Game Compilations

[Twinbee]

This was one of my favourite gaming possessions as a kid:

It was really good value, and most of the games were awesome, even Altered Beast (at the time).

So I'm sure there are loads of boring financial, logistical and legal reasons we don't get them anymore, but I really wish they'd do them again. There'd be a couple of really good games, but then it'd open you up to a couple of games you wouldn't really have considered, but which turned out to be good.

So yeah, why doesn't it happen?

[Asura]

So yeah, why doesn't it happen?

Didn't they do that recent set of Oblivion and Bioshock?

Admittedly though these are pretty uncommon now.

[masterhand]

Well, theres the size of the media problem. If a game fills a DVD how are you going to get more than one game on there? Having more discs in the case means it's more expensive to make so not really budget.

The closest recent example were the GBA double packs, two games on a cart. Seemed quite popular judging from the number availible.

Then as you know there are already many retro compliations availible.

[Masu]

Actually, they are heading in the complete oppositte direction these days. Getting more than one game for your cash? Today you are more likely to get half a game (with "unlockable" DLC for more cash later) or a game designed from the very start to have content added to it at a later date.

And with back catalogue stuff now being re-sold to us via DLC, often at fairly hefty prices, it means less chance to see older titles bunched together like they did in the old days (consoles that is, Steam offers many compilations on the PC ofc).

[Qazimod]

Sadly, videogame pricing back then was fairly different, and so the cost of your typical game today would get you a compilation of games for your 8-bit machine of choice. I had one or two nice collections for the C64 though; such as one called "The In-Crowd" which had the likes of Target Renegade, Gryzor (Contra) and The Last Ninja. I suppose you have things like The Orange Box and the Unreal Anthology, but they don't really count as it's all from the same series. The PSP also has a number of retro compilations but again it's not really the same as having a bunch of newer titles...

As for compilations that might work today? It'd be nice to see some of Capcom's last-gen hits in one collection - Viewtiful Joe, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Devil May Cry 3... Or maybe a Rockstar compilation which looks past the GTA series and comes with stuff like Manhunt, Canis Canem Edit and Midnight Club 3?

[Dandy_Sephy]

The last proper* one i remember was the Broken Sword/Road Rash/Myst? pack. There are a few two packs, but other then that, not much. Although a compilation of all the portable Metal Gears went up on the US PSN this week

*not stuff like sega rompacks

[Troublegum]

There were those Help charity game compilations on PS1 and PS2 and I saw re-branded 'double packs' of Playstation 2 games a couple of years ago. Nothing on the scale of the old Imagine or Ocean boxes in recent years, though.

[Asura]

As for compilations that might work today? It'd be nice to see some of Capcom's last-gen hits in one collection - Viewtiful Joe, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Devil May Cry 3... Or maybe a Rockstar compilation which looks past the GTA series and comes with stuff like Manhunt, Canis Canem Edit and Midnight Club 3?

I can't speak for everyone, but personally, if Capcom did such a collection, I would begrudge it a little if it wasn't really cheap. With digital delivery these days, I'd much prefer the individual games dirt cheap to a set.

[MW_Jimmy]

Capcom recently did a three pack of Dead Rising / DMC4 / Lost Planet in the US but I think that was probably just a method to get Dead Rising back into circulation myself.

packaging:

Nice!

[Twinbee]

Yeah, I figured this'd be the case, especially size of media. Although I do remember some of the old comps coming on two cassettes – but these days I'd imagine most games fill more than half a disc, etc.

I guess I'm just being a bit misty-eyed, and thought it was a great way of discovering new stuff. Would be a good way of publishers getting less well-performing games under people's noses, if they strapped them to the back of some corkers.

But yes, digital distribution makes them less viable than ever now. Sniff…

[therealjohnpeat]

[footle]

Or compilations on Steam.

[mechamonkey]

The Orange Box was pretty damn amazing

Softaid on the spectrum was my fave

[Twinbee]

Capcom recently did a three pack of Dead Rising / DMC4 / Lost Planet in the US but I think that was probably just a method to get Dead Rising back into circulation myself.

packaging:

Nice!

See, that's ace. Would love to see more.

[gone fishin]

I think there's scheduled a compilation of No More Heroes and Red Steel, but it may be for North America only.

But you're right, it's an absolute shame that compilations don't get done these days, they were a fantastic way to get some good value for money. I discovered many gems through compilations, games that would get an average review, but for some reason really clicked with me. I would never have played them, if it weren't for the fact that they were on a compilation with a couple of games that I really wanted.

