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.

[kelvingreen]

Originally Posted by DEMON212

I mean Comix Zone and Phntasy Star are just 2 that I thought stunk.

Originally Posted by DEMON212

I couldn't stand the Ecco games, dull and boring IMO.

Wow, and I thought I had unusual gaming tastes!

[DEMON212]

Comix is a mindless button basher. PS is a lame turn based RPG that really didn't show me anything special. Ecco, I honestly can't remember what it was I disliked about it. I seem to always block it from my mind after i've played it.

I did 15 years ago, and I did 4 months ago.

So I can only conclude that I thought the game so horrible, that I blocked it from my mind, twice!

I've never been a huge SEGA fan. Alot of the more known and popular first party games they made stunk IMO or they just weren't all that (Like Sonic. It's no Mario). I just really didn't like them. It was the third party exclusives that they got that I liked.

But things like Gunstar, Dynamite, I forget its name but there was a really cool violent Basketball game that my mate had, etc...

But the first party games I do like, SOR, Golden Axe, Shinobi, Shining Force etc...

And there's afew that I never got to play that look great. Strider, Landstalker, etc...

[SegaFan]

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 can only disagree, I'd say at least half of them are worth playing. And I didn't notice many differences, they are more or less the originals like you'd get on virtual console. Plus they run at full speed.

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.

Don't get me wrong, I really hate the Playstation controllers overall, but the d-pad is decent (better than the GC and Xbox ones anyway due to the position), and with Mega Drive games you're just using that and the buttons so I don't see what there is to complain about.

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.

Well you're entitled to your opinion. I agree with you about Comix Zone, it looks great but plays terribly, as for the other games I can't agree.

It still stands that if you are going to get at least 3 or 4 of the games on the compilation anyway you'd be better off getting the compilation instead of VC.

[kelvingreen]

Funny, I love the Playstation controller. It's easily my favourite of the whole bunch, and it's the only one I use for emulator play (it's not brilliant for SFII though).

[A New Challenger]

As Sega Fan mentioned, 3 Genesis/Mega Drive games go for $24 US, while the PS2 collection is $20 and has 10 times as many games, including arcade titles. Nothing the VC offers is worth the extra money to me; if I like more than 3 of the games, it's a winner.

What disheartens me is that the very existence of the VC makes it terribly unlikely that a Capcom Classics Collection et al will come out for the Wii when a company like Capcom can throw inferior SNES ports of Final Fight, Street Fighter II, SFII Hyper Fighting up on the VC for $24 total, without packaging and distribution costs. Granted, neither the 360 nor PS3 are likely to see these kinds of collections either as they also have downloadable games. Still, Namco is putting out a new Museum title on Wii, so it's not all doom and gloom; then again, I think there's a Namco Museum on the game.com, they've rehashed that series on everything.

The VC is usually a pretty good value, but I mourn the days of really incredible bang for my buck.

[Firebrand]

It was recently announced that SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 is coming to the Wii this fall in North America. Do you think it's better to buy games on the Virtual Console or to buy collections on a disc?

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

It depends. Depends on how much it costs, what games you're getting, how well you take care of different stuff, etc. It also depends on how long you think the VC will be supported. I'm perfectly content to get VC games rather than compilations, because often there are a bunch of crap games on comps that I'm not interested in getting. But if the comp is really cheap, then it could be worth it.

[ICEknight]

I don´t think that compilation will feature many NEOGEO games... but if it does, they might just not release them on the VC anytime soon.

[hippiecrite]

Depends on the compilation. The SEGA Genesis compilation and Mega Man comps are good ones so I don't need to download most Genesis games and none of the Mega Man's.

[marioxb]

I prefer the compilations. And I play all classic games (except N64, the Wavebird is sweet for those) with this:

http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?productID=122

[Firebrand]

I bought the Sega Genesis collection for the PS2. I didn't think Shinobi III played right with the PS2 controller so bought it off the Virtual Console. The Wii Classic Controller was a huge improvement.

[DEMON212]

Originally Posted by Firebrand

I bought the Sega Genesis collection for the PS2. I didn't think Shinobi III played right with the PS2 controller so bought it off the Virtual Console. The Wii Classic Controller was a huge improvement.

I'm glad I'm not alone on this.