Last week, Sega caused quite a stir when it announced it would be bringing a series of classic titles to Switch under the "AGES" banner.
The first three confirmed titles are Sonic, Thunder Force IV and Phantasy Star. However, it hasn't taken long for Sega to reveal two more games in the range: Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Gain Ground.
Alex Kidd was Sega's mascot before Sonic turned up, and each title he starred in was slightly different from the last (with the exception of Enchanted Castle on the Mega Drive). Miracle World - which began life as a Dragon Ball game - is generally regarded as his best outing, and was pre-loaded on many Master System consoles back in the day.
Gain Ground is a unique vertical shooter which takes place within a war game simulation, and you assume the role of various warriors from all stages of human history. The arcade original was quite unique at the time, and thankfully it's that version that we're getting as part of the Sega AGES line - and not the decidedly-average-in-comparison Mega Drive port.
Sega's classic line-up seems to be shaping up nicely, but there's more - during the announcement it was also revealed that Saturn and Dreamcast games would be part of the AGES line:
What classic Sega games would you like to see from the libraries of these two machines? Virtua Fighter 2? Sega Rally? Panzer Dragoon Saga? Shining Force III? Skies of Arcadia? Sonic Adventure? Sound off in the comments to tell us.
[source game.watch.impress.co.jp]
Comments 84
Nah...
I LOVE Alex Kidd in Miracle World. I have so many fond memories playing it on the Master System back in the day. I wish it was the built in game on my current Master System instead of Sonic.
Definitely will take Gain Ground. Great music and little thinking involved. Since it is the arcade port they are coming out with, it'll be 4 stages with 10 rounds. I've completed the Mega Drive version on hard and I was very happy on seeing the ending but the last boss in the game is such a challenge on both versions.
do we know how itll work yet? just like arcade classics... each game at £6?(or whatever) or what? id rather it be a bundle...
While the Genesis version is nothing special, I'm up for giving the arcade version of Gain Ground a try. It's something different at least, and hopefully a sign of more to come.
@Stocksy Apparently individual: https://twitter.com/Stealth___/status/985491513021992961
Which is MUCH better, IMO. Gives chance for more titles to be released. Bundles always miss out the best games and trot out the same ones we've seen in every collection so far. Apparently Saturn and Dreamcast titles will be included too, which is huge news as far as I'm concerned!
@SegaBlueSky I am not on Twitter but after reading that Tweet in regards to adding Saturn and Dreamcast games on the Switch in the future this is most certainly massive news.
@Pahvi True, that was phrased wrong. I've edited.
Are these going to be €6.99 each?
Wouldn't pay more than €2 for master system and megadrive games.
@SegaBlueSky Id rather it launch with a good value bundle - especially as xbox and ps4 are getting a collection....
For the love of Dreamcast, put Skies of Arcadia on Switch, PLEASE!
@Pahvi SEGA did make Arcade games too.
Surely these should be released as a collection, rather than individually.
I’m surprised people are enthusiastic about this rip off. I get it- they’re old Sega games, and people like them. But selling such outdated titles as individual games to a modern audience seems opportunistic and greedy to me. Nintendo can barely get away with it, but Sega? Nope.
How about you go and get to work on some new games that are actually good, Sega?
@Stocksy PS4 and XBO are getting a Mega Drive/Genesis collection, which is exactly what I was talking about. A bunch of games everyone has seen released on every console generation. Sega Ages offers a better selection and individual is the best way to do this as they'll be released over time depending on how it all evolves.
@HappyMaskedGuy @Stocksy You know, SEGA often put the 3D Classic line on offer for as low as £2 each sometimes, plus released physical collections in Japan (With 1 making it outside of Japan.). If the options/prices are not appealing, maybe wait for your desired price/option?
These are gonna be much better than some crappy compilation, there's no shortage of those, you can go buy one now. Actual retro game fans are getting something cool and all I see is people crapping all over it because they want thirty games they'll never play for ten bucks.
@HappyMaskedGuy They're being ported individually as an ongoing project. Maybe there'll be a collection one day, I guess? But as a die-hard Sega fan this is the way I'd prefer to get them, especially if it means we get more interesting games from the Saturn/Dreamcast era, which don't get ported very often.
@SegaBlueSky Oh yeah don't get me wrong Im all for the dreamcast games when they arrive and a more diverse bunch of games... but I would also like the megadrive collection at a bundle price and not pay individually...
@Angelic_Lapras_King Yeah I think I'll have to do that as I cant justify buying the same games for the 5/6/7 time at a high price...
