to release more of its past library.

I’d really love to see a “Sega Rarities Collection”, where we get to see some of the games other people have mentioned.

I think it’s time Sega embraces its past, and relies less heavily on Sonic the Hedgehog. It seems like they’re afraid of putting energy/money/time into different IPs for fear of poor reception. If Sega were to just start a new strategy of swaying the masses then they’d succeed. A large scale ad campaign talking about the glory days and a revolution, followed by lots of successful new releases like Valkyria Chronicles, would prove they’re still masters of the field.

This is Sega we’re talking about, after all. A company that helped build this industry. I think people need to be reminded of that.

Posted by James on November 22nd, 2008 at 7:48 pm

Comment # 31

Please, please, please, SEGA… put Sonic CD in this collection. PLEASE?!

Posted by fakecliche on December 8th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

Comment # 33

It is a unbelievable collection. but, where the hell is sonic cd. I fell that was one of the best sonic games ever created. thought it would be pretty cool if it was in this collection. traveling to the past to save the future. that’s pretty damn cool. i am wondering when sega is going to redo that game. no other sonic game can compare. i know it is out for gamecube and that is great but, i don’t own a Wii or gamecube. i have a ps3. i believe sonic cd should release for next generation consoles. think about it.sonic cd in HD. it was already visually impressive for it’s time and with a unbelievable soundtrack. For those of you who played sonic cd, you know what im taking about. For those who didn’t. incredible game. if sega released this game for next gen they would be flying off the shelves. sega if you read this please try to take this into consideration. a major money maker here. i know sonic fans will line up everywhere to get it.

Posted by k. geezy on December 14th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

Comment # 35

From the looks of it, it looks like a simple graphics filter, not real HD. Still looks nice though but missing good first party games and games from past collections have been shoved in there without more classics not present in past compilations. If anything, games non-existent on past collections ought to out-do the number of games already put in past compilations if you really want to keep up with the “Ultimate” claim. And to add to the angry mob, where the hell is Sonic CD (for the love of god the JP/EUR soundtrack, Spencer Nilsen killed it in 2 weeks with the US soundtrack >_< and I hate the crappy sounding PC port on Sonic Gems Collection, the sound was very low in quality) and Knuckles Chaotix? I mean, they were great really and they were add-ons on the Genesis. “Sega Genesis 32X”. The word Genesis is in there. Only difference is the PWM sound chip that’s thrown in and over 32,000 colors, an extra plane of graphics over Genesis video and all that good stuff. I own every single Sega console and Model except for the SMS 1 & 2 (thankfully I have 2 boxed Power Base Converters) and if anything I want to be able to play my games without using my cartridges. I have a collection and I preserve my games. If I want a good round of Knuckles Chaotix I’ll have to keep busting out one out of two of my complete copies until it’s released on a collection but please Sega (don’t listen to Simon Jeffrey), don’t shove too many collections down our throats or else we’ll have our fill and won’t even pay attention to the next, causing you to lose more sales because we’ll ignore them. You have to take risks. Don’t be scared and rely on craptastic Sonic titles and hundres of compilations. It’s time to switch on that lightbulb and create quality titles, or even revive some dead franchises like SOR, Vectorman, you know the big hits back then. I find the rumors of a new Hang On and Outrun game to my liking. Maybe put on that 90′s cap you have sitting in the closet and do what you did back then. It worked didn’t it? Then why did you have to change and screw it all up.

On a Sonic note: What Sonic needs is to be put back in a side-scrolling platform game. Some characters just fit better in certain worlds and definitely no contact with humans. Instead, Sega keeps making them in 3D probably because it’s just mainstream. Sadly, if Sega acutally and miraculously did create a 2D Sonic game on a HOME CONSOLE, if they screw up, even on a 2D game in which Sonic excels in, then I don’t know what to believe in anymore.

I’m a very very hardcore Sega fan alright… a late 80′s early 90′s Sega fan. The golden age of gaming. Where competition brought excellence… and where that competition was described in one word: SEGA.

Posted by arnold_the_bartender on January 7th, 2009 at 1:03 am

Comment # 37

I’d have loved Outrun and Hangon, but Oh well. good collection, nonetheless.

Posted by James on January 30th, 2009 at 8:30 pm

Comment # 39

i got tha collection game at home for x box 360 and its fun rebeating all 3 streets of rage my favorite one iz 3 but wat they should put on n e of the sega collection iz internal champion i love that game i wish i had a sega so i can play it

Posted by Johnny on March 27th, 2009 at 11:57 am