The Sega Ages lineup on Switch has been amazing so far. M2 and Sega have knocked it out of the park with these re-releases that are better than the original versions. I have been thinking lately about what else would make a good addition and came up with these nine choices.
Let’s get started.
Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder
A Golden Axe arcade title that was never given a home release, Revenge of Death Adder was a brilliant entry in the series. Better visuals and more intense action made this great, but best of all is the fact that there were changes to the gameplay, both in how you moved and how you attacked. It would be great if M2 could give this a proper home release on the Switch, and maybe include online co-op.
Astal
Astal is a brilliant 2D platformer with amazing visuals and gameplay that have both held up well to this day. This is a Saturn game that has a great reputation among those who have played it but needs more love. A Sega Ages release could contain both the western and Japanese releases, as there were differences between regions such as the soundtrack and more. Using hand drawn graphics made it stand out more, and it has some great actin as well. M2 could also have a lot of fun with the 2nd player option, to create some new ways to help out.
Monster World IV
The most advanced of the classic Monster World/Wonder Boy games, Monster World IV was a tour de force in the metroidvania genre. I feel this one is likely as M2 has previously ported the game for previous Sega Ages releases on Xbox, and that port could be taken and upgraded with new secrets for the Switch. Imagine all the joy of Wonder Boy The Dragon’s Trap combined with the best games in the Shantae series. That is close to describing how amazing Monster World IV was. It is a game that deserves the praises it gets
Nights Into Dreams
The Saturn may not have gotten a proper Sonic game but it did receive this unique gem. A genre busting experience that Shigeru Miyamoto described as the one game he wished he had made, Nights Into Dreams saw you play as three distinct characters, each with their own play style. Of note was the titular Nights, whose flying sections are still fondly remembered today.M2 could add some tricks from the sequel or new modes to give more variety if needed. They could also take advantage of the Switch hardware to affect the gameplay, much like Sega did with the 3D controller that came with Nights for the Saturn. As the masterpiece of the Sega Saturn, it is on par with the Sonic series and deserves a spot in the Sega Ages lineup.
Alex Kidd In Shinobi World
One of the standouts for me with the Sega Ages lineup has been Alex Kidd in Miracle World. I got to experience the classic in a new way, and that got me thinking about Alex’s last major game. A crossover with the Shinobi series, this game had everything perfect about both series, while also having little of the flaws. I would love to see this given the same treatment that the first Alex Kidd title was, so a new generation can enjoy it. The game was so different and yet such a perfect blend of two series that it arguably aged better than the master system versions of both its parent series/
Sega Rally Championship
One of the best racing games Sega released, Sega Rally Championship has only received one re release since the arcade and Saturn era, and that was on the PS2. If M2 could come in and clean up the visuals, improve the draw distance and add some extra features, it would be amazing. The game deserves as much attention as Daytonna gets and a re-release, with online play, would go a long way to showing a new generation why this game is amazing.
Thunderforce V
Thunderforce V was never released in the west and that is a shame. It is the pinnacle of the series, both in terms of gameplay and in terms of visuals. A game that took full advantage of the Saturn’s capabilities, Thunderforce V is the epitome of what shoot em ups should be. Sega owns this series now and with previous installments making appearances as part of the lineup, it only makes sense for the best in the series to come as well.
Dragon Force
Dragon Force was a truly unique game, as it combined turn based strategy RPG gameplay, with Real Time Strategy gameplay. A major selling point was that over 200 characters could be on screen at once, and that was a sight to see when paired with the game’s amazing visuals. A Sega Ages port would be perfect if it included some fixes to the framerate and visual quality during hectic battles. It could also have some new hidden generals and more difficulty settings to provide more of a challenge for players. This is one game everyone should play.
Gunstar Super Heroes
Gunstar Heroes was one of the best games ever released for the Genesis/Mega Drive and it still holds up well today (Indie Gamer Chick is quite the fan). Not many are aware however, of the sequel on the Game Boy Advance. Gunstar Super Heroes was more great action but held back by a lack of co op play. A critically acclaimed game that sadly did not sell well, a Sega Ages release with co op added might just be what is needed to bring the title the love it deserves. It could even include more references and secrets from the first game depending on how far M2 wants to go and maybe more challenging difficulty as an option. It may not be as great as the first game, but few games are and Gunstar Super Heroes is still amazing.
And there you are. What games would you want to see come to the Sega Ages lineup on Switch? Make sure to let us know!
In addition, I would like to add that there is an active Sega retrogaming Facebook community group you can join at https://www.facebook.com/groups/segaretrogamers/
For more, visit Retro Gamers Hub (www.retrogamershub.com) for their extensive collection of retrogaming interest groups to choose from.