compilations vs individual releases?

[AppleQueso]

What's your stance on this? If there's a game you're after that's also available as part of a compilation, do you usually just go for the compilation disc or the standalone release?

What if the compilation has slight improvements? Major improvements? What if the compilation version has minor issues? How much of a factor is price?

Just kinda curious, hope it starts up a discussion.

[noiseredux]

I used to like individual from a collector's standpoint. But more and more I think that's kind of dumb. Like for a while I was collecting Street Fighter games on PS1 but then I realized I could just get a few PS2 compilations and have them all and more.

[Croooow!]

I'm a huge fan of compilations. Usually if a compilation has a couple of games I want and it's more affordable than purchasing the games individually I'll buy it. One of the major benefits I see is being able to try out games I would have never tried before.

[BoneSnapDeez]

It depends.

For certain games, the individual originals are preferable. Take Final Fantasy, you're better off getting the Super Nintendo/Famicon carts for V and VI as opposed to buying Final Fantasy Anthology for the PS1. These are games that simply perform better and feel more natural when played on their original hardware.

Price and availability is a huge factor of course. Sorry, but I'm not going to hunt down AES and MVS carts (and pay a fortune) when I can buy an SNK collection for the PS2. I'm not going to scrounge around ebay looking for C64/Apple II/DOS versions of Ultima and Wizardry games when I can buy a collection on a single CD-ROM.

[isiolia]

Generally speaking, I'm fine with compilation copies. Individual releases do tend to have nicer packaging/manuals, but cost and convenience of compilations tend to outweigh that. The main thing to me would be if the original release actually plays significantly better, or the compilation version actually cuts content out.

[MrPopo]

For a while I loved to get compilations. But these days I tend to prefer original releases. For example, I still have Mega Man Anniversary Collection, but I've also purchased the NES versions of 1-6. It basically depends on whether or not I consider a particular game as good enough to be the only copy I have of it; if so I buy original.

[dogman91]

I am personally completely dead-set against compilations for PS2 and above. The two main reasons are that the games are usually using an emulator that screws SOMETHING up compared to the original (like sound or slight graphical glitches) and the video output is either 480i and above, not 240p. The games are in a higher resolution than it was designed to be in therefore and it will be flickery (because of interlacing) or even blurry if they add a bilinear filter (ex. Game Boy Player). Ports for say Saturn and below however, the games were actually reprogrammed to use that system's capabilities and usually DO have 240p output. The fact they were reprogramed for that system also allows the developers to add some new game features along with avoiding the errors associated with emulators. Kind of weird why developers do 480i on these retro game compilations when the PS2 is capable of 240p output.

I would highly recommend the new port of Sonic CD for instance, because it was rebuilt from the ground up with a really accurate engine optimized for the hardware... it also adds proper widescreen support, option to switch soundtracks, play as Tails, etc. The Sonic Gems version is a far cry from this. The arcade version of Centipede on the Dreamcast (thrown in as a bonus on the DC Centipede game) also plays HORRIBLY side by side with a properly emulated version as another example I have personally experienced.

Basically if I would want to get Metal Slug Anthology or something, I might as well emulate it with MAME and have it truly be perfect, if the real hardware is not an option.

Of course a lot of people don't care and just want to "play", and that's fine too. These are just my reasons why I much prefer original individual releases.

[Hobie-wan]

I'm also in the 'yes to both' camp. Games that I really like I'll probably want the original if feasible. Obviously arcade compilations make having those much easier. I have gotten rid of some individual games after picking up a compilation.

[Inazuma]

Whichever one is better is the one that I want. If they both have something unique to offer, I may decide to get both.

If that's not the kind of answer you wanted to hear, how about this:
Generally speaking, I would say that individual releases are superior.

[Dakinggamer87]

I like both individual releases and compilations. Compilations are nice for getting games that may be harder to find or more expensive.