Just a shame as that collection would be perfect on switch...
The dreamcast games will be awesome mind you
@Stocksy this is not a megadrive collection, it's SEGA AGES! I'd be shocked if you don't have three systems in your house that don't already have [removed] all in one basic emulation megadrive crap collections. Go play one of those and let fans of SEGA have something nice for a change.
@Stocksy Yeah I can totally get that too. A lot rests on the quality of the emulation and the selection of titles!
If they don't release Golden axe this time I'm going to take a trip to their hq and give them marshmallows.
Mod: please watch the taste of your comments.
Shenmuuuuuue please. Power Stone would be great, but don't think it was a Sega game, just happened to be on the Dreamcast.
Gensis has a lot of good games I'd be interested. But I know almost nothing about Master System. I didn't even know it existed until like 2009. lol
"Virtua Fighter 2? Sega Rally? Panzer Dragoon Saga? Shining Force III? Skies of Arcadia? Sonic Adventure?"
Yes, please.
(...even though I have all of those games in my house and could play them at any time if I wasn't incredibly lazy.)
It is so weird to me to see Stealth used as a source. Nothing against the guy, just a history. Does he actually work in the industry now?
@jcurls not sure why you have such an aggressive attitude to my comments. You are yet to see how these play or how ages will work yet seem to think they will put the collection to shame - we will see.
I’ll be delighted to see Dreamcast games and rarer games but nothing yet suggests that the first batch will offer more than the new collection will.
Damn! I was making a killer Sega List of games and the webpage reset and lost the whole list!!
@Bod2019 Hope to see Shenmue on that list and its sequel. Power Stone was made by Capcom and made a sequel on the Dreamcast.
Alex Kidd! So many memories it was preloaded on to my master system console. It may tempt me 😀
PSO ep 1&2 please...
@SegaBlueSky Glad to see someone gets this.
I have no issues with the Sega Genesis Collection and think it belongs on the Switch as well, but this M2 program is so much more exciting to me.
Crazy Taxi! If this appears my husband will lose his tiny mind!!
Yawn, those games have been released 1000000 times already on other consoles. I'd rather M2 focused on games that hardly got a release like Pulseman, Wily Wars etc etc.
WOW LETS BUY SONIC 1 for the 100th time. WOOOOOOOOOOSH.
I love to see Sega Rally Championship and Sega Rally 2. Where's Daytona USA 2? It never had a console release and I'd be driving on Forest Dome/Astro Waterfall Speedway (Beginner course) for loads of hours with fantastic music. Crazy Taxi will be a nice addition in the hopes they have music from Bad Religion and The Offspring.
Not too excited by the Megadrive games, but Saturn and Dreamcast?!!
Panzer Dragoon Saga on the go would be amazing, but also the Dreamcast versions of Soul Reaver, Soul Calibur, Skies of Arcadia or aaaaaanything by Capcom...
Outrun Series
Afterburner 1/2
Alien Syndrome
Space Harrier
Sega Rally Championship
Daytona USA
Crazy Taxi 1/2
Panzer Saga Series
Teddy Boy
World Series Baseball Franchise
Golden Axe Series
Streets of Rage Series
Virtua Tennis
Virtua Fighter Series
Virtua Cop 1/2
Virtua Racing
Sega GT
Nights into Dreams
House of the Dead Series
Vectorman 1&2
Toe Jam & Earl 1&2
Action Fighter
Beyond Oasis
Dark Savior
Ecco the Dolphin Series
Bug/Bug Too!
GP Rider
Enduro Racer
Sonic Adventure 1/2
Sonic Genesis Series
Astro Warrior
Astal
Power Drift
Phantasy Star Series
Shining Force Series
Fantasy Zone 1/2
Quartet
Thunder Blade
Three Dirty Dwarves
Zaxxon/Super Zaxxon
Congo Bongo
Galaxy Force
Carnival
Thunder Force/Lightning Force
Altered Beast
Kid Chameleon
Crazy Taxi 3- High Roller
Castle Of Illusion/Quackshot
Elemental Master
Jewel Master
Truxton
Space Channel 5
Sonic R
Monaco GP
SHINOBI Series
Ristar
Comix Zone
Alex Kidd Enchanted Castle
Columns
Toy Commander
There!! That’s off the top of my head while watching the sports highlights!! I’m sure I missed a few dozen easy!! 😃😆
I would take a single download version of a game ported by the masters at M2 over a hastily put together compilation any day. I own a few compilations and you only ever end up playing around 50% of the games. Being able to choose your favourites is preferable to me anyway. The Saturn and Dreamcast news is the best news this weekend by far. Skies of Arcadia, NiGHTS, Panzer Dragoon, the Virtual games (although to have the arcade versions would be incredible), Crazy Taxi, Power Stone. There are so many good games to wish for.
