Sega Genesis Classics (called Sega Mega Drive Classics in PAL regions) is a collection of Sega Genesis video games released for Windows, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The games are divided into "Volumes" for PC versions only. The first four Volumes were available in both physical copies and digital versions, while the fifth Volume was only released digitally.
Background
Sega released the first four physically sold volumes of Sega Genesis games for PC only as the Sega Genesis Classic Collection: Gold Edition (Sega Mega Drive Classics: Gold Edition in PAL regions). This collection includes 46 Sega Genesis games from the first four volumes on four discs. It offers keyboard support that can be customized for a personalized gaming experience, as well as multiplayer mode for some games. All games in the collection include save and load features, allowing players to resume gameplay exactly where they left off.
On April 28, 2016, Sega released a free application called the Sega Genesis Classics Hub (Sega Mega Drive Classics Hub in PAL regions) on Steam. The application provides a virtual space designed to resemble a bedroom of a Sega fan, where players can access all released Sega Genesis games. It includes Steam Workshop integration, supporting user-created ROM hacks for the games. Within a day of its release, users added several existing ROM hacks to the Hub’s Workshop. Any previously purchased Sega Genesis games on Steam, including collections, automatically appear in players’ game libraries within the Hub. A few weeks after its release, Sega reported over 350,000 new purchases of supported games. As of July 1, 2018, the Sega Mega Drive and Genesis Classics compilation sold 1,514,485 digital units on Steam.
On May 29, 2018, Sega released a compilation of all games from previous collections (with some exceptions) as Sega Genesis Classics (Sega Mega Drive Classics in PAL regions) for Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It uses the same interface as the Sega Genesis Classics Hub but includes added features like achievements and the ability to rewind in-game actions. These features were later added to the Hub. Some games can be played in their Japanese versions. The compilation was later released for Nintendo Switch on December 6, 2018. Initially, the Steam version of the collection excluded Sonic the Hedgehog and ToeJam & Earl games, which could only be purchased through Sonic-related compilations. These games are now included in the Steam collection. All games can be purchased separately, though Sonic games are priced higher.
On May 20, 2022, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles were removed from individual and compilation sales on Steam. They were replaced by the Sonic Origins compilation, which includes those titles and Sonic CD, which was also removed from sale. This change made it impossible to earn all achievements. On November 6, 2024, it was announced that the bundle and entire collection would be removed from digital sale on all major platforms on December 6, 2024.
Reception
Sega Genesis Classics received mostly positive reviews, according to Metacritic, a website that gathers reviews from various sources.