We’ve been talking an awful lot about retro-based games as of late, especially with a new Atari system in the works, and new Atari 2600 and Sega Genesis systems making their way back to retail this fall. Then there’s the Sega Forever mobile release that promises free classics for play, even without the need of hardware.
But there’s more where that came from. A whole lot of retro memories were created over the past few years, with the return of popular franchises, along with some repackaging of old-school favorites in new compilations, so people could enjoy their favorite games in one place, without needing to drag out their system and hook it up to play them.
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That said, we’ve seen a lot of great compilations over the years, so we thought we’d pay tribute to the best ones on the market right now. Some are readily available; others will require a bit of searching on eBay and retro stores to pick up. But we assure you that all of these collections are worth the money, if only to relive the simplistic old-school days of gaming. Now we need to play Moon Patrol again…
Namco Museum (PlayStation)
We’ve seen our fair share of Namco Museum collections over the years, but the original PlayStation saga really covers it best, as you get five games’ worth of Namco goodies from the old-school days. Not only does this compilation feature older favorites like Pac-Man, Dig-Dug and Galaga, but it also includes more rare titles such as Ordyne, The Tower of Druaga and Assault, which really helped Namco build its reputation in back in the 80’s and early 90’s. If you prefer a more modern collection, though, you’ll get one, as Namco Museum is coming to Nintendo Switch sometime this year – complete with Rolling Thunder 2 and Splatterhouse!
Midway Arcade Treasures 3 (GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox)
Before it went on to release Midway Arcade Origins for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 – which is a fairly good value in its own right – the pubisher released a series of Midway Arcade Treasures games for older systems. Perhaps our favorite, though, is part three, which focuses heavily on the company’s racing line-up, including not one but two Rush games (including 2049!), as well as Hydro Thunder, the classic three-player Super Off Road, and a handful of others. Sure, Arcade Treasures II had the Mortal Kombat games and Primal Rage, and is worth picking up. But, if we had our choice, we’d be racing down the streets of San Francisco with ease.
Mega Man X Collection (PlayStation 2, GameCube)
We’re seeing a lot more Mega Man-based collections right now, including the forthcoming Legacy Collection 2, which should be a great title to go alongside the first one. But when is Mega Man X going to get its due? Well, it did back on the GameCube and PlayStation 2, with a collection that was worth being proud of, covering seven different games across a neat-looking compilation, with a handful of extras. A lot of people prefer the Blue Bomber’s original adventures, but for those craving something different, this is well worth hunting down.
Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
Even though fans have Ultra Street Fighter II on the Nintendo Switch to enjoy these days, we’d like to think that the Capcom fighting saga got its ultimate due during an older generation, when Street Fighter Anniversary Collection introduced a number of great fighting experiences for a fairly good price. Not only did we get all the Street Fighter II games, but we also got a bonus Street Fighter III title for good measure – and it made for some good fights on a Friday night. If Capcom were smart, it would give this title a re-release on the Xbox One/PlayStation 4 front. It’s time to fight again!
Oh, and Street Fighter Alpha Anthology for PlayStation 2 is awesome as well, especially if you love the series.
Capcom Arcade Cabinet (Xbox 360/Xbox One/PlayStation 3)
While Capcom is no stranger to old-school collections over the past few years, one particular favorite that stands out in our minds is its most recent one, Capcom Arcade Cabinet. Featuring a handful of the company’s favorites across several add-on packs, Cabinet represents the finer days of Capcom, and also provides the opportunity to compete against friends through leaderboard scoring, as well as unlocking a number of extras based on the history of each game. The Capcom Generations and Capcom Classics collections were more loaded with titles, but Arcade Cabinet is the most noteworthy with its features. Plus, you can play it on Xbox One!
Data East Arcade Classics (Nintendo Wii)
One of the rarest Nintendo Wii titles on the market right now pays loving tribute to one of the best arcade teams in the 80’s and 90’s – Data East! Majesco’s retro-based title is filled with a number of memorable favorites, like Bad Dudes, Two Crude, Burgertime, Heavy Barrel and countless others. What’s more, the games can be configured in a number of ways, and you can unlock a few extras as well. The only real downside to this compilation is that there’s no sign of the original Robocop arcade game…but no matter. If you can find it for cheap, it’s worth adding to your collection.
