Sometimes, you just can’t beat the classics. As more and more publishers compile their retro games into sleek collections for modern consoles, it becomes easier to enjoy these iconic titles, often alongside some amazing fanservice in the form of artwork, music, and more.
The PlayStation 5 is home to a number of these great retro game collections — some bringing back older games from beloved series others unearthing hidden gems to give them a second chance to shine. These collections make for the perfect entry point to these retro games or are perfect for revisiting old favourites from yesteryear.
Updated August 7, 2024 by Harry Fritsch: as long as there’s a hunger for retro games, publishers will continue digging through their history, compiling a bunch of games together (and maybe some old artwork and other goodies), and putting them on modern systems. As long as the games themselves are this good, it’s hard to complain.
15 Castlevania Requiem: Symphony Of The Night & Rondo Of Blood
Quite The Double Bill
Let’s start with the negatives. Castlevania Requiem does the absolute bare minimum in bringing these old games over to the PS4, settling for straight ports without any of the fanservice or historical artefacts that usually accompany these retro collections.
The upside? Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood have a strong claim of being the absolute peak of Castlevania’s two most beloved formulas. Symphony of the Night is as elegantly-designed a metroidvania as there’s ever been, while Rondo of Blood takes all the lessons of the classic 8-and-16-bit Castlevania titles and perfects their vision. Outstanding games, lacklustre compilation.
14 Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection
A Wonderful Compilation
Not to be confused with the Wonder Boy Collection, which released six months before this compilation and contains four out of the six games that would end up here. The rollout of these collections was annoyingly exploitative – especially as there was no upgrade path between the two – but that’s taking nothing away from the inherent quality of these games.
Wonder Boy isn’t as big a name today as it used to be, but these joyous action-platformers used to bring smiles on the faces of gamers all around the world. From the excellent Wonder Boy 3 to the hidden gem Monster World 4, Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is a terrific compilation.
13 Sonic Origins
A Blast (Processing) From The Past
Sonic Origins compiles the first four console Sonic games into a slick package that lets you experience these platforming classics in ways you never have before. While you can play them in their original form, you can also enjoy them in widescreen and without the limitations of lives.
Even without the added features and modes, Sonic 1, 2, 3, and CD were foundational games for the series and still some of the best games to feature the blue hedgehog. From dashing through Green Hills to defeating Dr. Robotnik in the Doomsday Zone, there is no shortage of memorable moments across these games.
12 Contra Anniversary Collection
Running And Gunning Into Our Hearts
The Contra games have always been a favourite among run-and-gun fans for their frenetic energy, multiplayer mayhem, and propensity for massive explosions. The Contra Anniversary Collection lets you live out all these fond memories in a package that goes big on all the macho vibes you could ask for.
What makes the collection so great is that it mixes together the iconic Contra titles with deeper cuts from the series’ past. There are the big hitters like the original arcade Contra and Contra 3: The Alien Wars, but you can also play the lessor known Operation C and the extremely underrated Contra: Hard Corps.
11 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection
The Classic TMNT Games Return For A New Generation Of Fans
The old Konami Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games are either famous for their sublime quality, or infamous for their infuriating difficulty. Regardless of which retro TMNT game you end up playing, there is plenty of iconic gaming moments to be found in The Cowabunga Collection.
These games evoke a sense of childhood that, given the TMNT’s cross-generational appeal, can be appreciated both by those who grew up alongside these titles, and those who are experiencing them for the first time. Choose your game, choose your turtle, and get transported to a by-gone era of cheesy pizzas, cups of soda, and hours spent in front of CRT screens.
10 Mega Man X Legacy Collection
X Marks The Spot
Mega Man X asserted a cool factor to the franchise that was missing from the classic 8-bit titles. The graphics were slick, the character designs were more edgy, the narrative elements were expanded, and the gameplay was deeper and more nuanced than ever before.
The Mega Man X Legacy Collection features the first four games in the series which, let’s face it, are the only real ones that are worth playing. With some of gaming’s most electrifying soundtracks and level design that stands up to any scrutiny, these early Mega Man X games deserve their place amongst the upper echelon of 16 and 32-bit platformers.
9 The Disney Afternoon Collection
Retrieved From The Vault In The Mouse House
It’s a miracle that The Disney Afternoon Collection even exists given how much of licensing minefield Capcom and Digital Eclipse had to navigate to dig these games up. But it was all worth it as every game in this collection is a reminder of how great licensed games could be back in the later eighties and early nineties.
