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Ahh, the game classics, in one form or another, they appear to be coming back, one by one. Some, like Asteroids and Robotron, are being revamped to delight the 90's crowd as well as the nostalgics, while others, like Centipede and Tempest, are put together just the way they are in hearty compilations. Well, Working Designs, before hastily leaving Sega for a fulfilled life over on the Playstation, and their Spaz label have produced the only Sega Ages disc to be released in America- Volume One. However, it could've been worse- they could have ignored it altogether, leaving us with the likes of just Midway's collections.

Sega Ages Vol. 1 consists of three major Sega arcade titles- After Burner (II), Out Run, and Space Harrier. Here now are mini-reviews of each game...

SPACE HARRIER- You are a jet-propelled (I think, anyway- why the hell does he run so fast?) space gunner with a large blaster, running and flying across strange landscapes and blasting a wide variety of enemies as you go (not to mention trees and bushes that get in your way- should someone call Greenpeace?). This game is the least of the three, although, in itself, it's still very fast-paced and graphically enriched. I guess the reason it's my least favorite is because, a> there's no rapid fire option for the gun, leaving you to tap the buttons to the point that your fingers go numb, and b> it's just mostly blast and dodge, something I got more out of in another certain game in this collection. Still, if you like fantasy graphics and have a knack for getting some pre-Doom shooting in your blood, have at it.

OUT RUN- Ahh, racing a car with the wind blowing in your face and a lovely girl by your side- only to run off the road and flip the sucker six or seven times and have her chew you out. Out Run remains a classic racer from Sega's AM team, an enjoyable romp through the countryside that has you choosing music and hitting the road while dodging oncoming traffic and enjoying the view. The graphics move very quickly for this game also, with some sprite-based scaling that moves at a sleek rate. The music's a good bit of nostalgia also, although nothing you'd probably feel like playing in your own car while driving down the road (hell, you might just flip it). The control feels terrific, although the feeling of the steering wheel is slightly missed from the coin-op. Overall, Out Run is a fun ride, one worth taking now and again.

AFTER BURNER (II)- And now, the real meat and potatoes of the Sega Ages package! After Burner moves just as rapidly as the arcade game, and plays just like a dream. You commandeer an F-14 through heavy combat situations, shooting targets on the ground and locking missiles onto anything that flies in front of you. Along with that, you have to dodge incoming missiles, either by doing some fancy maneuvering or just rolling your craft. I was very impressed with this game, as it kept me playing for hours last night on end (and probably drove my neighbors nuts- the volume was cranked to 12). Certainly a triumph of a home conversion, even better than the Master System, Genesis, and NES versions combined.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the one and only US Sega Ages collection, and it's prompting me to import a few from Japan, like Galaxy Force II and Power Drift. If you are any kind of Sega freak or you enjoy an adrenaline-fueled (but visual-underrated) ride from two or three different sources, it's a no-brainer- add this game to your collection immediately. I score it an 8 out of 10, and here's a shout out to J.M. Vargas...I'm back, I'm smiling, and, as usual, I'm broke...