In the past few years, console gamers have had access to a variety of retro compilations and collections, ranging from impressive to lackluster.
In 2022, many businesses created nostalgic packages of old releases, while a few industry leaders began to understand the importance and value of preserving their history and giving talented developers the opportunity to present it with appropriate respect and consideration.
Atari 50
The retro compilation game Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration from Digital Eclipse had a banner year.
Even if I have already mentioned how meaningful this release is to me, it bears repeating that the development team provided formative and iconic titles in an interesting way, with accompanying materials driving the exploration of gaming history.
This bundle shrewdly recognizes that Pong, Asteroids, and others are legendary games within the industry, but people today need to have an understanding of why they are so treasured and famous.
Atari 50 presents this background information upfront in a captivating account such that the games become extra details.
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Although it appears disparaging, the reality could not be far. The emulation quality of this collection is unparalleled, as you would expect from these developers.
However, it’s the additional features that separate this collection from a folder of ROMs and MAME, alongside its sleek design, that makes it extraordinary.
Atari 50’s historical elements attract both enthusiasts and younger players hoping to discover the gaming world before they were born. Its brilliance needs recognition and backing.
The Cowabunga Collection
Digital Eclipse links the other “gold standard” retro releases of 2022, like the Atari collection, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection.
Despite some criticism that Konami favors Pachinko machines over video games, I think the company deserves praise for its quality output of retro titles on the Switch in recent years.
It would be wise to get companies like M2 involved with the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, as was done with the recent Turtles package that got an update including online multiplayer for Turtles in Time and other upgrades.
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster
2023 will bring the eagerly awaited Suikoden I&II HD Remaster. Konami is collaborating with the right people, and while they may be struggling in other aspects, they are spot on with this one.
With increasing trust and better relationships, we can anticipate more collaborations like this in the future.
Although Capcom’s rollback netcode for Capcom Fighting Collection is elementary, we might have been caught off guard if it only provided local multiplayer or multiplayer support for a few of the games.
While it is not truly extraordinary, the fact that every title can be played online shows a commitment to making these collections as good as possible.
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Pac-Man Museum+ provides the best version of the classic game to date, while Wonder Boy Collection is a satisfactory edition of Westone’s series.
Sonic Games
Even though some of the 2022 retro compilations were great, Sonic Origins displeased those who prefer 2D Sonic games more than Frontiers.
It is a proven fact that everyone loves Sonic 2 and Origins was designed to be the best way to play the classic 2D games, including Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
Unfortunately, it failed to live up to expectations due to bugs and its complicated DLC, which led to fan disappointment.
After 30 years and with developers working passionately and carefully, it is reasonable to suggest that Sega should be able to get something like this right considering the age and popularity of these games.
Sonic Mega Collection on the GameCube was an exceptional way to view Sonic’s history. However, Origins didn’t feature any interviews or behind-the-scenes content to explain how the games were developed. Instead, it only included character art and promotional graphics.
SEGA Games
The fan community has provided interesting information about the games of Sega, but it would be exciting to gain an “official” understanding of the events that led to their creation — like the international disagreements, technical troubles, division between developers, and even Michael Jackson’s involvement.
Now is the time to record interviews with Naoto Ohshima, Hirokazu Yasuhara, Judy Totoya, Masato Nakamura, Mark Cerny, and other important people in gaming.
Unfortunately, Rieko Kodama passed away recently so it is more urgent than ever to capture their stories while they are still here.
Fans may have purchased the games multiple times, however, the ‘Making Of’ story is a valuable asset.
The Atari 50 package demonstrates that behind-the-scenes stories can be engagingly presented interactively instead of as a predictable, six-episode Netflix documentary.
Despite its flaws and shortcomings, Origins was my most-played Switch game of the year.
The extra challenges were quite enjoyable, and Tyson Hesse’s animations are outstanding. Despite this, I feel like much more could be done; good enough is too low of a standard for games like this.
With Sega having taken down other versions of the games featured in Origins, it’s clear that there is still much to be done.
What are your views on this turning point? Tell us in the comments section below.
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