Is there anything better than classic co-op gaming from the awesome consoles of yesteryear?  How about CHEAP classic co-op gaming from the awesome consoles of yesteryear ON YOUR PC?  A new collection of Genesis gems (no, not Columns) is now available through digital download services.  It's a tremendous bargain, featuring 10 games for the quite low price of $7.50 (on Steam).  Included in the set of games are co-op greats Gunstar Heroes, Streets of Rage and its sequel, and a title I am less familiar with, Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair. 

When I was growing up, I was your stereotypical Nintendo Kid.  Sure, I knew of the Sega systems and I had played them from time to time, but I never owned any of their systems aside from a pair of Game Gears that a well-meaning grandparent sent my brother and I for Christmas.  Knowing this, you would also be able to extrapolate that I grew up playing Contra, the seminal co-op shooter we all know, love and memorized the Konami code for. Why am I bringing up Contra in this review? The reason is simple: Gunstar Heroes ruined Contra for me. The very first time I played this at a friend's house, I knew the game had changed. I couldn't go home again.