Sega Genesis Collection

One of the biggest problems with emulation has always been getting the audio and video just right. Considering that the original software is often running in a different resolution than what today's consoles can display, the problem is something of a technical challenge. That said, the wizards at Digital Eclipse have handled the issue superbly. Across the entire collection of 30+ titles, we only noticed a few minor glitches, none affecting gameplay [Ed note: we've heard rumors of a crash bug involving Super Sonic in Sonic 2, but have been unable to recreate it].

What is disappointing about the collection however is the half-hearted effort that went into the museum section. Each game features two or three basic trivia items, a scan of the box art and a simplistic tip or two. Where's the concept art that was promised in the manual? Where's the in-depth history? And most importantly, where are the individual game manuals? Previous Sega collections have featured digital copies of the original manuals, so why wasn't it done here? For games like Sonic, a missing manual is no big deal, but when you're talking about an RPG with the depth of Phantasy Star IV, not having a manual is a bit of a hindrance, not to mention downright annoying.

Though it shares the same name (and most of the same features), the PSP version of the Sega Genesis Collection isn't identical to its PS2 big brother. Moving to the small screen adds support for Wi-Fi play in two-player titles along with a variable screen width. Each of the games can be played in their native resolution or stretched to fill the PSP's 16:9 screen via a smart filter. Unfortunately the Wi-Fi support is ad-hoc only, so don't plan on any cross country Sonic 2 matches.

In addition to the extra features, the PSP collection also swaps out the five bonus arcade games from the PS2 version with five of its own, which we've already listed. Sega was obviously hoping to create a "hook" to get players to buy both versions, but the selections in the PSP collection aren't quite as sweet as those on the PS2. Factor in the higher cost ($30 vs $20) and opting for the home version is a no-brainer. Besides, if you already own the collection for the PS2, we're thinking you won't feel guilty when using a freeware emulator on the PSP.