Chip ‘n Dale, Darkwing Duck, DuckTales, and TaleSpin are classic video game adaptations of Disney cartoons that continue to dazzle thanks to their superb presentation and tight gameplay mechanics.
8 Mega Man Legacy Collection
The Blue Bomber's Finest Games
The first six games in the Mega Man series are seen as some of the most polished titles on the NES, and their quality has easily stood the test of time in the decades since. Each game is a masterclass in action-platforming design while containing some of the most thrilling 8-bit music and audio out there.
The Mega Man Legacy Collection was one of the earlier retro compilations to come out. It includes features that would become mainstays of these collections, such as a rewind ability, classic artwork, a music player, and most importantly, razor-sharp emulation.
7 Sega Genesis Classics
Classic Games From A Classic Consoles
The Sega Genesis holds a special place in the hearts of many, and this comprehensive collection delivers a sweeping look at the system’s iconic catalogue. There are staples like Sonic and Streets of Rage, but plenty of fantastic lesser-known games like Landstalker and Alien Soldier.
Admittedly, Sega Genesis Classics does commit the unforgivable sin of not allowing you to view any of the game’s box art, so if you want to stare at the front cover of Kid Chameleon for hours on end, then this isn’t the place for you. Still, the strong collection of 16-bit gems makes up for the slightly lacking fanservice features.
6 SNK 40th Anniversary Collection
A Legendary Retro Developer's Finest Games
SNK was a prominent developer in the 1980s, with a catalogue of arcade and console titles that could rival giants like Capcom and Konami. However, due to a lack of big modern games, especially in the West, SNK has faded into relative obscurity over recent years.
The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection catapults these classic games back into the spotlight through an excellent compilation that holds nothing back. There are timeless gems like Ikari Warriors, Baseball Stars, and Crystalis, plus a slew of extra goodies that delve into the history of this esteemed developer.
5 Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle
Iconic Games From The Golden Age Of Beat 'Em Ups
Capcom were the undisputable kings of the beat ‘em up during the genre’s golden years in the early '90s, and this compilation brings together some of the developer’s absolute best in the brawler scene. These games are still perfect to pick up play, either solo or with friends and the addition of online multiplayer is a natural fit.
The best part of Capcom Beat ‘em Up Bundle is that the included games cover nearly a decade of glorious arcade goodness. Sure, everyone knows Final Fight. But games like Armored Warriors and Battle Circuit hardly got a chance to shine back in the '90s, despite being absolute blasts, so it’s heartening to see them resurrected for the 21st century.
4 Capcom Arcade Stadium
A Retro Arcade Brought Into Your Home
Capcom Arcade Stadium transports you right back to the '80s and '90s with a fantastic compilation of some of the publisher’s best games. The range of eras, genres, and series on display here is simply mouth-watering for any retro arcade fan.
While it is slightly annoying that you have to buy the games in separate bundles, rather than having them all from the start, Capcom Arcade Stadium’s collection of classics is simply too strong to ignore. It brings together all the colours and joy of the old arcades and translates that magic for modern audiences to soak up.
3 Castlevania Anniversary Collection
Get Your Vampire Killing Fix From These Stories Games
Before Castlevania was a hit Netflix show, before it even introduced the “vania” in Metroidvania, it was a series of extremely high-quality action platformers, each packaged in a spooky, gothic aesthetic that has stood the test of time. Castlevania Anniversary Collection brings together these early games in the series, making for a wonderful 8 and 16-bit history lesson.
Getting to experience the Castlevania series grow across its formative years is a great showcase of developers learning, refining, and eventually perfecting a formula that has stood strong after all this time. The introduction of save states sands away some of these games' rougher edges, making them more accessible than ever before.
2 Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
Battle Your Way Through These Iconic Fighting Games
Street Fighter is to fighting games what Super Mario is to platformers. There is no series more heavily associated with the genre than Capcom’s Street Fighter, so it was only appropriate that the series’ 30th anniversary saw a collection worthy of its storied history.
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is a treasure trove of retro fighting game goodness that covers a broad range of the series’ beloved offerings. From the breakthrough hit of Street Fighter 2 to the watertight mechanics of the Alpha games, it’s hard to find a weak link in this excellent collection.
1 Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection
A Retro Collection That Goes Above And Beyond
Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection is more than just a retro game compilation. It’s an interactive documentary that seamlessly blends gameplay, video interviews, and archival records about this seminal company to create a multimedia celebration about one of the most famous names in gaming.
Even if you don’t hold a soft spot for Atari’s retro gaming catalogue, the love that went into going above and beyond in the curation of this game speaks to a higher degree of effort than any other retro gaming collection on the PS5.
