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Sega Ages are on sale again on Switch & someone asked me about the enhanced features—I feel like ppl might be sick to death of me talking about em but otoh, there are plenty of ppl who didn't follow them at all, so here's a rundown of what's new for all 19 Sega Ages Switch games:
Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog includes both the OG Mega Drive game & the obscure remixed Mega Play arcade version (with score attack leaderboard), Sonic Mania's Drop Dash (& spin dash, ofc), a "ring keeper" helper mode, a Green Hill act 1 time attack & more https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-sonic-the-hedgehog-switch/
Sega Ages Thunder Force IV (aka "Lightening Force"), the first-ever international reissue, includes the extras from the 
-only Saturn port—the addition of the Thunder Force III ship & a more friendly "Kids Mode"—plus slowdown options, leaderboards & more https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-lightening-force-quest-for-the-darkstar-switch/
-only Saturn port—the addition of the Thunder Force III ship & a more friendly "Kids Mode"—plus slowdown options, leaderboards & more https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-lightening-force-quest-for-the-darkstar-switch/
Sega Ages Phantasy Star includes tons features that make it a much friendlier modern experience: an "Ages Mode" with improved encounter/xp/money rates, a walk speed booster, a dungeon automap, detailed item/gear/monster glossaries, FM music toggle & more https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-phantasy-star-switch/
Sega Ages Outrun includes many of the enhancements added for the 3DS version—60FPS+widescreen, car upgrades, JP/US ROMs, two brand-new arcade-authentic FM tunes etc—as well as gyro controls & 4 extra FM & non-FM arranged tunes from across the Outrun series https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-out-run-switch/
Sega Ages Gain Ground is the first-ever reissue of the original arcade version and includes both the Japanese 2P & overseas 3P versions, as well as enhancements like a rewind feature, a mode with all units unlocked, vertical handheld display options & more https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-gain-ground-switch/
Sega Ages Alex Kidd in Miracle World inherits some of the challenge mode features from the X360/PS3 versions and adds an "Ages Mode" with a rewind feature, a genuine continue option, new between-stage illustrations & a FM rendition of the soundtrack https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-alex-kidd-in-miracle-world-switch/
Sega Ages Puyo Puyo features online multiplayer, replays and mechanical tweaks like 2-button rotation & quick turn, and it also includes the mysterious and extremely rare English-localized ROM with unique voices & a lot of peculiar name changes https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-puyo-puyo-switch/
Sega Ages Virtua Racing is not just the first truly worthy conversion of the arcade game but one that goes even further beyond: it runs at 60FPS in 16:9 with greatly increased draw distance and features two-player online play & 8-player split-screen https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-virtua-racing-switch/
Sega Ages Wonder Boy in Monster Land includes the rare English ROM & challenge modes from the X360/PS3 version and adds a new game+ feature, a mode that disables the widely-abused gold glitch & a secret command to pitch the music down a la Bikkuriman World https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-wonder-boy-monster-land-switch/
Sega Ages Space Harrier inherits the extra Haya-oh boss recreation &widescreen display from the 3DS version and adds HD rumble, a gyro control option & a "Komainu Barrier Attack" mode with new between-stage messages that makes you impervious to collisions https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-space-harrier-switch/
Sega Ages Ichidant-R includes both the & seldom-seen English arcade ROMs with two-player online play, a helper mode with extra lives & lower quotas and the (completely untranslated) 4-player Mega Drive version which features an RPG-esque boardgame mode https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-ichidant-r-switch/
& seldom-seen English arcade ROMs with two-player online play, a helper mode with extra lives & lower quotas and the (completely untranslated) 4-player Mega Drive version which features an RPG-esque boardgame mode https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-ichidant-r-switch/
Sega Ages Columns II is a valiant effort to sand the edges off a brutal game: in addition to online play, a new arrange mode & OG Columns, it features a stage select, skull gem toggle, improved inputs, gem design selection & a Sega Ages cameo chara gallery https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-columns-ii-a-voyage-through-time-switch/