Yeah, there's the issue of most games taking up too much space to fit multiple titles on a DVD, but is that really an issue? How many games really take up a double layer? The Wii would be a great platform for compilations, afaik a lot of games take up less than a DVD. They could even release compilations of Gamecube games, especially seeing as so many are quite hard to find. Dunno if it would be feasible to fudge it to support classic controller, and Wii memory for saving, but even then you could probably easily fit at least 4 games on a Wii disc.

The GBA has had a number of compilations, especially at the end of it's days, but they were mostly just double packs.

Next I'd want to see the mags releasing their own compilation discs, a la the 8 bit computer days, of 4 year old games. And then the industry claiming that it's destroyed the market. Or something.

[Meatball]

[Elliott]

Capcom recently did a three pack of Dead Rising / DMC4 / Lost Planet in the US but I think that was probably just a method to get Dead Rising back into circulation myself.

packaging:

Nice!

Those are three absolutely SUPERB games. Is it retailing for the US market equivalent of a £20 or £40 title?

[rumblecat]

There's a few available on the PSP that I've seen-

The Metal Gear / Silent Hill double pack.

And the 'Action Pack' - a slightly bizarre mix of Driver '78, Rainbow Six and Prince of Persia Revelations.

[Dandy_Sephy]

Yeah, there's the issue of most games taking up too much space to fit multiple titles on a DVD, but is that really an issue? How many games really take up a double layer? The Wii would be a great platform for compilations, afaik a lot of games take up less than a DVD.

Given the stupidly low cost of optical media, there is no need to cram them on one disc. In a day where Microsoft will happily let certain rpg developers (but not everyone) use 3 or 4 discs for a single game, theres no reason they can't let publishers do two or three. For ps3 the media probably costs more, and I'm not sure they would allow multiple games on one blu-ray although I guess it's possible.

At the end of the day it's a lot easier to just bundle separate discs. No resubmission costs, they can use the same masters, they can use excess copies of previous editions of the game where available etc.

[Professor Puzzles]

You can still buy massive boxsets of PC games at the moment, usually a couple of big-hitters from Activision or Ubisoft with a load of their crappier title thrown in to boot. I saw one on sale in game with about 10 different titles included.

[womblingfree]

There was a compilation for the C64 called 5 Star Games. It had Scarabeus, Batalyx, Spindizzy, Zoids and Equinox on it.

Now that's a great compilation.

[Dandy_Sephy]

True, pc gaming has had a long history of this. Lucusarts were doing nice ones in the mid-late nineties, as were others. They don't have to go through platform holders first though

[Gabe]

People posting pics/mentioning compilations of games of a same series isn't really what the OP was getting it, and in that respect the Oblivion/Bioshock pack is one of the few actual examples in this thread (and that Ubisoft Action Pack).

I would imagine that licensing may be more of an issue these days than before, presumably reducing the margins to the point of not being worth the hassle.

[Joyrex-J9]

Not really a compilation, but who could forget...

[Twinbee]

And the 'Action Pack' - a slightly bizarre mix of Driver '78, Rainbow Six and Prince of Persia Revelations.

Oh right, so it does happen more than I thought (consol-wise). That compilation's great, because it's a really weird combo of games.

I'd've never bought Jummy White's Whirlwind Snooker on the Amiga, but it came on a comp with Dune and Lure of the Temptress, and I played all of them for ages.

[Gabe]

Oh right, so it does happen more than I thought (consol-wise). That compilation's great, because it's a really weird combo of games.

I'd've never bought Jummy White's Whirlwind Snooker on the Amiga, but it came on a comp with Dune and Lure of the Temptress, and I played all of them for ages.

And that isn't?

[stevosowl]

"Thalamus: The Hits" on c64

Delta

Sanxion

Hunters Moon

Hawkeye

Armalyte

Quedex

The single best compilation ever made

[gone fishin]

Not really a compilation, but who could forget...

Oh yeah... I had a copy of this for the spectrum (although not the original, an actual copy... if you know what I mean ;-) ). Which meant I never had the calculator watch (which I thought was amazing at the time, it was probably worth about 50p).

However, the games were great for editing as they were all written in basic- which meant you could easily change the names to Fuck. Or Cunt.

[Twinbee]

And that isn't?

It totally is, that's my point! I played a game I would've never forked out for on its own. Such was the benefit of those old comps.

[gone fishin]

"Thalamus: The Hits" on c64

Delta

Sanxion

Hunters Moon

Hawkeye

Armalyte

Quedex

The single best compilation ever made

On the C64 that was good....very good. But being a Speccy Owner at the time, Thalamus games were pretty poor compared to the amazing Commie versions.

I always thought Supreme Challenge may be one of the greatest compilations ever...

It was a great example of the 8bit home computer era- Elite, Sentinel, Tetris, Starglider and.... erm, Ace II!!! Well, apart from Ace II it was an amazing compilation.