Sega Mega Drive Classics Hits Switch On 6th December, Physical And Digital Versions On The Way

Bring it on. This and Smash for December.

Very nice, I probably would've bought this if I didn't have it on PC already.

Well done SEGA, releasing this the day before Smash! I bet this will do well

My two most anticipated Switch games releasing on the same day in North America? Sign me up, please!

I'm all over it.

This and Smash are Christmas presents to myself. If I can put down Dark Souls by then!

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles please!

Physical copy day one baby!

I heard the Atari Flashback Collection is 11/5!! Wow Sega, Nintendo and Atari classics on the same system???? Somebody pinch me!! 😃

Will Sega ever release a compilation with Soleil on it? My favourite Mega Drive game and more than a match for Zelda

I usually buy physical but most of my retro games are downloads, so that’s probably the way I’ll go for a collection like this. Unless it’s quite expensive on the e shop(s).

DAY ONE! Phantasy Star IV let's do this.

@subpopz Hey look, a company dumping a bunch of buggy classic titles with broken online multiplayer all at once instead of trickling them out over months.
Sega does what Nintendon't.

Fixed it for ya. Seriously though sucks Nintendo is slow but least what I've played so far with the NES Online its been pretty bug free (though I hear I'm quite lucky with it). What's so hard with these games getting any kind of decent netcode?

Even though I have the majority of them on steam I will double dip on this solely for portability with buttons (unlike smartphone emulation). If the 6th of Dec for Europe I might wait till the 7th to pick it up when I go and get my copy of smash pros.

@BlueOcean I am refusing to by any Sonic games on the Switch until S3&K is released. Just switch out the music with MJ contributions if you have to if that's the issue. It's ridiculous how many times the other Genesis Sonic games have been released in recent years, but I don't think S3&K has seen a release since it was put on Steam.

But I played these 25 years ago lol

Nice, going physical and digital is a smart choice. Too bad other third parties can't do the same with their classic releases (cough) Capcom (cough).

@Claude Exactly. I don't care about two MJ's tunes at this point, I just want a remaster of the best Sonic game ever. I don't know about the Steam version but the 360 version is quite bad and the user interface is really awful. I won't buy this collection on any platform if it doesn't get Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Or just make a remaster like the excellent Sonic CD remaster!

Does this include the Wonder Boy games?

The official list of games this article links to doesn't have them, but the Amazon listing for this collection does.

I’ll def be getting this. Been quite some years since I’ve played some of these.

I wasn't interested in the recollection at first. Then the number 50 caught my eye immediately.

At some point, Sega needs to be comprehensive about getting more of their Genesis/MD-era IPs into these collections (not going to mention 3rd party stuff at all, for obvious reasons).

Even without S3&K, there's still way too much they keep passing up :

-Jewel Master
-Pulseman
-ThunderForce 2, 3, and 4 (and yeah, 4 is a Sega Ages release, but it would keep things mostly comprehensive, since Sega owns TechnoSoft's IPs now)
-Elemental Master
-Super Monaco GP
-Arrow Flash
-Ranger X
-G-LOC
-Mystic Defender (assuming enough of the license has been stripped out that it wouldn't cost them)

And really, even just adding those would make it feel like there wouldn't be any huge glaring holes.

@subpopz Aren't they technically doing both with the SEGA Ages line?

SEGA does what nintendoesn't and also does.

Any idea if Knuckles 1, 2 & 3 will be on it ???
(I say S&K 2 separately from S&K 3, because When S2 was joined with K1, it had totally different levels than when joined with S3)

@RadioHedgeFund That game was an absolute jem!Glad to see someone else that remembers and loved it. Its sad that game has been left out in the cold.

Brilliant! I've really been looking forward to this announcement. I'm going to be drowning in Phantasy Star goodness soon!

Also: portable Toejam and Earl.

The hype is real!

@AlexSora89 yeah, and the fact that it will be portable on the Switch is all the sweeter.

Easy yes decision on that one.

This sounds fantastic. Can't wait to play these classics on my Switch!

I guess the news here is the date. The physical edition has been listed in Amazon for some time already. And the price: Sega can be a lot of things, but doesn't make us pay the Switch tax, its games on Switch cost the same as in other systems. This collection won't be different. 26,99 euros on Amazon for instance.

They don't mention, though, if Switch version comes with the poster like Xbox One and PS4 versions.

What will make me buy one version or another, though, is the achievements part. How do they implement those in a system that doesn't have a place to share achievements? They only make sense if sharing is an option. If not, I'll buy the Xbox One version.

Anyone knows if this collection contains box art and instruction booklets for games? Any specific extras?

I remember the Sega Genesis collection on the PSP some time ago, which had box art, along with facts and information about each game, plus sometimes even video interviews with the team members involved in a game's creation. I thought this made the collection particularly relevant, from a historical point of view. Having access to all these things made me better appreciate each game in the package.

Would be nice to have similar features here.

But even without, that is a day-1 buy for me. Still undecided though if I should get it physical or download.

Wow. This is going to be awesome. Considering that I'm still a bit of a student to Genesis games (I've played some, dabbled in others), this will be an unbelievable thing to have and immerse myself in. Before I'm done on Switch, I plan to have this and the SNK collection. I think I may just be able to die happy after this.

@ryancraddock

That sucks, but thank you for clarifying.

Was there not enough room for all of the games in the PS4 and Xbone version so they just cut the last 2 games alphabetically? Because there's a lot of games I would have cut before the Wonder Boy ones.

@RushDawg Maybe it's because the Wonder Boy remake did so well they want people to buy that on Switch instead? Seems to only be on Steam and Switch (I think)

I'd rather pick up the individual Sega Ages games, personally. But I'd consider getting it on sale, maybe.

