Video Game Compilations

Compilations are super neat and some of my favorite items in my collection. There is a convenience to compilations. Having so many games in a single package has always fascinated me. I think my earliest experience with compilations was the Legend of Zelda Collector’s Edition on Gamecube. Boy, is this thing awesome! It combines 4 Zelda titles into one tiny disc. It’s got the two from the original NES as well as Majora’s Mask on N64. But far and away the prize jewel here is the demo of Wind Waker.  I don’t think this collection could get any better. Oh, my gosh this thing even has Ocarina of Time on it!
This compilation is truly insane with the game choices.

I mentioned Zelda being one of my first experiences with gaming compilations. However, these  video game collections predate even that. While I couldn’t find any concrete resource for what the oldest compilation is, I’m sure we all think of the same game when we think about  compilations, Super Mario All-Stars.

All Star Collection came out in 1993. I came out in 1994. So I wasn’t around when it came out. But I can only imagine the hype of having the first 3 Mario games plus the Lost Levels thrown in for good measure on one cart. Mario was a gaming force that swept the entire world. It revitalized the gaming industry and put Nintendo on the map. Nintendo found a way to repackage the same games and create an unbeatable value proposition for its consumers. They didn’t want the end of the NES to be the end of classic Mario. So they ported over all the original Mario games in one collection. However, Nintendo went the extra mile and gave the fans a real treat. The Lost Levels.

For those of you who don’t know, this was the original sequel for Mario 1. However, it was deemed too difficult for Western audiences. Thus, our Mario 2 looks a lot different. This Super Nintendo compilation was the first time we here in the states got to play this previously Japanese exclusive.

I love when compilations have bonuses like unreleased games, unlockables, or any new ways to play old games. Look at the SNES Mini. It gave us Star Fox 2. Star Fox was revolutionary with its mode 7 graphics. Nintendo was quick to get Star Fox 2 in development. Well, around this time, the 5th generation of gaming had launched. Real 3D graphics were officially here. Plans for Star Fox 2 were scrapped and never seen again. Fast forward over 20 years, and the SNES Classic releases with all your favorite Super Nintendo titles: A Link to the Past, Earthbound, Super Mario World, Super Metroid. The gang was almost all here. Wait a second. What is that? Star Fox 2 gets an official release on the SNES classic!? Those are the kinda announcements that make compilations something special!

That gets us back to the Super Mario 3D All Stars. What a controversial collection. Let’s break it down some.
There is no need to hop from the N64 to Gamecube to Wii. Another awesome aspect is that the console these compilations are being released on are more than likely going to be the latest and most up to date consoles. This means you get all the benefits of modern consoles. Online leaderboards, HD graphics, achievements and trophies, and in the case of the Switch, portability. This means you can start your day playing Super Mario 64 in bed and stroll down to the local park and play Super Mario Sunshine without ever changing consoles. A lot of people dunked on the Super Mario 3D collection for Nintendo putting in the bare minimum effort, and well, yeah, they’re technically right. There’s not a lot in the way of extras. I would have liked for Mario 64 to have had the mini games from the DS version as unlockables. Or maybe an HD version you could switch between for new fans and purest. And I guess asking for Mario Galaxy 2 was asking for too much. Still, the ability to freely switch between 2 of the best games ever made and Sunshine with added mobility is still a strong case for why this is one of my favorite compilations of all time.

Okay, how about we look at another compilation on Switch. The Spyro Reignited Trilogy. This is what I wanted Mario 64 to look like. Spyro looks and feels amazing here on the Switch. The Spyro Trilogy was a special treat for classic and new 3D platformer fans alike. With the awesome iconic levels of the past with a fresh coat of paint, this was a match made in Heaven. They even went back and added skill points to Spyro 1. These serve as achievements and add some fun side quests to do while revisiting a favorite you know super well. The only bad thing to complain about here is that they only put the original Spyro on the cart. Spyro 2 and 3 are digitally downloaded.

We’ve talked about how these collections are perfect for replaying old favorites. But what about the opposite side of things – franchises you missed completely. For me, that’s the Klonoa collection. Klonoa on PS1 and PS2 are expensive! For the pair , you’re looking at about $400. Not to mention, they’re some of the harder titles to find on their respective consoles. The Switch rerelease helped allow thousands of players to discover the wondrous world of Klonoa for the first time. It’s a blast. This version added a new difficulty mode, the Easy mode. This is a welcomed addition for people who aren’t crazy about difficulty in video games and just wants to enjoy the game. Plus, some of the platforming alone is difficult enough without even mentioning the damage aspect of the game.

We’ve been talking a lot about Nintendo compilations , but Sony has had some bangers, too. The one that comes to my mind is the Ratch and Clank Trilogy collection. This is, without a doubt, maybe my favorite compilation of all time.
It’s just so good. You get one of the best trilogies in all of gaming. The Ratchet and Clank series  on PS2 now moved to the PS3. Trophies are here. Graphics are updated. And all 3 masterpieces in one collection. To me, this perfectly embodies what makes these collections must own for fans.

The last compilation to talk about today is the Kirby’s Dream Collection. I wanted this compilation so bad as a kid and never got it.
So it was one of the first games I grabbed as an adult. Having 6 Kirby games on one disc was enough. But this game killed it with the extras. I’m going to quote the most trusted source in all the internet land for this, Wikipedia. So shout out Wikipedia! Kirby’s Dream Collection also features 13 new challenge stages based on those found in 2011’s Kirby’s Return to Dream Land.[3] An additional museum section features box art and video spotlights for every game in the Kirby series released through 2012, along with three viewable episodes from the anime television series Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (“Kirby Comes to Cappy Town”, “Crusade for the Blade”, and “Waddle While You Work”).[2] In addition to the game disc, the package includes a booklet that highlights Kirby’s history and provides behind-the-scenes trivia about the series, as well as a soundtrack CD containing 42 music tracks from past Kirby games and three new arrangements by the HAL Laboratory sound team. – per Wikipedia.

What’s not to love about that? And compilations in general, really. Every time the Switch gets a new collection, I get excited. I think about how the Baten Kaitos and Etrian Odyssey just got collections released semi recently. I’d love to add them to the collection eventually. Let me know if you guys have the same fondness about these collections as I do. And tell me, what’s your favorite video game compilation. Let me know down below!