Jeff Gerstmann from GameSpot gave the console version a 4.5/10. He criticised the console version for its patchy performance and poorly emulated music.[2]
The Genesis emulator built inside the compilation gained popularity with homebrew groups, as Echelon released a kit that allowed users to add and load their own Genesis ROMs. Gary Lake, the programmer, had himself deliberately left a documentation of the built-in emulator, with the documentation seemingly intended at them due to the filename (ECHELON.TXT).[3] Additionally, Sega Swirl and Virtua Cop 2 were the only non-Genesis games in the compilation.
Handheld (Game Boy Advance)
The handheld version of Sega Smash Pack was released for Game Boy Advance simply titled Sega Smash Pack and featured three games, two of which had been included in the first Smash Pack. While Ecco the Dolphin and Sonic Spinball were developed using the original source code, Golden Axe had to be recreated from scratch.[4]
Craig Harris from IGN gave the handheld version a 6/10. He criticised the handheld version for several technical issues and lack of cooperative multiplayer in Golden Axe.[5] It was nominated for GameSpot's annual "Most Disappointing Game on Game Boy Advance" award, which went to The Revenge of Shinobi.[6]
References
^"Yoot To Make The People Happy". FGN Online. April 1, 1999. Archived from the original on September 3, 1999. Retrieved December 26, 2024. Sega has also announced the release of its Sega Puzzle Pack, featuring Lose Your Marbles, Dr Robotnik Mean Bean Machine and Columns III, for $20.
^Smith, Ernie (22 June 2016). "The Online Community That's Turning Old Video Games Into an Archaeological Dig". Vice. Retrieved 21 November 2022. [Gary] Lake's message, left inside a file called ECHELON.txt, basically described how to use the game, which featured a number of classic Sega titles, as an emulator. (The file was named after a prominent Dreamcast hacking group at the time.)