I'm all in for the best versions of retro ports, but part of me feels like this means there'll be no Virtual Console on the Switch now. Maybe Nintendo just couldn't justify charging us yet again for games we've bought through VC three times already, and as there'd be no money in it for them they've just ditched it and will be giving us the same old classics through their online subscription service. Therefore, other developers are forced into releasing enhanced ports (Sega/NeoGeo) or collections (Street Fighter/SNK/Mega Man).
@Angelic_Lapras_King They still do. XD
I’ll buy the Sega megadrive collection on my PS4 to cover most the megadrive games. I’ll buy any individual Saturn or Dreamcast games that get released but I refuse to buy any game on that megadrive collection individually as on that side we are being ripped off
@YamAsereht Wouldn't the Wily Wars be Capcom's thing?
@Steevil I think the code to Panzer Dragoon Saga has been lost, so unless it is completely built from scratch it'd be quite unlikely to see it on Switch. Though I reckon M2 are certainly up to the mammoth task.
So... These are individual releases?
But they are paid? Even though the mobile versions of "Ages" are free with ads?
Why isn't the Mega Drive compilation that's coming to PC/PS4 coming to switch?
What a mess.
Why are people saying Saturn and Dreamcast games are coming to the Switch? Did Sega say this in a tweet or something?
Skies of Arcadia and Panzer Saga would do me just fine please.
@readyletsgo Yep, Sega state it in the source article, though it's in Japanese.
bring on the dreamcast classics.
nintendo
make gamecube games available on the nintendo switsc please!
start with metroid prime
Sega Rally is license heavy. I hope it comes out, but I'm not holding my breath.
Whilst collections tend to be good value for money I tend to not get much out of it as I tend to only be interested in less than half of the included games.
The Saturn and Dreamcast have a tonne of arcade style and shm’ups that never released outside of the system or even out of Japan. Also Technosoft is now owned by Sega so how about that Hyper Duel Sega??? Don’t want to pay £400-£500 for a copy.
Nice.
I can`t wait to play Dreamcast games! I do wish they would bring Yakuza to the Switch, though...
@jcurls Mind your language!
Wait..... Saturn and DC games? If true, that’s just put a whole new spin on this for me.
Burning rangers and the panzer dragoon Saturn trilogy will do very nicely please Sega 😀
@Jack_Goetz cool!!! Thanks
@ADistantFuture45 Yes, Those were the best Dreamcast games. Those and Skies of Arcadia and Soul Calibur. Man if all the Switch had was a massive Sega collection the system would be worth it just for that!
@Stocksy Going by M2's previous work I think we can all safely assume these ports will play better than they ever have. 'Ports' being the key word here. These are not just going to be a ROM dump running on an emulator. When it comes to porting old games M2 are the best in the business. Sega have already revealed some of the extras each game will include.
"For Sonic the Hedgehog, it was announced that elements from the 3DS version will be included, such as the added Spin Dash. Also, it’ll come with the Mega Play arcade version.
For Thunder Force IV, Styx Mode from the SEGA Saturn edition is in. Online leaderboards will also be supported.
With Phantasy Star, M2 is bringing over the added features from Phantasy Star Collection. You’ll be able to change the walk speed, difficulty, and more."
Cool I can skip the first 15 now and wait for the Saturn and Dreamcast games, these are the big news for me with so many great titles across the 2 consoles many of which have been marooned there. So here's hoping for some Panzer Dragoon Saga, Panzer Dragoon Zwei, Skies of Arcadia, Virtua Fighter 2 and 3, Shining Force 3 (all of it), Sonic R (I quite liked this). There'll be many more and they're likely listed here and I can't wait to see what they will bring us. Frankly in the late 90's Sega was constantly pushing out greater games than anybody else, it's just a shame not many were buying the hardware to play them on.
However let's be honest, the jewel in the crown for this collection would be Panzer Dragoon Saga if it came out
@durrdevil This is not the same as the mobile versions. Those go under the Sega Forever banner and are running on an emulator. The ones coming to Switch are ports with enhancements by the retro port masters M2.
