Review: SEGA Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co. (XBLA)

Of the four SEGA Vintage Collection packages, the Alex Kidd & Co. package is the only one that contains non-related titles. The Streets of Rage collection consists of Streets of Rage, Streets of Rage 2, and Streets of Rage 3. The Golden Axe collection consists of Golden Axe, Golden Axe 2, and Golden Axe…3. The Monster World collection consists of Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Wonder Boy in Monster World, and Monster World IV. Then you have the Alex Kidd & Co. collection, which consists of Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Revenge of Shinobi, and Super Hang-On. Not quite the contiguous set that the other SEGA Vintage Collections offer, but not an overall bad set, either.

I will say that, even as a young lad, Alex Kidd was never a series that interested me. I think this package would have been better served by either excluding it and offering a more entertaining title in its place, or going full out and making this a full Alex Kidd package. This is definitely the weakest of the SEGA Vintage Collections so far, lacking a cohesive theme and including Alex Kidd as it does. I’ll stop harping on Alex Kidd and focus on the two titles in this package that do make it somewhat worthwhile. Revenge of Shinobi remains as difficult as ever, but as entertaining as ever, while Super Hang-On is a classic motorcycle racer.

For fans of the mixed titles on this package, the price once again provides the convenience of a single launcher with the inclusion of time trials. There is no multiplayer aspect, since the games have no multiplayer capability, but this is understandable given the titles’ original functionality not including it. I personally can’t recommend this package for anyone other than nostalgic fans. For those who are fans, it will most likely be a fun purchase.