Game Review: Dreamcast Collection

Reviving the spirit of classic games with modern re-releases grows more popular every year, with more and more publishers cashing in on games that require far less money and time than building a new one from the ground up. It's difficult to say whether or not the public is fully receptive of this trend, with some titles managing to find a significant audience while others go unnoticed. In the case of Dreamcast Collection, it's hard to say what fans of Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, Sega Bass Fishing, and Space Channel 5 Part 2 will think of this bundle.

The first question that comes to mind is how many fans there really are for these games. Looking back at the gaming scene back then, the Dreamcast is probably better remembered for titles like Samba De Amigo, Marvel vs Capcom, Shenmue, and Skies of Arcadia. While I'm sure Sega Bass Fishing and Space Channel 5 have their fair share of fans, it strikes me as a bit of a stretch that the nostalgic gamer will want to go back and replay these titles.

Technically speaking, this bundle fails to impress in several ways. While recent collections from franchises like Spyro and Prince of Persia have popped up in the form of high-definition refreshes, all of the games included in this bundle look as though they've simply been emulated. HD remakes might be a high standard to strike, but new textures or some other type of upres-ing would have made these games far more palatable to the eye.

In terms of delivering on the memories of the old games, I can't comment because I have so little experience with them in their original form. It is worth mentioning, however, that Crazy Taxi is lacking the iconic soundtrack and kitschy sponsorships by KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell that would warm the heart in difficult to understand ways. If these are the small details you remember from your Crazy Taxi experience, you might want to dig out your old console from the attic.

The games themselves hold up fairly well, though don't come close to competing with more modern games if that's what you're looking for. Sonic Adventure suffers from a common plague at the time, the position and tracking of the camera, though it's obviously excusable due to the nature of a retro collection. When it comes down to it, the Dreamcast Collection is sure to appeal most to the people who've already seen what these games have to offer.

The big question that remains is whether or not Sega's attempt at reviving these old classics is worth the money. Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure are both available independently through Xbox Live Arcade at $10 each , so that is obviously the best option for people who have no fond memories of Sega Bass Fishing and Space Channel 5 (though the former will be available on LIVE soon, as well). For lovers of all things Dreamcast, the bundle weighs in at a light $30. However, for four classic games with no technical improvements and even a couple license-related detractions, even the most passionate of fans should be wary. When it comes down to it, Dreamcast Collection offers little more than achievements on top of what you could pick up at a garage sale down the street.