Panzer dragoon saga
Shining force 3
Shining the holy ark
Story of Thor 2
Skies of Arcadia
Please!
@Joe-b Skies of Arcadia is one Dreamcast game I haven't played but there is a demand for it and this is one game that should be included. Soul Calibur would be another one to add but that's up to Bandai Namco. Fingers crossed for Skies of Arcadia and more Dreamcast classics to come.
Pander Dragon saga would be amazing cos I don't have a spare 200 quid or whatever it's now worth.
@jcurls
This.
If people want a bunch a games they're never gonna play badly emulated there's those plug and at mega drives are often as low as the price that a collection would be anyway.
Poor Alex Kidd. I still remember the pre-Sonic days. I had the NES back then but my friend had the Sega with the built-in Alex Kidd in Miracle World game. We used to always say to each other “Mario seems to be Nintendo’s mascot, so Alex Kidd is probably Sega’s mascot”. Then Sonic came along and the world slowly seemed to forget about Alex Kidd.. Shame on you Sonic! 😡😄
Yes I love this offering, more Sega goodness outside the Genesis offerings would be sweet. Having an arcade perfect port of Virtua Fighter 2 & 3 would be a blessing to me, even better the true original versions of Shenmue 1 & 2.
I hope Treasure are onboard (we already had 3D Gunstar Heroes on 3DS). I am hoping for Saturn Radiant Silvergun, never played it, I could never bring myself to pay +£100 on eBay for it, but i’ve heard good things about it
@ADistantFuture45 And here I thought I was the only person in existance who was excited for Gain Ground on the Switch.
Sonic Mania fixes all my Sonic needs for the time being
Golden Axe 1/2/3 Arcade + Streets of Rage 2 would be amazing to have on Switch for solo or duo action!
I'm actually glad now that the Genesis Classics Collection isn't coming to Switch. We don't need it if we're getting games from every major SEGA console!
I have a feeling the so-called Dreamcast releases will be the ones ported to smartphones like Crazy Taxi and Virtua Tennis.
BUT if we are talking Sonic Adventure and the like, sign me up!
I'd like to see Virtua Fighter 3: Team Battle, Sega Rally, Daytona U.S.A, and Skies of Arcadia on Switch.
@RyanSilberman I don't know about Crazy Taxi on smart phones, but CT on DC was awesome.
@Koudai1979 It isnt that the smartphone ports were bad, but it seems more likely they're just going to use those same games like they did with SEGA Forever rather than deliver titles that havent gotten a similar treatment.
@RadoGoji Glad to see another person who likes the game. I was expecting myself to be alone on it but I guess someone has a sharp mind on deploying the right character into battle. What got you interested in it?
Skies of Arcadia I'd want. Though I'd prefer Legends, but y'know... Gamecube VC.....
Virtual On please! I've also always wanted to play the Saturn Panzer Dragoon games (I've only played Orta on Xbox) and Burning Rangers. Saturn was one of the few consoles I never had and those always piqued my interest. ToeJam and Earl would be an instant buy for me as well, it is perfect for the Switch.
Oh such memories wth Alex Kidd back in the days on the Master system, was so happy i beat the game even though i had no idea what it was all about (didn't learn english yet)
I still don't know how i got the idea to try and for Alex inside the Octopus jar, cutting it's tentacle one ball a time was tricky then after the last punch on it's face i just wanted to go inside the remaining "bowl" and BOOM secret level, my mnd was melting with excitement
@ADistantFuture45 My friend and I discovered it on the old Sega Genesis Collection on PS2. We weren't very good at it, but it was still fun.
@RadoGoji Used to own a Six-in-one pack including Gain Ground before AtGames got the hold of the Sega products. Discovered more from The Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection (Genesis Collection in the US). It's such a good game with music composed well from stages 1 and 3. Short but worth remembering. By memory I struggled more on stage 4 on the Mega Drive version.
Anything pre Mega Drive/Genesis doesn't really interest me, but the thought of Dreamcast and Saturn games coming back definitely does. I don't know how third party games will work but here's hoping for a return to Guardian Heroes and Dragon Force.
Would love Panzer Dragoon Saga but heard several times the source code is lost so dunno whether they will.
@Jack_Goetz Oh no! I didn't know that. I wonder if the game is good enough to warrant it, I heard great things, but the price of the game on eBay makes your eyes water!
The Only Saturn And Dreamcast Games I
Wanna See Is Daytona USA, Sonic R And
Sonic Adventure 1 + 2.
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