RB Community List: 30 Best Retro Gaming Compilations

[Ack]

I guess nobody likes text adventure games.

Is this Mac also? Is it freeware/public domain at all now? I like this for our PC section a good bit.

Yes, it was released for DOS and Macintosh, though I do not know if it is freeware now. I know that two Infocom titles were not included due to licensing issues, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Shogun.

[retrosportsgamer]

Anyone want to stump for Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PS2)?

Some nice bonus games and special hidden stuff included there. I've never played it myself.

[isiolia]

Yes, it was released for DOS and Macintosh, though I do not know if it is freeware now. I know that two Infocom titles were not included due to licensing issues, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Shogun.

I don't believe so, though the games are easy enough to find for download, with engines to play them.

There was an iOS collection released a few years ago that offered a good chunk of those games (it has in-app purchasing for blocks of them).

Anyone want to stump for Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PS2)?

Some nice bonus games and special hidden stuff included there. I've never played it myself.

I have it, but haven't played it much either. It does seem to be a nice package of those games. Anniversary Collection is also a worthwhile mention, since although it's only technically got two games, Hyper Street Fighter II lets you mix and match a lot of different versions of the characters. It's kind of like an "all version" version of Street Fighter II.
Plus then it has 3rd Strike.


There are a number of similar SNK collections, as jmbarnes (at least) has mentioned. Samurai Shodown Anthology, two volumes of Fatal Fury Battle Archives, Art of Fighting Anthology, and World Heroes Anthology.
King of Fighters got several releases for PS2, but I think only the first one (Orochi Saga) collected more than two games.


Technically I guess the Neo Geo X game list could count.

Included games:

3 Count Bout
Alpha Mission II
Art of Fighting
Baseball Stars 2
Cyber-Lip
Fatal Fury
Fatal Fury Special
The King of Fighters '95
King of the Monsters
Last Resort
League Bowling
Magician Lord
Metal Slug
Mutation Nation
NAM-1975
Puzzled
Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
Samurai Shodown II
Super Sidekicks
World Heroes Perfect
plus
Ninja Masters with the Gold Edition

Mega Pack 1 (or split between 5 collections)

Metal Slug 2
Sengoku
Top Hunter

Samurai Shodown III
Savage Reign
Super Sidekicks 3

The King of Fighters '96
Blazing Star
Kizuna Encounter

Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Shock Troopers
World Heroes 2 Jet

The Last Blade
Blue's Journey
Art of Fighting 3

...though, it has both shot up in price, and including that might also mean including things like the numerous Genesis or Atari clones with built in games.

[retrosportsgamer]

Neo Geo X falls into the NES classic category - maybe a footnote but not a compilation release per se.

Definitely worth noting if the quality warrants it (as compared to awful Sega clones).

[retrosportsgamer]

I did a search for "collection" in my RFgen profile and came up with 43 so I have some other ideas coming later today.

[dsheinem]

Collections have always been something of a specialty for me, too - and (with apologies to rsg's request for one per post), I want to suggest briefly several more that should be included but that I don't see in the OP. I know some of these got PC releases, but for the the list I am only including console stuff. With a few exceptions, I am not including compilations that only collects 2-3 games. I have put a * by those that I think bear strong consideration for the Top 30

SNK Compilations
*SNK Arcade Classics Vol 0 (PSP) - Great collection of pre Neo-Geo games (but JPN only)
*Samurai Shodown Anthology (Wii, PS2) - Wii version is better, but both collect the first six Samurai Shodown games
Fatal Fury Battle Archives (PS2) - Seven Fatal Fury games/iterations across two discs
Art of Fighting Anthology (PS2) - Three AoF Games, all tough as nails
*King of Fighters Orochi Saga (PS2) - Five KoF Games, all in a really nice package
World Heroes Anthology (PS2) - Not my favorite series, but this is 4 more SNK games in one collection

Sega Compilations
*Sega Classics Collection (PS2) - This is a nice selection of the sometimes great/sometimes horrible Japanese SEGA AGES releases. You could arguably do a whole separate article on these indicidual titles, as many of them were compilations in their own right (e.g. the Phantasy Star Collection)
*Sonic Mega Collection Plus (XBX, PS2) and Sonic Gems Collection (PS2, GCN) - Both of these together give you pretty much anything Sonic-related you might ever want that was published in the 1990s on any Sega console.
Sega Genesis Collection (PSP) - I'd include this because it is also playable on Vita, which is the only way to play this many Sega games on the go through an official release. Some stuff here was not on the Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, either.
Dreamcast Collection (Xbox 360) - Crazy Taxi, Bass Fishin', Sonic Adventure, and Space Channel 5 all in a nice collection. Not a bad way to get introduced to the DC.

Capcom Stuff
*Mega Man X Collection (PS2, GCN) - How is this not in the thread already? Mega Man X-X6 plus Battle & Chase all on one disc is a great set of titles
Mega Man Zero Collection (DS) - A great collection of all four Mega Man Zero games
Mega Man Legacy Collection (PS4, X1) - Mega Man 1-6, emulated better than previously.
*Mega Man Anniversary Collection (PS2) - Four more games than the Legacy collection with spottier emulation. Worth having both for fans of the series.
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PS2) - Five Alpha games, all running pretty well on the PS2

Other Console Stuff
Tecmo Classic Arcade (Xbox) - The only place to get these eleven Tecmo games, many of which are good, some of which are obscure
*Midway Arcade Treasures Vol 3. (PS2, ) - This one is unique from the others in that it focuses on racing games...most of these have not seen re-release in later Midway compilations

I'm happy to come back and suggest more later

[marurun]

I think in addition to the best collections, we might also want to highlight some historically important collections, like Super Mario All-Stars (despite the games being altered) and Sonic Jam (also slightly altered). They don't really trump anything newer in any way, but they are important at the time for setting precedent for bringing older games forward to newer platforms.

[strangenova]

Capcom Stuff
*Mega Man X Collection (PS2, GCN) - How is this not in the thread already? Mega Man X-X6 plus Battle & Chase all on one disc is a great set of titles
Mega Man Zero Collection (DS) - A great collection of all four Mega Man Zero games
Mega Man Legacy Collection (PS4, X1) - Mega Man 1-6, emulated better than previously.
*Mega Man Anniversary Collection (PS2) - Four more games than the Legacy collection with spottier emulation. Worth having both for fans of the series.
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PS2) - Five Alpha games, all running pretty well on the PS2

I mentioned the X collection but I also stated that the collection is more niche than most and lacks broad appeal. Same with the Zero collection. There was some debate a few pages ago about which one between Anniversary or Legacy Collection should be included.

[dsheinem]

There was some debate a few pages ago about which one between Anniversary or Legacy Collection should be included.

I suppose it comes down to how picky you are about the emulation and HD. I'd rather have both collections - why choose?

[retrosportsgamer]

I've been waiting 5 days for that post Dave!

I think with Mega Man - yes definitely get both - but for a list aiming for little duplication, we may do a poll and see where everyone stands. I think Legacy collection being portable also is a feather in its cap.