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| Sega Smash Pack | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Sega CodeFire(GBA) |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows,Dreamcast,Game Boy Advance |
| Release | Microsoft Windows February 18, 1999(Pack 1) April 1, 1999[1](Pack 2) November 14, 2000(Pack 3) Dreamcast
|
| Genre(s) | Various |
| Mode(s) | Single-player,multiplayer |
Sega Smash Pack (Sega Archives from USA in Japan) is a series ofvideo game compilations developed and published bySega. It features mostlySega Genesis games.
The first pack titledSega Smash Pack (Sega Archives from USA Vol. 1 in Japan) featured eight games.
The second pack titledSega Puzzle Pack (Sega Archives from USA Vol. 2 in Japan) featured three games.
The third pack titledSega Smash Pack 2 (Sega Archives from USA Vol. 3 in Japan) featured eight games.
The console version ofSega Smash Pack was released forDreamcast titledSega Smash Pack Volume 1 and featured the following twelve games:
Jeff Gerstmann fromGameSpot gave the console version a 4.5/10. He criticised the console version for its patchy performance and poorly emulated music.[2]
The Genesis emulator built inside the compilation gained popularity with homebrew groups, asEchelon released a kit that allowed users to add and load their own Genesis ROMs. Gary Lake, the programmer, had himself deliberately left a documentation of the built-in emulator, with the documentation seemingly intended at them due to the filename (ECHELON.TXT).[3] Additionally,Sega Swirl andVirtua Cop 2 were the only non-Genesis games in the compilation.
The handheld version ofSega Smash Pack was released forGame Boy Advance simply titledSega Smash Pack and featured three games, two of which had been included in the first Smash Pack. WhileEcco the Dolphin andSonic Spinball were developed using the original source code,Golden Axe had to be recreated from scratch.[4]
Craig Harris fromIGN gave the handheld version a 6/10. He criticised the handheld version for several technical issues and lack ofcooperative multiplayer inGolden Axe.[5] It was nominated forGameSpot's annual "Most Disappointing Game on Game Boy Advance" award, which went toThe Revenge of Shinobi.[6]
Sega has also announced the release of its Sega Puzzle Pack, featuring Lose Your Marbles, Dr Robotnik Mean Bean Machine and Columns III, for $20.
[Gary] Lake's message, left inside a file called ECHELON.txt, basically described how to use the game, which featured a number of classic Sega titles, as an emulator. (The file was named after a prominent Dreamcast hacking group at the time.)