Sega Genesis Classics
Sega Genesis Classics (Sega Mega Drive Classics in PAL regions) is a series of compilations featuring Sega Genesis video games released for Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux. The collections are split into "Volumes", with the first four receiving both physical and digital releases and the fifth volume only being digitally released.
| Sega Genesis Classics | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Sega D3T Limited |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows macOS Linux PlayStation 4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch |
| Release | Microsoft Windows, macOS & Linux June 1, 2010 (Vol. 1) September 13, 2010 (Vol. 2) October 26, 2010 (Vol. 3) January 26, 2011 (Vol. 4) July 3, 2012 (Vol. 5) PlayStation 4 & Xbox One May 29, 2018 Nintendo Switch |
| Genre(s) | Compilation |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Steam versions of these collections exclude Sonic the Hedgehog and ToeJam & Earl games. The former can be purchased as a part of Sonic-related compilations and all games can be purchased separately but at higher prices.
Sega re-released the first four physically released volumes as the Sega Genesis Classic Collection: Gold Edition (Sega Mega Drive Classics: Gold Edition in PAL regions), for Microsoft Windows. It is a four-disc set of the forty-six Sega Genesis games from the first four volumes. The collection has configuring keyboard support which provides a personalised gaming experience, a well as a multiplayer mode for a select number of titles. The collection also has save and load functionality that is included in all of the games that allows the player to pick up and play saved games at the exact point they left off.
Sega released a free application on Steam on April 28, 2016, called the Sega Genesis Classics Hub (Sega Mega Drive Classics Hub in PAL regions). The application presents a virtual hub, themed after what a bedroom of a Sega fanatic might be like, to play all of the released Sega Genesis games through it. The Hub includes Steam Workshop integration, supporting ROM hacks for these games; within a day of its release, several previously developed ROM hacks were added by users to the Hub's Workshop.[1] Any Sega Genesis games previously purchased on Steam, including collections, are automatically added to players' game libraries in the Hub.[2] A few weeks following the release of the Hub, Sega reported more than 350,000 new purchases of the various games supported by the new software.[3] The Sega Mega Drive and Genesis Classics compilation has sold 1,514,485 digital units on Steam, as of 1 July 2018.[4]
Sega released a compilation of all of the games included in compilations listed below with some exceptions in an entry simply titled Sega Genesis Classics (Sega Mega Drive Classics in PAL regions) for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on May 29, 2018. It uses the same interface as Sega Genesis Classics Hub, but with added features such as achievements and rewinding in-game. These features were later added to the Sega Genesis Classics Hub. Additionally, select games can be played in their Japanese versions.[5] The compilation released on Nintendo Switch on December 6, 2018.[6]
List of games
| Title | Volume | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vol. 1 | Vol. 2 | Vol. 3 | Vol. 4 | Vol. 5 | Console | |||
| Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Alien Soldier | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes# | ||
| Alien Storm | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
| Beyond Oasis | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes# | ||
| Bio-Hazard Battle | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
| Bonanza Bros. | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Columns | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Columns III | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
| Comix Zone | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Crack Down | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Decap Attack | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
| Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | No | No | No | Yes† | No | Yes | ||
| Dynamite Headdy | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes# | ||
| Ecco the Dolphin | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | ||
| Ecco: The Tides of Time | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | ||
| Ecco Jr. | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | ||
| ESWAT: City Under Siege | No | Yes† | Yes@ | No | No | Yes | ||
| Eternal Champions | No | Yes@ | No | No | No | No | ||
| Flicky | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
| Gain Ground | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Galaxy Force II | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Golden Axe | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Golden Axe II | No | Yes† | Yes@ | No | No | Yes | ||
| Golden Axe III | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Gunstar Heroes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| Kid Chameleon | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Landstalker | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes# | ||
| Light Crusader | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| Phantasy Star II | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| The Revenge of Shinobi | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Ristar | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes# | ||
| Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi | Yes@ | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Shining Force | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| Shining Force II | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| Shining in the Darkness | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Sonic the Hedgehog | Yes† | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | No | Yes† | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Sonic Spinball | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
| Sonic the Hedgehog 3/Sonic & Knuckles | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | ||
| Sonic 3D Blast | No | No | No | Yes† | No | Yes | ||
| Space Harrier II | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Streets of Rage | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| Streets of Rage 2 | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes# | ||
| Streets of Rage 3 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes# | ||
| Super Thunder Blade | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Sword of Vermilion | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
| ToeJam & Earl | No | No | No | Yes† | No | Yes | ||
| ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron | No | No | No | Yes† | No | Yes | ||
| Vectorman | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Vectorman 2 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Virtua Fighter 2 | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
| Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes^ | ||
| Wonder Boy in Monster World | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes^ | ||
| World of Illusion | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | ||
- †: Only available in the physical disc release.
- @: Only available in the digital download release.
- ^: Not available in Nintendo Switch version.[7]
- #: Includes alternate region version. Alien Soldier, Dynamite Headdy, Ristar, Streets of Rage 2, and Streets of Rage 3 have Japanese versions. Beyond Oasis includes the European English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese versions. Landstalker has French and German versions included.
References
- Yin-Poole, Wesley (April 29, 2016). "Modders are already having fun with Sega Mega Drive classics on Steam". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- McWhertor, Michael (April 20, 2016). "Sega's adding official mod support for Sega Genesis games on Steam". Polygon. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
- Kerr, Chris (May 17, 2016). "Sega mod hub launch sparks 350,000 in classic game sales". Gamasutra. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- "The top 100 best selling Japanese games on Steam". Rice Digital. July 9, 2018.
- "Sega Mega Drive Classics collection coming to Xbox, PS4, and PC this May". March 14, 2018.
- "Sega Mega Drive Classics Hits Switch On 6th December, Physical And Digital Versions On The Way". Nintendo Life. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- Schreier, Jason. "Genesis Classics On Switch Is The Perfect Way To Play Old Games". Kotaku.