Over the next two weeks, the Xbox Live Arcade will be receiving 12 new classic SEGA titles in 4 packs. So instead of separate Official Topics, let's start a big one!
Best of all, these new packs are not developed by Backbone! Instead, they're emulated by M2 -- who are notable for doing the Virtual Console emulation and the excellent PS2 collections!
Alex Kidd & Co
Release Date: May 23rd, 2012 (XBLA)
Price: 800MSP on XBLA, $4.99 each on PSN.
The weird collection of the lot, as it’s not a collection of one series, but instead a mish-mash of other titles. It’s also the one collection that spans three separate system generations -- Arcade, Master System and Mega Drive.
Features:
- Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Master System): The only Master System title of the lot, Miracle World was the first Alex Kidd game and also the one that was built-in to most Sega Master System II machines. Alex Kidd in on a search for his long lost brother Prince Egle who was captured by the antagonist of the game, the evil tyrant called Janken the Great.
Super Hang On (Arcade): The long ignored Sega Racing series, Super Hang-On is basically the Motorbike equivelant of Outrun, except with set “stages” rather than branching paths.
Revenge Of Shinobi (Mega Drive / Genesis): The first of the Mega Drive Shinobi titles, ROS was known as one of the best action titles out for the system. Taking place three years after the first game, the criminal organization Zeed from the original game has since reformed and have renamed themselves "Neo Zeed." Neo Zeed decide to have their revenge on the Oboro Ninja clan and Joe Musashi by killing his master and kidnapping Joe's bride, Naoko. Joe, having reached the clan too late, manages to learn about Neo Zeed's plot by his dying master. Joe decides to travel the world to gain his revenge on Neo Zeed as well as try to save his bride before it's too late.
Monster World Collection
Release Date: May 23rd, 2012 (XBLA)
Price: 800MSP on XBLA, $4.99 each on PSN.
Beginning its life as Wonder Boy, a game where a dude in a grass skirt kills snails and rides a skateboard, the series soon became a side scrolling RPG-lite title with swords, transformations and magic as it began to mould itself into the Monster World series.
This collection contains only 3 of the 6 titles in the series, and it’s missing Dragon’s Trap, one that might have been a personal favourite to most Master System enthusiasts. However the game has gone that extra step in other ways, with two of these titles being translated into English for the first time.
Features:
Wonder Boy In Monster Land (Arcade): The Arcade original version of Monster Land, translated for the first time in English. Players will remember this mostly from the Master System version. The MEKA Dragon is terrorizing the land, and it’s up to Bock Lee "Tom-Tom" Temjin to sort it out.
Wonder Boy In Monster World (Mega Drive / Genesis): The 5th Wonder Boy title and last to feature its name, Monster World has you fighting through Dungeons as Shion as he vows to make the Monster World region reaceful again.
Monster World IV (Mega Drive / Genesis): The final Monster World title and one that never actually made it over to the West, so this version is freshly translated into English for the first time!. The game also removed the Wonder Boy name altogether, as you now control a girl! The story involves a young girl named Asha, who upon hearing spirits whisper on the wind pleading for help, embarks on a journey to find and aid them.
Golden Axe Collection
Release Date: May 30th, 2012 (XBLA)
Price: 800MSP on XBLA, not coming to PSN.
Grab your axe, swords, and mythic steeds to fight against evil in all three classic Golden Axe entries! Originally released for the Sega Genesis, the classic fantasy brawler series has now been updated for release on Xbox LIVE Arcade! Earn all new achievements, take on challenging new game trials, compete with others players across Xbox LIVE Leaderboards, and take on the forces of evil with a friend in two player local and online co-op!
Golden Axe (Arcade): The original Arcade version of Golden Axe, as you fight with Ax Battler, Gillius Thunderhead and Tyris Flare to defeat the evil Death Adder. This is the one that was originally released on the XBLA some years ago, but this is a fresh, new emulation of it.
Golden Axe II (Mega Drive / Genesis): Golden Axe II was developed solely for the Genesis, bypassing any arcade ports, although it later showed up on the Sega Genesis Collection for the PS2 and PSP. It's perhaps a bit TOO much like the original in practically all aspects. Gilius, Tyris and Ax Battler are back this time around, to defeat the evil Dark Guld.
Golden Axe III (Mega Drive / Genesis): Golden Axe III only saw a retail release in Japan, and was only seen on the SEGA Channel in the states, but the large amount of collections out there has made this moot. This game also allows you to choose one of 4 characters: Kain Grinder, Sarah Barn, Braoude Cragger or Chronos "Evil" Lait.
Streets of Rage Collection
Release Date: May 30th, 2012 (XBLA)
Price: 800MSP on XBLA, not coming to PSN.
Join Axel, Blaze, and company as they battle the evil Mr. X across all three Streets of Rage games. Originally released for the Sega Genesis, the classic brawler series has now been updated for release on Xbox LIVE Arcade! Earn all new achievements, take on challenging new game trials, compete with others players across Xbox LIVE Leaderboards, and clean up the streets with a friend in two player local and online co-op!
Features:
Streets of Rage (Megadrive / Genesis): The first title brings Axel, Blade and Adam together to fight crime on the streets. A huge game for its time.
Streets of Rage II (Megadrive / Genesis): A big sequel brought the likes of the roller blading “cool kid” Skate to the game, as well as Max -- a giant, powerful character. This game was originally released separately on XBLA, but now is part of this collection with a fresh coat of emulation.
Streets of Rage 3 (Megadrive / Genesis): The last Streets of Rage game to come out, Streets of Rage 3 sees Mr. X back again, this time heading RoboCy Corporation as a front for his criminal operations. He's employing a roboticist named Dr. Dahm to develop robots to replace the city's elected officials, as part of his grand scheme to take over the city yet again. He's also kidnapped the chief of police, because... well, that's just what beat-em-up villains do. After our heroes are alerted to this plan by a man named Dr. Zan, they set out to kick ass. Adam is still M.I.A., but Axel, Blaze, and Skate are back. They're also joined by Dr. Zan himself.
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