The backwards compatibility mode on Xbox One is like having a cupboard of forgotten games that keeps being filled. Pop in there today and you may just spy a game or two that you own; Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two or SEGA Vintage Collection: ToeJam & Earl.
Sega is on a bit of a nostalgia trip. On the year of its 30th anniversary, the company has been turning through its deep catalogue of classic games and remaking/re-releasing them for modern platforms. The next game/series to get the revitalization treatment? That's up to us!
The ToeJam & Earl series is fondly remembered by people who played the Sega Genesis, including yours truly. Sadly, the series remains largely forgotten by everyone else, despite ToeJam & Earl III appearing exclusively on the original Xbox. The cause may stem from SEGA not actually owning the characters. The rights belong to one of the series’ two creators, Greg Johnson. Thankfully he worked out a deal with SEGA, who have just released the first two games as SEGA Vintage Collection: ToeJam & Earl.
For this edition of This Week in Co-Op, Nick and I decided to play something a little more old school. Luckily for us, Sega has been pumping out some classic vintage collections. Golden Axe is one of my all time favorite arcade titles, so we decided to dive into the sword an sorcery adventure. I don't know what's aged worse, me or the game. Thank god for unlimited continues.
SEGA's other beat-em-series, Golden Axe, comes to XBLA in this three-game collection. Magic, mounts, and more make these fantasy brawlers memorable. But how's the co-op, and do the SEGA Vintage Collection extras warrant another purchase?
May has been a terrific month for fans of classic SEGA games. First Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II launched last week on multiple systems. Now four retro collections bearing the 'SEGA Vintage Collections' label are coming exclusively to Xbox Live Arcade over the next two weeks (sorry PS3 users). This Wednesday, the single-player Monster World Collection and Alex Kidd & Co. Collection debut at 800 Microsoft Points a piece. On May 30, they will be followed by Golden Axe Collection and Streets of Rage Collection for the same price.
Last month we reported on a rumor that the Golden Axe and Streets of Rage series would be getting new Xbox Live Arcade releases. Those rumors have been all but officially confirmed by Xbox.com product pages for both collections, which showed up and then vanished yesterday. Thankfully a NeoGAF user captured the product descriptions and screenshots for both releases, which are titled SEGA Vintage Collection: Golden Axe and SEGA Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage.
They say that three is a magic number, but do you know what real magic is? Playing as a boxing Kangaroo. This dream is looking like a reality for XBLA users as PEGI have rated some titles under the banner SEGA Vintage Collections which include pugilistic marsupials in the form of Streets of Rage 3. Also on offer are the co-op friendly titles Streets of Rage, Golden Axe and Golden Axe 3.