@RushDawg I blame Wonderboy transforming into Adventure Island on Nintendo consoles. 😆

Well, this helps make up for the now cancelled pre-order for the PlayStation Classic Mini.

This on PS4/XB1 suffered poor emulation. Nothing to believe this port will be any different. Granted, the more 'casual' which clearly this is aimed at will unlikely notice any irregularities, I however will stick with M2 for any Sega ports.

I noticed that the steam version has international version for games with major changes. I'm rather hoping this version will feature that as well, since there are some major changes in Dynamite Headdy and Streets of Rage 3/Bare Knuckle 3 (and who knows which other ones).

@Shufty Wonder Boy The Dragon's Trap is available on Xbox One, PS4 and PC too.

Definitely pick this up over Christmas then

@ryancraddock

Licensing issue seems unlikely, since the Wonder Boy games were included in the collection on the PS4 and Xbone earlier this year.

@RushDawg True and also both Xbox One and PS4 got The Dragon's Trap. Why the Switch version doesn't have the Wonder Boy games? I can't think of any logical answer.

@joey302 don't forget snk 40 Ann classic in November too.

I'd definitely wait until we get a verdict on the performance.

@BlueOcean then I have no idea ☺

I would have loved James Pond 3 to have been included on this, i have happy memories of playing that in my youth

@ekwcll oh yea that’s a day 1 too! 🤣

i have this pre ordered and looking forward to it

Sega does what Nintendo doesn't. I'd LOVE to see a SNES, N64 etc. collection for the Switch..

Awesome will definitely be downloading this!

@kemosabii

YAAAS PHANTASY STAR IV

.....I loved to set those macros to get combos D:

Also I have this for PS2 (it's the same collection right?) so I don't think I'll buy it for other system but still it's great to have this possibility on Switch.

I’ll be pretty busy with my Switch in December 6, but this is definitely going on the ol’ eShop wishlist. ...I have 40+ games on there already, heh.

I'm interested to see how well the games run online. Streets of Rage 1-3, Gunstar Heroes and Golden Axe would be ace to play online. I've also been meaning to replay Shining Force II and I also recommend Phantasy Star IV (if you can handle the random encounter rate in the latter. It's really bad even by 90s JRPG standards.)

@subpopz and if they fit it all on one Cart...take note Capcom

I hope SEGA went Bonanza over this! (Fingers crossed.)

@BensonUii I have this on PS4, the emulation ain’t the best but I can deal with it. Streets of Rage 3 sound effects is pretty off though. And the online play... garbage. I do enjoy the collection of games and I’m definitely thinking about getting this for Switch. Can’t really speak for the Sega Ages games on Switch, but the ones I have on 3DS turned out great.

Think I'll buy this. The instant rewind feature is always a plus for me, especially for a game like Dynamite Heddy.

Ugh, a collection of awesome Sega games, but with enormous amounts of input lag and awful sound quality and distortions Look at the reviews on Steam and PS4, just don't bother..

@ballistic90
It's basically the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Classic Mini, only inside a Switch. A concept that has "awesome" written all over it.

Let Sega show Capcom, Activision, Nintendo, and Konami how to do a proper collection. Everything must be on the cartridge, everything can also be digital and for a fair price.

Was hoping that we’d eventually get SNES and NES classic games like this, physical copies too but it is quite clear that Nintendo will trickle out SNES games eventually through the subscription - hope they don’t make us wait another couple years. They managed to really milk the Virtual Console releases - would love to play online co-op on SNES titles. I’ve had a blast playing NES games with some friend online - Super Mario Bros 3 was a joy with online turn taking.

Day one cartridge buy. Couldn't care less about smash Bros, but totally pumped for Sega collection.

Ill get this to have a quick collection but I will be buying AGES games as well.

I bought a physical version for Xbox and I loved it. I'm a huge fan of the Shining Force series so this collection was a must own for me. I'll probably double dip and get this digitally for my Switch. The thought of having a collection like this wherever I go is very appealing. It's reasonably priced, too!

I will be trading in my PS4 version toward this just because I need Streets of Rage on the go. Also low-key hoping they iron out some of the bad emulation from the PS4 version like the stuttering music and slowdown.

I will never understand how the PS3 Sega Collection ran leagues better than this one on PS4. AND it had Sonic 3 & Knuckles. But no Toejam and Earl so it balances out I suppose.

Sega comes forward and just like that, puts Nintendo's year and a half "effort" of VC to shame...

Day 1 buy, of course.

Luckily Nintendo's NES emulation is a million times better than this lazy - just throw 'em in a wrapper and see if it works - crap.

@DrScottnik Very different beasts.

@BlueOcean @rushdawg @shufty Hrmm I wonder if it is wanting to limit the size of the game card for cost purposes...? If the size of the download is close to a card size threshold (1GB, 2GB presumably), then that would pretty much confirm this. Seems unlikely though... surely?

Also, even if that was true, then couldn't they make the extra missing games a free digital download on the eShop for anyone that owns the base game? Maybe they'll do this anyway, at a later date?

It's a really weird decision...

Only other thing I can think of is if the new Wonderboy games sold the best on Switch (I vaguely remember reading something about this...). I know they've done pretty well on Switch anyway, and with the portability / indie focus on Switch it's not crazy to think it's stronger sales versus PS4 and XOne. So, perhaps it is the publisher that's wanting to prevent cannibalisation of the games?

Again though, if that's true, why not attach the games as a free download to the new Wonder Boy games in the eShop? If you own the new Wonderboy already, what reason is there to withhold the Mega Drive version?

All seems a bit silly if you ask me...

@nocdaes I agree. The funny thing is that Master System and Mega Drive ROMs are tiny by today's standards.