Gunblade N.Y. & L.A. Machine Guns: Arcade Hits (Nintendo Wii)
Some people believe that the House of the Dead collection for the Wii is the ultimate shoot-em-up experience to be ripped from Sega’s glory days in the arcade. But hang on a minute, because this Arcade Hits collection is far more valuable. While the games themselves are a bit on the short side, both Gunblade N.Y. and L.A. Machine Guns pack a punch with non-stop shooting action and faithful arcade translation to a home console. Not only that, but you can (ahem) shoot for high scores and put your name on the ranking board. It sure beats plowing dollar after dollar into the oversized arcade games.
Metroid Prime Trilogy (Nintendo Wii)
Everything’s coming up Metroid these days, with a new game on the way for the Nintendo Switch, and Samus Returns set to drop on the 3DS this September. But what better way to celebrate the legacy than with this awesome Wii collection, which packages together the three Metroid Prime games into one place? The collector’s edition is really something, including an art book and a special Steelbook case, which looks great on any game shelf. It’ll cost you a bit, though. That said, if you want a more reasonable option, you can download the full digital game to the Wii U for $20. Talk about a steal.
Sonic Jam (Sega Saturn)
Some people may argue that Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection is the best Sega-based compilation out there – and it is good, packed with a number of great games and unlockable goodies. But there’s something about Sonic Jam on the Sega Saturn that’s even more magical – the fact that you can run around a 3D world with Sonic and see what goodies are available to you. This menu interface, combined with a handful of the speedster’s best titles – make it an extraordinary addition to the Sega Saturn game library. Hunting down a copy will cost you an arm and a leg, but it’s well worth it for Sonic fans.
Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition/Kirby Dream Collection (Nintendo Wii)
Considering how close in nature both of these collections are for Wii, we decided to include them together. Both Super Mario All-Stars and Kirby Dream Collection are worthwhile to devoted fans, featuring a number of games from their respective series, along with a bonus CD with plenty of songs, and cool packaging that will let people know right off the bat that you’re a Nintendo lover at heart. They can be a bit costly – especially that All-Stars one, which is going for $50+ complete – but they’re a must for those of you that live and breathe everything Nintendo. We need re-releases of these for the Switch – stat.
Konami Arcade Classics (PlayStation)
Yes, there was actually a point in time where Konami was appreciative of its classics and treating its fans like the best people in the world. That time came with the PlayStation compilation Konami Arcade Classics, where we got a number of favorites in one convenient package, including Time Pilot, Gyruss, Kicker, Circus Charlie and a handful of others. This collection will stir up plenty of arcade-style memories, even though it’ll cost you at least around $40 or so to snag a decent copy for your PlayStation. It’s well worth it, though, especially if you’re looking to remember Konami from its glory days.
Activision Anthology (PlayStation 2)
Another great collection that got an incredible treatment when it came to revisiting a long lost era in gaming is Activision Anthology, which includes a number of great hits from the company’s Atari 2600 era – along with a few Imagic titles thrown in for good measure. The emulation on these games is superb, and the extras you can unlock – including a bunch of digital patches – is incredible. On top of that, Activision recreated the era of the 80’s within the game, complete with a bedroom gaming set-up and a number of tunes from Blondie, Squeeze and Talk Talk. Get out your pet rock, because it’s the 80’s again!
Metal Slug Anthology (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, Wii)
SNK released a number of great collections back in the day, including a Samurai Shodown Anthology that we still absolutely love. However, the best has to be Metal Slug, which covers pretty much almost the entire saga of side-scrolling shooters that we’ve come to love on the Neo-Geo over the past few years. The games have gotten proper treatment in this collection, and the extras are very cool as well, really fitting right at home with Slug fans. Best of all, if you don’t have a PlayStation 2, no worries – this game was recently given a digital re-release on PlayStation 4, going for $20. Well worth it!
Atari Flashback Classics Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Last but certainly not least, if you’re looking to relive the heyday of Atari and don’t necessarily feel like waiting for the company’s new console, you can do the next best thing, and snag these two compilations for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Each of the Atari Flashback games are loaded with memories from the 70’s and 80’s, with various Atari 2600 and arcade titles to choose from, reproduced in loving form by devoted developers. On top of that, the collections are rather cheap, going for $20 each – or less, in some places. It’s worth it just to blast your way through Asteroids and Red Baron again.
