How did Ultimeate Mega Drive collection warrant 98%?

[DreamcastRIP]

At least the Euro/PAL release (UK version pictured)...



... wasn't pathetically branded as Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection along with amended box art for the North American release which when taken together kinda implies, imho, that Genesis/MD was all about Sonic plus some other games playing a distant second fiddle.





Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection > Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection!

[Lorfarius]

The weird thing is why Sega didn't have faith in their own system name. The Genesis did a ton of sales back in the day, competing with Nintendo like for like for years. All I can think is adding Sonic would mean it would also appeal to the modern day generation as they seem to buy any old Sonic tat.

[The Beans]

In light of what Sega are going to be charging for their Sega Ages Online series on XBLA the Ultimate Megadrive Collection easily earns it's high review rating on value for money alone. And that would be true if it was a new release. It's a quality collection with lots of bonus material and looking at Sega's current valuation of their IP we do seem to have got it at a bargain price back then. I'm amazed we got it at all really, since Sega now believe an arcade rom and a couple of Megadrive roms put up on XBLA as a pack can hit us for 800pts.

[DreamcastRIP]

The weird thing is why Sega didn't have faith in their own system name. The Genesis did a ton of sales back in the day, competing with Nintendo like for like for years. All I can think is adding Sonic would mean it would also appeal to the modern day generation as they seem to buy any old Sonic tat.

"... like for like"? Afaik, SNES only matched the lifetime sales of Genesis very late in the day. Therefore for the bulk of the consoles' main commercial lifetime it was the Genesis that had achieved the highest total sales. Semantics? Maybe! I guess the way you phrased it just rankled as it kinda intimated Sega's achievement with Genesis was merely to 'compete' with Nintendo when in fact they did a hell of a lot better than that. More so, perhaps, when one considers they more than humbled a previously dominant company who had achieved over 80% market share with their previous console, the NES, afaik.

Aaaaanyway... , there may be several reasons they went with the Sonic branding for the North American release. I highly doubt it would be due to a lack of faith in the Genesis name though. More a case of, as you say, the huge brand recognition Sonic still has to this day despite the numerous missteps along the way. As for the disparaging "... any old Sonic tat" cheap shot, well I hardly think that's wholly justified. Unless of course you consider more recent Sonic titles including Sonic Colours and Sonic Generations to be "tat" that is.

[The Laird]

"... like for like"? Afaik, SNES only matched the lifetime sales of Genesis very late in the day. Therefore for the bulk of the consoles' main commercial lifetime it was the Genesis that had achieved the highest total sales. Semantics? Maybe! I guess the way you phrased it just rankled as it kinda intimated Sega's achievement with Genesis was merely to 'compete' with Nintendo when in fact they did a hell of a lot better than that. More so, perhaps, when one considers they more than humbled a previously dominant company who had achieved over 80% market share with their previous console, the NES, afaik.

You need to bare in mind that these figures DO NOT include the Tec Toy Megadrive either (still being sold) as those figures have never been released.

[DreamcastRIP]

"... like for like"? Afaik, SNES only matched the lifetime sales of Genesis very late in the day. Therefore for the bulk of the consoles' main commercial lifetime it was the Genesis that had achieved the highest total sales. Semantics? Maybe! I guess the way you phrased it just rankled as it kinda intimated Sega's achievement with Genesis was merely to 'compete' with Nintendo when in fact they did a hell of a lot better than that. More so, perhaps, when one considers they more than humbled a previously dominant company who had achieved over 80% market share with their previous console, the NES, afaik.

You need to bare in mind that these figures DO NOT include the Tec Toy Megadrive either (still being sold) as those figures have never been released.

It's also seems quite difficult to obtain reliable sales figures. One site seems to have one set of figures and another site has different figures. Grrr!

[HEAVYface]

because it was an ace retro game compilation, being rated in a magazine dedicated to retro gaming?

the score is irrelevant....it indicates its a must buy for the sort of people who hang out on this forum?

still, shame it didn't have revenge of shinobi and shadow dancer on the disc....if you want to critisize it i'd agree with that.

but it did have the arcade versions space harrier and alien syndrome. swings and roundabouts.

[lavalyte]

Really?

How can a game with no online leaderboards, or co-op play gain 98%?

Then we have to go into how no Pal artwork was included which is just cost-cutting.

Some of the games on there may be some of the best the Mega Drive has, but on a modern console these games need to have modern functionality, and for this game to score 98% you've kind of got to question the reviewers marks. I know, some of these game on here are near 100%, but even so when I play Ultimate Mega Drie collection, I'm just playing Mame, with a new skin.

Hardly 98%

I don't think it's unreasonable to say that all those involved... the writers, publisher and readers... should be round up and boiled down for soap.

[jdanddiet]

How lovely.

[Japster]

modern day gaming is centered around an online experience

... for some people.

...Not me! I'm not online, although I may as some stage. My gaming is based around relaxing after work, on a rainy weekend day, and any multiplayer gaming I prefer to play with people invited around for a gaming night.

Hear hear! - Now THAT is how I like my retro gaming too - Like-minded gamers in the same room, banter, beer, and peer respect for an amazing score or genius 'skillz', ie. like a great (or lucky! ) run on Warning Forever to crowd around and be mutually amazed at someone's inspired death-defying (or should that be delaying? ) performance... Partly why I'm building my own retro gaming den... Niiiiice!

Oh, and yeah, online I can take or leave - depends largely on the title/genre/experience - Forza, Halo, etc - GREAT, but this trend towards NEEDING online, and sometimes at the expense of any kind of decent, long, single-player fun/experience, really gets my goat, so no - online is NOT the primary motivating factor for the vast majority of my purchases...

...and *deffo* MORE classic titles in a compilation, with a few extras, then the other way around....

My four penn'eth...

PS - I can't help thinking there's a bit of mischievous 'poking a hornets' nest' side to starting this topic, but maybe that's my ever-cynical troll radar going off, plus this is proving kinda fun to watch/add to! heh heh...

[Elgin_McQueen]

This could be resolved over a nice game of Jet Set Willy online. Is that still going? It was fun for a while!

[kiwimike]

...Not me! I'm not online, although I may as some stage. My gaming is based around relaxing after work, on a rainy weekend day, and any multiplayer gaming I prefer to play with people invited around for a gaming night.

Hear hear! - Now THAT is how I like my retro gaming too - Like-minded gamers in the same room, banter, beer, and peer respect for an amazing score or genius 'skillz', ie. like a great (or lucky! ) run on Warning Forever to crowd around and be mutually amazed at someone's inspired death-defying (or should that be delaying? ) performance... Partly why I'm building my own retro gaming den... Niiiiice!

Oh, and yeah, online I can take or leave - depends largely on the title/genre/experience - Forza, Halo, etc - GREAT, but this trend towards NEEDING online, and sometimes at the expense of any kind of decent, long, single-player fun/experience, really gets my goat, so no - online is NOT the primary motivating factor for the vast majority of my purchases...

...and *deffo* MORE classic titles in a compilation, with a few extras, then the other way around....

My four penn'eth...

PS - I can't help thinking there's a bit of mischievous 'poking a hornets' nest' side to starting this topic, but maybe that's my ever-cynical troll radar going off, plus this is proving kinda fun to watch/add to! heh heh...

Amen brother, on all counts!