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don't get it !

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 41
Date: November 26, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I DEFINATELY wouldn't get this unless u r a SERIOUS RPG player. The graphics are terrible and the gameplay isnt good. It gets old extremely fast.I just got it the other day and Hated it. I'm turning it in to get a Better game, and if u have it, u should 2.

Great for nostalgia, but compared to today's games ....

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: July 14, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I couldn't echo the direct praise of many others even though I did grow up on these games. The simple fact is that unless you played these games on the Genesis you just aren't going to appreciate the GBA remakes.

The "problem" with this remake is that no improvements were made to any of the games. They are faithful and EXACT representations of their Genesis counterparts. Now, I grew up on these games back in the early 90's and I loved them, so of course I loved the nostaglic appeal PS Collection had.

But if I were talking to a new gamer ... someone who hadn't played the originals, then there's no way I would be able to recommend this compared to the titles avaliable today. By today's standards, these are really boring dungeon crawlers ... no side quests, no item custimzation, drab and now-cliched storylines ... it lacks the punch some of the current games have.

These games were from a much different gaming era, and they show it. Without any kind of improvement, they just can't hold their own with some of today's titles. I can only recommend this product to people who played at least one of the originals, know what is coming and are looking for nostalic appeal, because that's really their one and only draw.

Worth it?

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 8
Date: March 25, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I recently played the old Phantasy Star games on Sega and wasn't very fond of them. I think only true fans of the series, and people who remember the good times they had with the old Phantasy Star games should pick this up. Nothing more said.

The best GBA game to date.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: February 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Ever complained about the difficulty of Final Fantasy games? Look no further. Phantasy Star Collection gives you 2 deep, difficult games (and one with lesser difficulty) for the low price of [$$].
Phantasy Star I was arguably the best 8-bit RPG to ever release. Not only did it look a ton better than FF I-III (Japanese II and III), its plot blew both away. In Phantasy Star, you're not saving a world--you're saving an entire solar system! It's also one of the few RPGs to feature a female character, Alis. Dungeons are presented in sprite-based 3D, and all battles, conversations, and dungeon treks take place in first-person. The story centers around Alis and her companions Myau (musk cat), Odin (warrior) and Noah (mage). Their goal is to defeat the oppresing ruler of the Algol Star System, Lassic. During their quest, the party will travel between the Earth-like Palma, the desert planet Motavia, and the ice planet Dezoris.
PSII takes place approximately 1000 years after PSI, in the same setting. You play as Rolf, an agent for the government of Mota, recruiting partners such as Nei (half-human, half-Biomonster), Rudo (warrior), Amy (healer), Hugh (biologist), Anna (guardian), Kain (wrecker), and Shir (thief, you can use her to steal items from shops). While starting as a simple Biomoster problem, the plot intensifies as one progresses through the game. Have a pen and paper handy while you play, because the dungeons are really complicated mazes.
PSIII was somewhat of a departure. When the planet Palm was destroyed mid-way through PSII, many ships fled the planet before the prison satellite Gaila crashbed into the planet. The ships consist of 7 artificial worlds. You start as Rhys, but can reach one of four endings. The game takes place over 3 generations. At the end of the first quest, you can choose to marry one of two women. Their son will then take on his own quest, choose from two more brides, and give birth to the third-generation character.

Unfortunately, Phantasy Star IV, the one that somewhat returned to its roots, was not included due to size constraints. A re-release of that game is imminent. There's also a save bug in PSI, where the game will occasionally crash when you try to save. Thankfully, PSI (and PSII when you get a secret item) allow saving in dungeons. Have fun with this!

Phantasy Star just the way you remembered (except)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: December 12, 2002
Author: Amazon User

If you played #1 with the Sega Master System, you'll find absolutely no changes, finished the game in 3 days. Maps are all done the same, the game is in fact, a complete copy of the ROM onto a Nintendo platform.
With #3, there's some minor changes. The screen text has been shrunk down and changed a bit to fit the screen of the GBA. The P for poison no longer appears above your character's name, it now sits alongside. Other than that, all is well.

However, with the GBA, the changes made, and due to hardware limitations, the sounds, are different. And noticable.
Especially with the Gun sounds from Odin from #1, the monster attack sounds, and there's a few bugs. If you use BYE, your 4 characters names and HP/MP boxes stay open. With PS#3, it's just the sound that's noticed. I hope this review was useful.

Overall a good game, just with hardware limitations.

Good but not perfect

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 23, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I bought this collection for Phantasy Star I, in my opinion the best game of this series (and also the hardest to obtain since I don't have a Sega Master System). I personally think I got my money's worth. These games are faithful recreations of the original Sega Master System and Sega Genesis games, but with a few changes, both related to saving. The first is that there are less save slots. Phantasy Star I originally allowed you to have FIVE saved games, not three. This change is understandible.

One thing I do not like, however, is that PS1 also features an annoying bug that causes the game to crash sometimes when you save the game. It's random, and the only real way to beat the bug is to save often and thus minimize the damage done. Fortunately this bug does not corrupt your earlier saves and is really a very minor issue, unless you foolishly go for hours without saving your game. This bug appears to not exist in the other two games.

Oh, and I disagree with the guy who said these games are meant to be played with maps. While it's true that the originals came with them, I've played the games just fine without them, and indeed find them more fun that way. Do NOT download maps for these games. You'll probably be too busy travelling to use them anyway.

Nostalgic Experience

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: February 09, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Before Dragon Warrior or Final Fantasy was released in US, Sega brought this game called Phantasy Star for ill-fated Sega Master System. With power of SMS, this game was one of most stunning 8-bit game ever made, but only to be shelved due to lack of support.
Years after, Phantasy Star stretched to 4th installment, and this series captured those who played for having one of most memorable storyline, combined with unusal futuristic setting.
For those who never played them, this collection bring first 3 games of Phantasy Star.
This is very faithfully emulated game. You shouldn't expect any improvement on game. While there are some glitches (such as Saving Crash on PS I, watered down sounding PS II), purist will definately find this game compelling.
This collection leaves something to be desired. Absence of PS IV, which is considered the best of the series by many players is one reason for me to give this 4 stars instead of 5. However, if you call yourself RPGamer, you need to give this collection a try.
Be aware, PS III is radical departure to this series.

a good RPG!!!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 5
Date: May 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User

this game is a good game cos you can fight even talk to the creatures! cool but let down bye not very good graphic's but still a good game!!!

The reason to get a GBA.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: January 24, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I only gave the GBA passing notice until I heard about the Phantasy Star Collection. I immediately got giddy and weak in the knees. These are the games of my childhood and they're back to please me again. The original Phantasy Star on the Sega Master System is the pinnacle of the 8-bit RPG. PSII on the Sega Genesis is still my favorite RPG of all time. PSIII was a change of pace, but still good. The only thing keeping this from being a 5-star release is the lack of PSIV, which brought the series back to the PSII feel. Why Sega didn't publish this is beyond me, but thank you, THQ, for bringing me some wonderful nostalgia.

The Review of the Gods

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: October 26, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Phantasy Star Collection was pretty darn good, I mean, holly moly, jumpin jolleys, three games for the price of one!!! Man o man, what a bang, what a buck, what a deal!!!! I would strongly recomend buying this game. My reasons for this decisive decion are as follows: 1.good graphics (for the time it was made in)
2.The learning curve is steap, but effective, meaning that once you get past the first hour, and level up a bit, no, alot, you will begin to enjoy the game.
3. The game is sweet!

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