Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (Greatest Hits) - PlayStation 3

Every now and then a game comes along that inspires me to open a review with a cliche phrase such as "Every now and then a game comes along that...". This game, is that game people!I'll just assume that if you are considering buying this, then you either had a Sega Genesis in the days of yore, or are at the very least way in to retro style games. With that caveat, I say to you that this game delivers, and keeps on delivering! Not only that but it delivers in a pretty attractive little package, and at a price point to the tune of 15 dollars, I suggest you pull on those red slippers and loop-de-loop your way on into town to snag a copy. Or... you could just pick it up right here, and have the hardworking delivery men bring it right to your doorstep!The GamesWell enough of my general yammering. What you are interested in is the games, am I right? Well how about like 40+? Sure that's a few games alright, but what are we talking here? I don't know about you, but I'm not really into the prospect of a 40 game pack if like 5 of the games are like Bubsy1,2,3, Bubsy 4 "This Time its Personal", Bubsy 5 "the Bubsying"... You get the picture. We want quality... and quantity! This disc has it! All the genres are well represented, with several platforming, action, RPG, puzzle, arcade, and beat em up games on offer. Chances are you will even find at least a handful of games on here that you used to own yourself.The HighlightsChronic Sonic: You've got more Sonic than you can shake a stick at here.Or if not a stick, then some stick like object in the idiom of the Sonic Games, but I'm at a loss so proxy in your own wit here for me readers! Even the gut wrenching Sonic Spinball makes and appearance if you are a masochist.The Golden Age: Does the name Ax Battler mean anything to you? If it does then chances are you, like me, have been jonesing for the days where you could just walk around with a friend cutting down goons and punting potions out of gnomes! Well you get all three Golden Axe Games. Golden Axe 1, Golden Axe 2 This time its personal, and Golden Axe 3, the Axening. What a bargain!Phinal Phantasy??: For a few out there, the name brand for the early RPG Didn't use Fs for the FUh sound. Those boys and girls might just have been playing some Phantasy Star! ... Or maybe they just weren't hooked on phonics! Either way, you've got 4 full length retro RPGs here to discover, or rediscover, or even dediscover somehow. I don't know. Do as you will! Only thing is, these are quality games. Check the dates these things came out if you want to know just how ahead of their time they were.All the Rage: Now listen gamers if you are like me, then you dream of the days when you can show up at your friends door, do some buddy arm grab, and then set out across town beating the unholy hell out of everyone that looks different from you! Punk rockers, wrestlers, karate guys,ax juggling carnies, dominatricies(sp?), tubby fire breathing baseball players? No one will be safe from your punchy wrath! All three Streets of Rage games are back! Team up with a friend, and god help the criminally aligned counter cultures of your city!Shining recommendation: Sega's popular Shining Force games go up to numero dos on this disc, and you also get shining in the darkness, or Hard as **** the game, as I like to call it. These things still hold up really well, and the character portraits are pretty good for the time. Lots of fun, well worth a revisit.And All THAT!: There's more, much more, and readers please; just because my brain is like a sieve and I can't think of more specific games, don't take that to mean the rest are all third rate garbage! There are some seriously surprising little gems in there! Don't count out the always fun Altered Beast, or Fantasy Zone, or Gain Ground, Kid Chameleon, and many many more.The short story, is that if you had a Sega Genesis, you might want to just go ahead and pick this game up. For the price of a movie ticket you get a whole heck of a lot of games, and it takes up a lot less space than all those big clunky genesis boxes too yep!

If you're like me, you know Sega games only loosely or casually. I mostly played Nintendo 64 and now PS3. And while I enjoy the Wii Virtual Console, the offerings can be a bit expensive and difficult to switch between. Introducing the Sonic Ultimate Genesis Collection. The title is a bit curious to me, because most of the games are non-Sonic and several are for consoles other than the Genesis. Don't let the name stop you from buying this collection.And what a collection it is! Of the included games, I would say I've only played Sonic the Hedgehog before, as we all have. So it was a real treat to discover the beat 'em up series Golden Axe, the futuristic RPG series Phantasy Star, and the playfulness of Ecco the Dolphin. These are high-quality titles that have since been largely forgotten. Many maintain cult followings. Here you get the chance to experience what makes some people so crazy for these classics. I have only tried out a handful of the titles and was impressed with their quality. You'd be forgiven if you were expecting a dump of cheaply-licensed sequels and Sonic iterations. Instead, you're getting some of the defining Sega titles from when that company still made great games. Sometimes I get the feeling that, despite graphical advances, games haven't really progressed beyond the example set by titles like these. While pixelated, the stylistic effects are charming and creative.The collection is also well-assembled, with a robust interface and usable game controls. You can choose to play games either in their original 4x3 format, with a thematic background graphic instead of black bars. Or you can opt for a 16x9 stretched display. What's more, you have incentive to keep playing, with unlockable (free) content available for completing certain feats in the games. Switching between games is quick and efficient, and save data ensures you can pick up where you left off.Just think about the deal you are getting here. These are many of the classics of the 1990s, pulled together for less than a dollar per game. It's an easy sell if you ask me.

Excellent product