Sega Genesis Classics
International release cover with dual title
Developer(s)Sega
D3T
Publisher(s)Sega
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Windows
Linux
macOS
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch
ReleaseWindows
June 1, 2010 (Vol. 1)
September 13, 2010 (Vol. 2)
October 26, 2010 (Vol. 3)
January 26, 2011 (Vol. 4)
May 2, 2012 (Vol. 5)
Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
May 29, 2018
Nintendo Switch
  • EU: December 6, 2018
  • NA: December 7, 2018
Genre(s)Various
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Sega Genesis Classics (released as Sega Mega Drive Classics in PAL regions)[a] is a series of compilations featuring Sega Genesis video games released for Windows, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The collections are split into "Volumes", with the first four receiving both physical and digital releases and the fifth volume only being digitally released.

Background

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 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 Linux, macOS, 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] The Steam version of the collection used to exclude the Sonic the Hedgehog and ToeJam & Earl games. The former could only be purchased as a part of Sonic-related compilations, but are now included in the Steam collection. All games can be purchased separately, but the Sonic games are sold at higher prices.[7]

On May 20, 2022, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles and Sonic CD were removed from individual and compilations sale on Steam, to be replaced by the Sonic Origins compilation which includes those titles.[8]

List of games

Title Volume
Vol. 1 Vol. 2 Vol. 3 Vol. 4 Vol. 5 Gold Console Steam
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
Alien Soldier No No No Yes No Yes Yes[i] Yes
Alien Storm No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Altered Beast Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Beyond Oasis No No No No Yes No Yes[i] Yes
Bio-Hazard Battle No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Bonanza Bros. No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
Columns No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
Columns III No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Comix Zone Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Crack Down Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Decap Attack No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine No No No Yes[ii] No Yes Yes Yes
Dynamite Headdy No No No No Yes No Yes[i] Yes
Ecco the Dolphin Yes No No No No Yes No Yes
Ecco: The Tides of Time No No Yes No No Yes No Yes
Ecco Jr. No Yes No No No Yes No Yes
ESWAT: City Under Siege No Yes[ii] Yes[iii] No No Yes Yes Yes
Eternal Champions No Yes[iii] No No No No No Yes
Fatal Labyrinth No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
Flicky No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Gain Ground Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Galaxy Force II No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
Golden Axe Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Golden Axe II No Yes[ii] Yes[iii] No No Yes Yes Yes
Golden Axe III No No No No Yes No Yes Yes
Gunstar Heroes No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Kid Chameleon No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
Landstalker No No No Yes No Yes Yes[i] Yes
Light Crusader No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Phantasy Star II No No No No Yes No Yes Yes
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom No No No No Yes No Yes Yes
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium No No No No Yes No Yes Yes
The Revenge of Shinobi No No No No Yes No Yes Yes
Ristar No Yes No No No Yes Yes[i] Yes
Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi Yes[iii] No No No No No Yes Yes
Shining in the Darkness No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Shining Force No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Shining Force II No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Sonic 3D Blast No No No Yes[ii] No Yes Yes Yes
Sonic the Hedgehog Yes[ii] No No No No Yes Yes No[iv]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 No Yes[ii] No No No Yes Yes No[iv]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3/Sonic & Knuckles No No Yes No No Yes No No[iv]
Sonic Spinball No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Space Harrier II Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Streets of Rage No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Streets of Rage 2 No No No Yes No Yes Yes[i] Yes
Streets of Rage 3 No No No No Yes No Yes[i] Yes
Super Thunder Blade No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
Sword of Vermilion No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
ToeJam & Earl No No No Yes[ii] No No Yes Yes
ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron No No No Yes[ii] No No Yes Yes
Vectorman Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Vectorman 2 No No No No Yes No Yes Yes
Virtua Fighter 2 No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair No No No Yes No No Yes[v] Yes
Wonder Boy in Monster World No No No No Yes No Yes[v] Yes
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Includes alternate region version. Alien Soldier, Dynamite Headdy, Ristar, and Streets of Rage 2 have Japanese versions. Streets of Rage 3 includes European English & Japanese versions. Beyond Oasis includes the French, German, Spanish, and Japanese versions. Landstalker has French and German versions included.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Only available in the physical disc release.
  3. ^ a b c d Only available in the digital download release.
  4. ^ a b c Removed from sale on May 20, 2022. Replaced by Sonic Origins.[9]
  5. ^ a b Not available in Nintendo Switch version.[10]

Reception

Sega Genesis Classics received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[11][12][13]

Notes and references

  1. ^ Also internationally known as Sega Mega Drive & Genesis Classics
  1. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (April 29, 2016). "Modders are already having fun with Sega Mega Drive classics on Steam". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  2. ^ McWhertor, Michael (April 20, 2016). "Sega's adding official mod support for Sega Genesis games on Steam". Polygon. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  3. ^ Kerr, Chris (May 17, 2016). "Sega mod hub launch sparks 350,000 in classic game sales". Gamasutra. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  4. ^ "The top 100 best selling Japanese games on Steam". Rice Digital. July 9, 2018.
  5. ^ "Sega Mega Drive Classics collection coming to Xbox, PS4, and PC this May". March 14, 2018.
  6. ^ "Sega Mega Drive Classics Hits Switch On 6th December, Physical And Digital Versions On The Way". Nintendo Life. 30 October 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  7. ^ "SEGA MEGA DRIVE AND GENESIS CLASSICS Bundle on Steam". Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Sega delisting standalone versions of Sonic 1, 2, 3, and CD ahead of Sonic Origins' arrival". Eurogamer.net. 2022-04-26. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  9. ^ "Sega delisting standalone versions of Sonic 1, 2, 3, and CD ahead of Sonic Origins' arrival". Eurogamer.net. 26 April 2022.
  10. ^ Schreier, Jason (28 November 2018). "Genesis Classics On Switch Is The Perfect Way To Play Old Games". Kotaku.
  11. ^ a b "Sega Genesis Classics for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Sega Genesis Classics for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Sega Genesis Classics for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  14. ^ Shive, Chris (May 25, 2018). "Review: Sega Genesis Classics". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  15. ^ McFerran, Damien (November 28, 2018). "SEGA Mega Drive Classics Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  16. ^ Keremes, David (December 6, 2018). "Sega Genesis Classics Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  17. ^ Tailby, Stephen (May 25, 2018). "SEGA Mega Drive Classics Review (PS4)". Push Square. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
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