Sega Ages Shinobi adds an "Ages Mode" that permanently powers you up & gives you two hit points, a rewind function, a melee-only button, virtual cabinet display, replay sharing, HD rumble & lots of specific tweaks like allowing continues on the final stage https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-shinobi-switch/
Sega Ages Fantasy Zone contains tons of new & previously added features: an arrange mode starring Upa-Upa, remade Master System bosses, an unlockable coin bank, a speedrun mode, useful game info displayed on the screen borders, HD rumble, replays & more https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-fantasy-zone-switch/
Sega Ages Puyo Puyo Tsu adds two-player online play, a step-by-step rewind feature, quite a few colorblind settings, a mode that lets you face every opponent, a gallery of translated character profiles & a staff roll animated by a former Compile artist https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-puyo-puyo-2-switch/
Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog 2 includes Sonic 2 & Knuckles and adds Sonic Mania's Drop Dash (Sonic only), a "ring chain" ranking feature, "ring keeper" & Super Sonic (or Super Knuckles) modes, HD rumble, an Emerald Hill act 1 100-ring challenge mode & more https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-switch/
Sega Ages G-LOC is another first-ever arcade-authentic reissue—it includes a more forgiving Ages Mode, a moving virtual cabinet display option, a looping BGM option, HD rumble, several different leaderboards & a (non-playable) peek at the R360 version https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-g-loc-air-battle-switch/
Sega Ages Thunder Force AC (the arcade remix of Thunder Force III that barely left Japan) includes the "Kids Mode" toggle from the Japan-only Saturn port and adds (mostly) stereo music, HD rumble and three extra playable ships with separate leaderboards https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-thunder-force-ac-switch/
Sega Ages Herzog Zwei is another first-ever reissue, packed with features: two-player online multiplayer, extra game info displayed in the screen borders, helper mode, a slowdown reduction option, auto-password save & a brand-new "Herzog Acadey" tutorial https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sega-ages-herzog-zwei-switch/
...and that's that
Sega Ages wrapped up on Switch after 19 games, and while the teams involved with this series aren't done collaborating or working on new reissues, as of right now, they haven't announced a continuation of or successor to Sega Ages on any platform
Sega Ages wrapped up on Switch after 19 games, and while the teams involved with this series aren't done collaborating or working on new reissues, as of right now, they haven't announced a continuation of or successor to Sega Ages on any platform
the Genesis/Mega Drive Classics collection has general emulator features like fast-forward/rewind, save states, online play, achievements etc but the emulation quality's not as high & they didn't go all-out with specific per-game features like Sega Ages https://twitter.com/ComradeComics/status/1351211737064873987
btw, Sonic 1 & 2 are the only games that directly overlap between Sega Ages Switch & Genesis/Mega Drive Classics—Sega Ages is a mix of arcade, MD & Master System games and even then, Thunder Force IV & Herzog Zwei (the non-Sonic MD Ages games) aren't present in the collection
Genesis/Mega Drive Classics is basically the Steam emulator/front-end ported to consoles, minus a few games like Toejam & Earl, Ecco the Dolphin, Eternal Champions & most notably Sonic 3 & Knuckles
the Switch version is also missing some Wonder Boy games
the Switch version is also missing some Wonder Boy games
that too... I try not to get too up in arms about the overall quality because I think most ppl will be content with it & I've certainly played worse, but it's not up to my standard https://twitter.com/rafa00fernandes/status/1351289973304160261
it's not gone altogether, you just have the option of playing a mode without it (which no other arcade-version reissue has offered until now)
it also lets you map the stick-wiggling motion to a button for extra-simple gold glitch abuse https://twitter.com/sekaipro_chris/status/1351333652584546313
it also lets you map the stick-wiggling motion to a button for extra-simple gold glitch abuse https://twitter.com/sekaipro_chris/status/1351333652584546313
I really thought I'd be beating a dead horse with this thread, but I guess not! I ought to put something together in a more practical format, gimme a minute
btw, I didn't mention the broader features common to each game: screen settings, save states, button mapping, etc
btw, I didn't mention the broader features common to each game: screen settings, save states, button mapping, etc
