Mega Games I is three Mega Drive classics packed onto one cartridge and possibly the best value for money you could have found for the console… at the time. Having never owned these games separately I am not going to give each game a separate review as this is the way I remember playing them and possibly the best way to play them.

To begin with, there was Super Hang On; the sequel to the arcade classic that was Hang On. My Dad would play Super Hang On religiously. Being a huge motorbike fan my Dad would get the most pleasure of firing a turbo-charged motorbike across several stages. Super Hang On is a real adrenaline rush from start to finish and a great test of driving skill because in order to complete the game correctly, there is no room for error. This can be seen as challenging or a flaw but seeing as the game is an arcade port it is more of a challenge as arcade games are not supposed to be beaten. Why do you think you always spend more money than you want to when you go to an arcade?

Secondly, we have World Cup Italia’ 90. Being from England, football unites us all and it definitely united the guys in my family. World Cup Italia’ 90 is a great laugh 2 player and one of the best football experiences on the console (and there’s a lot). Unlike a lot of the football games on the Mega Drive, World Cup Italia’ 90 sets a real challenge for gamers. Most football games that appeared on the Mega Drive had particularly bad AI meaning it was quite easy to find a way round the goalkeeper to continuously keep scoring. World Cup Italia’ 90 has some of the best AI in a football game making every match a real challenge. Unfortunately, the bird’s eye perspective the game uses really doesn’t allow the game to succeed graphically.

Lastly there’s the game that brought most of my family together in a moment we’ll probably never share again. Columns. Everyone in my family would play Columns, my Aunt especially. When you mention puzzle games to most people, the first game that comes to mind is Tertris. In my case however, it is Columns. Columns has some of the best gameplay known to man. It’s simplicity makes it a hit with most puzzle fans. Line up a row, diagonal and most importantly, column of 3 jewels to make them vanish. The longer you play for and the higher your score gets, the faster the jewels fall. That’s all there is to it. No messing about with extra game modes (well okay, there is Flash Columns), fancy graphics or silly additions that just don’t need to be there. Just frantic puzzle action for everyone to enjoy.

So basically, Mega Games I is a collection of classics that can keep you and the family playing for hours. There’s so much to do and a great challenge to be had as well. But because these are earlier Mega Drive titles, they lack the execution of later titles. The graphics aren’t fantastic, the gameplay can be too simple and other than what you are given, there isn’t a lot of replay value from all of the games. It’s all just arcade fun on a home console; quick thrills and then it’s over. But while it lasts, it’s easily one of the best collections on the system.