 So many compilations, so little time – so little interest.
SEGA Classics Collection is another in a long line of compilation games that offer less-than-the-best versions of said company’s old arcade and home-system stock. The games offered in SEGA Classics Collection were never considered classics by me and once you play a few you’ll know why. There’s not a Sonic in the bunch. All of the 10 games are remastered from their Japanese counterparts and the results are insulting. These games were budget games to begin with and all the remastering in the world won’t make them classics. The resulting package is nothing more than a bunch of cheap, bad looking, low-res, bland games. I’m sure that there’s at least one or two that will tickle you fancy but if I don’t find myself attracted to at least 60 percent of the games in a compilation I call the whole thing a bust.  The games include Outrun, Golden Axe, Space Harrier, Columns, Alien Syndrome, Monaco GP, Virtua Racing Flat Out, Fantasy Zone, Tant R and Bonanza Bros. Outrun, Virtua Racing Flat Out and Monaco GT are racing games. Golden Axe is a hack and slash Gauntlet rip off. Space Harrier and Alien Syndrome are space shooters. Columns is a puzzle game in the Tetris tradition and the Bonanza Bros. is a collection of mini games not unlike Mario Party. These games are all derived from other existing classics and show no to little originality.
If you remember any of these games from the arcade you’ll notice that many of them have been “updated” to include a 3D look to them. Most of the charm associated with these games was due to the 2D graphics. Now we have big, ugly sterile environments that were never intended for the majority of these games. In some cases it changes the gameplay for the worst. Most of the emulations are inaccurate, with poor controls and bugs in the mechanics. The hack and slash of Golden Axe is loose and slowdown is prevalent in the racing games. Even the music has been on some of these though I can’t even imagine why. SEGA should have just left these game the same way they appeared in Japan so many years ago. At least there would be some historical value attached to it.  Although I can get by on Columns and even Bonanza Bros. it’s just not enough to warrant a purchase. Even at twenty bucks, which turns out to be two bucks a game, there are games that I wouldn’t ever consider putting eight quarters into if they were in an airport arcade and I had a ten-hour layover. I would just opt for a nap instead. | 
This upcoming compilation from Sega appears to consist of 3D upgraded takes on the games featured, which originally appeared in Japan under the Sega Ages moniker.
Outrun, GoldenAxe, Space Harrier and Columns have been remade more than Michael Jackson and have appeared on many different systems over the last decade and a half. Check around your house as you’re bound to have a copy of one of these titles just lying around in plain view. Advice? Check under your collection of Hustler Magazine from the early 90’s. See? I told you.
While you won’t find any Sonic games included as this collection appears to be arcade only, you might remember that Sega recently released the Sonic Mega Collection (GC) and Sonic Mega Collection Plus (PS2, X) for those of you looking to relive the golden days of the world’s fastest hedgehog.
