Compilations vs. Virtual Console

[Hendo]

What do you think of retro compilations and do they make a difference as to if you'll buy stuff on the VC?
For example, I have the Zelda Collector's Edition for the Cube (basically, old Zeldas minus LttP), Sonic Mega Collection for the Cube (pretty much all the old MD games), the Megadrive Collection for the PSP and the Midway Extended Play for PSP.

Because I use a lot of Cube games on my Wii, there is no way I'm re-buying any of the Zelda or Sonics that I have on those discs, but I have been known to use the PSP ones as "try before I buy". It sounds silly, but these old classics mean much more to me when played on a telly with mates around than on a small screen. And I just can't play console games on my PC, it just doesn't feel right.

[mhull]

I have the sonic mega collection but I still purchased Sonic 1 and 2 on the Virtual Console. I did it for two reasons.

1 - Built in Virtual Console saving feature.
2 - Convenience, I can load the games without getting out of my chair and putting in a CD.

Matt

[Tull]

Wish Mega Man Anniversary Collection did hit EU

[Dahak]

Originally Posted by mhull

2 - Convenience, I can load the games without getting out of my chair and putting in a CD.

Same here. I can't be bothered to get up, load a disc, attach the wavebird dongle and a GCN memcard just to play Zelda, so I've bought the three available games.

[DEMON212]

VC FTW. Never play comps for to long. Dislike the controls and lack of save. So VC all the way.

BTW, Dahak, Zelda, 2, ALTTP and OOT. 4, not 3.

[Angelic Lapras King]

I prefer the comps. You get value for money and theres usually unlockables (I ve been recently trying to unlock everything in Sonic Gems. Only 4 more items to go!).

[kelvingreen]

There are advantages to the Virtual Console versions. You usually get a choice of control schemes, whereas a GC compilation leaves you with the GC pad, which is not always the best fit. And you can pick and choose the games you want, rather than getting the games you want and a bunch of duffers. And of course there's the VC's internal save/freeze state feature, which is often more useful than the game's own save, if it has one.

On the other hand, the VC is usually a more expensive choice, and there are quite often extras and upgrades to the versions included on compilations which won't be present on the VC "originals". There's also a lot of uncertainty and waiting involved with VC releases; when will Sonic 3 be out? Should I wait? Or just get the compilation? And while a compilation might present you with some duff games, it can also surprise you with good games that you wouldn't have looked at otherwise.

[SegaFan]

I have Sega Mega Drive Collection almost perminently in my PS2, such an unbelievably great compilation, even though I own a lot of the originals it is very convenient to have them all on one disc. I appreciate virtual console but I think you'd be mad if you have a PS2 to buy any Mega Drive game on VC without checking whether it's on that compilation, it has about 30 games.

[kelvingreen]

Some games, like Sonic 2 and SoR2, are worth buying again and again.

[DEMON212]

Originally Posted by SegaFan

I have Sega Mega Drive Collection almost perminently in my PS2, such an unbelievably great compilation, even though I own a lot of the originals it is very convenient to have them all on one disc. I appreciate virtual console but I think you'd be mad if you have a PS2 to buy any Mega Drive game on VC without checking whether it's on that compilation, it has about 30 games.

It must just be me then, but I hated that collection. It had maybe 5 decent games at best. The rest were really sucky. I disliked the save it had and the PS3 controller just doesn't work for me with those games. I also didn't like that they'd be tweaked here and there.

I got the NGC Sonic collection and Ristar was great. Then I got the X-BOX one and it was meh, then I got the PS2 MD collection and really didn't like it because of the PS3 controller.

Some games were bad because of it, others were just bad. I mean Comix Zone and Phntasy Star are just 2 that I thought stunk. I couldn't stand the Ecco games, dull and boring IMO. But i'm not going to list all 25 games that I disliked.

So VC originals all the way.