Over the years I have picked up many different versions of the Sega Mega Games compilations in various games bundles purchased from eBay. When I first started collecting Sega Mega Drive games again I didn’t realise there were so many different versions of the Mega Games compilations for the console. In this post I’ll take a look at the Sega Mega Games 1 to 6 compilations that were released for the Sega Mega Drive.
Sega Mega Games 1 to 6 Origins
The idea for this compilation and its subsequent releases came from the president of the Spanish division of Sega Europe, Paco Pastor, who proposed the concept during a visit to Sega’s headquarters in Japan. Pastor, who had previous experience in the video game industry through his successful company Erbe Software, suggested the idea of bundling games for a more attractive price.
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Mega Games 1 (1992)
Mega Games I, known as Triple Score: 3 Games in 1 in the US, was a video game compilation launched in Europe for the Sega Mega Drive in 1992. It was the first in a series of three compilations, followed by Mega Games 2 and Mega Games 3. The North American version of the game featured World Championship Soccer on its packaging, but the cartridge contained World Cup Italia ’90 instead.
Initially, the PAL version was available as a standalone product, but later in 1993, it was included in bundles with Mega Drive consoles. These bundled copies did not have a barcode on the back of the box, but the cartridge and manuals remained unchanged.
Games included
- Columns
- Super Hang On
- World Cup Italia ’90
Mega Games 2 (1993)
Mega Games 2 followed in 1993 and was included with the Sega Mega Drive 2 console.
Games included
- Golden Axe
- Streets of Rage
- The Revenge of Shinobi
Mega Games 3 (1993)
Mega Games 3 was also released in 1993 and also packaged with the Sega Mega Drive 2 console. As with the previous versions the game was only available as part of the console bundle and not sold separately.
Games included
- Alien Storm
- Super Thunder Blade
- Super Monaco GP
Mega Games 6 (1995)
Mega Games 6 was bundled with European Sega Mega Drive 2 consoles in 1995. This version took all the games from Mega Games 1 and 2 and put them into one cartridge.
For me this is the strongest Mega Games compilation purely based on having Golden Axe, Streets of Rage and The Revenge of Shinobi all on one cartridge (some of my favourite Mega Drive games of all time).
Games included
- Columns
- Golden Axe
- Super Hang-On
- Streets of Rage
- The Revenge of Shinobi
- World Cup Italia ’90
Mega Games 6 Vol 2 (1995)
Mega Games 6 Vol 2 was a variation of the previous title that was packaged with some European Sega Mega Drive 2 consoles.
Games included
- Alien Storm
- Columns
- Super Hang-On
- Super Monaco GP
- Super Thunder Blade
- World Cup Italia ’90
Mega Games 6 Vol 3 (1995)
The Mega 6 Vol. 3 is a compilation of Sega Mega Drive games that were released in the PAL region in 1995. It was part of the Mega Drive’s final official bundles and was the last installment in the Mega Games series. The cartridge features six of Sega’s most popular games from the early days of the Mega Drive.
This volume is unique in that it introduces a new game to the Mega Games series and is the only one to use the shortened title of Mega 6. The games included come with individual instruction manuals, unlike previous compilations that combined them into one manual. The Mega 6 Vol. 3 uses the standard game selection screen that was previously seen in Sega compilations such as the Mega Games, Classic Collection, 6-Pak, and Sonic Classics.
In Greece, this compilation was simply known as Mega 6.
Games included
- Columns
- The Revenge of Shinobi
- Sega Soccer
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Streets of Rage
- Super Monaco GP
Other Notable Sega Compilations
There were also some other notable compilations released by Sega in the 1990s such as:
- Master Games – Sega Master System (1993)
- Sega Classics Arcade Collection
- Sega Genesis 6 Pak
Master Games 1 – Sega Master System (1993)
Master Games 1 is a compilation released for the Sega Master System only in Europe in 1993. It followed the format to the Sega Mega Drive’s Mega Games 1, Mega Games 2 and Mega Games 3, in that it contains three previously released Master System games on one cartridge. It was packaged with the later Master System II bundles.
Master Games 1 has no built-in menu system due to the limitations of the system. This meant that the user had to reset the console to switch between games.
Games included
- Columns
- Super Monaco GP
- World Soccer
Sega Classics Arcade Collection
The Sega Classics Arcade Collection, also referred to as Sega Classic (セガクラシック) in Japan or Sega Classic Arcade Collection, is a compilation of four to five classic Sega Mega Drive games, exclusively available on the Sega Mega-CD (or Sega CD in North America).
This game was included as a part of the package when the Mega-CD was launched in the UK and North America. However, it was released as a standalone title in other regions.
Two variants of Sega Classics Arcade Collection exist:
Earlier version (North America and Japan)
- Golden Axe
- Streets of Rage
- Columns
- The Revenge of Shinobi
Later version (Europe and later North American bundles)
- Golden Axe
- Streets of Rage
- Columns
- The Revenge of Shinobi
- Super Monaco GP
Sega Genesis 6 Pak
The 6-Pak is a collection of six classic Sega Mega Drive games, released in June of 1995 in North America for Sega Genesis (as well as Brazil and Asia too) owners during the waning days of the console. The compilation features some of Sega’s most iconic games from the early years of the system, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Revenge of Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Columns, and Super Hang-On.
This was basically a variation of the European released Mega Games 6.
The in-game menu showcases digitized representations of the original box art for each game, and the collection also includes a comprehensive 67-page manual with instructions for all six titles. Interestingly, the box art for Columns utilized in the 6-Pak was not taken from the Mega Drive version of the game, but instead was borrowed from the Sega Master System edition.
Sega Mega Games 1 to 6 Compilations
The Sega Mega Games compilations are from a time when the Mega Drive was getting closer towards the end of its successful run in Europe. To drive down costs and offer new customers value along with the cheaper to produce Mega Drive 2 console the compilations offered value for both Sega and its customers.
Today they are an intriguing collection of games for collectors like myself to acquire.
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