Sega Classics Hit PSN Today with the Launch of PSPgo

190w ago - Sega's Associate Community Manager Julian Mehlfeld has announced that today Sega Classics are hitting Sony's PlayStation Network to coincide with the launch of their PSPgo console.

To quote: Starting with the release of the PSPgo, we're happy to announce our some of our PSP of titles are available for download on day one.

We've got a few titles you might have missed that are worth a look, or even a second look if you've already played them. Below we've got a brief summary of the titles you'll come across and will be taking a deeper dive on a few of them across our Sega blogs in the days to come.

Alien Syndrome
Alien Syndrome is a sequel to an old arcade game of the same name and takes place some 20 years after the original. Featuring over 80 different weapons, hundreds of armors and items, 3 difficulty modes, ad hoc multiplayer, and over 40 levels, Alien Syndrome will keep any dungeon crawler busy for a while. The game is probably best described as a top down shooter with added RPG elements.

Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars
Are you ready to make some crazy money? Crazy Taxi for PSP is actually a collection containing the original Crazy Taxi and the sequel, Crazy Taxi 2. In Fare Wars, you've got access to all the original crazy moves, over 30 crazy mini-games, and crazy modes you remembered from the original games.

Added bonuses include a customizable soundtrack based on your own music from the memory stick and local multiplayer games in head to head battles. We've had some fun replaying this in the office and it's a welcome addition to anyone that's been looking for a Crazy Taxi fix.

Crush
I'm a huge fan of Crush and think that every PSP owner and puzzle fan should check out this game, it's just that good. Crush uses a unique concept, taking 3D environments and "crushing" them into a 2D plane. Since the environment is in 3D, you'll have to rotate game world to find the best places to crush and gain access to different areas of the level. Need to get atop a ledge, but can't jump to it?

Simply look top down, Crush, walk over to the ledge, unCrush and you're where you need to be. The challenge then comes in working with the basic rules of the game - for example, some blocks you can or cannot traverse in the 2D plane, but can't get across in 3D, or vice versa. If you missed Crush before or just want to replay it, now's an excellent time to pick it up.

Full Auto: Battlelines
If Crazy Taxi is a bit too tame for your racing needs, Full Auto Battlelines might be the fix you need. Full Auto is all about car combat, destructible environments and an 'unwreck' ability that allows you to create opportunities out of mistakes. Unwreck is, like it sounds, an ability that allows you to escape a bad decision and rewind time to avoid that bad turn or unexpected hazard.

Sega Genesis Collection
If you are a Sega fan and want some game to satisfy your classic game lust, this is the title for you. The Genesis Collection features 28 games and 5 unlockables, including favorites such as Sonic 1 & 2, Phantasy Star series, Shinobi, Vectorman 1 & 2, and the Golden Axe series.

Iron Man
Based on the blockbuster, Iron Man PSP gives you the chance to head into battle as Tony Stark within the Iron Man suit. If you are familiar with the basic plot of the Iron Man movie, the game is essentially the same with a few additions, including new encounters from other Marvel villains within the Iron Man universe.

Sonic Rivals & Sonic Rivals 2
Sonic Rivals is a different take on the normal Sonic the Hedgehog experience you might be used to. Rivals is best described as racer, you compete against other characters from within the Sonic world, pick up powerups, tackle bosses, and fight to stay at the front of the pack.

Bosses? Yes, there are some unique play ideas at here that have you competitively and cooperatively downing bigger enemies. On top of a solid game, you'll also find unlockables cards that give you some insight into the past Sonic series.

Super Monkey Ball Adventure
Monkey Ball for the PSP actually comes in a different style of game than the previous series additions. You play not only Monkey Ball puzzle stages you are familiar with, but also play in larger open world areas with platforming, missions, and mini-game, hence the Adventure name.

As noted, back at the Sega Blog, we're doing a bit of additional coverage on the PSPgo titles. Some of us are revisiting old games we enjoyed; others are picking them up for the first time. Head on over and read my write up on Crush and look for new blogs about some of our other games in the days to come.